Upon hearing these words, all the ministers gasped in shock.

Not to mention that I was no longer the supervising Princess Xiangyi of old, without a shred of power—even the current Empress Dowager might not dare speak such wild words before all the civil and military officials.

Among the ministers, Yang Zhuoyi was most shocked. He couldn’t help but stand up, pointing at me: “How can Princess speak such nonsense! Prince Qing is the eldest son of the Xiao family, the only legitimate bloodline of the royal house. During His Majesty’s serious illness, he managed all court affairs large and small with proper order. His character, talent, and strategic wisdom are evident to all! Prince Qing’s selection as heir apparent has no objections from any court minister. How can the Princess, based on one person’s words alone, completely deny this? This shows too little regard for Daqing’s state and society!”

As soon as Yang Zhuoyi finished speaking, several other court officials chimed in. Some even said: “The Princess no longer holds the position of supervisor. We have nothing to say about coming today to see off His Majesty, but interfering with court politics would be overstepping bounds!”

Jinglan quietly listened to the ministers’ accusations against me without interrupting. I noticed a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corners of his mouth. I calmly turned to face the court officials: “What you gentlemen say is correct. Prince Qing is His Majesty’s elder brother. Since His Majesty has no sons, the throne should rightfully pass to him… However, I have a question here. I wonder if you could help clarify something?”

Yang Zhuoyi’s eyes seemed filled with disdain, though he still said: “What does Princess wish to ask?”

I smiled slightly and asked coldly: “May I ask you gentlemen—can one who murdered the Emperor and harmed the Empress become emperor?”

This earth-shattering question successfully silenced the vast Yanfu Hall.

Everyone showed expressions of trembling fear, whether shocked by these words or shaken by my speaking such treasonous statements. Yang Zhuoyi was first to shake his robes angrily and demand: “Utterly absurd! All ministers know His Majesty died of serious illness—how could he have been murdered! And my daughter… the Empress fell from a cliff when her horse lost control while praying for His Majesty’s blessings. The accompanying guards all witnessed it personally. How could she have been harmed by someone?!”

The Vice Minister of Rites said: “Minister Yang speaks truly!”

The Grand Secretary even said: “Prince Qing is benevolent. When His Majesty was ill, he served devotedly at the bedside. His Majesty trusted him, which is why he entrusted court affairs to Prince Qing’s hands. The Princess has just returned to the palace—how can she slander Prince Qing’s reputation without distinguishing right from wrong!”

The ministers spoke one after another, wishing they could rush forward and drive me away. Even the usually taciturn Zhao Gengnian couldn’t help but furrow his brow deeply, and the scene momentarily lost control. At this point, Jinglan slightly raised his hand, which finally stabilized the great hall somewhat. He slowly looked at me and said in a deep voice: “Xiangyi’s words truly shock me. Where exactly did you hear such rumors that made you think I would use such poisonous methods against the Emperor?”

I had waited long for exactly this question.

I said: “Whether or not they’re rumors, let me invite two people into the hall, and the truth will become clear.”

Jinglan calmly rolled up his sleeves: “I have a clear conscience. Please proceed without concern.”

The two people I mentioned were naturally Jingyan’s personal attendant Cheng Tiezhong and the Empress.

Cheng Tiezhong entered with his right arm hanging empty. When he saw Jingyan in the coffin, tears flowed down his face like springs. He knelt deeply before the coffin, crying: “Your Majesty… this servant came one step too late, Your Majesty…”

Just as everyone was still recovering from their shock, a graceful white figure slowly stepped into the hall.

The Empress was dressed in pure white, looking frail with a face pale as paper. She held in her arms a milk-white, snow-soft infant, as if every step carried the weight of a thousand jin. When Yang Zhuoyi saw his daughter returned from the dead, his entire body trembled almost uncontrollably. All the court ministers, suddenly seeing the Empress returned from death, were terrified. But the Empress supported herself step by step to the coffin and knelt heavily: “Your subject has brought the imperial heir back, Your Majesty.”

At this point, even the most dull-witted person could see that the Empress had survived death and returned with the dragon heir.

