The Princess Consort of Pingnan let out a sharp scream, abandoning her son to rush over and help her husband up.
Though the Prince of Pingnan was a military man by background, age had weakened him. Emperor Jingxuan’s kick, delivered with only thirty percent of his strength, had left the prince severely debilitated.
Gritting his teeth against the searing pain in his chest, he shoved his wife away.
He opened his mouth to speak, but agony twisted his features, rendering him mute. He could only kneel silently, bowing his head to conceal the resentment in his eyes.
The Princess Consort, pushed aside, was now deathly pale, her earlier arrogance utterly shattered.
She begged pitifully, "Your Majesty! Today’s transgressions were entirely our fault! We beg for your mercy—spare us in consideration of my husband’s years guarding the southern borders, if not for his merits, then for his toil!"
The Princess Consort was truly terrified, consumed by regret.
As for Guo Xiong, he was frozen in fear, even as his trousers darkened with urine.
The palace servants nearby felt nothing but satisfaction. They had endured endless mistreatment from this family.
Guo Xiong was an insufferable brat, and the Princess Consort a haughty woman who looked down on others—both were difficult to serve.
As for the Prince of Pingnan, he had been a lecherous womanizer in his youth, and age had not changed him. The sight of a pretty palace maid would leave him rooted to the spot, and if no one was around, his hands would wander. The maids had privately cursed him more times than they could count.
"Mercy?"
Emperor Jingxuan rolled the word on his tongue, then suddenly chuckled. "I’d like to ask—what exactly is the Guo family plotting?"
"Guo Quan, your son Guo Xiong first threatened to gouge out my son’s eyes, then today he provoked him without cause, insulted me and Consort Zhao, assaulted my son, and even had the audacity to play the victim afterward!"
The Prince of Pingnan tried to defend himself, but as soon as he opened his mouth, a gust of icy wind rushed in, tearing at his throat and chest like a blade. Another mouthful of blood followed.
Emperor Jingxuan remained unmoved. "Guo Quan, ah, Guo Quan. Your son has repeatedly sought to harm mine. What does he intend? And what do you intend?"
"Rebellion?"
The moment the word left his lips, killing intent thickened the air.
The Prince of Pingnan’s mind buzzed. He desperately refuted, "This subject dares not! My loyalty to you and to Great Qi is unwavering! I have never entertained thoughts of treason—I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"
Blood had dried at the corners of his mouth, his face flushed a deep, ugly red as he pleaded with the emperor.
"See the truth?"
Emperor Jingxuan let out a cold laugh, his gaze turning glacial. "Well said. Now I suspect that your son’s relentless targeting of my child was done at your behest. How else would a boy so young be so determined to harm mine?"
The Prince of Pingnan cried, "Your Majesty, this is a false accusation! This old subject—"
Emperor Jingxuan cut him off. "To spoil a child is to ruin him—surely the Prince of Pingnan knows this adage? Out of respect for the late emperor and the thousands of soldiers and civilians in the south, I have shown you nothing but courtesy. Yet you repay me with such treachery!"
With a heavy sigh, he lamented, "Guo Quan, you have disappointed me deeply."
"Your Majesty—!"
Another spurt of blood. The Prince of Pingnan’s face turned ashen, his body frail as a candle in the wind.
The emotions flickering across his face were unclear—remorse or agitation.
Emperor Jingxuan remained impassive. "Take him away. The Prince of Pingnan is to be imprisoned in the imperial dungeon and handed over to the Dali Temple for thorough investigation."
The Imperial Guards sheathed their blades, several of them lifting the prince together.
With his last ounce of strength, the prince gasped, "Your Majesty! Do you not fear alienating the hearts of thousands of soldiers?"
Emperor Jingxuan smirked. "Did you all hear that? The Prince of Pingnan is using the southern garrison to threaten me. Does he still regard me as his sovereign?"
The assembled officials nodded in unison—they had heard.
