Chapter 177

Jiang Xiurun listened and smiled, glancing at Feng Liwu, who was feeding Baoli pieces of flatbread.

“If it weren’t for these villagers, His Majesty had already arranged for a fast ship to transport the cotton, which would have shortened the journey.”

Wenniang, understanding her sister-in-law’s implication, quickly added, “There was a traitor in my shop. My carelessness has caused His Majesty concern and delayed the production of military uniforms. I deserve severe punishment.”

Feng Liwu glanced at Jiang Xiurun, thinking to himself, You clever little fox, are you afraid I’ll take my anger out on your sister-in-law?

But aloud, he said, “Princess Guiya, you went to great lengths to procure military supplies. If it weren’t for your calculations in court, I wouldn’t have known you were operating at a loss. Someone in the court, disregarding the nation’s welfare, swapped the cotton to frame you. You’ve done nothing wrong. Once this matter is resolved, submit your losses, and I’ll ensure you’re compensated. We can’t have our own family losing money.”

Feng Liwu’s use of the word “our own family” warmed Wenniang’s heart.

She felt that her sister-in-law’s distant marriage had brought her a loving and caring partner.

As for what happened next, the sisters-in-law didn’t need to worry.

The cotton in Meng Xian’s shops had been secretly swapped by an undercover agent Feng Liwu had planted in the Meng family long ago.

Besides the shops in the capital, Meng family shops in other regions also had long-staple cotton.

The total amount matched the stolen military supplies perfectly, leaving no room for doubt.

After all, long-staple cotton was rare in the Central Plains, and the Western Regions were not on friendly terms with Qi, so they couldn’t offer it as tribute.

Meng Xian’s shops had no previous records of importing goods from the Western Regions.

So, when someone dug their own grave, no one could stop them!

Soon, the Meng family’s shops were all sealed due to the discovery of long-staple cotton.

When the Ministry of Justice presented the evidence, Meng Xian had no defense and was immediately arrested and sent to prison for interrogation.

The entire Meng family, a century-old noble clan, was thrown into chaos.

Meng Xian had been one of their most prominent members.

But now, what was supposed to be a case of the empress’s family embezzling military supplies had turned into the Meng family scheming to steal military resources, privately sell them, and frame the imperial relatives.

If the charges were proven, even the emperor’s own son wouldn’t escape severe punishment!

The Meng family mobilized to clear Meng Xian’s name and prevent their family’s disgrace.

They tried to claim that the long-staple cotton in their shops was the result of shopkeepers being bribed by thieves, not Meng Xian’s doing.

Just as they were about to clear his name, two of Meng Xian’s concubines suddenly reported him to the authorities, presenting handwritten letters in which he conspired with river pirates and the captain of Wenniang’s fleet to swap the cotton mid-journey.

With this irrefutable evidence, Meng Xian’s fate was sealed.

The Meng family, unwilling to accept this, tried to downplay the matter as they had done in the past when their members were involved in corruption.

But the case of Meng Xian stealing military supplies had already spread like wildfire among the people.

The Empress was highly respected and beloved by the common folk.

When they heard that the empress had her family provide military supplies, bringing high-quality cotton to keep Qi’s soldiers warm, only to have the Meng family swap it with inferior cotton and attempt to frame her, they were outraged.

On the morning the Meng family patriarch planned to lead his clan to pressure the emperor, an angry mob gathered at the Meng family’s gates, hurling stones and cow dung.

The crowd was so dense and the dung so plentiful that the century-old vermilion gates were completely covered, turning a muddy brown.

By nightfall, when the mob dispersed, the Meng family servants spent the entire night cleaning, but the stench of excrement still lingered.

Now, the Meng family had no choice but to remain silent.

No matter how influential they were, they couldn’t withstand the public’s fury.

Meng Xian, the traitor, had to die to appease the people!

Thus, Feng Liwu decreed that Meng Xian, for conspiring with river pirates, embezzling military supplies, and endangering Qi’s safety, would be executed by dismemberment, his property confiscated, and his wife and children exiled to the frontier.

As for the two concubines who had reported him, they were rewarded handsomely for their righteousness and allowed to return to their hometowns.

On the day of the execution, Meng Xian, disheveled and cursing, screamed that the empress had framed him and that he was innocent.

Finally, the jailers dislocated his jaw to silence him, and he was taken to the execution ground, where he was torn apart by five horses.

The crowd, packed in layers, cheered for the death of the traitor Meng.

The severe punishment of Meng Xian shocked the court.

The saying went that “nobles are not subject to harsh punishments.”

Moreover, Meng Xian was a member of the Meng family.

Even if he were to be executed, beheading would have been more dignified than the brutal dismemberment he suffered.

But Emperor Shengwu’s cold and harsh decision clearly demonstrated his attitude toward the noble families: he would no longer rely on or support them.

Meng Jin, the Meng family patriarch, privately gathered the capable members of the clan to discuss their next steps.

Meng Jin’s only regret was his hesitation when the previous emperor died.

The late emperor had left three copies of his will.

One was seized by Feng Liwu when he sealed the palace, another was in the hands of the second prince, Feng Wu, and the third, entrusted to a high-ranking official, was in Meng Jin’s possession.

