Chapter 1156: Chapter 1150: Judging Others by Oneself Xiao Ruohai’s smile widened slightly, and with a change in tone, he said, “It’s just that… if Lady Governor doesn’t confess truthfully, if either the young master’s or the young lady’s hands or nose or eyes are gone, they won’t grow back!” “Madam! Madam!” Upon hearing these words, the governor trembled like a leaf and quickly pleaded with his wife, “Madam, just tell the truth! I said we should not be greedy, just being able to keep the position of governor is good enough, but you insisted on our son marrying the Emperor of Zhou’s sister and our daughter marrying into the imperial family!” Xiao Ruohai lowered his gaze, turning the ring on his thumb, his eyes intensely cold… “Lady Governor, you really have quite the nerve! Once… the Emperor of Yan offered to marry our Emperor’s sister, and our Emperor didn’t even agree. Who is your son to dare covet our Emperor’s sister?” Xiao Ruohai still wore that smiling expression, yet his words sent a chill down the governor’s and his wife’s spines, “Our Bai family’s young master is not someone just any dirty or smelly person can want. With your daughter’s status, serving as a foot-washing maid for our Bai family’s young master would already be an honor!” Xiao Ruohai brushed off nonexistent dust from his clothes, propping one hand on the chair’s armrest, and said, “This time, it’s your own greed that brought you here, thinking that with just a strategy to attack the city you could hold us Zhou in your grip. However, you have no bargaining chip to ensure your survival. After all, your methods may work best for us, but they’re not necessary! Fighting… our Bai family’s army has never feared anyone! The tougher the bone, the more interested our Bai family’s army is!” Xiao Ruohai smiled, “So now… if Lady Governor tells the truth and this time the city gates do open, with our Zhou winning, I can guarantee your family’s safety. But if there’s even a slightest mistake in between…” He tapped his fingers on the table, full of threatening implication. Ye Yingnan’s expression was extremely unsightly. Only when Xiao Ruohai pointed it out did the self-assured she realize that whether she greedily wanted her son to marry the Emperor of Zhou’s sister or wanted her daughter to marry the Emperor of Zhou’s brother, she hadn’t grasped the soft spot of the Emperor of Zhou! To the Emperor of Zhou, if she didn’t help… he’d just take it by force. She simply judged the situation by her own thinking, assuming the Emperor of Zhou would consider using his own brother’s or sister’s marriage to exchange for an easy capture of Yecheng Pass as a very worthwhile deal. Then, she could use the imperial connection to seek wealth for her son and the entire clan, but she miscalculated how much the Emperor of Zhou valued his sibling’s marriage. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel fire.net She completely forgot to leave herself a fallback, a reason for the Emperor of Zhou to hesitate to kill her whole family. She was too clever for her own good, and in the end, her wit had been her downfall. Thus she handed her entire family’s lives over to the Emperor of Zhou so easily! But she was unwilling! Could it be that the Emperor of Zhou is so unconcerned with reputation, and doesn’t fear chilling the hearts of Zhou’s soldiers, not worried they would know she was willing to use her brother’s marriage to send them to death?! The governor shook uncontrollably, his face pale with fear, thinking if anything went wrong, their whole family would meet the King of Hell, he quickly kowtowed, “My wife will tell all she knows! Please, my lord, spare our family’s lives!” Ye Yingnan feigned composure, reprimanding the governor, “Spineless dog! What are you begging for! Am I the kind of person who doesn’t leave herself a fallback?” She put on a facade of being utterly fearless of life and death, as if she was sure of victory: “Do you really think I’m a fool! Since I entered this governor’s mansion, I have naturally left people outside the city. If our family dies here, my people will announce it to everyone, letting all your Zhou soldiers know everything your Emperor has done!” Xiao Ruohai chuckled, “Lady Governor seems to forget, I followed you all the way, entering the city with you. Including the governor, you, and your son and daughter, along with the guards, there are a total of one hundred and sixty-four people, not one less… all trapped. Where would you have anyone?” Ye Yingnan wasn’t aware of Xiao Ruohai’s capabilities, and upon hearing him report the precise number, her face turned green. Xiao Ruohai sighed, “Our Emperor was right, we indeed shouldn’t waste time with you here! I’ll give you one incense stick’s time, if you don’t speak… I won’t stay here with you either! If you speak… and it’s false, how many of our Zhou soldiers die, I’ll slice your family into that many pieces, rest assured… I won’t let you die until it’s all done!” “Father… Mother!” The governor’s son was still young, and trembled with fear. “Father, Mother…” The governor’s daughter was also filled with anxiety, her little face pallid. Hearing their son and daughter’s timid voices calling them, the governor was instantly horrified, crawling forward on his hands and knees, kowtowing to Xiao Ruohai, “My lord, my lord! I’ll tell everything! My wife said that General Ye Shouguan’s adjutant once swore to God to protect my wife at any cost! Ye Shouguan’s close aide used to admire my wife and hasn’t married to this day for her! As long as that jade pendant he gifted my wife is shown to him, he will surely steal the token for her! My lord, I’m speaking the truth! Please, my lord, spare my family’s lives!” Ye Yingnan wanted to make a last-ditch effort, but seeing her daughter and son were also taken away, she seemingly had no other choice but to cooperate, and she sat there with a pale face without a word. “Very good!” Xiao Ruohai tapped the small table next to him, signaling to take the governor’s son and daughter away, then said, “Thank you, Governor, for your cooperation. Also, may Lady Governor lend me that close jade pendant, I will return it after use! Naturally… if the matter is handled smoothly, not only will the governor’s family be spared, but having rendered meritorious service, they can also be well placed!” “Will arrangements be made for our family to go to Dadu City? Will we be given a house and positions?” Ye Yingnan asked directly. “It’s not difficult, as long as Lady Governor no longer covets marrying your daughter to our young master. Since you have rendered meritorious service… you will naturally receive due rewards!” Xiao Ruohai smiled, “Moreover… presumably, Lady Governor has also heard that in our Zhou, women are allowed to study and to take exams! During this journey with the governor’s family, I noticed that the governor’s daughter seems to be educated. If this matter is successful, I can also request a favor from the Emperor for her to attempt the exams, perhaps there’s a chance to enter officialdom!”