I am invincible, that's why I lie down. You're using your entire clan to rebel?

Chapter 455 Han Zhong is in despair! His wife wants to go to the palace to meet the emperor!?

As soon as Liu Ruolan said this...

The hall fell silent, as still as a stagnant pool, with even breathing reduced to a minimum!

All eyes turned to her, their eyes filled with shock, disbelief, and a complex, indescribable light.

Han Demao was the first to speak, his voice sharp.

"Ruolan, what nonsense are you talking about!"

Han Dechang's face turned ashen, and his brows furrowed.

"Madam, how can this be? You are Han Zhong's wife, the matriarch of the Han family, how can you..."

Han Deren waved his hand, interrupting him, his voice low and deep.

"Why not? We have to try anything to save Han Zhong."

Han Demao suddenly turned his head and glared at Han Deren.

"Are you crazy?! She's Han Zhong's wife! If she's made to serve His Majesty, even if Han Zhong survives, how will he ever face anyone?"

Han Deren did not back down and raised his voice several decibels.

"Face? Can face feed us? Han Zhong is about to be beheaded, what does face matter!"

Han Dechang also joined the debate, his voice urgent.

"But His Majesty might not be interested in the Lady! Although she still retains her charm, she is nearing forty. Which of His Majesty's concubines isn't younger and more beautiful than her?"

Han Deren sneered, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"Have you forgotten? His Majesty even took Xu Longxiang's sister, Xu Fenghua, as a concubine. Who is Xu Fenghua? She is also a married woman, a woman in her thirties. Since His Majesty was able to take her, it means that His Majesty is not prejudiced against married women."

The hall fell silent once more.

The expressions on everyone's faces were extremely complex.

Liu Ruolan stood in the center of the main hall, listening to the elders' argument, her heart filled with complex emotions she couldn't quite describe.

Of course she didn't want this to happen.

She is Han Zhong's wife, the matriarch of the Han family, and the mother of Han Xin'er and Han Qin'er.

How could she possibly serve another man?

But what if this is the only way to save Han Zhong?

She couldn't bear to watch Han Zhong die, couldn't bear to see her daughters lose their father, and couldn't bear to see her family fall apart.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

then,

Liu Ruolan opened her eyes, and the hesitation and struggle in them were gradually fading away, replaced by a resolute determination to burn her bridges!

"My uncles and elders, there's no need to argue anymore."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the deathly silent hall.

She turned around and faced the entrance to the main hall.

Looking out at the courtyard illuminated by the morning light, the golden ginkgo tree in the yard, and the leaves rustling in the morning breeze.

Liu Ruolan's voice was so calm it sounded like she was talking to herself.

"I'm willing to do anything to save my husband."

Tears welled up silently in her eyes and streamed down her pale cheeks.

She didn't wipe it; she just stood there, her back straight, her gaze firm.

Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence.

The elders looked at her, at her retreating figure, and all fell silent.

No one spoke anymore, no one argued anymore, no one objected anymore.

They just lowered their heads and sighed.

Han Demao, leaning on his cane, walked unsteadily to her, reached out, and gently patted her shoulder.

"Ruolan... I'm so sorry to have wronged you."

Liu Ruolan shook her head and remained silent.

Her tears were still flowing, but the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, forcing out a smile that was even uglier than crying.

Han Deren clasped his hands in a fist salute and bowed, his voice low and firm.

"The lady's righteousness will be forever remembered by the entire Han family."

Han Dechang also bowed, his voice hoarse.

"Madam...take care."

One by one, the clan elders stood up, bowed to Liu Ruolan, and turned to leave.

The footsteps gradually faded away and disappeared into the courtyard.

As the last person walked out of the main hall, he looked back once more.

The hall was empty, with only Liu Ruolan standing there.

The morning light streamed in from outside the door, illuminating her and making her slender figure stand out clearly.

Her shadow was cast on the gold bricks, all alone, stretched very long.

Liu Ruolan lowered her head, looking at her slightly trembling hands, and felt a chill in her heart.

She knew that from this moment on, she was no longer the Liu Ruolan she once was.

At this time,

"Mother." A clear voice came from the doorway.

Liu Ruolan suddenly came to her senses, quickly lowered her head, and wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve.

She looked up, a slight smile playing on her lips, and turned to face the doorway.

Han Xin'er stood on the threshold, holding her younger sister Han Qin'er's hand.

The morning light shone on the two women, making their identical faces exceptionally clear.

Han Xin'er's eyes were full of worry, while Han Qin'er was completely bewildered.

"Mother, why are you crying?" Han Xin'er asked softly, letting go of her sister's hand, quickly walking to Liu Ruolan, reaching out and gently taking her mother's hand.

The hand was cold and trembling slightly.

She gripped it tighter, trying to transfer her warmth to it.

Liu Ruolan shook her head and forced a smile, "It's nothing. Mother didn't cry, the sand just got in her eyes."

Han Xin'er didn't speak, she just looked at her mother.

She understands everything and sees everything, but she says nothing.

Han Qin'er also came over, tilting her head to look at her mother, and then at her sister.

Although she was naive, she wasn't stupid; she sensed the heavy, suffocating atmosphere in the air.

"Mother, where is Father? Why hasn't Father come back yet?"

Liu Ruolan squatted down to be at eye level with her daughter.

She reached out and gently brushed away the stray hairs that had fallen across Han Qin'er's forehead.

"Father... won't be back for a few more days. He's busy, but he'll be back when he's done."

Han Qin'er blinked and nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Oh. Will Father bring me a present when he comes back?"

Liu Ruolan almost burst into tears.

She bit her lip, swallowing back the surging bitterness, and said softly:

"Yes, Father loves Qin'er the most and will definitely bring her a gift."