If he had taken the risk back then, mobilizing the troops from the Jiangbei camp to storm the palace, he might have successfully installed the second prince on the throne.

But at the time, he had considered that the second prince was not in the capital but in the three counties, far away and with too many variables.

Moreover, Feng Liwu’s ascension would still require the support of the noble families, so why take such a drastic risk?

That moment of hesitation cost him the perfect opportunity.

Feng Liwu had now firmly established himself on the throne.

Now, by making an example of Meng Xian, Feng Liwu had tarnished the Meng family’s reputation.

Once he pacified the three counties and had the time, wouldn’t he uproot the Meng family entirely?

As the patriarch, Meng Jin had to consider the future of his numerous clan members.

The century-old foundation of the Meng family could not be destroyed on his watch!

Thus, just as Qi’s troops marched to war against the three counties, and the emperor personally went to the front lines to oversee the campaign, an earth-shattering event occurred in Qi, one that would be recorded in history.

Meng Jin, the Meng family patriarch, announced that the late emperor’s will had been secretly hidden in the Meng family.

In it, the late emperor had deposed the crown prince and named the second prince, Feng Wu, as his successor.

However, due to Feng Liwu’s suppression and manipulation, the will had been altered, allowing him to ascend the throne openly.

The Meng family, under duress, had been unable to reveal the will at the time.

But now, with Feng Liwu leading troops to attack the three counties and seeking to eliminate the second prince, the Meng family, as loyal subjects of Qi, could no longer remain passive.

They declared the will and set out to support the second prince in reclaiming the throne and restoring the rightful order.

At the same time, the three counties suddenly acquired ten warships, all heavily armed.

With these ships, the three counties launched a surprise attack and, after five days and nights of fighting, captured Dong Island, slaughtering the defending troops and securing an outlet to the sea.

Upon hearing this news, the Meng family quickly gathered their belongings and, taking advantage of the capital’s weakened defenses, fled by sea to Dong Island.

It was said that Feng Wu personally welcomed the Meng family, tears in his eyes as he accepted the late emperor’s will, vowing to march back to the capital and restore Qi’s rightful rule.

The Meng family, a model noble clan of Qi, had made such a shocking move that it left the court and the people in turmoil.

Inspired by the Meng family, the Yang family, which had been marginalized and suppressed by the new emperor, also took action.

They followed the Meng family’s lead, fleeing Luo’an and defecting to the three counties.

It was said that the warships of the three counties had been secretly acquired by the Yang family, who had contacted foreign nations to purchase them at a high price for the second prince.

Thus, their defection was a significant move, and Yang Ruxu, who had nearly become empress, was warmly welcomed by the second prince.

Not long after her arrival, she married Feng Wu, who now proclaimed himself the founding emperor of Northern Qi.

With the establishment of the three counties as a new nation, Yang Ruxu became the empress of Northern Qi.

Rumors spread among the people that a fortune-teller had once predicted that a woman from the Yang family was destined to be a phoenix.

When she had been rejected by Emperor Shengwu, many thought the prediction was false.

But now, it seemed the prophecy had come true.

The momentum of the three counties was unstoppable, and it seemed they would soon advance on the capital by sea.

No wonder the Meng and Yang families had defected early, following their ancestors’ example of supporting the rightful ruler and becoming founding heroes.

For a time, the capital was in turmoil, and everyone was on edge.

Facing all this, Jiang Xiurun felt deep anxiety.

After all, in her previous life, there had never been such a large-scale defection of noble families.

Even if someone had predicted it, they would have been dismissed as absurd.

But in this life, her rebirth had disrupted the course of events, and things were no longer as they had been.

Now that the three counties had seized Dong Island, wouldn’t they soon threaten Luo’an?

Her anxiety affected the baby in her womb, causing her to go into labor half a month early.

Just as her water broke, Feng Liwu rushed back to the capital.

The midwife tried to stop him, saying it was improper for the emperor to witness the blood of childbirth.

But Feng Liwu ignored her, quickly washed, changed into clean clothes, and barged into the delivery room.

Jiang Xiurun was in intense pain, her contractions coming one after another, drenching her in sweat.

As soon as Feng Liwu entered, she tightly grasped his hand.

“Why are you back… the front lines… ah…”

Feng Liwu knew exactly what she was worried about! His heart ached for her.

She always spoke so coldly, as if their marriage was temporary, but in critical moments, she was always deeply concerned for him, never thinking of herself!

He kissed her sweaty forehead and gently reassured her, “Dong Island was always a difficult place to defend without reinforcements. Its fall was expected by me and the generals. But our soldiers held out, buying time for our preparations and depleting the three counties’s warships. Even if they want to march on Luo’an now, they lack the strength. I’ve made thorough preparations, so you don’t need to worry about these things! Just focus on giving birth. Afterward, I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay by your side.”

Jiang Xiurun still wasn’t reassured.

“But the Meng and Yang families…”

Feng Liwu, anxious that she wasn’t focusing on childbirth, said, “They were like parasites among the noble families. If I had personally executed them, I would have been accused of betraying my ancestors and being tyrannical. Now that the tumors have festered and left on their own, I’m more than happy. Why are you concerned about them?”