Cold-faced Empress

Xia Suxi gave Fu Siying a deep look before turning and hurriedly reuniting with her family. Fu Siying calmly said to the guard Fang Zhi, "I did indeed speak after careful consideration."

Fang Zhi looked helpless.

Xia Suxi told her family that the Emperor and Prince Mu had agreed to Fu Siying's decision to defy the imperial decree and break off the engagement, but the Emperor still needed to consider bestowing another marriage upon her.

When Xia Jijiu could not wait for the Emperor's summons, he was filled with anxiety: "The matter of bestowing a marriage is of great importance and cannot be rushed. You did not act rashly or impetuously in front of the Emperor and Prince Mu, did you?"

Xia Suxi shook her head awkwardly: "N-no..."

Hearing the Xia family's conversation, Madam Li gripped Fu Siying's hand tightly with extreme worry: "What did you tell the Emperor and Prince Mu?"

"I have said everything that needed to be said outside the ship. I will bear the consequences of disobeying the imperial decree alone. The Emperor and Prince Mu have both agreed."

"You! How can you bear this alone!" Madam Li suddenly burst into tears. "That's defying the imperial edict! Siying, if anything happens to you, how can your mother and father bear it!"

Fu Siying quickly comforted her mother, whispering, "Mother, don't panic. The Emperor and Prince Mu haven't said what the consequences will be for my disobeying the imperial decree. Don't you think that I did this to save Xia Suxi's life? How could there be serious consequences? If the Emperor really wants to punish me, it will only be a token punishment at most."

Li felt distressed and couldn't laugh: "Just a little something? You're like the Emperor's mind reader, you know what that means!"

As Fu Siying repeatedly comforted her mother, a loud shout of "The Emperor is departing!" came from the dragon boat.

Everyone knelt down and bowed to the Emperor in respect.

Watching the dragon boat gradually disappear into the distance, and recalling how readily Mo Canglan had agreed, Fu Siying pursed her lips, her expression complex.

Given what happened today, her marriage to Mo Canglan can be legally dissolved, but it won't be easy for Xia Suxi to marry Mo Canglan.

The Emperor's initial intention in wanting her to marry Mo Canglan was simply to gain the support of the powerful families represented by Prime Minister Fu. Although the Xia family was also a powerful family, they were already loyal to the Emperor and Prince Mu, so the Emperor would not use a marriage alliance to gain their loyalty.

The position of Princess Consort of Mu is a tempting prize; the Emperor would never be willing to waste it.

However, if the Emperor is unwilling to allow the Xia family to form a marriage alliance with Prince Mu, the Xia family's loyalty may be compromised.

Hehe, the Emperor is now in a difficult position.

The Emperor has lost both his wife and his army; has he now lost both Prince Mu and Xia?

After learning what had happened, Prime Minister Fu did not reprimand Fu Siying.

“The situation was critical at the time, and your actions were correct,” Prime Minister Fu nodded heavily. “Now, it depends on the Emperor and Prince Mu’s intentions. I reckon the Emperor won’t punish you too severely. That’s good too; with your engagement to Prince Mu dissolved, my burden will be lighter.”

Fu Siying nodded: "Yes."

Both father and daughter thought so, but reality slapped them in the face.

The following morning at court, countless impeachment memorials fell like snowflakes onto the Emperor's desk. They accused Prime Minister Fu of not wiping his mouth after eating, thus affecting his appearance, and of walking too slowly, thus delaying the appointed time… The impeachments were all trivial matters!

In front of the entire court, the chief eunuch read out one memorial after another, and Prime Minister Fu's face turned pale and then red, extremely embarrassed.

More than half of the court officials participated in impeaching Prime Minister Fu.

If it weren't for Prime Minister Fu's consistent fairness, integrity, and diligence, he would have been impeached and exiled with his property confiscated.

There were too many impeachment memorials, so the emperor publicly reprimanded Prime Minister Fu, leaving him utterly humiliated.

How embarrassing! Extremely embarrassing.

After returning home, Prime Minister Fu was too embarrassed to tell his family that when he went to court the next day, he suffered the same miserable fate.

Although Prime Minister Fu didn't complain to his family, he had Fu Rongchen! Fu Rongchen was also considered a potential official and held a high position among his classmates at the academy. His classmates were all sons of officials, and after hearing jokes from their parents, they would inquire about Fu Rongchen's situation at the academy with ill intent, which greatly embarrassed Fu Rongchen.

And so, the whole family found out.

Fu Siying listened to her younger brother's complaints while her lips twitched. She never expected Mo Canglan to be so childish!

Of course, this was Mo Canglan's doing! Otherwise, besides the Emperor, who else could have made so many court officials make such a ridiculous impeachment!