Suddenly, one night, just when she was about to fall asleep, Ning Yuxuan rushed into her room, scooped her up from her bed, and covered her mouth before she had time to scream. Frantically dashing the entire way, he brought her to a carriage that was waiting outside. She almost ended up puking her guts out from being carried like that. Dengxin and packed bundles were waiting inside the carriage. 

  — 

  When the carriage finally stopped, she saw that she had been brought to a small, barren village. 

  “Madam, please stay here for a while.” Guibai took the packed bundles down from the carriage and led her and Dengxin to a quiet courtyard in a farmer’s home. 

  Ji Man blankly nodded. 

  — 

  Two days later, Dengxin brought news back that the second prince had revolted. 

  The second prince, Zhao Li, had been born with crippled legs. The most fortunate event that happened to him was marrying the Yuzhen princess, Pengyue. Not only did Pengyue get him a titled prince position, she helped him by borrowing soldiers from Yuzhen to kill Zhao Jue, the unfilial person that had killed his own father. 

  Actually, to describe what had happened frankly, the second prince had kept a low profile for many years. The former third prince had recently prevailed over the first prince, and both sides had suffered losses. While the former third prince had his guard lowered in the midst of his happiness, Zhao Li had brought soldiers to the capital by using the excuse of coming back to congratulate the new emperor. 

  Slightly furrowing her brow, Ji Man asked, “How’s the marquis doing?” 

  Dengxin shook her head. “The situation is very chaotic over there. This servant doesn’t know how the marquis is doing either.” 

  Nie Sangyu’s heart stirred restlessly in worry. Ji Man placed a hand to cover it for her. Frowning, she told her, “Your man is a cunning nine-tail fox. Nothing will happen to him.” 

  — 

  Half a month later, people finally came from the capital and brought her back to Marquis Moyu’s estate. 

  However, the people that came for her weren’t servants from the marquis’s estate. It was officers and soldiers. 

  — 

  For some reason, when Ji Man looked at the wheelchair in the middle of the courtyard, and Pengyue, who was standing next to it, she surprisingly felt less unsettled. 

  Marquis Moyu, who was sitting in a chair without the slightest injury, looked down at her, who was kneeling on the ground. 

  “Nie Sangyu, do you admit to your crime?” 

  Ji Man asked with a smile, “What is the crime this time?” 

  Qi Siling was standing to the side and holding a tall stack of account books. She knelt down next to her, placed the account books on the ground, and kowtowed. “Your Highness, please examine these records. These account books show the monthly receipts from her business. This servant felt very fearful when she saw this. Nie Sangyu colluded with merchants and used the huge profits from her collusion to help the third prince bribe the court officials. There’s conclusive proof that the late Emperor’s posthumous edict had been tampered with. ” 

  Zhao Li faintly smiled and gestured for a servant to bring one of the account books to him. He gave the book a cursory look, then said, “It’s true that merchants are allowed to earn large profits, but isn’t there a rule in Great Song that a woman from an official’s family isn’t allowed to engage in business? Moreover, the amount of bribery that you’re suspect of is really too big. Ai, the punishment for this might have to be the nine familial exterminations.” 

  Ji Man’s heart felt cold. She glanced at Qi Siling. 

  The corners of Qi Siling’s lips were showing a victor’s smile, but her eyes were looking up at the second prince instead of her. 

  In a neutral tone, Ning Yuxuan said, “Nie Sangyu isn’t that clever. She just gave the money to Nie Qingyun. Nie Qingyun won’t contest to that charge either. Your Highness, if the punishment is going to be nine familial exterminations, then Yuxuan won’t be able to avoid it either.” 

  Zhao Li said with a smile, “I was just joking with you. Why are you treating my words so seriously, ah? Before we came here, Pengyue already talked with me. She said that no matter what, Nie Sangyu’s life had to be spared. Naturally, I’ll listen to her words.” 

  Pengyue nodded. She took a few steps forward and helped Nie Sangyu up. “I gave my whip to older sister Sangyu, and I haven’t taken it back.” 

  Ji Man curved her lips and saluted, “Your Highness, thank you.” 

  From the beginning, she had been put into a terrible set of circumstances, so she wasn’t surprised to see a spider finally coming out and opening its mouth. She was just surprised to see that the spider had turned out be the second prince. 

