Empress with no Virtue

These few days, after the return of the winning soldiers, the borders were quiet, and the enemy who lost were also quiet. The citizens in the capital however are getting more and more engrossed with the topics with regards to the war. About how clever the emperor was, how cautious General Ye was, as well the recent hot news about Small General Lu. In the midst of these topics, somehow a rumour about the empress was involved, and was spread quickly and the rumour became more absurd along the way.

The rumour was not very good, it goes something like, the empress was once kidnapped by the enemy army, although she was saved later, but her body has been tarnished. Rumours, are very scary, they are able to ignite the creative imaginations of people, and the more information that were added, the more realistic it becomes. The more it got spread around, the more it seemed like they personally witness the scene where the empress was dirtied.

The lifes of a normal citizen is not very happening, so this time around with a royalty rumour/gossip around, they made an issue out of the topic, by trying to snoop around for new informations and then retelling their own version of the story.

The people who talks about it, as well as the people who listens to them, has never really considered the feelings of the person involved or the consequences behind it. Furthermore they weren’t talking about their own wifes or daughthers.

After the discussions between the citizens, the rumour about the empress being sullied got worst and worst. The rumour also very quickly got into the ears of the n.o.ble families, recently when Ye Xiu Ming attends or leaves the morning court, he was always receiving weird gazes.

There was some ministers that wanted to inform him, but it was not an easy thing to say as well. THe empress is the granddaughter of Mr Ye, and Mr Ye is someone famous in the court. Furthermore, whether or not this rumour is true is yet to be confirmed,  eventhough it could be true, the exact detailed of how the empress was captured was unclear, and if to look at it from another point of view, although the empress may be sullied, but she is still the victim here, to talk about a victimized person, it doesn’t seem very befitting to their post.

Not to mention, this type of thing, half is considered work related, another half private matters. If the emperor does not mind his wife being sullied before by another person, then they could only shut their mouths. That is why, the emperor’s reaction must first be observed. It was just that, it seemed like the emperor had no reaction. So everyone thought that he was angry, but actually… he just wasn’t aware of the rumour.

That’s right, who would be daring enough to talk bad about the empress infront of the emperor, they still value their lives very much. After a few days of fear, Ye Xiu Ming couldn’t take it anymore. To have been in the court for so many years, he has never messed up in any bigger commotions, but this time it affected his beloved granddaughter’s name and honor, if he did not handle it well, someone could die.

Therefore, on this day, Ye Xiu Ming requested to meet Ji Wu Jiu at Yang Xin Hall, after reporting a few court matters, he suddenly knelt down, and said “Your majesty, I failed at educating, allowing the empress to attract such rumours, and harmed the name of the royal family, i ask for punishment!” Ji Wu Jiu was stunned. He personally helped Ye Xiu Ming up, and said “Sir, please tell me what is wrong… what happened to the empress?”

It looks like the emperor has not heard those rumours. Ye Xiu Ming calmed himself down and answered “Recently the citizens has been gossiping something about the empress, something very negative. Although rumours are not trustworthy, but this involves the honor of the empress. Besides going to the war, she was indeed been kidnapped, however this was not something the normal citizens would know, therefore there should be someone that started this rumour on purpose, the person who did this is trying to ruined the royal family’s name” The way Ye Xiu Ming reported this was very good, not mentioning how it will harm Ye Zhen Zhen personally but to mention about how it will be bad against Ji Wu Jiu instead.

Ji Wu Jiu frowned “What does the rumour speak about?” Ye Xiu Ming mumbled some out, although not very clear, but Ji Wu Jiu also understood very well. His expression turned very black “Sir, you don’t have to worry, this matter, i will definitely investigate it properly and to protect the reputation of the empress”

Ye Xiu Ming was relieved when hearing him say that, he still cares about their husband and wife relationship. He added on “Your majesty, I want to ask for a favour”

“Sir, please speak”

Ye Xiu Ming suddenly took a step back, and both knees were on the floor again, and when he looked up again, his face was full of tears. Shocked, Ji Wu Jiu used both his hands to help him up, “Sir, please quickly stand up”

“Your majesty” Ye Xiu Ming did not stand up, “Zhen Zhen has always had a bad personality, because our whole family dotes on her, as she was the only female in the family. She has become someone uncontrollable, i am in the wrong. Your minister here now, although may not have contributed alot, but i still have worked for a long time, begs the emperor, if the empress really did any mistakes, please do not kill her” He said while bowing down.

Although he did not believe the rumours, but it was really true, he was afraid Ji Wu Jiu will not let Ye Zhen Zhen off. To let this stubborn and stern Ye Xiu Ming to say this type of words, in this world, it could only have been for Ye Zhen Zhen this one person. Ji Wu Jiu sighed, and forcefully pulled up Ye Xiu Ming from the floor, “Sir, please do not worry too much, nothing will happen to Zhen Zhen, I will also not let anything happen to her”

After Ye Xiu Ming left, Ji Wu Jiu made Feng You De to gather all the rumours with regards to the empress, he wants to listen to the full version.

Feng You De was a smart person, he was afraid that the underlings might say something that could anger the emperor so he chose a few that can properly depict the story without anything too over, before they were sent to Ji Wu Jiu.

