Cheng Yao performed a grand bow to the emperor somewhat awkwardly. Though her movements were a little rusty, she made no mistakes.
The emperor sat upright on his throne, his imposing presence pressing down on everyone like a vicious dragon coiled above them.
“Lady Cheng, raise your head.”
Cheng Yao found the commanding tone extremely unsettling.
But in the face of absolute power, she had no choice but to lift her head.
The emperor stared at her for a long while before suddenly shouting, “How dare you! You actually exchanged marriages with your own sister and had her take your place in the bridal sedan!”
Cheng Yao’s body trembled. She put on a frightened expression and prostrated herself on the floor, her entire body shaking. “Your Majesty, my sister and I simply got into the wrong bridal sedan. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth.”
If Cheng Lan were not hopelessly stupid, she would have said the same thing.
As for whether this had been an exchange of marriages or a substitution, the emperor’s intelligence network was extensive enough that he knew the truth perfectly well. The only question was whether he intended to pursue the matter, and what explanation he would give the outside world.
“Hmph! If this had not been an accident, I would have punished your entire clan! Fortunately, this mistake turned out for the best. The War King does not object, and my unfilial son has no intention of exchanging brides, so you may continue as Princess Consort Zhan.”
The emperor found a way to smooth things over himself. Cheng Yao nearly laughed when she heard him, but on the surface, she looked overwhelmed with gratitude. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s mercy.”
“Rise.”
The emperor looked her over once more before turning to Zhan Haoting. He looked every bit like an elder brother sincerely concerned for Zhan Haoting’s welfare.
“Though this was a mistaken marriage, you are at least quite pleasing to the eye. It cannot be considered too great an injustice to you.”
The way he put it… made it sound as though she were nothing more than a useless vase, while Zhan Haoting was some shallow man who cared only about a woman’s appearance.
Zhan Haoting cupped his fists. “This subject is but half a cripple. Princess Consort Zhan has graciously accepted me and agreed to spend the rest of her life with me. I feel nothing but gratitude and pity toward her; I harbor no resentment. However, Lady Cheng does not know the truth. She did not simply enter the wrong bridal sedan. The Second Prince and Cheng Lan schemed against me and deceived me. I implore Your Majesty to uphold justice on my behalf.”
Though he had already been made a prince, he still referred to himself as “this subject,” deliberately keeping his posture humble and distant. Yet by laying the matter bare, he had thoroughly displeased the emperor.
Was he implying that I had failed to teach my son properly?
Zhan Haoting, you are becoming far too bold!
A cold, ruthless gleam flashed through the emperor’s eyes. Then he looked up and saw Murong Chen entering with Cheng Lan in his arms. His anger surged. He slammed his palm onto the desk.
“Wretched son! Why are you not kneeling?”
Murong Chen’s heart jolted. Without even bothering to lift his robes, he dropped straight to his knees.
Cheng Lan panicked as well. She had already been shoved to the ground by Cheng Yao, and her tailbone was still throbbing with pain. Kneeling only made it worse. Her body tilted to one side, the hairpin in her hair fell loose, and most of her hair spilled down, veiling half her face and leaving her looking utterly disheveled.
The emperor’s brows knitted together.
He had few military commanders at his disposal. Once Zhan Haoting was removed from power, he intended to promote Cheng Jiahui.
And Cheng Yao was Cheng Jiahui’s legitimate daughter by blood. Cheng Lan, on the other hand, had been born to a concubine. Even if that concubine had later been elevated to the status of wife, the arrangement was neither proper nor legitimate. Cheng Lan had no qualifications to become his son’s wife.
That was why, when the old general had requested a marriage between Cheng Yao and Murong Chen, he had readily agreed.
Now that he looked at her, Cheng Lan was indeed inferior to Cheng Yao in appearance, bearing, and temperament. She was even somewhat foolish.
Who could have known that this rebellious son would take a liking to Cheng Lan and switch Cheng Yao over to Zhan Haoting?
Idiot!
His mind was filled with nothing but romantic entanglements. He was beyond saving and utterly useless!
The emperor was furious to the extreme, yet that fury made him calm down instead. He ignored Murong Chen.
“Second Brother, you and your wife should offer your elder brother a cup of tea.”
His tone was filled with the benevolence of an elder and the deep affection of brotherhood. Cheng Yao froze for a moment.
