novelaction Chapter 337 (72 words added)
Chapter 337 (72 words added)
The borderlands were bitterly cold, and her father and brothers led the 100,000-strong Xue family army in a fierce battle against the enemy in the freezing snow. Meanwhile, in the capital, the Xue family was mired in a series of crises. In the court, political enemies began to stir, constantly slandering the Xue family army before the emperor, accusing them of aggression and accusing them of holding too much power. The emperor, already wary of the Xue family army's strength, grew increasingly suspicious after hearing these accusations. She even went to the palace herself! This decision greatly surprised her maids, who all advised her against acting rashly. But her mind was made up. For the honor of her family, for her own future, she had to take the risk. Stepping through the vermilion palace gates, she felt a suffocating atmosphere. The palace rules were strict; every step had to be taken with extreme caution. Following the directions, she arrived at the Empress's palace. The Empress sat regally on the main seat, her sharp eyes scrutinizing her, as if she could see right through her. "You audacious girl, daring to enter the palace without permission, what brings you here?" the Empress asked coldly. She took a deep breath, slowly knelt, and earnestly explained the predicament her family faced and her own demands, her words filled with pleading and tears streaming down her face. The Empress listened in silence for a long time. Just when she thought all hope was lost, the Empress suddenly chuckled, "Very well, seeing your sincerity, I will help you this time." Overjoyed, she hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude. This trip to the palace had finally brought a turning point. She explained the whole story to the Emperor in detail and presented some evidence proving it was a conspiracy by her political enemies. The Emperor, hearing Xue Yao's words, wavered. Just then, news arrived from the border that her father and brothers had uncovered the truth, the young general had been arrested, and the evidence was irrefutable. The Emperor was overjoyed, and his trust in the Xue family increased even further. The political enemies' conspiracy had failed once again; they were furious but helpless. Xue Yao knew that although they had weathered another crisis, the road ahead was long, and the Xue family still needed to be cautious. The Xue family mansion was no longer peaceful. Families that had grudges against the Xue family began to secretly cause trouble, sending people to create disturbances and sow discord within the family. Some members of the Xue family's collateral branches, in order to protect themselves, even began to waver and wanted to distance themselves from the main family.
Xue Yao, the eldest daughter of the Xue family, was intelligent and decisive from a young age. She knew that the Xue family was currently facing internal and external difficulties, and the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin. That day, Xue Yao had just calmed down several wavering members of the collateral branches when she received news that a minister in court was impeaching the Xue family again, demanding that the emperor reduce the Xue family's military strength. Xue Yao was extremely anxious. She knew that if the Xue family's military strength was reduced at this time, the border war would likely be lost, and her father, brothers, and 100,000 soldiers would be in danger. After much deliberation, Xue Yao decided to go to the palace to meet the emperor. She dressed herself carefully, carrying records of the Xue family's generations of loyalty to the emperor and service to the country, and entered the palace. Outside the imperial study, she pleaded earnestly and finally obtained an audience with the emperor. Upon meeting the emperor, Xue Yao remained neither humble nor arrogant, recounting the Xue family's loyalty and the situation on the border, and presenting the records of their achievements. The emperor listened to her words and looked at the records, his expression gradually softening. Just then, news came from outside the palace: the Xue family's army had achieved a great victory, decisively defeating the enemy. The emperor was overjoyed, and his suspicions about the Xue family lessened somewhat, finally putting Xue Yao at ease. She knew, however, that the Xue family was now facing a life-or-death crisis.