When the emperor threatened him with the entire Ji family, Ji Shisu had already seen this coming.
At that moment, he had already regarded Ji Shisu as dead.
From then on, there would be no more Ji Shisu in the world, only Bai Shaoqing.
From then on, there would be no more second young mistress of the Ji family, only Mrs. Bai Shaoqing.
This was what Ji Shisu desired.
He desired a safe identity and a chance to retire.
Of course, Ji Shisu had his own little plan.
In this way, Luoning could also break free from the Ji family and no longer have to worry about the family.
Ji Shisu was also a businessman, and he was quite good at calculating.
Back then, when his elder brother had left without a word, he had had to clean up a lot of his elder brother's messes.
It was time for his elder brother and sister - in - law to pay back their debts.
Ji Shisu was happily making his plans, but unexpectedly, the emperor suddenly said, "Since Minister Ji has said so, it would be rather inhumane of me not to agree. However, I have other arrangements for the Zhao woman."
Hearing this, Ji Shisu became anxious.
"Your Majesty!"
The emperor seemed not to hear Ji Shisu's words and simply announced, "I confer the title of a third - rank imperial - appointed lady on Mrs. Bai Shaoqing."
The husband had his official position stripped, while the wife was actually conferred the title of an imperial - appointed lady.
The wife's status was suddenly much higher than her husband's.
In the future, this wife couldn't be beaten or scolded.
Even if she wasn't a shrew, Ji Shisu was afraid that his reputation as a hen - pecked husband would be firmly established.
Ji Shisu was quite puzzled by this. It wasn't that he minded Zhao Luoning having a higher official rank than him.
It was just an empty title.
What he was puzzled about was: Didn't the emperor hate Luoning to the core?
He had also heard from Jing Xiu and Gui Xiu about what Luoning had done in the capital.
The emperor not only didn't punish her but actually rewarded Luoning?
The emperor's mind was so hard to fathom. He really didn't know what the emperor was thinking.
The others were also completely confused. Although they didn't know what grudge the emperor had against Zhao Luoning, since he had sent Chen Chuliu and Lü Qu all the way to Shiguan, the rumor that Zhao Luoning had offended the emperor had already spread far and wide.
As the emperor had said, Ji Shisu and Zhao Luoning had indeed committed the crime of deceiving the emperor.
Now the emperor not only didn't punish them but also rewarded them?
Moreover, it was the title of a third - rank imperial - appointed lady.
Looking across the entire Chen Kingdom, there were not many women with a higher official rank than Zhao Luoning.
"Didn't Minister Ji say that all these were his own doings? Since that's the case, your merits and demerits offset each other, and I won't pursue this matter. However, the Zhao woman has made extraordinary contributions in quelling the war. According to the principle of rewarding meritorious deeds, she naturally shouldn't be left out."
The emperor took the imperial edict from his attendant and handed it to Ji Shisu.
The content of the edict was the imperial - conferring content that he had already drafted.
Although the emperor was wary of Zhao Luoning's abilities, he also really cherished talents.
Whether it was towards Ji Shisu or Zhao Luoning.
Ji Shisu opened the edict and found that the name was blank.
Ji Shisu looked at the emperor in confusion.
"Zhao Luoning is dead. The dead cannot come back to life. Do you understand, Minister?"
Ji Shisu nodded. He understood.
The emperor's meaning was very clear.
Zhao Luoning was dead, and now the emperor was giving Zhao Luoning an imperial edict. Ji Shisu could fill in the name on the edict.
That meant the emperor was willing to give Zhao Luoning a new identity.
Just like Ji Shisu had become Bai Shaoqing.
He was willing to let Zhao Luoning start anew.
Ji Shisu didn't even have to go through the complicated procedures in the Ministry of Revenue.
As long as the edict was filled in and the reward document reached Huangcheng, it would be equivalent to establishing Zhao Luoning's new identity.
From then on, Mrs. Bai Shaoqing would be a third - rank imperial - appointed lady.
She would have no more connection with the Ji family.
With this imperial edict in hand, even if someone had doubts, no one would dare to question the emperor.
Having figured this out, Ji Shisu put away the edict and kowtowed to thank the emperor.
Now, everything was ready. As long as he found Zhao Luoning, he could live a peaceful life.
Shu Danqing then came to his senses and quickly followed to thank the emperor.
Little did he know that at this moment, the emperor was thinking about whether he should hold some banquets in the palace from time to time to let this interesting woman, Zhao Luoning, enter the palace.
Would it be much more interesting if there was a woman in the palace to do business with him?
Looking across the world, after knowing his identity, Zhao Luoning was the only one who dared to bargain with him.
Of course, this was just a little secret in his heart and couldn't be known by Ji Shisu.
"All ministers, rise. Minister Ji has already expressed his thoughts. I wonder if Minister Shu has any other wishes that he wants me to fulfill?"
Perhaps inspired by Ji Shisu, when Shu Danqing heard the emperor say this, he knelt down again.
"Please, Your Majesty, bestow a marriage for me."
Bestow a marriage?
The emperor didn't expect the always gentle and refined Shu Danqing to make such a request. But bestowing a marriage was a good deed of bringing two people together, and he was happy to play the role of matchmaker. So he agreed without even thinking.
"Since Minister Shu has spoken, how can I not fulfill your wish? I wonder which girl has captured Minister Shu's heart and made you ask for a marriage bestowed by the emperor."
Shu Danqing kowtowed again and then replied.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, it's the eldest daughter of the Ji family, Ji Shihan."
"Ji Shihan? Didn't she already... Could it be that she is the same as the Zhao woman?"
But Ye Hua had already presented the case file to him together with the testimony of the coroner.
The emperor had also read it. The eldest daughter of the Ji family had committed suicide by swallowing gold, and there was no suspicion of murder.
If it was a fake death, then it would truly be the crime of deceiving the emperor.
"The eldest daughter of the Ji family is intelligent and kind - hearted. When she was alive, I had already fallen in love with her. Unfortunately, fate played a cruel joke on me. I just think that if we can't live together in life, at least we can be buried in the same tomb in death. Then my life won't be in vain."
"Another infatuated soul. Well, since you've said so, I'll fulfill your wish. Tomorrow, I'll order someone to draft the imperial edict for bestowing the marriage. You can take the edict and go to the morgue to retrieve Ji Shihan's body."
Up to now, Ji Shihan was still buried in the morgue.
Shu Danqing nodded repeatedly to thank the emperor. The emperor just felt that this day had been very strange.
He had issued two imperial edicts in a row.
One was to let the "dead" person "come back to life".
The other was even more absurd. He had bestowed a ghost marriage.
The things his sworn brothers did were truly destined to shock the world one by one.
After the matters in the palace were settled, it was already dusk when Ji Shisu returned to the villa.
As soon as he stepped into the house, he saw the old matriarch waiting for him in the hall, looking very serious.
The master, the mistress, and the second mistress were all sitting upright in order.
This kind of scene and this kind of grand occasion had only happened two years ago when he had missed Zhao Luoning's return - to - her - natal - family day.
What mistake had he made this time that deserved everyone to set up such a grand occasion to wait for him?
"Grandma, Father, Mother, Second Mother."
Ji Shisu had to brace himself and step into the hall.
After greeting everyone one by one, he was surprised to find that Yu Chi was also there.
It seemed that Yu Chi had already been interrogated once.