Jinglan’s fists clenched tightly in his sleeves. Though his face showed surprise, there was no sign of panic. He bowed in respect, then said with wonder mixed with joy: “That day the accompanying guards said the Empress met with disaster. His Majesty and the court ministers were truly heartbroken. Now not only is the Empress safe, but she has even left bloodline for His Majesty—truly Daqing’s great fortune…” As he said this, the Empress couldn’t help but show mockery. Jinglan ignored this and continued acting: “However, I don’t understand—since the Empress was safe, why not send someone back to the palace earlier to report this, waiting until today to…”

The Empress interrupted: “Prince Qing naturally hoped I would bring back news, so you could eliminate me and the imperial heir before the ministers noticed!”

This chilling statement coming from the Empress’s own mouth had a completely different effect. At this moment, even Yang Zhuoyi, who had strongly supported Prince Qing, couldn’t help but look toward Jinglan. Jinglan remained composed, as if unable to understand the implication in the Empress’s words: “What does the Empress mean? Could it be that even the Empress believes that accident was my doing?”

Seeing Jinglan’s calm pretense, Cheng Tiezhong finally jumped up and roared: “It was you! You poisoned His Majesty to death and sent assassins to hunt the Empress! Not one of the guards escorting Her Majesty survived! If heaven hadn’t shown mercy and protected the Empress and Prince, your treacherous plot would have succeeded by now! You! You’re even more vicious than wolves!”

Jinglan showed respect to the Empress out of courtesy, but seeing Cheng Tiezhong curse him so, anger arose. He said majestically: “Eunuch Cheng, you say I sent people to hunt the Empress, but not one of the guards who left the palace with Her Majesty that day was injured. They are currently imprisoned for failing to protect their charge, and both the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review can testify to this. If you don’t believe it, I can immediately summon them to the palace for face-to-face confrontation!”

Cheng Tiezhong couldn’t determine whether his words were true or false: “You… you…”

So that was it.

So all those guards who left the palace with Cheng Tiezhong and the Empress that day were Jinglan’s people. First, they reached the mountain and agitated the horses, causing the carriage to lose control and rush toward the cliff. Then another group of disguised assassins suddenly appeared, creating the illusion of blocking the guards from rescuing the Empress. The Empress, hearing the sound of weapons in the carriage, naturally assumed assassins were trying to kill her. Thus, if the plan failed and the Empress survived to return and accuse him, since all present were unharmed and alive, the ministers would naturally think the so-called assassins were just the Empress’s panicked illusion. This way, no one would point fingers at Prince Qing.

Such careful planning, prudently preparing escape routes—truly worthy of Jinglan.

Sure enough, at this point, all of the Empress’s accusations became pale and powerless. After all, she was pregnant at the time, the situation was urgent, and she was inside the carriage—she had never even seen the assassins’ shadows. How could she identify Jinglan based on this?

Jinglan said gently: “Empress, I fear you misunderstand me. During Your Majesty’s disappearance, I had the Ministry of Justice and Capital Guard search the entire mountain just to find Your Majesty. How could I have any intention to harm you?”

The Empress trembled slightly and pursed her lips: “You administered poison to His Majesty, leaving him bedridden. This was what His Majesty personally told Eunuch Cheng. And to protect me, Eunuch Cheng lost his right arm and nearly his life. You say you had no intention to harm the Emperor—how can you convince me!”

“His Majesty personally told Eunuch Cheng that I poisoned His Majesty?” Jinglan frowned at Cheng Tiezhong: “Eunuch Cheng, when did His Majesty tell you this?”

Hearing this question, I already detected a trap, but couldn’t stop Cheng Tiezhong in time. He had already blurted out: “The day before Her Majesty left the palace, His Majesty told this servant personally! His Majesty had been poisoned for a long time. If shopkeeper Kang Lin of Tong’an Hall hadn’t discovered it, even His Majesty might have been kept in the dark! Unfortunately, Shopkeeper Kang has also disappeared without a trace… You must have secretly murdered him!”

“The shopkeeper of Tong’an Hall?” Jinglan asked. “Kang Lin has been with the Imperial Medical Bureau attending His Majesty throughout…” He looked toward the Imperial Medical Bureau officials: “Imperial Physician Wang, is what I say true?”

