Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

198. The Lesser of Two Evils

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Cao Mo stared at the Sky Lanterns and asked in excitement, “Yi, how did you come up with this idea?”

“It is actually your idea, you mentioned you wished you could find a way to capture our everyday life and make a collage for us to see when we get old,” Xiao Yi mimicked Cao Mo’s tone when he was drunk.

Cao Mo’s heart melted, he didn’t know what to say. He felt so touched that Yi listened every word he had said and had really put it into practice, only someone really loved you would do that for you.

The scholars had seen the Sky Lanterns as well, they were shocked to see the drawings and the poems. The drawings were so vivid, only someone who was truly madly deeply in love would do such a thing for his partner.

The scholars looked at each other in speechless despair and decided to quit slandering Xiao Yi, and no one believed the hearsay that Xiao Yi had seduced Lady Yang.

The young couples in the capital city saw Cao Mo and Xiao Yi as their role model, they celebrated Cao Mo and Xiao Yi’s love and protected their reputation against the people who slandered them.

In the Imperial Palace.

Han Qi looked at a Sky Lantern Eunuch Lai got from the suburb, he was touched by Xiao Yi as well, “Prince Ning is such a jerk, accusing Shizi of having illicit love affairs!”

“That’s so right, everyone knows Shizi sees his madam as his own life, no way would he betray his madam. There must be some inside information about this Lady Yang’s business!” Eunuch Lai put a true lover’s knot the emperor rewarded Han Qi.

Han Qi cast a glimpse at the lover’s knot and said, “Shizi said Lady Yang has been carrying Prince Ning’s jade pendant, hmm, Prince Ning surely is suspicious. Why does the emperor reward me a true lover’s knot at this point?”

Eunuch Lai dared not say the truth, ‘The emperor wants to turn a blind eye to this matter, especially to Prince Ning.’

Eunuch Lai cleared his throat and said, “The emperor is just showing his love and affection, His Majesty is touched by Cao Mo and Xiao Yi’s love story as well and wanted to let you know he will always be there for you, Your Highness!”

“Oh? Always there for me, is that so? How come the emperor has thrown Prince Xing’s assistant Xiao Yi into jail when Prince Ning is the most suspicious one? The emperor just doesn’t trust me or my son!” Han Qi pressed his forehead on seeing the drawing on the Sky Lantern, he recalled his love when he was young, they were exactly like Cao Mo and Xiao Yi in the drawing.

Eunuch Lai turned pale on hearing that, he knew how furious the emperor would turn if hr had heard that.

As luck would have it, the emperor walked in, “Qi, why do you say I don’t trust you?”

Eunuch Lai withdrew the palace knowingly.

Han Qi rose to his feet and bowed to the emperor, but the emperor could tell how upset Han Qi was.

The emperor picked the true lovers’ knot from the table and asked, “Do you like this present?”

“It’s a good present.” Han Qi averted his face.

“Why not wear it like a bracelet?” the emperor asked coldly.

Han Qi raised his head and gave a bleak smile, “Your Majesty, why did you make me your empress now that you don’t trust me?”

The emperor clenched his fists, “Qi, I think you know it very well how I have been treating you, I would give you anything you like!”

“How about your heart?” Han Qi sneered, “Imperial Concubine Fair and Prince Ning has set me up time and again, but you chose to forgive them. Now Prince Ning has committed another crime and now you are pressuring me to stay out of it, all I want is to live a peacefully life with the person I love, but what you have done? You have ruined it for me!” Han Qi roared like he was venting his feelings he had been bottling up for two decades.

“I am so glad that Cao Mo and Xiao Yi have made up, I dread to think what Xiao Yi and Prince Xing would do if Cao Mo had left the capital city. And now you are giving a true lover’s knot to warn me to stay out this thus you can protect Prince Ning, do you think me and Prince Xing will let that happen?”

The emperor’s face darkened, “I knew it, I knew you still hate me for marrying you by force! I am your husband, but I’m also a father, I will never lose hope on my son no matter what he has done. Prince Xing is a good son, but he relies on Xiao Yi and Cao Mo too much. Prince Ning is reckless, but he is frank and outspoken! I listened to you and entrusted Prince Xing with taking over the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Punishments and the Ministry of War, what else do you want, it looks like you won’t be content until I hand over my throne to him. You say I don’t trust you, but have you trusted me?”

With that the emperor grabbed the true lovers’ knot and threw it on the ground, “Qi, the reason why I spoiled Imperial Concubine Fair is to protect you from other concubines, I showed favor to Prince Ning is to make Prince Xing stronger! But it looks like all my efforts is unappreciated!”

The emperor left Han Qi’s palace in a huff and soon he had discrowned Han Qi.

Prince Xing was transfixed on hearing that, he thought he would become the Crown Prince for sure this time, but who would expect the emperor had just discrowned Han Qi!

Xiao Yi was surprised to hear it as well, he asked with disbelief, “The empress has offended the emperor for pressuring him to punish Prince Ning?”

Prince Xing replied in despair, “That’s right. Father Empress has acted on impulse this time, now he was grounded and discrowned! Taifu Yao suggested begging the emperor for leniency, what do you think!”

“I agree with Taifu Yao! The empress is your father in name, people will see you as an unfilial son if you just sit back and watch.” Xiao Yi said seriously.

“But the emperor now is furious, what if he takes it out on me?” Prince Xing looked so torn.

Prince Xing was so depressed now, he knew he didn’t stand a chance of marrying Yao Wenyuan if he didn’t make a move.

“Prince Ning can carry a rod on his back and ask for punishment, so can you!” Xiao Yi suggested.

Prince Xing frowned slightly, “You mean…. you mean I can force the emperor to revoke the edict?”

“People will call you unfilial either way, why not go with the lesser of two evils?” Xiao Yi continued, “People will call you unfilial if you just watch the empress suffer, and some people will call you unfilial if you beg the emperor for leniency for the empress. We need to make a smart move here and pick a solution benefits us the most! We cannot say the emperor has made a mistake, but everyone knows what the hidden message is.”

“Yi, this is no longer than forcing the emperor to abdicate!”