The side hall of Yuxiu Palace.
Upon hearing her elder sister's analysis, Chu Ruoyin panicked: "Then... then what should we do? If he was drugged, does that mean someone is trying to harm him?"
Chu Ruoyan pinched the bridge of her nose.
This younger sister truly has a devoted heart...
Even when her own safety is at stake, she’s still preoccupied with Prince Qin.
"Whether it was intentional or not, he is still a prince. The one who needs to find a way out of this is you," Chu Ruoyan pressed her lips together. "When we go out later, tell the truth—just don’t mention that you and Prince Qin knew each other before. Insist that you couldn’t break free and that you kept silent out of concern for his reputation. Understood?"
Chu Ruoyin lowered her gaze without responding. Chu Ruoyan had no choice but to speak sternly: "Second Sister, if you don’t reveal this, the person who tried to harm Prince Qin will never be found. Do you really want to leave such a threat lurking near him?"
Chu Ruoyin shuddered before whispering, "I’ll follow Eldest Sister’s arrangements."
Chu Ruoyan exhaled in relief and led her back to the main hall, where all eyes turned toward them.
Kneeling in the center of the hall, Chu Ruoyin bit her lip and repeated the words Chu Ruoyan had taught her.
Instantly, an uproar erupted.
"What? Prince Qin?"
"Could this be a mistake?"
Empress Pei was equally shocked and asked gently, "Miss Chu, are you certain it was His Highness Prince Qin? This is no trivial matter."
Though the palace maids in the selection process could be chosen by princes or imperial relatives after the Emperor’s initial screening, engaging in impropriety before the formal selection was something no ruler would tolerate.
If the Emperor couldn’t bring himself to punish his own brother, he would have no choice but to punish her instead...
Chu Ruoyan, realizing this, knelt before Empress Pei and said, "Your Majesty, I have questioned my sister, and the details align. If Your Majesty doubts her words, summon Prince Qin to confront her directly."
She was gambling on this—based on their previous encounters, Murong Jin was one of the few reasonable members of the imperial family.
Since he had been drugged and Chu Ruoyin had saved him, he owed her a debt. For that alone, he ought to protect her.
Empress Pei nodded slowly. "County Princess Changle speaks wisely. Someone, go to Prince Qin's Mansion and summon—"
Before she could finish, a stern, aged voice rang out from outside the palace.
"No need to summon anyone! This wretched girl is spouting nonsense. A mother knows her own son—mine would never lay a finger on her!"
Empress Dowager Su entered, supported by Consort Xue.
The entire hall bowed in reverence. "Greetings to the Empress Dowager! May the Empress Dowager live a thousand years!"
Empress Pei hurried forward. "Mother Empress, why have you come in person?"
Empress Dowager Su glared at her, her gaze sweeping over the Chu sisters before settling on Chu Huaishan. "Duke Chu, you’ve raised two fine daughters! The elder drove my nephew to his death, and the younger now slanders my son. Tell me, have I offended your family in some way? Should I kneel and beg your forgiveness?"
The venom in her tone forced Chu Huaishan to prostrate himself. "This old servant dares not!"
Chu Ruoyan clenched her fingers, knowing today’s matter would not end peacefully.
Chu Ruoyin couldn’t hold back. "Empress Dowager, the fault lies entirely with this guilty woman..."
Slap!
The old eunuch at Empress Dowager Su’s side strode forward and struck her across the face. "Impudent! How dare you speak without Her Majesty’s permission?"
Five red finger marks bloomed on Chu Ruoyin’s pale cheek, her eyes welling with tears.
Chu Ruoyan could no longer restrain herself and met Empress Dowager Su’s gaze directly. "Your Majesty hasn’t even questioned Prince Qin. How can you be so certain it wasn’t him?"
Empress Dowager Su sneered. "Ah, finally you speak! County Princess Changle, what gall you have, daring to question me?"
The eunuch raised his hand again, but Chu Ruoyan didn’t flinch, her voice calm. "His Majesty has already decreed that the guilty party be executed. Does the Empress Dowager intend to defy the Emperor’s will and suppress the truth?"
The eunuch froze mid-strike. Empress Dowager Su’s face darkened. "Who said anything about defying the Emperor? But this shameless girl is lying! Everyone knows my son, Prince Qin, has been devoted to the daughter of General Feng Huan for eight years. How could he possibly stoop to someone like her?"
Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd. Empress Pei seemed to recall something. "Now that Mother mentions it, it’s true. Prince Qin has always been infatuated with General Feng’s daughter. Unfortunately, General Feng is stationed in the northern frontier, and his daughter accompanied him..."
"The northern frontier?"
Chu Ruoyin suddenly paled, as if struck by a realization.
Chu Ruoyan’s heart sank, but before she could stop her, Chu Ruoyin blurted out, "What... what is General Feng’s daughter’s name?"
Consort Xue, who had remained silent until now, covered her lips with a delicate laugh. "Miss Chu, don’t you know? General Feng’s only daughter is named Feng Ying. Like you, she excels in music, poetry, and the arts."
Like a bolt from the blue.
Chu Ruoyin’s eyes emptied.
He loved the folk songs of the northern frontier...
He was well-versed in music and poetry...
He called her A-Yin...
But Yin sounded like Ying—he had really been calling A-Ying.
Everything suddenly made sense. The reason he had saved her twice, why he had spoken with her so freely—it was only because she resembled her.
"Second Sister! Second Sister!"
Chu Ruoyan called out twice, but Chu Ruoyin no longer heard her.
The light in her eyes when she spoke of Prince Qin had dimmed into lifelessness.
Empress Dowager Su’s mocking voice cut through the silence. "He and that Feng girl were deeply in love. The Emperor tried multiple times to arrange marriages for him, but he refused. Do you think it’s a coincidence that he has no consorts at his age? Even if he were drugged, he would never touch you. Abandon this delusion—I will never allow you to step foot in his mansion!"
Chu Ruoyin’s body began to tremble violently. Pressing her forehead to the floor, she whispered, "No need for further investigation... This guilty woman submits to execution."
The moment she spoke, Chu Huaishan and Lady Jiang the Younger cried out, "Ruoyin!"
Consort Xue beamed. "Mother Empress, you heard her! Execute her for defiling the palace! And Duke Chu should be punished for failing to discipline his daughter!"
Watching Chu Ruoyin’s shattered expression, Chu Ruoyan cursed Prince Qin inwardly.
If his heart already belonged to another, why did he lead my sister on?
He had made her believe his affections were genuine, only to break her heart beyond repair—now she sought only death.
"Empress Dowager!" She threw caution to the wind. "There are still unanswered questions. If my sister’s account is true and Prince Qin was drugged, shouldn’t we find out who dared to harm an imperial prince?"
Empress Dowager Su hesitated, struck by the logic.
Consort Xue quickly interjected, "Mother, she’s just making excuses for her sister! It’s likely Chu Ruoyin seduced Prince Qin herself—"
Before she could finish, a eunuch’s voice announced from outside the hall.
"Prince Qin has arrived!"
