"Sister Hui, why are you crying?"
Song Xiyan looked at Song Hui, who was crying her heart out in the room, and quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
"Father has been in a bad mood lately, and I've upset him again."
"Sister Xiyan, my father kindly took charge of the Crown Prince's consort selection for the Eastern Palace, but in the end, not only did the Eastern Palace not appreciate it, he also offended other court officials. My father... he's already walking on thin ice at court."
Song Hui cried as she looked at Song Xiyan. "Could there be a day when the Heng Prince's household also becomes like the former Ping Prince's household, and I become like you once were, Sister Xiyan?"
"That won't happen!"
Song Xiyan's eyes narrowed, and she spoke without thinking.
"Why wouldn't it? The Crown Prince only has eyes for Princess Fu'an. If I ever anger the Princess, I'm afraid I'll be disposed of by the Crown Prince immediately..."
Song Hui guided Song Xiyan sentence by sentence, stirring up the hatred for Song Shihuan buried deep in Song Xiyan's heart.
"Sister Hui, don't worry. Others may not know what Song Shihuan's true character is, but I understand perfectly. I will definitely expose Song Shihuan's real face."
Hearing Song Xiyan's words, Song Hui almost laughed out loud, but her expression grew even more pitiful. "But if it would affect you, Sister Xiyan, I couldn't bear to let you take the risk."
"Sister Hui, you needn't worry."
Song Xiyan left resolutely, as if she had made up her mind.
That very day, the Eastern Palace received news passed on by Liu'er.
"Song Xiyan plans to expose Ah Huan's true colors at the palace banquet three days from now?"
Song Yu pinched Song Shihuan's cheek. "My Ah Huan's little face is perfectly genuine. Does it need her to expose it?"
"Song Xiyan has been let loose for so long, it's rare for her to make a move. I'm delighted, if anything." Song Shihuan broke free from Song Yu's "clutches." "Liuxi, remember to bring Consort Chang into the palace on the day of the banquet."
It's about time the truth of what happened back then is made clear before all the civil and military officials.
Seeing that their masters weren't the least bit worried, Liuxi lit three metaphorical candles in his heart for Song Xiyan. Rest in peace.
...
Three days later, at the palace banquet.
Song Xiyan attended in full regalia. Although the fabric of her dress was somewhat outdated, she held her head high as she entered the hall, as if she had already won.
Lady Chang beside her glanced at Song Xiyan, feeling she was acting rather strangely today.
Today's banquet was to reward the soldiers who fought in the war against the Wa Kingdom. Wu Qi recited the long list of rewards, feeling out of breath several times.
The Da Qi soldiers were brave and skilled in battle, they just tended to wear out his voice.
The military officers all wore smiles. Da Qi hadn't fought a war in decades, and those civil officials had almost come to think they were useless good-for-nothings. Now, in one campaign, they had conquered two countries!
So satisfying!
After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere in the hall was exceptionally lively. The military officers rose one after another to toast all around, these drunkards almost dancing before the civil officials.
It was at this moment that Song Xiyan made her move.
Standing before Song Shihuan, she accused:
"Song Shihuan, do you know your crime?"
At that moment, Song Shihuan was eating crab meat that a palace maid had shelled for her. The plump crab meat and roe made Song Shihuan's eyes light up, so much so that upon hearing Song Xiyan's words, she instinctively chewed and swallowed the food in her mouth first.
Then she looked up, her face full of question marks.
"Did I steal your crab to eat?"
That one sentence caused the momentum Song Xiyan had painstakingly built up to instantly collapse.
"It's because you won't let the Crown Prince take a wife that the Eastern Palace's rear courtyard remains empty to this day. You just want to prevent the Crown Prince from having a legitimate heir, so you can maintain your status as the Crown Prince's only daughter."
The entire hall fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Emperor Yuanyou, seated in the place of honor, had a face as dark as the bottom of a pot.
"Evidence?"
Song Shihuan spoke unhurriedly, completely unaffected by Song Xiyan's words, though she thought to herself, so there really is something about a 'lucky star'!
"The fact that the Eastern Palace's rear courtyard is still empty is the evidence!"
Song Xiyan turned to face the hundred officials. "Your Excellencies may not know this. Before my mother gave birth, a master made a prophecy, saying that of the twins in her womb, only one would be a lucky star, while the other would inevitably be a calamity star."
"Song Shihuan was lost at birth. What is that if not a calamity star?"
"Ever since Song Shihuan was recognized and brought back, our family has suffered one misfortune after another. Now Song Shihuan is trying to drain the Crown Prince's fortune. It is utterly detestable."
"If we let her continue like this, disaster will befall Da Qi!"
Song Xiyan's long, impassioned speech was met with utter silence.
Song Shihuan even found it amusing. "I feel like the calamity star the master spoke of is you, Song Xiyan."
Boom—
A hint of crimson flashed in Song Xiyan's eyes. "Song Shihuan, don't you dare quibble."
The next second, Song Xiyan felt a sharp slap land on her cheek, the force so strong her head snapped to one side.
Looking up, the one who had struck her... was actually her own mother.
"Mother, why did you hit me? You clearly know about the lucky star matter too?"
Song Xiyan had thought it through smoothly. Those who suspected she was the calamity star were all dead now, except for Song Yanming who was half-dead. So, as long as she preemptively pinned the label of calamity star on Song Shihuan, Song Shihuan would be finished.
But she never expected Lady Chang would strike to push her towards death.
Another slap.
Lady Chang trembled with anger. "How dare you say Ah Huan is the calamity star?"
"When Ah Huan was first recognized and brought back, you and Song Yanzheng conspired to drug her, trying to kill her. Is that the act of a lucky star?"
"Later, when Ah Huan entered the girls' school, you tried every method to trip her up. Is that the act of a lucky star?"
"And later..."
"Enough!" Song Xiyan covered her ears. "You are my mother. Why do you always take her side in everything?"
"I am only stating facts. The fact is, Song Xiyan, you are the calamity star."
Lady Chang laughed, a bit wildly. "Why do you think your brothers later kept their distance from you? It's because they all found out you weren't the lucky star."
Lady Chang looked at Song Shihuan. "Back then, the master who read the fate said the lucky star was Ah Huan."
Hearing this, a light unconsciously brightened in Song Yu's eyes. Sure enough, his judgment was excellent. He had spotted Song Ling's lucky star at first glance and taken her away.
Seeing this, Song Hui clenched her fists tightly under her sleeves. Useless thing.
Can't even handle such a simple matter.
"Attendants." Emperor Yuanyou, who had been dark-faced all along, slowly spoke. "Slap her face."
Hearing this, the court officials were shocked.
No matter what, she was a royal junzhu (princess/duchess). To have her face slapped in front of all of them...
Wu Qi stepped forward and began slapping, one after another. Soon, Song Xiyan's face swelled up like a pig's head.
But as long as Emperor Yuanyou didn't call for it to stop, Wu Qi didn't dare to cease.
Finally, just as Song Xiyan was about to faint, Emperor Yuanyou's voice rang out again:
"For speaking insolently, she is to receive fifty face slaps daily outside the Ping Prince's former residence, for thirty days. Afterwards, she is to be demoted to commoner status."
"The royal family cannot tolerate someone so vicious, cruel, and stupid as a pig!"
What dreadful luck. His old face has been utterly shamed!
