Chapter 307 (2/2)

Qi Siling was standing to the side and holding a tall stack of account books. She knelt down next to her, placed the account books on the ground, and kowtowed. ”Your Highness, please examine these records. These account books show the monthly receipts from her business. This servant felt very fearful when she saw this. Nie Sangyu colluded with merchants and used the huge profits from her collusion to help the third prince bribe the court officials. There's conclusive proof that the late Emperor's posthumous edict had been tampered with. ”

Zhao Li faintly smiled and gestured for a servant to bring one of the account books to him. He gave the book a cursory look, then said, ”It's true that merchants are allowed to earn large profits, but isn't there a rule in Great Song that a woman from an official's family isn't allowed to engage in business? Moreover, the amount of bribery that you're suspect of is really too big. Ai, the punishment for this might have to be the nine familial exterminations.”

Ji Man's heart felt cold. She glanced at Qi Siling.

The corners of Qi Siling's lips were showing a victor's smile, but her eyes were looking up at the second prince instead of her.

In a neutral tone, Ning Yuxuan said, ”Nie Sangyu isn't that clever. She just gave the money to Nie Qingyun. Nie Qingyun won't contest to that charge either. Your Highness, if the punishment is going to be nine familial exterminations, then Yuxuan won't be able to avoid it either.”

Zhao Li said with a smile, ”I was just joking with you. Why are you treating my words so seriously, ah? Before we came here, Pengyue already talked with me. She said that no matter what, Nie Sangyu's life had to be spared. Naturally, I'll listen to her words.”

Pengyue nodded. She took a few steps forward and helped Nie Sangyu up. ”I gave my whip to older sister Sangyu, and I haven't taken it back.”

Ji Man curved her lips and saluted, ”Your Highness, thank you.”

From the beginning, she had been put into a terrible set of circ.u.mstances, so she wasn't surprised to see a spider finally coming out and opening its mouth. She was just surprised to see that the spider had turned out be the second prince.

”Still, she had committed such a serious crime. She can't just be left off without a punishment. Yuxuan, what do you think should be done?” The second prince lightly said, ”I can't bear to do anything to you, the wonderful court official that personally opened the capital's gates for me.”

Ning Yuxuan lowered his eyes and effortlessly said, ”I've been wanting to divorce Nie Sangyu for a long time. Your Highness, aren't you handing Yuxuan the perfect opportunity to do so? As for Chenyu, what should I do? I'm a bit unwilling to part with her.”

”Oh?” Zhao Li stroked the jade ring around his thumb. He lightly smiled and said, ”Yuxuan, you should know that I don't like people that are loyal to my third brother. Since Nie Sangyu is someone that you want to divorce, I can overlook her. After all, she's your wife. However, Nie Chenyu is only a concubine. Yuxuan, are you going to protect her too?”

Marquis Moyu sighed and said, ”Never mind. Your Highness, you can deal with her as you wish.”

Instead of answering him, Zhao Li turned his head and looked at her with a knowing smile, ”Oh, right, I almost forgot. My clever third brother along with all the members of Nie Clan is going to be executed for the crime of treason.  You're going to be the only survivor. Want to go watch that lively show?”

With a sinking heart, Ji Man looked at this smiling person in shock.

Executed? Who was going to be executed?

”Yuxuan, since we happened to be going the same way, how about having Pengyue go with the two of you?

”Your Highness.” The smile on Ning Yuxuan's face had disappeared. His lips were pressed together, and his brow was slightly furrowed.

Zhao Li turned his head to the side to look at him and asked, ”Unwilling to part with her?”

Marquis Moyu took a deep breath and shook his head. ”It's just that the carriage will be too cramped.”

”That's alright.” Pus.h.i.+ng the wheels on his wheelchair, Zhao Li said with a smile, ”This will be the last time the two of you will have a chance to share a carriage as husband and wife.”

Translator Ramblings: If Ning Yuxuan hadn't ordered the capital's gates to be opened, someone else could have done it instead. If there wasn't a peaceful surrender, I wonder how high the casualty count would have been if there had been a drawn out battle? Even if the second prince had lost this battle, what would happen if Yuzhen declared war on Great Song when the country is already weak from their recent war?