"Соnsоrt Сhеn claims shе wаs frаmеd, thаt she was given аn аphrodisiаc, and thе оnе whо аdministеred it was уou, Xuan Qing Prince Соnsort."
Нan Yаn wаs tаkеn abасk аnd immеdiаtelу replied, "Yоur sеrvant is wrоnged. I have dоne no suсh thing."
The Еmрrеss Dоwаgеr sаid, "Don't yоu wish tо heаr whу Сonsоrt Chеn sаys yоu wаnted tо frame her?"
Нan Yan starеd аt hеr blanklу.
"Consort Сhеn sаys shе witnеssеd уоu сommitting аdultеry with а strangе man." Aftеr saуing this, а hiddеn smile сurlеd аt thе corner оf the Empress Dowаger's lips—a smilе that was сonfidеnt уet sinistеr, sending chills down one's spine.
As soon as the Empress Dowager spoke these words, Han Yan cried out, "Your servant is wronged! I have never engaged in such filthy acts with any man! May Your Majesty see clearly!"
The Emperor remained silent. The Empress Dowager smiled faintly. "Are you saying Consort Chen has wronged you?"
Han Yan shook her head repeatedly. "Your servant would not dare. However, the matter of adultery is no trivial affair. I have never done such a thing."
The Emperor looked at her. "Xuan Qing Prince Consort, according to the laws of the Great Dynasty, the crime of adultery for a woman warrants being stripped naked and paraded through the streets, branded with a hot iron, and in severe cases, beaten to death in court." He paused before continuing, "Do you... confess to this crime?"
Han Yan almost laughed coldly in her heart. "Your servant has said I have never done such a thing. How could there be any confession to speak of?" She had always been one to stand strong against strength; when faced with unreasonable tyranny, she couldn't even be bothered to pretend. Was it because she had appeared too docile that they thought she could be bullied at will without daring to speak up? What a colossal joke!
She met the gaze of the Son of Heaven on the high throne without fear or favor. "All things in this world must have cause and effect. If Her Majesty the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty believe I have committed such an act, please present evidence. Even the Son of Heaven is subject to the same laws as commoners. Now that Consort Chen's adultery has been confirmed, she has merely been imprisoned. Yet I, who have done nothing at all, am expected to confess?" A flicker of mockery passed through her clear eyes. "If it is because Consort Chen's status is nobler than mine, and thus she receives different treatment, then I have nothing more to say."
"You..." The Emperor was left speechless. As the Son of Heaven, he prided himself on being fair, just, and discerning, and he despised subordinates who abused their power. Now, Han Yan's words had grouped him with such people, truly damaging his dignity.
The Empress Dowager raised a hand. "The Emperor has always acted with fairness and integrity." Her imposing aura swept over them. "Yet now, as the mere daughter of a minor fifth-rank official, you dare to question the Emperor in this manner. Have you ever held the majesty of Heaven in any regard?"
Han Yan smiled slightly. "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager seems to have forgotten that I am not only the daughter of a fifth-rank official—I am also the Xuan Qing Prince Consort." The corners of her lips lifted, her voice light and lively. "Or does Her Majesty believe that the title of Xuan Qing Prince Consort holds the same weight as that of a fifth-rank official's daughter?"
The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. He suddenly realized that this seemingly innocent young girl before him was, in essence, almost identical to his arrogant and aloof imperial brother—never willing to suffer losses. Even the Empress Dowager, a seasoned veteran, had failed to gain the slightest advantage over her after several rounds. Her words were layered with meaning, effortlessly blocking all escape routes without any need for tact or circumlocution—she charged straight ahead with blunt force.
A killing intent filled the air.No one spoke—not the Emperor, whose expression was unreadable; not the Empress Dowager, leisurely sipping her tea; nor Han Yan, whose eyes curved into a smile. The Hall of Golden Chimes, usually bustling with noise and excitement, was now so cold it seemed to seep into one’s very bones.
After a long while, the Empress Dowager finally looked up. “Since the Xuan Qing Prince Consort claims she did not do such a thing, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. She must provide evidence to prove her innocence.”
Han Yan smiled in return. “What does Your Majesty mean?”
“The chastity mark.” Her gaze finally shifted from the teacup in her hand, settling meaningfully on Han Yan as she smiled. “The chastity mark. If you are innocent, you will naturally have it.”
The chastity mark was a substance used to verify a woman’s purity. It was said that once applied to a woman’s body, it would remain for a lifetime, but would vanish without a trace the moment she engaged in intercourse with a man. Because of this property, it was used to test chastity. Daughters of the Great Dynasty were marked with it at birth, and it would only disappear upon marriage and consummation. For the Empress Dowager to demand Han Yan undergo such a test—regardless of the outcome—was a blatant and immense humiliation. It was a declaration of distrust in her purity and character. A woman of more fiery temperament might have chosen death to prove her integrity.
Seeing Han Yan remain motionless, the Empress Dowager’s smile deepened, but her gaze grew increasingly piercing, carrying a heavy pressure as her voice turned cold and hard. “Xuan Qing Prince Consort, do you dare?”
So that was the plan. Han Yan understood now. The aphrodisiac Consort Chen had given her that day must have been some rare and potent variety. Han Yan herself had felt its intense effects at the time. The Empress Dowager likely believed that for Han Yan to have detoxified it, she must have engaged in intercourse. Once the chastity mark was gone, no words could clear her name. If Han Yan were found not to be a virgin, she would inevitably be charged with adultery. If Fu Yunxi claimed he was the one who had relations with Han Yan, once the matter spread, he too would become the laughingstock of the realm. In the Great Dynasty, premarital relations between a couple carried the same stigma as adultery—something only the lowest of commoners or courtesans would do.
The Empress Dowager’s move was truly ruthless. If Fu Yunxi admitted it, he would be dragged down with her. If he denied it, Han Yan would be branded an unchaste woman, forever scorned by all. A dilemma with no way out—how could it be resolved?
The Empress Dowager leisurely toyed with her teacup, while the Emperor watched Han Yan in the hall without a trace of emotion. Both had come prepared. Han Yan didn’t know what the Empress Dowager had said to the Emperor, but her eagerness to eliminate Han Yan was palpable—even to the point of using Consort Chen’s words to deliver another vicious bite. Did she want to see Han Yan panic? This time, however, she would likely be disappointed.
A flicker passed through Han Yan’s eyes, and she immediately widened them in disbelief. “Your Majesty, this is a sign of distrust. I have not done such a thing—why must I be examined…?”
The Empress Dowager’s smile deepened further. “How is this distrust? It is precisely because I trust you so much that I am giving you this opportunity to prove your innocence… Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?”The Emperor nodded: "Correct. You shall go and be examined for the presence of a chastity mark. If it is absent, I shall punish you for deceiving the sovereign. If it is present, you are naturally innocent."
Han Yan shook her head repeatedly: "I will not undergo such an examination. I am innocent. This is an insult to my dignity... Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, you cannot..."
The Empress Dowager seemed weary, waving a hand dismissively: "The Xuan Qing Prince Consort is likely too young to understand my sincere intentions. Nanny Li, take the Xuan Qing Prince Consort away for the examination."
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