Chapter 70: The Reason

Chapter 70: The Whole Story

Jiang Huailiang was a genuine military man through and through. To appear more like a refined scholar for his wife, he usually spoke as gently as possible.

But now, with his daughter's life at stake, his words took on the crude tone of a hardened soldier, greatly infuriating Duke Chengen.

"Your Majesty..."

"Just speak plainly. It's not like the second child is an outsider anyway."

"This isn't very appropriate..."

"Speak!"

The emperor had made his stance clear, so Duke Chengen had no choice but to relent. Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself and plunged ahead.

"Your Majesty, this child was not born by the Empress. That year, you attended my father's birthday banquet, had too much to drink, and stayed overnight. By accident, you favored my fifth sister, which resulted in an imperial heir remaining with the Zhao family."

Wait, what is this guy saying?

I, while drunk, slept with my sister-in-law?

The emperor wasn't feeling quite right.

"Why do I have no memory of this? Zhao Heran, are you deceiving your sovereign?"

"I wouldn't dare, Your Majesty! I swear every word I speak is true!

At the time, my fifth sister was a widow living with her parents' home. Who could have predicted such an incident? She said she was too panicked to speak out, so she left quietly to avoid causing a stir.

Later, she claimed to be unwell and moved to a manor to recuperate, where she secretly gave birth to the imperial heir. We only learned of this matter about five years ago when she was on her deathbed and entrusted him to our care."

Duke Chengen spoke with clear logic and thorough reasoning.

"When we brought the child back, he was already three or four years old. He hadn't been properly nourished before birth, and the time at the manor didn't help, leaving him frail and sickly.

I was afraid the child wouldn't survive, and besides, at that time, your great work wasn't finished yet, and you were too swamped to be bothered. So, I didn't dare report it immediately."

"And now you dare? Do I look like a fool to you? You think I'll believe you just because you say so?"

As long as I don't believe it, it's false!

"Every word I speak is true! The jade pendant the child wears around his neck is the very item you left behind that night.

I say it again—if you don't believe me, we can conduct a blood test to prove he's your son!"

Duke Chengen was also feeling pretty frustrated. Truth be told, this wasn't the right time for the sixth prince to return to the palace. Who knew how the child had learned of his origins? He had boldly taken matters into his own hands and completely disrupted their well-laid plans. Ah!

The two rascals kneeling outside the hall could occasionally hear the arguments inside. Both were naturally bold and even found the leisure to chat.

"Wan Jieer, do you think that kid is really my father's illegitimate child?"

"Most likely."

Li Chengxiu winced.

"Just great, another one pops up to claim a share of the inheritance. How annoying."

It was indeed quite annoying, especially for a family like the Li's, who had a throne to pass down. Another brother meant another rival.

"That slash you gave him earlier was pretty serious. Do you think he'll survive?"

"Not necessarily."

Jiang Wan sighed.

Under normal circumstances, such an injury in ancient times, without special medicine, would be fatal due to infection alone. But what worried her was whether that wretched guy had the annoying main character protection that kept him from dying.

"Wan Jieer, don't sigh. I'm here, so don't be afraid. I was the one who caught him, and I was the one who got so angry I told you to slash him. If my father really blames anyone later, I'll take all the responsibility!"

Li Laosi was young and, compared to his older brothers, not particularly sharp, but he was exceptionally responsible. In short, he was a fearless fool.

Jiang Wan, who had already switched back from her crazed mode to her proper eldest daughter mode, looked up at him and smiled.

"Okay, I'm not afraid."

"Hehe, good, don't be afraid."

He grinned goofily twice, then sneaked a look around before lowering his voice to reassure her.

"Don't worry, someone will come to get us out of this soon!"

No sooner had he spoken than the Imperial Noble Consort and the Empress, who had received Li Laosi's urgent call for help, appeared behind them, showing up one right after the other.

"Laosi, Wan Jieer, are you both alright?"

"You little troublemaker, what exactly have you gotten your wife mixed up in? If you dare bring trouble to Wan Jieer, I won't go easy on you!"

Just from their voices, they could tell the first voice was the Empress, followed by the Imperial Noble Consort.

"Mother, save me! Imperial Mother, help!"

Li Laosi's loud shout made the emperor inside the hall jump with surprise.

"Oh no!

That little brat Laosi is going to ruin me!"

The well-experienced Li Changhuai hadn't even had time to think of a countermeasure when he saw Qiao Yunshu already standing there looking furious.

"Honey, listen to my excuse—this time it's really not my fault at all..."

The emperor spouted excuses while his body, honest as ever, shot up from the dragon throne. With unusually smooth evasive skills, he barely dodged the Imperial Noble Consort's slender hands, narrowly escaping.

Imperial Noble Consort Qiao's face was stony, her eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. She simply raised her sword and swung it wildly at the scoundrel who had betrayed her time and again.

Whether she actually hit him wasn't important; what mattered was that she had to make her anger known for him to see. She needed him to remember clearly that he had wronged her yet again.

"You untrustworthy bastard! Don't you have enough lovely wives at home? I let you take in so many, and you still stray outside? I should just end us both!"

"I'm innocent!"

Li Changhuai ducked and weaved, listening to his wife's scolding. He truly felt that even the heavens weren't on his side.

"I really had no idea about this!"

"You expect me to believe that? You're a man, after all. Shouldn't you know whether something like that happened or not?"

"I thought it was a dream! How was I to know it was... Ow, okay, I was wrong, wasn't I? Honey, slow down—watch your footing..."

The Emperor and the Imperial Noble Consort darted out playfully, leaving the grand hall. Already familiar with this couple's routine, the Duke of Ling promptly and swiftly bowed to the Empress, took his leave, and hurried off with his rowdy kid in tow.

Only the Zhao siblings remained in the grand hall.

The Empress looked at Duke Chengen, her gaze icy cold.

"Why treat me like this?"

He guiltily averted his eyes.

"Your Majesty, I was left with no choice. Our Fifth Sister has already given birth to the child—what could I do? As both a subject and an uncle, I couldn't just let the child fend for itself, could I?"

"You truly are a loyal subject, a devoted uncle, and an outstanding head of the Zhao family! Only, you have failed to be a good elder brother to me."

The heartbreak in the Empress's eyes was heart-wrenching.

"I have not failed any of you. For the sake of the Zhao family, I have sacrificed half my life. Yet why have you all let me down like this?"

She just wanted to ask her own brother—the one who doted on her so dearly in their childhood—why he would now do something that caused her such pain.

Duke Chengen remained silent.

"Why, exactly? Tell me!"

Some things are better left unsaid. For instance, since the Emperor and the Imperial Noble Consort did not come from aristocratic families, they were unaware that some prominent clans possessed well-kept secret remedies.

One night of passion, fleeting and dreamlike, leaving no trace.