Chapter 31: Ah——（1 / 2)

Who wouldn’t want to be a marquis? That’s a marquis we’re talking about!

At the founding of the dynasty, with so many opportunities to earn military merit, there are only 155 marquises to date. By comparison, there are 1,188 capital officials, making marquises about one in ten—a distinction of extraordinary value.

Back then, achieving a marquis title was about conquering the world. Now, with the empire stable, earning such a title is immensely challenging, and ascending to a princely rank is near impossible.

Over time, Xie Luoshui had come to understand the immense power wielded by marquises and kings.

At this moment, the elderly but imposing emperor held her hand, making a solemn promise, enunciating each word clearly: “I’ve heard from maritime traders about a foreign land where three unique crops grow. If you can bring them back, I’ll confer a marquisate upon you. If you want Kuaiji as your fief, you shall be made the Marquis of Kuaiji. If not, I’ll grant you a title in Luoyang County.”

Luoyang County was where Xie Luoshui’s foster parents resided. Receiving a title there would be the epitome of returning home in glory.

It rarely rains in winter, yet it did today. Raindrops pattered on glazed roof tiles, echoing with the voices around her, each strike reverberating in her chest.

Xie Luoshui stared at the elderly emperor in a daze. With every word he spoke, light began to gleam in her eyes—a light of hope, a promise of a brilliant future.

The elderly emperor promptly announced the removal of the Marquis of Kuaiji’s title, imprisoned him and Madam Du, and sentenced them to execution in autumn. As for the false heir, while his actions could have been judged as rape, the emperor reclassified it as murder, given the victim’s death. The false heir was to pay with his life.

The false heir’s legs trembled, and he stammered to sound less terrified: “Who did I kill?”

Oh, still trying to put up a fight, are we?

The emperor remained silent as the Minister of Justice, feigning regret, “reminded” him, “Wei Min, a fetus counts as a life too.”

The sigh that followed was long, sorrowful, and sanctimonious.

The false heir choked on his words, his face contorting.

He wanted to retort, to argue that if a miscarriage equated to murder, then the world would be teeming with killers. But…

One glance at the Emperor of Great Xia not far away, and the false heir trembled from his legs to his hands, his whole body shaking. Finally, he broke down completely, wailing: “I was wrong! I know I was wrong! I’ll never, ever do it again!”

He sobbed, tears and mucus streaming down his face.

The emperor, however, pointed at him and then looked meaningfully at Xie Luoshui, his eyes carrying a profound smile.

“Minister Xie, behold.”

From a two-year labor sentence to immediate execution—

“This is power.”

Xie Luoshui’s heart skipped a beat.

Her right hand slowly, slowly clenched into a fist, as though trying to grasp something.

The emperor showed great mercy by targeting only the Marquis of Kuaiji’s household, sparing the rest of his clan.

The Marquis was utterly devastated, preferring the emperor had executed his entire clan rather than letting his twin brother go free.

He was furious—

“Xie Luoshui! Why?! This marquisate was earned by my father risking his life for the emperor during the wars that built this empire! How can you be so easily promised the title?!”

His scream was loud, heart-wrenching, catching Xu Yanmiao’s attention.

Xu Yanmiao found the man ridiculous.

[“It was your father who risked his life, not you. What does it have to do with you?”]

“Hah—” The Minister of Justice laughed outright, showing zero restraint.

The Marquis of Kuaiji couldn’t decide whether to glare at Xu Yanmiao or the Minister of Justice first, nearly losing control from anger.

Xu Yanmiao obliviously added fuel to the fire.

[“If we’re talking about ease, isn’t inheriting the title just by being the eldest son even easier?”]

[“Besides, no wonder you’re so upset. After all, the title almost went to your younger brother. Losing it over that must sting.”]

[“Lucky for you, you don’t know your father hesitated about giving you the title. Your infertility was only a minor factor—he could’ve just adopted a child from the Wei family for you.”]

[“What really made him hesitate was your lack of ability, your shallowness, your preference for fame over substance, and your inability to accomplish anything meaningful.”]

“Ah—”

The Marquis of Kuaiji let out a grief-stricken cry, rolled his eyes, and fainted on the spot.

The imperial physician checked his pulse and reported to the emperor, “Anger surged to his heart. He’ll be unconscious for a while.”

[“Huh? Seriously? He fainted from anger? How petty.”]

Xu Yanmiao remained oblivious.

The military ministry’s clerk looked at him hesitantly, wanting to say, Enough, Xu Yanmiao, show some humanity! He’s already unconscious; he can’t faint twice.

Soon, the unconscious marquis, his wife, and their fake son were all thrown into prison.

The Crown Prince glanced over at them, yawning, “Another one.”

The former imperial son-in-law discreetly studied the newcomers in jail—a man unconscious, a woman hysterical, and a young one staring blankly at the ceiling as though he could communicate with it.

Slightly intrigued, he asked their story.

The fake heir recounted it, only to see the former imperial son-in-law’s expression shift from blank to a broad grin.

The fake heir raged, “What’s so funny?!”

The former imperial son-in-law chuckled, “Oh, nothing. It’s just that your parents are facing execution, while mine were merely demoted to commoners. Turns out my family’s situation isn’t so bad after all.”

The fake heir: “…”

He wanted to hit someone.

Court dismissed.

Xu Yanmiao strolled home lazily, oblivious to the complex gazes trailing behind him.

Time and again, the emperor and officials considered calling out to him to ask about the Americas. Yet their hesitations and calculations silenced them.

Thus, Xu Yanmiao sauntered back, only to be greeted by—

“What the heck is all this?!”

Piled outside his house were countless chests, surrounded by vigilant guards. Upon seeing him, their tense expressions relaxed. “Sir Xu, you’re finally back.”

Xu Yanmiao: “What is this?”

“We are Princess Wanshou’s guards. Her Highness ordered us to deliver these gifts as thanks for your righteous words the other day.”

Xu Yanmiao was stunned.

“So many chests, just for a few words?”

The guard captain nodded curtly.

He, too, found it excessive, but orders were orders.

“Her Highness insists these are just tokens, a mere fraction of her gratitude for your life-saving kindness.”

Xu Yanmiao: “Well… put them inside, then.”

One by one, the chests were carried in.

“The princess sure is generous.”

Xu Yanmiao grinned. “Good thing the emperor happened to point at me that day!”

But as his house filled up, leaving barely any room to walk, he scratched his head.

“Looks like I’ll need a bigger place soon.”

Then he noticed a sealed letter attached to one of the locked chests.@@novelbin@@

Elsewhere.

In the Princess of Xiangyang’s residence, her crisp commands rang out—

“Move that huanghuali wood cabinet out!”