Transmigrated into the Scum Female Consort - Chapter 106

Wait a moment… what does he mean by “restoring the state”?

Governor Zhou looked at Ye Xuejin in shock. “Your Highness!” He viewed Ye Xuejin as the savior of Yangzhou, yes, but he had never once considered rebellion. That was a capital crime involving the execution of nine generations. Was Zhu Yan mad, or did Princess He’an truly harbor seditious intent?

Ye Xuejin kept her eyes lowered, her gaze remaining fixed on Zhu Yan.

Zhu Yan, catching her drift immediately, rose and shouted toward the sky, “The immortals are above, and let heaven and earth be my witness! This servant dares not exaggerate even a single word. Since the new Emperor ascended the throne, upright and loyal officials have either been demoted or forced into hiding. The imperial court is now filled with nothing but flatterers and sycophants. If this continues, the great edifice of our nation will surely collapse!”

Feeling that wasn’t enough, he continued with even more shocking declarations. “I know Your Highness is a person of deep sentiment and honor, the most loyal of subjects. Otherwise, you would not have allowed yourself to be exiled at the whim of a faint-hearted ruler. After all, if the gods were to act, who could possibly stand against Your Highness? But Your Highness! The Emperor grows more reckless by the day. This morning, a new imperial decree reached every province—he has banished all female officials from the court!”

“I, too, am a man with a wife and daughter. Is there anyone in this world who was not born of a mother? Yet the Emperor refuses to give the women of the world a path to live! Your Highness, I beg you to look upon those poor women!”

Zhu Yan spoke with tears and snot streaming down his face, all while watching Ye Xuejin out of the corner of his eye. Ye Xuejin still said nothing, her eyes fixed on him as if her soul were wandering elsewhere.

Zhu Yan felt a lump in his throat. I’ve put on such a masterpiece of a performance, he thought, this is as close to ‘offering the dragon robe’ as it gets. If this Princess had any wits about her, she should know how to take the bridge he had built for her. Did he miscalculate? Did she not want to rebel? No… the fire just wasn’t hot enough yet.

With his mind racing, Zhu Yan suddenly stood up and turned toward his soldiers. “Listen well, soldiers! I am the Messenger of the Immortals! I have just received divine guidance: the Emperor is heartless, and treachery runs rampant! Only the one protected by the immortals is the true ruler of the world! I have decided to follow Her Highness to the capital to execute the tyrant! Are you with me!”

He went from “new Emperor” to “faint ruler” and finally to “tyrant” in one breath. The soldiers remained silent, unable to process how a simple arrest had escalated into a march on the capital to kill the Emperor.

Beside them, Governor Zhou’s heart hammered with terror. He couldn’t take it anymore. “Zhu Yan! Cease your inflammatory lies! Princess He’an and His Majesty were born of the same mother—ARGH!”

Mid-sentence, a blade pierced through Governor Zhou’s chest. He collapsed instantly. Zhu Yan let go, leaving the sword embedded in the Governor’s body.

“This corrupt official has plagued our Yangzhou for too long,” Zhu Yan declared righteously. “I have long wished to act on behalf of Heaven. If you cannot see reason and still wish to support a tyrant, you are opposing the immortals and Her Highness! Prepare yourselves for a lightning strike!”

He then mimicked Ye Xuejin’s gesture, pointing his finger toward the soldiers’ heads. Finally, Ye Xuejin reacted.

“Governor-Secretary Zhu, they are also citizens of Dashao. Do not force them.”

A glint of light flashed in Zhu Yan’s eyes. Finally, she spoke. If she hadn’t joined the conversation, the play would have ended right there. He put on an expression of grim resolve. “I know Your Highness is merciful, but if we let these people go, they will only aid the tyrant. Let me be the one condemned by history! Rest assured, I am willing to be struck by lightning alongside them to atone for this slaughter!”

Ye Xuejin hesitated, looking at the soldiers with apparent pity. Zhu Yan’s hand at his side moved slightly, and his strategist immediately dropped to his knees.

“The immortals are above! We are willing to follow Her Highness to execute the tyrant!” “We are willing to follow!”

With the strategist leading, the soldiers—though still bewildered—all knelt. What else could they do? It was either follow or wait to be struck dead by lightning.

Only then did Ye Xuejin give a soft reply. “Rise, then. This is a matter of great gravity; allow me time to consider it.”

It is not yet time to show my final hand, she thought.

Zhu Yan seized the opportunity. “Could Your Highness first follow this subject into the city to settle in? We can then plan further.” Ye Xuejin looked at him deeply and nodded.

Small men fear power, not virtue. This saying was personified in Zhu Yan. Once he realized he was outmatched and that surrendering was his only path to survival, he not only scrubbed his past clean but also murdered Governor Zhou on the spot. A man this unscrupulous was truly wicked.

