"You claim this bastard is my son?" the Emperor slowly countered.
Jiang Dan froze for a moment before suddenly grabbing frantically at Xia Qing's robe. "Miracle Healer Xia, look again! Look at the sandalwood in this room—the scent is clearly wrong! Check the timing again! Tell His Majesty that the child in my belly is his, isn't it?" She shook Xia Qing's robe violently. Xia Qing, who had always been terrified of women in hysterics, quickly frowned and stepped back, yanking his robe from Jiang Dan's grasp. With a stern expression, he said, "Your Highness, this humble physician has already stated there are no drugs in this room, and Your Highness's health is perfectly sound, with none of the issues you mentioned. As for the child..." Xia Qing hesitated. "This humble physician truly cannot determine its origin. If Your Highness doubts my words, you may summon other imperial physicians for examination. There is no need to question my medical expertise." By the end, his tone carried a hint of pride. Those with genuine talent and learning naturally detested having their abilities doubted. As a miracle healer, Xia Qing had his share of temper, and being openly challenged about his skills left him in no mood for pleasantries.
Yet Jiang Dan's words were likely wasted. Xia Qing was the most skilled physician in the Da Jin Dynasty. If even he couldn't detect any drugs, what use were the imperial physicians? Moreover, how could such a scandal be widely publicized? They would want to suppress it, not invite others to witness this spectacle. Xia Qing's words were practically the final verdict, leaving no room for reversal.
Jiang Dan slowly collapsed to the ground. Having reached the end of her rope, she suddenly screamed wildly, "No! It's you! You quack conspired with them to frame me! There's definitely something wrong in this room! And that so-called state preceptor—nothing but a fraud! Don't think I don't know about your schemes with Jiang Ruan! You've brought your deceit into the palace, and now you want to pin this filth on me!"
Her furious tirade, born of extreme terror, disregarded the Emperor's presence entirely. Gone was her usual charming demeanor, making the scene all the more ironic in the eyes of those present.
Such is the way of the world—twists and turns abound. While scheming against others, one often unknowingly becomes a pawn in another's game. Jiang Dan had staked everything on framing Brocade Hero King Manor, unaware that Jiang Ruan had merely added two small details to turn the tide. The true killing blow lay here—a secret pregnancy.
This was always a tangled mess. The moment Xia Qing diagnosed Jiang Dan's pregnancy, her fate was sealed. Between the Crown Prince and the favored consort, even the slightest possibility that this child might be connected to Ye Hua would prompt the Emperor to eliminate it without hesitation. The imperial bloodline could not tolerate incest. The palace, already steeped in filth, despised such affairs most of all.
The Emperor's heavy gaze settled on Ye Hua. Gone was the heartache and concern of a father for his son—now, it was the cruelty and ruthlessness of a ruler toward a traitorous subject. A murderous intent simmered as he slowly declared, "Fifth Prince, you murdered the Crown Prince, sought to shift blame onto others, and even conspired with my consort. Do you intend to defy the heavens themselves?"Ye Hua's sweat dripped down his forehead as he stared at the Emperor. After a long pause, a faint smile suddenly appeared on his lips. In this game, he had already lost. After years of rivalry with Ye Li, surviving the palace intrigues under De Fei's guidance, he had believed the throne would eventually be his. Yet, at the final moment, all his efforts had come to nothing. Now, he could hardly fathom why he had agreed to collaborate with Jiang Dan—perhaps he had been too impatient, ultimately ruining his own future. He had lost at this very juncture. With a look of disgust, he glanced at Jiang Dan and said, "Fool. If not for you, this prince wouldn't have fallen to such a state."
Jiang Dan's face turned deathly pale as she looked at him. Ye Hua's words were an implicit admission of their relationship—he had confessed so quickly. Unwilling to accept it, she stammered, "Fifth Highness, what are you saying... This concubine doesn't understand..."
"Save your tears, little wretch," Ye Hua sneered. "At this point, do you really think crying innocence will save you?" After all, Ye Hua had spent far longer by the Emperor's side than Jiang Dan. He knew all too well the Emperor's expressions, especially the murderous ones. Today, neither he nor Jiang Dan would escape death. Plotting against the Crown Prince, framing others, colluding with a favored consort—each charge piled up, all pointing toward that dragon throne. No emperor could tolerate his subjects coveting his throne, not even his own sons. There was no kinship in the imperial family—they were born to fight for that seat.
