The people in the banquet hall had long been stunned into silence.

After a tremendous quiet, what followed was a seething cacophony.

“Over thirty years ago, I really did hear that Lord Li had a mistress. But before the scandal could break, Lady Li died, and then Lord Li quickly remarried. Turns out he married his own mistress!”

“Marrying a mistress is one thing, but to actually let the illegitimate daughter born to that mistress—someone utterly beneath notice—assume the identity of his legitimate eldest daughter, what was he thinking!”

“All these years, she’s been throwing her weight around relying on His Majesty’s favor. The Duke died young, and all the males in the household are gone—it’s hard not to suspect she was behind it!”

“The real Miss Li is so pitiful—she was actually driven mad and locked away for thirty years!”

“What a venomous woman!”

“…”

Various accusations reached Li Jinghua’s ears.

She dug her nails fiercely into her palm, activating the poison gu within her body.

While activating the poison gu, she rushed before the Emperor, tears streaming down her face like pear blossoms in rain: “No matter what the truth was thirty years ago, the person who truly spent those thirty years with Your Majesty was me! I was the one who comforted Your Majesty when you were discouraged, I was the one who disregarded propriety to maintain an affair with Your Majesty, I was the one…”

Yun Chu noticed the Emperor’s expression actually softening.

She coolly interrupted Li Jinghua’s words: “You’re wrong. The person who spent thirty years by Father Emperor’s side was the Empress! The only reason you could move into the Hall of Mental Cultivation was because you stabbed yourself and framed the Empress! If you can’t measure up to the Empress’s righteousness, so be it! But you also defiled the pure feelings between Father Emperor and the real Miss Li. These words you speak only further prove the evil you’ve committed.”

“You!”

Li Jinghua glared furiously.

She suddenly felt regret.

Regret for being jealous of Yun Chu and thus conspiring with Concubine Fang to frame her.

She hadn’t expected that Yun Chu would be someone who always settled scores, and that even after so much time had passed, she would still take revenge.

If Yun Chu hadn’t interfered, that wretch Li Jingshu would never have had the chance to appear before His Majesty again.

But her regret came too late.

She heard that incomparably familiar voice utter a few extremely indifferent words: “Take her out and cane her to death!”

Li Jinghua’s eyes widened in shock.

Her knees went soft, and she opened her mouth to beg for mercy.

She knew what worked on His Majesty—as long as she lowered herself and disregarded her dignity, she could definitely make His Majesty change his mind.

But Chu Yi gave her no opportunity.

His eyes turned cold, and those two Imperial Guards—one pressed down on Li Jinghua’s shoulder, the other directly covered her mouth, dragging her away.

“Mmph! Mmph!”

Li Jinghua struggled desperately.

But how could a fifty-year-old woman match young guards? She was dragged away just like that.

The real Li Jingshu began to cry loudly, and from the emotional upheaval, she cried until she fainted.

“Quickly summon the Imperial Physician!”

The Emperor directly gathered Li Jingshu into his arms, carrying her toward the main hall.

The remaining people looked at each other, then gathered in small groups to discuss.

“Chu’er, if not for your foresight, I’m afraid I really would have been sent to the Cold Palace.” Imperial Concubine Yun spoke with lingering fear. “I never imagined this Li Jingshu was actually a fake Li Jingshu. Who could have thought such a thing would happen… His Majesty’s devoted heart was completely wasted! That real eldest daughter of the Li family is too pitiful, alas.”

Yun Chu also sighed: “Her madness will be very difficult to cure. I hope Father Emperor can protect her for the rest of her life so she won’t be bullied by others.”

Before long, people were discussing how Li Jinghua, after being caned over thirty heavy strokes, had vomited blood and died.

After all, she was old and had always lived a pampered life—how could she endure such treatment? Moreover, Chu Yi had given the order, and the guards carrying out the punishment had struck with deadly force.

