Chapter 679: Walked Into The Emperor’s Trap

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The shuttlecock flew through the air with a whoosh.

Ji Qingyuan, who was left alone, “…”

Glancing at the Emperor and Empress not far off, he could only walk over to them himself.

“Greetings, Your Majesty, Your Highness!”

“Rise, Duke Ji.” Long Yang lifted his hand slightly, and with an arm around Lu Liangwei, sat down in the chair brought over by a palace servant.

Lu Liangwei was surprised to see Ji Qingyuan, but she quickly thought of Ji Linghui.

It seemed that Ji Qingyuan’s visit was for Ji Linghui’s sake.

She sat quietly beside Long Yang without a word.

Ji Qingyuan sighed and said with a guilty expression, “Your Majesty, it’s all because I failed to teach my daughter well that she’s become such a vicious lady. I’m dreadfully ashamed to face you.”

Long Yang raised an eyebrow. “So does that mean the Prudence Consort has pleaded guilty?”

“Yes, this is the Prudence Consort’s confession letter. Please have a look, Your Majesty.”

As Zhao Qian was not there, Zhu Yu had to step forward, take it, and present it to Long Yang.

Long Yang took it and gave it a quick scan.

This so-called confession letter was nothing more than a piece of paper with the prisoner’s signature.

After glancing it over casually, he put it down. “Since the Prudence Consort is willing to plead guilty, and the Grand Princess’s son has not sustained any injuries, I shall lighten her sentence. From today onward, the Prudence Consort shall be stripped of her title and banished to the Cold Palace in hopes that she will reflect on herself and become a better person.”

Ji Qingyuan’s hands clenched into fists under his sleeves to suppress the indignant grief in his heart.

His beloved daughter had spent several years in the palace sacrificing the flower of her youth, only to end up being banished to the Cold Palace.

He closed his eyes and knelt to give his gratitude. “Thank you for showing mercy, Your Majesty.” He then lowered his head to the floor.

“You may rise, Duke Ji,” ordered Long Yang coolly.

However, Ji Qingyuan did not get up. Instead, he took out the bangle from his sleeve and raised it above his head. “Your Majesty, I have a request to make, and I hope that you can grant it.”

Long Yang cast an indifferent glance at the bangle in his hands. “Speak!”

Holding the bangle, Ji Qingyuan said, “This bangle was gifted by the late Empress Dowager. For that sake, I beg Your Majesty to release the Prudence Consort from the palace, and I shall then return the bangle to the royal family.”

“Request granted!”

Ji Qingyuan had barely finished speaking when he heard the Emperor’s unhesitant and resolute answer.

Ji Qingyuan was stunned — he did not expect that the Emperor would agree so readily.

He thought that even if he presented the late Empress Dowager’s bangle, the Emperor still might not be willing to give his approval. After all, Hui’er was the Emperor’s consort. Even if she had yet to receive his favor, she had already been marked as his woman.

How come…

Just when Ji Qingyuan was in disbelief, he suddenly heard the Emperor speak again, “You may go ahead and take Miss Ji out of the palace, Duke Ji. The Empress and I have not eaten breakfast yet, so we’ll be going now.”

Ji Qingyuan raised his head, only to see the Emperor and Empress’s retreating figures.

He remained rooted to the spot, dumbstruck.

If he had known that taking Hui’er out of the palace would be this easy, why did he even have to devise that dangerous plan with the Prince of Xiangyang?

Ji Qingyuan was a little exasperated.

He never thought that it would be so easy to take his daughter out of the palace.

Somehow, he had the feeling that something was odd. He seemed to have walked into the Emperor’s trap and helped the Emperor achieve his goal.

Had the Emperor… been thinking of making Hui’er leave the palace a long time ago?

However, the Emperor’s tactic was indeed brilliant. Instead of kicking Hui’er out ungracefully, he put on a show of granting his request reluctantly out of respect for the late Empress Dowager and him.

The truth was so unacceptable that he could not stop his blood from welling up in his throat.

However, he should also be thankful that the Emperor had pulled out all the stops to get Hui’er out of the palace.

Realizing this, he smiled bitterly.

Just then, his hands suddenly went empty.. Startled, he looked up and saw that that maidservant Zhu Yu had taken the bangle away from him.