Chapter 47

A crescent moon hung in the sky, stars faintly visible, and tree shadows swayed gently. However, only some places were as peaceful and serene as this.

The heir’s life would end tonight.

When Yang Yanzong received the news that the Sixth Prince had drawn his sword and left with Ji Ye and Zhang Dongling, he let out a cold, faint laugh. He guessed what the Sixth Prince intended to do.

And Ji Yan, at this moment, probably still harbored hope that his father, the Sixth Prince, would rescue him with all his might. He should be made to taste the boundless fear and terror, dying in agony amidst horror and overwhelming despair. Only then would the previous accounts be settled!

Yang Yanzong’s guess was spot on. The sound of galloping hooves echoed outside the gates of the West Prison of Yangdu’s Xikan Temple. Although the people who disembarked today were all involved in serious crimes, they were still suspects and had not been convicted. Therefore, they were not sent to the imperial prison but were first placed in the West Prison of Xikan Temple in Yangdu, awaiting the emperor’s decision.

“Who?—It’s the Sixth Prince!”

The West Prison of Xikan Temple was heavily guarded, with not only jailers but also imperial guards who had come down with the ship. It was surrounded inside and out. However, this was not the imperial prison, and the Sixth Prince wasn’t there to take the heir away, only to see him. Without an explicit prohibition or imperial decree, the guards found it difficult to refuse the Sixth Prince.

The Sixth Prince knew this well. With his sword sheathed at his waist, he wore a black cloak with gold trim. His face was stern, and he strode directly into the prison gates.

After some consideration, the Sixth Prince summoned Ji Ye, Zhang Dongling, the person responsible for reporting to the Supervisory Office, and Prince Qian.

Ji Ye and Zhang Dongling exchanged glances, the former curling his lips into a smile and following in first.

Ji Yan is currently detained in prison. Once a favored son of heaven, he had fallen from grace. From initial panic, anger, and regret to self-comfort and finally being placed in the prison cart and sent to the West Prison of Xikan Temple to await trial, all his arrogance and hope had faded, replaced by overwhelming fear. He was genuinely terrified now. Like an ant on a hot pan, he couldn’t sit still, pacing back and forth in the cell. When dinner was brought in, he didn’t even glance at it, kicking the tray over and grabbing the wooden bars, shouting, “Notify the Sixth Prince’s residence! Call my father! Go, quickly, call my father and mother!”

“Go, hurry!!!” After being detained for so long, Ji Yan was disheveled, his white prison clothes covered in grime, emitting a sour stench. His hair was loose, looking deranged. The jailer spat. Fine, if you’re not eating, you must not be hungry. He ignored him.

Ji Yan’s eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at the jailer and shouted, “You wretched servant, just you wait!!!”

The jailer hesitated, a bit scared. After all, they weren’t imperial guards and had no emperor’s authority. If Ji Yan got out, he could easily retaliate.

Seeing the jailer’s reaction, Ji Yan’s fear slightly subsided. He clung to the hope that his father, the Sixth Prince, would rescue him. He was the heir of the Sixth Prince’s residence, the successor his father had painstakingly nurtured for over twenty years. Surely, his father would save him! Even the jailer was afraid!

But Ji Yan’s hope was soon shattered. Utterly crushed!!

Just as the jailer hesitated, they heard the sound of urgent footsteps.

The sound of boots echoed clearly in the stone corridor, and many people approached quickly. Soon, there was a commotion, “…It’s the Sixth Prince, the Sixth Prince is here—”

Dressed in a golden robe with a black cloak, the Sixth Prince appeared at the top of the stairs with a cold and stern expression. Following him were Ji Ye and Zhang Dongling.

“Father, Father!! You’re here. You finally came. Your son, your son is innocent! No, your son was wrong, Father, you—” It was hard to describe Ji Yan’s emotions at that moment. He was overjoyed. Seeing his father brought him immense relief, so much so that he ignored the Sixth Prince’s overly cold demeanor and the presence of Ji Ye and Zhang Dongling behind him.

But as the Sixth Prince descended the stairs, with Ji Ye slowly following, Ji Yan saw them.

