“You are the child’s father. You know most clearly.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire court was shocked!

Shen Yurong? Princess Yongning? How had these two become involved with each other?

Prince Cheng’s mind was in complete chaos. He said angrily: “Li Xian, such words cannot be spoken carelessly!” Though he also protected the Li family and didn’t want the Li family to develop ill will toward him over this at such a critical juncture, that didn’t mean the Li family could speak of Yongning’s secret here. Once Yongning became someone who didn’t respect herself, someone who had been involved with another before marriage, even his reputation would suffer as a consequence.

The Li family wasn’t such an impulsive clan. Why would they mutually expose each other’s scandals with Princess Yongning in the Golden Palace today, causing mutual destruction?!

But Li Xian’s heart was very clear. No matter what, Princess Yongning had revealed his keeping of male lovers. If he didn’t fight back, the entire world would believe Princess Yongning’s words, and their Li family would become a laughingstock from then on. She struck first, so he wasn’t afraid to strike back. The world’s tolerance for what he had done would probably still be higher than for what Princess Yongning had done.

And then there was that Shen Yurong, always standing among the crowd, playing the game of protecting himself admirably. This fire somehow couldn’t burn to him, so he just watched from the sidelines. But why, why should the Li family raise Shen Yurong’s illegitimate child? The Li family weren’t fools being taken advantage of. All of this, everything, had arisen because of Shen Yurong. If Princess Yongning hadn’t been carrying Shen Yurong’s child and wanted to preserve this child, how could Consort Liu have requested the Empress Dowager to bestow the marriage earlier, causing their Li family to suffer this disaster?

In any case, they’d already become a laughingstock to all the officials, so none of them should think of escaping—drag everyone down together!

Shen Yurong never expected that suddenly, he would become the target of universal condemnation. Everyone’s gazes were fixed on him—those looks carrying scrutiny, mockery, and schadenfreude—making him unable to bear it for a moment. He didn’t know how Li Xian had learned that Princess Yongning’s child was his. Looking at Princess Yongning’s expression, she was clearly also very surprised. It shouldn’t have been Princess Yongning who revealed it. As for others, he believed that unless Princess Yongning was hopelessly stupid, she wouldn’t voluntarily speak of this matter.

What should he do? The usually quick-witted Shen Yurong was truly helpless at this moment. According to his usual nature of not liking to argue with others, he should just stand in place, smiling, allowing others to scrutinize him, putting on an appearance of “an upright person has nothing to fear from gossip.” But with Princess Yongning present today, who knew what shocking thing this brainless woman might do next, making everything even worse?

So even his calm and breezy smile could barely be sustained. He had no choice but to speak in his own defense: “Lord Li’s words are untrue. This is slander…”

“Whether it’s slander or not, Lord Shen knows in his heart,” Li Xian also said. “If one has the mind to investigate, some traces can always be found. Lord Shen needn’t rush to prove your innocence. There will be evidence to do all this.”

Originally, Li Xian only knew that Princess Yongning’s child wasn’t his, but whose child it actually was, Li Xian couldn’t determine. Until the second night after Princess Yongning’s miscarriage, inexplicably, he received a letter. A servant gave it to him, saying someone had left it on the servant’s desk, with “For Young Master Li” written on it. The servant handed it to Li Xian. When Li Xian opened it, inside was only a note, which read that Shen Yurong was the father of the illegitimate child in Princess Yongning’s belly.

Li Xian didn’t know who sent this letter, nor did he know whether what was written in the letter was true or false. But when he carefully recalled, it seemed that at every banquet where Shen Yurong was present, Princess Yongning would attend. Even at those to which Princess Yongning hadn’t been invited, she would appear under various pretexts. When people recall things, they always remember some small details they’d overlooked in daily life. When Li Xian learned of this relationship and recalled with suspicion, he discovered that between Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong, there was indeed likely some unclear, indistinct relationship.

Moreover, aside from Shen Yurong, there didn’t seem to be any more suitable candidate.