  “Still, she had committed such a serious crime. She can’t just be left off without a punishment. Yuxuan, what do you think should be done?” The second prince lightly said, “I can’t bear to do anything to you, the wonderful court official that personally opened the capital’s gates for me.” 

  Ning Yuxuan lowered his eyes and effortlessly said, “I’ve been wanting to divorce Nie Sangyu for a long time. Your Highness, aren’t you handing Yuxuan the perfect opportunity to do so? As for Chenyu, what should I do? I’m a bit unwilling to part with her.” 

  “Oh?” Zhao Li stroked the jade ring around his thumb. He lightly smiled and said, “Yuxuan, you should know that I don’t like people that are loyal to my third brother. Since Nie Sangyu is someone that you want to divorce, I can overlook her. After all, she’s your wife. However, Nie Chenyu is only a concubine. Yuxuan, are you going to protect her too?” 

  Marquis Moyu sighed and said, “Never mind. Your Highness, you can deal with her as you wish.” 

  Instead of answering him, Zhao Li turned his head and looked at her with a knowing smile, “Oh, right, I almost forgot. My clever third brother along with all the members of Nie Clan is going to be executed for the crime of treason. You’re going to be the only survivor. Want to go watch that lively show?” 

  With a sinking heart, Ji Man looked at this smiling person in shock. 

  Executed? Who was going to be executed? 

  “Yuxuan, since we happened to be going the same way, how about having Pengyue go with the two of you? 

  “Your Highness.” The smile on Ning Yuxuan’s face had disappeared. His lips were pressed together, and his brow was slightly furrowed. 

  Zhao Li turned his head to the side to look at him and asked, “Unwilling to part with her?” 

  Marquis Moyu took a deep breath and shook his head. “It’s just that the carriage will be too cramped.” 

  “That’s alright.” Pushing the wheels on his wheelchair, Zhao Li said with a smile, “This will be the last time the two of you will have a chance to share a carriage as husband and wife.” 

  Translator Ramblings: If Ning Yuxuan hadn’t ordered the capital’s gates to be opened, someone else could have done it instead. If there wasn’t a peaceful surrender, I wonder how high the casualty count would have been if there had been a drawn out battle? Even if the second prince had lost this battle, what would happen if Yuzhen declared war on Great Song when the country is already weak from their recent war?

  Chapter 308 – From now on, there’s nothing between the two of us (1) 

  There was a rumble of thunder from the sky. It was only now that the downpour of rain had truly started. 

  Ji Man numbly followed Ning Yuxuan. He didn’t look back as he led her to the carriage that would take them to execution grounds. 

  When the carriage’s curtain was put down, they were the only two people inside. With only the sound of the rain falling onto the top of the carriage, the atmosphere felt very stifled. 

  After a long time had passed, Ji Man broke the silence to ask, “My lord, have you always been helping the second prince?” 

  Marquis Moyu slightly turned his head to look at her. He lightly smiled and said, “Where does the issue of helping a certain person or not come into play? As a government official, Yuxuan’s duty is to assist the person on the throne.” 

  When the first prince had been the crown prince, he had done his best to help him. If it turned out that the third prince would become the emperor, then he would help the third prince instead. However, he had taken stock of the matter and felt that Zhao Jie wouldn’t be able securely maintain his position as the emperor, so he had personally opened the capital’s gates for Zhao Li so that he could enter the capital. 

  If the deceased Qian Lianxue were to be described as two-faced spy, then Ning Yuxuan would be a salesman that had an unknown number of faces. She had thought that he was trying to remain equilibrium with two sides, but as it turned out, there had been three sides. 

  He was a pragmatic person that knew how to steer the rudder perfectly in the face of ever-changing winds. Ji Man thought it was only to be expected that he would be able to save himself as well as everyone else in his household during this turbulent situation. 

  With his gaze on the carriage’s curtain, Ning Yuxuan very calmly said, “After we go to the execution grounds, you should leave with Guibai. He’ll arrange a place for you.” 

  Ji Man’s brain hadn’t recovered yet. She hadn’t given thought to what would be waiting for her in the near future, so she only quietly nodded. 

  Ning Yuxuan finally turned his head back to look at her. “Do you still not have anything that you want to say to me?” 