Imperial Physician Wang, standing at the end of the line, stepped forward: “Prince Qing speaks truthfully. Doctor Kang only left the palace to return to Tong’an Hall a few days ago. Throughout this time, he was in the Imperial Medical Bureau preparing medicine for His Majesty. All Imperial Medical Bureau personnel can testify…”

Eunuch Cheng was dumbfounded: “This… how is this possible… he clearly…”

He had clearly been bought by Jinglan.

Though I didn’t know what methods Jinglan used, even Kang Lin could turn traitor at the last moment to serve him. It seemed Kang Lin’s deliberate disappearance that day, then hiding in the Imperial Medical Bureau, was also a chess piece Jinglan had planted. And the target of this chess move now… was probably someone else…

Jinglan said darkly to Eunuch Cheng: “You say that when the Empress left the palace, His Majesty told you everything was my doing, but at that time His Majesty was clearly unconscious and unable to speak! If His Majesty still had consciousness, why not summon the ministers into the hall to speak plainly about everything? You claim you nearly lost your life protecting the Empress—why didn’t you tell Minister Yang about this after being rescued…”

Eunuch Cheng was already incoherently angry: “This servant… this servant went to find the Princess, to have the Princess return to the palace and expose your evil deeds! You, you…”

“Minister Yang is right here in the capital. Why would you go far to seek the Princess instead of near? Could it be you think Minister Yang would harm his own biological daughter?!”

Eunuch Cheng was speechless. At this moment, how could he explain Jingyan’s true intention in calling me back to the capital?

Jinglan said: “Your words are contradictory, turning right into wrong, repeatedly slandering me. Who exactly is instructing you, and what is the purpose!”

Going round and round, Jinglan finally successfully pointed the spearhead at me.

I shifted my gaze back to his face and asked indifferently: “What does Prince Qing mean?”

He said: “You disappeared for two years and suddenly appeared in the palace, then ‘conveniently’ brought the ‘rescued’ Empress to the hall, having the Empress accuse me of regicide… Ha, Princess Xiangyi, may I ask you first—when even His Majesty couldn’t find you these two years, how was Eunuch Cheng able to find and bring you back by himself?”

“Prince Qing means that Eunuch Cheng was instructed by me to bewitch the Empress, with the purpose of preventing you from ascending the throne?”

Jinglan asked in return: “Isn’t that so?”

I smiled slightly: “What benefit would this bring me?”

He laughed flatly: “If I committed regicide and treason, I would naturally be unfit for the throne. The only one who could succeed would be the little prince. The little prince is a newborn infant who needs assistance. Thus, the regency position would naturally fall to you, Xiangyi.”

At this point, Jinglan’s gaze sharpened: “Xiangyi, oh Xiangyi, if you want the prince to succeed, I have no objections. If you don’t want me interfering with court politics or threatening the prince’s throne, I could stay far from the capital. Why must you scheme so deliberately to frame me with injustice?”

An unexpected wave of sorrow flashed through my heart. The sibling affection of years past had long vanished, but whatever had changed that moonlit, wind-clear eldest prince was probably pointless to ponder.

I stepped forward two paces and suddenly, taking advantage of a guard’s momentary distraction, drew his sword. With a swift motion, the sword point aimed at Jinglan’s throat. Everyone was greatly alarmed, but Jinglan stood with hands behind his back, unmoved: “What, planning to kill me after your scheme fails?”

I smiled: “Prince Qing just asked Eunuch Cheng—if the Emperor clearly knew he was severely poisoned, why didn’t he summon ministers to clarify the truth?” Without waiting for Jinglan’s response, I said: “Then let me ask Prince Qing a question. If a sword hangs here, threatening death at any movement, what would you do?”

Jinglan’s eyes seemed to have flames dancing in them. Instead of anger, he laughed: “The Princess means I controlled the Emperor’s actions, preventing him from summoning ministers?”

I mimicked his tone and asked in return: “Isn’t that… so?”

He looked down at the sword point and sneered: “Imperial sister truly speaks words that shock without killing. Such fabricated crimes need no evidence. If I truly harbored treacherous intentions, there would naturally be traces to follow. If there weren’t, who among all the civil and military officials would believe such absurd words?”

I cast down the long sword: “Prince Qing speaks with such certainty, claiming you never harmed the Emperor, that what Eunuch Cheng and I said are all baseless accusations against you… True, Eunuch Cheng indeed has no evidence that could implicate you. The Empress’s experience that day also cannot prove that Prince Qing deliberately put her in danger… However, there are no walls in this world that don’t let wind through. Do you truly think I came empty-handed today?”

