Chapter 173 – Qi Yanzhou Requests Exile

Qi Yanzhou looked at the pile of weapons on the ground, stacked like a miniature mountain, his eyes glinting with a trace of cold ridicule.

“Your Majesty, these weapons were collected by the Chen Royal Manor over the years. Altogether, there are less than a hundred.”

After he finished speaking, he glanced at the weapons again and said calmly,
“Believe it or not, none of these belong to the Chen Royal Manor.”

His expression clearly said: If you want to condemn someone, you’ll always find a charge.

The emperor snorted coldly. “What, are you going to say it was Minister Ye who framed you? Then tell me—how did Minister Ye sneak so many weapons into your storehouse right under your nose?”

When the dowry was delivered to the storehouse, the Chen Royal Manor had assigned two people to oversee the process.

But those two were actually the emperor’s men, deliberately planted there under Qi Yanzhou’s manipulation.

So the weapons were so openly stashed in the storehouse, just like that.

As soon as the people from the Minister’s residence left, Qi Yanzhou’s men transported most of the weapons away through a tunnel they’d long since dug.

Facing the emperor’s interrogation, Qi Yanzhou said solemnly, “Your servant has no way to prove his innocence.”

“Well said! ‘No way to prove your innocence!’ Qi Yanzhou, do you know that these weapons are enough for the entire Qi clan to be executed and their nine generations exterminated?!”

To consolidate imperial power, the national law clearly stated: no family may keep more than a thousand guards, and no more than five hundred weapons.

If the count exceeded that without a valid reason, it could be treated as treason.

Qi Yanzhou stared calmly at the emperor, a mocking look in his eyes.

“If weapons were discovered in the Minister’s residence instead, would Your Majesty also exterminate the Second Prince’s entire clan?”

This was nothing short of treasonous. Enraged, the emperor grabbed a sword and placed it against Qi Yanzhou’s neck.

Just a mere subject, and he dared to compare himself to the royal family? Delusional!

“Who gave you the audacity to threaten the imperial clan?”

The blade sliced across Qi Yanzhou’s neck, staining his ceremonial wedding robes with fresh blood.

Qi Yanzhou, unwilling to drag things out, directly exposed the emperor’s intentions.

“I know Your Majesty has long wanted to wipe out the Chen Royal Manor, but just based on these three thousand unverified weapons… do you really dare destroy the entire Qi family?”

The emperor was provoked. “I am the Son of Heaven! What wouldn’t I dare do?!”

As he spoke, he raised the sword, ready to behead Qi Yanzhou.

But Qi Yanzhou pulled out a death-exemption medallion from his robe.

“This was bestowed upon us by an ancestor emperor. Will Your Majesty defy a decree left by your forebears?”

The emperor looked at the medallion and sneered, “That only spares you, not the rest of your clan.”

With that, he let Qi Yanzhou go and instead turned his blade on the old prince.

The old prince swiftly dodged the strike.

“Has Your Majesty forgotten? The Qi family also holds the Imperial Sword, granted by an ancestor emperor to strike down tyrants and traitors alike!”

“The Imperial Sword protects the Qi family—but only if they are not guilty of treason!”

Saying that, the emperor swung again at the old prince. But Qi Yanzhou, having broken free from his restraints, blocked the attack and restrained the emperor in one move.

No one expected Qi Yanzhou to suddenly make a move against the emperor.

Everyone’s faces went pale with shock.

The Minister of Justice cried out shrilly, “Prince Chen! Don’t act rashly—let go of His Majesty at once!”

The Imperial Guards quickly subdued the rest of the Chen Royal Manor’s people.

“Prince Chen! If you harm even a single hair on His Majesty’s head, not a soul in your manor will survive!”

The emperor, utterly terrified, dropped his sword to the ground.

“Qi Yanzhou—are you trying to kill the emperor?!”

Qi Yanzhou pressed lightly on the emperor’s neck and shook his head.

“I’ve said it before. The Chen Royal Manor has no intention of rebelling, nor do we have any desire to commit regicide.”

He let out a cold laugh.

“But if Your Majesty insists on wiping out my clan before the truth is uncovered… I wouldn’t mind killing you.”

The emperor knew Qi Yanzhou wasn’t bluffing. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

“The weapons were discovered in the Chen Royal Manor—that’s the truth.”

Qi Yanzhou seized the moment while no one was paying attention and slipped the death-exemption medallion into the emperor’s robe.

“Your Majesty, why did you steal the medallion granted to the Chen Royal Manor by an ancestor emperor?”

