Chapter 1157: 1151: A Mantis Trying to Stop a Chariot

Chapter 1157: Chapter 1151: A Mantis Trying to Stop a Chariot

The governor’s eyes brightened upon hearing this, and he looked back at his wife: “Madam! This is our whole family’s chance for survival!”

Ye Yingnan’s hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly. This Jade Pendant is the only thing she can use to negotiate with Zhou; she must use it well.

“What about my husband’s position? I want you to arrange for him to enter Dadu City as Minister of Revenue and ensure that he will never be stripped of his office!” Ye Yingnan demanded loudly.

The position of Minister of Revenue is indeed a lucrative one.

Xiao Ruohai’s smile deepened: “Governor’s wife… this is getting a bit much.”

“It’s not me who’s pushing the limits, but taking this Jade Pendant to anyone might not be enough to convince them—it’s a risk that could lose someone’s head, and it requires my daughter to take the risk by personally bringing my Jade Pendant!” Li Yingnan’s gaze was resolute, “To ask for a spot for my daughter to take the imperial exams is the least that should be given to her, and what about me… what about my husband? Shouldn’t all this be arranged properly?”

Ye Yingnan bit her lip and continued: “I can compromise; it doesn’t have to be the Emperor of Zhou’s younger brother marrying my daughter, someone else will do! Or let the Emperor of Zhou’s sister be engaged to my son! Otherwise, I would rather smash the Jade Pendant and never hand it over! I, Ye Yingnan… would rather shatter like jade than live like pottery! I’ve never bowed to anyone in my life!”

The governor’s eyes widened as he looked at Ye Yingnan, feeling she might have gone mad. The Emperor of Zhou’s stance was clear, yet she refused to give up her ambition.

“Are you trying to kill the whole family?!” In a rare show of firmness, the governor, who had been forever submissive in front of Ye Yingnan, rebuked her for the first time, “You’ve never bowed to anyone, but don’t you realize who you’re facing?! They’re your family! This time… we’re facing Zhou! It’s our father-in-law and I who have spoiled you to not know your limits, don’t you see you are going to kill the whole family!”

“I don’t know!” Ye Yingnan shouted, “I’ve spent my entire life planning for you! Planning for the children! What gives you the right to blame me?”

“The Governor’s wife is truly confused!” Xiao Ruohai said with indifference, “Even if the engagement is set, what of it? If His Majesty is displeased with the marriage, ensuring your daughter or son meets an early demise is all too easy. Are we, in Zhou, afraid to kill the offspring of a traitor from a rival nation?”

Ye Yingnan’s spine tensed.

“As long as our Emperor is unhappy… doesn’t like them, there’s no need for the Hidden Guard, just a slight leak of word can see people killing your entire family like fish crossing the river!” Xiao Ruohai shook his head, “The safety of the whole family still hinges on the marriage; Madam, you better choose properly!”

Ye Yingnan suddenly collapsed to the ground, as if her soul had been extracted.

The governor crawled and knelt in front of his wife, tore off the Jade Pendant, then shuffled to Xiao Ruohai, raising it high above his head: “Sir, I beg you… please speak favorably of us before His Majesty, ask His Majesty to forgive my wife’s offenses, all the guilt and punishment, let it fall on me alone! I beg His Majesty to spare my wife and children! I’m willing to face death!”

Ye Yingnan’s pupils trembled, her gaze falling on the husband she had always despised.

Xiao Ruohai took the Jade Pendant, helped the governor up, and asked Ye Yingnan: “Madam… besides this Jade Pendant, is there any word that can persuade the long-time attendant beside General Ye Shouguan?”

Tears streamed down Ye Yingnan’s face, yet she clung to her last bit of stubbornness, refusing to complete her words.

“Madam!” The governor couldn’t help but urgently call out to his wife again.

Ye Yingnan tightened her palm, thinking over carefully, and looked up at Xiao Ruohai: “It requires my daughter to personally bring the Jade Pendant. My daughter looks very similar to me when I was younger; if he sees my daughter with the Jade Pendant seeking him… he’ll surely do anything for me!”

The governor’s fingers moved; he didn’t think their daughter looked like Ye Yingnan in her youth. He knew his wife was certainly scheming something, yet couldn’t expose it in front of Xiao Ruohai, and kept signalling to his wife frantically, but Ye Yingnan seemed oblivious to her husband’s signals, and only stared fixedly at Xiao Ruohai.

Xiao Ruohai glanced at Ye Yingnan, then called outside: “Someone… take the governor and the governor’s wife to rest!”

Seeing Xiao Ruohai looking carefully at the Jade Pendant in his hand, Ye Yingnan said further: “You holding the Jade Pendant seeking him won’t be very convincing either, only if my daughter pretends to have escaped from Suining City with the Jade Pendant seeking him will he believe it!”

Xiao Ruohai’s lips curled up; if the governor’s wife hadn’t said so, he might have been suspicious, but her saying it reassures him that the Jade Pendant doesn’t pose a threat.

He smiled: “Thank you, governor’s wife, for informing me, please take the governor’s wife away first, I still have words for the governor!”

After saying, Ye Yingnan was escorted away, and before leaving, she stared hard at her husband, indicating for him not to say anything out of line.

After Ye Yingnan left, Xiao Ruohai smiled at the governor: “Does the governor have something to say? Concerning your entire family’s lives, if there’s anything the governor’s wife hasn’t finished saying, you can supplement it. As long as we capture Yecheng Pass this time, your family will have rendered a great service, not only will lives be spared, but fortune awaits afterwards!”

The governor felt anxious inside, but spoke honestly: “Riches and honor don’t matter, as long as my family can live peacefully, my desires are modest, just hope Zhou captures Yecheng Pass and allows us to leave safely!”

Xiao Ruohai looked at the earnest and honest governor, nodding: “That, I can promise you!”

The governor bowed to Xiao Ruohai before saying: “My daughter doesn’t resemble my wife in her youth, and due to General Ye Shouguan not permitting my wife to set foot in Yecheng Pass all these years, she hasn’t returned for over a decade. My daughter is beautiful and astute… truthfully, I think esteemed sir should not let my daughter take the Jade Pendant to Yecheng Pass, in case my daughter has other thoughts which might affect the greater plan.”

Now that Zhou’s power is immense, although the governor is from Xiliang, he doesn’t wish to act futilely against this massive force.

He doesn’t want his daughter to go to Yecheng Pass, partly out of concern… that she might encounter unforeseen incidents over there.

If the whole family cannot survive, the governor still hopes for the family to stay together.

“Alright! I understand…” Xiao Ruohai nodded to the governor, “Please, take it easy for the next few days right here at the governor’s residence, and I will instruct people to take good care of your family of four. If you have any requests… as long as they aren’t excessive, they will agree! The governor has wounds and should rest assured to recover, our Zhou never kills indiscriminately.”