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Sixth Prince's Estate
"Your Highness, the Right Prime Minister has arrived."
Jun Hui frowned. "What does he want? Show him in."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Prime Minister Meng entered, cupping his hands in a respectful bow. "Greetings, Sixth Prince."
"Right Prime Minister, there's no need for such formality. Please, have a seat."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Jun Hui looked at him, asking gently, "May I ask, Right Prime Minister, what brings you here so late?"
Prime Minister Meng stood up and 'thumped' to his knees.
"I beg Your Highness to save this old official's life!"
Jun Hui raised an eyebrow.
He knew the Crown Prince was investigating him, but he hadn't expected him to come seeking his help.
"Right Prime Minister, you jest. As an idle man with no power or influence, whom could I save?"
Prime Minister Meng said, "Your Highness, this old official knows you possess capability. It is merely because your maternal clan is weak that you are not favored by His Majesty. If Your Highness can help this old official overcome this difficulty, I am willing to serve Your Highness with my very life!"
Jun Hui's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Right Prime Minister, do you know what you are saying? With just those two sentences you just uttered, this prince could have Father Emperor lop off your head!"
Prime Minister Meng kowtowed and said, "Your Highness, this old official knows of your grand ambitions and your talent. Every word this old official speaks is from the heart, Your—"
Jun Hui cut him off. "Say no more! Leave immediately. This prince will pretend tonight never happened!"
"Your Highness!"
"Get out!"
Prime Minister Meng stood up and walked out in a daze, his spirit broken.
After he left, Ye Bai asked in confusion, "Master, why did you not make use of a man who offered himself up?"
Jun Hui glanced at him and said, "Not everyone is worth using."
"Though Meng Qichao holds the office of Right Prime Minister, he merely relies on the support of his wife's family. Look, since Duke Qu resigned and left the capital, what achievements has he made? None!"
"Furthermore, this man has already incurred Father Emperor's displeasure, and Father Emperor intends to deal with him. Lately, Father Emperor has been quite suspicious of me. To go and court disaster now, isn't that just seeking death?"
Ye Bai suddenly understood. "It's mainly not worth it to anger His Majesty for a useless person."
Jun Hui nodded. "Indeed. If he truly possessed talent and genuine ability, saving him wouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately..."
He had once relied on a mighty tree but failed to cherish it.
Now, to find another great tree would be difficult.
"Ye Bai, go and help collect some evidence of Prime Minister Meng's crimes, and send it to Ji Huaiyan."
"Your Highness?"
"It's not that this prince wants to hit a man when he's down; it's that he guessed this prince's true intentions, and thus he deserves to die. Besides, it's also an opportunity to do the Crown Prince a favor and earn some goodwill with Father Emperor."
Ye Bai bowed and said, "Yes, Your Highness!"
Prime Minister Meng could never have imagined that a visit to the Sixth Prince's Estate would not only fail to secure him powerful backing but would instead accelerate his downfall.
Just one day later, the evidence of the Right Prime Minister's crimes lay on the Emperor's desk in the Imperial Study.
Each charge, each incident, was supported by irrefutable evidence, leaving no room for denial.
The Emperor was enraged and immediately ordered the confiscation of the Right Prime Minister's Estate.
The entire household was banished to Qianxi.
The capital's populace was in an uproar, expressing widespread relief that Madame Qu had divorced early; otherwise, she would have suffered greatly.
But everything has its cause and effect.
If it weren't for the divorce, severing ties with the Qu family, the Emperor, who had turned a blind eye for so many years, would not have suddenly decided to investigate him.
When the news reached the Su Estate, Su Li was practicing calligraphy.
Upon hearing the news, her hand paused slightly.
'I wonder if Aunt Qu and Sister Qu will be sad.'
'Alas, each person has their own destiny.'
...
On the day of banishment, Prime Minister Meng, clad in prison attire, shackled hand and foot, his hair disheveled, instantly looked ten years older.
Behind him followed a group of similarly dressed individuals, including Madame Zhao and the disfigured Meng Zhiyao.
In the wind and snow, Qu Zhirou watched this scene, her throat tightening.
Ji Huaiyan, who had come to supervise, asked, "Miss Qu, do you wish to see them off?"
Qu Zhirou shook her head, her eyes blurry with tears.
If she went, what would she say?
Her stepmother and stepsister resented her, and her father must surely hate her in his heart.
Just as the group was about to disappear from sight, Qu Zhirou could no longer hold back. Her voice hoarse, she cried out, "Father!"
The distance was too great, and her voice was swallowed by the wind and snow.
Meng Qichao, as if sensing something, looked back and saw the dark speck in the snow.
He mumbled, "Rou'er."
A tear flowed from his clouded eyes.
The soldiers escorting them said, "You might be heartless, but your daughter isn't. Otherwise, do you think every prisoner gets a padded jacket? Hurry up, we still need to reach the next驿站 (relay station) before nightfall."
Meng Qichao touched the padded jacket inside his prison uniform, sobbing as he walked.
"Miss Qu, they're out of sight now. I'll take you back."
Qu Zhirou nodded.
Her maternal grandfather and mother had forbidden her from coming, but she had secretly snuck out.
She had originally thought she would have to walk, but then she happened upon Ji Huaiyan. Seeing her braving the wind and snow, he had offered her a ride on his horse.
The two mounted the horse. Ji Huaiyan felt the girl's trembling behind him, and soon after, he heard her muffled sobs.
"Don't cry."
She was sitting behind him. Crying like that, if someone saw, they might think he had done something to her.
At his words, Qu Zhirou burst into full sobs.
That was her father. Although he had a thousand faults, he also had his good moments.
She was already sad, and now he was being so harsh.
Ji Huaiyan had never dealt with women before. This delicate young lady, crying like this, made his heart clench.
"You... you shouldn't cry!"
Ji Huaiyan dismounted and led the horse into the inn outside the city gate.
Inside the room, looking at the young woman whose eyes were as red as a rabbit's and whose nose was frozen crimson, he felt a wave of helplessness.
If she was going to cry, he might as well find a warm place for her to cry her fill.
After a while, Qu Zhirou cried enough. She stood up, embarrassed, and said, "Um, Young Master Ji, we can leave now."
Ji Huaiyan asked, "Cried enough?"
Qu Zhirou nodded, her face red.
Ji Huaiyan lifted his foot and walked out, and Qu Zhirou quickly followed.
"I was the one who collected the evidence against your father."
Qu Zhirou nodded and said, "I know, but I don't blame you. Father deserved his punishment; one must bear the consequences for their wrongdoings."
Ji Huaiyan's lips curved slightly.
Though delicate, she was still sensible.