Han Qin'er smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, revealing two small tiger teeth. "Then I'll wait for Daddy to come back!"

She turned around and skipped out of the main hall.

Han Xin'er did not follow.

She stood in front of her mother, her gaze fixed on her mother's face, her lips slightly parted, then closed, then parted again, then closed again.

She hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

"Mother, are you... going to see His Majesty?"

Liu Ruolan's body stiffened abruptly, her pupils contracted slightly, and she quickly suppressed them.

She smiled, her voice soft.

"Yes. Mother is going to see His Majesty to plead for your father."

Han Xin'er's eyes reddened.

She bit her lip, desperately holding back the surging tears.

She simply nodded, her voice hoarse.

"Mother, you... be careful."

Liu Ruolan finally couldn't hold back her tears, which silently welled up from her eyes.

She reached out and pulled her daughter into her arms, holding her tightly.

Han Xin'er leaned on her shoulder and closed her eyes.

The mother and daughter hugged each other for a long time.

After a while,

Liu Ruolan released her daughter, stood up, and wiped away her tears with her sleeve.

"Go and watch over your little sister, don't let her run around."

Han Xin'er nodded and turned to walk towards the door.

He took two steps, then stopped without looking back.

"Mother, no matter what happens, my sister and I will wait for you and Father to come back."

She stepped across the threshold and disappeared into the morning light.

Liu Ruolan stood there, watching the disappearing figure, her heart filled with bitterness and sorrow.

She took a deep breath, turned around, and walked towards the inner room.

She needed to change her clothes, do her makeup, and face the man she had never seen before, a man who held the power of life and death over the world.

.......

Heaven Prison.

It was cold and damp, with a musty smell and a strong stench of blood in the air.

Li Si walked down the passageway, the oil lamps on the stone walls on both sides flickering in the darkness, casting his shadow on the mottled stone walls, sometimes long and sometimes short.

The golden-armored guards led the way, their steps steady, the clanging of their armor producing a crisp metallic scraping sound.

He stopped in front of the deepest, most secluded, and darkest cell.

The iron gate was rusted and the iron lock on it was as thick as a child's arm.

The golden-armored guard took out the key, inserted it into the lock, and with a "click," the lock opened.

The iron gate was pushed open with a sharp, teeth-grinding creak.

Li Si bent down and went inside.

The cell was small, containing only a stone bed covered with straw, a dilapidated wooden stool, and a chipped earthenware bowl.

Han Zhong sat on the stone bed, his back against the cold stone wall, his hands hanging at his sides, his shackles dragging on the ground.

His hair was disheveled, his face was covered with dried bloodstains, and his official robe was tattered and stained with mud and blood.

He heard the sound, slowly raised his head, and saw Li Si standing at the door. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

But that surprise lasted only a moment before being swallowed up by a deeper weariness and resignation.

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister... what brings you here?"

Han Zhong's voice was hoarse, carrying a deep-seated weariness.

Li Si walked up to him, stopped, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked down at him.

His gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then he sighed.

"I've come to tell you a few things."

Han Zhong didn't move; he just leaned there, gazing at him.

His lips parted slightly, and his voice was hoarse.

"Please speak, Prime Minister."

Li Si remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke:

"Your wife, Liu Ruolan, came to my residence today requesting an audience with His Majesty to plead for your life."

Han Zhong's body stiffened abruptly, and a light suddenly shone in his cloudy eyes!

Then it was swallowed up by even deeper fear and anxiety.

Because he knew what that meant!

This means his wife is about to enter the palace!

And this happened right after His Majesty showed interest in his wife!

"How...how could she..."

Han Zhong's voice was shrill. He sprang up from the stone bed, the shackles rattling as he lunged at the iron gate, gripping the rusty iron bars tightly with both hands.

"Your Excellency! How could you let her go! How could you..."

Li Si looked at him, his gaze calm as still water.

"I couldn't stop her. She said she would do anything to save you."

Han Zhong's tears welled up instantly, streaming down his blood-stained face.

His forehead pressed against the cold iron bars, his voice hoarse and broken.

"Your Excellency...please help me...please stop her...don't let her go...don't let her..."

Li Si shook his head.

"I couldn't stop her. His Majesty has already agreed, and she will be allowed to enter the palace to meet him tomorrow."

Han Zhong's body jolted violently, as if he had been struck hard on the back with a stick.

His hand slowly slid off the iron bars, his legs buckled, and he knelt on the ground with a thud.

His head hung low, his forehead touching the cold stone slab, his shoulders trembling violently, and he let out suppressed sobs.

Li Si looked at him, sighed, and spoke even softer.

"His Majesty sent me to tell you that he did not summon your wife. It was your wife who took the initiative to go see him."

Han Zhong's body suddenly stiffened!

Then his tears flowed even more fiercely.

He understood everything.

He knows everything.

But what could he do?

He can't do anything.

He was imprisoned in this dark and gloomy dungeon, where no one listened to his pleas, and he couldn't even find a place to kowtow.

Li Si didn't say anything more, he just stood there and looked at him.

He didn't speak for a long time.

"This is all I can do. The rest... is up to Your Majesty."

He turned around and walked towards the cell door.

He took two steps, then stopped without looking back.

"Han Zhong, the crimes you committed should have resulted in the extermination of your entire clan. However, His Majesty has shown great mercy by only executing you. This is already an act of divine grace. You should take heed of your actions."

He stepped forward and crossed the threshold.

The iron gate slowly closed behind him with a soft "bang," shutting out the flickering oil lamp outside and the last ray of light.

Han Zhong knelt on the ground, his forehead touching the cold stone slab, tears streaming silently down his face. Only one thought occupied his mind.

Ruolan, don't go, don't go...

But he knew she would definitely go.

She will definitely go.