Just now, provoked by Princess Yongning, Li Xian had revealed Princess Yongning’s secret, but even at that moment, Shen Yurong still maintained an appearance of staying out of it. However, Li Xian sensitively noticed that in her panic, Princess Yongning had secretly glanced at Shen Yurong.

It was this one glance that made Li Xian hesitate no longer. He spoke Shen Yurong’s name, and indeed Shen Yurong wasn’t innocent. Though he tried his utmost to conceal it, the strain was still visible. Even his rebuttal seemed so feeble.

They were all clever people, and this was something they all understood without speaking. The court had countless old foxes who could more or less discern some clues. Princess Yongning’s words were probably true, and Young Master Li’s words were probably true as well. Young Master Li truly did have the habit of keeping male children, and Princess Yongning had truly conceived secretly with Lord Shen. To avoid detection, she’d married into the Li family.

Right or wrong—while everyone was shocked, they also treated it as watching a farce, observing with great interest. Jiang Yuanbai stood quietly, a smile on his lips, like a spectator at a play. In his heart, he recalled what Jiang Li had once said to him about why Princess Yongning should be married into the Li family. He’d been persuaded by Jiang Li, and now it proved that Jiang Li was right. Not even three months had passed, and the Li family was in complete chaos. Princess Yongning and the Li family had torn off all pretenses with each other. Setting aside how things were for Princess Yongning, in any case, Li Zhongnan had thoroughly lost face this time.

The more unlucky the Li family was, as their rival, the Jiang family—naturally Jiang Yuanbai was most pleased.

And all of this was because that day at General Ji’s birthday banquet at the Duke’s manor, Jiang Li had listened to a few more sentences from others. Just these few sentences had completely changed the fates of Li Xian and Princess Yongning. Thinking about it, Jiang Yuanbai looked toward Duke Su’s direction.

Ji Heng stood to one side of the crowd. Even in this noisy and chaotic moment, it had no effect on him whatsoever. He stood there calmly and composedly, watching with great interest, clearly treating this scene of chaos in the court hall as actors performing on a theater stage. He was merely an observing outsider.

Jiang Yuanbai couldn’t help feeling somewhat puzzled. Looking at it this way, Prince Cheng and the Right Chancellor shouldn’t be on the same side as Ji Heng. Otherwise, how could Ji Heng still watch the show so carelessly? He would have already made some move.

After all, Prince Cheng’s uprising was imminent. Who was enemy and who was friend must be carefully distinguished, lest problems arise at this critical juncture.

While everything was chaotic in the Golden Palace, there was one more person also watching the show, silently taking in everyone’s every move. That was Emperor Hongxiao.

He hadn’t stopped Princess Yongning’s accusations, nor had he prevented Li Xian from speaking. He hadn’t even shown the slightest protection for Shen Yurong, whom he’d previously thought highly of. He didn’t speak, only watched these people tear at each other, like a statue—lofty and contemptuous.

It wasn’t until Eunuch Su drew out his voice to signal everyone to stop that people suddenly realized the Emperor had never spoken all along, just silently watching like this.

What did this mean? Did it mean he wouldn’t interfere? People discovered that no one could see through what Emperor Hongxiao was thinking. Prince Cheng also harbored doubts. His power grew stronger day by day, but his wariness of this imperial brother also increased day by day. The reason he was so impatient to launch his uprising this year was also because of this concern. He always felt that if he waited any longer, it would be too late.

This Emperor was also growing at an extremely rapid pace.

In the Golden Palace, at some point it had become quiet again—so quiet that even a needle dropping could be heard. At the center of the whirlpool stood Shen Yurong, utterly disheveled. Li Xian and Princess Yongning accused each other mutually, their images completely destroyed.

Emperor Hongxiao looked toward Yongning and suddenly smiled.

This smile was even more unfathomable, making it impossible to discern his meaning. Even Jiang Yuanbai, who had followed the Emperor for many years, couldn’t help but shiver.

“Since it’s come to this,” Emperor Hongxiao said, “you wish to divorce Li Xian. I grant it.”