As my words ended, I untied the bundle at my waist and drew out the edict Jingyan had given me from the white wrapping cloth.

The bright yellow edict appeared in the great hall. I turned my head: “This is an edict written in His Majesty’s own hand. I came today precisely to make this edict public.”

The ministers all trembled. After brief shock, Jinglan regained his composure: “An edict? Not to mention that His Majesty was seriously ill and bedridden—even if he truly wrote an edict, how could none of the important court ministers know about it? How could it end up in your hands?”

I was in no hurry to open the edict: “The edict is in my hands because His Majesty personally gave it to me. The reason none of the court ministers knew is naturally because His Majesty was unable to let them know.”

Jinglan sneered: “How do we know if this edict is real or fake?”

I slowly walked to Zhao Gengnian and handed him the edict: “Chief Minister Zhao, you once served as Crown Prince tutor. His Majesty’s calligraphy and painting were taught by you since childhood. Whether this edict was truly written in His Majesty’s hand, you can tell at a glance.”

When Zhao Gengnian unfolded the edict, his hands trembled slightly. He examined it carefully three times, then suddenly knelt heavily: “This edict is certainly written by His Majesty without error!”

The ministers were shocked. At this moment, Jinglan finally showed some panic. He tried to hide the furious waves in his eyes, mocking: “The Princess grew up with His Majesty, often eating and studying together. What would be strange about the Princess being able to imitate His Majesty’s handwriting?”

I glanced at him and again borrowed his earlier words: “If this edict were forged by me, naturally someone could distinguish and clarify it clearly. But you haven’t even looked at this edict—on what basis do you determine it was forged by me?”

Jinglan: “You…”

Zhao Gengnian said slowly: “The Princess’s handwriting is clear and elegant, while His Majesty’s calligraphy is powerful and vigorous—truly difficult to forge. This is first. This edict’s bright yellow silk is specially supplied by the Ministry of Revenue’s textile works, its embroidered patterns and needlework are also unique. We need only summon the textile specialists to the hall to distinguish authenticity. This is second…”

At this point, the Minister of Revenue nodded slightly in agreement. Zhao Gengnian continued: “Third, this edict bears the current national seal. Besides His Majesty, no one else can use it…”

Jinglan sneered: “The national seal is in the Imperial Treasury. If someone had ulterior motives during His Majesty’s unconsciousness…”

“This possibility also exists,” Zhao Gengnian said, “but Prince Qing doesn’t know that before His Majesty fell seriously ill and unconscious, he summoned court ministers to the palace. Besides entrusting court affairs, he also told the ministers the national seal had been moved from the Imperial Treasury elsewhere, with no one but His Majesty knowing the location. This was to prevent others from scheming while His Majesty was unconscious. Now, it precisely proves this edict is genuine!”

My heart caught.

No wonder Jingyan only had me announce the edict without ever worrying whether anyone would question its authenticity. He had already made his decision, paving all the roads.

At this time, many court ministers nodded to confirm they were present then and could testify this indeed happened.

Jinglan said angrily: “Even if this edict was established by His Majesty, since it’s presented by Princess Xiangyi, it cannot be considered authentic!”

I think no one understood what he was trying to express.

“Prince Qing’s words truly shame me. What heaven-defying deed have I done that I don’t even qualify to present His Majesty’s edict?”

He no longer concealed his imposing aura that none dared approach, staring at my face and saying word by word: “An edict presented by the daughter of a rebel who conceals her true identity—how can it be trusted?”

The four words “true identity” struck like lightning—

He actually knew. How was this possible?

Could it be—

As this thought arose, a voice spoke from behind: “Prince Qing speaks correctly. Princess Xiangyi was not born to Emperor Yuanzong and this Empress Dowager…”

The Empress Dowager emerged from behind the coffin through the side door, slowly walked before me, and said indifferently: “She is the daughter of the former dynasty’s rebel Lin Danqing.”

A sinister atmosphere filled the surroundings. I no longer had the heart to notice the reactions of the court ministers in the hall.

