I Refused The Male Lead And Got Claimed By His Triplet Sisters [GL]

Chapter 51: Exile

General Han Zheng gestured for the royal guards to surround the Emperor as everyone watched Shen Lieyin wield her sword with strength that transcended her lean frame.

Qingyue grabbed Lieyin’s arm. "Enough."

But the second triplet had gone too far to return. "How about we strip this palace bare. Tear down every wall and see how much rot you’ll find under your precious throne. So quick to fall for the pitiful act she used to become the Empress."

General Han Zheng’s hand moved to his own sword. "You forget yourself and where you’re standing."

"No," Lieyin snapped, a maddening smile on her face. "I remember exactly where I stand." Her gaze swept through the court, cold and furious, "And if justice will not be served here today, I’ll take every one of you to hell with me."

The threat hung in the air—raw, undeniable, impossible. And for the first time Shen Qingyue was out of ideas to resolve the situation. Even Yexue stood to the side, crippled by the fact that the Empress’s seal was indeed found in her chamber.

"Your highness!" Empress Lihua exclaimed, "We must do something, Lieyin has gone mad. I’m afraid we must stop her before she causes real harm."

"Why don’t you come here and stop me?" Lieyin asked the Empress. "Having others do your dirty work is not very respectable."

"You dare to speak down on the Empress and threaten the throne?" General Han Zheng exclaimed, "this is punishable by execution. We cannot have an enemy of the emperor be among us."

The other ministers yelled in agreement, knees going to the floor. "She must be punished to restore peace in the palace."

General Han Zheng continued, "This is not only a crime against the Empress, but against the kingdom."

Qingyue found it laughable how quick the tables had turned. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

"This warrants execution, they can’t be allowed to lead a rebellion against his majesty."

The ministers echoed their agreement.

"Then we should all be executed together," Lieyin declared with a smile, sword raised and ready to strike when the Emperor’s voice boomed.

"Enough!"

It felt like his Majesty was truly seeing his daughters for the first time. He had never expected anything but cordial respect between them, which was why he didn’t understand when there was a pang in his chest.

In his earlier days he’d been just as hot-headed as Lieyin, so he knew she meant every word about striking everyone down even if it killed her.

He also couldn’t allow it.

All three of them bore the face of his late wife, always reminding him of what he’d lost. But to show any emotion order than fury in the palace was to give the many knives at his back easy access.

"You stand accused of treason," he continued, "of falsifying evidence, and threatening the peace this kingdom has enjoyed for many years."

The triplets said nothing.

General Han Zheng stepped forward. "Your Majesty, this is precisely why they must be executed. Their defiance—"

"No."

Han Zheng flinched like he’d been physically hit.

Since falling ill, the Emperor had let Han Zheng dictate things in court, let him rule from behind the scenes. Knew the only thing that had kept the General in check were his daughters. And the moment they were gone, he was going to be completely devoured.

He wasn’t strong enough to protect them the way they deserved.

"Execution would grant them an end," he continued, measured. "They do not deserve such simplicity."

A chill spread through the hall. The triplets felt it immediately.

This was worse.

"They will be stripped of their titles," the Emperor continued. "Their names removed from the imperial registry."

Each word landed like a sentence carved in stone.

"They will be exiled beyond the borders of this kingdom."

Shen Yexue’s knees nearly gave out.

Exile.

Not death.

But not life either.

"They are never to return," he finished.

Heavy silence followed.

The Empress bowed her head, as though in reluctant acceptance. "Your majesty, please reconsider..." she dropped to her knees and Lieyin gagged. "Surely they can be pardoned, I know they don’t really mean harm."

"My judgement is final."

The triplets stood there, eerily quiet. Even Lieyin had lowered her sword. In all the plans they’d made, this had never seemed like a possible outcome.

Qingyue instinctively reached for her sisters, guilt eating at her for not knowing how to fix this. There was no move left to make.

Only consequences that would push them beyond the palace walls. There was only uncertainty waiting for them.

"You can’t just—"

Qingyue squeezed Lieyin’s arm.

An important part of survival was knowing when to charge on and knowing when to call defeat. And right now it was the latter.

"As your majesty wills," Qingyue said softly.

She’ll let the Empress think she’d won, but when the time was right—both vengeance and that throne would be hers.

"The Emperor has declared his judgement," there was a bit of relief in General Han Zheng’s voice. "The princesses..." he backtracked, "My mistake for forgetting that they have no title."

There was a snicker among the ministers, the sound its own mockery.

"They will be escorted out of the kingdom come morning after the royal decree has been read to the majesty’s subjects. For now, the royal attendants will remove everything that is tied to their former title."

The triplets had never been so humiliated as they watched the attendants walk over to them, hesitant at first. Then they reached towards them with shaky hands, loosening silk robes adorned with embroidery.

Servants that had once dressed them, adorned them, knelt before.

General Han Zheng stretched out his hand. "Your identity tokens."

One by one, they pulled it out and dropped it into his palm. Next were their hair ornaments and jade pendants. Layer by layer, the weight of the rank began to fall away.

Shen Yexue flinched when her hairpin was removed too quickly, her breath catching—but she made no sound.

"Don’t touch me!" Lieyin yelled when one of the maids got too close. But it was Qingyue that took it the hardest.

Used to always being efficient and on the move, she had failed to protect her sister when it mattered the most. If it weren’t for her...

"Enough," she said quietly to Lieyin whose chest rose and fell, fury trembling under her skin. But she didn’t fight again.

Not because she accepted her fate, but because she understood that this was a moment they could not win.

Even if she decided to fight them, it would take the grace of all the heavens for all three of them to make it out alive.

So she let them take everything from her.

What remained after the attendants were done was...nothing. They’d been reduced to something unimportant.

"From this moment you will no longer be addressed as daughters of the imperial line. You will not bear the name of this house," General Han Zheng said with the eagerness of a toad.

Yexue’s fingers curled into the fabric at her knees.

"You will not be recorded within the loyal registry."

Lieyin’s jaw clenched, hard enough to hurt.

"You are to be regarded as subjects of no distinction. Never to return to the kingdom."

Qingyue did not move. Did not blink. But something in her gaze sharpened.

In a voice that felt foreign even to the Emperor, he said, "Remove them."

Just like that they were dismissed. The guards stepped forward again, strong hands folding over their arms like they were criminals.

Yexue stumbled as she was forced to stand, her balance unsteady without the weight she always carried. Lieyin jerked against the grip on her, a flash of resistance that faded just as quickly as it came.

Qingyue rose on her own.

Straight.

Unyielding.

But she turned, her eyes lifted to the Empress and something brief passed between them. It wasn’t defeat or victory, but recognition.

The two women knew the battle was far from over.

One day they would meet again, and Qingyue swore within her that the roles would be reversed. And she would make everyone standing in the hall beg for their life at her feet. Especially Empress Lihua—she would give her a fate worse than death.

Then the throne will be hers, whether the heavens wanted it or not.

Ru Yi, who was now free of all accusations, risked a look at the triplets as they passed her. Only to find Yexue’s eyes on her.

She immediately looked away, unable to bear the pain that was so visibly won on her face. In hindsight this was the best possible outcome.

They’d managed to avoid bloodshed and most importantly, she was now free to live the life she wanted for herself. The Empress had surprisingly kept her end of the bargain.

A bright future awaited her. One where she didn’t have to worry about the triplets or getting executed for a crime she didn’t commit.

It looked like hope was shining on her. She’d managed to avoid death without getting tied to the crown prince or the wolves—

What was she to call them now?

Not like it mattered. She was alive and free, what could possibly go wrong?