The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

"Impending disaster?" These four words startled Shang Jingwang, causing him to glance at Huangfu Jingchen and Xia Wenjin. However, Huangfu Jingchen was looking at Huangfu Jinxuan, and Xia Wenjin was looking out the window.

He stammered, "Second Young Master, why do you say this?"

They had just breathed a sigh of relief, the epidemic was over, and the real impending disaster had been when Yu Shikui nearly burned him on the stake. Hadn’t that been over as well?

Huangfu Jinxuan took out his ever-present folding fan again, tapping it on the edge of the table, casting a sidelong glance at him, and said, "Since Emperor Pingzong, our Court has had a strict order: in case of disasters, reports must be submitted through superiors and not directly to the Capital City. If violated, the punishment ranges from demotion to beheading!"

Shang Jingwang was stunned. He had served as an editor at Wenbo Academy and had assisted in drafting the Nanxia Law Code. However, the Nanxia Law Code had undergone some revisions during its compilation.

Moreover, not every scenario would be included in the code. After all, the code is dead, people are alive, and the affairs of the world are ever-changing. One Nanxia Law Code cannot include everything.

Was such a clause really in the Nanxia Law Code? It had been so long, he could no longer remember clearly. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

He instinctively turned to Huangfu Jingchen for help.

Huangfu Jingchen calmly nodded, "Indeed, there is such a clause!"

The hope Shang Jingwang had held onto vanished, his face turning deathly pale. He muttered, "Young Master Jing, then... what should we do?"

If the Nanxia Law Code contained such a clause, Yu Shikui and his maternal uncle, Marquis Anning, would certainly seize upon it,

Perhaps having weathered so many storms before, Shang Jingwang’s face changed dramatically, but he did not lose his composure.

Huangfu Jingchen spoke slowly, "Since the Grand Ancestor Emperor established the Nanxia Dynasty, the Nanxia Law Code has been revised thirteen times over more than a century. The clause you mentioned was added during Emperor Pingzong’s reign, which was the ninth revision, fifty-seven years ago. However, it was deleted in the eleventh revision."

Even amidst panic, Shang Jingwang was astonished, his mouth agape. How could Young Master Jing be so familiar with the Nanxia Law Code?

Even Xia Wenjin, who was looking outside the window, couldn’t help but look over.

Xia Wenjin also knew about this clause; however, in her current capacity, she wasn’t supposed to know, so she said nothing.

Huangfu Jinxuan raised an eyebrow, looking at Huangfu Jingchen with a half-smile, "Whether it’s deleted or not is actually not important. It depends on whether someone wants to make use of it. Besides, many things deleted from the code aren’t really abolished; they are just traditional customs not needing written record. And this is precisely such a clause!"

Shang Jingwang frowned, struggling to say, "Perhaps, Lord Yu... doesn’t know?"

Huangfu Jinxuan chuckled softly, opening his folding fan and fanning himself flamboyantly, "Right, for a low-ranking scholar like him, who hasn’t even understood his own studies, he certainly won’t know the Nanxia Law Code this well, so he definitely doesn’t know."

Xia Wenjin’s gaze flickered slightly, and she too smiled as she comforted him, "Lord Shang, there’s no need to worry. You’ve forgotten that you have the commendation Holy Decree, indicating that even the Emperor didn’t mind this matter. So why scare yourself?"

Shang Jingwang breathed a sigh of relief, wiping his sweat, "Right, right, right, the Emperor is wise. Since he has granted me the commendation Holy Decree, it means he won’t hold this oversight against me!"

Huangfu Jinxuan shook his head, "That’s not necessarily true. At the time of the epidemic, you risked your own safety and personally went to the epidemic site. This act earned the Emperor’s praise, and the matter from Prince Ping’s times passed more than decades ago, momentarily forgotten. If it were just the Emperor remembering, it might be fine, but if someone else recalls this and points it out to the Emperor, your life would be at risk!"

Xia Wenjin rolled her eyes and said, "Second Young Master, why scare Lord Shang? After all, since the Emperor granted the commendation Holy Decree, the Emperor’s words are gold and won’t be withdrawn."

Huangfu Jinxuan scorned, "Miss Xia is not in the bureaucracy, so it’s normal not to understand the complexities. Since the Emperor granted the commendation Holy Decree, if someone entangles in this matter and holds on to it, Lord Shang’s crime would be even greater. There’s also the crime of seeking credit, rashness, and deceiving the sovereign, from which there’s no redemption!"

He sighed, "Lord Shang, how could you be so confused? How could you forget to report this to your superior? If you had reported it, Yu Shikui would have... oh, no, I’ve realized this is a dead end for you!"

He stopped fanning himself, his eyes wide open, "If you had reported earlier, the low-ranking scholar would have acted sooner. At that time, without the imperial envoy present, everything would be up to him, and by now, the grass on your graves would be sprouting. If you reported late, the Court would indict you, and still, your life wouldn’t be spared, although it did save the township of Wangshan. Is that what you thought, Lord Shang?"

Shang Jingwang gave Huangfu Jingchen a bitter look.

Is that what Young Master Jing thought?

There is no doubt or suspicion; this is a fact. If Young Master Jing didn’t know about this clause in the law code, it could be said to be an oversight, but he clearly knew!

Shang Jingwang’s heart sank to the ground. Yes, if he reported it earlier and they hadn’t found a cure for the epidemic yet, Yu Shikui would have had more reason to act. If not stopped by the imperial envoy that day, he and the entire Wangshan Town would have been burned to the ground.

He had trusted Young Master Jing, followed his advice, ventured into danger personally, and now he roughly understood that Young Master Jing wanted to save the residents of Wangshan Town.

If he hadn’t come personally, someone like Kong Tixin, who looked down on others, would certainly give him a hard time. What he needed was someone who could suppress Kong Tixin, right?

Shang Jingwang’s heart continued to sink. The person he trusted was actually using him, although behind the use was the rescue of more people.

But whose life is deemed so cheap?

Shang Jingwang’s heart was not only heavy but also in pain.

However, he wasn’t a grumbling middle-aged man, so he wouldn’t whine incessantly about dissatisfaction, just that his mood was very low.

On the other side, Huangfu Jinxuan was unaware of what he was thinking, didn’t know what Huangfu Jingchen had said to Shang Jingwang earlier, and had no knowledge of how they had made it through. By the time he arrived, the isolation area had been in use for quite some time, and the epidemic was already under control.

He remarked with emotion, "In the bureaucracy, always be cautious and meticulous! That’s why I’d rather be a playboy! Sometimes, even when you intend well, the result can be a disaster! Tell me, Lord Shang, how could you be so foolish for once?"

Shang Jingwang glanced at Huangfu Jingchen, who said nothing, appearing calm.

In that calmness, Shang Jingwang’s mood sank further. No surprise, no shame, just calmness—did this mean that he had long anticipated such a result?