Though the Empress Tang had a head of white hair, in her fury, she had the strength of a robust man. She pulled the frail youth so forcefully that his hair ornament came loose. With his hair falling around his face, combined with his tear-stained and reddened eyes, he looked even more pitiful, like a young lady.

Consort Shang watched from the side, pretending to be concerned as she held back Empress Tang, saying softly: “Empress, His Majesty is right here. You only need to speak your grievances, please don’t be angry.”

With Consort Shang’s restraint, the Empress finally eased her grip. With a wretched expression, she knelt and said to Emperor Chunde: “Your Majesty, I have suffered terribly because of this impostor!”

Then, sobbing, she recited the explanation that Chenghong had rehearsed with her, claiming that the Grand Prince had somehow found someone identical to the Crown Prince, used madness-inducing drugs to confuse her mind, and attempted to impersonate the heir to disrupt the court. She told the entire story.

Hearing this, Emperor Chunde’s scalp tingled with tension as he frowned at the Empress: “I think you’re still speaking madness… You’re saying the current Crown Prince is not that child Feng Qiyuan?”

Saying this, he turned to look at Feng Qiyuan, who was sobbing and trembling nearby: “Crown Prince, speak.”

The youth seemed to have suffered a great injustice. He looked up at the Empress with a trembling voice: “Mother, don’t you recognize your child anymore?”

Empress Tang tried to lunge at him again, her eyes full of venomous hatred: “I see your face in my dreams every day, and I long to tear it to pieces!”

Emperor Chunde had merely taken a break from reviewing memorials, only to be drawn into this chaos. Somewhat impatiently, he said: “Since they claim the Crown Prince is female, Li Quan, take the Crown Prince to verify this!”

But just as Chief Eunuch Li was about to approach, the Crown Prince seemed to awaken from a dream. He raised his head with trembling lips and said: “Father, am I still the heir of Dafeng?”

Emperor Chunde replied: “No one has deposed you, have they?”

“If-if I am still the heir, why am I accused of being female, and why must I be searched at someone’s word?”

Emperor Chunde laughed in exasperation, pointing at the Empress: “Because the person making this claim is your mother! Do we need to go to the ancestral temple and consult the ancestors before examining you? Show your mother and be done with it, so she can stop this mad talk!”

Feng Qiyuan took a breath and spoke as if reciting from memory: “If someone claims I am female, and I must undress, how am I different from a songstress in a pleasure house? Consort Shang knows that my mother suffers from delusions and hysteria, yet she still encouraged my mother to cause this scene. There must be a proper protocol for such matters!”

Emperor Chunde looked at Feng Qiyuan’s pale face, then at Empress Tang’s malevolent, crazed appearance, and sighed. He turned to Consort Shang: “The Crown Prince has a point. If you are slandering the Crown Prince, what punishment should you face?”

Consort Shang glanced at her maid Wen Qing standing beside her, who gave a slight nod, filling her with confidence.

Earlier, Wen Qing had taken two of her trusted elderly maids into the Eastern Palace and personally stripped the Crown Prince, confirming beyond doubt that it was a girl.

Then those two elderly maids had remained in the Eastern Palace, guarding the impostor until His Majesty’s summons.

Outside the Eastern Palace, the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards had increased security, allowing no one else to interfere.

This time, the leader of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards, Duke Ding himself, had gone to the Eastern Palace to personally interrogate the impostor.

She was certain that this time she would be able to turn the tables, catching both the impostor and the Grand Prince in one move.

With this in mind, Consort Shang lowered her gaze respectfully: “It’s not that I’m making baseless accusations. It’s because Your Highness’s palace maid Jian Hu told my servant that she had seen the Crown Prince bathing, revealing a female body… The maid was so shocked that she told Wen Qing, with whom she is close.”

Hearing this, Emperor Chunde frowned: “Summon that palace maid!”

Consort Shang raised an eyebrow, waiting for Jian Hu to arrive. This maid had already been “conditioned” by Chenghong from the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards. Chenghong’s methods were such that ordinary palace servants couldn’t withstand them. Even if this maid had been coerced by the Grand Prince, now that she was in the hands of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards, she should know what to do to save her life.

Jian Hu entered the study with a pale face, dropping to her knees as if in deep mourning, looking as frightened as her fake master.

However, when Jian Hu began to speak, she was surprisingly bold: “Your Majesty, I never said such things to Wen Qing! Please, Noble Consort, don’t wrong me!”

Consort Shang stared in astonishment, while the Empress flew into a rage, cursing loudly: “You ungrateful, treacherous servant! Have you forgotten who elevated you? What potion has that impostor given you that you dare lie so blatantly, favoring her?”