The emperor: “……”

“Qi Yanzhou! Have you gone mad?!”

Right in front of everyone, Qi Yanzhou pulled the immunity token from the emperor’s robes.

“This immunity token was found on His Majesty—solid evidence. How do you plan to explain this away, Your Majesty?”

The emperor: “……”

“You must’ve taken advantage of me not paying attention…”

Before he could finish, Qi Yanzhou interrupted him.

“Your Majesty, that’s exactly how the weapons ended up in the Prince of Chen’s residence. What you see isn’t always the truth. If Your Majesty insists on convicting the Prince of Chen’s estate of treason, then please present irrefutable evidence—otherwise, it won’t silence the public.”

With that, he let go of the emperor and dropped to one knee.

“I was left with no choice and offended Your Majesty in the process. I beg your forgiveness.”

The emperor had never been so humiliated in his life—he wanted nothing more than to tear Qi Yanzhou to pieces.

But he couldn’t.

Because Qi Yanzhou had the immunity token.

And the Qi family wasn’t just a founding clan, but one that had made distinguished military contributions, and they also held the Imperial Sword—protection from false charges.

Just three thousand unidentified weapons weren’t enough to sentence the entire Qi family to death.

Fortunately, the emperor had prepared a backup plan.

Swallowing his fury, the emperor said coldly, “Prince of Chen, I hope when the Imperial Guards uncover solid proof, you can still speak with such confidence.”

No sooner had he spoken than a member of the Imperial Guards rushed over with a bundle in his hands.

“Your Majesty, this subordinate found this in the Prince of Chen’s study.”

He opened the bundle to reveal precious tribute items from Nanjiang.

These tributes had originally been gifted to the emperor by the southern borderlands, but most had been taken by Ye Chutang during the mission to capture the “Ghost Thief.”

But the ones here were not the emperor’s rejects.

The finest of the tributes had long since been taken by the emperor and given to favored concubines.

To frame Qi Yanzhou for colluding with the “Ghost Thief,” the emperor had secretly retrieved those gifts and handed them to the Imperial Guards for this setup.

And now, the trap had sprung.

“Prince of Chen, these tribute items were stolen by the ‘Ghost Thief’ long ago. Why are they in your study?”

Qi Yanzhou had known about the emperor’s plan all along.

Feigning sudden realization, he said, “Your Majesty, I understand now. Whether it’s weapons, letters, witchcraft artifacts, or tribute items—they were all planted in the Prince of Chen’s residence by the ‘Ghost Thief.’ Their goal was to drive a wedge between ruler and subject!”

“Oh? The Prince of Chen really knows how to spin a story. Why do I feel like you’re in league with the ‘Ghost Thief’?”

“Your Majesty, the ‘Ghost Thief’ is clearly trying to frame me.”

Then, with utter clarity, he added:

“If you want to pin a crime on someone, you’ll always find a reason. If Your Majesty no longer trusts the Qi family, then I won’t argue. I hereby request exile!”

The declaration came so abruptly that everyone was stunned.

The old prince was especially panicked.

“Zhou’er, what nonsense are you talking about? The Qi family has always been upright and honorable—we’re not afraid of investigation! If we’re exiled, the people will think we’ve done something wrong!”

The Grand Princess Dowager chimed in, “Zhou’er, don’t be reckless, and don’t lose your senses. The Qi family’s century-long reputation mustn’t be destroyed by exile!”

The concubines and children also objected.

“Exile is a serious punishment. It implies the Prince of Chen’s residence committed an enormous crime—Your Highness, don’t be foolish!”

“Please reconsider, Your Highness. His Majesty is wise and just—he will clear our name. There’s no need for exile!”

“Your Highness, we’ve been framed. If we accept exile, we’re admitting to treason!”

“I’d rather die in the capital than be exiled to some savage wilderness!”

The emperor watched the Qi family cry and wail, and a new idea bloomed in his mind.

At this point, he could charge the Qi family with treason.

But with only three thousand untraceable weapons and the Qi family’s military merits and protective tokens, exterminating them was unrealistic.

At most, he could strip their titles and place them under house arrest.

But house arrest meant the Qi family would stay in the capital—always a risk for potential rehabilitation.

Exile, on the other hand, would send them far away.

And on the road to exile… accidents happened. People died all the time.

With that thought, the emperor looked at Qi Yanzhou, and his long-suppressed rage disappeared.

“Very well,” he said. “Permission granted.”