……

The matter between Princess Yongning and Li Xian ultimately spread out.

At that time, there had been so many civil and military officials in the Golden Palace—it couldn’t possibly be concealed. Princess Yongning had once said that only the dead could keep secrets. But with so many court ministers, she had no way to make all of them become dead people. This filthy secret was destined to be impossible to keep. Overnight, the Li family and Princess Yongning’s scandals, along with that champion scholar who had always been praised as deeply devoted and without regret, all became objects of universal scorn and shame.

Princess Yongning obtained the divorce papers as she wished, but this divorce came at an enormous price to her. Not only had she failed to thoroughly avenge the hatred of Li Xian murdering her child, she’d also implicated herself. Li Xian had actually even dragged Shen Yurong into it. Although Emperor Hongxiao’s attitude was thought-provoking—he only granted the divorce without investigating further, such as whether Li Xian truly kept male lovers, or whether Princess Yongning truly conceived secretly with Shen Yurong—three people make a tiger. Even matters without any basis were already being discussed fervently, as if they were real. This kind of matter that was already true naturally became an even more certain fact.

For a time, rumors spread throughout Yanjing City.

This time, Princess Yongning had no way to do as she’d said—”whoever dares gossip behind my back, I’ll kill them”—because she’d been placed under house arrest by Prince Cheng. Prince Cheng was furious. Princess Yongning’s scene in the Golden Palace not only damaged his reputation but also made the Li family alienated from him at this crucial moment. His other valued confidant, Shen Yurong, had also been implicated. Originally, Shen Yurong could have served as a chess piece planted beside the Emperor. After all, Emperor Hongxiao favored Shen Yurong. Now this idea had to be abandoned. After such an incident, whether Shen Yurong’s official career could continue was unknown, much less being valued by Emperor Hongxiao as before—that was simply unthinkable.

At the Jiang family, Jiang Li learned of these matters not through Tong’er, but surprisingly through Jiang Yuanbai. That day when Princess Yongning and Li Xian had their great scene in the Golden Palace, after court adjourned, Jiang Yuanbai returned to the manor. The first thing he did was summon Jiang Li to his study and tell her, word for word, everything that had happened in the Golden Palace. In the end, Jiang Yuanbai asked Jiang Li whether she’d known early on about the relationship between Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong, and whether Jiang Li had also known that Princess Yongning was already pregnant before marrying into the Li family.

Jiang Li naturally denied it, using the excuse she’d prepared beforehand to brush it off. Though Jiang Yuanbai remained half-believing and half-doubting, Jiang Li didn’t care. This matter was a secret between her and the Duke’s manor. No matter how much Jiang Yuanbai investigated, he couldn’t discover anything.

Tong’er asked: “Miss, did Princess Yongning truly conceive secretly with Lord Shen long ago?”

Jiang Li said: “Yes.”

Tong’er said indignantly: “This is truly too shameless. Carrying a child and still marrying someone else. But that Li family’s Li Xian isn’t any good either. Everyone outside is saying that Li Xian searches everywhere for those fair-featured orphan boys, brings them back to the Li family to… In any case, how can they divorce? They should torment each other instead.”

Jiang Li smiled: “If they don’t divorce, how can Shen Yurong be implicated?”

“Right, there’s also Shen Yurong.” Tong’er said: “Previously they spoke of how devoted he was. Others cursed his wife terribly, yet who knew that while putting on an appearance of deep devotion, he was involved with Princess Yongning—seeking fame and reputation. Bah.”

Jiang Li smiled: “You even know the term ‘seeking fame and reputation.'”

“Of course.” As Tong’er organized the clothing, she muttered to herself: “But I also don’t know what deep hatred Li Xian and Princess Yongning have that they had to mutually expose each other’s shortcomings in the Golden Palace. If they hadn’t said it themselves, probably in this lifetime, people would never know about those disgraceful things they did.”