Jian Hu took a deep breath. If not for Xiaoying’s intervention back then, she would have been silenced by the Empress long ago—how could she have survived until now?

Now she lived each day walking on the edge of a knife, and had even nearly been silenced in Jiangzhe. After such arduous experiences, who could compare with what she had endured?

Thinking of this, Jian Hu became composed, showing three parts of the calm, two parts of the nonchalance of her master whom she served daily: “Your Highness’s words make me ashamed. When you were still in good health, you instructed me to serve the Crown Prince diligently and not let anyone bully him. I have fulfilled that duty. Even when Your Highness has been unwell and secluded for so long, I haven’t dared to be negligent in the slightest. I would never admit to words I haven’t spoken!”

Emperor Chunde then turned to look at Consort Shang’s maid Wen Qing. Wen Qing quickly knelt and swore to heaven: “It was indeed Jian Hu who told me. Later… she even took me to secretly watch the Crown Prince bathing… it was indeed a female body!”

After speaking, she glared hatefully at Jian Hu: “Damn servant, do you think denying it in front of His Majesty will hide the impostor’s identity? I saw it with my own eyes today—there’s no possibility of it being male. I might as well be even more certain in my statement!”

At this moment, Feng Qiyuan persisted: “Consort Shang still hasn’t stated what protocol she will follow.”

Consort Shang was extremely smooth in such situations and replied: “I only heard what my maid reported and feared making a mistake, which is why I sought confirmation from the Empress. Whether the Crown Prince is male or female can be determined at a glance. If the truth is revealed, that would be best. Why bother asking me about protocol?”

Li Quan was now trying to help the Crown Prince up, to lead him behind a screen for examination, but Feng Qiyuan pulled his arm away, fearfully clutching the front of his clothes: “Without established protocol, there will be no examination!”

His effeminate, coy manner made Emperor Chunde’s eyes burn with irritation; he found it extremely distasteful.

He was also tired of the farce before him and said sternly, “Consort Shang, based on the groundless words of a servant, you’ve brought the ill Empress here to cause a scene before me. Do you truly have no evidence and are just slandering the Crown Prince at will? Are you going mad like the Empress Tang?”

Consort Shang looked at Feng Qiyuan, who refused to admit anything. That coy, sobbing demeanor truly looked like that of a girl, no matter how one viewed it.

Wen Qing was her trusted maid; what she had seen with her own eyes couldn’t be false. Now that the matter had been brought before His Majesty, was she afraid to make a few strong statements?

With this in mind, she raised her head confidently: “I am truly concerned about the Dafeng heir. If I have slandered the Crown Prince this time, I am willing to be demoted from my consort position…”

Hearing this, Feng Qiyuan spoke again in a high, thin voice: “The Consort makes it sound too easy. You splash dirty water on someone, yet still leave yourself an escape route? Is the punishment for slandering the Crown Prince so light?”

Consort Shang almost laughed coldly: “If I am wrong, I ask His Majesty to deal with me according to the law—demote me to a commoner and exile me to the northern territories. Would that be acceptable?”

Feng Qiyuan tilted his head to consider, as if finding it satisfactory, and finally stood up to move behind the screen.

Chief Eunuch Li Quan followed him. After a while, Li Quan emerged and respectfully addressed His Majesty: “Your Majesty, though the Crown Prince is somewhat frail, he is undoubtedly male.”

“Impossible!”

Empress Tang and Consort Shang had never been so united in their lives as they both cried out shrilly.

Empress Tang looked completely distraught and lunged forward, knocking over the screen.

Feng Qiyuan, who hadn’t finished pulling up his pants, also screamed in a high voice, his hands first rushing to cover his chest.

Then, realizing this was wrong, he hurriedly covered his lower parts, and finally simply covered his eyes, not caring about anything else.

This display of spring scenery truly burned the eyes of everyone present.

It was one thing for the Empress Tang to stare blankly at her son, but Consort Shang also didn’t avert her eyes. She stood there staring at the Crown Prince, who was hopping on the spot, her lips quivering along with his shaking shoulders…

“This… how is this possible? Wasn’t he supposed to be female?”

At this moment, nearby eunuchs reacted, hurrying over to hold up the screen and help the Crown Prince arrange his clothes.

Emperor Chunde’s eyes were also dazzled by his son’s fair skin, and he felt he had indulged these mad women’s antics quite enough!

He coldly asked Wen Qing: “Is this what you claim to have seen with your own eyes?”

Wen Qing was stunned. Yesterday, she had seen clearly—how could there be such a dramatic change?

She was momentarily speechless.

