Chapter 592: Chapter 592: How to Penalize The Emperor waved his hand, signalling his agreement to have Ye Shi’s boxes searched. Ye Jiu looked toward the palace maid Lian Yan standing beside her. Lian Yan understood and immediately led the palace maids and eunuchs from Xingning Palace to Ye Shi’s residence. A quarter of an hour later, Lian Yan had people carry over three red sandalwood boxes. The boxes were neatly lined up and opened, revealing at first glance to be filled with various articles of clothing. Upon seeing this, Princess Linglong spoke out, “Aren’t these all just clothes?” “Eldest Princess, please look!” Lian Yan lifted the garments on the surface to reveal. Catching everyone’s eyes were all sorts of jewels, jade, and even a considerable number of gold bars. Lian Yan said to Ye Jiu, “Princess, the treasures lost from the Xingning Palace storehouse are all here.” Princess Linglong sneered, “As a Princess of Tiansheng, how could Ah Shi not own a few valuable items?” Ye Jiu had long been aware of her aunt’s displeasure with her and decided not to engage with her, instead walking over to one of the red sandalwood boxes. She bent down slightly and took out a jade Nine Linked Rings. “The Nine Linked Rings were commissioned by Father Emperor himself, and my name is carved on them,” Ye Jiu holding the Nine Linked Rings, stepped forward toward Ye Shi. “How do you explain this?” Ye Shi had nothing to say, glaring fiercely with eyes like daggers. At that moment, Lian Yan fished around in another box and took out a piece of shimmering, rainbow-colored object, handing it to Ye Jiu. Ye Jiu held it up to take a closer look and smiled lightly, “These are fragments of a glass cup, and the remaining pieces are still in the Xingning Palace storehouse. It will all be clear once they’re pieced together.” “The other items, I’m not familiar with.” As the Emperor who had gifted many items to his children, how could he remember them all? “But, the jade Nine Linked Rings were indeed commissioned by me in Ah Ju’s name, the only one in the world.” Four years ago, Ah Ju had stumbled upon his eldest son’s affair with a consort and exposed the plot to commit patricide, saving him, her Father Emperor. As a reward, he ordered skilled craftsmen to make this set of Nine Linked Rings to gift to Ah Ju. Even the Father Emperor had spoken thus, and Ye Shi had lost the dignity of a Princess of the nation. Abjectly, she covered her face with her sleeve, not daring to utter a single word in retort. The Emperor’s face darkened, “Ah Shi, why did you steal?” Ye Shi sobbed, “This child has had a hard life in Beiliang, and there were many occasions that required money to smooth over. Ninth Sister has been at Prince Zhenbei Mansion for quite some time. Taking advantage of the short-staffed situation at Xingning Palace, I indeed took some things.” “Taken some things?” Ye Jiu laughed, “You chose only the fine items.” Suddenly, Meng You burst into wild laughter, tears falling as he laughed. He had completely seen through Ye Shi, the woman who had sworn eternal love to him, was nothing but a thief. “Four years ago, you told me the imperial decree was unchallengeable, and you had to marry into Beiliang against your will because Ninth Princess broke her leg, and so you had to go in her stead,” he said, pointing at Ye Shi with his shackled hand, weeping and laughing, “You told me that even in Beiliang, your heart was always with me, and for that, I, a man in my twenties, have remained unmarried for you.” The irony was he had ruined his splendid future for her and even borne the stigma of collusion and treason against his country. The Emperor slammed the table, “Meng You defiled the Tenth Princess’s innocence, and as a Tiansheng Official, he leaked examination questions to the Beiliang people, a crime tantamount to treason, punishable by death after the autumn harvest!” Meng You wore a bitter smile, secretly grateful to Ye Yiheng in his heart. The Crown Prince was right; by telling the truth, he could at least keep his family safe. Ye Yiheng saw the old Emperor sentencing Meng You first, seemingly without intention to mention Yu Haoqiong or Ye Shi. Beneath his eye veil, his phoenix eyes glinted darkly as he bowed to the throne, “Father Emperor, in my opinion, Meng You cannot escape his guilt.” The Emperor asked, “And what does the Crown Prince think?” Ye Zhengmo seized the opportunity and said, “Treasonous collusion with the enemy