Chapter 126

Chapter 126: No Way Out

Sure enough, just two days later, Emperor Chong Sheng sent down an Imperial Edict. Anyone involved in the illegal salt trade—no matter their status, no matter their rank—would be executed tomorrow at noon in public.

Emperor Chong Sheng intended their blood to warn the whole world.

Hearing the decree themselves, Duke Qi and Qi Shu Xian turned ashen-faced.

After court, Duke Qi recalled Madam Cui’s devastated expression these past two days. Thus, he instructed Qi Shu Xian to inquire if they could see Qi Fei Yan one last time before the execution.

She was still his own daughter, after all.

Even if she had married out and caused tremendous trouble, the thought of her imminent execution left his heart stricken with sorrow.

It wasn’t just Duke Qi’s family.

Every household that had someone implicated in the case began frantically arranging to see their loved ones for a final farewell.

Every household, except for the Lian Residence.

Now, the Lian family had their property confiscated, and Lian Shao Qing’s salary was docked for three years. Unlike other families with sprawling branches, the Lian clan was small. After their fall from grace, they had not even one relative willing to lend support.

These past days, Madam Lian repeatedly tried to rush into Duke Qi’s estate to demand an explanation, but each time Lian Shao Qing stopped her. Though he restrained her, he himself burned with resentment—thinking about how he’d mistakenly blamed and scolded his own son, never suspecting Qi Fei Yan, the true culprit, who watched it all without saying a word.

Going to see her now? Impossible!

Collecting her corpse later would already be an act of mercy.

Upon hearing the news, Madam Cui collapsed onto her bed in despair.

Only when Qi Shu Xian managed to arrange a final meeting with Qi Fei Yan did she rally her spirits again.

She commanded the kitchens to prepare all of Qi Fei Yan’s favorite dishes. Both the main and small kitchens sprang to action. Even Meng Yang personally brewed a pot of chrysanthemum wine and sent it along.

Sheng Zhi Wan heard about it and merely smiled faintly.

Meanwhile, in the Dali Temple dungeon—

Qi Fei Yan huddled in a corner.

Five days had passed since she was imprisoned. For the first time in her life, she’d encountered rats. Even now, she shuddered at the memory of one scurrying across her feet.

Yet, compared to everything else, rats were nothing…

Today, the jailer guarding them had said His Majesty ordered their execution.

Beheading…

Qi Fei Yan’s eyes finally shifted slightly. What kind of scene would that be?

She dared not even imagine it. How could she possibly be executed?

She was a legitimate daughter of Duke Qi’s estate! Even the princess had once obeyed her every whim and command.

How could she have ended up like this?

When had it all started?

Oh, yes, it was when Shu Xian brought Meng Yang home. Sheng Zhi Wan had suddenly changed.

She stopped obeying, stopped being timid and submissive. She even demanded the return of the dowry she’d never cared about before.

If Sheng Zhi Wan hadn’t insisted on taking back her dowry, how could Qi Fei Yan have lost favor in her husband’s home?

How could she have been so desperate to prove herself that she’d taken such risks for mere silver?

Yes… It was Sheng Zhi Wan’s fault! All of it was because of her. Without her interference, Qi Fei Yan would never have reached this point.

If someone had to be beheaded, it should have been Sheng Zhi Wan—not her.

Impossible… The jailer must be trying to scare her.

Qi Fei Yan shrank back further.

Just then, footsteps approached. Initially, Qi Fei Yan didn’t hear clearly, the dungeon was too noisy, filled with the shouts and wails of hysterical men.

She had never witnessed such horror before.

She didn’t dare to look around recklessly.

Only when she heard a familiar voice choked with sobs did Qi Fei Yan raise her head, dazed.

“…Mother?” Her lips trembled.

Madam Cui’s tears fell uncontrollably.

“Mother! Father! Shu Xian! Shu Lang…” Qi Fei Yan’s eyes lit up as she shakily stood, gripping the wall.

“Are you here to take me home?”

“Mother, I’ve had enough. I’ll never come back here again…” Qi Fei Yan reached through the iron bars, grabbing Madam Cui’s hands.

Madam Cui wept, staring at her daughter—thin, dirty, almost unrecognizable. “Yan’er… my poor Yan’er…”

“Mother, please stop crying! Get me out first,” Qi Fei Yan pleaded anxiously.

Once out, she would take a bath immediately to rid herself of this filth. And then, she’d find the two scoundrels who had dragged her into the salt trade and have them killed.

If not for their temptations, she would never have suffered this torment!

And those traitors who sold her information, she’d deal with them too!

But aside from Madam Cui’s sobbing, no one else spoke. Duke Qi stared at her with grief-filled eyes, red with sorrow.

“Yan’er,” he said, voice choking, “have something good to eat first.”

Madam Cui quickly opened the food boxes she had brought, placing them on the floor in front of the bars.

“Yes… yes, eat first.” Madam Cui herself picked up chopsticks, passing food through the bars.

Qi Fei Yan froze in confusion.

What…what was this?

“Mother, I don’t want food! I want out of here!” Eating could wait till she was outside. Besides, she felt too filthy to eat.

“Eldest Sister!” Qi Shu Lang bit his lip. “You can’t get out anymore.”

“What?” Qi Fei Yan stared at him.

Qi Shu Lang pressed his lips together, refusing to speak further.

Qi Fei Yan looked again at Madam Cui and Duke Qi. Madam Cui was sobbing uncontrollably, while Duke Qi looked away, sighing.

She turned desperately to Qi Shu Xian.

Deep down, she blamed Qi Shu Xian. If not for his insistence on retrieving the dowry, she wouldn’t be in this situation now!

Seeing her gaze, Qi Shu Xian spoke painfully: “Eldest Sister, His Majesty has decreed that everyone involved in the salt trade… will be executed tomorrow.”

Qi Fei Yan’s expression froze completely.

Executed… tomorrow?

How could that be possible?

She was the legitimate Young Lady of Duke Qi’s estate! How could she be executed?

Her fingers trembled violently. “Father! Mother! Save me! I don’t want to die!”

This was the first time she’d called them Father and Mother since her marriage.

But Madam Cui’s cries only grew louder, and Duke Qi turned his head away further.

Qi Fei Yan desperately looked to Qi Shu Xian again, eyes brightening with hope. “Shu Xian, save your eldest sister! Tell Sheng Zhi Wan to beg the Empress Dowager. It’s all her fault I’m here!”

“If she hadn’t insisted on taking her dowry, I wouldn’t have risked everything for some silver! Shu Xian, Sheng Zhi Wan harmed me!”

“Go to her! Ask her to beg the Empress Dowager! She must get me out!” Qi Fei Yan clutched the bars desperately.

Qi Shu Xian remained silent.

Qi Shu Lang spoke instead, bitterly. “Eldest Sister, Brother already asked her. But she’s too heartless—she won’t help you.”

“That can’t be true… she adores you, she listens to you the most—” Qi Fei Yan stopped abruptly.

How could she have forgotten? Sheng Zhi Wan had long changed.

If she were still the old Sheng Zhi Wan, she would never have demanded her dowry back.