Jian Hu then spoke to Wen Qing: “You rely on your position as Consort Shang’s favored maid to deceive people everywhere. Is it because when you tried to intimidate me that time, I ignored you, so you deliberately sought revenge by making false reports to Consort Shang, falsely accusing me of speaking ill of the Crown Prince? What a vicious and foolish heart you have! Did you not expect that the Noble Consort would believe your nonsense and come to verify, so you dragged me down with you, claiming I spoke ill of the Crown Prince?”

After saying this, Wen Qing became somewhat frantic. As she was about to speak, Jian Hu continued glibly: “A few days ago, I heard that you went to Consort Yi’s place and intimidated her maid, slandering the Consort by saying that Consort Yi had behaved improperly in her maiden home, and using this to blackmail the maid for money!”

These words startled Wen Qing. She hurriedly glanced at Consort Shang and, seeing the fierce look in her eyes, feared she would be misunderstood as embezzling. She quickly explained: “I only spoke with her, when did I ever ask her for money?”

After saying this, she realized she had misspoken. A normal person would have denied having gone to intimidate Consort Yi’s maid at all. How had she ended up only denying asking for money… wasn’t this as good as confessing?

Consort Shang’s heart was trembling with anger. She had obtained evidence of Consort Yi’s private affair with someone and was planning to use it to control her!

Who would have thought that at such a critical moment, Jian Hu would expose this matter?

Could it be, as Jian Hu suggested, that her maid Wen Qing was disloyal, using this matter to extort money from Consort Yi, and accidentally let the information leak?

This maid was so unreliable!

Could it be… that in this matter of the Crown Prince being female, Wen Qing had also colluded with outsiders to set a trap for her?

Terrible—Duke Ding and the Crown Prince were in league together. Had she… been deceived?

With this realization, Consort Shang finally sensed something was wrong. Her forehead broke out in sweat as she contemplated her escape route.

But there was someone who didn’t consider escape routes. Empress Tang had originally thought that today she could expose the impostor’s female identity, clearing her name of madness and regaining her freedom.

Who would have thought that just as success seemed within reach, Yan Xiaoying would suddenly transform into a young man!

She knew the secret of the twins and understood that the siblings had switched places again, playing another trick on her.

With little rationality left, Empress Tang, in extreme disappointment, lunged forward like a madwoman, tightly gripping the neck of the youth who had just dressed. She sharply questioned: “You worthless thing, why have you come back? Tell me, where has she gone?”

Feng Qiyuan cried, holding Empress Tang’s wrist, and sobbed: “Mother, it’s me! I… won’t go anywhere anymore. I’ll stay by your side, all right?”

When he had fled the palace, it was under his sister’s encouragement, but he had always harbored hope regarding the Empress Tang.

They were, after all, mother and son. Though the Empress Tang had been strict with him, she must have missed him during his absence.

Seeing the Empress Tang with white hair, Feng Qiyuan truly felt sad and pitiful for her.

But when the Empress Tang heard his words, she reacted as if hearing a joke, looking at his tear-streaked face with utter disgust and spitting at him.

“The biggest mistake of my life was raising a worthless thing like you! Back then, even if I had exchanged you for a dog, it would have been better! Will you tell me where she’s hiding? If you don’t, I’ll strangle you, you bastard!”

Just as Feng Qiyuan was about to suffocate, a teacup suddenly flew through the air, striking Empress Tang on the head. Blood flowed as she collapsed to the ground.

It was Feng Yuan who had been pursued and called back by the guards. Arriving at the study and seeing Empress Tang strangling someone, he grabbed a cup from a nearby eunuch and threw it at her.

The eunuchs nearby pulled the Empress Tang away and helped the stunned, crying Feng Qiyuan to his feet.

After asking his father what had happened, Feng Yuan laughed coldly and looked at the nervous Consort Shang: “The Feng family must have had incredible fortune to marry such a virtuous wife. Since you entered our family, I have been slandered as a bastard of unclear bloodline, and now our dignified Crown Prince Qiyuan is accused of being female. In a few days, will Noble Consort claim that Qiyuan is also not Father’s son, but adopted from elsewhere?”

“Enough!” Emperor Chunde couldn’t bear to hear more and sternly ordered Feng Yuan to be silent.

Feng Yuan, unable to stand long due to his leg injury, sat down and said coldly, “Father, the Feng family has had enough scandals. Unclear lineage leads to improper family conduct. This is true in common households and the imperial family as well. If she were only accusing the Crown Prince, that would be one thing, but now, just because my fiancée resembles the Crown Prince, she claims I deliberately disrupted the succession. Her intentions are truly criminal!”

“What? Do you presume to manage my consorts for me?” Emperor Chunde challenged.

