Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The corners of Long Yang’s mouth turned up slightly. “So kind-hearted that she wouldn’t bear to step on an ant? The Prudence Consort that you know doesn’t seem to be the one I know, Duke Ji.”
Zhao Qian immediately chimed in, “Duke Ji, there were many who witnessed the Prudence Consort trying to murder the Prince yesterday. The evidence was clear, but the Prudence Consort kept on denying, so His Majesty had no choice but to send her to prison to let her reflect on herself.”
Ji Qingyuan was hesitant to hear what both of them said.
However, no matter what, he still could not believe that his daughter would harbor such malicious intentions.
He did not witness the incident yesterday with his own eyes, and the version of the story that he heard was that Hui’er had offended the Empress, which led to her angering the Emperor and being thrown into prison.
Considering how favored Lu Liangwei currently was, it was no surprise that the Emperor would treat Hui’er that way.
After thinking for a while, he said, “Please grant me permission to see the Prudence Consort, Your Majesty.”
Long Yang nodded. “Permission granted. Zhao Qian, take Duke Ji to see the Prudence Consort. If she’s willing to plead guilty, report to me at once, and I’ll lighten her sentence.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Zhao Qian replied obediently, and after his master had left, he turned to Ji Qingyuan. “Please follow me, Duke Ji.”
Ji Qingyuan nodded. “Thank you, Butler Zhao.” His heart, however, grew heavier.
What the Emperor meant was, if Hui’er refused to plead guilty, she would be in for a terrible end.
The Emperor allowed him to see Hui’er because he wanted him to persuade her to plead guilty and only then would the Emperor lighten her sentence.
With a heavy heart, Ji Qingyuan followed Zhao Qian to the interrogation cell.
The interrogator had already received the news, so Ji Linghui was not under interrogation when he entered. However, she was already half-dead from being tortured yesterday and now lay on the floor, her entire body caked in ghastly bloodstains.
Seeing this, Ji Qingyuan felt as if a knife had stabbed through his heart, and he rushed forward to help his daughter up.
However, the moment he touched her, he heard her groan in pain. Shocked, he put down his hand and cried in dismay, “Hui’er, are you all right?”
Hearing her father’s voice, Ji Linghui strained herself to open her eyes. “Dad, why have you come to the palace?”
At the sight of her all covered with wounds, Ji Qingyuan did not dare to touch her again. As it was not a suitable place to catch up, he went straight to the point, “What happened? Why did the Emperor say that you wanted to murder the Grand Princess’s son? Did you do it or not?”
Ji Linghui forced a forlorn smile. “Dad, you know what I’m like. Do you think I’d do such a beastly thing? All I did was offend the Empress by accident, and she started throwing mud at me. The Emperor favors her and would naturally believe everything she says. If I’d ever done anything wrong, it’d be falling in love with the Emperor and throwing myself mindlessly into the harem. Dad, I regret everything…”
Ji Qingyuan’s heart ached to hear this.
This daughter of his had been sensible since she was a child and took good care of her siblings too. If she had married into an ordinary noble house, she would live a happier life than now.
Unfortunately, she fell in love with the Emperor and had even been crazed to join the harem.
Seeing her in her current state, he was also full of regret — regret that he had not stopped her back then and helped her join the harem instead.
However, just look at what had become of her now.
“An emperor’s heart can be as cold as stone…” Ji Linghui murmured to herself, agonizing Ji Qingyuan even more..