In the past, Pei Yueli would have naturally waited for the perfect moment to strike. But now, with the Emperor's promise to have her and her sister adopted out, and her father publicly pushing her sister into the spotlight—not to mention his desecration of the ancestral temple and his blatant disrespect toward their late grandfather—if she didn’t seize this opportunity, she’d be wasting the perfect alignment of timing, advantage, and circumstances.
Pei Yuesheng watched as her sister stood tall, her back straight, and for a fleeting moment, her expression grew distant. Countless times before, her sister had shielded her like this. But she couldn’t hide behind her forever.
She took two steps forward, standing side by side with her sister. "I saw it too. Father’s actions were inexcusable. No matter how distressed he was, he shouldn’t have treated Grandfather’s memorial tablet that way."
Pei Jiamao’s eyes burned with fury as he glared at the sisters—did they really think the downfall of the Zhuang Manor would be their chance to rise?
After all the love their father had showered upon them, they’d turned into nothing but ungrateful wolves.
His voice trembled with indignation. "Your Majesty, my father has always been filial and reverent toward Grandfather, often praying for him at the Taoist temple. He would never harbor such thoughts. I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice for him."
Yu Miaohua interjected, "If Prince Zhuang was so filial, then why did the tablet shatter? It broke into five pieces."
She hadn’t counted them herself—the sight was too revolting, and her system had automatically censored it for her sake. The number of fragments had been tallied by the system.
After over a year of working together, her system had grown increasingly considerate.
Pei Jiamao argued, "It must have cracked accidentally when it fell."
His father was at fault, but he couldn’t possibly be blamed for the tablet breaking too.
If word spread that the tablet had shattered from sheer indignation, the Zhuang Manor would never regain its standing in Great Qi. They’d be mocked wherever they went.
Pei Lingyue remarked, "If it shattered so easily from just falling off a table, the craftsmanship must have been shoddy. Who was responsible for making this tablet?"
Pei Jiamao seized the opening. "It must have been the officials at the time—negligent and corrupt, cutting corners to line their pockets. Your Majesty must punish those who disrespected the late Emperor and deceived the throne, to appease his spirit in the afterlife."
If they could shift the blame onto those officials, his father’s crimes would be mitigated.
Pei Lingyue’s tone was laden with meaning. "And how do you propose the responsible party be punished?"
Without hesitation, Pei Jiamao declared, "By law, they should be executed!"
Pei Lingjun, listening to his son, felt a surge of warmth—his son was truly filial, striving to share his burdens.
As for Yueli and Yuesheng… these two daughters had betrayed his past affection for them.
And to think he’d once considered making their cousin an imperial consort if he ever ascended the throne. A woman who raised such unfilial children didn’t deserve the title!
For his son’s sake, if the Fu family knew their place in the future, he might spare his wife’s life and grant her the dignity of being an empress.
This was all the fault of that poorly made tablet. If it hadn’t shattered, he wouldn’t be suffering this undeserved calamity today.
Come to think of it, who had been in charge of the late Emperor’s funeral arrangements?
Pei Lingjun struggled to recall—his mind was still muddled from being tossed around in the sky for at least half an hour, far from its usual sharpness.
Pei Lingyue’s expression remained inscrutable as he repeated, "Executed, you say?"
He turned to the Grand Tutor. "Grand Tutor Yuan, do you recall who was responsible for the arrangements?"
Yuan Xinji gave Pei Jiamao a peculiar look—the young man was practically gnashing his teeth, eager to see someone punished.
Yuan Xinji lowered his gaze. "By protocol, the Ministry of Rites oversees such matters. However, Prince Zhuang was so overcome with grief that he fainted before the late Emperor’s coffin. Your Majesty, moved by his filial devotion, decreed that Prince Zhuang himself should oversee the funeral arrangements."
During the late Emperor’s reign, Prince Zhuang Pei Lingjun had been quite the troublemaker. Once it became clear that the current Emperor’s ascension was irreversible, Pei Lingjun, fearing retribution, had used the funeral as an excuse to fade from public view.
And now, Pei Lingjun remembered—it had indeed been his responsibility. He had personally selected the tablet, made of golden nanmu wood.
His vision darkened.
Pei Jiamao was stunned—his own father had handled it. His legs gave way, and he dropped to his knees.
[This is hilarious. The Emperor just wanted to punish Prince Zhuang, but his son is trying to get him killed. I hereby declare Pei Jiamao this year’s top contender for "Most Filial Son Who Accidentally Dooms His Father."]
Yu Miaohua was nearly doubled over with laughter. No wonder the Emperor had been so patient—he must have been waiting for this moment all along. His memory for such details was always impeccable.
She had to admit, her luck was holding strong too. She’d never expected her impulsive "divine wind" punishment to lead to such a spectacular aftermath.
"So it was Prince Zhuang," Pei Lingyue mused, his tone light but edged with amusement. "Jiamao, what was it you said earlier? 'By law, they should be executed,' wasn’t it?"
