Staring at that handsome face with its gentle smile, Noble Consort Xian thought she had misheard. “What did you say?”

Yu Jin’s voice grew even softer, but his eyes were completely frozen. He enunciated each word clearly, “I said, Your Highness is quite presumptuous to think there’s any mother-son affection between us.”

“You… say that again!” Noble Consort Xian pointed at Yu Jin as if she had heard the most unbelievable thing.

Noble Consort Xian’s shock was understandable.

The weakness of their mother-son relationship was something they both knew in their hearts, but she never imagined Yu Jin would state it so bluntly.

The Great Zhou Empire was ruled by filial piety. No matter how many faults she had, the fact that she was the seventh prince’s birth mother was enough to override everything else. Moreover, she hadn’t done anything wrong; sending the seventh prince out of the palace wasn’t her idea.

For a prince sent away for being inauspicious to the Emperor, if she had secretly maintained contact and cared for him, it would have been disrespectful to the Emperor. If Yu Jin were to bring this up, no one would speak for him.

In Noble Consort Xian’s view, Yu Jin must have either gone mad or become a fool to say such insane things.

A light chuckle sounded, as pleasant as a bubbling spring.

“No matter how many times I say it, it’s the same. Noble Consort Xian, there is no mother-son affection between us. If I previously felt some obligation due to sharing half your blood and wanted to save you some face, that last bit of sentiment disappeared when you made a move against my wife.”

Noble Consort Xian’s face paled. “What move? Don’t spout nonsense!”

Yu Jin’s lips curled in mockery. “I haven’t even said anything yet. Why are you so flustered, Your Highness?”

By now, Noble Consort Xian’s heart was in turmoil.

What did the seventh prince mean? Did he know that she had plotted the incident at Baiyun Temple when Jiang went to offer incense?

No, that couldn’t be right. Even Jiang herself was unaware of this, so how could Yu Jin know?

But then Noble Consort Xian froze, a chill rising from the depths of her heart: What if Jiang had guessed?

If Jiang had guessed and told Yu Jin upon his return, it wouldn’t be surprising.

Thinking about Jiang, who might have guessed the truth but remained calm, Noble Consort Xian suddenly felt uneasy, as if seeing her in a new light.

She had been careless. Jiang and Li had gone to offer incense together, and while the schemer had nearly lost her life, the target had emerged unscathed. How could such a person be simple?

That lowborn Jiang must certainly suspect her.

“Seventh son, is this how you behave as a son? Listening to a woman’s provocations and disowning your birth mother?”

Yu Jin sneered. “Your Highness, you’re already halfway to the grave. Daring to do something but not daring to admit it – at your age, aren’t you ashamed?”

Noble Consort Xian’s face suddenly turned ashen. She pointed at Yu Jin and cursed, “You unfilial son—”

Yu Jin lightly brushed away Noble Consort Xian’s finger. “Do you take me for a coward who would swallow his anger when schemed against? Or do you think that because you gave birth to me, you can shamelessly do as you please? I’m not one for pretenses, so let me make things clear today. Stop putting on airs in front of me. Those who dare to act high and mighty before me have all had their feathers plucked.”

At this point, Yu Jin stood up, looking down at Noble Consort Xian sitting on her chaise lounge. He said softly, “And you will not be an exception.”

Before the age of twelve, Yu Jin had essentially grown up wild. Of course, he had tutors, but no one wanted to be close to a child considered inauspicious to the Emperor. It was a simple matter for adults to subtly distance themselves from a child, even without any apparent fault. After twelve, Yu Jin spent several years on the battlefield, which rapidly strengthened him and taught him to protect himself.

His childhood and adolescent experiences shaped Yu Jin’s personality, which was at odds with societal norms. To others, his words to Noble Consort Xian might seem rebellious and heretical, but for him, they were sincere.

Having said his piece, Yu Jin felt relieved. He smiled and cupped his hands towards Noble Consort Xian, his voice slightly raised, “Since Your Highness is unwell, please take care of yourself. We wouldn’t want those who care about you to worry.”

Watching Yu Jin smile and turn to leave, Noble Consort Xian felt blood rushing to her head. Her voice unconsciously rose, “You beast, stop right there—”

Before she could finish, she swayed and began to fall.

The palace servants outside, hearing the commotion, rushed in, but Yu Jin moved even faster.

When the trusted elderly maid burst in, she saw Yu Jin supporting Noble Consort Xian with one hand and gently patting her back with the other, his voice filled with concern, “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

“You, you—” Noble Consort Xian hadn’t expected Yu Jin to change so quickly and naturally. She was so angry that her whole body trembled, unable to speak.

The elderly maid came forward to take over from Yu Jin. “Your Highness, let this servant attend to her.”

Seeing Noble Consort Xian in such a state, Yu Jin naturally didn’t rush to leave. He stood to the side, his face showing concern as he advised, “I know Your Highness is angry with me, but it’s not worth damaging your health over. Don’t you agree?”

Seeing Yu Jin not only refusing to leave but also taunting her, Noble Consort Xian’s eyes rolled back in fury.

The elderly maid was terrified and urgently instructed the palace maids, “Why are you just standing there? Quickly, summon the imperial physician!”

The elderly maid’s words suddenly restored Noble Consort Xian’s voice. She spoke haltingly, “Summon… summon His Majesty…”

“Your Highness—” The elderly maid hesitated, about to advise against it.

They had just summoned the Emperor yesterday. Wouldn’t it be too frequent to summon him again so soon?

“Go!” Noble Consort Xian’s whole body shook, her face extremely unwell, as if she might pass out at any moment.

The elderly maid dared not delay any longer and hurriedly sent someone to inform Emperor Jingming.

Rage surged in Noble Consort Xian’s chest, choking her so that she couldn’t catch her breath. She could only glare fiercely at Yu Jin to express her anger.

This unfilial son! When the Emperor arrives, she will surely accuse him of being rebellious and unfilial!

Yu Jin’s face continued to wear an expression of concern, but his eyes remained calm as still water.

Complain to Father? Heh, he was waiting for it.

As people from Yuquan Palace hurried towards Yangxin Hall, Han Ran, the commander of the Jinlin Guard, had just entered the palace and was in the middle of discussing matters with the Emperor.

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation between the monarch and his subject.

“What is it?” Emperor Jingming glanced at Pan Hai with displeasure.

Pan Hai, somewhat admiring Yuquan Palace’s courage, reported, “Your Majesty, someone from Yuquan Palace has come to request your presence. They say Noble Consort Xian is not well—”

“Not well?” Emperor Jingming was taken aback. “When I visited yesterday, she seemed fine. How is she unwell again?”

“They say they’ve already summoned the imperial physician, but Noble Consort Xian appears to be in a very poor state, so they dared not delay in reporting to you.”

“Is her headache acting up again?” Emperor Jingming had only been talking with Han Ran for a short while and was reluctant to be interrupted at this time. He instructed Pan Hai to bring in the messenger from Yuquan Palace for questioning.

The messenger was a eunuch.

“What’s wrong with your mistress?” Emperor Jingming asked.

The eunuch kept his head low, trembling as he replied, “Her Highness… Her Highness seems to have been angered by Prince Yan…”

Emperor Jingming was stunned for a moment, then remembered that Yu Jin should be at Yuquan Palace at this time.

The seventh prince had angered Noble Consort Xian to the point of illness.