In that instant, Ji Yan’s hatred flared, and he shouted, “You ingrate, you ungrateful wretch, how dare you come!!!”

The night wind was chilly. Ji Ye, in his haste, hadn’t worn a cloak, but his heart was burning. He slowly raised his head, curling his lips into a mocking smile at Ji Yan.

A smile from above, as if looking at a drowned, worthless dog.

This smile enraged Ji Yan, but in the next moment, his intense emotions suddenly paused. Ji Yan wasn’t a fool—why was Ji Ye here?

Why hadn’t the Sixth Prince dealt with him? This treacherous scoundrel!!!

Ji Yan’s heart sank, and the things he had ignored in his earlier joy and excitement now surfaced clearly in his mind.

The Sixth Prince slowly descended the stairs. Before reaching the bottom, he glanced at Chen Pang, who understood and guarded the entrance.

The Sixth Prince stopped in front of the cell door, his eyes cold and furious, his gaze so fierce that Ji Yan’s heart skipped a beat. Panicking, Ji Yan began to plead, “Father, Father! Listen to me, let me explain—”

“Fine, speak. Tell me why you tampered with the silver ship. Tell me if you had the audacity to embezzle the stolen silver!!”

The Sixth Prince was truly enraged! Did Ji Yan know what he was doing? Fifteen million taels of silver stolen by the Northern Rong, a whole fifteen million taels!! Knowing the Northern Rong was involved, he still dared to meddle. What kind of audacity was this? He dared to commit treason and collude with the enemy, dragging the entire Sixth Prince’s residence into the mire, trying to destroy it!!!

“You wretched son, what a wretched son!!!” The Sixth Prince shouted, pointing at Ji Yan and cursing him furiously. After a tirade, he didn’t hesitate. He glanced at his guard, who drew a long knife and chopped it several times, finally breaking the sturdy lock. With a clang, the Sixth Prince’s eyes were icy as he slowly drew his sword.

Ji Yan was terrified, “Father, Father—” He finally tasted the extreme fear, shouting desperately, stepping back, tripping, and falling to the ground. He crawled to the corner, with nowhere to retreat, “Father, Father, no, please, Father, give me a chance!!—”

“Give you a chance? Who will give the Sixth Prince’s residence a chance?” The Sixth Prince was determined to minimize the impact of this incident. The only way was to frame it as Ji Yan’s personal action, kill his own son, and then plead guilty to the emperor the next day!

The Sixth Prince knew this was the only and best way. He had already decided before coming, his heart as firm as iron.

Ji Yan, in tears, shouted desperately, but to his despair, the Sixth Prince’s expression didn’t change. He walked towards him without hesitation. As the silver blade flashed and crimson blood spurted, Ji Yan’s overwhelming despair and fear engulfed him. He struggled and begged, but it was all in vain. He clutched his throat, eyes wide, and fell to the ground in despair!

The Sixth Prince closed his eyes briefly, then raised his sword and severed Ji Yan’s head.

Afterward, the Sixth Prince, bloodied and dejected, carried Ji Yan’s head and a bundle of thorns on his back, took Ji Ye, Zhang Dongling, and the informant, and rushed to the palace overnight.

At dawn, the next day’s morning court, the Sixth Prince knelt in court, presenting the head, tears streaming down his face: “I have failed to teach my son, who was greedy and reckless. As a descendant of the Ji family, I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!!

The only way now was to put all the blame on Ji Yan. Fortunately, the informant reported the incident and made amends. They were also people of the Sixth Prince’s residence. This was the only way to minimize the impact.

---

Meanwhile, the back courtyard of the Sixth Prince’s residence was in chaos. The imperial envoy team had returned, Mr. Fang was back, but Ji Yan was missing, and the Sixth Prince had surrounded Ji Ye’s courtyard. This couldn’t be hidden.

By the following day, the entire residence knew. The whole residence was in an uproar, with panic, secret joy, anxiety about being implicated, and closed-door discussions on how to respond. The usually calm Sixth Prince’s residence was in turmoil. The main courtyard of the Sixth Princess and Concubine Yan’s Qixia Pavilion was the most chaotic.