deserves the extermination of nine generations, is that what the Crown Prince, my Sixth Brother, is thinking?” Upon hearing these words, Meng You collapsed to the ground, his face freezing in shock. How could he have forgotten the Crown Prince’s sinister and perverse nature? This man casually made lanterns out of human skin; how could he have believed his deceitful words? At this moment, Ye Yiheng said indifferently, “The mastermind behind the cheating case is Yu Haoqiong, with Meng You being misled by others and blinded by emotions. Considering his confession and his years of diligent service in the Ministry of Rites, I earnestly beseech Father Emperor to mete out a lighter punishment!” The Emperor stroked his beard, obviously not entirely agreeing with what Ye Yiheng had said. Seeing this, Ye Yiheng added, “Princes must face the same punishment as commoners for their crimes.” This remark enlightened the Emperor. Ye Yuan thought of Ye Shi, who was, after all, his daughter, and he couldn’t bear to have her killed. He also considered that Yu Haoqiong was the Prince of Beiliang. Killing Yu Haoqiong would surely provoke conflict between the two nations. Neither Yu Haoqiong nor Ye Shi had been sentenced to death, so if he were to sentence Meng You to be executed after autumn, it would appear unjust. With this in mind, the Emperor declared loudly, “The Crown Prince speaks the truth. However, Meng You’s involvement in the plagiarism cannot go unpunished; he shall be sentenced to forced labor and exile.” Meng You had not anticipated that the Crown Prince, with just a few words, would save his life! He quickly kowtowed to the Emperor and Ye Yiheng, “This sinner thanks the Emperor and thanks Your Highness the Crown Prince!” The Emperor sat up straight and said sternly, “Ye Shi conspired to harm her elder sister and colluded with others to destroy the Tiansheng Imperial Examination system. For these multiple crimes, she should be sentenced to death. But considering her four years in marriage without merit but with hardship, I hereby demote her to a commoner.” “As for Yu Haoqiong…” The Emperor narrowed his eyes, considering the appropriate punishment. Immediately, Yu Haoqiong knelt down, his tone earnest, “Your Majesty, the evidence stands against me, and I cannot deny involvement in the cheating scandal. But my only intention was to let Beiliang scholars experience the Tiansheng Imperial Examination. I never intended for them to enter into Imperial service. Please consider that I had no malicious intent and allow me to return to Beiliang!” He was well aware that the more sincere he appeared now, the better. While speaking, he respectfully kowtowed, hoping to move the Emperor’s heart. Upon hearing this, the Emperor knew how to sentence him. “Yu Haoqiong may be the Prince of Beiliang, but he committed a crime in Tiansheng as the mastermind, with purposeful intent to disrupt the Imperial Examination. Yu Haoqiong knows this well,” the Emperor said coldly. “For cheating in the exam, he should be sentenced to forced labor and exile. Considering he is a son-in-law of Tiansheng, he shall be exiled to the Jingjiao Coal Mine.” How could a person from Beiliang serve in Tiansheng’s army? Besides, the locations for Tiansheng’s forced labor and exile are near Beiliang. If Yu Haoqiong were sent to such a place, wouldn’t that be tantamount to sending him back? This could not be allowed! The best course of action was to keep him under close watch. Upon hearing this decree, Ye Yiheng’s lips moved slightly— the old Emperor had not lost his senses. Yu Haoqiong had no idea what the Jingjiao Coal Mine was and hurriedly asked, “What am I to do at the Jingjiao Coal Mine?” Ye Zhengmo smiled and replied, “Can’t you tell? Naturally, you’ll be sent to mine coal.” Yu Haoqiong clearly harbored designs on Tiansheng’s realm; hence, it was only fitting to humiliate him a bit. With this thought, Ye Zhengmo added, “The Jingjiao Coal Mine is where capital offenders are detained. They must mine coal every day to earn their food rations. Understand now?” Yu Haoqiong could hardly believe his ears as he shouted, “I am the Prince of Beiliang; how dare you treat me this way?” Ye Zhenyu also spoke up, “Beiliang is rich in mines; sending you to the Jingjiao Coal Mine is most fitting.” Yu Haoqiong was dumbfounded. Weren’t Ye Zhenyu and Ye Zhengmo in conflict with Ye Yiheng? Why were the three of them suddenly breathing through the same nostril?