Chapter 174: Wind‑And‑Rain Swaying

That night, Ye Sisi went to Ting Yu Xuan.

The next day, Third Miss of the Prime Minister's Residence Ye Sisi filed a complaint at Yushi Tai against Guanglu Fu, startling the whole Xiliang City.

It is said that the defendant named in that petition was none other than the legitimate son of Guanglu Fu, Zhao Hao, and it listed Zhao Hao's years of sexual crimes, wanton killings, and the corresponding evidence.

Because both the complainant and the defendant were of high status, each from a prestigious clan of Donglin Country, it caused a huge sensation at once.

Countless eyes focused on the case, even alarming the emperor. The Donglin Emperor swiftly issued an Imperial decree to transfer the case to the Ministry of Justice, to be reviewed by the Three Courts Review, with the chief examiner being Ninth Prince Dongfang Mo.

When the Imperial decree was issued, in an instant the once wavering Guanglu Fu Zhao family was sent down a road of no return.

From Zhao Hao's removal, to Zhao Yan's secret liaison with the Seventh Prince, and now Ye Sisi's complaint to Yushi Tai, everything seems to point like a sharp sword toward the Zhao family.

Some even sensed an unusual aura, as if this once noble household was about to vanish beneath the wheels of history.

"You unfilial daughter!"

Upon learning the news, the Zhao family stormed into Yueji Yuan and, without a word, slapped Ye Sisi several times.

"The Zhao family is my maternal family, Zhao Hao is also your cousin! How can you be so ruthless? Are you trying to kill us?!"

After receiving a barrage of slaps, Ye Sisi was already numb.

"The Zhao family is indeed your maternal family, Zhao Hao is indeed my cousin, but over the years he has caused so many deaths; his death is not a loss!"

Even now, Ye Sisi remains immersed in the shock she felt when Ye Qingran gave her the evidence.

She had previously thought Zhao Hao had some limits in his affairs with women, that occasional deaths were tolerable, but she never imagined that over a hundred women had died at his hands!

Even she could not help but feel a chill down her spine, cursing him in her heart as less than a beast!

Although she initially sued the Zhao family to secure her position as Seventh Prince's Consort, after learning of Zhao Hao's crimes and the Zhao family's cover‑up, she felt she had done the right thing.

"Those women were either courtesans or daughters of low families; their deaths were just deaths. Can your cousin Zhao Hao be any different? He is a son of Guanglu Fu, of noble status! Why would he need to atone to those lowly ones?"

The Zhao family shouted as if it were obvious.

Ye Sisi opened her mouth, her gaze gradually solidifying. Never before had she felt this mother, who had shouted for over ten years, so unfamiliar.

"Sisi, go to Yushi Tai right now, retrieve that petition, and claim you were deceived, that the evidence inside was fabricated!"

The Zhao family gestured imperiously.

"But this case has already been transferred to the Ministry of Justice, His Majesty has already ordered the Three Courts Review. If I now say the evidence is false, I don't know whether the Ministry will believe me, but have you considered what punishment I might face?"

"What does it matter if you are punished? At most you'll get a beating, worst case a serious injury. If you truly meet an untimely end, we'll take you in later. But if you don't go, your cousin Zhao Hao will lose his life!"

Ye Sisi felt like she had fallen into an ice cellar, as if icy water flooded her head, each breath chilling to the core.

When did my mother start to consider me so unimportant in her heart?

Since she lost the position of Seventh Prince's Consort?

Or perhaps she was never important at all?

"I won't go, even if you beat me to death I won't go!"

"You Rebellious Woman!"

"Go ahead and beat me! I am the one His Majesty appointed to marry the Fourth Prince; if I meet an untimely end, see how you answer the Fourth Prince!"

……

Given Zhao Tian's adeptness in officialdom, if the chief examiner were another official, Zhao Hao's case might still have room for maneuver. But the chief examiner is the noble, consistently impartial and highly capable Ninth Prince, which left Zhao Tian's face ashen.

Because the evidence was conclusive, after five days of overtime the case was finally reviewed by the Ministry of Justice, compiled and submitted to His Majesty. An Imperial decree announced that Zhao Hao of the Zhao family had wantonly taken lives, disregarded the law, defied imperial authority, and thus was sentenced to Decapitation Execution, to be carried out on the ninth day of the sixth month.

As for Zhao Tian and his wife, they were severely punished for lax discipline and covering up, but considering Zhao Tian's past merits, his position was suspended for one year.

His Majesty's divine judgment set public opinion ablaze!

Everyone in Xiliang City knows of Zhao Hao's past; it's just a matter of how much they know. Now that they learn he killed so many innocent lives, they cheer for his upcoming Decapitation Execution.

"Ye Qingran, didn't you say that once Zhao Hao dies, the Zhao family will collapse, and the position of Seventh Prince's Consort will still be mine? Now Zhao Hao has been sentenced to Decapitation Execution, his body will not be whole, Zhao Tian was only suspended for a year, not severely harmed! The position of Seventh Prince's Consort is still firmly occupied by that scoundrel Zhao Yan!"

Ye Qingran lifted her gaze to the unexpected guest before her, the ancient tome in her hand tapping intermittently on the stone table.

Ye Sisi's demeanor was frantic, as if she had already gone mad.

"It seems your obsession with the position of Seventh Prince's Consort is deep."

Ye Sisi gritted her teeth, "That position was originally mine!" She had liked the Seventh Prince since she was ten, and for many years had regarded herself as his future consort.

"But have you ever considered that Dongfang Xuan is not necessarily bound to you?"

Ye Sisi's expression changed, "What do you mean?"

"The literal meaning. Haven't you noticed? Since His Majesty ordered the Seventh Prince to take Zhao Yan as his consort, he hasn't come to see you, not even said a comforting word."

Those words struck Ye Sisi's sore spot, like a wound's scab being peeled back, bleeding again.

"It must be because that happened, Brother Dongfang was in a bad mood, felt ashamed to see me, so..." Her voice grew lower, Ye Sisi clearly didn't even believe her own excuse.

"You don't really think Dongfang Xuan truly likes you, do you?"

Ye Sisi, as if her tail had been stepped on, replied, "Of course he likes me!"

Ye Qingran sneered, "Since ancient times the imperial family has been fickle, I'm curious, where does your confidence come from?"

Seeing Ye Sisi unable to answer, Ye Qingran added, "If he truly liked you, he wouldn't have mingled with Zhao Yan at the Ye Residence banquet that night, nor later secretly corresponded with her. Ye Sisi, is that so?"

Ye Sisi's face turned ghastly pale, her breath trembling.

"Leave. If you want to reclaim the position of Seventh Prince's Consort, keep listening to me, and I will help you."

After speaking, Ye Qingran refocused her attention on the book.

Ye Sisi fixed her gaze on the calm, composed woman before her, feeling unusually unfamiliar.

Is this woman still the incomprehensibly foolish, timid and insecure Ye Qingran?

Has she changed, or has she never truly understood herself?