Jingyan had clearly told me the Empress Dowager in the palace was fake, yet this Empress Dowager before my eyes was slowly revealing the truth from years past before everyone—about father and her, Lin Danqing and Imperial Physician Xu Liufang, all those unknown past events. Besides father and mother, who else in the world could know such details?

If she truly was the Empress Dowager, why didn’t she mention Jinglan’s parentage at all? Could she willingly offer the throne to someone who killed her own son?

In the hall, there was vague chaotic commotion. When I freed myself from confused thoughts, Jinglan looked at me and asked: “The Empress Dowager says His Majesty knew nothing at all, yet you deliberately used His Majesty’s trust in you to bewitch him into writing that edict. How can it be considered authentic?”

I was momentarily speechless, not because I couldn’t refute Jinglan’s words, but because I still couldn’t penetrate his intentions. “What the Empress Dowager said, I’ve never heard before. If the Empress Dowager deceived the ruler first back then, never mentioning this matter all these years, keeping everyone in the dark, why suddenly admit her crimes today? Could it be that seeing father gone and His Majesty passed away, her conscience finally awakened?”

The Empress Dowager suddenly raged: “You—how dare you!”

Jinglan raised his eyes, his handsome pupils flickering slightly: “Mother already revealed the truth to father when he was alive. Father, considering the nurturing relationship, was unwilling to punish you and only asked you to leave and never return to the capital. Who knew you still coveted power and position, wanting to return to court and create trouble… If you hadn’t taken this step, I originally wouldn’t have mentioned this matter—”

It seemed this Empress Dowager shouldn’t be real, while Jinglan truly knew nothing about his own parentage. Otherwise, he wouldn’t touch this nerve so carelessly.

However, how did they learn of my parentage?

Seeing my silence, Jinglan assumed I was unwilling to admit it: “In that case, bring forth the witness!”

I had thought the so-called witness was just some dispensable person to create false evidence.

But when two soldiers supported that scarred, mentally confused woman into the hall, I suddenly swayed unsteadily.

Qinggu, Lin Danqing.

She appeared to have suffered severe torture. After the soldiers released her, she couldn’t even kneel straight. She seemed bewildered and didn’t dare raise her head, as if afraid of this strange hall. She was completely different from that agile, arrogant strange doctor in Chen Family Village years ago—my heart turned ice cold. I dared not imagine what kind of torture could destroy a person to this extent.

Jinglan fixed his gaze on her, paused, then said coldly: “Criminal woman Lin Danqing, raise your head and see who she is?”

Qinggu was dazed for a while, slowly raised her head, and trembled all over when she saw me. I instinctively wanted to step forward, but she suddenly grabbed Jinglan’s hem, shaking her head violently: “No, no, the treasonous matter has nothing to do with her… She, she knows nothing…”

“She knows nothing? But she’s clearly your biological daughter…”

“No, we, we haven’t seen each other for years. It was me, everything was done by me alone…”

I clenched my fists tightly. Now I finally understood—Jinglan had served as Nie Guang’s advisor for several years, and Qinggu had always followed Nie Guang. Though she couldn’t recognize him disguised as Feng Li, during that time, he learned from Qinggu that the Princess Xiangyi in the palace was her biological daughter. After Qinggu was captured and imprisoned for the treason case, he subjected her to repeated interrogation and torture, inducing and suggesting that everyone already knew the relationship between me and her. My disappearance over the past two years had probably been misunderstood by Qinggu as my escaping court pursuit. That’s why upon seeing me, she immediately denied my involvement in the treason case rather than hastily severing our relationship. She was completely confused and didn’t even remember the crucial point—traitors face execution of the entire family.

When Qinggu was led out of Yanfu Hall, I saw Jinglan’s provocative gaze. In a trance, he overlapped with Feng Li on the mountaintop—both so skilled at… manipulating hearts. This was naked threat. However, he knew me too well. Even facing certain death, I absolutely couldn’t be heartless enough to abandon Qinggu.

Jinglan asked me: “What else do you have to say now?”

I forcibly suppressed the turmoil in my heart, trying to steady my breathing. I glanced at the Empress Dowager, then looked at Qinggu’s departing figure: “Even if this is true, what does it have to do with His Majesty’s edict? Prince Qing…”

“You can pretend to just learn of this now,” Jinglan cut off my words. “Someone! Bring him into the hall!”