  Ji Man smiled. “My lord, do you have anything that you want to say to Sangyu?” 

  After a long pause, with the sound of the rain getting heavier and heavier, Ning Yuxuan said in a neutral tone, “I’ll take care of Xia-shi and Haohao. Nothing will happen to Hanyun and Xi-er either.” 

  What the f***? This was already the scene of their parting, and he was listing out his women and children? The corners of Ji Man’s lips twitched before she chuckled and said, “May my lord live to a hundred years old and have enough to descendants to fill a hall.” 

  Marquis Moyu deeply looked at her before pursing his lips and saying, “Big Meow is still in your courtyard. I’ll take good care of it too.” 

  “Oh. Thanks.” Ji Man really would miss that fellow. However, after going to the execution grounds, she had no idea what her future would look like. It was already going to be a problem to support herself, much less a toddy cat too. 

  It felt as if this carriage ride had been very long. When they finally arrived, Ning Yuxuan got down from the carriage first, opened an umbrella, and helped her down from the carriage. 

  Although there was an alarmingly heavy rainstorm, this hadn’t diminished the number of people at the execution grounds. They had on woven rush coats or were using umbrellas. In the nearby audience stands, the seats were filled with court officials and their wives. They were dressed quite magnificently. Sitting in center stand, where the officials would be supervising the execution, there was Ning Mingjie. 

  In front of them, the second prince turned around and said with a smile, “Sangyu, how about you go up there and sit at the closest stand to watch the execution? Since you’ll still be living on for Nie Clan, they’ll feel more at ease.” 

  Ji Man’s steps stiffened. She nodded and left the protective cover of Ning Yuxuan’s umbrella and headed towards the curtains of rain. 

  “Sangyu……” 

  There were over a hundred people kneeling on the execution ground. The third prince was at the forefront, and he hadn’t been tied up. The public thought that the second prince felt brotherly affection for his younger brother. And so, he would be allowed death by poisoned wine instead of being beheaded. As for the people behind the third prince, they were either his confidants or members of Nie Clan. 

  As soon as Ji Man turned her head, she saw Nie Xiangyuan and Nie Qingyun. They were right behind the third prince and had raised their heads to look at her. 

  Feeling as if her heart was being tightly clenched, Ji Man couldn’t take another step. She numbly stood in the pouring rain and let the rainstorm drench her from head to toe. 

  Chen-shi and Nie Chenyu were kneeling in the center of the group. As soon as Nie Chenyu saw Marquis Moyu, she kept crying, “My lord, my lord…… why won’t you save Chenyu? Why won’t you save Chenyu?” 

  Chen-shi cried to the point that her entire body was shaking. Desperately leaning against Nie Xiangyuan, she loudly mumbled, “Old Master, Old Master.” 

  Nie Qingyun hadn’t said a single word, but when he saw her, there was surprisingly a relieved look in his eyes. He faintly smiled and closed his eyes. 

  From a distance, Ning Yuxuan looked at the person standing in the rain. He pursed his lips and said, “Sangyu, go over there. Sit down next to Mingjie.” 

  Ji Man wanted to reply, “Okay.” But, when she opened her mouth, only a sob came out. 

  She was just an outsider. She should have already gotten used to seeing people in this novel dying. So why? Why did she feel so pained and wretched right now? 

  She absent-mindedly remembered that not long ago, when she had first visited Nie Residence, Nie Xiangyuan had gently stroked her hair as he said that if she was suffering any grievances, she could just come home. She also remembered the first time she met Nie Qingyun. He had been standing by her bed as she pretended to be unconscious. He reproachfully looked at Marquis Moyu as he questioned what had happened to her. They were the last two remaining people that treated Nie Sangyu the best, were they really going to depart from this world too? 

  From all sides, a feeling of boundless desolateness and loneliness pressed down on her. With a pale face, Ji Man slowly turned around. 

  In the midst of the battering sound of the heavy rain as it hit the ground, she heard the sound of crying welling up inside her. That was probably Nie Sangyu, who was crying as if her heart was being torn into pieces. Ji Man wanted to smile. Did her arrival help Nie Sangyu or had it only brought her pain? At the very least, when Nie Sangyu had originally died, her family members had all been alive then. 