Emperor Jingxuan declared, "Whether the Guo family harbors treasonous intentions will be revealed through investigation."
"To refrain from investigating would be to betray the trust of the people."
"Lord Guo earlier claimed that a father bears responsibility for his son’s misdeeds and wished to suffer in his stead. Very well. He shall receive fifty lashes. Guo Xiong will witness the punishment."
The Prince of Pingnan convulsed in rage, his eyes rolling back as he fainted.
With the prince dealt with, only the Princess Consort and her son remained on the ground.
Emperor Jingxuan glanced at them. "As for you—"
The Princess Consort’s legs gave out. She kowtowed frantically. "This humble woman admits her wrongs! I beg for Your Majesty’s mercy! I swear I’ve learned my lesson—I’ll never dare again!"
Having watched her husband, her sole pillar of support, dragged away like a dead dog and thrown into the dungeon, the Princess Consort trembled uncontrollably, terrified the emperor might kick her next.
Emperor Jingxuan pronounced, "As a princess consort, you lack virtue. You spoiled your son, behaved disgracefully, and are unfit to be mistress of the prince’s household. From this day forth, you are stripped of your title and reduced to commoner status."
"For today’s offenses, you will receive a hundred slaps as punishment."
With a thud, the Princess Consort also collapsed, unconscious.
"Mother!"
Guo Xiong sat helplessly on the ground, dumbstruck.
Emperor Jingxuan ordered, "Have Zhou Bingyi examine the family. Ensure they don’t die."
Jiang Fusheng bowed. "This servant understands."
The emperor waved a hand. Servants swiftly cleaned the bloodstains from the ground before dispersing, bringing the heart-stopping spectacle to an end.
As they left, many couldn’t resist stealing glances at Sui, their minds still reeling.
The Lu family’s prodigious young master was actually the emperor’s own son!
The skies above the capital were surely about to change.
Once the servants had scrubbed the scene clean, no trace of blood—or the offending family—remained.
Sui rubbed his eyes and asked, "Did you kick Guo Xiong’s father earlier?"
Emperor Jingxuan paused. "You saw that?"
Sui said, "I heard it."
The emperor winced. He’d covered the boy’s eyes but forgotten about his ears.
"Why aren’t you calling me ‘Father’ anymore?"
Sui turned his head away, struggling. "Put me down. I can walk myself."
Emperor Jingxuan set him down but couldn’t resist scoffing, "With those little legs of yours? How long will that take?"
Hearing the mockery, Sui’s face darkened. His ink-black hair practically bristled with indignation as he stomped off without looking back.
"I’ll walk myself even if it takes until next year!"
Emperor Jingxuan arched a brow at the sulky declaration.
Tsk. The brat was throwing a tantrum.
Without a word, he scooped Sui up, ignoring his flailing, and unceremoniously deposited him into the imperial palanquin.
.........
The palace was never short of eyes and ears, and Emperor Jingxuan made no effort to suppress the news.
Thus, within half an hour, word of the events at Hongwen Institute spread throughout the inner court.
Compared to the bombshell that the "Prince of Pingnan plotted rebellion and was imprisoned," Sui’s true parentage struck like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone utterly stunned.
Changchun Palace.
"What did you say?! Repeat that! Whose son is Lu Changsui?!"
Consort Lu seized the messenger maid by the collar, her eyes bloodshot, glaring furiously.
The maid trembled violently, stammering, "H-he’s His Majesty’s own child. The emperor acknowledged it himself."
Thud.
Consort Lu released her grip. The maid crashed to the floor before scrambling away on hands and knees.
"Ha!"
"Hahaha—!"
Consort Lu collapsed to the ground, laughing hysterically.
Her laughter soon turned to sobs, a wail of despair escaping before she too fainted.
Only one thought remained in her mind:
They had all been fooled.
This scene repeated itself in multiple locations—Yaohua Palace, the Lu family, the Yun Family, Earl Wenchang’s Mansion...
Fainting spells became the order of the day.