Hearing this, Jiang Dan could no longer hold herself together. It was as if her very backbone had been ripped out, and her face twisted into a look of utter despair and resignation.
The Emperor remained silent. Ye Hua laughed. "Father, you hold the entire realm in your hands, wielding the power of life and death over the common people. Your son's fate is but a whim to you. The one who sits upon your throne truly enjoys boundless glory. But what of it?" He glanced at the broken Jiang Dan and smirked. "You have countless beauties adoring you, but how can you be sure of their loyalty? Take this beloved little consort of yours—she once seemed so tender and devoted to you, yet..." He lifted Jiang Dan's chin with a frivolous finger, his smile twisting into something eerie and mocking. "Beneath me, she was just as eager and pleasured."
"Stop!" Jiang Dan cried in terror. The Emperor's expression remained calm, utterly unmoved by the near-taunting words, as if Ye Hua were speaking of someone else's affairs. Only Wang Lian'er showed unease. While she was pleased to see Jiang Dan's downfall, the secret matters between the Emperor and his son were not something a mere consort should know too much about. The Emperor would not favor someone privy to too many royal scandals. Yet now, she was trapped—she had no idea how to withdraw and avoid hearing what came next.Jiang Ruan lowered her smiling gaze. Ye Hua was exactly that kind of person—impatient, impulsive, and reckless. The only reason he had managed to tangle with Ye Li for so many years was due to De Fei's guidance and the substantial backing of his faction's ministers. In her past life, after De Fei's death, Ye Hua had been effortlessly crushed by Ye Li in the struggle for succession. If Jiang Dan hadn't actively sought out Ye Hua this time, Jiang Ruan would have preferred to keep him around longer to deal with Ye Li. Compared to Ye Li, Ye Hua was hardly a threat. But since they had already schemed against her, it would be unreasonable not to retaliate.
Thanks to Ye Li in her past life, Jiang Ruan had some understanding of Ye Hua's temperament. Though he appeared reckless on the surface, he was actually deeply vindictive. Having fallen into such a predicament today, Jiang Dan was undoubtedly a major factor. Ye Hua would pin all the blame on Jiang Dan and ensure she suffered until her dying breath. For instance, just moments ago, Ye Hua had deliberately provoked the Emperor, clearly intending to muddy the waters further for Jiang Dan. Like father, like son—conversely, the Emperor's magnanimity was also questionable. For a woman who had betrayed him, a simple execution would be a mercy for Jiang Dan.
"Imperial Father, no matter how you view me, I accept it. Throughout history, the victor is king, the loser a bandit. The Crown Prince's matter was indeed my doing, and I did intend to frame the Brocade Hero King Manor. However, all of this was proposed by your beloved consort—wasn't it, Dan Niang?" The gentler Ye Hua's tone became, the more Jiang Dan shrank back. She wanted to cover his mouth, but under the watchful eyes of the court, she dared not do anything except curl into herself, shaking her head desperately.
"Your beloved consort told me that one day, Imperial Father would pass away, and the deep palace would be lonely and desolate. She needed to find someone to rely on, so she sought me out. As for the Crown Prince's matter, it was all her instigation. Truly, the Imperial Palace is a den of tigers and dragons—even a mere favored consort knows so much." Ye Hua let out a self-deprecating laugh. "I couldn't resist the temptation and agreed to her request. Little did I know it wasn't a bright future at all. This woman, thinking herself clever, tried to frame the Princess of Brocade Glory, but in the end, her skills fell short." Ye Hua cast a heavy glance at Jiang Ruan, who met his gaze calmly. His heart involuntarily skipped a beat. Now that he was doomed regardless, he had wanted to drag as many people down with him as possible, preferably everyone involved in this affair. Yet Jiang Ruan's gaze unsettled him, dissipating some of his earlier frenzy and tightening his chest.
After a moment, Ye Hua laughed again. "Eighth Brother, I never expected you to be involved in this too. Today, I have lost, and the empire will likely fall into your hands." He disregarded the Emperor's dignity entirely, brazenly discussing these private matters as if he wanted to escalate the situation further. "I've fought you all my life, but I wonder if you were aware of this. Eighth Brother, you're brilliant—I suspect you foresaw today's outcome long ago. I still can't defeat you. Even with Consort Chen relegated to the Cold Palace, you always find a way to turn the tide."Ye Li remained silent. Ye Hua was now dragging as many people down with him as possible, probably trying to trip him up even in death. Arguing with him would only make things worse, so it was better to listen quietly. After all, the Emperor would discern right from wrong. As Ye Hua spoke, he suddenly threw his head back and laughed wildly, saying, "I never believed in fate before, but now I have no choice but to accept it. It seems I was never destined for that position in this lifetime—yet I refuse to accept it!"
