Xue Zhong came to the hall and saw Prime Minister Huo looking at him angrily. The emperor's face looked extremely ugly.

He was shocked, but he didn't show it on his face. He knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."

The emperor angrily slammed the dragon throne, pointed at Xue Zhong and shouted: "Xue Zhong, you are so bold, how dare you deceive me."

Xue Zhong was extremely panicked and broke out in a cold sweat. He wondered if his eldest son's affair had been exposed, but then he thought it was impossible. He had done it very secretly and no one should have noticed. What had happened to make the emperor so angry?

Xue Zhong raised his head slightly and looked at the emperor, and said cautiously: "Your Majesty, please calm down. I don't know what crime I have committed. Please tell me clearly."

The emperor sneered and said, "Xue Zhong, I underestimated you. You stole the life of your son by replacing him with a fake Xue Fan right under my nose. Is this true?"

Xue Zhong was shocked when he heard this and quickly defended himself, "Your Majesty, this is a false accusation. I would never dare to deceive you. Please investigate thoroughly."

Prime Minister Huo said angrily: "Xue Zhong, you dare not take responsibility for what you did. Show us the evidence quickly."

Xue Zhong quickly pretended to be pitiful and said, "Prime Minister Huo, although my son accidentally killed your daughter in the street, it was my son's fault, but he also paid the price with his life. Isn't that enough? Why are you so aggressive towards a dead person?"

"As fathers, you should understand the pain of losing a child. I lost two sons in succession, and the cause of death is still unknown. I am heartbroken. Please have mercy on me, an old man who has lost a loved one!"

"Xue Zhong, it doesn't matter if you don't admit it now. We'll use evidence to prove it later."

"Prime Minister Huo, I really don't understand what you're asking me to admit. We've served in the same court for many years, and we've both helped the Emperor solve his problems. Sometimes we have different perspectives, but that's no reason for you to frame me."

Prime Minister Huo pointed at Xue Zhong angrily and said through gritted teeth: "You are making up stories and putting on airs."

"Xue Zhong, my son Huo Kai has already carried the coffin you used to impersonate your son to the Jingzhao government office. He will return with the evidence soon. Please wait patiently. I want to see how you defend yourself when the time comes."

Xue Zhong was now in a panic. If the coffin was really brought here, the Xue family would be finished. But then he thought that the body should have rotted after so many days, and he would not be able to see its original appearance and convict himself.

He could also be charged with digging up his own ancestral graves. Thinking of this, he became much calmer.

At this moment, Chen Fu walked into the hall and said, "Your Majesty, Commander Huo Kai, the commander of the patrol camp, requests an audience."

"Xuan."

Prime Minister Huo looked at Xue Zhong, who was kneeling on the ground, with pride, and Xue Zhong's heart instantly rose to his throat.

Huo Kai entered the hall and knelt down to pay his respects, "Your humble servant pays respects to the Emperor."

"Stand up and answer. Have you found any evidence that Xue Fan is impersonating you?"

He handed the evidence to the eunuch, who took it with both hands and placed it before the emperor.

"Your Majesty, this is the evidence that Lord Su, the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, ordered the coroner to open the coffin and perform an autopsy. If Lord Xue doesn't believe it, you can order someone to go to the Jingzhao Prefecture government office and bring the coffin here for everyone to carefully examine."

"The body hasn't decayed yet, so we can clearly see the deceased's original appearance."

The emperor threw the memorial at him and angrily scolded him: "Xue Zhong, what else do you have to say? I trusted you so much, and this is how you repay me."

Xue Zhong knew that the truth had been revealed and he could not defend himself, so he lowered his head and remained silent.

"Come here, take Xue Zhong and all the Xue family members to jail, confiscate all of the Xue family's property, and wait for Xue Fan to be apprehended and brought to justice before dealing with them together."

"Because Concubine Shu concealed the truth, she was stripped of her title and banished to the cold palace. The fourth prince, Shangguan Yu, was handed over to Concubine Hui to raise."

Xue Zhong's face was ashen, his whole body was trembling, and he couldn't utter a word. He knew that he was doomed this time.

The Xue family was finished, Concubine Shu was banished to the cold palace, and the Fourth Prince became someone else's son. His decades of hard work were destroyed, leaving him with regrets.

The imperial guards stepped forward and dragged Xue Zhong out of the hall.

The Emperor looked at Prime Minister Huo and said, "Prime Minister Huo, this matter is over. Huo Xi's spirit in heaven can rest in peace."

"I, your humble servant, would like to thank the Emperor for giving Xier justice."

"Go back!"

"Yes."

After Prime Minister Huo left, the emperor sat alone on the dragon throne, lost in thought.

Chen Fu brought the emperor's edict to the Shufei Palace, "Empress Shufei, accept the edict."

Concubine Shu and a group of palace maids knelt down to receive the decree, "The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, decrees that Concubine Shu conceal the truth about Xue Fan's fake death. She is stripped of her title and banished to the cold palace. The Fourth Prince is to be raised by Concubine Hui."

