Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 186

“So,you think this prince should worship you within the prison?” A police officer brought a chair forward and Yun Ke slowly sat down, his eyes gleaming frostily as he looked at Xia Shuang Cheng.

The secret guards had already spread out to gather evidence of Xia Shuang Cheng’s crimes. There was no need at all for the Ministry of Justice officials to lift a finger.

Yet, Yun Ke still openly had the Ministry’s people scurrying in circles. He had anticipated that the Xia family would resort to various tactics, exchanging favours with the Ministry of Justice. Thus, the tasks he assigned to the Ministry of Justice officials were all trivial, investigating minor matters. He wanted the Xia family to be busy covering up and fabricating evidence for these petty issues. What would truly prove fatal to Xia Shuang Cheng, however, were the matters being secretly uncovered by the secret guards.

The Xia family might not know that among the secret edicts bestowed upon him by the emperor, there was one clause; if everything was investigated thoroughly and the evidence irrefutable, the power of life and death would rest in Yun Ke’s hands.

It seemed that Emperor Jing understood well the complicated relationships tied to the Xia family. If the case was left to the Ministry of Justice, there would undoubtedly be no satisfactory outcome.

Lately, Yun Yi and the Virtuous Consort had both been pushing themselves into prominence, one in the court, one in the harem. Things had been getting slightly out of hand.

Yun Yi was steadily expanding his influence in both the court and the public sphere, while the Virtuous Consort was constantly reminding His Majesty that the position of Crown Prince still lay vacant and needed to be filled by a worthy individual.

With Yun Ke remaining idle, then was her son not the most capable person in the court?

Yun Qing was also about to marry a daughter of the Jiang family, which would win him considerable standing among the great aristocratic families, so the Virtuous Consort was growing anxious.

This greatly displeased His Majesty.

The matter of the Xia family’s daughter had already indirectly caused the Virtuous Consort to slight His Majesty’s dignity, tarnishing the imperial household’s prestige.

Though Emperor Jing had suppressed the matter outwardly, the more he thought about it, the more he felt the Xia family had gone too far.

First, they had blackmailed him with a jade pendant, then stirred up endless trouble, and Xia Shuang Cheng’s offence was even more outrageous, daring to lay hands on the illegitimate son of a noble household. It was sheer arrogance.

When Emperor Jing reflected calmly, he realised that the Xia family’s audacity was inextricably linked to the Virtuous Consort.

After the scandal concerning the Xia family’s daughter, the Virtuous Consort kept pressing him to appoint a Crown Prince, until even the affection he had once held for her was nearly worn away.

All these years, he had showered the Virtuous Consort with far too much favour. Even Emperor Jing had begun to wonder, was it his indulgence that had led to the Virtuous Consort of today?

Yet he truly had been fond of the Virtuous Consort.

He had already bestowed favours upon the Virtuous Consort that even the Empress had not received, so why was she so unsatisfied?

Regardless of Yun Yi’s influence, he was the emperor after all! He was not yet in his seventies or eighties, and was not frail nor decrepit. Why, then, was the Virtuous Consort so eager?

The great Qi dynasty was bound to be handed down, but Yun Yi was still far from worthy as he was now.

After the incident with the Crown Prince, Emperor Jing had been extremely cautious in all things.

He had disliked the Crown Prince because he was sometimes too indecisive. It was only because the Crown Prince had been born from the former empress, and other various reasons, that he had been established as the heir to the throne. Just because he disliked the Crown Prince did not mean he was determined to depose him. So long as the Crown Prince did not act outrageously, as long as he performed his duties diligently, then the throne would naturally pass to him when Emperor Jing’s time ended.

The now former Crown Prince had been impatient. Why could he not understand his father’s intentions?

He had indulged Yun Yi only to discipline the Crown Prince, to spur him to sharpen himself and strive for strength. The Qi dynasty might have seemed glorious on the surface, but years of war had weakened its strength. With the interference of the aristocratic clans, if the country were entrusted to the Crown Prince with his temperament, he would never be able to hold it together. That was why Emperor Jing pressed him so, because only through pressure could the Crown Prince grow stronger.

Little did he know that his earnest intentions would be twisted and misinterpreted by the Crown Prince.

From beginning to end, Emperor Jing had never had the idea of replacing the Crown Prince with Yun Yi.

With the excessive favour bestowed upon his mother, and Yun Yi’s blind obedience to the Virtuous Consort since childhood, if the throne was passed into Yun Yi’s hands, it would be no different from it falling into the hands of the Virtuous Consort’s clan. As for what might happen in the future, Emperor Jing dared not even imagine.

The realm of the great Qi dynasty must, in the end, remain under the Yun family’s name.

Once Yun Ke had investigated Yun Qing’s secretary dealings and reported them, Emperor Jing had indeed been shocked.

He even sent people to verify them, and it was exactly as Yun Ke had said.

Although he scolded Yun Ke harshly, he nevertheless took the matter seriously in his heart.

That was why he had recalled Yun Qing to the capital. If he were allowed to remain outside, who knew what more trouble he would stir up.

Emperor Jing had already confined one former Crown Prince and did not wish to confine another son.

Yet, who could have known that Yun Qing, far from repenting, was secretly in constant contact with the martial arts world, even demanding to marry a daughter of the Jiang family. Once he had made all his preparations, it was likely he would go against his own father.

