“Yes.” The moment the word left Lingling’s lips, a sword appeared in her hand, and she thrust it toward the Grand Eunuch.

Qingyun’s eyes were quick and his hands even quicker — he leaped forward, pulled the Grand Eunuch out of the way, and used his sword, still in its scabbard, to deflect Lingling’s strike.

Lingling glanced at Zhan Yuheng, and with a sharp clang, the sword — which she had failed to keep firm in her grip — clattered to the ground.

Qingyun stepped forward, kicked the fallen sword into a corner of the hall, and spoke in a cold, low voice: “His Majesty is present — how dare you cause such disorder?”

Lingling was so frightened that she fell to her knees with a thud.

“Your Majesty, spare my life! Please spare my life!”

At this moment she seemed to realize at last that the man before her was the Emperor — no longer the Crown Prince he once was.

If His Majesty wished her dead, there was no possible way her life would last until tomorrow.

Qingyun swept a glance into the inner chamber and said in a low, firm voice: “Who else is in there? His Majesty has arrived — come out and pay your respects at once.”

No sooner had his words fallen than the wet nurse and two palace maids came stumbling and scrambling out of the inner chamber in a great hurry.

The three of them arrived in the main hall and prostrated themselves on the ground.

“Your Majesty, spare our lives! Please spare our lives!” cried the wet nurse, kneeling at the front. “This servant did not know of Your Majesty’s arrival — Your Majesty, please show mercy!”

“Your Majesty, spare us! Spare our lives!” the two palace maids cried out as well.

“All of you, leave. Keep only one — and send in a basin of clean water.” Qingyun commanded.

The three kneeling on the ground glanced up at Zhan Yuheng, then immediately lowered their heads again.

“Yes.” The wet nurse gave a nod. “This servant will go and prepare at once.”

No sooner had the words left her lips than the wet nurse rose, followed by the two palace maids behind her.

All three bowed deeply, backing away several steps before turning to leave.

Everything unfolding in the hall was taken in by Feng Qingyin, and in this moment much of her usual smugness had drained away.

“Your Majesty, did you not come today to see the little prince? What is the meaning of all this?”

From the moment the little prince began to cry until his cries ceased, Zhan Yuheng had not once looked directly at the child. Feng Qingyin had taken careful note of every bit of it.

Still receiving no response from Zhan Yuheng, Feng Qingyin’s eyes filled at once with a sheen of tears.

“Your Majesty, what has happened to you? I’ve been longing and waiting for you every single day — you…”

“I only want to know one thing,” Zhan Yuheng said, looking at Feng Qingyin with a low, measured voice. “Is this child truly my Imperial son?”

Feng Qingyin met Zhan Yuheng’s gaze, her eyes going wide.

At last she understood what Qingyun had meant by that basin of clean water.

“He is your Imperial son — how could he not be? Your Majesty, do not listen to slander. The Crown Prince truly is your Imperial son.”

So that was it — this wretched eunuch she had been unable to kill had come today to ruin her plans.

Feng Qingyin was truly furious. Why had Lingling never managed to find him and have him dealt with sooner?

“The Crown Prince may well be His Majesty’s son — but whether your own flesh and blood is His Majesty’s, that is another matter entirely. I wonder if what this old servant has said holds any truth?” the Grand Eunuch asked in a low, steady voice.

“How dare you — daring to question the Crown Prince’s identity?” Feng Qingyin glared at the Grand Eunuch and let out a cold snort.

Turning her gaze back to Zhan Yuheng, she offered a faint smile: “So that is why Your Majesty returned today — for this matter.”

“Very well — if it can be proven that my child is of Your Majesty’s bloodline, you will announce it to the world and formally name my child Crown Prince, yes?”

“If the child is mine, he shall naturally be an Imperial Prince.” Zhan Yuheng replied in a low voice.

Feng Qingyin heard very clearly that Zhan Yuheng had said “Imperial Prince” — not “Crown Prince.”