  As she half-fell and half-crumpled onto a stool, she sensed the person next to her looking at her. Ji Man faintly smiled. Her gaze was unfocused as she said, “I’m so lucky. I get to be the only survivor.” 

  Translator Ramblings: Tiny spoiler for the next chapter part since chapter part 308 and 309 were originally one chapter. Nie Qingyun will be saved from execution. 

  When I first read this novel, this scene felt so tragic and devastating. Even now, on my third time reading it, Ji Man’s grief feels so palpably heartbreaking. But other than Nie Xiangyuan (who I argue isn’t a very good person) and Nie Qingyun (who will be saved), Nie Sangyu and Ji Man weren’t close to anyone else in her family. Since the beginning, Ji Man described Nie Residence as a dangerous lair of vipers. It says a lot that she would rather put with the craziness of Ning Yuxuan’s harem rather than get a divorce and live with Nie Sangyu’s maiden family. 

  Is Ji Man blaming herself? If she hadn’t helped Noble Consort Nie with her pregnancy, and the third prince hadn’t become emperor, the rest of Nie Clan might be safe right now. It might have been the empress’s family on the execution ground instead. But, there were so many other factors and other points that could have diverted Nie Clan’s extermination. Ji Man is just one person. 

  Anyways, if anything, the death of Nie Clan finally frees Ji Man from the shackles of Nie Sangyu’s family and having to be her. Ji Man spends the entirety of book 1 trying to succeed as Nie Sangyu, but it was simply impossible for Sangyu to get what she wanted as the daughter of Nie Clan. 

  What do you guys think?

  Chapter 309 – From now on, there’s nothing between the two of us (2) 

  Ning Mingjie slightly pursed his lips. He gestured with his hand for Changshan to bring his cloak over, then he draped his cloak over her. 

  On the third level of the stands, the second prince showed an amused look in his eyes. There was a hint of exhaustion on Pengyue’s face as she pushed his wheelchair forward. 

  “Should we really allow her to remain?” Zhao Li lightly said, “I don’t want to allow that woman to keep living. She’s too clever.” 

  It was if Pengyue had been jolted awake by his words. With an unhappy expression, she said, “Back then, we agreed that we would help her one time. A mere woman can’t overturn the heavens. What’s the big deal in letting her live? Ah Li, a good person wouldn’t turn around and return kindness with enmity.” 

  Zhao Li lightly harrumphed. He looked at her in askance and said, “You’re too soft-hearted.” 

  Still, in the end, he tightly gripped Pengyue’s hand. 

  Marquis Moyu was sitting on the second level of the stands with other people and quietly waiting for 11:00 AM. As soon as that hour arrived, it would be time for the third prince and his supporters to completely disappear. 

  Ji Man was also silently waiting. It seemed as if there was someone next to her that was trying to talk with her, but she didn’t hear that person’s words at all. 

  From far away, there seemed to be the sound of a carriage rushing over here. It was an unseemly scene as the carriage splashed through all the puddles on the way here. 

  As soon as the carriage had stopped, a married woman with a slightly protruding belly hastily came down from the carriage. Holding an item in her hand, she knelt down right in front of the execution ground and shouted, “Ning Errong requests to speak with His Highness, the second prince!” 

  “Errong!” Startled, Ning Mingjie stood up and wanted to go down, but then he glanced at the stand behind him. 

  With a stubborn expression, Ning Errong stayed kneeling in the puddle. With her head held high, she unrolled the imperial edict that she had been holding in her hand. “Ning Clan is willing to use the pardon that the late emperor had bestowed onto our clan for the life of Errong’s unborn child’s father!” 

  The viewing stands were in an uproar. Ning Yuxuan had also stood up. Nie Qingyun’s expression also finally changed, and he straightened his kneeling position as he furiously said, “No matter what position I fall to, I don’t need a woman to come here to save me! Moreover, we had already divorced. There’s nothing connecting us……” 

  “Does the baby in my belly not count as a connection?” Ning Errong lightly laughed. The falling rain had drenched her hair and caused some of it to stick to her face. She turned her head to look at him and said, “Do you think I want to save a faithless man like you? It’s only because I don’t want my unborn baby to have difficult days in the future, that’s the only reason why I would want a man like you.” 