Jiang Li smiled slightly. The conflict between Li Xian and Princess Yongning naturally lay in that “child” who didn’t actually exist. In Princess Yongning’s eyes, nothing was more important than her and Shen Yurong’s child. For this child, she’d reluctantly married into the Li family. Learning that Li Xian had harmed her child, Princess Yongning absolutely couldn’t let Li Xian off. She’d coincidentally also learned of Li Xian’s secret, so she wanted to expose Li Xian’s secret publicly.

But even Jiang Li hadn’t expected that Princess Yongning would actually barge directly into the Golden Palace. Probably because in her past life, Princess Yongning had been far too smooth sailing. She believed the Li family had no leverage over her, that they could only swallow their bitterness like mutes eating bitter herbs, unable to speak of their suffering. How could she know that the Li family was hardly an easy target and would certainly retaliate? Moreover, the secret the Li family knew was even more important.

However, this current situation of mutual destruction was exactly what Jiang Li was pleased to see.

Baixue asked: “But His Majesty didn’t punish Li Xian, nor did he punish Scholar Shen. Apart from damaged reputations, what else can happen to them?”

“It appears that way, but Young Master Li and Scholar Shen’s positions probably can’t be maintained. I imagine they won’t last three days before voluntarily resigning from office.” Jiang Li smiled. “His Majesty calculated precisely this point, which is why he didn’t impose any punishment on them.”

There was no need to say anything—impeachments from the censors would fly toward the Emperor’s desk like snowflakes. Even if Shen Yurong and Li Xian wanted to stubbornly persist, they would soon experience the four words “public opinion is terrifying.” Their official positions had reached their end.

This way, having lost his position, Li Xian’s heart would harbor even more hatred toward Princess Yongning. No matter how Prince Cheng tried to appease him, ill will would likely develop. And Shen Yurong, having lost his position, would be just an ordinary commoner. The Shen family, with selfishness flowing in their very bones, would blame everything on Princess Yongning.

An ordinary Shen Yurong and a Princess Yongning who’d brought notoriety upon herself—when these two stayed together, there would only be endless troubles and resentment. Without Jiang Li lifting a finger, they themselves would wear away all their passion, and what would replace it would be nothing but grievances.

When that time came, the case of Xue Fangfei and Xue Zhao could see the light of day again.

This was her objective. After planning for so long, from that night when she’d awakened, with dark clouds hanging heavy and rain falling, she’d finally reached a place with light.

……

This romantic news about Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning spread throughout Yanjing City and naturally reached the Ye family’s ears as well.

Ye Mingyu and Ye Shijie had long known that Xue Huaiyuan’s daughter was this Scholar Shen’s wife. But Jiang Li had consistently shown support for the Xue family, and looking at Xue Huaiyuan, everyone didn’t believe Xue Fangfei was as the rumors described. They all believed that the matter of Xue Fangfei having an affair with someone back then probably had inside information. So the moment this matter came out, Ye Shijie and Ye Mingyu felt as if they’d finally found evidence. Ye Mingyu said: “I always felt something was wrong about that matter back then. Looking at it now, Madam Shen’s bad reputation probably can’t be separated from that damned princess. I’m afraid they manipulated things behind the scenes.”

“It’s possible.” Ye Shijie also sighed: “Since I entered officialdom, I’ve seen that young Lord Shen has an excellent reputation. No one speaks ill of him. Whether people from the Chief Minister’s faction or the Right Chancellor’s faction, none have made things difficult for him. Though he’s also very amiable, I always felt unwilling to get close to him. Now I finally know the reason. It must have been hard for him to pretend for so long. But using the word ‘devoted’ for him is rather inappropriate.”

“Exactly, exactly. Those officials always say that we businessmen are shrewd and calculating. I, for one, at least haven’t done this kind of hypocritical thing—speaking of mourning for his wife while dallying with a princess, even having a child. Then making someone marry someone else while carrying the child. The official circles are truly a damn mess. Good thing this old master’s brain isn’t good enough, so I can’t become an official in this lifetime. But Shijie, listen well—you absolutely cannot learn these bad habits. You know about our Ye family—we don’t have these messy affairs. Though your Third Uncle here has also passed through ten thousand flowers, I let not a single leaf cling to me. At least I haven’t gone around harming any respectable women. If you mess around outside, watch me not break your legs and make you unable to get out of bed for the rest of your life!”

