“Your Majesty, this matter was my doing alone and has nothing to do with my family. Please have mercy on them!” Tan Jieyu broke down, her voice shrill with desperation.
Since entering the palace and receiving great favor, the Emperor had always treated her kindly. Never before had he been so cold and heartless.
The Imperial Prison—what kind of place was that?
One might go in alive, but never come out.
At that moment, Consort Zhang spoke up. “Your Majesty, Tan Jieyu faked a pregnancy. When the time came to give birth, how could she produce a child? If she couldn’t, then she’d have to feign a miscarriage. And if that happened, who knows who she would’ve framed for it?
Your Majesty, Tan Jieyu dared to confuse the bloodline of the imperial family and harbored malicious intent toward other concubines. Such viciousness must not be forgiven.”
Consort De immediately stepped forward to echo her. “Your Majesty, I agree with Consort Zhang. Since the child never existed, it would have to disappear in some plausible way. The more you think about it, the more horrifying it becomes.”
Consort Shu’s elegant brows furrowed slightly. She merely sighed and said nothing.
Consort Xian hesitated for a moment, then decided to follow Consort Shu’s example and kept her mouth shut.
“Your Majesty, I did not—this is all the imagination of Consort Zhang and Consort De!” Tan Jieyu cried out, trying to defend herself.
“Since you keep claiming innocence, then why did you fake a pregnancy?” Mingxi asked coldly.
By now, the battle between her and Tan Jieyu was out in the open—there was no room for retreat.
Tan Jieyu gave Mingxi a fierce look, then said, “At the time, I truly thought I was pregnant. I had nausea and vomiting for several days and was overjoyed. Who would’ve thought it was a false alarm? I just… couldn’t accept it.”
Mingxi let out a sharp laugh. “Tan Jieyu, that kind of excuse might fool a three-year-old child, but you dare use it before the Emperor? Ever since news of your pregnancy spread, Royal Father has repeatedly bestowed favors on Governor-general Tan.
He crossed the eastern sea several times, used your supposed pregnancy as leverage, and under the Emperor’s leniency, interfered in Donggang’s commercial affairs. In just two months, he seized three of the Duan family’s shops.”
This was the first the Emperor had heard of this. He turned to Mingxi. “Is this true?”
“Your daughter-in-law would not dare deceive Your Majesty! It’s only a few shops—if Tan Jieyu was truly pregnant and bearing an imperial heir, I’d consider it a congratulatory gift,” Mingxi replied, her face composed and calm.
The noblewomen present were momentarily speechless. Now that Donggang property prices had skyrocketed tenfold, Duan Wangfei was certainly generous. In the past, they couldn’t buy such properties even if they had money—now, they couldn’t afford them at all!
The Emperor looked at Mingxi. “You seem to know quite a bit about Donggang.”
Mingxi had anticipated this question and replied with a helpless smile, “Royal Father, my adoptive Father divided his Donggang properties in two—half to me, half to my brother. Of course, the stewards report matters to me.”
Silence fell once again.
What a wonderful adoptive Father. Why couldn’t they meet someone like that? This wasn’t an adoptive Father—this was the God of Wealth.
The Emperor: …
Duan Pingchang’s brain… really must work differently from ordinary people.
“Your younger brother agreed as well?” The emperor rarely inquired into the affairs of the Duan family, and this time it was purely out of curiosity.
Mingxi wore a helpless expression. “Royal Father, my younger brother’s shops are also under my management. He is wholeheartedly focused on his studies and preparing for the imperial exams. All his assets must be managed by me.”
The emperor: …
Perhaps the entire Duan family doesn’t think like normal people.
Everyone present knew how wealthy Zhenhai Marquis was. Now that he was heading out to mine, it was practically imperial permission to make a fortune. Such a vast estate, and it was all in the hands of the Duan Wangfei.
Duan Wang had really married a walking treasury.
The emperor looked at Duan Mingxi again. “So, you suspect that Tan Jieyu faked her pregnancy to profit from the Donggang interests?”
