Qi Yuan never made baseless assumptions. Since there were questions, then they should be clarified.
She raised her chin and looked at Liujin: “Wasn’t the matter of Duke Cheng Manor already settled? Why is Duke Cheng Manor being mentioned again?”
Liujin’s expression instantly became extremely indignant: “It’s Duke Cheng’s in-law and also his former disciple, Ren Zhong, currently the Commander of Xuanfu. He submitted a blood memorial, saying that Duke Cheng possessed irrefutable evidence of the Lu family colluding with the enemy, and that this was why he suffered the current calamity…”
This had only happened last night.
The memorial was delivered to Emperor Yongchang’s hands, and Emperor Yongchang flew into a rage, denouncing Ren Zhong’s words as utter nonsense.
But who would have expected that accompanying this blood memorial was Ren Zhong’s coffin?
The man had actually committed suicide himself.
And so, the direction of this matter shifted somewhat.
Last night, the Cabinet argued over this matter without end.
The matter of Xiao Yunting going to the Northwest to investigate the case, which had originally already been decided, also encountered fresh complications.
Qi Yuan closed her eyes.
With things explained like this, what was there left for her not to understand?
What a tremendous move.
With a single strike, they sacrificed the life of a regional garrison commander.
One blood memorial, one human life, even without any concrete evidence, it was enough to stir up an enormous uproar.
Enough to make people suspect that it was the Imperial Grandson who, in order to clear his maternal family’s name, framed and targeted Duke Cheng Manor, causing the entire household’s destruction.
If this matter came first, then the Crown Princess attempting suicide no longer seemed so difficult to understand.
The Lu family was in trouble, Lu Ting’s life and death unknown, the entire family waiting to be escorted back to the capital for trial. Her only hope originally had been that her son could clear the family’s grievances.
Yet unexpectedly, her son was trapped in a scheme and placed in an impossible position.
As a mother, how could she stand by and watch her son struggle like this?
Qi Yuan gave a cold snort and tugged at the corner of her lips: “Where is His Highness the Imperial Grandson?”
Liujin’s expression instantly grew even graver.
By the time the sun rose, Xiao Yunting dragged his exhausted body back to the Crown Princess’s sleeping palace.
Empress Feng had personally come over. Upon seeing Xiao Yunting, she immediately called softly: “Yunting, are you alright?”
She sighed and pursed her lips as she looked at him: “You should also try to think more openly. Fortunately, nothing major happened…”
Empress Feng could not continue speaking, because Xiao Yunting’s complexion was frighteningly gloomy.
At exactly this moment, the sound of an announcement came from outside, followed by the Crown Prince entering.
The moment he entered, he frowned and coldly said: “Truly an unvirtuous woman! Knowing only to seek death and life!”
Empress Feng immediately rebuked sharply: “Outrageous!”
Her gaze swept around, and the people in the hall immediately withdrew completely.
Only after the grandmother, grandson, and son trio remained, along with the Crown Princess lying on the bed, did Empress Feng angrily ask the Crown Prince: “Your wife attempted suicide, and you can still say such things?”
The Crown Prince’s expression remained indifferent, his attitude calm: “Royal Mother, did your son say anything wrong? What kind of situation is it now? With the entire city in uproar, what exactly does her suicide amount to?!”
Empress Feng was utterly disappointed. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Xiao Yunting let out a cold laugh.
For some reason, Empress Feng’s heart instantly skipped a beat, and she immediately called in a low voice: “Yunting!”
But Xiao Yunting had already raised his eyes and coldly looked at the Crown Prince: “Why Royal Mother attempted suicide, doesn’t Royal Father know best?”
The Crown Prince had always been distant toward this son.
In his eyes, something like power ought first to remain in the hands of himself, the father.
As for whom it would eventually be passed to, that should also depend upon his own willingness.
Rather than becoming a mere tool for the transfer of authority between Emperor Yongchang and Xiao Yunting.
If he gave, then Xiao Yunting should kneel and accept it.
But if he did not give, Xiao Yunting could not bypass him and seize it.
And all of Xiao Yunting’s past actions, in his eyes, were no different from snatching away the authority that belonged to him.
Within the imperial family there were no fathers and sons. All affection was fake. Only power held in one’s own hands was real.
So now, seeing Xiao Yunting question him like this, he immediately rebuked coldly: “You dog, no better than a beast, what are you to dare speak to your father like this!”
The Great Zhou ruled the world through filial piety.
Destroying Xiao Yunting would actually be very easy for him.
For example, this very time.
He had been waiting precisely for Xiao Yunting to explode in anger.
Anger was good.
At this moment, as long as Xiao Yunting made a scene, he could naturally collapse ill in response.
Faint from anger caused by his own son.
If Xiao Yunting could not even uphold filial piety, then what kind of benevolent Imperial Grandson could he still be?
Those words were far too harsh. Empress Feng felt the Crown Prince had simply gone mad.
She immediately shouted angrily: “What madness are you throwing?!”
Xiao Yunting did not become fearful because of the Crown Prince’s rebuke. He merely smiled faintly: “Royal Father is waiting for me to fly into a rage and then collapse sick, isn’t he?”
The Crown Prince’s eyes darkened.
“In that case, Royal Mother’s suicide would become lacking in propriety, while I would become ill-mannered and guilty of offending sovereign father.” Xiao Yunting let out a mocking laugh: “Unfortunately, Royal Father, Zhang Bin, who was stationed outside at all times waiting to report to you, has already been killed by your son.”
!
The Crown Prince was incredulous, then instantly furious beyond measure as he strode forward and slapped Xiao Yunting across the face with a loud smack.
Even Empress Feng was stunned. She hurried forward and shoved the Crown Prince away: “What are you doing?!”
How had this father and son reached this point?!
How had they become like enemies now?!
She clutched her chest, both anxious and furious.
At the same time, she could not suppress her alarm.
For a father and son relationship to reach this stage, there was truly no room left whatsoever for reconciliation.
Yet it clearly never needed to become like this.
The Crown Prince was simply far too stubborn and self-willed.
He could not even tolerate his own son surpassing him.
Empress Feng understood very clearly where the problem in this matter lay.
But even knowing it, she was helpless.
One was her son, the other was her grandson.
What could she do?
Xiao Yunting’s head had been struck to the side. Slowly wiping the blood from the corner of his lips, he raised his head and looked at the Crown Prince with a cold laugh: “Royal Father, when you married my Royal Mother back then, if you did not like her, why did you not refuse?”
The Crown Prince stared coldly at him.
“Since you did not like her, why marry her?” Xiao Yunting only found it absurd: “After marrying her, why did you not treat her properly? Back then, you married her because the Lu family was deeply trusted by the Emperor and never fought for power or profit. By marrying such a Crown Princess, you could better display your lack of selfish ambition.”
“From beginning to end, you merely treated my mother as a tool.” Xiao Yunting let out a cold laugh: “But the one thing you never should have done was force my Royal Mother into a dead end.”
Starting today, he only had a mother, no father.
A father like the Crown Prince was better off not having at all.
The Crown Prince sneered disdainfully. What love and affection?
At this age, asking such questions only made one appear childish and laughable, serving no other purpose whatsoever.
Listening to it made him laugh.
But Empress Feng felt chilled to the bone.
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