Feng Yuan laughed lightly and said calmly, “I wouldn’t dare. But at least my brother and I are resilient enough to withstand such torment.”

At this moment, the Empress, who had been knocked unconscious, slowly awoke. In her confusion, she pointed at the sobbing Feng Qiyuan and said: “Seize him! He’s a bastard! I want him dead! I want him dead…”

Feng Yuan smiled at the right moment, calmly picking up a teacup and drinking tea as the Empress shouted.

Suddenly, Feng Qiyuan cried out: “Mother, I’ll give my life to repay you! After that, I won’t owe you for raising me anymore!”

With these words, he rushed toward a pillar in the room. Chief Eunuch Li Quan hurriedly moved to block him, being knocked off balance by Feng Qiyuan, but managed to save the suicidal Crown Prince.

“Enough! This is endless!” Emperor Chunde hadn’t expected the Empress to act exactly as Feng Yuan had described.

But the Empress Tang had been confused for a long time, reportedly speaking mad words. Her actions and words today might have been influenced by others’ instigation.

Thinking of this, he turned his cold gaze toward Consort Shang, making her heart pound with fear.

To pave the way for her son, this poisonous woman had truly corrupted her heart.

Consort Shang knew the Crown Prince’s temperament, yet she had created such a scene, causing the already timid and introverted Crown Prince to be humiliated by a public physical examination and insulted by his mother. Severely traumatized, he had even attempted suicide.

And the Grand Prince, because of this incident, had once again become rebellious, speaking coldly and sarcastically to his father.

Was Consort Shang so intolerant of other outstanding princes that she would destroy one for each who showed promise?

Though he was in his prime and not in a hurry to pass on the throne, he wouldn’t allow such blatant persecution of his sons.

Since the Shang family refused to repent and had only intensified their schemes, he couldn’t consider past affections any longer.

With this in mind, Emperor Chunde didn’t reprimand further but simply said in a flat tone: “Since this was all a misunderstanding, you may all return and reflect behind closed doors.”

Feng Yuan hadn’t expected Emperor Chunde to dismiss the matter so lightly and frowned slightly.

But Consort Shang, who understood Emperor Chunde well, turned deathly pale and could barely stand.

If His Majesty had erupted in anger, no matter how severe the punishment, it would have been manageable. But after such a major disruption, for His Majesty to speak so calmly… it meant His Majesty harbored killing intent!

Realizing this, Consort Shang panicked and rushed forward, wanting to apologize and plead with His Majesty.

But Emperor Chunde merely straightened her hairpin and pulled away her hand that clutched his dragon robe, saying calmly: “Go back now. You should rest well…”

“Your Majesty…” Consort Shang tried to call out, but Chief Eunuch Li Quan covered her mouth, half-supporting, half-forcing her away.

Feng Qiyuan’s suicide attempt had not been in Feng Yuan’s expectations. He coldly watched as Consort Shang was dragged away.

Feng Yuan didn’t bother to say more, only ordering someone to help the Crown Prince up. Then he too left, having himself carried in a sedan chair to the Eastern Palace.

But upon reaching the exterior of the Eastern Palace, he noticed unfamiliar faces among the guards. He laughed coldly and ordered, “Bring me the Eastern Palace guard roster. I want to check each one to see if any dirty elements are interfering with my fourth brother!”

The names were quickly verified. Feng Yuan waved his hand, ordering these guards to be seized and sent to the palace prison for interrogation, to determine who had added secret watchers outside the Eastern Palace.

During the arrests and interrogations, Feng Yuan dismissed everyone else, then grabbed the dispirited Feng Qiyuan and pulled him close, coldly asking in a low voice: “Was that pillar-rushing also taught to you by Xiaoying?”

Feng Qiyuan sobbed: “No, it was because I heard Mother—no, the Empress’s words, and felt so sad…”

Before he could finish, Feng Yuan had already slapped him hard across the face, giving the frail youth a full-force blow: “Your life is worthless! But have you considered what sacrifices Xiaoying has made for your worthless life? Yet because of that venomous woman, you would end your life so easily?”

Feng Qiyuan staggered from the blow, his head banging against a nearby pillar, causing him to cry out in pain as he fearfully looked at the handsome man full of rage.

Feng Yuan, still unsatisfied, gritted his teeth: “Do you know that today’s predicament is because you initially forced Xiaoying to make an oath, preserving the life of that poisonous woman Tang, leaving this vulnerability!”

But after saying this, Feng Yuan stopped, because he too had selfishly kept Xiaoying by his side. He had no position to question Feng Qiyuan.

Recalling the message he had received from Consort Yi yesterday, Feng Yuan couldn’t help but feel afraid.