According to the timeline, this dog of an emperor had already begun fabricating evidence that Zhan Haoting intended to rebel. Yet here he was, deliberately acting close to Zhan Haoting. What exactly was he plotting?
Something abnormal always hid a sinister motive!
Zhan Haoting’s eyes darkened, and he gave an almost imperceptible nod.
A palace maid brought the tea set forward, and Zhan Haoting accepted the tray.
The emperor also descended step by step from his throne, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Cheng Yao paused, then had no choice but to take the teacup and offer it to the emperor.
He accepted it, took a symbolic sip, and placed it back on the tray.
“Good!” he exclaimed, as though he had just drunk a cup of aged wine and felt utterly refreshed. “Reward her.”
Cheng Yao grumbled inwardly: He summoned her from so far away just to drink one cup of tea she offered?
What a lunatic!
Eunuchs and palace maids came forward one after another with trays piled high with gifts.
“Princess Consort Zhan is virtuous and worthy. Reward her with ten thousand taels of gold and a casket of eastern pearls.”
“Reward her with one jade ruyi.”
“Reward her with ten bolts each of silk and brocade.”
“And…”
The list of rewards was exceedingly long and took quite some time to recite.
The emperor stood with both hands behind his back, his chin slightly raised. He looked as lofty as a god, his manner steeped in the air of charity.
Cheng Yao sneered inwardly. He was quite good at putting on an act. The rewards might look generous, but they were all flashy and impractical trinkets.
Besides, if she wanted to, she could take every treasure in the imperial palace for herself. She did not value these things in the slightest.
But outwardly, she had to appear deeply moved and overwhelmed with gratitude. She knocked her forehead against the floor.
“This subject’s wife thanks Your Majesty for Your gracious favor.”
The emperor threw back his head and laughed heartily.
Cheng Yao had no idea what he found so amusing. She decided to assume he had simply lost his mind.
Next, the emperor ordered a banquet to be prepared in the palace to entertain the husband and wife, Zhan Haoting and Cheng Yao.
Murong Chen and Cheng Lan, meanwhile, were still kneeling on the floor. Their kneecaps felt as though they were about to shatter, yet the emperor did not spare them even a glance.
As Cheng Yao turned to leave, Cheng Lan called after her, “Sister.”
Cheng Yao stopped.
Cheng Lan crawled forward on her knees for two steps, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears. “Sister, can you forgive me? I know I was wrong.”
“Whether I forgive you or not cannot erase the fact that you did something wrong. Besides, my mother passed away long ago. She could never have given birth to a daughter as wicked as you. You were born to an outside mistress. With your status as a concubine’s daughter, you are not allowed to call me ‘Sister.’ You should call me ‘Miss’ instead. Remember that from now on, or outsiders will say that the Cheng family cannot distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children and has no proper upbringing.”
Cheng Yao smiled sweetly. “When you do something wrong, you must accept your punishment. Kneel properly, all right?”
Cheng Yao turned her gaze toward Murong Chen. “Second Prince, I never imagined that you would rather marry a concubine’s daughter than me, a legitimate daughter. Fortunately, the War King has remained devoted to me. Otherwise, I would have been left with no way out.”
She dabbed at the corner of her eye with a handkerchief. “Thank you for refusing to marry me. Because of that, I was able to marry the War King. Please do not say such inexplicable things to me again. If His Highness hears you, he may misunderstand.”
“Shut up!”
Murong Chen’s face turned livid.
He was already being punished, and now she was kicking him while he was down. Had all the kindness she had shown him in the past been an act?
But the moment he spoke, he was met with another deadly glare from the emperor.
To make himself look so utterly wretched over a woman—what a useless fool!
The emperor flung his sleeve and left. Since he had not ordered them to rise, Murong Chen did not dare move. He remained kneeling there, his face shifting between pale and green.
Cheng Lan’s tears hovered in her eyes as she pleaded weakly, “Husband, my knees hurt so much…”
But Murong Chen’s knees hurt too. He had never suffered such hardship in his life. Hearing her complaint only stirred resentment in him.
“Do you think you’re the only one in pain? I’m hurting too! Who told you to provoke Cheng Yao?”
He paused before continuing, “I told you from the very beginning that this substitution would never work and that we needed another plan. You refused to listen. Look what happened—the emperor is angry with us now.”
This was something she had discussed with him in the first place—how could he turn around and blame her for it?
Cheng Lan’s chest ached from the hurt, and she felt a little disappointed.