A tall figure strode through the palace doors. With the light behind him, I couldn’t see his face clearly, but I recognized him immediately.

Cold wind swept through the door as he walked toward us. He wore the plainest cloth clothing, but with each step he took, my heart sank further.

Someone in the hall even blurted out: “It’s… the Prince Consort…”

Prince Consort. Song Langsheng.

After more than a month apart, I thought I would never see him again.

He should still be in Guangling’s prison. How was it possible, how could he appear here?

Didn’t he know Jinglan could charge him, a fugitive general, with crimes at any time?

I stared at his eyes but couldn’t understand what emotions rippled within them.

I heard Jinglan ask him: “Song Langsheng, you and Princess Xiangyi are husband and wife. All these years, did you know her true parentage?”

Song Langsheng was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: “I knew.”

“When did you learn of it?”

Song Langsheng’s eyes were deep as the sea. He looked at me quietly and said: “Two years ago, in Ze Zhou, she told me she wasn’t the late emperor’s daughter. Fearing calamity if her parentage was exposed, she asked me… to take her away.”

Everything has its cause, but I couldn’t fathom his reason for doing this.

His words were like knives—he was the only person in the world who could truly wound me.

Everything before my eyes became a hazy mist, spreading and falling. I had never cried before so many people.

I couldn’t see his expression clearly. I thought he surely had his difficulties, but I couldn’t forget what I had to do.

I turned my head slightly to wipe away tears, curved my lips, and said to Jinglan: “Correct, I am indeed not father’s and mother’s daughter. Song Langsheng left the military camp two years ago entirely because I forced him. So what?”

These words shocked even Cheng Tiezhong and the Empress, not to mention the dumbfounded ministers in the hall. Seeing me admit it outright, even Jinglan was stunned, then sneered: “Then His Majesty didn’t know the truth…”

I said: “His Majesty naturally knew nothing. Otherwise, how could he confidently entrust the edict to me?”

Jinglan said: “You deceived the ruler like this, using His Majesty’s trust in you to induce him to write this edict. Therefore, the content of the edict…”

“What exactly is the content of the edict? Why is Prince Qing so eager to deny it without even listening?” I turned to face the ministers in the hall, understanding clearly in my heart. These old ministers had harbored resentment against me since my regency due to my suppression of them. Over the years, quite a few had caused me trouble openly and secretly, all still considering father’s favor. Now suddenly learning I was merely a traitor’s offspring—how could they swallow this affront?

I turned back: “You ministers are all veteran officials of two Daqing reigns, having assisted two rulers. Your loyalty to His Majesty is naturally beyond question… Perhaps some, like Prince Qing, question this edict. However, you gentlemen must not forget—regardless of my identity, regardless of whether His Majesty knew, as His Majesty’s subjects, how can you lightly dismiss an edict written in His Majesty’s own hand?”

Seeing them show signs of retreat, I said indifferently: “Today Prince Qing has proven I am Lin Danqing’s daughter, whether for treason or deceiving the ruler—after today’s affairs conclude, execute me according to Daqing law and I’ll have no complaints!”

Even though they had been furious upon learning this, hearing my reasoning, they didn’t know how to refute it. Just then, Zhao Gengnian said solemnly: “His Majesty’s edict is here—”

Eventually, people inside and outside the hall knelt down.

Jinglan repeatedly tried to prevent this, exposing my parentage and attempting to make everyone question the edict’s content, only because he feared Jingyan had proclaimed his crimes in the edict, passed the throne to the little prince, and appointed me as regent supervisor.

However, the edict mentioned neither me, nor Jinglan, nor even the little prince.

It spoke of only one matter—the two edicts father had written years ago.

Jingyan wished to make father’s second edict public after his death, following father’s wishes.

The second edict was placed above the main court hall—behind the plaque bearing the three characters “Huangji Hall.”

Regardless of whom father passed the throne to, all civil and military officials should fully assist and not violate Emperor Yuanzong’s sacred intent.

This was completely unexpected for everyone.

When Zhao Gengnian finished reading the edict, even Jinglan showed puzzled expression.

I could even sense his vague unease and joy—after all, in his understanding, father only had him as remaining “bloodline.”

Except for Song Langsheng.

