Chapter 251: Humble

Chapter 251: Humble

"Why has the Crown Prince suddenly left his seat?"

Upon entering, Qi Ling Heng first looked towards Lin Yun Wan, noticing his wife and son were unharmed and showed no signs of panic, his tone remained relatively calm.

The Crown Prince said, "I heard there was some disturbance in the banquet hall, so I came to see."

"Someone, bring a chair for Prince Huan."

A maid brought over another chair.

Qi Ling Heng didn't sit, but walked past Dowager Lady Lu, settling next to Lin Yun Wan.

Due to Dowager Lady Lu being too close, the maid pushing her wheelchair had to move her back as Prince Huan approached.

After the old lady moved away, Lin Yun Wan felt the air around her became more pleasant.

She felt much more at ease.

"Your Highness."

"Father." Qi Zai Jun frowned, clearly unhappy.

Qi Ling Heng patted his son's head and then secretly held Lin Yun Wan's hand under the table.

Lifting his gaze, his expression unchanged yet commanding, he addressed the Crown Prince, "I hope the matter you speak of doesn't concern my Prince Huan's residence?"

The Crown Prince simply smiled without speaking.

Dowager Lady Lu promptly interjected, "Your Highness..."

Qi Ling Heng, addressing the Crown Prince, said, "Apart from this woman, is there anyone else here to slander my Princess Consort of Huan? If so, let them come forward. But let's not keep a madwoman here, spoiling the atmosphere."

He seemed utterly fearless about being exposed!

The Crown Prince smiled and instructed the Crown Princess, "Let the ladies retire to a side chamber."

"Yes."

But it wasn't a true withdrawal; if they completely left, who would bear witness to today's events?

The Crown Princess said, "To avoid any male guests causing distress, please retire to the warm chamber."

There were warm chambers on both sides of the banquet hall, hidden behind screens. Even if men entered the hall, they couldn't see the ladies.

But the ladies, if curious, could still observe the hall's happenings from the warm chambers.

The guests, while reluctant to get involved, were eager to know the truth.

"Let's go, quickly, let's move inside."

The ladies gradually made their way into the warm chambers.

The first to enter wasn't a man, but Ge Bao'er.

She knelt before the Crown Prince and Qi Ling Heng, introducing herself, "I am... I am Ge Bao'er, the concubine of the Marquis of Wuding's household."

The two men in front of her simply didn't regard her as significant.

It was the Crown Princess who asked, "Did you come today with your family's Dowager Lady?"

"...Yes."

In reality, it was Ge Bao'er who had brought Dowager Lady Lu!

She merely suggested that they could meet Lin Yun Wan, and the old lady, not knowing how thrilled she was, agreed to come along.

However, she was quite satisfied with the old lady's reaction.

As long as the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess were not blind, they would naturally suspect Lin Yun Wan's identity.

There was no need for her to do anything more; if the Crown Prince believed it, he would surely make a big issue of it.

Finally, the Crown Prince spoke to Ge Bao'er, "Are you certain that Prince Huan's consort and your Lu family's former lady look very similar?" His gaze was fixed elsewhere, not on Ge Bao'er.

Ge Bao'er glanced at Lin Yun Wan and confidently affirmed, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, Prince Huan's consort indeed... looks exactly like the Lu family's lady!"

She clenched her teeth, emphasizing the last few words heavily.

The Crown Prince asked no further questions, closing his eyes, breathing lightly.

Ge Bao'er became slightly anxious, "Your Highness, I brought several serving women with me who had also served our family's lady. They can confirm it upon your inquiry!"

The Crown Prince looked at Qi Linghen, as if asking whether to continue the investigation.

Qi Linghen's smile was mischievous: "Since the Crown Prince has invited us, let's bring them all in for a look."

The Crown Prince instructed Ge Baor: "Bring the people in."

The voice was eerily cold.

Ge Baor went out and summoned four maidservants, one being Xiliu, and the other three had previously worked under Lin Yunwan.