He spoke fiercely. Ye Shijie could only helplessly respond: “…I understand, Third Uncle.”

Ye Shijie glanced toward the courtyard on the other side and asked quietly: “Third Uncle, does Master Xue know about this matter?”

“He knows,” Ye Mingyu said. “Haitang just went in. Ai, how pitiful. If Miss Xue was truly killed by that pair of adulterous dogs, if I were the old master, I’d be heartbroken to death.”

Inside the room, Haitang stood beside Xue Huaiyuan. She had just told Xue Huaiyuan in meticulous detail about the matter between Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong that she’d learned from outside. Before this, she had also long ago told Xue Huaiyuan about those sneaky actions between Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong back when Xue Fangfei was still alive.

Though Jiang Li had long insisted that Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong had been involved long ago, and precisely because of this reason, these two had killed Xue Fangfei to make room for Princess Yongning in the position of Madam Shen, there ultimately had been no evidence. Now all of Yanjing City knew. In Haitang’s heart, she was also very excited, inexplicably wanting to cry.

“Master,” Haitang said softly, “since their true faces have already been exposed, in a few more days, Miss Jiang said that once all the evidence is collected, we can avenge the young miss and young master.”

Xue Huaiyuan quietly listened to Haitang’s words. His expression was very calm, very composed, but his gaze was extremely sorrowful, yet tightly suppressing this sorrow. He said: “Yes, A-Li and A-Zhao have waited too long for this day. It’s my fault as a father for not taking good care of them.”

“It’s not so,” Haitang said. “Those people are too hateful. Master, you absolutely mustn’t blame yourself. If the young master and young miss have spirits in heaven and see you like this, they’ll also feel heartache.”

“Don’t worry.” Xue Huaiyuan straightened his expression. “I will live well, for A-Li and A-Zhao… At the very least, I must see with my own eyes that Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning receive the punishment they deserve.”

Haitang nodded.

……

In the end, regarding this scandalous case of the Li family, what the common people of Yanjing discussed most wasn’t Li Xian keeping male children, but rather when exactly Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong had gotten together. They’d actually even had a child, and she’d boldly married into the Right Chancellor’s residence carrying the child, with Shen Yurong not stopping her. Though it was Emperor Hongxiao who’d bestowed the marriage, if the Emperor bestowed marriage without knowing the situation, Princess Yongning could still have had many ways to resolve it—for instance, not keeping this child first, or explaining to His Majesty. But in the end, she’d actually used this method, which showed she wanted to protect Shen Yurong.

Because once Emperor Hongxiao knew his subject had such an affair with the current dynasty’s princess, Shen Yurong’s official position would certainly be utterly useless. Though now in this situation, his position was also precarious.

At the Shen residence, both Shen Ruyun and Madam Shen were present. Shen Yurong sat in the room. These past two days, he still attended court as usual. The Emperor surprisingly hadn’t expressed any opinion about him, but how many impeachments from censors there were concerning him—Shen Yurong could guess with his eyes closed. Emperor Hongxiao said nothing, and Shen Yurong also wanted to pretend nothing had happened, but how was that possible?

Setting aside those people’s mocking gazes toward him, after court adjourned, on the paths he passed, people openly laughed and discussed this matter as if no one were around. Some even came directly to ask him what it felt like to be with a princess, and when they could drink at his and Princess Yongning’s wedding celebration?

Shen Yurong knew perfectly well that these people believed that after such an incident, Shen Yurong would lose his position sooner or later. For someone who would sooner or later become an ordinary person, there was no need to continue flattering and feigning calm. When a wall falls, everyone pushes; when a tree falls, the monkeys scatter. In officialdom, this principle came even more profoundly.

