I Got Together with the Goddess [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 26

“Marquis Huaiyi, what else do you have to say?”

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Marquis Huaiyi, Marquis Ningyang, and their families were brought before the throne. Several chests sat in the center of the hall, containing only a fraction of the weapons hauled from the warehouse—arms that Marquis Huaiyi had secretly ordered craftsmen to manufacture over many years.

To prevent the craftsmen from leaking secrets, every batch of workers was brutally silenced after the weapons were cast. Now that the identities of these “suddenly deceased” craftsmen had been verified—nearly a thousand people slaughtered by Marquis Huaiyi in just a few years, the sheer cruelty of it made everyone’s blood run cold.

“Your Majesty, it was all Marquis Ningyang! And his wife! Yes, they were the ones who incited me to do this!” Seeing that both human and physical evidence were stacked against him, Marquis Huaiyi grew desperate to deny the charges and shoved the responsibility onto Marquis Ningyang.

“Your Majesty, your servant was the one incited by Marquis Huaiyi! He was the one who met Daoist Yuanyi first and introduced him to me. I was bewitched by them and gradually came to believe that rebellion was not impossible! There is plenty of evidence of Marquis Huaiyi’s treasonous intent at my residence; I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!”

Marquis Ningyang grabbed his wife’s arm, knelt on the floor, and kowtowed to the Emperor.

The Marchioness of Ningyang appeared somewhat reluctant, but she remained kneeling under duress.

“Your servants have committed a monstrous crime. We beg Your Majesty to pass judgment; no matter how Your Majesty chooses to dispose of us, we shall have no complaints.”

Seeing that the other had confessed, Marquis Huaiyi began to feel terrified. Hoping the Emperor might remember old sentiments, he hurriedly pulled Yin Qiang down to kneel with him, trembling with fear.

“Your Majesty, your servant’s death is of no consequence, but my son…” He did not want his bloodline to end there.

The Emperor gave a cold snort and said, “Do not speak to me of your son. It was you who led him astray. All the guilt lies with you, and you alone must bear the price.”

Marquis Huaiyi began to shake all over and fell silent. Yin Qiang no longer possessed his usual arrogant and sinister demeanor; his face was as pale as a ghost, and as he knelt beside his father, he looked exactly like a drowned dog.

In the end, all males over the age of fifteen from the two Marquis households were sentenced to execution, while the women and children under fifteen were exiled to Lingnan.

The Emperor was clear in his rewards and punishments. Since he had punished Marquis Huaiyi and the others with heavy sentences, he naturally rewarded the Si family.

For preventing this rebellion, Si Xuansu and Son-in-law Jiang were credited with the highest merit.

The Emperor deeply realized the Si family’s loyal and patriotic sentiments. He bestowed upon Si Xuansu the title of First-Class Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness, a hereditary peerage. Furthermore, he granted her a “Dan Shu Tie Quan” an Iron Certificate of Immunity which could grant pardon from death, an Imperial Token that carried the same authority as the Emperor himself, and the State-Guarding Precious Saber, which allowed her to execute treacherous officials first and report later.

With this, the Si family’s prestige soared. It was rare in several centuries to see such a magnificent Marquis, let alone a female one.

This was a feat destined to be recorded in the annals of history, a legacy that would shine for a hundred generations.

The Emperor did not forget Jiang Yiqing either. However, all the best honors had already been given out, and the Si family did not lack gold or silver. Aside from granting him a noble title, the Emperor was at a loss for what to give.

He then asked Jiang Yiqing: “I wonder what reward Son-in-law Jiang desires?”

Since seeing the Iron Certificate of Immunity, Jiang Yiqing’s heart had settled. After a private discussion with Si Xuansu, they had decided to reveal the truth of her female identity to the Emperor.

After all, for the sake of their long-term future, reporting it was better than hiding it, and this was the perfect opportunity to inform the Emperor.

“Your servant does not dare to demand a reward. I only ask that Your Majesty does not become enraged.”

“That is an interesting thing to say,” the Emperor remarked. “You have performed a great service; why would I be enraged?”