  Ning Mingjie deeply furrowed his brow. Changshan, who had originally been standing by his side, had already gone over and was holding an umbrella above her head. 

  Looking at Errong’s belly, Nie Qingyun showed an especially vexed expression. “What are you doing……” 

  “Whatever you do, I’ll do it too.” Ning Errong pursed her lips and turned her head to look at the viewing stands. “This subject will audaciously ask the second prince a question. In your eyes, does an imperial edict from the late emperor still count?” 

  Back when Marquis Jingwen had accomplished a great meritorious service, the late emperor had bestowed an imperial edict that could be used at anytime to absolve one person of his or her crime. It was the equivalent to a ‘get out of jail free’ card. Marquis Jingwen had always treated the scroll that the imperial edict had been written on as a treasure. No one would have expected that Errong would be able to get her hands on it. 

  The second prince had been able to pulled Zhao Jue down without complications because he had used the excuse that he was getting revenge for the late emperor. He accused the third prince of patricide, and he had succeed in one fell swoop by using the pressure of public opinion as well as coordinating outside and inside offenses. 

  But now, Ning Errong was asking if he would honor the late emperor’s intentions. 

  And so, of course, he had to honor the late emperor’s wishes. Zhao Li had Pengyue push his wheelchair down to the ground level, and he personally took the imperial edict from Ning Errong. Smiling, he said, “As a pregnant woman, you need to be careful. Don’t let yourself catch a cold from being exposed to chilly weather. If you want to exchange this imperial edict for Nie Qingyun’s life, you can do so. But, everyone else’s life can’t be saved.” 

  Ning Errong laughed and said, “Errong just want her future child to have a father. Why would Errong care about the other people?” 

  “Alright then.” The second prince gave the imperial edict to Pengyue for safekeeping and looked at Nie Qingyun as he said, “So, what do you think about me sending him to Marquis Jingwen’s estate so that he can be a servant there?” 

  Nie Qingyun was shocked, and Nie Xiangyuan’s eyes were full of hate as he looked at Zhao Li. 

  Errong lowered her eyes and agreed, “Sure. Thank you, Your Highness.” 

  Ji Man blankly watched this scene. She watched as Nie Qingyun was forcefully led out of the group of people and stayed restrained on the side. Errong wasn’t standing far from him. Neither of them looked at each other. 

  Soon after, the drums were struck. 11:00 AM had arrived. 

  “No one else is coming forward to save anyone else, right?” Zhao Li pursed his lips and glanced at Ning Mingjie. 

  Ning Mingjie took a deep breath before throwing a token onto the ground and ordering, “Begin the execution.” 

  After the poisoned wine was forcefully poured into the third prince’s mouth, the executioner’s blade was raised. Nie Xiangyuan closed his eyes. 

  The mournful cries seemed to cleave through the horizon, but utter silence returned in the time it would take to burn an incense stick. 

  There was only endless red in Ji Man’s eyes. There were heads that rolled in the puddles of rainwater, and she could hear the echoing memory of people yelling their grievances before their deaths. 

  “Father -” A voice cried out as if her heart was being torn into shreds, but no one could hear her except Ji Man. 

  She was the only one that could feel Nie Sangyu’s heart-wrenching pain. 

  The second prince smiled as he said, “This is the only possible outcome for rebels and traitors. Yuxuan, do you agree?” 

  From the corner of his eyes, Marquis Moyu looked at the woman, who was sitting blankly. He pursed his lips and nodded. “En.” 

  “Has the divorce letter been written?” Zhao Li looked looked at Ning Yuxuan. The latter took the divorce letter from his sleeve, walked over, and placed it on her lap. 

  Ji Man lightly smiled. 

  Looking at her with a deep gaze, Ning Yuxuan said, “From now on, there’s nothing between the two of us.”


  Chapter 310 – Personally handing over the advantageous position (1) 

  Ji Man nodded and picked up the divorce letter. When she raised her head, her eyes were calm as she looked at Ning Yuxuan and said, “Sangyu thanks my lord.” 

  Marquis Moyu was slightly startled. He lowered his eyes and clenched his fist. With a lowered voice, he said, “Leave with Guibai.” 