Pei Jiamao stammered, "Y-Your Majesty, please spare my father this once! He didn’t mean to—"
He hadn’t even been born at the time. How could he have known?
Pei Lingyue’s smile was gentle, but to Pei Jiamao, it was more terrifying than any ghost from folklore. "Then how do you propose your father be punished?"
Pei Jiamao was trapped. If he suggested too light a punishment, it would seem the Zhuang Manor had no remorse and held no respect for the late Emperor. If he suggested too severe a penalty, their family would be ruined beyond recovery.
His face flushed crimson as he realized the impossible position he was in.
Pei Lingjun remained silent, his face ashen. At this moment, he finally understood—he wouldn’t be leaving the ancestral temple unscathed.
Pei Lingyue would never pass up such a legitimate opportunity to punish him.
His son was still too naive.
Gritting his teeth, Pei Lingjun said, "I plead guilty."
He consoled himself—Pei Lingyue had spared Pei Lingyou, so he might extend the same mercy. At worst, he’d be demoted to a lesser title.
If Pei Lingyue knew what Pei Lingjun was thinking, he’d have scoffed at his delusions. He’d spared Pei Lingyou because the man had a son who provided useful rewards.
Moreover, while Pei Lingyou had once vied for the throne, at least he hadn’t disguised himself as a pirate to plunder commoners, nor had he colluded with Great Liang to smuggle them weapons for personal gain.
Pei Yueli glanced at Pei Lingyou before raising her voice firmly within the temple. "This subject has a petition!"
Pei Lingjun’s expression darkened as he turned to her, a sense of foreboding creeping in.
Yueli—what was she planning?
Had she turned against him just because of his earlier careless actions?
Pei Lingyue gave a slight nod. "Speak."
Pei Yueli declared, "This subject accuses the Fu family of masquerading as pirates to raid merchant ships along the coast, seizing the property and lives of innocent civilians. The Fu family also slandered my maternal grandfather, framing him for colluding with pirates, leading to his wrongful execution. I beseech Your Majesty to clear my grandfather’s name and deliver justice to the wronged people of Zhuangzhou."
She didn’t pin the blame on her father—not out of any lingering affection, but simply because she wanted to watch them tear each other apart.
Besides, she still held the true weapon that could strike the fatal blow.
Pei Lingjun stared fixedly at Pei Yueli—well, what a fine daughter she was.
At that moment, Princess Consort Zhuang regained consciousness and overheard Pei Yueli’s words. Rage surged through her, her eyes blazing with hatred as she nearly lunged forward to claw at Pei Yueli.
That wretched spawn of a lowborn woman dared to betray her!
Suppressing her discomfort, Princess Consort Zhuang spoke, "Your Majesty, Yueli has harbored resentment toward me for years. She is maliciously slandering the Fu family—they would never commit such treasonous acts."
Pei Yueli turned to Yu Miaohua. "Imperial Noble Consort, may I request someone bring the chest Yuesheng brought into the palace last time? I placed the evidence inside."
"It contains correspondence between the Fu family and the pirate leader—Wang Qiang, the pirate chief, is the illegitimate son of the Fu family’s fourth master."
Yu Miaohua instructed Cuiwei, "Cuiwei, fetch the rosewood chest Yuesheng brought last time."
Princess Consort Zhuang had not expected Pei Yueli to know even this, let alone possess the letters. Considering how Pei Yueli had always accompanied her husband, it was clear where these documents had come from.
Her husband had kept these damning secrets all along, likely intending to use them against the Fu family someday.
She lost the will to argue further, her gaze shifting to Pei Lingjun.
If Pei Lingjun intended to sacrifice the Fu family, she would not let him off easily!
The Fu family was no Xu family—they were not ants he could crush at will.
Pei Lingjun, sensing her glare, dared not plead for mercy lest he implicate himself.
Instead, he called to his son, "Jiamao, come support me. My head aches."
This was his way of reminding the princess consort—they still shared a son. For their child’s sake, she had better not act recklessly.
Princess Consort Zhuang understood his implication, her expression darkening further. She clenched her teeth, swallowing her threats.
After a short wait, Cuiwei returned, panting, with the chest in hand.
Pei Yueli moved aside the clothes atop it, opened the hidden compartment beneath, and retrieved the ledger and letters.
A eunuch presented them to Pei Lingyue, who examined them before passing them to the Grand Preceptor, Grand Tutor, and other officials for review.
Pei Lingjun had meticulously gathered evidence to control the Fu family—only for it to fall effortlessly into Pei Yueli’s hands.
Pei Lingyue issued an edict: "The Fu family willingly colluded with pirates, bringing harm to innocent civilians and defying the law. Such acts are tantamount to treason and shall be punished accordingly."
Princess Consort Zhuang collapsed to the floor. The Fu family was finished. Her father, her brothers—none would escape death.
Her eyes burned with hatred as she glared at Pei Yueli and Pei Yuesheng. As a married woman, she would not be implicated unless proven directly involved. But she would not let these sisters off—today’s humiliation would be repaid a hundredfold.
