Cui Huaiyin’s expression darkened. “Where is he?”
Daoxiang stamped her foot. “He was shouting and making a scene outside the residence just now, trying to make sure everyone knew about it. When Master saw that something was wrong, he hurriedly ordered the servants to tie him up and bring him inside. Master told you to go over at once!”
Cui Huaiyin’s face grew even grimmer. She glanced at her daughter, who seemed completely unaware of what was happening, then bent down and said, “Yaoyao, will you wait here for Mother?”
Rongyao clutched her mother’s arm. “Yaoyao is coming with you!”
Cui Huaiyin thought for a moment. A gentle warmth filled her eyes, and she nodded. “All right.”
By the time mother and daughter arrived, quite a few people had gathered in the Cui family’s main hall. Her second and third brothers were there, as were her parents and several loyal servants of the Cui family.
At the center of the hall stood a man whose hands and feet had been bound.
He was fairly handsome, dressed in common cloth, and appeared to be around thirty years old.
The moment he saw Cui Huaiyin, he spoke urgently. “It’s you! It really is you! I’ve finally found you! Seven years ago, I wronged you. The situation was urgent then, and I had no choice but to leave first. I made you bear so much all by yourself. It was my fault.”
Cui Huaiyin shielded her daughter behind her and stared intently at the man, her brows tightly furrowed. “You’re saying you’re the man from that night?”
The man’s eyes were filled with sorrow. He took half a step closer. “Yes, I am! My name is Zhao Jinsheng, and my family is from Huangzhou. Seven years ago, I stopped at a Taoist temple in the mountains and was framed by someone, narrowly escaping death. Because of an urgent matter, I had to leave you early. When I returned to look for you, you were already gone. After that, I came to the capital. How could I have known that you had given birth to my child, been deceived by others, and suffered so much?”
Cui Huaiyin’s expression did not change. She merely stared at the man before her. “If you truly are that man, did you leave me any token?”
“Of course I did!” Zhao Jinsheng replied. “I left you a jade pendant!”
Cui Huaiyin’s brows drew together. “What was the pendant made of? What pattern was carved on it?”
“It was a white piece of warm jade,” Zhao Jinsheng answered. “A cloud design was carved on the front, and the character ‘Ji’ was engraved on the back.”
Cui Huaiyin’s face paled. She took half a step back. He was right. There had indeed been such a jade pendant.
The man excitedly took a large step forward.
Rongyao peeked out from behind her mother. Her bright eyes fixed directly on the man. “But my mother doesn’t have a jade pendant, so she isn’t the person you’re looking for.”
Zhao Jinsheng forced a mild smile. “So many years have passed. It would be perfectly understandable if she had lost the pendant.”
Rongyao tugged at her mother’s sleeve, noticing that her face looked troubled. She tilted her head back and said, “Mother, listen to him. He has no proof and is just making wild guesses. He looks such a mess, so how could he possibly have fathered me? He must be a fake!”
Cui Huaiyin also sensed that something was wrong.
The man had recognized her the moment he saw her, without even asking about the jade pendant. It was as if he had already known that she had once possessed it—and even knew that she had lost it. There were far too many holes in his story.
But how did he know about the pendant? It had indeed borne a cloud pattern, with the character “Ji” engraved on it.
She had only ever told Chen Yunxiang about the pendant. Yet Chen Yunxiang was dead, and the pendant had fallen off the cliff along with her long ago.
No, that was not right. Zhu Wangbei knew about it as well. The pendant was no longer a secret.
Cui Huaiyin scrutinized the man before her and asked, “Before you left that day, you said something to me. What was it? Can you repeat it?”
Zhao Jinsheng’s expression stiffened. “It was so long ago. How could I possibly remember?”
Cui Huaiyin’s shoulders relaxed slightly. She continued, “You appear to be over thirty. You must have married long ago.”
Zhao Jinsheng sighed mournfully. “My wife died of illness.”
“Do you have children?”