  Guibai was already standing by a nearby carriage with Dengxin waiting next to him. The rain hadn’t lessened yet, instead it had gotten worse. The rain was heavy enough that the water was overflowing from the execution ground. As Ji Man walked towards the carriage, the stream of bloodied water stained her shoes. 

  Ji Man’s mind was somewhat muddled. She really needed to find a place to have a good rest. A divorced woman, whose family had been destroyed, naturally didn’t have any good options. Nie Sangyu no longer had any value. In a manner of speaking, she was more likely to be considered a harbinger of disaster. So, there was no reason for Ning Yuxuan to want to use her future, that’s why she trusted him and decided to leave the execution ground with Guibai. 

  However, at this moment, the crippled and psychopathic second prince looked at the nearby carriage and asked with a smile, “Yuxuan, where are you planning on sending Sangyu?” 

  Ning Yuxuan returned to his senses. His brow was furrowed as he tried to think of a suitable answer. 

  Original translation is from fuyuneko dot org. If you’re reading this elsewhere, this chapter has been stolen. Please stop supporting theft. 

  On the side, Ning Mingjie lightly said, “Nie Clan has perished, and it’s pitiful to see Sangyu orphaned and impoverished. She and Errong are best friends. Could Sangyu be sent to Jing Province as well? This way Errong will have someone to take care of her too.” 

  Nie Qingyun raised his eyes to look at Ning Errong. Ning Errong protectively clutched her belly, clutched her cloak to herself, and said, “That’s a good idea. Jing Province is very far from the capital. Your Highness, there’s no reason why you would need to worry about a woman that’s been thrown away by her husband either.” 

  Holding an umbrella over Zhao Li, Pengyue nodded and said, “Errong is such a kind-hearted person. As a pregnant woman, she really does need someone to care for her. Just let Sangyu go with her.” 

  Zhao Li silently sighed, pursed his lips, and said, “Fine.” 

  He knew that he couldn’t allow Pengyue’s soft-heartedness, but it was rare for her to request something from him. He couldn’t just flippantly refuse her. Although he verbally agreed, he looked at his nearby bodyguards meaningfully and stroked the dragon-shaped jade accessory at his waist. 

  Ji Man had inadvertently raised her eyes at this moment and thought that the jade accessory looked familiar. Where had she seen it before? 

  (T/N: Just in case it was too long ago, Ji Man saw a dragon-shaped jade accessory in Qian Lianxue’s room in chapter 246.) 

  — 

  The corpses of Nie Clan’s members were dragged away, roughly wrapped with straw mats, taken outside of the capital, and haphazardly tossed into a pile. Because they were judged guilty of the highest official offense, they weren’t even allowed to be buried with their ancestors. Huizhuang Empress Dowager had already committed suicide inside the palace and was given a burial rite in accordance to her status as a member of the late emperor’s harem. 

  (T/N: There was a brief mention of Nie Sangyu’s aunt being given the title of Huizhuang Empress Dowager after the late emperor’s death.) 

  The third prince was stripped of his imperial status and buried without any rites. His grave marker didn’t even have his last name carved onto it. 

  In the midst of these turbulent changes in the capital, the second prince obtained the emperor’s seal and acted as the temporary ruler. Using the laws of the imperial court, he settled past debts. Countless people were imprisoned or exiled. As for certain officials that originally had little status and were ignored, he promoted them into higher ranks. 

  Of course, none of these matters had anything to do with Ji Man. In the midst of that heavy rain, Ji Man never looked back as she had got into Errong’s carriage while bring Dengxin along. 

  Ning Yuxuan silently watched as the carriage moved farther and farther way. 

  Inside the carriage, Errong squeezed her friend’s ice-cold hand and said, “Forget about everything else. You can just live with me in the future.” 

  Nie Qingyun was still wearing his prison clothing and sitting across from them. His eyes were blood red. 

  “How can I forget?” Ji Man partially closed her eyes. “Errong, after we find an inn and change out of our wet clothes, I’ll share a carriage with my older brother, and you ride another carriage by yourself.” 

  “Why?” Errong tightened her grip on her hand. “What are you planning?” 

  Ji Man curved the corners of her lips. “If I was the second prince, I definitely wouldn’t allow any members of Nie Clan to leave the capital alive.” 

  Stunned, Errong suddenly became panicky. “He took the late emperor’s imperial edict. He can’t go back on his words, ah.” 