The Sixth Princess was nearly going mad. She was terrified, not only because her adopted son was involved in treason but also because her family was implicated. The Shi brothers were also detained, causing an uproar in the Marquis of Zhenbei’s residence. The old lady of the Shi family had knocked on the door all night, crying and shouting in panic, asking the Sixth Princess for help.

But what could be done?

This was a case of treason and collusion with the enemy. Even the Sixth Prince had to cut ties to avoid disaster. The Sixth Princess rushed to the front courtyard, waiting anxiously all night, but no one came. The guards were silent, and no one dared to speak. The people she sent to inquire hadn’t returned, and the Sixth Princess was nearly going mad!

At this moment, someone else came to add to her troubles.

“Hey, you can’t come in… Concubine Yan, the Princess didn’t summon you…”

It was Concubine Yan. Her face was pale with fear and anxiety. She had been watching the gate connecting to the front courtyard. As soon as she knew the Princess had returned to the back courtyard, she ran over without makeup, tears at the corners of her eyes. Ignoring the maid’s attempts to stop her, she pushed the door open and rushed inside. “Princess, Princess, what happened to the heir? Is what they’re saying true? What do we do? What do we do?!…”

Usually, Concubine Yan would never dare mention the heir in front of the Princess. She knew well the taboos, as the heir was the Princess’s son, and his future was her top priority. But in this sudden crisis, she couldn’t care about that. Footsteps rushed inside, mixed with shouts and the sound of things being knocked over. The Sixth Princess turned sharply, and Concubine Yan ran right into her.

The Sixth Princess, furious, shouted, “Wretched woman!!!” In her rage, she grabbed Concubine Yan’s hair and slapped her hard, delivering over a dozen heavy slaps!

The sound echoed. The Sixth Princess, usually a dignified noblewoman, was filled with such extreme anger and hatred that her strength was immense. She slapped Concubine Yan so hard that her cheeks turned red, and the final slap knocked her to the ground.

“Wretched woman!!!” The Sixth Princess, overwhelmed with anger, pointed at her and cursed furiously. She knew more about the situation, as the Shi brothers had revealed it. The heir had mentioned it to further reassure the Princess and strengthen their mother-son bond. So, the Sixth Princess had always known about the heir’s enmity with Yang Yanzong. After Yang Yanzong left the palace and the heir failed to stop the Sixth Prince from promoting him, the heir expressed his concerns to the Princess. So when this incident occurred, even though the details were unclear, the Sixth Princess immediately thought of Yang Yanzong. She slapped Concubine Yan twice, saying, “It’s all because of your good nephew!! He harmed my son and nephew, ungrateful wretch!!”

“Yang Yanzong!!!”

Seeing Concubine Yan stunned, the Sixth Princess coldly smiled, “Our Yan’er has long been at odds with that dog. He has always wanted to take revenge on Yan’er. You must have known that, right?!”

After looking down on Concubine Yan, the Sixth Princess was overcome with sorrow. She wasn’t naive. Although a noblewoman, she understood the gravity of treason and collusion with the enemy. And about the Sixth Prince, after many years of marriage, she had a vague feeling that things were going wrong—her son, her family!!

The Sixth Princess was enraged: “Your nephew and the son you raised!! They harmed my son and nephew, and you still dare to come before me?!”

“Someone, throw this wretched woman out!! From today, the Sixth Prince’s residence will not tolerate her. Go, immediately!!”

The Sixth Princess, gritting her teeth, ordered Concubine Yan to be dragged out and expelled from the residence. With a “bang,” the side gate of the Sixth Prince’s residence slammed shut in front of her. Was she really thrown out just like that?

Concubine Yan’s attendants were also expelled without even packing a piece of clothing. They looked at each other, at a loss.

But Concubine Yan couldn’t care about that now. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her son, whose life was hanging by a thread. After a moment of shock, she got up and ran towards the Yang family residence in the western suburbs of Suiping.

