Ling Wang’s pupils contracted sharply, his heart seething with hatred. “Imperial Father, why not inquire about Imperial Aunt’s thoughts? Perhaps she wishes to prove her innocence?”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes and turned to Grand Princess Yi De. “Imperial Elder Sister, do not dwell on today’s events.”
Others might not know, but he remembered clearly. Throughout their journey, supporting each other through hardship and adversity had been no easy feat. Had his sister harboured other intentions, he would never have ascended the throne. Moreover, only he and the Grand Princess knew the truth about Junyue’s origins. All those rumors were nothing but wild speculation.
Recalling those past trials, the Emperor instinctively clutched his chest, his eyes flickering with lingering pain.
Grand Princess Yi De poured a cup of warm water and handed it to him. “Your Majesty, the court is always filled with endless gossip. I certainly won’t take it to heart. Please don’t let it upset you. Don’t ruin your health over the foolish actions of an immature child.”
“Imperial Elder Sister, you truly understand me.” The Emperor drew a deep breath, suppressing his surging anger for a long moment. “The traitor Luo Peng attempted to assassinate the imperial family with malicious intent. He and the crimson-clad female assassin shall be dragged away and beaten to death. Imperial Concubine Zhen, for falsely accusing the Grand Princess, your crime is unforgivable. Your title is hereby stripped. From this day forth, you shall be confined to the Cold Palace...”
Imperial Concubine Zhen’s eyes widened as she clenched her fists so tightly her fingertips pierced her palms, leaving bloody imprints. “Your Majesty, I did this for your own good! Every word I spoke was true! Grand Princess Yi De, all these years, the Emperor has treated you generously. You exploited his trust to deceive his heart, even confusing the imperial bloodline—this is disrupting the very foundations of the court!”
“Silence!” The Emperor’s gaze grew icier. “Yue Wanqing, considering you once served the Empress and have attended me for years, I have no intention of taking your life. But if you persist in your insolence and continue to show disrespect to the Grand Princess, then do not blame me for forgetting our past!”
Imperial Concubine Zhen’s smile was bitter with sorrow. Her maternal family had fallen into ruin, and Jin Wang had been crippled, leaving him utterly incapable of ascending the throne. What did she have left to fear now? After plotting in secret for so long, she would not let this opportunity slip. From the moment she entered the Palace, she knew this life offered only one path: push forward to conquer the broad avenue of power and influence, or fail and meet a death from which there was no return.
“Your Royal Highness, after all I’ve said, will you not offer a single word of explanation? The Emperor disregards his reputation for your sake, even going so far as to execute the witness who accused you. Don’t you care about the Emperor? Aren’t you respected? Even if it’s to protect the Emperor’s reputation, can’t you at least offer a few words of explanation?
She knew from the start that she stood little chance against Grand Princess Yi De. Since she couldn’t topple the Grand Princess in one blow, she would plant a thorn in the Emperor’s heart. This thorn might not pierce deeply now, but with successive people prodding it, it would surely shatter the Emperor’s trust in the Grand Princess.
Grand Princess Yi De finally stirred. Rising to her feet, she swept her gaze across the assembled figures. Her straightened posture radiated formidable authority, her phoenix-like eyes gleaming with unwavering resolve—as if piercing through all pretense to the darkest recesses of the soul.
“Imperial Concubine Zhen, what explanation do you seek? Did His Majesty not make it perfectly clear? Yue Wang is His Majesty’s own flesh and blood. Therefore, your initial accusation that I concealed his lineage is baseless, and all subsequent claims crumble. You all claim unwavering loyalty to His Majesty. Should you not treat his words as imperial edicts, daring not to disobey? How can you still harbor doubts when the Emperor himself has spoken? “
Imperial Concubine Zhen was rendered speechless.” But the evidence... the assassin’s confession...”
“Traitors and rebels—their treacherous hearts deserve death. Their words are utterly untrustworthy. As for your accusations against Yunyao, her background is transparent. If you harbor doubts or uncertainties, investigate directly. Though you now lack your maternal family’s backing, uncovering the truth shouldn’t be impossible. If you dare make accusations, then produce concrete evidence. Without proof, I shall demand an explanation from you! Mu Yunyao is my granddaughter. She is not someone to be slandered or framed by just anyone! “
Mu Yunyao, who had been standing beside Grand Princess Yi De, now descended the steps holding the medicine bottle:” Imperial Concubine Zhen, you previously insinuated that I used medicine to harm His Majesty’s health. I refuse to accept this accusation. The pulse records and the prescriptions mentioned for the drugs are all meticulously documented. Each record bears the signatures of Imperial Physicians who repeatedly verified it. This bottle of Nourishing Spirit Pills in my hand was also examined by Imperial Physicians before being presented to the Emperor. Do you genuinely believe I could tamper with anything under the watchful eyes of so many Imperial Physicians?”
The Imperial Physicians immediately stepped forward to declare their stance: “Your Majesty, we can attest that Princess Wenxian is genuine. We have repeatedly verified every prescription she has issued and can guarantee that there are no problems..”
This matter concerns the entire Imperial Hospital. They must make their position clear—otherwise, it would imply they too were complicit in the conspiracy with the Grand Princess and Princess Wenxian to harm the Emperor! Such a charge was too grave for them to bear.
“Your Majesty, this humble servant also participated in the verification of various formulas and can attest that Princess Wenxian’s prescriptions were entirely appropriate.”
“This humble servant can also testify...”
Watching the Imperial Physicians step forward one after another to declare their positions, Imperial Concubine Zhen knew she had stirred up a hornet’s nest with her earlier words. But the words had been spoken, and there was no taking them back.
Ling Wang was frantic with anxiety, glancing repeatedly at Li Qingzhou. He had believed this scheme would be flawless, yet now it had failed so utterly. What seemed like irrefutable evidence to them was, to the Emperor, nothing but deliberate fabrication. With this outcome, who could challenge the Grand Princess’s position? The thought made Ling Wang feel as if he might explode with rage. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Yue Wang, who had been silent with his head bowed. A sudden idea lit up his mind: “Fourth Imperial Brother, you haven’t spoken since earlier. Is there something you don’t understand?”
At these words, all eyes turned to Yue Wang. Back in the day, the Six Great Clans wielded immense power—especially that of Luo Kun, who entered and exited the Palace gates in a carriage, his presence no less imposing than the Emperor’s own procession. If he and the Empress had been involved, it was entirely plausible.
Yue Wang lifted his eyes, his gaze cold. “Imperial Eldest Brother, did not Imperial Father just declare this all a farce? What is it? Do you doubt Imperial Father Emperor’s words?”
The Ling Wang stiffened. “Of course not.”
“If you have no doubts, then why are you questioning me?” Yue Wang pressed, his tone sharp and unyielding. “The dancers in the Palace performance were assassins. The assassins conveniently identified members of the Luo family. Then, evidence began surfacing everywhere. What a masterfully staged performance.”
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