Chapter 723: Beating around the Bush and Making Trouble

Soon, a delicate breakfast was served.

Yang Ye said, “I went to the palace this morning and had breakfast with Grandpa Emperor. Third brother, you eat by yourself.”

“Eh, what did you do looking for Grandpa Emperor this morning?” Yang Wang asked.

“Just some idle chatter, you know me, always making up something when a thought strikes me.” Yang Ye said with a casual smile.

“Hey, that’s not true. Who said you have no real business? Aren’t you revising the ‘Daqi Laws’ under the command of our father emperor?”

“That’s not urgent.” Yang Ye leaned back in his chair and asked, “Third brother, did you come to my residence for some business?”

“There is a small matter.” Yang Wang’s face indicated hesitation as he put down his chopsticks and asked, “How do you plan to revise the ‘Daqi Laws’?”

“I will refine the rough parts and fill in the areas that were previously overlooked.” Yang Ye responded succinctly.

“I see.” Yang Wang nodded. “Actually, I have a matter on which I can’t make up my mind. I want to ask for your advice.”

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s like this. A while ago, I spent some time in a military camp and got to know a few soldiers. There’s one foot soldier who loves his wife dearly, but she resents him for not being home often and for his capability. A few days ago, she eloped with another man with all the property at home.”

“However, the wife soon returned because the man she eloped with turned out to be a trickster and almost sold her off.”

At this point, Yang Wang paused and looked at Yang Ye.

Yang Ye nodded, “And then?”

“Then this little soldier took her back without holding a grudge. But the soldier’s comrades feel wronged. A woman who has eloped with another man comes back and lives her life as if nothing wrong had been committed, as if there’s no moral justice.”

“So they came to me and asked if I could sentence this woman. When I looked up the ‘Daqi Laws’, I found no related provisions, so I came to ask you.”

“Look, clearly, this woman ditches the poor for the rich and is fickle-hearted, but just because the soldier loves her, her elopement is being brushed aside. But wrong is wrong, if we let the first time slide, maybe this woman will elope again in the future.”

“Plus, it sets a bad precedent. Imagine if other women take a cue from this, our Daqi would be in total chaos, wouldn’t it?”

“She must be punished severely!”

Yang Ye “….”@@novelbin@@

He furrowed his eyebrows and said, “This rule was expressly abolished by Grandpa Emperor when he established the ‘Daqi Laws’. I dare not add anything he abolished.”

“But wrong is wrong.”

“Yes, eloping with someone is wrong indeed. But the affairs between a husband and wife are like two people willing to fight and endure together, and others advising them is mere interfering. If anything is done to the wife, it’s the soldier who will suffer in the end.”

“But this sets such a bad precedent! In the future, those married women, if any of them are dissatisfied, they might think of eloping, what then?” Yang Wang’s face wore a darkened expression.

Yang Ye smiled, “But not every man is like that foot soldier.”

This matter was too complex. If a rigid rule was put in place stipulating actions, then someone like Zhuang Lühe would definitely commit suicide.

Yet, the woman Yang Wang described was indeed hateful.

However, Yang Wenxiao himself had abolished the previous dynasty’s punishment for elopement. Adding that rule again would be like inviting trouble for himself.

Besides, Yang Wang’s motive didn’t seem entirely pure.

Could this story have been made up just to put Zhuang Lühe in a difficult situation?