When Concubine Yan arrived, Su Ci was idly tending to flowers by the window. Unfortunately, she wasn’t very skilled at it. The camellia she was pruning was gradually reduced to a bare stem. She had taken it from Mrs. Chen’s room, and luckily her mother hadn’t seen it. Otherwise, she would have been scolded for ruining her beloved flower.

Su Ci chuckled, put down the scissors, and A Zheng arrived.

A Zheng was one of Yang Yanzong’s personal guards, now half-assigned to her. He had been accompanying her on errands.

A Zheng had a tanned face, a bit dark, not very handsome, and didn’t talk much but was reliable. Su Ci had no complaints about him. Initially, she hadn’t noticed him because of his appearance. She had her eye on a handsome young man named Da Ming, who had big eyes, fair skin, dimples, and a charming smile. Unfortunately, Yang Yanzong didn’t assign Da Ming to her but chose A Zheng instead.

Su Ci: …Alright, A Zheng is fine too. After all, he was reliable and efficient, which was great.

A Zheng came in from the corridor. It had rained today, but unlike spring rain, the summer rain was quick and heavy, stopping after half an hour. The eaves and courtyard were wet, and the sun had come out, with a faint rainbow in the sky.

Su Ci placed the poor camellia in the corner of the courtyard, hiding it to avoid her mother seeing it. She heard footsteps, and A Zheng opened the courtyard gate and quickly approached: “Young Madam, Concubine Yan is here, barefoot and running towards the camp. Should we intercept her?”

Intercept? Su Ci touched her chin, not surprised. Yang Yanzong had told her about this last night, and she was waiting for it.

If Concubine Yan tried to force her way in, it wouldn’t be possible. If Su Ci gave the order, she would be stopped immediately. But Su Ci thought for a moment: “Forget it, let her in.”

No need to stop her. Although they could, the Yan sisters visited frequently. If they stopped her today, Mrs. Yan would know in a couple of days, making it pointless and requiring more explanation.

So let her in. Even Yang Yanzong hadn’t said to stop her, only to keep an eye on her, indicating he knew.

A Zheng acknowledged and left.

Su Ci put down the flowerpot and clapped her hands. Alright, it seemed there was going to be a big show today.

---

When Mrs. Yan’s maid rushed through the front courtyard and knocked on the door of the east courtyard, urgently asking the lady to come over, the back courtyard was already in chaos.

Yang Chongying had gone out. It was the beginning of the month, the day he went to the camp to check accounts, so he wouldn’t be home for a few days. Yang Yanzong was also not at home.

Mrs. Yan was both shocked and anxious. Beside her, Concubine Yan had lost both her embroidered shoes, her white socks and skirt muddy, her feet bleeding from running, and she was soaked from the heavy rain. Her cheeks were swollen, her mouth bleeding, and her eyes bulged like two big peaches. She grabbed her sister’s hand and knelt in desperation, crying and begging, “Sister, sister, please ask my nephew to show mercy. Don’t be angry with the heir; spare him, please. I only have this one son, he can’t die, it would be the end of me!…”

“Sister, sister, get up first!” Mrs. Yan was in a panic, confused about what was happening. How could her sister say that Dalang had harmed the heir? What was going on?!

She was anxious, quickly sending someone to find Yang Yanzong, and urgently said, “Quick, go call Yanxin and Miss Su, hurry!”

Equally frightened, the maid ran to the front, explained to the guards, and was allowed to rush to the east courtyard, while another maid went to find Yang Yanxin and Yang Yanzhen.

Yang Yanxin had gone out, and Yang Yanzhen was resting at home. When Su Ci arrived, Yang Yanzhen was already sweating profusely, caught between Mrs. Yan and Concubine Yan. With Concubine Yan present, some things couldn’t be explained clearly, so he kept repeating, “It’s not our elder brother’s fault, really. The heir was involved in a treason case. He intercepted 1,500 taels of official silver from the Northern Rong and was caught red-handed by the Supervisory Office and Prince Qian during the smuggling process!”

