Chapter 197

Chapter 197: Without Rank or Title

Meng Yang stared wide-eyed, waiting for him to continue, but Qi Shu Xian remained silent.

“Is that all?” Meng Yang asked gently.

“Is that all?” Qi Shu Xian looked at her in disbelief.

Meng Yang wasn’t sure what she had said wrong this time. “Could it be… could there be something more?”

“Lin Yi is my brother! I promised to build greatness with him, to lift him above all others. But now? Now, I’m abandoning him!” Qi Shu Xian’s voice rose louder and louder.

“To abandon him is to send him to his death! Isn’t that enough?” Tears filled Qi Shu Xian’s eyes.

In the next moment, his strength seemed drained from him completely. “Of course… there’s even more to it than that.”

Upon hearing this, fear clutched Meng Yang’s heart.

The Third Prince asked the heir to abandon Lin Yi… then what about herself?

No!

She absolutely couldn’t be abandoned!

“My Lord… this is all my fault. If necessary, I will take all the blame. It has nothing to do with you… I… I’m willing to die for you!”

Meng Yang threw herself into his arms, her tears soaking through his robe.

Qi Shu Xian knew he should be deeply moved, but at this moment, all he felt was exhaustion. He closed his eyes briefly, gently placing his hand upon her trembling shoulder.

“Even if you take all the blame, what good would that do? No one would believe it. Besides, without my approval, you couldn’t have done any of it.”

He simply couldn’t understand.

Why did his attempt to protect an innocent woman lead to such disaster?

Why couldn’t Sheng Zhi Wan be as thoughtful as Meng Yang, even just a little? Did she truly love him?

If she did, why couldn’t she ever yield, even slightly, for his sake?

After this, Qi Shu Xian fell ill for two days.

At present, he was merely a Junior Sixth Rank official, and whether or not he attended court, no one cared.

But still, he persisted until one day, he was finally summoned to the Purple Radiance Hall.

At last… had this moment come?

Qi Shu Xian exhaled deeply, his fists clenched tightly within his sleeves as he stepped into the hall, facing countless judgmental eyes from court officials.

Duke Qi’s expression was terribly grim.

“Qi Shu Xian!” Emperor Chong Sheng’s commanding voice thundered from above. “Do you admit your crime?”

Qi Shu Xian lifted his head. He should admit guilt. It was indeed he who had ordered Lin Yi to go to the Northern Desert and profit from the disaster.

But he couldn’t allow Lin Yi to die meaninglessly… even if he confessed, Lin Yi would still perish.

Thus, his throat tightened, and with a hoarse voice, he replied, “Your Majesty… I do not know.”

“Good! Very good—you do not know?” Emperor Chong Sheng gave a cold laugh. “Duke Qi, read aloud every word from this memorial!”

Duke Qi flinched as a memorial struck his cheek but dared not voice his pain.

Lately, he had been plagued by misfortune! First, his son’s reward had been downgraded; then, his usually obedient daughter-in-law changed entirely; his eldest daughter was executed for smuggling salt; his wife was paralyzed; his son’s rank had been stripped; and now divorce had come too… his reputation was ruined.

And still, more disasters kept coming!

Could it truly be, as Rui’er had warned, that Madam Tao’s unborn child was a debt come to claim payment from their family?

Trembling, Duke Qi picked up the memorial. Inside, Prince Wang accused Duke Qi’s household of hoarding cotton during the disaster, colluding with wealthy merchants to drive up prices.

The efforts of the Du family and Ji Prefecture officials alone weren’t enough to resolve this scandal. Prince Wang dared not move against the Third Prince, but now, having discovered Duke Qi’s involvement, how could he simply overlook it?

Prince Wang, disappointed and furious, detailed every accusation clearly.

Listening, Qi Shu Xian felt as though his face was being slowly ripped apart.

Even Emperor Chong Sheng appeared uneasy, though the officials around believed he was furious at Qi Shu Xian’s wrongdoing.

After finishing, Duke Qi fell to his knees.

“Your Majesty, please judge clearly! My son nearly died serving our nation in Cangnan. He always aspired to be righteous and loyal. How could he commit such greed-driven crimes? Surely, someone is slandering him!”

Duke Qi spoke genuinely from his heart.

In his eyes, his son was perfect, with only one flaw—too upright, too inflexible.

As for silver ingots… their household had more than enough silver; thanks to Meng Yang’s businesses, they had more wealth than they could spend.

Wait—Duke Qi’s expression suddenly changed.

“Your Majesty, it was Meng Yang! She manages all our family’s business now. She must have deceived my son and committed these crimes!”

“Is that so?” Emperor Chong Sheng turned to Qi Shu Xian.

Qi Shu Xian smiled bitterly and knelt without attempting to defend himself. How could he claim ignorance?

“Meng Yang indeed told me about business in the Northern Desert, but that was before the disaster struck. I gave her people to help, but since then, our household has had no further letters from the Northern Desert. The accusations in Censor Wang’s letter… I knew nothing. But if true, I bear responsibility. Please punish me, Your Majesty!”

“Shu Xian…” Duke Qi stared in disbelief.

Yet Qi Shu Xian made no explanations.

Emperor Chong Sheng pointed at him several times, finally sneering, “Qi Shu Xian failed in household governance and allowed his concubine to exploit the disaster for profit! He is relieved of all duties in the Imperial Army. From today forward, he is demoted to a City Gate guard, without rank or title!”

Qi Shu Xian shuddered on the ground. Though expected, bitterness still flooded his heart when it became reality.

He forced himself to say, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

As he knelt, countless gazes fell upon him.

He struggled to rise only after court ended.

“Meng Yang! Always Meng Yang!” Duke Qi felt deeply shamed.

He had initially approved of Meng Yang because she brewed fine wine, was clever, earned money for the household, and could produce the family’s first grandchild.

Yet the fortune they had lost was far greater than what Sheng Zhi Wan had brought during their marriage.

Even the unborn child had been lost due to Meng Yang.

Now, Shu Xian had been demoted twice, stripped entirely of rank and office.

If only Sheng Zhi Wan hadn’t divorced…

Duke Qi regretted deeply. Money meant nothing. The true key to their continued prosperity was Shu Xian’s position.

If he had known, he would have never allowed Sheng Zhi Wan to leave.

Yet Sheng Zhi Wan had also been too ruthless. Merely for a concubine, she had insisted on divorce. Without Shu Xian, what decent man would she find in the future?

She would regret it, too!

But today’s matter wasn’t yet finished.

Upon returning home, another imperial decree awaited them—this one from the Empress Dowager, directed at Meng Yang.

Meng Yang, unaware of Qi Shu Xian’s demotion, immediately assumed the Empress Dowager was avenging Sheng Zhi Wan.

With great grievance, she fell to her knees.