Pei Lingjun exhaled in relief, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly—thankfully, Yueli hadn’t revealed the evidence came from him, or he’d have been charged with concealment.
But his relief was premature.
Pei Yueli stepped forward, her voice cold and resolute. "Your Majesty, this subject has another grave matter to report."
Pei Lingjun’s heart clenched—what now?
A sense of foreboding washed over him.
The ministers watched with rapt attention, savoring the drama unfolding before them. Tonight’s events surpassed even the most thrilling operas, leaving them spellbound—so much so that no one spared a glance at the late emperor’s tablet, still soiled with vomit.
Pei Yueli enunciated each word clearly: "My father, Prince Zhuang, bribed servants in the Phoenix Palace’s side chambers to plant explosives, fabricate divine retribution, and frame the empress."
"Prince Zhuang conspired with Daliang, smuggling weapons powerful enough to destroy palaces. These crimes warrant execution."
Pei Lingjun felt as though struck by a club, staring at Pei Yueli in disbelief. He wanted to defend himself but found no words.
When he looked up at Pei Lingyue, the emperor’s expression was icy, devoid of shock or fury.
In that moment, realization dawned.
Pei Yueli, this treacherous daughter, had long defected to the emperor. They were in league together.
Every move he made had been under the emperor’s watch—no wonder the Phoenix Palace plot had failed.
From start to finish, he had never escaped Pei Lingyue’s grasp.
Even the heavens had conspired against him.
His face drained of color as he gave up on defending himself.
It was pointless.
The court erupted in uproar.
Destroying the Phoenix Palace, colluding with Daliang—each charge was a capital offense.
One minister blurted out, "No wonder Prince Zhuang suffered divine retribution."
Even the heavens could not tolerate his crimes.
"Indeed, the dragon’s tail even sent him to the ancestral temple—to force him to repent before the late emperors."
"Yet he defiled the late emperor’s tablet, compounding his sins."
Others nodded in sudden understanding.
Of course! Now it all made sense.
What went unspoken was this: the late emperor, to protect Prince Zhuang’s reputation, had allowed the Xu family to be falsely accused, costing them lives. Now, the late emperor’s tablet was desecrated by Prince Zhuang—a karmic retribution.
Even the official who had considered reminding everyone to retrieve the tablet now held his tongue.
The late emperor’s tablet was merely dirtied, but the Xu family had lost lives.
Pei Jiamao stood dumbfounded. In mere moments, his maternal family had been condemned, and now their own household faced ruin.
One thing was certain—they had raised a viper in their midst.
Pei Yueli had never been loyal to them.
She had always hated them.
Rage surged within him, and Pei Jiamao lunged to strangle Pei Yueli—only to be kicked away by Pei Chiyan, who had been waiting.
He flew backward, landing squarely in the vomit. The stench made Pei Jiamao retch on the spot.
Yu Miaohua marveled at the sight. The crown prince’s aim was impeccable.
[System, do you think the crown prince did that on purpose?]
That kick had been perfect. And yet, he remained the picture of refinement afterward.
[The crown prince is a man of noble character—he would never act so deliberately.]
The system still held some bias toward the crown prince. Or rather, it favored any mission target who provided energy points.
Pei Chiyan withdrew his gaze, inwardly lamenting: Pity he didn’t hit the tablet directly. It would’ve been better if it had shattered further—nine pieces, perhaps.
Pei Lingyue declared, "Take Prince Zhuang and his family to the dungeons. Once the investigation concludes, they shall face the full weight of justice. Pei Yueli and Pei Yuesheng, in their righteous defiance of kin, have demonstrated unwavering loyalty. Prince Zhuang is unworthy to be their father. By imperial decree, their familial ties are hereby severed."
Prince Zhao, having been prepped earlier, stepped forward. "Elder Brother, I have longed for daughters but never been blessed. I wish to adopt Yueli and Yuesheng."
These nieces were pitiable. Besides, the emperor had promised an additional hereditary title if he took them in.
Pei Lingyue nodded slightly. "Yuesheng, Yueli, do you consent to being adopted into Prince Zhao’s household?"
Pei Yuesheng and Pei Yueli replied respectfully, "We are willing."
As she watched her entire family fall into dire straits while the traitors who betrayed them were about to climb to wealth and status over their corpses, Princess Consort Zhuang's eyes burned with fury.
Pei Yuesheng and Pei Yueli were vile schemers, and so was the Imperial Noble Consort. They had long been colluding, just waiting to push the Zhuang Manor and the Fu family into the abyss.
Gritting her teeth, she declared, "Your Majesty, I accuse Pei Yuesheng of adultery with the Imperial Noble Consort, defiling the imperial harem—a crime punishable by death!"
Yu Miaohua, who had been enjoying the drama, was stunned.
Wait—adultery with whom? How did the scandal suddenly land at her doorstep while she was just spectating?