Concubine Yan collapsed to the ground with a thud. This was the first time she understood Ji Yan’s crime, and she felt the world spinning around her. She fell to the ground, causing Mrs. Yan to bend down to help her quickly. Concubine Yan’s face was ashen, “Sister, sister, you must save him!” With that, she fainted, seemingly not even breathing. It took a lot of effort to revive her by pressing on her philtrum.

Mrs. Yan, heartbroken, repeatedly called for a doctor and had the servants clean up the courtyard. She knew Concubine Yan had been expelled from the Sixth Prince’s residence and seemed to want her to stay.

The scene bewildered Su Ci, thinking this wasn’t a good idea. But before she could say anything, Yang Yanzong finally returned. Dressed in a tight-fitting azure robe with a qilin pattern, he walked in slowly, backlit by the light.

Seeing him, Concubine Yan, who had been semi-conscious, suddenly seemed invigorated. She struggled to stand up from the maid’s arms, rushed over, and knelt down, crying, “Dalang, Dalang! If the heir did anything wrong, I beg you, spare him! For the sake of his past care for you, please spare him this once!!”

“Care?” Yang Yanzong couldn’t help but laugh. Concubine Yan probably didn’t know how the heir had “cared” for him in the past.

Looking down at her, Yang Yanzong said calmly, “Aunt, you may not know, but I have been estranged from the heir for a long time. I was unaware of this matter, and it has already been presented to the emperor. It’s beyond the control of ordinary people.”

Concubine Yan was stunned, “Presented to the emperor?” After a moment, she trembled and asked, “Then, if convicted, what will happen to the heir?”

“According to the law, those who collude with the enemy and commit treason will have their entire family executed.”

But the royal family wouldn’t be subject to the last clause. The old emperor certainly wanted to wipe out the Sixth Prince’s residence, but whether he would succeed was another matter. However, Ji Yan himself couldn’t escape execution.

Of course, others did not need to execute him, as the Sixth Prince had already done it himself. This was the latest news Yang Yanzong had received. He said, “There was no need for a trial. This morning, news came that the Sixth Prince executed his son last night and pleaded guilty at court this morning.” His voice was calm, almost with a hint of sigh, as if the words floated from the sky. Each word was familiar to Concubine Yan, but together, they seemed incomprehensible. It was like a thunderbolt. She felt a rush of heat to her head and fainted on the spot.

Mrs. Yan screamed. She had just run to the front courtyard to call for guards and a doctor. Even with Su Ci and her third son present, she was too panicked to give orders. When she returned, she saw the scene and was horrified. She rushed over to catch her sister, relieved to find she was still breathing, and quickly had the maids carry her inside. The neighboring courtyard was in chaos, and she had Concubine Yan brought into her room.

Crying, she was genuinely terrified by what had just happened. Mrs. Yan, in a mix of fear and anger, pounded on Yang Yanzong, “What did you say to your aunt? Why couldn’t you speak gently? Are you trying to kill her?!”

This was her only remaining blood relative from her family, her sister with whom she had shared many hardships. He knew that!!

Mrs. Yan hurriedly said, “Your aunt will stay here to recover. Don’t worry about this for now. You need to save your cousin, the heir!! What happened, what happened?!”

To be honest, Mrs. Yan had been displaced since childhood. Although born into a noble family, she had spent more time fleeing than living in luxury. She wasn’t well-read and lacked refinement. Her behavior often differed greatly from that of a refined noblewoman, and sometimes, her reasoning was flawed. But she was still their mother, and Yang Yanzong and his brothers were willing to accommodate her. But this time, Mrs. Yan hit a wall.

“There’s no saving him.” Yang Yanzong’s calm statement stunned Mrs. Yan.

After a moment, she looked up, and Yang Yanzong told her, word by word, “Ji Yan can’t be saved.”

He leaned in, “Mother, do you know? Ji Yan tried to kill me several times to protect the Shi brothers!!”

“When you went to Wuchuan, Father almost died, and it was all because of this.”

Yang Yanzong said calmly, “Ji Yan grew greedy while pursuing the Northern Rong’s stolen silver cart, intending to keep it for himself. Ji Ye reported him, and he was caught red-handed.”

“I didn’t know beforehand.”

