Part 1 - Yu Nu Jiao / Jade Slave / Enslaved By Love

Chapter 162 Too Much Face for the Xiao Family

Yin Ji seemed to see his determination to fight to the death. He was silent for a long time, then slowly took a step back and sat back in his chair.

Xiao Chi took a glance and felt that Yin Ji was planning to give in.

He breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help feeling complacent. A few days ago, his brother sent him a letter asking him to be careful in his words and deeds in the court recently and not to be an enemy of the emperor, so as to avoid complications.

But after all, his brother had been out of the court for too long and was too cautious. No matter what, the emperor would not dare to break up with their Xiao family. Isn't this the case now? As long as he gets serious, the emperor will have to give in.

But it's better to quickly conclude this matter so as not to involve Xiao Baobao again.

He turned his head to look at Su He, and said sternly: "Bitch, you still don't tell the truth, is this something you did alone?"

Su He's face was wooden. When Yin Ji questioned Xiao Baobao just now, she thought she would have a chance of survival, but now that Xiao Chi said this, she realized how naive she was.

There is no chance for a palace maid like her.

She knocked her head to the ground: "It was all done by me alone. I beg the emperor to grant me death."

Xiao Chi was very excited: "Your Majesty, she pleaded guilty. You see, it really has nothing to do with Concubine Yue. Please don't misunderstand her anymore, and please punish the murderer severely."

Yin Ji still sat on the chair without speaking. He seemed to have a headache and was pressing his temples with his hands.

Xiao Chi was a little dissatisfied with his silence. He vaguely thought that Yin Ji was still angry, so he refused to speak, but even if he didn't speak, the blame would eventually fall on Su He.

He coughed twice: "The emperor seems to be unwell, so I will take care of her... Come on!"

He shouted loudly, and two imperial guards came in. He pointed at Su He casually, and a trace of cruelty flashed in his eyes: "This is the real culprit who let the snake go. Drag her down and behead her!"

He was worried that Su He would say something she shouldn't say when she was dying, so he stared at her, but Su He didn't say anything, and the imperial guards seemed to be deaf and didn't move.

Xiao Chi was stunned and couldn't help looking over: "I told you to drag her out and chop her up, why are you still standing there?!"

The two imperial guards still didn't move, Xiao Chi was furious, and was about to scold-

"I have been thinking about a question just now..."

Yin Ji's unhurried voice suddenly sounded, neither angry as Xiao Chi thought, nor compromising obedience, but strangely too calm.

Xiao Chi was choked up and could only shut up. He turned around and looked over inexplicably: "What did the emperor say?"

"I want to say," Yin Ji looked over with his eyes down, his tone calm, "Have I given the Xiao family too much face over the years?"

Xiao Chi was stunned, and was shocked by this sentence. An ominous premonition came to his mind, but the pride of the Xiao family did not allow him to bow his head. He forced himself to straighten his chest: "What does the emperor mean by this? Our Xiao family has devoted all these years to your country, and died, died..."

He wanted to argue for the Xiao family, but as soon as he said this, he saw Yin Ji's expression suddenly changed, majestic and fierce. He was completely different from the gentle look when he went to court before. Even if he was sitting on the chair without moving, the strong and cold sense of oppression still came to his face, and in an instant it seemed that even the air became thinner.

Xiao Chi was completely stunned. He had never seen Yin Ji like this before. This was an imperial pressure that was even stronger than the previous emperor.

He broke out in sweat unconsciously on his forehead, and his gaze that was originally directed at the emperor quickly retracted, and even his head dropped.

"Your Majesty..."

Yin Ji chuckled, and he seemed to be in a good mood, but no one dared to disobey him at this time.

"You said that the Xiao family devoted themselves to me, right?"

Xiao Chi did not dare to answer for a moment, but Yin Ji did not seem to care about what he wanted to say.

He just raised his hand and clapped his hands lightly: "Then listen to how you devoted yourself to me... Pass on Xue Jing."

When Xiao Chi heard this name, his heart skipped a beat, and the ominous premonition almost condensed into substance. He hurriedly showed weakness: "Your Majesty, I am just eager to protect my daughter, and I have no other intentions. Please look at me..."

Yin Ji raised his hand and made a light "hush". Although he did not speak harshly or give a strong order, he could not speak again.

The tent curtain was opened, and Xue Jing strode in.

He was sent here by Cai Tianxi to do the errand, but he didn't expect to hear Yin Ji summoning him just outside the door, so he came in immediately.

He knelt on one knee: "Your servant Xue Jing, I pay my respects to the emperor."

"Come, tell me all about Xiao Qing's great achievements."

Xiao Chi's heartbeat became increasingly chaotic, and he looked at Xue Jing in panic, his eyes full of threats, as if this could intimidate him and make him dare not speak nonsense.

But Xue Jing didn't even look at him. After receiving Yin Ji's order, he took out a bamboo tube from his arms. When he opened the bamboo tube, there was a note full of words: "In the 13th year of Yuan'an, Xiao Chi plagiarized the article of Xiao Zhengning, a member of the Xiao family's side branch, in the imperial examination hall. There is a handwriting comparison as evidence; in the 16th year of Yuan'an, he framed Shangfeng in order to seek promotion, and there are letters from that year as evidence; Yuan'an..."

"Stop talking!"

Xiao Chi interrupted Xue Jing, his face flushed, and he pointed at Xue Jing with a trembling hand: "You are talking nonsense, you are framing!"

Xue Jing didn't even look at him, and his voice was still steady: "In the first year of Jian'an, he used his power to embezzle land, and there are victims selling land deeds as evidence; in the third year of Jian'an..."

"I told you to stop talking!"

Xiao Chi roared angrily and knelt down towards Yin Ji: "Your Majesty, this is all slander. I have never done such a thing. I didn't!"

Yin Ji had already sat back in his chair. Seeing Xiao Chi arguing for himself with tears in his eyes, he was very relaxed, and even spoke in a nonchalant tone: "Really?"

The words "really" were on the tip of his tongue, but Xiao Chi looked at Yin Ji's indifferent face and couldn't say it.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that it’s not that Yin Ji didn't dare to touch the Xiao family or him, but just didn't want to... But now the other party wanted to.

He lost his strength and collapsed on the ground.

Yin Ji stood up and walked towards him slowly. His movements were as close and gentle as usual. 

He even raised his hand and patted his shoulder, but the words he said were colder than the wind in the coldest days of winter: "You said something you shouldn't say. I can't tolerate you anymore, Xiao Canzhi, retire."

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