The Humble Family's Daughter Has A Spatial Pocket!-Chapter 1023 - 861, Taking the Blame

The Emperor looked at Consort Ji and Consort Xiang with a dark expression, "Do you have anything else to say now?"

Consort Xiang, pale as paper, knew there was no turning back and instantly understood how to strive for the best outcome. She hurriedly crawled toward the Emperor:

"Your Majesty, I was wrong. It was the Empress Dowager who forced me; if I didn’t do as she said, she would have someone kill my parents and siblings. I know I’ve committed grave sins and dare not ask for mercy, but my family is innocent, please, Your Majesty, save them."

Consort Ji also came to her senses. As a woman once favored by the Emperor, she clearly understood how to save her family and immediately followed in begging for mercy, "Your Majesty, everything was compelled by the Empress Dowager. Without the Death Exemption Token, it was I who slandered the Crown Princess. Please, Your Majesty, save my family."

Upon hearing these words, the expressions of the royal kin and ministers present changed again and again.

Yet the Emperor’s face looked considerably better than before.

However, just at that moment, an Imperial Physician hurried out of the sleeping quarters.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is not doing well, she wants to see you and the ministers."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately gave the speaking Imperial Physician a cold look.

The physician, feeling a chill down his spine, suddenly regretted his actions, previously seeing how anxiously the Emperor was concerned about the Empress Dowager’s illness, he thought that the Emperor was very worried about her. Seeing the Empress Dowager wake up, he hurried out without delay.

Thinking that the Empress Dowager was now unable to speak, the Emperor stood up, chose a few royal kin and ministers, and entered the Empress Dowager’s sleeping quarters together.

Upon entering, the Emperor met the Empress Dowager’s fierce and resentful eyes.

Clearly, the Empress Dowager had heard everything that had happened in the great hall.

Considering that all her plans had fallen through, the Empress Dowager’s breathing became even more labored; she opened her hand and raised it, as if trying to grab the Emperor.

Xiao Yeyang stood beside the Emperor, wary that the Empress Dowager might have a last resort up her sleeve, and he did not dare let the Emperor get too close.

The Emperor also did not underestimate the dying Empress Dowager and feigned concern, "Empress Dowager, take care of yourself. I will have the physicians heal you."

The Empress Dowager, unable to speak, could only open her mouth and ’wu wu’ call out, her hand in mid-air never lowered.

Xiao Yeyang, seeing that the ministers and royal relatives were watching, thought for a moment and stepped forward to grasp the Empress Dowager’s hand, "Empress Dowager, do you have any last orders for me?"

Seeing Xiao Yeyang, the fury in the Empress Dowager’s eyes intensified. The deaths of her nephew Jinghui and her brother, Duke Cheng’en, were inseparably linked to Xiao Yeyang.

She was filled with hate, hating that she couldn’t avenge her brother, nephew, and grandnephew!

The Empress Dowager’s emotional turmoil was too great, and she wasn’t able to catch her breath, and so she passed away directly.

Looking at the Empress Dowager, who died with her eyes open and still clutching Xiao Yeyang’s hand tightly, all the royal kin and ministers present silently bowed their heads.

...

The Empress Dowager died, preceding the Jiang Family, who were sentenced to be beheaded, by a step.

When the news spread beyond the palace, everyone was shocked and surprised!

Regardless of how much the Emperor disliked the Empress Dowager, as his birth mother, he still had to take care of the funeral matters on the surface, and moreover, he had to do it well, flawlessly.

The Emperor entrusted the Empress with the funeral arrangements for the Empress Dowager.

The Jiang Family’s home was raided and they were sentenced to death; however, the Emperor did not blame the Empress. It wasn’t that he loved the Empress much, but rather he didn’t want to disrupt the balance of power in the harem.

The Imperial Palace quickly hung up white banners.

Qianqing Palace.

Daohua entered the great hall with Xiao Yeyang and proactively handed the Death Exemption Token to Eunuch An.

The Emperor took the Death Exemption Token from Eunuch An’s hand, curiously looking at Daohua, "Where did you hide it?"

Daohua smiled, "The Commander of the Jinling Guard borrowed Dog Xiaoyi. Today, Xiaoyi just happened to be in Cining Palace, so I had Xiaoyi carry the token in its mouth."

Hearing this, the Emperor’s expression stiffened slightly and he quickly tossed the token onto the desk.

In order to eliminate the power of the Empress Dowager and the Jiang Family in the palace, Xiu Xiangchen had borrowed Yeyang’s hunting dog; this was something he was aware of.