“Even if he could be saved, I wouldn’t save him. Do you understand, Mother?”

Yang Yanzong looked down at his mother and said, “Also, the misunderstandings run too deep. Aunt cannot stay in our home. I will have her sent back to the Sixth Prince’s residence.”

At that moment, Yang Yanzong revealed his true nature. He had always been gentle with his family, never showing them his ruthless side- especially Mrs. Yan, who had never seen this side of her eldest son, as she was not involved in external affairs.

When speaking of past events, Yang Yanzong’s expression was calm, but his eyes suddenly turned sharp, and his aura became imposing. He had taken many lives—Beirong soldiers, battlefield enemies, court adversaries, spies, and various opponents. Even though his full aura wasn’t revealed, the sudden display of bloodthirstiness and fierceness was enough to make one’s heart race.

Mrs. Yan was startled. A chill ran down her spine, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Witnessing this scene, Su Ci couldn’t help but reflect again. This man was never genuinely gentle. He had set boundaries, and within those boundaries, he was willing to tolerate those he cared about. But no one, not even Mrs. Yan, could cross those boundaries. He would not allow Concubine Yan, who could become a ticking time bomb, to stay in their home. What a joke!

He was a rule-maker. He was tolerant because he chose to be. If he decided not to be, he would show you why the flowers were so red.

Su Ci wasn’t surprised at all. Even though their recent interactions had been harmonious and Yang Yanzong had appeared gentle, she hadn’t forgotten his true nature.

Of course, Yang Yanzong was still very tolerant of his mother. Noticing Mrs. Yan’s shock, he quickly reined in his emotions, and the bloodthirsty aura dissipated. He leaned in to support his mother and reasoned with her, “Given the heir’s current crime, it’s not appropriate for Aunt to stay with us. Don’t you agree, Mother?”

Mrs. Yan finally calmed down, but the lingering fear remained. She was hesitant, but her feelings for Concubine Yan were deep. The sisters had faced many hardships together, fleeing in the night when their family was raided. Mrs. Yan was young then, and her sister had held her hand, stumbling through the escape. Later, they were captured by human traffickers, and her sister sacrificed herself to push Mrs. Yan onto a boat, allowing her to escape while she was recaptured. Otherwise, Mrs. Yan wouldn’t have been lucky enough to marry Yang Chongying later.

Concubine Yan, however, was sold multiple times before ending up in the Sixth Prince’s residence. The Yan sisters might have had various flaws in others’ eyes, but their sisterly bond was genuine. They truly depended on each other for survival.

Mrs. Yan, anxious and disregarding her earlier fear, grabbed Yang Yanzong’s hand, “Others may not care about your aunt, but how can you not? Your mother’s family is gone, and she’s the only blood relative left. Won’t you even give her a meal?!”

Yang Yanzong patted his mother’s back, thought for a moment, and finally said, “Then let’s arrange for her to stay at the estate in the southern suburbs. Is that alright?”

This was a compromise. Any more would be impossible. In the end, Mrs. Yan agreed.

Afterward, the scene dispersed. Mrs. Yan hurriedly brought the doctor to see Concubine Yan. Yang Yanzong gave a few instructions, and Yang Yanzhen left. He stood in the hall for a moment before turning to leave.

Su Ci followed him out.

The two walked one after the other.

The man walked quickly, his steps urgent. He crossed the back courtyard gate and stepped onto the bluestone slabs of the front courtyard but suddenly stopped. He stood still, and Su Ci, puzzled, watched as Yang Yanzong turned around.

In the sunlight, she looked at him with her large, clear eyes, a bit confused. Her hair accessories had changed, but her eyes had never changed. No, actually, even her hair accessories hadn’t changed. Her playful hairpins were never the standard style for a married woman.

Yang Yanzong stared at her for a while and said, “I don’t like being brushed off.” In his understanding, a woman should naturally love her husband and center her life around him and their family.

A woman enters the household, taking her husband’s surname. The husband is the head of the wife. This has always been the way of the world. But this time, their thoughts didn’t align.

Su Ci: “…”

What does that mean? She was baffled. Big brother, what are you talking about?