Qi Yuan raised her eyebrows: “There’s no need to rush. Whoever jumps out first—we kill them.”
Wasn’t that obvious?
She sneered coldly: “Father arranged for Princess Consort Lu and his son, along with that noble person, to stay at the villa on the outskirts of the capital. That must have been at the request of Liu Wangfei and Princess Consort Lu, right?”
All this talk about Princess Consort Lu losing his memory and falling ill, about that noble person being too frail to travel—those were all just excuses.
From the moment Liu Wangfei tore apart the illusion of father-daughter affection upon entering the palace, it was clear she had returned this time for revenge.
And rightfully so. Who wouldn’t lose their mind after being plotted against and betrayed by their own father—losing the empress seat that should have been hers, being hunted down and forced to hide for decades, and ultimately seeing her own child rendered mentally disabled from a high fever?
Family? To Liu Wangfei, those people were nothing but snakes and scorpions.
There was nothing to hide in front of this daughter. Qi Zhen nodded: “It was indeed Liu Wangfei’s idea. She told me that Xiao Mo’s health is poor and he cannot travel overnight, and that he cannot meet outsiders…”
Qi Yuan gave an interested laugh: “Then let’s just wait and enjoy the show.”
No need to rush to kill. She was waiting to see what other storms would erupt in the palace today.
And indeed, a storm was raging inside the palace.
Once Qi Zhen withdrew, Yongchang Emperor immediately embraced the agitated Liu Wangfei: “Wanyin, don’t be so upset. Please explain clearly—what’s going on?”
Liu Wangfei’s eyes were bloodshot as she clutched tightly at Yongchang Emperor’s dragon robe, tears streaming down: “It means that the so-called sister you’ve doted on, and the so-called brother who’s now dead, were never born of my mother, nor were they adopted from our clan! They were illegitimate children, born of my father’s mistress!”
Yongchang Emperor was struck as if by lightning.
He had never imagined it would turn out like this.
Back in the fiefdom, Liu Jinghong and Liu Wanqiu often visited the prince’s residence.
At that time, Liu Wangfei said they were her siblings, registered under her mother’s name, and she had treated them with deep affection.
She even had Liu Jinghong accompany him everywhere, studying and training together at the prince’s residence.
And little Liu Wanqiu—back then she was still a small child. Liu Wangfei had almost raised her like a daughter.
Whenever the palace bestowed rewards, they were mostly given to them.
So after ascending the throne and entering the capital, Yongchang Emperor had treated Duke Chu’s household so generously because they were his in-laws.
He even allowed their dukedom to be hereditary without exception.
But now Liu Wangfei was saying that Liu Jinghong and Liu Wanqiu were actually the children of a mistress?
Then why were they registered under the legitimate wife’s name?
Duke Chu sternly roared: “Wanyin! How long will you let jealousy blind you? I’ve told you before—this is not how it happened!”
“Not how it happened?” Liu Wangfei cried in pain: “The last time I saw my mother, she was utterly despondent. She told me she suspected Liu Jinghong’s identity, that when she investigated the family they were supposedly adopted from, she found they never had any children!”
She clung to Yongchang Emperor’s dragon robe, forcing him to look at Duke Chu: “Your Majesty, after hearing what my mother said, I had people secretly follow Liu Jinghong and Liu Wanqiu. Sure enough, I discovered they frequently visited a certain residence! Later, I saw with my own eyes—they called the woman living there ‘Mother’!”
Duke Chu closed his eyes.
But inwardly, he was not flustered.
He had long anticipated this day and never had any illusions about Liu Wangfei.
So even though he was now exposed on the spot, he still appeared upright and dignified, letting out a heavy sigh.
Yongchang Emperor was both shocked and furious, completely unable to process it.
The reason he originally allowed Noble Consort Liu to enter the palace was because he wanted to compensate Duke Chu’s family.
Who would have thought things would turn out like this?
If what Liu Wangfei said was true, then although Noble Consort Liu was technically Liu Wangfei’s sister—she was actually her sworn enemy!
The enemy who had driven her mother to death.
Yongchang Emperor, overwhelmed by rage and confusion, demanded: “Duke Chu, what exactly is going on here?!”
Duke Chu knelt, lifting his robe with a deep sigh and knocking his head on the ground: “Your Majesty, it is as the Wangfei says…”
He admitted it!
He actually admitted it!
Liu Wangfei’s face twisted for a moment: “My mother treated you with nothing but love, followed you all the way to Zhangzhou, had multiple miscarriages for you and could no longer bear children—and you deceived her like this!”
Yongchang Emperor was both shocked and enraged, never having expected such a hidden story.
But Duke Chu said bitterly: “Yes, they are my children. But Wangfei—you are not my child!”
What?
Yongchang Emperor was even more astonished, staring at Liu Wangfei in disbelief.
Liu Wangfei grew even more agitated: “What nonsense are you spouting?!”
Duke Chu let out a bitter laugh: “I’m not spouting nonsense! What man would joke about something like this? Wangfei, you are not my biological daughter. You were a baby your mother brought back from somewhere else!”
Liu Wangfei staggered back a few steps, her limbs turning cold.
Though she had long since hated this so-called father and knew he was no good, she had never expected him to stoop this low, to be this shameless.
Of course—now that she was back, the truth about Liu Wanqiu and Liu Jinghong’s origins could no longer be concealed.
So how could he break this deadlock?
Naturally, by slandering her mother and her.
Her mother was dead, unable to defend herself. The dead could not rise from their graves to refute him. He could say whatever he pleased.
Liu Wangfei sneered coldly: “You’re shameless! To escape guilt, you would stop at nothing, even sullying my mother’s reputation!”
Duke Chu loudly proclaimed: “I have no intention of sullying her! I’m only stating the facts. If you don’t believe me—I have proof!”
He was calm and unhurried, full of helplessness and feigned suffering, turning to Yongchang Emperor: “Your Majesty, you’ve known my character all these years. Would I joke about my deceased wife’s reputation? Do you think I enjoy putting a green hat on myself?”
He said painfully: “Back then, my relationship with her mother had already deteriorated. I accidentally discovered that Wanyin was not my child, but a baby her mother had brought home to secure her position. I once wanted to divorce her, but she begged me not to. I had no choice but to endure…”
Yongchang Emperor’s expression shifted repeatedly: “Do you have proof?”
Duke Chu answered firmly: “I do! Wanyin can think I’m lying—but would her maternal family lie too? They knew all about this. Back then, even her maternal family knew about the wife of equal status I had officially married outside!”
Now it had somehow become a wife of equal status.
Liu Wangfei’s eyes burned with rage.
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