Yet, because of this, the path ahead was smoother. As for whether to burn the bridge later… Ye Xuejin’s eyes remained cold, though her face showed nothing. She motioned for Zhu Yan to wait.

Returning to the group with Yun Chi, she calmly instructed, “Yu Lu, go quickly to fetch the Military Counselor. The rest of you shall enter the city with me.”

Entering the city, Zhu Yan had the strategist arrange enough horses for the exiles, barking at his men, “The rest of you can run back to the city!” He then smiled at Ye Xuejin. “Your Highness, please.”

“I am in your debt, Master Zhu,” she replied tonelessly.

Zhu Yan continued to smile, asking in a seemingly casual “insider” tone, “Your Highness, does that archer require anyone to meet them?”

Ye Xuejin’s face remained flat. “There is no need for Master Zhu to worry.”

Sensing his thoughts had been seen through, Zhu Yan asked directly, “As far as this subject knows, the range of our military crossbows is no more than two hundred meters. I wonder what kind of divine artifact that archer uses? If we could equip more of them, Your Highness could advance without opposition, and peace would be restored to the world sooner.”

Ye Xuejin glanced at him and remained silent. Zhu Yan gave a sheepish laugh and shut his mouth. Fine, he thought. Even after that grand performance, she still didn’t trust him. But he wasn’t worried; Ye Xuejin now knew his capabilities. In chaotic times, one needed a heavy hand. A ruler needed someone like him to do the things they couldn’t. As long as she wasn’t a fool, she’d know not to “kill the donkey once it’s finished grinding the grain.”

While Ye Xuejin avoided the topic of the archer, Shi Niang and the others shared a knowing look. They knew. The archer was Shizhu. With a sniper crossbow and an 8x scope, she could take a life from a thousand meters away. At that moment, Shizhu had already disassembled the crossbow, packed her ghillie suit into her bag, and was galloping down the mountain. She had received her orders last night: if the enemy commander raises his hand, shoot the flag; if he raises it again, shoot his palm. Once the lightning starts, return to the Military Counselor.

By the time Shizhu arrived, Qi Mingyan had already timed everything perfectly. “Remember,” Qi Mingyan told the women, “Shizhu has been with us the entire time today.” This girl was the Princess’s greatest weapon; it wasn’t time to reveal her yet.

They arrived at the Governor’s Mansion. Governor Zhou had taken his post years ago but, sensing something was wrong, never sent for his family. He had lived under constant surveillance, unable even to send a message. Thus, the mansion was quite empty.

Ye Xuejin did not refuse Zhu Yan’s offer to stay there. The Zhou family was placed in the outer courtyard, while Shi Niang and the other women were in the inner courtyard. Yu Lu and the guards took over the security. As night fell, everything was arranged. Zhu Yan had been busy all day, appearing incredibly devoted.

“Your Highness, this subject has prepared several tables of food and wine to welcome you. I have arranged them in the inner courtyard; is that acceptable?”

Ye Xuejin nodded. “That is fine. Where is the imperial decree?” She needed to see the details before deciding her next move.

After reading the decree, Ye Xuejin’s heart grew heavy. Abolishing the system of female officials… women must serve husbands and teach children, remain in the inner quarters, and are forbidden from schools, clinics, commerce, or appearing in public…

She had been waiting for this—waiting for the Emperor to violate the laws of the founding Empress so she would have a righteous cause. But now that it was here, she wasn’t happy at all.

“Don’t be sad,” Yun Chi said, noticing the grief in her eyes. She took her hand.

Ye Xuejin pursed her lips. “Consort, do you think Father and Mother foresaw this day? Why was I so blind back then?” Her lack of ambition and failure to see the Emperor’s true heart had led to this.

Yun Chi pulled her into an embrace. “Don’t blame yourself. You’ve done nothing wrong. We will work to set things right. Don’t overthink it, okay?”

The banquet was ready. Zhu Yan was as sycophantic as he had been during the day, personally pulling out chairs for Ye Xuejin and Yun Chi. He then moved to sit at Ye Xuejin’s left.

Ye Xuejin’s brow darkened. “Military Counselor, come to my side.”

Qi Mingyan walked over without hesitation. Zhu Yan gave an awkward laugh and stood up to yield the seat. Once he sat down to the right of Yun Chi, Ye Xuejin spoke again. “Shi Niang, Yu Lu, you shall join the Prince Consort for a few drinks.”

Zhu Yan’s face twitched. He stood up again, his smile growing strained. Before he could even try to find a seat back on the left, Qi Mingyan looked at Madam Zhou. “Mother, why don’t you sit here?”

Madam Zhou looked at Ye Xuejin, who gave a slight nod. Only then did the old woman take Ying’er and sit down.

Zhu Yan stood frozen, his smile gone. This is too much, he thought. This isn’t just a snub; it’s a humiliation. He took a deep breath, forced his lips into a smile, and asked, “Your Highness… where exactly should this subject sit?”