The Duke's Daughter is Reborn

Yuan Qi originally knew nothing about the conspiracy between his fifth brother and Concubine Hua today.

Looking at the Prince and the Queen who were confident and sure of victory, and then looking at her fifth brother who looked as pale as death, and Concubine Hua who was ready to fight to the death, she understood everything in an instant - they had fallen into this carefully planned game after all.

It shouldn't be such hot weather in late spring.

But beads of sweat the size of beans had already appeared on Yuan Qi's forehead, rolling down his cheeks and splashing tiny water droplets on the bluestone slabs.

Her fingertips pinched into her palms unconsciously, but the pain was far less than the panic in her heart.

The beads of sweat fell on the stone slabs, making a slight "tapping" sound, which was particularly clear in this silent hall.

"I'm afraid that fifth brother has touched father's reverse scale this time..." Yuan Qi stole a glance at his father sitting on the dragon throne, but was frightened by the suppressed rage and trembled all over.

The emperor's knuckles were clenched white, veins were visible at the corners of his eyes, and he looked like an enraged beast that could attack and hurt people at any time.

The pair of eyes that had once looked at her tenderly now seemed like poisoned arrows, making her shudder.

Yuan Qi's thoughts were racing: After today, it will be difficult for Fifth Brother to make a comeback.

Thinking of this, her legs could hardly support the weight of her body.

Now, he is still in Concubine Hua's palace. All his food, clothing, housing, transportation and preferential treatment in the palace depend on his fifth brother and Concubine Hua. Once his fifth brother and Concubine Hua fall, Yuan Qi really dare not think about his future days in the palace.

So that's how it is. Yuan Qi closed his eyes in despair.

Before today's banquet started, Yuan Qi was still thinking about what he could wear to overwhelm Yuan Yi, but he heard the palace maid say that Yuan Yi was not feeling well, and the Queen specifically allowed her not to attend the banquet.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qi was still feeling complacent, thinking that no one would compete with him for the limelight at this banquet.

Now it seems that the Crown Prince and the Queen must have been worried that today's turmoil would affect Yuan Yi, so they deliberately asked Yuan Yi to stay away.

After competing with Yuan Yi for so many years, Yuan Qi knew that he was deeply jealous of Yuan Yi.

Because only by constantly causing trouble for Yuan Yi and currying favor with Concubine Hua and her fifth brother can she have a good life in the palace.

But for Yuan Yi, everything came as a matter of course, precisely because she was the queen's biological child.

At the same time, Song Hongwen and the old lady behind the pillar were quietly moving forward.

The two men's tense bodies gradually relaxed, and as they watched His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's chances of winning grow, their eyes flickered with joy that was hard to conceal.

The weathered Mansion of the Duke of Song finally made the right bet in this political whirlpool.

The old lady twisted her handkerchief tightly between her skinny fingers. Although she tried her best to conceal her expression, there was a hint of barely perceptible relief on her face.

In the center of the hall, Yuan Ruiyin knelt on the ground like a lost dog.

The emperor closed his eyes and suppressed his surging anger: "Where is Han Renyuan? When will he enter the palace!"

The chief eunuch bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I have urgently summoned you and am on my way."

"Han Chong!" The emperor suddenly shouted at the Minister of Finance beside him, "Your own son, you say it yourself!"

Han Chong, the Minister of Revenue who had always treated himself as an invisible man, had already had his inner lining soaked with sweat. During this period, Han Renyuan was indeed not in the mansion, but Han Chong only knew that his son was secretly working for the Fifth Prince, but he had no idea what he had done.

I really didn't expect that the fifth prince would be so bold as to let Han Renyuan secretly go to the territory of the Western Barbarians, but I never expected that it would cause such a disaster - Western Barbarians! This is a taboo in the court!

Over the years, the Western Barbarians have killed and looted many people in Tianyuan. If it weren't for the Huo family army, Tianyuan would have been in great trouble.

"Your Majesty..." Han Chong staggered and tried to get up, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead and he could not move them.

He lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground. His forehead hit the bluestone slab and blood immediately flowed down his cheek, which was particularly glaring on his pale face.

Yang Qi, who was standing in the corner of the hall, watched this scene quietly. The miserable appearance of her father-in-law in her previous life did not make her feel happy at all, but only endless sadness.

In his previous life, Han Chong had a smooth official career and was an influential figure in the Ministry of Revenue.

Having stayed in the Han Mansion for many years, Yang Qi's impression of her father-in-law is that he always watches the dirty work in the Han Mansion with a cold eye, allowing her mother-in-law and sister-in-law to throw dirty water on her. As long as it does not affect the reputation and status of the Han Mansion, Han Chong will never interfere in the relevant affairs of the mansion.

But now, Han Chong, who was so concerned about his image, was lying on the ground without any impression. He stood up awkwardly, but without any of the original posture of the Minister of Revenue.

"Your Majesty..." Han Chong struggled to get up, the blood stains on his forehead were particularly hideous, "I... really don't know what Ren Yuan did. If he really made such a big mistake... I... please punish him, Your Majesty!"

Before he could finish his words, Han Chong fell to his knees as if exhausted.

Yang Qi watched coldly: This Minister of Revenue clearly wanted to sacrifice his pawns to save his chariot. But once Han Renyuan's crime was proven, it would be a serious crime of killing all nine generations of his family. How could he just shirk it with a few excuses?

What's more, Han Renyuan was the heir who was being trained by the Han family, and this matter had long been an open secret in the capital.

The atmosphere in the hall was as heavy as iron, and even breathing seemed to become heavy.

The emperor stared at Han Chong, his eyes still filled with anger, but he suddenly sneered: "You don't know? Han Renyuan is your own son, you really don't know what he did?"

Han Chong pressed his forehead against the cold ground. The wound on his forehead was still bleeding, but he no longer cared about the pain.

He knew that the emperor's patience was running out. If he could not give a satisfactory answer, he, Han Chong, would probably follow in the footsteps of Nianchuan and Bai Qi today.

"Your Ma..." Han Chong's Adam's apple rolled, veins popped on his forehead, and his voice was hoarse, "Your Majesty, I really don't know when Ren Yuan went to the territory of the Western Barbarians, but he did return to the palace secretly recently, saying that... he was doing some errands for the Fifth Prince."

The hall was completely silent. When Han Chong said this, everyone's backs shuddered.

This testimony was like a hammer, smashing the fifth prince's last chance of defense to pieces.

The seal of sin, which was already shaky, was completely nailed to the pillar of shame under Han Chong's ironclad evidence.

The fingertips under Yang Qi's wide sleeves curled up slightly. His face remained calm, but a hint of understanding flashed across his eyes - Han Chong's choice was a life-saving move for a smart person.

At this moment, the Fifth Prince is clearly a trapped beast, and if Han Chong still persists in his delusion and pretends to be deaf and dumb...

By the time the prince ascends the throne, the Han family will probably end up in ruin.

A risky move! But a brilliant one! This kneeling and this testimony was a pre-delivery of a blood letter of loyalty to the future emperor.