Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 711: Cutting Flesh (Part 2)

After Duchess An woke up, her first words were: "Where is the Lord?"

Upon hearing that Duke An was writing a memorial, the Duchess struggled to get up and, with the maid’s help, went to the study.

"My Lord! You must not write this memorial!" Duchess An cried incessantly, "If you submit it, you will lose your position as the Minister of War, the duke title, and even give up half of our family’s fortune... This is like tearing out our hearts."

"In the future, what face will the Zheng Family have to show?"

In contrast to his tearful wife, Duke An was much more composed: "Being able to safeguard the lives of the entire Zheng family is already a great fortune. Were it not for the Grand Empress Dowager’s protection, I would have long been dragged to the execution ground. Don’t cry and make a fuss. Money and titles are external things, compared to the lives of the whole clan, they are nothing."

Duchess An, her eyes blurred with tears, was filled with resentment and unwillingness: "All these years, you’ve worked hard for the Grand Empress Dowager, fighting on the front lines. Our Zheng family received less than thirty percent of the silver from the Ministry of War. Most of it went into the treasury of Jingyang Palace. Why should we now have to give up half of our family fortune!"

Duke An’s face turned cold as he glared over: "You’re talking more and more nonsense! Without the Grand Empress Dowager, how could our Zheng family have had such power and glory over the years! It’s only right to show filial respect to the Grand Empress Dowager!"

Duchess An wiped her face forcefully, gritting her teeth: "Yes, we have benefited from the Grand Empress Dowager! But over the decades, how much have you done for her? She lives in luxury in the palace, while you are the one who has to put in all the effort!"

"Without you, where would the Empress Dowager Faction come from? How else could she wield such power in the palace, feared by all? You’ve devised strategies and worked tirelessly for her, yet in everyone’s eyes, you are still the one who merely rode her coattails."

"And Zixian, taken into the palace by the Grand Empress Dowager at just five years old. Our well-behaved son was led astray, and now he’s at this point. Isn’t it her fault?"

"The previous struggles between the Grand Empress Dowager’s faction and the Prime Minister’s faction, weren’t you trying to control Prime Minister Wang? Ultimately, Zhao Wu’s abandonment of the city leading to the border army’s defeat was the sin of the Grand Empress Dowager."

"She’s not protecting the Zheng family entirely for you and me. It’s for her own face. If the Grand Empress Dowager’s family becomes rebels executed to the ninth generation, would her face shine?"

"In the end, it’s all for herself. If you want to acknowledge such grace, then do so. I do not."

Duke An was so enraged that he raised his hand and swung it down.

With a slap, five finger marks appeared on Duchess An’s face, and her mouth was also cut.

Duchess An covered her burning face, tears flooding.

They had been a relatively harmonious couple for many years. This was the first time Duke An had laid hands on her.

Beside her ears rang Duke An’s cold warning: "If such talk reaches the palace and the Grand Empress Dowager’s ears, the Zheng family will lose even its last sanctuary."

"As for Zheng Chen, that rebellious son, he is unfaithful and unfilial and now a rebel against Da Liang. I’ve severed the father-son bond with him! If you recognize this son, then accompany him to death. If you wish to die, go find a white silk cord to end your life, but don’t drag the entire Zheng family down."

"Get out! Don’t disturb me in writing the memorial!"

The Duchess staggered out of the study.

The study’s door closed, and the Duchess’s cries faintly penetrated the thick door into his ears.

In truth, Duke An was far less composed than he appeared. His hands trembled slightly, and a drop of thick ink fell, ruining the half-written memorial.

Expressionless, Duke An replaced it with a clean sheet of paper and rewrote the memorial.

The feeling of having one’s flesh sliced off by a soft knife was, of course, extremely painful.

But being able to survive, he simply couldn’t afford to dwell on the pain.

...

A heart-wrenching, eloquent memorial written by Duke An, spanning several thousand words, was presented to the Empress that very night.

Jiang Shaohua sat on the bed, covered with a quilt, leaning against Cui Du, a warm and solid cushion, leisurely reading the memorial.

Cui Du, having nothing else to do, stretched his neck to read along. After reading, he clicked his tongue: "This Duke An is really hard on himself. Faced with the ten crimes listed by Imperial Censor Cao, he admits to all and even adds ten more. In the memorial, he voluntarily resigns, requests his title be stripped, and even offers up half his family’s fortune to be used as military funds for the Heroic Guard Camp."

Jiang Shaohua tugged at the corner of her mouth, her eyes full of mockery: "Voluntarily resigning and requesting his title be stripped is, of course, better than me issuing an order."

"Offering up half the family fortune as military funds also sounds better than merely filling the Ministry of War’s funding gap."

"Treason and rebellion are enough to condemn the Zheng Family to execution twice over. The fact that he can still live peacefully, retaining half his family fortune—what more could he be dissatisfied with?"

Cui Du felt a bit uneasy: "Just like that, you’ll let the Zheng Family off?"

Jiang Shaohua replied indifferently, "No need to rush. The Zheng Family is hailed as the foremost external family of Da Liang, with far-reaching branches and tremendous influence. Additionally, with the Grand Empress Dowager supporting them from the palace, uprooting them completely isn’t easy and could easily lead to upheaval. In this manner, slicing away bit by bit, letting the Zheng Family weaken by the day."

"The Grand Empress Dowager protecting the Zheng Family is akin to standing in opposition to the righteous cause of the court, which is a fatal blow to her reputation and prestige. Her original followers will gradually discern the situation and slowly drift away, eventually fully aligning themselves with me."

"In the end, I stand to gain without any loss."

After speaking, Jiang Shaohua turned to glance over, catching Cui Du looking at her with a face full of admiration.

Jiang Shaohua was amused: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Cui Du sincerely exclaimed: "You’re so smart and amazing! Being your husband, doesn’t that make me pretty amazing too!"

Jiang Shaohua chuckled, pinching his thick cheeks. Cui Du grinned, biting her finger-playfully between his lips and teeth.

The couple frolicked for a moment before quickly returning to serious matters: "I can already attend court now. You don’t have to stand guard over me every day. Instead, go back to the Imperial Manor to handle your proper duties. By next spring, new crops can be planted in the states near the Capital City, and the people can receive high-quality, high-yield seeds from the government, which is a matter of great importance for people’s livelihood!"

Cui Du furrowed his brows: "I can’t stop worrying about you; I want to stay by your side until you safely give birth. Over at the Imperial Manor, I’ll have Lin Zhuangtou and my cousin watch over things. If there’s anything, they’ll send someone to the palace to inform me."

"How could they measure up to you..."

"In my heart, nothing is more important than you." Cui Du gazed at Jiang Shaohua with both gentleness and determination as he softly declared, "Shao Hua, I want to stay by your side."

Jiang Shaohua’s heart was tickled, somewhat itchy, but more so sweet.

She met Cui Du’s eyes for a moment, reluctantly compromising: "Alright, if you want to stay, then stay."