The flower-viewing banquet ended amid everyone’s animated discussions.

Yun Chu and Chu Yi emerged from the palace.

They ran into the Crown Prince head-on.

“Crown Prince, elder brother.” Chu Yi greeted him.

The Crown Prince’s expression was complex as his gaze swept over Chu Yi and Yun Chu’s faces. He slowly asked, “You already knew that Noble Consort Jin wasn’t the real Noble Consort Jin, didn’t you?”

Chu Yi spoke coolly: “What does Crown Prince elder brother mean by this?”

“Since you already knew, why didn’t you expose her identity earlier!” The Crown Prince became emotional. “If she had been caned to death sooner, my mother wouldn’t have been framed and sent to the Cold Palace, Mother wouldn’t have risked everything for me, Mother wouldn’t have died! Why, why didn’t you bring the real Li Jingshu into the palace earlier, why! It’s all your fault!”

Chu Yi actually laughed: “As members of the imperial family, fratricide is our destiny, but I have never moved against Crown Prince elder brother, and have a clear conscience toward the Empress even more so.”

The Crown Prince clutched his head, at the breaking point.

“Elder brother, the Empress wasn’t killed by anyone—she actively chose death herself, because only this way could she make Father Emperor feel guilty toward her, and at the critical moment, preserve elder brother’s life.” Chu Yi spoke deliberately. “I hope elder brother can live well, so that Mother can smile in the afterlife.”

Having said this, he put his arm around Yun Chu’s shoulder and brushed past the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince collapsed into a crouch, weeping silently and bitterly.

Nanny Yin had told him that the assassination at Father Emperor’s birthday banquet was orchestrated by Mother herself.

He needed someone to tell him word by word before he understood the truth behind it all.

Yet Chu Yi had everything under control from the start.

How could he possibly compete with Chu Yi?

Mother hoped he would live well, but in such a terrifying palace, how could he survive?

He had so many brothers—Second Brother, Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, Eighth Brother… one by one, they had either died, gone mad, or been sent to their fiefs.

What about him? What would his ending be?

Yun Chu had walked far away, and when she was about to turn the corner, she looked back. The Crown Prince was still crouching on the long palace corridor, crying silently.

She couldn’t help but sigh. In her previous life, even with the Empress’s protection, the Crown Prince still couldn’t compete with Prince Gongxi, and his only son had also died in the power struggle.

The two walked out the palace gates and were about to board their carriage.

She raised her head and saw in the distance that Chu Rui, who had once again been enfeoffed as Prince Zhuang, was helping a woman into a carriage.

The woman was very young and appeared meek and obedient in Chu Rui’s presence.

“That is Chu Rui’s fiancée, Third Miss Su of the Su family, Su Ziyue.” Chu Yi spoke. “Their wedding is set for next month.”

Yun Chu said slowly: “Without the Grand Empress Dowager’s protection, Prince Zhuang, who was plagued by serious illness from birth, has still survived until now. I can’t help but feel this person isn’t as simple as he appears on the surface.”

Chu Yi was about to speak.

Then they saw Chu Rui turn around and cup his hands toward the two of them, essentially a greeting.

Chu Yi returned the gesture with a cupped-hands salute.

The two returned home, and before they even entered, they heard a baby voice: “Mama, Mama…”

Yun Chu smiled warmly and hurried inside: “Jue’er, Mama is home.”

The little one waved his two chubby arms and lunged toward Yun Chu.

Now that spring had arrived, the little one was already eight or nine months old, at the age of babbling, though he could only call for Mama and play with his drool.

“You little rascal.” Chu Yi scraped his nose. “You never want Father Prince to hold you. What an ungrateful little wretch.”

As soon as his words fell, the little one stretched his arms toward him.

Chu Yi was delighted and had just gathered the child into his arms when he felt a warmth on his chest.

Chu Hongyu gloated: “Jue’er peed, he peed on Father Prince, ha ha ha!”