  “In the face of imperial power, only a muddled-headed idiot would keep his words.” Ji Man took a deep breath, then she looked at her and said, “It was outside of my expectations that you would come here to save my older brother.” 

  She had originally though that it would be very difficult for Nie Qingyun to escape too. 

  Errong glanced at Qingyun, then she pursed her lips and said, “He thinks that I’m an idiot. It’s not like I’m someone that doesn’t know anything. At first, I was really sad when I went back to my maiden home, but as soon as my father explained the matter, I understood what Qingyun had been thinking.” 

  Ji Man nodded. “It’s good that the two of you can mutually understand each other. Older brother, you want to keep living too, right?” 

  Nie Qingyun clenched his fist. “If I don’t keep living, then I wouldn’t be worthy of Errong come from so faraway to save me.” 

  “Let’s stop at that inn up front and send the servants to buy clothes for us to change into as well as hiring another carriage.” Ji Man squeezed the edge of her thoroughly wet clothes and lightly said, “After that’s done, just follow my plan.” 

  Errong glanced at Nie Qingyun in worry. “Nothing bad will happen, right?” 

  “It’ll depend on our luck.” Ji Man wryly smiled. “We’re going to have to do something dangerous if we want to escape with our lives. Besides, we don’t have anyone to help us.” 

  One of the carriage’s wheels suddenly got stuck in a water-filled pothole, and the carriage stopped. While the three people inside this carriage were startled, Dengxin and Baizhi had already gotten off from their carriage and walked to the carriage in the front. Holding up umbrellas, one of them said, “Masters, please leave the carriage. We have to pull the wheel out of the pothole.” 

  Ji Man parted the carriage’s curtain to look. There happened to be an unremarkable-looking inn by the carriage. Because of the heavy rain, there weren’t many pedestrians on the streets. 

  “Let’s change our clothes here.” 

  Errong nodded in agreement, and they went inside the inn. They had one of the inn’s staff lead their horses to the stable to get them fed, then they sent him off to purchase another carriage for them. 

  Ji Man and Nie Qingyun looked like two bedraggled drowned rats. Fortunately, the innkeeper didn’t ask any curious questions and just led them up the stairs. He even warm-heartedly brought over two commoner outfits for them to change into.

  Chapter 311 – Personally handing over the advantageous position (2) 

  After changing out of her wet clothing, Ji Man sniffled as she planned out their next move. “Once we go downstairs, Errong will board a carriage by herself, and older brother and I will board the carriage at the front. It would be great if there was someone around to help us make the situation more chaotic.” 

  In their group, only she and Nie Qingyun could be put into one carriage. They were wearing extra layers of clothes and helmets specially fashioned from cotton-padded cloth. At any time, they had to be ready to jump out of the carriage. It would be the best if they could avoid involving Errong any further. When the time came, they could only flee by jumping into a river. She had considered the option of jumping off a cliff, but since they weren’t the female lead, she couldn’t be sure that they would survive. 

  Errong still felt that this idea wasn’t very reliable. Just as she was hesitating, they heard their horses making neighing sounds from the inn’s rear courtyard. It seemed as if the horses were being forcefully led somewhere. 

  Horse thieves? Shocked, Ji Man hurriedly opened the window to look. 

  There were several people standing in the rear courtyard. There were three men dressed as carriage drivers as well as a man wearing coarse clothing. There were also four females. The two women had a married woman’s hairstyle, and the two younger girls were dressed like servants. 

  Ji Man raised her eyebrows. Why did this configuration look so familiar? 

  A stable lad had harnessed the horses to the three carriages. A man and a woman boarded the first carriage, the woman with the slightly protruding belly went into the middle carriage, and the two servant girls boarded the last carriage. 

  What a coincidence, he had thought of the same plan as her. Ji Man dryly laughed and pushed open the room’s doors. As expected, Guibai was standing right outside of their room. 

  Guibai cupped his hands and said, “Madam, you don’t need to worry. The marquis has already arranged everything. Just wait here until the evening before leaving.” 

  Ning Errong and Nie Qingyun were both slightly stunned as they looked at Guibai from the doorway. Fortunately, this inn wasn’t busy. The main entryway room was totally empty. 