Even these controlled rumours has successful made Ji Wu Jiu burst with anger.

Who exactly is this imbecile that has lived too long, and dared to say this type of things!

For a woman, their reputation are the most important, Zhen Zhen was also the empress, this type of damaging hat, if worn on to her, not even mentioning her position as the empress, even the entire Ye Family will be looked down upon. That time, it would be impossible for Zhen Zhen to even live in this nation. Such vicious plan!

If it was a spirited female, towards this type of things, most probably they will choose to end their lives to protect their reputation. Ji Wu Jiu’s heart dropped, he immediately ordered Feng You De, to make sure everyone’s mouth is tight, if anyone dared to inform this news to the empress…. Death by splitting into 5 parts…

Feng You De was shocked by those words. Even death by splitting into 5 parts has come out, it seems like the emperor is really mad.

But, Ji Wu Jiu’s ordered was still too late. Because Ye Xiu Ming has already earlier on sent news to Ye Zhen Zhen, to tell her about her being accused, and to ask her to properly explain to the emperor, also no matter what happens, she should not think too much and living is the most important. Actually both Ye Xiu Ming and Ji Wu Jiu thought too much. Ye Zhen Zhen was most afraid to die, why would she consider killing herself, she will only make other people feel like killing themself.

Ji Wu Jiu went to Kun Ning Palce to look for Ye Zhen Zhen, although he was not feeling good, but he was afraid Ye Zhen Zhen will find out, so he pretended to be fine.

Ye Zhen Zhen’s one sentence managed to break his pretense, “You also heard about those rumours already right?”

Ji Wu JIu can longer continue acting, his face turning green from anger, “Zhen Zhen, who told you those! Let me know!” I definitely want to split that person into 5 parts!

Ye Zhen Zhen did not answer but instead asked “Are you doubting me?”

“How is that possible!” Ji Wu Jiu answered

The most anxious he got, the more suspicious Ye Zhen Zhen thought he was, so she added “You seem so angry, it seems like it came from you not believing me”

Ji Wu Jiu quickly grabbed her into his arms, “How will i not believe you.. i.. i..”

“Tell me honestly, have you not thought of this problem before? I really did get capture, what if…”

Ji Wu Jiu closes his eyes, sighed and said “How can i not thought about it before, when you were just captured, i thought about it everyday, and everytime i thought about it, i feel the pain of being stabbed right in the heart. Its just that i know, according to your personality, if you were really sullied, you would feel 100 no 1000 times worst then me. So that time I told myself, no matter what happened, i must treat you well, and not let you suffer. Luckily the heaven was kind, i arrived in time. That is why, the thing that you are worried about, i have already thought it over many times. Zhen Zhen, i believe you, that is why you should also believe me, ok?”

Ye Zhen Zhen nodded in his arms, “Naturally i believe in you”

Ji Wu Jiu let out breath of relieve, and calmed down. He pulled Ye Zhen Zhen to sit, and said “This time, it was obvious the rumours are directed towards you personally, that person wants to destroy your reputation. I will definitely investigate properly and return you your innocence. Before that, you have to be calm and not let it get to you”

” I am more than fine” Ye Zhen Zhen answered, “But i am just curious, who on earth let out this rumour”

From the part where the empress left the palace, the emperor going to war personally, Duo Duo’s letters, some people would most probably be able to match up that the empress was once captured, so the people that knows about it should not be little, but should be in within the n.o.bles.

Furthermore this type of thing involves the various party’s benefits, before the matter was confirmed, it should not be simply spreaded. Although there were many people who knew about it, but those that can obtain something from it is not many. The two most suspicious family would be Xu Family and Fang Family. The first has always has hatred towards the Ye Family, and the latter has a heart to replace the position. Although the suspects has been selected, but it was still troublesome. Because of the the families is very large, it was not possible to catch all of them and to chop of their heads, the best was just to capture the person who spread the news out. But rumours is something that does not need any fact or proof, and can be floated around easily. Wanting to confirm the exact person would not be an easy job.

“No matter how hard it would be, I will not let this matter off!” Ji Wu Jiu’s gaze was dark, “This time, besides capturing the main culprit, there is something that is urgent now…. we must stop the rumour from being spreaded some more” The rumour is still currently talked about in the capital only, if it is not stopped, then in a few days perhaps the entire nation would know.

Ye Zhen Zhen asks, “How do you plan to stop the rumours from spreading?”

To control rumours was a really troublesome matter, but this time around Ji Wu Jiu decided to be ruthless, “Worst come to worst, I will just kill off a few people, to scare the rest. Then they will realise a few words is not worth their lives”

“Not good’ Ye Zhen Zhen shook her head, “it might make matters worst” “O?, You have an idea?”

“Indeed i have a plan. Your majesty you are in charge of looking for the person behind the rumours, the rest leave it to me”

JI Wu Jiu saw that she seems to be very confident, the anger in him also subsided alot. He asks “Zhen Zhen, what plan do you have? Teach me”

Ye Zhen Zhen laughed “People from the mountain would know the answer” (山人自有妙计)