novelraw Chapter 695 - 684: The Cuckolded Prince
Chapter 695 - 684: The Cuckolded Prince
Hearing Consort Hui shift all the blame onto herself, the Crown Prince’s forehead bulged with veins in his anger.
Emperor Xingwu fainted, throwing the entire hall into disorder. Once the Imperial Physician and Eunuch Lian Xi accompanied Emperor Xingwu to the inner hall, calmness returned to the front hall.
"Crown Prince, was what Consort Hui just stated true?" Empress sternly asked, her presence seeming even more imposing than before.
"I deny it, it’s all their slander," the Crown Prince said, his eyes flashing with a cold light, "Father Emperor is gravely ill, I think this matter should be postponed."
"What if the witnesses die in the meantime, just like those palace maids and eunuchs?" Ye Qiu glared at him viciously. "I believe we should clear this up. Today, no matter what, I will seek justice."
"Fifth Brother, you should take responsibility for your words," Crown Prince Ye Zheng said, glaring at Ye Qiu with murderous intent.
"Responsibility? You and Lin Jingxian dare commit such indecent acts, and now I’m not allowed to speak of it? Are you still unwilling to admit it? Do you mean to say Consort Hui would tell lies?"
"Who knows what schemes she’s concocting?" the Crown Prince pointed directly at Consort Hui, "She’s nothing but a lowly impostor, how could her words be taken at face value?"
"Crown Prince, watch your language," the Empress rebuked, "One person’s words indeed cannot be deemed conclusive."
"Would I, of all people, tell lies? Several Imperial Mandate women were present at the scene!" Consort Hui said, dissatisfied. She realized now that if the Crown Prince doesn’t fall today, she would have no good ending either.
"No one doubts you, but due to the gravity of the situation, we need to be thorough. What do the Ministers think?" the Empress looked at each one, her inherent authority evident without words.
"Please, Empress, ascertain the truth," the Old Prince said, bowing, his righteousness resounding, "We can’t allow someone to slander the Royal Family of Dongchen Country so easily."
"Since the Imperial Uncle believes in me, today I shall seek the truth. Summon those four Imperial Mandate women to appear."
"Without Father Emperor here, you can’t judge me," Crown Prince Ye Zheng finally showed panic, his gaze coldly sweeping across the crowd.
The Minister of Rites answered, "Today, several Ministers are present. The truth of the matter will not be obscured; if the Crown Prince is truly innocent, why not patiently listen to what the witnesses have to say?"
"You!" Ye Zheng pointed at them, gritting his teeth in rage, "This is insubordination."
"I am here, who would dare commit insubordination?" Empress Liu looked at Ye Zheng with an expressionless gaze.
Ye Zheng felt a sudden jolt of fear in his heart; his greatest threats were his eldest brother and Consort Hui. Now that they have joined forces against him, how could he prevail?
The Empress has hidden her true power deeply! Everyone thought she had been stripped of her authority, does she look powerless at all?
"Reporting to the Empress, the four Imperial Mandate women have arrived," the palace attendants’ voices were soft, but everyone heard them loud and clear.
"Let them in," Empress Liu commanded coldly, giving the Crown Prince a glance as she spoke.
"We greet Your Majesty the Empress," the four Imperial Mandate women said, trembling with fear as they paid their respects.
"You may rise," said Empress Liu, her expression still relatively gentle as she looked at them. "The Fifth Prince has accused the Crown Prince of having an affair with the Fifth Princess Consort during the state banquet and claims you all are witnesses. Is there any truth to this?"
"This..." The four Imperial Mandates looked at each other with faces that were extremely unsightly.
Looking even worse than them was the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister and their faction standing by his side. If the accusation were false, a simple denial would suffice. Why hesitate so? It was clear they had reservations.
"You need have no reservations. I order you to speak the whole truth," she commanded.
After the Empress spoke, Consort Hui fanned the flames from the side: "Just say it out loud, whatever you saw or heard that day. I saw it too, what is there to be afraid of? The Crown Prince is without virtue; it is right to expose his true face. To covet even the wife of a brother, if he ascends to the throne one day, what would become of our Dongchen?"
"Consort Hui, you can eat your food carelessly, but you must watch your words. Be careful or the Father Emperor will wake up and punish you for your crimes," the Crown Prince said threateningly, his sharp gaze sweeping over the four Imperial Mandates.
But he didn’t realize that all of today’s happenings were carefully orchestrated well in advance, and even the ministers who entered the palace today were here as part of the meticulous arrangement by Ye Qiu and the Empress.
Even Emperor Xingwu’s fainting was taken into account. If Emperor Xingwu hadn’t passed out from anger just now, they had other ways to make him faint. In any case, they would not let the Crown Prince escape.
Otherwise, why didn’t the guards rush over when Emperor Xingwu had ordered Ye Qiu to be taken away just now?
The opposition to Emperor Xingwu’s sole favoring of the Crown Prince wasn’t just these two factions; today was the culmination of countless schemes and calculations by Ye Qiu and his allies, aimed at leaving the Crown Prince with no room to turn around.
"Speak," the Empress commanded, ignoring the Crown Prince and pointing to the four Imperial Mandates.
"That day, my clothes were soaked through, and Mrs. Li and Madam Zhang had too much to drink. Mrs. Gu also felt a bit stuffy, so we were led by the Palace Attendants to change clothes and get some air. Unintentionally, we wandered into a side hall, and just as we were about to leave, the Crown Prince and the Fifth Princess Consort arrived," spoke one of the ladies who appeared very timid.
"And then?"
"Then the Crown Prince and the Fifth Princess Consort took off their clothes and started doing... that deed." The lady’s face turned bright red as she spoke with apparent disdain.
The faces of everyone listening darkened as well, especially Lin Xueyuan, who wished he could burrow underground. His many years of good reputation had been destroyed by a daughter without shame!
The timid-looking lady was shamed and found it hard to go on, so Mrs. Gu continued, "While they were doing it, the Crown Prince and the Fifth Princess Consort also spoke of continuing their plot to assassinate the Fifth Prince, and once the Crown Prince ascended to the throne, they planned to restore the status of the Fifth Princess Consort and their children."
Once these words were spoken, they were essentially no different from what Consort Hui had said. Prime Minister Shen and Grand Commandant Chen’s faces darkened. Crown Princess Consort Shen Xiu looked as if she had been struck by lightning, nearly collapsing but for the support of the palace maids.
"Then, I don’t know if it was the Crown Prince or His Majesty who shouted, and we left. His Majesty also ordered those palace maids and eunuchs to be taken away for punishment," continued another lady.
"Indeed, a group of palace maids and eunuchs were disposed of within the palace on that day. I thought they were mishandling their duties and were punished without my knowledge. I never expected it to be for such a reason," said the Empress, her face weary and heartbroken. "Just for witnessing a disgraceful act, so many innocent lives were lost, alas..."
"This is nothing but a fabricated accusation concocted by you all," the Crown Prince still argued. "I do not accept this. I will wait for the Father Emperor to adjudicate this matter."
"So many eyewitnesses, even Consort Hui and they don’t even know each other. Do you think they are conspiring? Crown Prince, how long will you continue to argue?" the Empress rebuked him.
"It doesn’t matter if the Crown Prince doesn’t accept the testimonies of the people, this Prince has physical evidence." Ye Qiu’s smile was full of scorn and sorrow.