She curved her lips ever so slightly, clutched the now-quiet infant in her arms, and turned to walk toward the door: “Since Your Majesty shows no sentiment, do not blame me for showing no loyalty.”

Qingyun stepped swiftly forward to block her path.

At that moment, someone knocked on the hall doors from outside.

“Your Majesty — it is this servant.” The wet nurse’s voice drifted in from outside.

Qingyun glanced back and said mildly: “Come in.”

“Yes.” The wet nurse responded and pushed open the door to enter.

Seeing this, Feng Qingyin clutched the infant tighter and pressed forward.

Qingyun turned and took the infant directly from her arms.

“Yi Lei, Er Hu — come inside.”

“What are you doing? Give my child back to me.” Feng Qingyin was startled and immediately spun around to pursue Qingyun.

But her speed could not begin to compare with his.

Feng Qingyin had barely turned around when Yi Lei and Er Hu, who had been standing guard outside just moments before, were already inside the hall.

“Restrain her.” Zhan Yuheng looked at Yi Lei and Er Hu and issued the command in a low, firm voice.

“Yes.” The two nodded and subdued Feng Qingyin.

“Let go of me!” Feng Qingyin struggled violently with all her strength, and the pearl hairpin in her hair fell to the ground.

Lingling remained kneeling on the floor and did not rise.

The wet nurse set the water basin on the table beside Zhan Yuheng and stepped aside.

Qingyun carried the infant forward, waved his hand, and said: “Go — there is no more need for you here.”

“Yes.” The wet nurse bowed her head and walked out without daring to lift her eyes.

“Let go of me! Give my child back — what are you trying to do? Give my child back to me, now!”

Feng Qingyin kept her eyes fixed on her child and never stopped struggling.

“Anyone who tries to hurt him — I will kill them! Let go of me! Give the Crown Prince back to me!”

Qingyun carried the infant and came to stand before Zhan Yuheng.

The Grand Eunuch looked at Zhan Yuheng, his brow creasing slightly.

Zhan Yuheng did no more than cast a single glance at the child in Qingyun’s arms before withdrawing his gaze and waving his hand.

“Begin.”

“Yes.” The Grand Eunuch pinched a silver needle between his fingers and came to Qingyun’s side.

Feng Qingyin stared at that small, slender object, then flung herself violently forward, breaking free of the two guards’ grip — and fell to the ground herself.

She watched as the Grand Eunuch took hold of the infant’s small, fair hand, her eyes going rigid: “Lingling — quickly, save the Crown Prince! Hurry — save the Crown Prince!”

“My lady.” Lingling did nothing but raise her eyes for a brief glance; she did not even dare to stand.

The Grand Eunuch held the silver needle in one hand and the infant’s hand in the other.

The needle pierced the infant’s fingertip, and the infant’s cries rang out once more.

At the sound of that crying, Feng Qingyin went still and stopped struggling.

The two guards hauled her up from the ground and once again held her fast.

The infant’s blood dripped into the basin. The Grand Eunuch stepped forward and raised his eyes to look at Zhan Yuheng.

“Your Majesty.”

Zhan Yuheng extended his hand and stretched out a long finger.

The Grand Eunuch carefully took hold of Zhan Yuheng’s finger, picked up the silver needle, and gave it a gentle prick.

A soft “drip” — the sound of a bead of blood falling into the water, not loud, yet every person in the hall heard it.

Feng Qingyin stared at Zhan Yuheng without blinking, her entire body gone rigid.

Zhan Yuheng watched the water basin, his expression growing darker and darker by the moment; soon, even the very air in the hall seemed to turn cold as ice.

“Your Majesty.” The Grand Eunuch drew a long breath and knelt down. “This is the truth this old servant wished to speak.”

“And not only that — even the late Emperor was killed by this woman. Your Majesty, you must seek justice for the late Emperor!”

The Grand Eunuch bowed low and pressed his forehead to the floor three times in succession, each knock resounding clearly.

“Your Majesty — you must seek justice for the late Emperor!”