Chapter 205
Ye Chutang and Song Jingning left the courtroom and made their way to the back garden.
Wealthy merchants, local gentry, scholars, and commoners departed one after another.
Only the officials remained behind.
Qi Yanzhou bluntly asked the Regional Inspector of Liangzhou, "Lord Inspector, how do you intend to handle this case?"
The Inspector answered with a question of his own, "Does Young Master Qi wish to blow this matter up, or minimize the damage?"
To blow it up would mean making the Emperor's evidence of persecuting loyal officials known to the public.
To minimize it would require pushing someone forward to take the blame for plotting against the Qi family.
"Minimize it. I will give the Emperor one last chance. Unless absolutely necessary, I do not wish to rebel and cause the common people to suffer."
The Beichen Kingdom was already teetering on the edge of collapse, and its people were in misery. They could not withstand an internal rebellion, so he could only endure it for now.
By not exposing the Emperor's intent to kill the Qi family to the public, it showed everyone the Qi family's choice.
This would prevent anyone from using the guise of acting for the Qi family's good—feigning concern for the country and the people—to seek personal gain.
The Inspector knew that Qi Yanzhou truly loved the people as his own children.
Otherwise, given the Qi family's deep foundations, as well as his own abilities and power, he could have overthrown the imperial authority and become the new Emperor long ago.
He nodded solemnly. "Then we shall do as Young Master Qi says and find someone to take the fall. Who does Young Master Qi think is suitable?"
The most suitable person, naturally, was Cao Liang, but he respected Qi Yanzhou's thoughts.
Qi Yanzhou glanced at Cao Liang's stiffened corpse and said, "Close the case on the grounds that Prefect Cao had an old grudge against the Qi family."
In any case, the truth of the matter would not be buried just because the case was closed.
People would only feel that the Qi family had endured humiliation for the sake of the people and the nation, making them worthy of admiration!
The Inspector handed Cao Liang's written confession to Qi Yanzhou.
"Young Master Qi, take this. It might be of use in the future."
Understanding the Inspector's unspoken meaning, Qi Yanzhou accepted Cao Liang's confession.
The Inspector then looked at Chen Weiming, who was still kneeling on the ground, and asked coldly, "Young Master Qi, how do you plan to deal with Assistant Prefect Chen?"
He hated people who burned bridges after crossing them the most in his life!
Chen Weiming had only become an Assistant Prefect because his legitimate second son had married Qi Qingyu.
Yet, after the Qi family fell into trouble, he actually wanted to exterminate their entire clan.
He was worse than a beast!
Knowing that Qi Yanzhou definitely wouldn't let him off, Chen Weiming immediately turned on his knees to face Qi Qingyu.
"Qingyu, Shaoping treats you well, and I have never mistreated you either. Moving against the Qi family this time was due to an imperial decree, not my own intention."
To this day, he still couldn't figure out why his foolproof plan had failed so utterly.
After all, when scheming against the Qi family, he hadn't factored in the help of the Dragon Guards and Ye Chutang.
Qi Qingyu looked coldly at the regretful Chen Weiming without a trace of emotion.
"Lord Chen, from the moment you and Lord Cao conspired to wipe out the Qi family and used my children to force me to betray my family, did you never think that you would end up begging me to spare the Chen family?"
Her distant form of address made her attitude clear.
Chen Weiming gritted his teeth and warned, "Qi Qingyu, you are now a woman of the Chen family. If the Chen family is finished, you and your children won't have a good end either!"
Since gentle words were useless, he could only resort to threats.
Qi Yanzhou looked at the pale Qi Qingyu and said, "Sister, I can help you get a divorce."
Thinking of Chen Shaoping, whose legs had been broken while trying to protect her and their children, Qi Qingyu shook her head.
"Yanzhou, I won't divorce."
If they divorced, only she would be able to leave the Chen family.
But she couldn't abandon her two children and her crippled husband!
Chen Weiming had only assisted Cao Liang; the crimes he committed were not severe enough to warrant the execution of his nine generations.
He would either be demoted to a penal slave or exiled.
She could accept either of these outcomes.
Qi Yanzhou knew that Qi Qingyu had a stubborn personality. Once she made a decision, no one could change it.
He didn't try to persuade her further and said to the Inspector of Liangzhou, "Confiscate Assistant Prefect Chen's property and exile him."
On the path of exile, he would find a way to let Chen Shaoping separate from the main household!
The Inspector understood Qi Yanzhou's meaning and nodded.
"Confiscating his property is fine, but the destination cannot be the prosperous Tianshan Commandery. It must be the harsh lands of Linzhou City."
Linzhou City was a border region plagued by constant warfare, the very place where the Ye family had been banished.
"I will follow the Lord Inspector's arrangement."
After saying this, Qi Yanzhou looked at the two elders of the Qi family.
"Father, Mother, don't worry about Sister. As long as we are alive, we can change our circumstances."
The two elders thought the same.
It was good that their daughter and grandchildren would be heading to the northwest along with the Qi family, so they could look out for each other on the road.
Qi Yanzhou instructed the Inspector not to search Qi Qingyu's person during the property confiscation.
Leaving her with some belongings would allow her to take charge of the Chen family.
After giving his instructions, he went to the back garden.
Ye Chutang was currently chatting with Song Jingning about writing storybooks and storytelling.
The two had just about finished their conversation.
Since there were no outsiders around, Song Jingning made no secret of his affection for Ye Chutang.
He patted Ye Chutang's head and smiled. "My sister is truly intelligent, earning both money and fame at the same time."
Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow proudly, her smile radiant.
"Silver is the lifeblood of a nation, and reputation is the foundation of standing in the world. Having both, even an Emperor would have to yield nine parts out of ten!"
"Well said. I'll go ahead to Tianshan Commandery to pave the way. You all catch up quickly."
Song Jingning withdrew his hand, looked at the slightly jealous Qi Yanzhou, and a handsome smile touched his lips.
"I'm leaving my sister in your care. Don't let her suffer, overtire herself, or face any grievances."
Qi Yanzhou solemnly promised, "Rest assured, Brother-in-law. I will take good care of Ah Tang."
Song Jingning trusted Qi Yanzhou's character and nodded.
"We'll reunite in Tianshan Commandery."
"Alright. Brother-in-law, will your bringing the scholars out to take a stand today implicate the Song family?"
"Even if the Emperor is furious, he cannot shake the foundations of the Song family."
Qi Yanzhou did not doubt this point.
The Song family had stood in the world for three hundred years. Though they had seen ups and downs, they had never truly declined, which spoke to their capability.
"In that case, I am relieved."
Ye Chutang glanced at the darkening sky and said, "Brother, it's getting late. You should go."
Song Jingning pulled a stack of silver notes from his chest and stuffed them into Ye Chutang's hands.
"These silver notes are all in small denominations, making them easy to use. Don't mistreat yourself on the road to exile."
After saying that, he left the back garden.
Ye Chutang tucked Song Jingning's heartfelt gift into her robes and whispered softly to his retreating back.
"Have a safe journey, Brother!"
Qi Yanzhou pulled Ye Chutang into his embrace.
"Don't worry. I've arranged for thirty men to secretly escort your brother. He'll be fine."
Ye Chutang nodded and looked toward the imperial capital.
"I wonder what kind of expression that dog Emperor will have when he receives the eight-hundred-mile expedited memorial from the Inspector of Liangzhou?"