Although Emperor Jing outwardly agreed to Yun Qing on everything, inwardly he was already wary of him.

Among his sons now, the only one left who was still of substance was Yun Ke.

He was neither competitive nor aggressive, he treated his father with respect, kept himself apart from the aristocratic clans, and after the Gengzi Rebellion, returned his military power at once. Whatever tasks Emperor Jing entrusted to him, he handled them all beautifully in a fair and impartial approach.

This was exactly what Emperor Jing wanted.

The great Qi dynasty needed a future emperor who could remain steadily composed, who would not be burdened by the influence of aristocratic families.

So, after much consideration, Emperor Jing decided to hand over the matter of the Xia family to Yun Ke.

Having ruled so many years, how could Emperor Jing not know in his heart whether Xia Shuang Cheng had committed such heinous acts or not?

The Xia family was simply a test he had set for Yun Ke.

If Yun Ke could cut through all interference and settle this case flawlessly, then Emperor Jing would be reassured.

He had courage and good methods. Adding to that patience, boldness, and loyalty, then the future Crown Prince would be Yun Ke.

Xia Shuang Cheng had no idea that, in Emperor Jing’s eyes, he was nothing more than a pawn on the board to test his son, and yet he still acted so recklessly.

“Your Highness is too serious,” Xia Shuang Cheng finally realised that he should not provoke Imperial Prince An too far. He forced a smile, “Your Highness, please feel free to make any requests. As long as it is within the Xia family’s means, we will certainly do out utmost, as long as Your Highness can be kind enough to show some mercy.”

“Haha,” Yun Ke laughed coldly, “Do you think this prince would spare someone who abducted this prince’s princess and even injured her?”

The moment Yun Ke’s words left his mouth, Xia Shuang Cheng’s face instantly turned pale.

These past few days he had been hiding within the Xia family’s residence, not daring to step out or even to inquire about the outside world. Yet, he had felt certain that with the fire so fierce, Gu Yu Qi must have perished in the flames.

Although the rumours about Gu Yu Qi were spreading like wildfire, Xia Yan only knew of them and had never imagined his son had anything to do with her. After returning home, he did not mention the matter in front of Xia Shuang Cheng. He only felt that in recent days his son seemed a little more obedient, no longer running about outside, which secretly pleased him.

“So… that b*** didn’t die?” Xia Shuang Cheng glared at Yun Ke, blurting out the question.

How could that be?! When he lit the fire, the search parties were still far away. Besides, Gu Yu Qi was already heavily injured and the chains binding her were special. How could she possibly break free?!

“B***?” Yun Ke bared his teeth coldly. He said to the guard beside him, “Pry open his mouth and cut off half his tongue. Remember, only half. This prince is not ready to let him die yet.”

He would exact revenge bit by bit on what had been done to Gu Yu Qi.

Li Sheng received the order and stepped forward. There were no scissors at hand, so he simply drew his knife. He had seen the state the princess had been in and knew how vicious Xia Shuang Cheng was. When dealing with such a monster, he would not go easy.

Xia Shuang Cheng’s legs went weak. He clamped his mouth shut and watched with terror in his eyes as Li Sheng approached.

“You dare!” When Li Sheng put his hand on Xia Shuang Cheng’s jaw and pried it open, he shouted incoherently, “I’m a titled legitimate heir!” As he spoke, he shook his head vigorously, trying to free himself from Li Sheng’s grasp.

Yun Ke glanced at the others and the remaining police officers sprang in. They forcefully grasped Xia Shuang Cheng’s head and Li Sheng pulled his tongue out.

Xia Shuang Cheng was so frightened he nearly fainted. He begged for mercy with his eyes, his throat emitting strange howling sounds.

Li Sheng used the knife to slowly cut off the tip of his tongue. Then, seeing it was not enough, he pulled again, removing a little more. This time, it was about right. Then everyone let go of Xia Shuang Cheng.

“Your Highness, half his tongue has been cut off.” Li Sheng threw the two pieces of his tongue to the ground and said to Yun Ke.

Xia screamed like a slaughtered pig, bl00d spilling from his mouth, his eyes bulging.

The pain in his mouth was indescribable, but what frightened him more was Yun Ke’s expression.

That cold glint in his eyes chilled him to the bone.

Yun Ke was not bluffing! He really would act. He stared at the two pale pieces of flesh on the ground in horror, “Yun Ke, you bastard!” Xia Shuang Cheng’s speech was slurred, half his tongue gone.

Xia Shuang Cheng also understood one thing: he was definitely not going to escape today.

“I have an imperial pardon token!” he stammered, trembling.

“An imperial pardon?” Yun Ke smiled faintly. “This prince isn’t planning to let you die that fast.”

Yun Ke’s voice was as gentle as the wind and the clouds, yet it made Xia Shuang Cheng’s hair stand on end.

Not letting him die quickly meant he intended to make him suffer slowly.

The bravado Xia Shuang Cheng had shown earlier drained away.

“Your Highness, I beg you. Spare me. I’ll give you anything!” Xia Shuang Cheng cried desperately, ignoring the excruciating agony in his mouth.

“All I want is the lives of your whole family,” Yun Ke said calmly, then smiled brightly at Xia Shuang Cheng. “Can you pay that?”

How could someone threaten to kill your entire family while smiling as brightly as the spring sun?

Xia Shuang Cheng felt something warm trickle down his legs. He had wet himself from fright.