“This daughter-in-law dares not make unfounded accusations. But ever since Tan Jieyu was said to be pregnant, Governor-general Tan has had significantly more friction with Donggang affairs,” Mingxi said gravely.
Duan Mingxi’s first step was to expose the Donggang issue. Whether more could be uncovered from Tan Yingtai would depend on how tight-lipped he was—whether he would name any accomplices.
Back then, the empress had supported Tan Jieyu to win the emperor’s favor. Tan Yingtai definitely had dealings with the empress and her son. Though the crown prince had been deposed, he was still alive. His restoration wasn’t entirely out of the question.
She planned to unravel the whole matter thread by thread.
By laying out the Tan Yingtai–Donggang situation, this matter had already escalated far beyond a concubine faking a pregnancy in the harem—it now touched upon state affairs.
Zhang Gelao’s mouth twitched as he recalled something Duan Wang had told him before. Then he looked at his grandson, Jin Wang, who stood to the side, talking to his Wangfei. Clearly, his focus wasn’t on Donggang at all.
Hopeless! A rotten piece of wood cannot be carved!
“Your Majesty, this minister recalls one matter.” Zhang Gelao stepped forward, no longer willing to stand idle.
The emperor looked at him. “Beloved minister, what is it?”
“Ten days ago, the Inner Cabinet received a memorial from Governor-general Tan, requesting the redrawing of maritime boundaries. I raised the matter in court, but Your Majesty did not approve it at the time.”
The emperor recalled. “Yes, I remember. What are you getting at?”
“This minister simply finds it too coincidental. Governor-general Tan’s memorial was rejected, and now, at the Mid-Autumn Palace banquet, a dispute has arisen between Tan Jieyu and Duan Wangfei. If it were entirely unrelated, this minister truly cannot understand why Tan Jieyu would quarrel with her.”
Zhang Gelao truly lived up to his title—one sentence struck right at the heart of the matter.
“Moreover,” he added, “this minister is also very curious—if Tan Jieyu’s actions were indeed in response to the rejected memorial, how did the message travel so quickly?”
The emperor’s face was now unreadable.
Mingxi had approached from the perspective of household and commerce, but Zhang Gelao cut in from the political angle. His blow was several times more damaging and successfully stoked the emperor’s fury.
The Mid-Autumn family banquet ended with Tan Jieyu being imprisoned and awaiting trial. Duan Mingxi, in turn, knelt before the emperor to offer repentance.
The emperor eyed her coldly. “The Imperial Academy’s school buildings are in need of renovation.”
Mingxi immediately said, “It is the Emperor’s grace that benefits the scholars of the world. Your daughter-in-law and Duan Wang are willing to offer what little help we can. All expenses shall be borne by the Duan Wang residence.”
Spending money while earning favor for Xiao Muchen—a profitable exchange!
The emperor: …
Good grief! He hadn’t even finished speaking, and Duan Mingxi had already jumped ahead to rope Duan Wang in. He had never seen such a cheeky and bold woman.
Thick-skinned didn’t even begin to describe her—she was absolutely unmatched.
The emperor left with an expression that defied description.
Duan Mingxi didn’t mind in the least. She had secured both benefit and reputation, and Tan Yingtai—the disaster—had been kicked out. A complete victory.
Facing the complicated gazes of the crowd, the couple remained unaffected. Zhang Gelao walked over slowly, his gaze fixed meaningfully on Duan Mingxi. “Duan Wangfei truly surprised this old minister today.”
To take down the emperor’s favored concubine in one strike—such boldness and skill were truly rare.
“There’s one thing I’m curious about. How did Your Highness know that Tan Jieyu was faking her pregnancy?” Zhang Gelao genuinely wanted to know.
His question reached everyone’s ears, and those who had been about to leave slowed their steps—they were curious too.
Duan Mingxi smiled and replied, “A coincidence. I used to travel for business and was injured often. So I learned a bit of medicine for self-preservation.”
Zhang Gelao: …
Just tell me straight—do you expect me to believe that?
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