Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 180 Disobedience

As he pondered, he heard Xue Yue'e crying outside.

"I didn't commit suicide...Grandmother, Father, someone is trying to harm me...It must be someone who doesn't want me to marry the prince, someone who can't bear to see me become a princess..."

Xue Qingzhi held the Prince of Wei's marriage certificate tightly in his hand, his fingertips clenching slightly.

"Good fortune is delivered right to your doorstep, and you, so utterly useless, still have the nerve to come here and cry..."

"This is a frame-up! Someone must have framed me!" Xue Yue'e suddenly cried out, "Father, someone wants me dead, and wants the Xue family to turn against the Prince of Wei... just like they did to my aunt back then..."

"Shut up!" Xue Qingzhi roared angrily, "Aren't you ashamed?"

Concealing her astonishment, Xue Yuechen asked softly, "Father, have you found out whether the Prince of Wei is truly sincere about the marriage alliance?"

“Although Prince Wei is a bit lazy on weekdays, he is still a prince. With the Empress Dowager stepping in to make the decision this time, there’s no doubt about it…” Xue Qingzhi interrupted her, his voice somewhat impatient.

"Besides, the Xue family can't afford any more trouble. Putting all their eggs in one basket is never a good strategy..."

Xue Yuechen pursed her lips and remained silent.

Xue Sui, however, asked bluntly, "Father, is this plan for the sake of the child in my elder sister's womb?"

Xue Qingzhi paused slightly, looked up, and his eyes were full of complex emotions.

"You can see clearly."

Seeing a cold smile appear on Xue Sui's lips, he suddenly sighed and lowered his voice.

"Now that things have come to this, the Xue family has no choice. We and the Xiao family are already in the same boat, and we have no choice but to grit our teeth and move forward..."

As he spoke, he looked down at Xue Yuechen's lower abdomen.

"I only wish that our ancestors would bless my eldest daughter so that she may give birth to a son and a grandson for His Majesty."

Xue Sui gave a cold laugh and asked, "So, Father, you've made up your mind to break with the Crown Prince?"

Xue Qingzhi shook his head, his gaze falling on the memorial on the table that would determine the fate of the Xue family, and slowly said, "It's not a break, but a check and balance."

Xue Yuechen pressed further, "Then what are Father's plans?"

Xue Qingzhi reached out and pulled out the memorial that had already been written, and threw it into the brazier without hesitation. Only after it gradually turned to ashes in the flames did he slowly speak.

"I will draft a new memorial to His Majesty, stating that Consort Xue has been frail since childhood and that what happened back then was merely an accident, unrelated to anyone else—in this way, we can both preserve the Xiao family's reputation and leave a way out for the Xue family."

Xue Yuechen frowned slightly: "Then my aunt...died unjustly?"

Xue Qingzhi turned around, his back to them, and looked out the window.

"You are now carrying the child of Prince Duan, so just focus on your pregnancy and don't worry about these things."

Xue Yuechen stared at her father's retreating figure, then suddenly clenched her handkerchief and pressed it against her lower abdomen.

Xue Sui coldly watched all this, his eyes narrowing slightly: "Father can disregard his aunt's wrongful death for the sake of power. In the future, the Xiao family will also disregard the life and death of the Xue family for their own interests..."

Her tone was full of disdain, which enraged Xue Qingzhi.

"presumptuous!"

He turned around abruptly, his beard trembling with anger.

“Everything I have done is for the Xue family! You must stop speaking so recklessly and forget your duty as a daughter of the Xue family…”

“An excuse.” Xue Sui looked directly into his bloodshot eyes, stood up without fear, and ignored Old Madam Cui’s obstruction, coldly saying, “Father only wanted to keep his position as Minister of Justice, and to become the father-in-law of the Great Liang Emperor one day… If my aunt knew this in the afterlife, how heartbroken she would be.”

"You wicked girl!" Xue Qingzhi was so enraged that he clutched his chest, his face turning deathly pale.

"Get out! You ungrateful wretch, get out of here..."

"Father, please calm down. Sixth Sister didn't mean it. Don't take it to heart..." Xue Yuechen hurriedly grabbed Xue Sui, signaling her to apologize to her father.

Xue Sui merely gave a cold laugh, turned around, and strode away.

She and the Xue family had long since parted ways and were destined never to walk together.
-
In the courtyard, Xue Yue'e was kneeling with disheveled hair, crying and wiping away her tears.

On her fair neck, there was a bruised, purple mark from the ligature.

Seeing Xue Sui approach, she raised her tearful eyes and accused him through gritted teeth.

"You jinx! Are you trying to ruin me? You envy me becoming the Princess Consort of Wei, about to rise to prominence, so you ordered your maid to try and strangle me, didn't you..."

Xue Sui acted as if he hadn't heard anything and went straight to the west courtyard to visit Madam Qian.

Madam Qian had already heard the commotion in the main courtyard and had been listening intently to the door. When she heard a servant report that Xue Sui had arrived, she hurriedly went out to greet her personally, grabbed her hand, and warmly ushered her inside.