He had been watching me throughout, as if completely uninterested in everything around him. When everyone in the hall headed toward Huangji Hall, he unexpectedly grasped my hand and said softly: “A’Tang.”

My whole body stiffened. I looked at him wearily: “Regardless of what agreement you reached with Jinglan, even if it was for me, you shouldn’t have come.”

As he was about to say something more, I had already pulled away my hand and turned to leave. At this point, I could no longer change anything, but at least I could keep him away from me, not dragging him to die with me.

Father’s second succession edict was embedded in the interlayer behind the Huangji Hall plaque.

Palace guards took great effort to remove the plaque, carefully prying open the back panel, and retrieved the imperial edict before everyone’s eyes.

This Daqing realm was conquered by father. While some in court might not have been completely loyal to Jingyan, they were truly loyal and submissive to father.

So when Zhao Gengnian opened the edict with trembling hands, everyone held their breath, not daring to make the slightest sound.

I already knew father’s edict would proclaim to the world that eldest prince truly lost among the people years ago.

Father had always been cautious in his affairs. To gain the trust of subjects and citizens, he had naturally prepared comprehensive strategies.

Therefore, he had separately hidden the consequences he and the Empress Dowager had sown years ago and various related case files in the Ministry of Justice and Court of Judicial Review. With slight investigation, no one would harbor further doubts.

From this moment on, not only I, but even Jinglan would have no foothold in court.

“…The royal bloodline was lost, and I blame myself painfully, fearful day and night. Fortunately, heaven was moved and finally found the eldest prince through various means…”

Zhao Gengnian read the edict. I had thought my heart was already like stagnant water until I heard Song Langsheng’s name.

“…The Luzhou merchant family surnamed Song raised the eldest prince to adulthood. The eldest prince’s virtue and merit are fitting. According to proper order, he shall continue the ancestral line, renamed Xiao Jinghuan. I deeply consider the weight of this entrustment and reverently announce to heaven and earth at this time that he shall ascend the imperial throne. All civil and military officials, elders, soldiers, and citizens shall exert full effort to assist him…”

I could no longer hear what followed.

Suddenly heaven and earth were empty, even the surrounding chaos and Jinglan’s stunned face dissolved into void.

Dense clouds rolled from the horizon, inch by inch devouring hearts.

Many previously inexplicable fragments finally pieced together bit by bit, spreading before my eyes, forming a picture of collapsed truth.

So in the end, he was father’s true prince.

This was why father was willing to spare Jun Jinzhi’s family, giving them a chance to flee;

Why father, knowing who Song Langsheng’s adoptive parents were, was still willing to recruit him to court as an official and into the palace as son-in-law;

Why ultimately Song Langsheng was persuaded by father to lay down hatred and become that extremely dangerous inside agent;

Why Song Langsheng showed no surprise at my parentage, with a heart more eager than mine to flee far away;

And why father repeatedly instructed Jingyan that I must be the one to announce this edict.

Father knew well that Song Langsheng had no interest in power and position. He only wanted to be with me and would never sacrifice me to achieve this so-called great undertaking.

Only when I came would I be trapped by my traitor offspring identity. When I revealed father’s edict, the officials would condemn me to death.

Only one person in the world could turn the tide.

That person could only be the new ruler ascending the throne.

And to save me, Song Langsheng, however unwilling, would accept this burden.

I finally understood completely—in this great struggle for the realm, whether me, Jinglan, or Song Langsheng, in the end, none of us escaped father’s control.

Jinglan finally shed his disguise, his face becoming hideous, his true nature fully revealed, shouting repeatedly: “Lies! This is conspiracy, this edict is forged… Someone! Seize this traitor for me!”

However, the one seized by the palace guards wasn’t Song Langsheng, but him.

His grand dream should wake up now.

In this empty darkness, I looked at Song Langsheng. His dark eyes rippled like jade, still elegant and handsome as in years past. We were merely three steps apart, yet when all civil and military officials called him “Your Majesty,” I finally understood that from now on, among three thousand splendors, I alone could never take this single ladle to drink.

As I knelt down, I saw Song Langsheng step forward and extend his hand, seemingly wanting to stop my action. I lowered my eyes and slowly bowed down.

The legends of Princess Xiangyi had also reached their final day.