Chapter 312 (2/2)

Once he heard the news of their deaths, Zhao Li probably wouldn't concern himself further. After all, he was currently busy with thinking of ways to ascend to the throne and didn't have the free time to concern himself with other matters.

Right now, the throne was empty, and the first prince was obediently staying faraway in his fiefdom without making any moves to seize the crown. The fourth prince was still a baby and wouldn't pose a threat. Zhao Li was just missing an excuse to push him up into the throne. All it took was a few people saying something along the lines of, ”Oh no, this country is missing an emperor. The second prince has integrity and talent. Let's just pick a date and crown him as the emperor.”

However, the second prince still made a few token protests. He said things like, ”No, no, no, Li is lacking in talent and virtue. I wouldn't dare accept such a high position.”

After his two attempts at being deliberately contrary, all of the court officials knelt down and pleaded with him to be the emperor. Having his wish fulfilled, Zhao Li pushed himself in his wheelchair to the dragon throne and became the first crippled emperor since the founding of this dynasty.

Pengyue naturally became the empress, but Zhao Li didn't take other women as his consorts. It could be counted as Zhao Li not renegading on his earlier promise to her.

---

A month later, when Ji Man and the others had arrived in Jing Province, the imperial court seemed to have gradually settled down. The remains of the third prince's faction had been eliminated by now. Originally, they had been worried that Ning Mingjie would become implicated. After all, he used to be clearly on the third prince's side before. However, for an inexplicable reason, the new emperor was especially trusting towards him. Not only did the new emperor not blame him, Zhao Li also bestowed to him, a marriage to a t.i.tled lady.

Marquis Jingwen didn't need to worry about his son. However, he fretted as he looked at Nie Sangyu and Nie Qingyun. What did they have to do to successfully keep these two from being discovered? At the very least, Nie Qingyun and Nie Sangyu had to change their names and start their lives anew.

Actually, the old man was worrying for nothing. Jing Province was very far from the capital. There wouldn't be anyone here that would recognize them.

Ji Man simply said, ”From today onwards, I'm changing my name to Ji Man. Nie Sangyu had already fallen off a cliff in a carriage.”

Nie Qingyun slightly furrowed his brow. ”What about me?”

Ji Man seriously thought before suggesting, ”Since we're siblings, how about Ji Kuai?”

(T/N: Man (曼) has more than one meaning, and one meaning is long, as in the length of time. Kuai (快) means speedy.)

The corners of Nie Qingyun's lips twitched. He seriously shook his head and said, ”I don't like that name.”

”Then, what do you want to be called?”

After seriously pondering it over, he said, ”Call me Ji Zhu.”

(T/N: Zhu (柱) means pillar or support.)

They were all sitting in the hall. Looking at his absolutely sincere expression, they didn't know whether to laugh or cry. In the past, Qingyun had such an elegant name. But now, were they supposed to call him big pillar in the future?

(T/N: Qingyun can mean clear sky or n.o.ble.)

Ji Man impolitely let a chortle escape. But, as she continued to laugh, her eyes unexpectedly reddened.

Ji Zhu (Qingyun's new name)... jizhu (remember). Of course, she would always remember that scene of overflowing b.l.o.o.d.y water as well as Nie Xiangyuan's expression when he died. How could she possibly forget?

(T/N: Qingyun's new name (季柱) is a h.o.m.ophone for remember (记住) in Chinese.)

Translator Ramblings: I wonder how long Ning Mingjie has secretly been on Zhao Li's side.