"I just heard that Ninth Miss committed suicide, and I don't quite believe it. Who would be willing to die? She wouldn't be. What did the old lady say? How should we handle this situation?"

Xue Sui shook his head, said nothing more, teased the Tenth Miss Xue Yuezhen, and then asked with a seemingly unintentional smile.

"Where is my third uncle?"

Madam Qian said, "The border has been unsettled lately, and your third uncle has been busy preparing provisions, leaving early and returning late every day; you can hardly see him..."

The Third Madam was all smiles, and there was no hint of complaint in her tone. After speaking, she even winked at Xue Sui.

"General Yiwu thinks highly of your third uncle. Judging from the current situation, he'll be promoted again soon. You know, I never really saw much talent in him before, but who knew his luck would change so drastically? He's been thriving in the army, and he's getting more and more successful every day..."

"Congratulations, Third Aunt." Xue Sui smiled and offered a few words of flattery, then continued unhurriedly:
"When Third Uncle returns, Third Aunt will send someone to inform me. I will stay at Pear Fragrance Courtyard for the next two days and will not leave."

Madam Qian asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Did you suffer some injustice at the Prince Duan's residence? Why are you suddenly thinking of going back to your parents' home for a short stay?"

Xue Sui did not explain the reason, but simply said, "Aunt Xue is not feeling well, so I came back to serve her medicine for a few days to help her recover."

"Is this happening?"

Ms. Qian tightened her grip on her wrist, her tone full of apology.

"It's all my fault for being so negligent. I've been so busy with your fifth brother's studies these past few days that I didn't even hear that Aunt Xue was unwell. It's really not my fault..."

"Third Aunt!" Xue Sui gently squeezed Qian Shi's hand, her eyes warm with a smile. "Don't you know Aunt Xue's personality? She never likes to trouble people, so how could she let anyone know? How can you blame her..."

Of course, the Qian family can't be blamed.

Because Xue Ji wasn't seriously ill, this was just Xue Sui's excuse.

After the incident at Lotus Fragrance Pavilion that night, Li Huan kept a close eye on her. Not only were she accompanied by guards and maids when she came and went, but Xue Yuechen also gave instructions to prevent her from acting alone...

She returned to her parents' home hoping to find an opportunity to meet Li Zhao, examine his Gu poison, and discuss their next plans...
-
That night, Xue Sui was in Pear Fragrance Courtyard, talking with Xue Yuelou and Xue Ji, when Jinshu hurriedly came in and whispered in her ear, "Fourth Miss is back!"

The group looked at each other in bewilderment, then went outside to see what was happening.

Xue Yueying looked much thinner than a month ago. She was wrapped in a plain cloak, and the baby in her arms was crying her heart out, but she paid no attention to it. Her maid and wet nurse ran after her, but they couldn't keep up with her hurried pace.

Holding the child, she stumbled and fell to the steps of the main hall, her forehead slamming heavily against the bluestone slab with a thud, crying out:
"Father, please save me!"

"Father, please save your daughter."

Xue Qingzhi dismissed all the servants and then closed the courtyard gate before speaking in a low voice.

What are you going to do now?

Xue Yueying looked up and handed the baby in her arms forward. Her eyes were bloodshot and her expression was almost crazed.

“Father, this is my own flesh and blood, your own grandson, and also the Prince of Wei’s own flesh and blood. How can you bear to let Ninth Sister reap the benefits without any recognition, while my child has no right to claim the title…”

"Absurd!" Before Xue Qingzhi could speak, Old Madam Cui had already walked over in a rage.

He held the cane so tightly he wanted to poke Xue Yueying's face.

"You shameful thing! Once you marry into the Jingyuan Marquis's household, you become the Jingyuan Marquis's daughter-in-law and have nothing to do with the Prince of Wei anymore. Don't mention these things again!"

"Then what am I? What am I?"

"You have Gu Wulang!"

"Gu Wulang?" Xue Yueying suddenly gave a bitter laugh, collapsing to the ground as if her bones had been pulled out. "Grandmother, Father, Gu Jie is no longer the Gu Wulang he used to be. He has changed his heart and has no love for his daughter..."

"That's your fate." Old Madam Cui scolded coldly, "You disobedient and unfilial thing, if it weren't for Gu Wulang and the Jingyuan Marquis's Mansion protecting you, you would have been drowned in a pig cage long ago... The Jingyuan Marquis's Mansion has treated you well, yet you are still not satisfied. Do you have to drag the Xue family down with you and ruin their reputation before you will be satisfied?"

"So he can have an affair with Princess Pingle and ignore me?"

Xue Yueying suddenly screamed, "I saw him sneak into Princess Ping Le's residence with my own eyes and didn't return all night... He also admitted to having an affair with Princess Ping Le! I want a divorce, I want to become the Princess Consort of Wei, please, Father, give me this opportunity..."

Fourth son-in-law and... Princess Ping Le?
There was silence in the room.

As if suddenly frozen in place, no one uttered a sound.

Xue Sui looked at the shocked crowd, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips.

This game of chess has finally reached its climax, and the true intentions have been revealed...

Goodnight, see you tomorrow!