Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 103: He Will Slowly Return It Bit by Bit

Chapter 103: Chapter 103: He Will Slowly Return It Bit by Bit

Capital City. As soon as Emperor Chu Xiong of Jianye began the morning court, Minister of Punishments Lord Fan presented a memorial. The memorial had only arrived this morning, and he was shocked after reading its contents.

Chu Xiong took the memorial handed over by the Chief Eunuch Liu Desheng. After reading it, he angrily slammed the memorial onto the ground with a loud BANG.

The civil and military officials below were frightened into silence, wondering what had provoked the Emperor’s fury.

"Audacious! Where is the Mighty General?"

A fierce-looking middle-aged man stepped out from the ranks, immediately kneeling and saying, "Your Majesty, your humble servant is here."

Chu Xiong gestured for Liu Desheng to show the memorial to the Mighty General, Jiang Huaiyuan.

Liu Desheng respectfully picked up the memorial and handed it to Jiang Huaiyuan, who quickly began reading it.

After reading it, Jiang Huaiyuan cupped his fists and said with a powerful voice, "Your Majesty, allow your humble servant to immediately lead a thousand elite soldiers to annihilate the bandits on Tiger Head Mountain and rescue Dean Lin."

Chu Xiong nodded. "Let all the officials have a look, too," he said.

Jiang Huaiyuan handed the memorial to Senior Grand Secretary Gu Xicheng, who was standing at the forefront of the officials.

After reading it, Gu Xicheng immediately passed it to the minister beside him.

Upon reading it, the civil and military officials in the court couldn’t help but gasp. No wonder the Emperor was so furious.

Those bandits were audacious indeed, robbing the Emperor’s Uncle and kidnapping his entire family. They must have had a death wish.

"Minister Gu, what are your thoughts?" Chu Xiong had calmed down and, upon careful consideration, realized there were many unclear aspects to this matter.

If the bandits plundered the Lin Manor, why abduct people? And if they abducted them, why no further action?

Gu Xicheng cupped his fists and replied, "Your Majesty, this memorial presents many questionable points. The immediate priority is for the Ministry of Punishments to investigate thoroughly and then decide on a course of action. Naturally, the bandits on Tiger Head Mountain must still be eliminated."

Chu Xiong nodded, his fierce gaze sweeping across the officials below. "Do any of you other ministers have anything to add?" he asked in a deep voice.

The first to step forward was the Minister of Punishments, who cupped his fists and said, "Your humble servant has no objections."

This matter fell squarely on his Ministry of Punishments; he had no objections.

The Mighty General had no objections either, having just requested the Emperor’s decree. He immediately stated, "Your humble servant has no objections."

Seeing that these two prominent ministers, one civil and one military, had no objections, the other officials certainly wouldn’t dare to voice any.

Who would dare to object to a matter concerning the Empress? That would be akin to offering up one’s own head.

Their Emperor had ascended the throne at twenty, and his iron-fisted methods were something these ministers witnessed from time to time.

Though they appeared to hold prestigious positions in the court, in reality, every one of them was apprehensive, as if walking on thin ice, terrified that a moment’s carelessness might cost them their heads and bring disaster upon their families.

Misfortune issues from the mouth; the more said, the more room for error. To say nothing is to make no mistakes.

Consider the senior officials from the former Emperor’s era: they were nowhere to be seen in the current court. Thinking the young Emperor easily manipulated, they all acted high and mighty, relying on their age and experience. In the end, many went to accompany the late Emperor, others were demoted, and few managed to retire peacefully to their hometowns.

Those few who did probably offered countless prayers and burned mountains of incense to ensure their own safety and enjoy their twilight years in peace.

Just as everyone had voiced their agreement and the matter was settled, a eunuch suddenly rushed in from outside the main hall to report.

"Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince has an urgent matter and requests an audience!" the young eunuch announced after entering, prostrating himself, and kowtowing THUD, THUD, THUD before the Emperor.

Chu Xiong’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Lao Qi? He’s back? Announce him quickly."