Therefore, these past two days, from home to the court hall, from the court hall to the Shen residence—going out and returning home both required enormous courage. And his courage had been exhausted.

Seeing him return, Shen Ruyun said: “Elder Brother, did His Majesty say anything today?”

Shen Yurong said: “No.”

Shen Ruyun patted her chest, as if relieved, and said: “That’s good, that’s good. I was afraid that this time, even your position couldn’t be preserved. It seems Princess Yongning spoke on your behalf before His Majesty, so this time passed without danger.”

Madam Shen also said: “Exactly. You should find an opportunity to see the Princess and console her. After such an incident, as a woman, she must be very hurt.”

Shen Yurong only felt deep, deep exhaustion. He truly couldn’t understand how, at this point, Madam Shen and Shen Ruyun still had expectations of Princess Yongning. Didn’t they understand that after this incident, not only him, not only Li Xian, but even Princess Yongning probably had no chance of turning things around?

Emperor Hongxiao saying nothing wasn’t because Emperor Hongxiao favored him as a subject, so even after such an incident occurred, he couldn’t bear to punish him. Rather, Emperor Hongxiao knew that even if he said nothing, Shen Yurong and Li Xian would voluntarily resign from office.

Yes, he was preparing to voluntarily resign from office. He also wanted to remain shamelessly in the court hall, but these past two days, Shen Yurong had discovered this was truly too difficult, too difficult. If such a life had to continue day after day, year after year in the future—as long as he remained in officialdom for one day, this matter would be repeatedly brought up by people, even becoming a reason to attack him—he couldn’t live like this.

“Tomorrow I will inform His Majesty that I’m resigning from office,” Shen Yurong said.

“What?” Shen Ruyun and Madam Shen cried out simultaneously. Madam Shen stood up and looked at Shen Yurong, saying: “What did you just say?”

“I’m resigning from office,” Shen Yurong said with complete calm.

“You’ve gone mad,” Madam Shen said excitedly. “Even His Majesty hasn’t punished you—why would you voluntarily resign? What you should do now isn’t resign, but properly talk things through with Princess Yongning. Since she’s already divorced Li Xian, and others know about your relationship with her, you can simply marry her. Wouldn’t that be wonderful!”

Shen Yurong suddenly felt somewhat amused. If Princess Yongning heard these words, she would certainly find them extremely satisfying. Princess Yongning wholeheartedly wanted to marry into the Shen family, and Madam Shen wholeheartedly wanted to marry Princess Yongning through the door. It seemed very harmonious—except for him.

Though this romantic debt was one Shen Yurong had brought upon himself, now he felt that if he couldn’t provoke it, he could at least hide from it. He didn’t want this romantic debt anymore.

“Elder Brother, you need to think clearly,” Shen Ruyun said. “If you resign from office, all of this will be gone. All the effort you made before will be wasted. What will our Shen family rely on to live in the future? You can’t possibly still expect Mother to do needlework for others! At Marquis Ningyuan’s residence, I’m afraid I won’t be able to continue either!”

Shen Yurong also felt somewhat lost. His entire life had been spent pursuing nothing more than getting ahead. After entering officialdom, rising through the ranks, reaching this stage, suddenly everything came to an abrupt halt. If he resigned from office, everything would return to the beginning. There would be nothing left.

Wealth and honor all became bubbles; grudges and passions turned to emptiness in an instant.

And then there was Xue Fangfei…

He thought in a daze.

“Elder Brother, what exactly are you thinking? Don’t just stand there silent.” Seeing Shen Yurong’s silence, Shen Ruyun couldn’t help urging him.

Just then, a servant from the Shen residence came running in from outside, his expression hurried. Seeing Shen Yurong, he said: “Young Master, something’s happened.”

“What matter?” Shen Yurong asked.

“Everyone outside is saying that Princess Yongning was demoted to commoner status by His Majesty today!”

Demoted to commoner status? This meant she was no longer a lofty princess, no different from the common people throughout the land. She’d become the ants she despised most—a commoner.