  Ji Man smiled at Guibai and said, “I’m not his wife anymore. Give my thanks to your lord for his great benevolence and mercy.” 

  Guibai slightly pursed his lips and said, “Actually, the marquis, he……” 

  “I know. The marquis is still protecting me. Thanks.” Even though her face was showing a smile, for some unknown reason, her eyes were still slightly red. 

  Protecting Nie Sangyu? Is that why he opened the capital’s gate, ruined all of the third prince’s efforts, and allowed the rest of Nie Clan to accompany the third prince into death? Because he had done such a good job protecting her, if not for Errong, she would have been the only one that didn’t need to kneel in a puddle. She only had sit on the side and watch as her entire family was executed. 

  She hated this type of man the most. If he was going to protect her, why couldn’t he have protected everyone else too? If he only protected her and let her entire family die, what kind of lousy method was that? 

  It was also because the women in this era were too weak, so the men had the belief that women shouldn’t be involved in anything and should just safely hide behind their backs. 

  If this wasn’t their territory, she also wanted to annihilate their entire family so that not even a strand of hair was left. 

  This entire time, she had been living for the purpose of fulfilling Nie Sangyu’s wish. But now, after witness such a massacre today, Ji Man changed her mind. She wasn’t sure exactly what Nie Sangyu’s wish was anyways, so she might as well fulfill her own wish first. 

  Originally, she didn’t have any strong desires of her own. She just wanted to go back to modern-day sooner. But now, there were things that she wanted to do. 

  The three carriages left the inn and headed towards outside the capital. Ji Man and the others waited at the inn until the sky had darkened. Then, they followed Guibai down the stairs and exited the inn through a side door. They boarded a very large carriage and arrived at a relay station at the outskirts of the capital after the carriage had made many twists and turns. 

  Holding Errong’s ice-cold hand to support her, Nie Qingyun slightly pursed his lips and said, “Let’s wait here until tomorrow. We can continue on our way after the rain has stopped.” 

  Ji Man nodded her head to indicate her agreement. The three people separated into two rooms. They planned on leaving the capital as soon as dawn arrived the next day. 

  Inside her room, Ji Man lit a lamp and waited for someone to come. The rain had already ended, and the window was half-opened. 

  When the lampwick was half-used up, Ning Yuxuan finally didn’t fail to live up to her expectations. He snuck into her room through the window. 

  The man, whose shoulders were slightly wet, walked to her side and softly asked, “Were you waiting for me?” 

  Ji Man turned her head and looked at him with a beautiful smile. “I knew that my lord would come.” 

  Marquis Moyu was slightly stunned. There was surprising twinge of pain in his heart. 

  He sat down by her side and poured a cup of warm tea for himself. “Don’t you feel upset?” 

  A hundred or more members of Nie Clan had died on the execution ground today. Everyone had been discussing this matter today. He thought that she wouldn’t understand why he would open the capital’s gate for the second prince. He thought that she would hate him right now. 

  Looking at Ning Yuxuan, Ji Man stretched her hand out and gently clutched his hand. “Of course, I feel upset. But, it’s only because of the marquis that my life was saved. It’s already very good that I can keep living.” 

  Nie Sangyu, who had been cool-headed for so long, was now looking at him with reddened eyes and holding his hand. Ning Yuxuan’s heart slightly moved, and he stretched his other hand out to pull her into his arms. 

  “I’ll look for an opportunity to bring you back.” 

  Ji Man silently laughed. Her voice was very light as she asked, “My lord, how long do you want Sangyu to wait?” 

  “It won’t be long. Stay with Errong and take care of yourself.” Marquis Moyu closed his eyes. “This time, I finally won’t need to let you down.” 

  All of Nie Sangyu’s supporters’ power had collapsed. Right now, Nie Sangyu’s background was even cleaner than what Wen Wan’s had been. Ji Man understood. Previously, because of Nie Clan, he was very guarded against her and had all sorts of suspicions. He had always been hesitantly apprehensive towards her. But now, all of that was gone. For Ning Yuxuan to be wiling to come here, it clearly meant one thing. 

  He had fallen in love with the current Nie Sangyu. 

  He had fallen in love with Sangyu, who had been stripped of her family background. In other words, he had personally handed over the advantageous position to her.