“Of course. My wife and I were married for ten years. She bore me two sons and a daughter. They’re all obedient and well-behaved. The eldest is already nine years old and has been urging me to take another wife for some time now. If you’re willing—”
“How dare you!” Chenxiang stepped forward and scolded him angrily. “My mistress is a Jieyu personally appointed by His Majesty. You dare to spout such nonsense and show disrespect to a Jieyu! Once my mistress enters the palace, we will report this to His Majesty. He will surely have your head cut off!”
Zhao Jinsheng hurriedly fell to his knees, his body trembling. “Please forgive me, Jieyu! I was simply too excited and spoke without thinking!”
With that, Zhao Jinsheng looked at Rongyao again, his eyes red. “But this child is my daughter, my own flesh and blood. How could I allow her to live outside without a father?”
Cui Huaiyin stepped forward and shielded her daughter behind her, her face taut with anger. Then she raised her hand and slapped Zhao Jinsheng across the face.
“Shut your mouth!”
“Do you really think everyone in the Cui family is a fool, unable to see through your scheme? You were wrong from the very beginning. There was no jade pendant at all, so how could you possibly be my daughter’s father?”
A look of panic flashed through Zhao Jinsheng’s eyes. He stared at her in disbelief and confusion. “You—you’re talking nonsense! How could there be no jade pendant? The noble person clearly told me…”
He did not finish the sentence. Zhao Jinsheng suddenly clapped both hands over his mouth, then glared furiously at Cui Huaiyin.
“You tricked me!”
“You beast! How dare you deceive my entire family with your lies! Who sent you? Tell us the truth!” Cui Huaiyi stepped forward, seized Zhao Jinsheng by the collar, and hoisted him up. “If you don’t tell the truth, today will be your last day alive!”
A flicker of panic crossed Zhao Jinsheng’s eyes. He strained to lift his neck and said, “I… This is the imperial capital, beneath the Son of Heaven’s feet. Do you dare kill me? I’m warning you—if you know what’s good for you, you’ll let me go at once. Otherwise, that noble person will never spare the Cui family!”
Cui Huaiyi feared threats least of all. He tightened his grip, causing Zhao Jinsheng’s face and neck to turn bluish-purple as he struggled to breathe.
“Fine! Then tell me—which noble person was vicious enough to deceive my sister and deliberately make an enemy of the Cui family?”
Zhao Jinsheng gritted his teeth. “I can’t tell you!”
Cui Huaiyi exchanged a glance with his father in front of the hall. His gaze turned cold, and he struck Zhao Jinsheng hard on the back of the neck with his palm.
Zhao Jinsheng promptly collapsed unconscious.
Cui Huaihao rose in astonishment. “Third Brother, you…”
“Second Brother, this man was certainly sent here by someone to cause trouble today. We must interrogate him and find out who is behind this.”
Cui Huaihao glanced at Zhao Jinsheng lying on the ground, then at his pale-faced younger sister. “You did the right thing. This man is suspicious. He kept mentioning some noble person. If we don’t determine who he means soon, it could bring great trouble upon the Cui family.”
Zhang Yingmei, who had been tense from head to toe, hurried to her daughter’s side. Pointing at Zhao Jinsheng, she asked, “Could that jade pendant he mentioned actually be real? I saw the way you reacted—you believed him.”
Cui Huaiyin nodded with difficulty. “He was right. There really was a jade pendant. But I can guarantee that he is not Yaoyao’s father.”
“Mother, where is the jade pendant?” Rongyao tugged at her mother’s hand and looked up at her.
Cui Huaiyin answered patiently, “I lost it.”
Rongyao: “...”
Cui Yeping abruptly rose to his feet and asked sternly, “That vile man was spouting nonsense outside the gate earlier. Did he disturb Matron Fang?”
“When this servant arrived, I saw Matron Fang hurrying away.”
At those words, the expressions of everyone in the Cui family darkened.
Matron Fang was the matron sent from the palace to teach Consort Cui proper conduct. She was temporarily residing in the estate. Though her duty was merely to teach etiquette, she was also the Emperor’s eyes and ears.
