HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 569: The Crown Princess Who Controlled Hearts

Chapter 569: The Crown Princess Who Controlled Hearts

She had no children with Geng Liangcheng, but Geng Liangcheng still had cousins and siblings. The Geng family was still a great clan. As Geng Liangcheng’s wife, her maiden family would also be unable to hold their heads high because of this, unless these people expelled both of them from the clan.

“Your Highness!” At this moment, two hunched elderly men with graying beards, dressed immaculately, walked over supported by a young man. They bowed in greeting. One was the Geng clan patriarch, and the other was Madam Geng’s clan patriarch. The Geng clan patriarch said, “This old one also doesn’t believe the rumors. We request Your Highness to make a fair judgment. If it is true, our Geng clan has produced such a criminal, we will certainly expel him from the clan!”

Madam Geng’s clan patriarch also agreed.

Expulsion from the clan was an extremely serious matter. One would be erased from the clan genealogy, couldn’t be buried in the ancestral grave after death, and would receive no offerings – destined to become a wandering ghost after death. Fortunately, Geng Liangcheng had no descendants. If he had any, his future generations would have no protection and could be bullied by anyone.

Shen Yueshan had anticipated all of this. Otherwise, why would dealing with Geng Liangcheng require so much effort? Therefore, the evidence they needed – both testimonial and physical – was complete.

The testimonial evidence came from Sang Yin and the two commanders who went to rescue Geng Liangcheng, along with countless eyes that witnessed Geng Liangcheng’s confrontation with Shen Yun’an at the city tower. The physical evidence was an agreement Geng Liangcheng signed with the Turkic Khan, believing Xiao Juesong would save him, under Xiao Changtai’s manipulation. This agreement was also found in the letters Xiao Changtai left behind.

Shen Yueshan first pointed out the people, revealing the events one by one. With each sentence they spoke, Madam Geng’s face grew paler. Finally, he presented the physical evidence, and the Geng clan patriarch immediately declared they would expel Geng Liangcheng from the clan.

Madam Geng was grief-stricken but still shook her head, unwilling to believe any of it.

Sang Yin had originally felt somewhat guilty. He knew Geng Liangcheng had pledged allegiance to His Majesty and planned to seize an opportunity to kill the Prince, thus charging him with colluding with the enemy and betraying the country seemed morally uncomfortable. However, upon seeing the agreement Geng Liangcheng signed with the Turkic Khan, Sang Yin’s unease completely vanished.

“Sister-in-law, you are confined to the inner courtyard and unaware of Geng Liangcheng’s actions. I shall make the decision and order your divorce from Geng Liangcheng. You may return to your family.” Shen Yueshan knew that as his bedside companion, Madam Geng must have known about Geng Liangcheng’s actions, but he didn’t want to push things too far.

With the divorce from Geng Liangcheng, she would have no relation to him. With his approval of the divorce, even if she returned to her clan, no one would slight her.

“Hahahahaha…” Madam Geng suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. After laughing, she stared at Shen Yueshan with hatred and indignation. “What a hypocrite, the Prince of the Northwest! My husband would never betray the Northwest and collude with the Turks. It must be you… you discovered he was dissatisfied because you executed my son without mercy, so he sent word to the court. That’s why you went to such lengths, faking death and attacking the Turks, all just to destroy him!”

As Madam Geng spoke, she looked deeply at Sang Yin, Wei Ya, and the others: “Just you wait, he wants to become the Emperor of the Northwest. He has no loyalty to the court. As long as you choose to be loyal to the Emperor, my husband’s fate will be each of yours—”

After shouting this, Madam Geng raised her hand, suddenly plunging a dagger toward her own heart.

Just before her dagger could pierce her body, a tiny needle first pierced her wrist, causing it to go numb. Only the tip of the dagger managed to pierce her, the wound not serious, as she collapsed powerlessly.

“Zhenzhu, tend to Madam Geng’s wound!” Shen Xihe had sensed from the moment Madam Geng appeared that she hadn’t come to seek justice, and hadn’t come to have Shen Yueshan condemn her husband in front of everyone.

She had come for revenge, to plant seeds of disaster for Shen Yueshan. If today she had truly managed to spill her blood after speaking these words, not only would the common people be shaken, but even Sang Yin and the others would harbor doubts.

It wasn’t about distrusting Shen Yueshan, but some things were so shocking they would inevitably cause people to suspect.

So she had kept a close watch on Madam Geng, and fortunately, her hand was quick enough. Xiao Huayong was in the carriage with her and had meant to act, but with Xiao Changfeng right beside them, if Xiao Huayong had moved, it would have been impossible to escape Xiao Changfeng’s eyes. Shen Xihe had held him back.

Shen Yun’an and Shen Yueshan were different from her after all. They had fought on battlefields with Geng Liangcheng, and he truly hadn’t colluded with the enemy or betrayed the country – he had only turned to His Majesty. They both harbored some lingering sentiment, making them more lenient and reluctant to be harsh with Madam Geng.

Xiao Changfeng’s gaze swept over Shen Xihe. This Crown Princess’s control and prediction of human nature had shocked him as well.

She not only had to guess Madam Geng’s intentions but also stop her at precisely the right moment. If too early, before Madam Geng revealed the dagger, Shen Xihe’s preemptive action might have seemed suspicious as if she feared letting Madam Geng speak. If too late, Madam Geng would have succeeded in planting a thorn in the hearts of the Northwest Prince’s right-hand men.

A tiny thorn that perhaps they wouldn’t notice now, but once they had conflicts and disagreements with the Northwest Prince in the future, this thorn would move. The inconspicuous wound it had caused over the years would suddenly burst open and even fester until incurable.

Dying to prove one’s point was, for many people, an extremely shocking matter.

However, this shocking scene ultimately didn’t occur, having been prevented by Shen Xihe at precisely the right moment. Instead, it became Madam Geng’s farce. These people saw the sincerity and magnanimity of the three Shen family members, as well as Madam Geng’s narrow-mindedness and her ugly face twisted by hatred.

Thinking of this, Xiao Changfeng couldn’t help but glance again at the Crown Prince, who had half his face showing. Xiao Huayong was currently gazing at his wife with full admiration, even somewhat mesmerized. He wasn’t putting on an act for Xiao Changfeng – it was just his instinctive pleasure in seeing Shen Xihe’s graceful movements in action, making him unconsciously admire her, unable to get enough of watching.

This scene, falling in Xiao Changfeng’s eyes, seemed to confirm that the Crown Prince was completely under the Crown Princess’s control.

Indeed, he was completely devoted, though not in the way Xiao Changfeng imagined a strong woman dominating a weak man.

The Geng family drama thus came to an end. After today’s events, no matter what Madam Geng might do in the future, no one would ever believe even a word she said.

Madam Geng was brought into the prince’s mansion, and her injury was treated. The needle shot from Shen Xihe’s bracelet hadn’t yet worn off. She came specially to visit the lying Madam Geng, dismissing the servants: “What is Madam thinking?”

Madam Geng also knew it was Shen Xihe who had ruined her perfect plan, putting her in such an awkward position now. She turned her gaze away, refusing to look at her.

However, Shen Xihe sat down by the couch: “Let me guess. Madam must know that I will send people to escort you unharmed out of the prince’s mansion. After you leave, you plan to hang yourself at the mansion’s main gate tonight, believing it won’t be completely ineffective.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Chapters