The Ministry of Justice Prison
The jailer dared not speak much upon seeing the Empress Dowager arrive. The Empress Dowager asked directly, "Where is Duke Ning imprisoned?"
The jailer quickly replied, "Up ahead."
"Why don't you lead the way for the Empress Dowager?" a palace attendant snapped.
The jailer hurried to lead the way, saying, "Empress Dowager, please follow me."
They soon arrived at a cell. The jailer stopped and said respectfully, "Empress Dowager, this is Duke Ning's cell."
The Empress Dowager stepped forward, and the palace attendant quickly said, "Open the cell door!"
After the cell door was opened, the palace attendant ordered the jailer to step back, and then retreated himself.
The Empress Dowager entered and saw Duke Ning, who had lost a lot of weight. She choked up slightly, "Brother..."
Duke Ning looked up at her and after a long pause, asked, "Empress Dowager, why have you come to see this humble subject?"
"Brother, with things having come to this, must you speak to me like this?"
Duke Ning sneered, "What else? Is the Empress Dowager here to see this Duke off?"
"Brother, whether you resent me or not, don't forget that without me, you wouldn't have enjoyed so many years of glory."
Duke Ning was stunned, and after a long while, he said, "So you are here to collect that glory, is that it?"
The Empress Dowager turned her head away. "Brother, Duke Ning's manor enjoyed so much favor and glory that it made you harbor other, inappropriate thoughts."
Duke Ning sneered, "Inappropriate thoughts? Weren't all of this implicitly permitted by you, Empress Dowager? Now that Duke Ning's manor is no longer needed, you don't want to bother with it, is that it?"
"Brother, others may think that of me, but you shouldn't. Haven't I sacrificed enough for the glory of Duke Ning's manor?"
Duke Ning was silent for a moment. "I wronged you in the past, but isn't the imperial palace better than the frontier? Could you have achieved such glory on the frontier? You are now above all others, what more could you be unsatisfied with?"
"Brother, you are mistaken. If I had the choice, I would rather go to the frontier and live the life I want, instead of being so tightly confined in the capital, unable to leave even an inch."
Duke Ning let out a cold laugh. "A place others strive to enter is a place you can't escape from no matter how hard you try. Meng Jia, you must accept your fate!"
The Empress Dowager gave a light laugh. "Yes, so I have accepted my fate. But have you, brother, accepted yours?"
"What can I do if I don't accept it? Treason and colluding with the enemy, crimes punishable by extermination of the nine familial generations."
"I can save you, brother."
Duke Ning was startled and looked at the Empress Dowager before him with disbelief. He once thought he understood this sister best, but now he realized he understood her least.
"Brother, you don't believe me?"
"How will you save me?" Duke Ning asked coldly.
"If you believe me, brother, I will send someone to disrupt the execution tomorrow."
"Would you be so kind?" He remembered her words, asking him to sacrifice himself to save Duke Ning's entire manor.
"Brother, you misunderstand me. I am constantly thinking of ways for Duke Ning's manor."
"Tell me your plan," Duke Ning said.
"When the execution is disrupted tomorrow, you will list the ten capital offenses of Xue Tian Yue." Da Feng Novel Network.
Duke Ning's body trembled. "Meng Jia, you are trying to ruin Duke Ning's manor."
"No, brother. I am saving Duke Ning's manor."
Duke Ning laughed in anger. "Saving Duke Ning's manor? But I see you pushing Duke Ning's manor into a bottomless abyss."
"That's why I asked you, brother, do you believe me? If you don't, no matter how much I say, you won't believe it."
Duke Ning was silent for a long time, then suddenly asked, "If Xue Tian Yue cannot become emperor, do you have another candidate?"
"Yes."
Duke Ning frowned. "Who is that person?"
"I cannot disclose that at this moment, brother. This is an opportunity, an opportunity for Duke Ning's manor. I hope you don't miss it."
"Can I trust you?" Duke Ning suddenly asked.
"Brother, I forgot to mention that Concubine Jiang is less than a month pregnant."
"What? Xiu Yi... is pregnant?" Duke Ning could hardly believe it.
"Yes. So, brother, think carefully. Do you want that child to grow up to entertain you, or do you want that child to pay respects to you every year on this day?"
"I agree," Duke Ning said without hesitation this time.
"Good. Then I will trouble you, brother, to memorize this and recite it in front of the people at the execution tomorrow."
Duke Ning took it and saw the evidence listed. He knew it was all true; some he had participated in, others he knew about without participating.
Once these were made public, Xue Tian Yue's path to the throne would be over.
But there were always exceptions. If he failed, then disaster would await him and Duke Ning's manor.
"Meng Jia, brother can trust you, right?"
"Brother, at this point, you can only trust me."
Duke Ning said, "Let me consider it."
"Brother, there is no time. If you don't agree, I will find someone else to do it. Do you think that with Xue Tian Yue's suspicious nature, he will let you go, will he let Duke Ning's manor go?"
Duke Ning's body trembled. "You..."
"Brother, don't blame me. I know you won't yield without enticement and coercion. I have no other choice. Please forgive me, brother."
Duke Ning sighed. "Meng Jia, by doing this, are you having Duke Ning's manor buried with you?"
"Brother, at this point, I have no other option. I can only do this."
"So, whether I agree or not is irrelevant."
"Yes."
"Alright, I agree. But what about Xiu Yi and Jiang Ming..."
"Rest assured, brother. Jiang Xiu Yi is currently in my palace. I have ordered the palace attendants to escort Jiang Xiu Yi out of the palace overnight and send her to Jiangnan. As for Jiang Ming, he has the death-exemption token left by Princess Xing Yue, so he will also be fine."
Duke Ning let out a low chuckle. "So, you had it all planned out."
"Yes, brother, please forgive me for doing this!"
"Meng Jia, brother underestimated you before. You are indeed much more intelligent than I thought."