The eunuch scrambled to his feet, ran to the entrance of the hall, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "His Majesty has decreed: summon the Seventh Prince into the hall!"

Chu Yan, adjusting his princely attire, quickly entered the main hall. He knelt with an expressionless face and declared, "Your servant Chu Yan pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"Lao Qi, please rise. Weren’t you in Qiyang County? Have you recovered from your illness?" Chu Xiong asked with a look of concern.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Chu Yan stood and, cupping his fists again, said, "Your servant’s trip to Qiyang County was not in vain. My illness has been cured, and I also happened upon a significant matter. These are items I obtained. Please examine them, Your Majesty."

With that, Chu Yan took a stack of items from his sleeve and presented them with both hands.

Liu Desheng, ever observant, glanced at Chu Xiong. Only after Chu Xiong nodded did Liu Desheng descend the steps to receive the items from Chu Yan.

As he took them, a unique silver needle was discreetly inserted into the stack of items.

Only when the silver needle showed no change in color did he place them on the dragon desk before Chu Xiong.

They consisted of letters and some other papers.

Chu Xiong looked at the stack of items with confusion. The ministers in the hall also stared, wondering what major incident the Seventh Prince had encountered in Qiyang County and if this stack of items was related to the Emperor’s Uncle.

Chu Xiong glanced at them, then picked them up and began to read them one by one.

The officials below watched as Chu Xiong’s expression grew progressively darker, until finally, he was gritting his teeth in anger.

The ministers were astonished. Only Chu Yan sneered inwardly.

These letters had been tossed to him by a stranger, who told him he would understand upon reading them.

When he read them, he was overjoyed! It was truly as if a pie had fallen from heaven. His trip to Qiyang County had not only cured his poison but had also yielded such crucial evidence.

Hmph! Even if this couldn’t deliver a fatal blow to *him*, it would at least cause chaos in his own house!

I was only five years old then! What could a five-year-old understand? How could I have been a hindrance to him? We were blood brothers, born of the same mother! How could *he* have been so ruthless?

Chu Yan looked at the man seated high above, now visibly on the verge of an outburst. He sneered inwardly.

Can’t even endure this much? Compared to the nearly twenty years of agony I suffered, a pain so intense I wished for death, this is nothing! I will repay it all, bit by bit!

Finally, just as the ministers felt they could bear the tension no longer, Chu Xiong spoke in a deep voice, "Lord Gu, Lord Fan, and Mighty General, you will come to the Imperial Study later. Lao Qi, you’ve just returned and must be weary from your journey. Go back and rest first."

Having said that, he rose and departed.

"Court dismissed!" Liu Desheng shouted, holding the stack of items, and hurried after Chu Xiong.

The officials all knelt in unison, calling out, "We respectfully see off Your Majesty!"

Chu Yan rose, rubbed his knees, glanced at the civil and military officials in the hall, and then swiftly departed.

The three individuals summoned by Chu Xiong did not linger; they proceeded together towards the Imperial Study.

"Lord Gu, what do you suppose the Seventh Prince submitted that made His Majesty so anxious?" Lord Fan asked.

Gu Xicheng glanced at him. I don’t have X-ray vision, how would I know? And even if I did, why would I tell this old fox?

He replied nonchalantly, "We’ll find out when we get there. Let’s hurry, lest we keep His Majesty waiting."

Lord Fan could only nod resentfully. This old fox. It’s impossible to get anything out of him.

「In the Imperial Study.」

Chu Xiong stared at the irrefutable evidence before him, his fists clenched so tightly they CRACKED.

After a long moment, he let out a breath and said, "Liu Desheng, what is the situation with Lao Qi?"

Liu Desheng bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, it is said that the only ones in this world capable of neutralizing the poison in the Seventh Prince are people from *that place*. The Seventh Prince claims he has recovered, but I fear that may not be entirely true."

Liu Desheng was also puzzled. How could the poison *I* administered be cured in the Daqian Kingdom?