The Emperor had already issued an edict conferring the title of Consort on Cui Huaiyin, but it was unclear whether he had known about Yaoyao beforehand.
If he had known in advance, today’s incident should not have caused too much trouble. But if he had not known, they feared His Majesty might hold them accountable…
Cui Yeping sank weakly into his chair, weariness etched across his brow.
Rongyao looked at her worried maternal grandparents, her mother, and her uncles. She took a few steps forward, tilted her head back, and asked, “Are you afraid the Emperor will find out that Mother has a daughter like me?”
Cui Huaiyin hesitated for a moment before saying, “The Emperor already knew I had a daughter that day at the Hundred Fragrances Pavilion, and he saw Yaoyao as well.”
Her maternal grandmother, Zhang Yingmei, said, “We’re only afraid that His Majesty doesn’t know who Yaoyao’s father is and might misunderstand, thinking that Yin'er…”
“Misunderstand what about Mother? He’s the Emperor—he’s so powerful. Doesn’t he know everything?”
The members of the Cui family exchanged glances, and a hint of relief appeared in their eyes.
That was true. The Emperor had issued an edict conferring the title of Consort on their daughter, so how could he have failed to investigate her beforehand? Besides, their family had done nothing wrong, and their daughter was innocent. Since the Emperor had not minded that she had given birth to a child, why would he care about this matter? It seemed they had simply been overthinking things.
“Yaoyao really is the cleverest one in our family!” Cui Huaiyi laughed and lifted Rongyao into his arms, bouncing her lightly.
At those words, the corners of Rongyao’s mouth rose uncontrollably. She was the cleverest! She had known it—she was getting smarter and smarter! No difficulty could stump her; she could always think of a way to solve everything!
Rongyao smiled smugly as she listened to her third uncle and maternal grandfather discuss how to deal with Zhao Jinsheng.
Her maternal grandfather said, “He knows far too much. He must have been involved in what happened back then. And considering the person behind him… Lock him up for the night and interrogate him thoroughly first.”
Cui Huaiyi said, “All right! Leave him to me. I’ll definitely get to the bottom of this!”
With that, Cui Huaiyi was just about to set his niece down when she suddenly tugged at his collar and whispered in his ear in her childish voice, “Third Uncle, we can invite his children to the estate first. Yaoyao can play with them.”
Cui Huaiyi’s eyes lit up as he looked at his niece. He felt that her little head was worth several of his own.
That was right. Zhao Jinsheng had sons and daughters—he had weaknesses. Cui Huaiyi refused to believe that he could not force the truth out of him!
…
The Imperial Palace.
Wang Zhong knelt before the hall, wiping the sweat from his brow as he reported to His Majesty, word for word, everything he had just learned from Matron Fang of the Cui residence.
He truly had not expected the Cui girl to have such a past. Last time, he had only conducted a simple investigation into the Cui girl’s identity, family background, and whether she had a husband. Once he learned that she had divorced and was raising a daughter, he had not ordered any further inquiries. He had never imagined there would be more to the story.
It was his fault!
If His Majesty punished him…
But no matter what, he dared not deceive the Emperor.
Wang Zhong could only steel himself and present every detail uncovered by the thorough investigation.
Just as he had feared, the Emperor’s expression turned grim the instant he heard the news.
Wang Zhong prostrated himself on the ground and begged for mercy. “Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”
A vicious glint flashed through Dantai Ji’s eyes as he stared at Wang Zhong. “You said that Lady Cui was violated by bandits, which was how she came to have that daughter, and that she later married Zhu Wangbei after being deceived by him?”
Wang Zhong replied, “According to this servant’s investigation, that is indeed the case. It turns out that Lady Cui divorced Zhu Wangbei not because she discovered he was raising a mistress and their children outside, but because she learned that he had deceived her.”
Dantai Ji lowered his eyes and gripped the dragon throne so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Through clenched teeth, he forced out three words:
“That stupid woman!”
Wang Zhong said, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger! The imperial edict has already been issued. You must not treat it as a mere trifle!”