"You refuse to accept it, so you plotted against your own elder brother and even framed others?" The Emperor, having reached the peak of his anger, instead laughed coldly. "I never knew my son was so capable—even bedding my own favored consort. Had I not exposed you today, your blade would have surely been at my throat sooner or later!"
"Father, why say such things?" Ye Hua also laughed. A man at the end of his road, he now embraced reckless abandon. Unlike Ye Lang, who would grovel for mercy, or Ye Li, who endured and schemed patiently, he was impulsive by nature. Once defeated, he had no intention of staging a comeback or preserving himself for another day. Instead, he laid bare his failure, sealing off his last escape route himself. "Among all your sons, Father, which one have you truly cherished? You now pretend to grieve for the Crown Prince, but when he was humiliated at the royal ceremony, you did nothing. You claim to favor Eighth Brother, yet when you heard Noble Consort Chen posed a threat to the empire, you cast her into the cold palace without a second thought. When Fourth Brother died, you ignored it. My mother urged me to seize that position because she understood better than anyone—your heart was never with any of your sons! Father, we share your blood and have inherited your cruelty. In your eyes, there is only the empire, only your throne. And we could only watch. But I must admit, the older ginger is spicier—Father, in this game, I have lost."
At this point, Jiang Ruan couldn't help but feel a hint of admiration for Ye Hua. Though not particularly clever, he was a man who could accept defeat. At the very least, his words had inadvertently helped her greatly. Ye Hua continued, "Father, I have never understood your thoughts. Sometimes, I even felt you treated this Traitorous Subject better than your own son." He glanced at Xiao Shao, whose expression remained indifferent, and smiled bitterly. "Perhaps in your heart, I truly was insignificant—someone you could sacrifice without hesitation when the time came."The Emperor silently regarded him, his expression unmoved after hearing Ye Hua's words. Ye Hua chuckled a few times and said, "A man's words are kind when death is near. Today's matter likely won't end well. When I first plotted for this position, I knew there was a possibility of losing. I just didn't expect this day to come so soon. Father, after all, we are father and son, so I must remind you—the woman by your pillow is no easy opponent. The so-called 'Nation-destroying enchantress,' the more beautiful a woman, the more venomous her heart. Sometimes, those scheming for your throne and wishing you dead aren't limited to just me." He glanced at Jiang Dan, who had collapsed to the ground, a fleeting cruel smile flashing in his eyes. "But I can assure you, the child in her belly is indeed of royal blood," Ye Hua said slowly. "Your undisputed imperial grandson."
"No—" Jiang Dan let out a shrill cry, her face twisted in despair. Ye Hua's admission had undeniably confirmed her infidelity. And to be carrying an incestuous royal child—this was a crime so heinous that even death would not be a clean escape. Now, even if she wished for a swift death, it would likely be impossible. She stared at Ye Hua in disbelief, suddenly lunging at him, clawing at his face. "I didn't! You know perfectly well that's impossible! Why are you framing me? We just—" In her frenzy, she failed to realize the implications of her own words. The Emperor's expression could no longer be described as mere anger—it was as though he were watching two pitiful clowns. Finally, he commanded in a heavy voice, "Eighth Prince, I leave this to you. Lock these two up first." He paused before adding, "Keep your mouth shut."
This meant the affair was to be concealed. Those present were all members of the imperial family, so there was no fear of the matter leaking. Hearing this, Ye Hua's face relaxed into a faint smile of relief. Jiang Dan, however, shook her head frantically in disbelief. Even as the guards dragged her away, she struggled violently, crying, "No, no, no! It wasn't me! Your Majesty, believe me! I never betrayed you! I don’t want to die! No, Your Majesty—" Only when her life was truly at stake did Jiang Dan realize she wasn’t as composed as she had imagined. Throughout history, the victors became kings, the losers bandits—but accepting defeat was never easy. She had been the Emperor's favored consort. She had even carried the imperial heir. A mother's status rose with her child's—she could have basked in wealth and glory. Had she borne a prince, her standing would have soared, and even Jiang Ruan would have had to bow to her. But now, all those bright prospects had vanished. Everything had turned to bubbles. The child in her womb was no longer a golden imperial heir but a bastard—a death warrant on her road to the underworld.
(End of Chapter)
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