"Song Shihuan, you’re asking for death!"
Song Yanchao’s lips trembled with rage. Since childhood, as the legitimate heir of the Eastern Palace, he had been pampered and flattered wherever he went. When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
As he spoke, Song Yanchao lunged at Song Shihuan again, his murderous intent unmistakable.
"No wonder Father and Mother saw you as a disgrace the moment they laid eyes on you—you don’t understand even the slightest bit of propriety."
At these words, Song Shihuan’s expression darkened instantly. She tossed aside the handkerchief in her hand.
"What did you say?"
Her voice was so cold it sent a shiver down Song Yanchao’s spine, but he forced himself to stand his ground. "Every single one of us in the Eastern Palace is ashamed of you."
Memories from her past life flooded Song Shihuan’s mind.
Her eyes began to redden.
Song Yanchao’s fist stopped just inches from her nose. Sensing the force behind Song Shihuan’s grip, he felt a flicker of alarm.
"I, too, am ashamed to share the same blood as you."
Each word dripped with venom as Song Shihuan’s lips curled into a chilling smile.
In her past life, Song Yanchao and Song Yanming had delighted in tormenting her, reveling in her desperate struggles.
With that thought, Song Shihuan’s hand slowly moved toward Song Yanchao’s neck...
Before she could tighten her grip, Song Yu’s voice rang out from the courtyard:
"Ah Huan!"
The darkness in Song Shihuan’s eyes vanished instantly.
Song Yu rushed to her side, panting and drenched in sweat. "Are you alright? Liu Xi told me those two brats from the Eastern Palace came looking for trouble?"
Song Shihuan shook her head. "Father, I’m fine."
More than fine—if her father had arrived a moment later, she would have had her hands around Song Yanchao’s throat.
But the moment Song Yu noticed the redness on the back of Song Shihuan’s hand, he exploded.
Grabbing Song Yanchao’s ear with one hand and Song Yanming’s with the other, he roared, "Have you two lost your minds? Daring to lay a hand on my daughter!"
Already injured, the two winced in pain as Song Yu twisted their ears, tears springing to their eyes.
"It was Song Shihuan who attacked us! We didn’t even touch a single hair on her head!"
Song Yanming couldn’t hold back. "My wrist is dislocated!"
Heaven knew that wild girl’s reddened hand wasn’t their doing.
Was Uncle blind? Couldn’t he see their injuries were far worse than her barely scratched skin?
"I know my daughter better than anyone. She would never raise a hand without reason—you must have provoked her first!"
His Ah Huan was only ten years old. How could she possibly overpower Song Yanchao and Song Yanming?
Song Yu gripped the backs of their necks. "Prepare the horses. I’m taking these two brats to the palace to demand justice."
Inside the carriage, Song Shihuan sat quietly.
Song Yu fretted over her hand, his eyes glued to the faint redness. "Such a severe injury! We should have bandaged it before entering the palace. What if it scars?"
Beside them, Song Yanchao and Song Yanming nearly choked on their rage.
Not even a scratch.
How could it possibly scar?
......
An hour later, a commotion erupted outside the Zichen Hall.
Emperor Yuanyou set down his memorial at once. "Wu Qi, what’s going on out there?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Qin has arrived with Princess Fu’an," Wu Qi replied, his face pale.
"Ah Huan is here? Bring her in at once!" Emperor Yuanyou’s face lit up with joy. "I hope her little arms have recovered from all that grueling charity work."
The thought of her tirelessly serving porridge for days had pained him deeply.
"And... the Second and Third Imperial Grandsons are with them."
The emperor’s smile vanished instantly.
"Let them in," he said, his voice turning cold.
But why would Ah Huan come with Yanchao and Yanming? Had they crossed paths by chance?
Before he could ponder further, his thoughts were cut short as Song Yanchao and Song Yanming were kicked into the hall—one forceful shove from Song Yu sending them both crashing to their knees before the emperor.
"Grandson greets His Majesty! We beg Grandfather to uphold justice for us!"
Their voices trembled with grievance.
When they lifted their heads, Emperor Yuanyou nearly leaped from his throne in shock.
"Yanchao, your face—!"
"And Yanming, your hand—!"
"Who did this?!"
Rage simmered in the emperor’s voice. No matter their faults, his grandsons were still imperial heirs. How dare outsiders lay a hand on them?
Before they could answer, Song Yu stepped forward, his expression icy. "I did."
The emperor’s face stiffened.
"They bullied Ah Huan. Look—she’s injured."
At the mention of his beloved granddaughter being hurt, Emperor Yuanyou immediately forgot about the kneeling grandsons and hurried to Song Shihuan’s side. "Such a terrible wound! The skin is nearly broken!"
Song Yanchao and Song Yanming’s faces twisted in disbelief, their injuries suddenly aching even more.
"You’ll have to ask your two grandsons about that," Song Yu sneered, stepping protectively between the emperor and Song Shihuan. "Wu Qi, summon the Crown Prince and Crown Princess—no, wait, the Crown Prince is under house arrest. He can’t come."
Whether intentional or not, the mention of the Crown Prince’s confinement made Song Yanchao and Song Yanming shrink further.
The Crown Princess arrived swiftly.
The moment they saw her, Song Yanchao and Song Yanming could no longer contain their grievances. "Mother, you must avenge us! Song Shihuan did this to us!"
"Nonsense!"
Song Yu’s sharp rebuke made the already unsettled Crown Princess flinch.
"It was these two who took advantage of my absence to barge into Prince Qin’s residence and bully Ah Huan!" Song Yu’s fury was palpable, his hair practically standing on end. "Since Second Sister-in-law is here, I’ll speak plainly: your sons’ characters are deplorable. They’ll never amount to anything."
"Elder Brother, must you be so harsh?"
The Crown Princess regained her composure, her tone defensive. "This is just childish mischief. To say Yanchao and Yanming are unfit for responsibility is going too far."
If such words were accepted today, how could her sons ever hope to earn the emperor’s favor in the future?
"Childish mischief?" Song Yu laughed coldly.
Before he could continue, Song Shihuan, who had remained silent until now, spoke softly:
"They accused me of treachery. They said I was a disgrace to the Eastern Palace. They even tried to slap me."
Unfit for responsibility...
She would make sure that reputation stuck to Song Yanchao and Song Yanming for good.
Her words plunged the Zichen Hall into silence.
Song Yu’s veins bulged as he glared at Emperor Yuanyou. "Today, the Eastern Palace must give me and Ah Huan an answer."
"If not, we’ll strike the grievance drum and demand justice before the entire court!"