As they entered, none dared to raise their heads.

It was the Crown Princess who asked, "Do you recognize the Princess Consort Huan?"

The maidservants looked up; Xiliu was the first to drop her jaw in shock. Wasn't this their former mistress!

The other three were also startled.

How could someone presumed dead be alive!

Lin Yunwan remained as unmoved as a mountain, sitting steadfastly. She glanced at them indifferently, as if they were strangers, truly unrecognizable.

Observing the maidservants' reactions, the Crown Princess sensed something was amiss.

She asked them, "Do you recognize her or not?"

The maidservants exchanged glances, unsure.

Ge Bao'er glanced over and saw one of the maids, who was timid, had already knelt down with her head bowed.

The Crown Prince coughed once and asked the maid, "Is it her, or not?"

He seldom spoke, but when he did, there was a chilling sternness in his voice.

The maid cowered at the Crown Prince's feet, her palms cold at the sight of his gold-embroidered boots. There was also the promise from Auntie Ge...

She was just telling the truth! She wasn't lying!

"Yes... Your Highness the Crown Prince... it's her..."

The Crown Prince glanced at the other maids, who also affirmed, except for Xi Liu, who bit her lip and said with a pale face, "I dare not be sure."

The Crown Prince asked lightly, "How come they are certain, yet you hesitate?"

Xi Liu spoke honestly, "Although she looks similar, Prince Huan's consort... she seems more noble and gentle than our former lady. Her gaze is different."

Qi Ling Heng hadn't noticed any change in Lin Yun Wan.

He turned to glance at her, thinking she seemed even more gentle than before.

Lin Yun Wan, holding Qi Zai Jun with one hand and her husband with the other, appeared soft and warm.

Ge Bao'er, head bowed, bravely suggested, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, eyes can deceive, but voices are harder to change. Perhaps we should ask Prince Huan's consort to speak..."

The Crown Prince looked at Qi Ling Heng, "Seventh brother, what do you think?"

Qi Ling Heng scoffed coldly at Ge Bao'er, "And who are you to suggest that?"

The Crown Prince, unbothered, softly said, "If my sister-in-law doesn't wish to speak, then she need not."

He then asked Ge Bao'er, "How can I be sure your words are true, based solely on the testimony of a few maids from your household?"

Ge Bao'er bit her lip and said, "Slandering the Princess Consort is a capital offense. Even if I were bold, how could I dare..."

The Crown Prince, growing impatient with a concubine's words, said dismissively, "If it's nonsense, don't bother speaking."

Ge Bao'er paused, then said, "Our family's master has something that can prove..."

"Let him come in."

The Crown Prince cut off Ge Bao'er.

Lu Zhengliu was surely waiting already. The Crown Princess sent someone to call him in.

He entered briskly, holding a painting, and knelt next to Ge Bao'er.

The maids gradually left the room. Xi Liu couldn't help but turn back for another look at Lin Yun Wan.

The resemblance was striking.

"What is this?"

The Crown Prince asked Lu Zhengliu.

Lu Zhengliu unveiled the painting, saying, "It is a portrait of my deceased wife."

"I missed my late wife dearly, and after her death, I learned to paint, creating several portraits of her. Your Highness will recognize, this was painted years ago."

"The Princess Consort only returned to the capital this year. If these two didn't look exactly alike, I could never have painted this."

Lin Yun Wan felt her palm being gripped tightly.

She furrowed her brows slightly, glancing at Qi Ling Heng, noticing his expression darken with subtle anger.

Lin Yun Wan squeezed Qi Ling Heng's hand in return, signaling him not to worry.

Lu Zhengliu's professed deep feelings were as worthless as roadside weeds to her.

She never took them seriously.

Qi Ling Heng felt his wife's comforting gesture, his lips curling slightly, eyes lowering disdainfully at the man.

If he couldn't have it, he'd rather destroy it.

Such a man was exceedingly despicable!

He truly shouldn't be kept around.