Jiang Yiqing reached out and removed her disguise. In the eyes of the Emperor and the high-ranking ministers, the figure of a young lady gradually emerged.

Si Xuansu wore black, while this person wore white. Both possessed extraordinary beauty and stood together—one naturally smiling, the other saying little but with eyes full of affection. Their styles were similar, dazzling and radiant, like a perfectly matched couple. The golden splendor of the Great Hall seemed to dim slightly in the presence of these two.

The Emperor had likely never encountered such a bizarre situation. His brow furrowed, and a spark of anger appeared in his eyes. In his entire life, no one had dared to deceive him like this—no, rather, no one had dared to do it before, but lately, more people seemed to be deceiving him!

“Your Majesty, your servant’s disguise as a man was truly an act of helplessness; it was never an intentional attempt to deceive Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty’s leniency,” Jiang Yiqing said, neither humble nor arrogant, but with deep sincerity.

“You still say it wasn’t intentional? Then tell me, how exactly where you ‘helplessly’ forced to commit the crime of deceiving the Emperor?” The Emperor suppressed the anger in his heart and questioned her.

Anyone else would have fainted from terror upon hearing the phrase “deceiving the Emperor,” but Jiang Yiqing rested her chin on her hand, appearing relaxed as she gave the matter some serious thought.

After a moment, Jiang Yiqing replied: “My elder brother had someone he loved, so he fled on the day of his wedding to Xuansu. My parents and I did not wish to break our promise to the General’s Mansion, so I entered the household as a son-in-law in my brother’s stead. My parents-in-law are broad-minded; not only did they not blame my family, but they also treated me with great care. In this matter, everyone wanted to be a good person; no one intended to be a villain, let alone commit an act like deceiving the Emperor. No one wanted to do that. Think about it, Your Majesty: should my brother have abandoned his beloved to marry into the Marquis’s house? Nor should I have broken faith with the General’s Mansion, which would have allowed those treacherous men, Marquis Huaiyi and the heir Yin Qiang, to have their way. The General’s Mansion did nothing wrong either. These events were all interlinked, which is why it was hidden from Your Majesty until now. Truly, it was an unintentional fault. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth.”

The Emperor’s anger cooled as he thought it would be through. In any case, with the Iron Certificate of Immunity in play, he couldn’t punish her unless he wanted to slap his own face. Furthermore, it was obvious to any observer that neither Si Xuansu nor Jiang Yiqing were ordinary people.

As long as they had no intention of rebelling, the Emperor would only be jeopardizing his own stable throne by turning against them.

“The most important thing is, after all these twists and turns, a true marriage was actually forged?” The Emperor turned his anger into a smile.

“Exactly so,” Si Xuansu and Jiang Yiqing said in unison. “We ask for Your Majesty’s blessing.”

“Very well, I shall forgive you.”

Jiang Yiqing looked at Si Xuansu with a smile, while Si Xuansu spoke to the Emperor with a resonant voice: “Furthermore, I ask Your Majesty to grant us a formal marriage decree.”

“Are you two not already married?” the Emperor asked.

Everyone was surprised. Jiang Yiqing also looked at her in astonishment; after all, they were already wed, so why do it again?

“Because of Marquis Huaiyi’s interference before, the wedding was very rushed, and the formal rites were not fully observed. This time, I wish to hold a ceremony properly and unhurriedly. I hope Your Majesty can fulfill this lingering regret in my heart.” Si Xuansu took Jiang Yiqing’s hand, the deep affection in her eyes plain for all to see.

Jiang Yiqing was stunned at first, then a sweet feeling began to ferment in her heart. The corners of her mouth curled uncontrollably as she whispered, “Xuansu, thank you.”

“Ha! Minister Si, since you are such a person of deep feeling and integrity, why shouldn’t I play the role of the Matchmaker? I shall have the decree drafted immediately to bestow marriage upon you two,” the Emperor laughed loudly.

“Our thanks to Your Majesty,” the two said together.

Though they did not know how the court historians would judge them, the story of Si Xuansu and Jiang Yiqing sharing the “Mandarin Duck Pool” etched into history, becoming an indelible mark that future generations would never forget.