"You sure are cunning."

Daohua smiled but said nothing.

At the same time, in the Ministry of Justice’s prison cells, the members of the Jiang Family, upon hearing of the Empress Dowager’s death, lost the last bit of hope they held.

The next day, they were led to the marketplace, their faces numb, to be executed.

Just before the execution, the Jiang Family members, as though they had agreed on it beforehand, screamed out to the spectators, "The Empress Dowager was killed by the Emperor! The Emperor is disrespectful and ungrateful, heartless and unrighteous, a cold-blooded tyrant."

The executioner, upon hearing this, turned pale with fright and quickly signaled the headsman to carry out the executions.

Within moments, the members of the Jiang Family were put to death.

The Jiang Family may have died, but the shouts of the condemned were virulently spread among the people.

After Daohua and Xiao Yeyang sent Gu Jian back to Four Seasons Manor, they returned to the Prince Residence, changed into mourning clothes, and followed Prince Jinghui to the Imperial Palace to mourn the Empress Dowager.

On the way to the palace, Daohua and Xiao Yeyang heard many people discussing the Empress Dowager’s death, hinting that the Emperor was to blame.

Xiao Yeyang’s eyebrows were tightly furrowed. "The Jiang Family sure can’t stay quiet even in death."

Daohua spoke, "If such talk continues, it will be very detrimental to the Emperor’s reputation and authority."

Inside the palace, they noticed that many officials and ladies were also whispering among themselves. Clearly, not only had the commoners believed the words of the Jiang Family, but officials had begun to doubt as well.

The Empress Dowager had passed away, and the Emperor declared a three-day suspension of the court.

On the fourth day, court proceedings resumed as usual.

Before leaving, Xiao Yeyang turned and looked at Daohua for a moment.

Daohua, guessing what he might be about to do, said with a smile, "Whatever you do, I will support and accompany you."

Xiao Yeyang smiled, walked back, and embraced Daohua tightly, then strode out of the room.

Watching his retreating figure, Daohua couldn’t help but feel a sense of worry.

Now, with widespread speculation both inside and outside the court regarding the Empress Dowager’s death, the Emperor could ill afford to tarnish his reputation. Since Xiao Yeyang was at the scene when the Empress Dowager died, he feared that Xiao Yeyang would have to shoulder the blame.

During the morning court session, all the officials remained silent, and each faction, each power group, communicated silently with glances.

After a while, Imperial Censor Zeng, known for his integrity, stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I wish to submit an accusation against Princely Heir Xiao Yeyang of Prince Jinghui’s household."

The Emperor, seated on the throne, glanced at his nephew and asked, "What do you accuse him of, my loyal subject?"

Imperial Censor Zeng declared, "Xiao Yeyang caused the Empress Dowager’s death, a crime unforgivable. Please, Your Majesty, punish him." freeweɓnøvel.com

These words caused an uproar in the court.

Xiao Yeyang, furious, stared at Imperial Censor Zeng, "Grand Secretary Zeng, when have I ever offended you for you to slander me like this?"

Imperial Censor Zeng replied with righteousness, "Your Majesty, we are all well aware of the Empress Dowager’s regard for Xiao Yeyang, but he deliberately provoked her while she was gravely ill, and thus caused her death."

"The Grand Secretary Yang, Old Prince Yong, Governor Wu, and other lords present at the scene that day are all aware of this. I have not wronged Xiao Yeyang."

The named ministers felt a twitch in their hearts and looked at the Emperor, who remained silent, then at the angry Xiao Yeyang, understanding the situation.

Yang Chenghua was the first to second Imperial Censor Zeng’s statement, "Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Zeng speaks the truth. Had Xiao Yeyang not approached the Empress Dowager that day, the Empress Dowager may not have succumbed."

Old Prince Yong glanced at Xiao Yeyang and added, "That day, Xiao Yeyang indeed may have angered the Empress Dowager. However, given her severe illness, it’s unfair to blame him entirely."

The other ministers present also expressed their stances, affirming that the Empress Dowager’s death did arise from Xiao Yeyang’s provocation but was not entirely his fault.

All present at the court, crafty figures at best, pleaded in succession, "We beg Your Majesty to punish Xiao Yeyang severely, to satisfy the Empress Dowager’s spirit above."

The Crown Prince and his group looked at Xiao Yeyang. The more they used to envy him, the more they sympathized with him now.

Clearly, they too knew Xiao Yeyang was being made the Emperor’s scapegoat.