Concubine Shu was shocked and said, "How can I let someone else raise my son? I won't allow it. If you dare to take my son away, I will fight you to the death."

Chen Fu angrily shouted at the eunuch behind him, "Hurry up and send Madam Xue to the cold palace, and take the Fourth Prince to Concubine Hui's palace to report."

"Yes."

Concubine Shu pulled the five-year-old Fourth Prince behind her and looked at them in panic.

She quickly pulled out the golden hairpin from her head and pointed it at the eunuch, threatening him: "My prince is my life. If you insist on taking him away, I will fight you to the death."

Chen Fu looked at Concubine Shu and said, "Madam Xue, if you insist on doing this, and if you accidentally hurt the Fourth Prince, it would be more trouble than it's worth."

"Do you want the Fourth Prince to be hurt, or do you want him to suffer with you, the daughter of a traitor, and grow up to be ridiculed and looked down upon by others?"

Concubine Shu burst into tears immediately. She couldn't bear to see her son become someone else's son. Her son still had a chance to turn things around. If he angered the emperor, she would never see her son again.

For the sake of her son's future, she slowly threw down the golden hairpin in her hand, squatted down and hugged the Fourth Prince tightly, choking with sobs: "Yu'er, from now on, you must listen to your father and Concubine Hui. I, your mother, will go to the cold palace and pray for you every day, so that my son can grow up safely."

The Fourth Prince felt that he was about to leave his mother, so he hugged her tightly and cried loudly, crying, "Mother... Yu'er will not leave Mother..."

"Yu'er...be good...go with your nanny!"

Chen Fu said to the wet nurse, "Nurse, take the Fourth Prince away quickly. The Emperor is waiting."

Concubine Shu reluctantly let go of the Fourth Prince and watched her son being taken away. She immediately collapsed to the ground.

The wet nurse took the fourth prince away, and the fourth prince cried all the way.

"Mother...I want Mother...I want Mother..."

Seeing the Fourth Prince crying non-stop, Chen Fu coldly said to the nurse, "Nurse, hurry up and comfort the Fourth Prince. The Emperor is waiting in Concubine Hui's palace. If he sees the Fourth Prince crying non-stop, you will be the first one to be punished."

The frightened wet nurse tried her best to cheer up the Fourth Prince. Although she succeeded, he kept sobbing, which was heartbreaking to watch.

Soon they arrived at Concubine Hui's palace. The emperor was sitting there chatting with Concubine Hui, who was wearing a gorgeous palace gown embroidered with vivid patterns. The collar and cuffs were inlaid with precious gems, sparkling with dazzling light.

She wore a pearl hairpin with a gold hairpin on it, and her hair was dotted with a few beautiful flowers, adding a bit of charm.

Her face was delicately made up, her eyebrows were as dark as distant ink, her eyes were like autumn waves, and her lips were as delicate and tempting as cherries.

The dress was gorgeous and noble, and the emperor couldn't help but be fascinated by it.

A man only sees new people laughing and doesn’t see old people crying.

"Old slave, I pay my respects to the Emperor and to Consort Hui."

The emperor pulled the fourth prince in front of him and said, "Yu'er, from now on, Concubine Hui will be your mother."

"No, she is not my mother. My mother is Shufei."

The emperor shouted angrily, "Yu'er, don't be rude. Come quickly and see your mother."

The frightened Fourth Prince cautiously approached Concubine Hui and bowed slightly, "Your son greets you, Mother."

Concubine Hui looked at the Fourth Prince tenderly, smiled faintly, and said, "Yu'er, if you're not used to calling me Mother now, just call me Empress Hui! I will love, care for, and protect you just like your Mother did in the future, okay?"

The Fourth Prince timidly glanced at the Emperor and said in a childish voice, "Father, may I call you Empress Hui first?"

"Okay. From now on, you are Concubine Hui's son. You must obey Concubine Hui's words. Do you understand?"

"My son, I know."

"Concubine Hui, Yu'er will be raised by you from now on."

"I obey your command. I like the Fourth Prince very much. Thank you, Your Majesty, for giving me such a well-behaved and lovely son."

Concubine Hui stood up and took the Fourth Prince's hand, "Yu'er, Concubine Hui, can I take you to the Imperial Garden to play?"

"it is good."

The emperor felt relieved when he saw how much Concubine Hui liked the Fourth Prince.

"I will also accompany you to the Imperial Garden."

The family of three went to the Imperial Garden, followed by many palace maids and guards to serve them.

薛府

The imperial guards rushed into the Xue Mansion and shouted, "The imperial edict has arrived. Everyone in the Xue family, come out and receive it."

The sickly Madam Xue and her entire family knelt to receive the imperial decree. "The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, decrees that Xue Fan, having murdered someone in public, faked his own death to evade responsibility, and Xue Zhong, who has deceived the emperor, confiscate all of the Xue family's property and imprison all members of the Xue family until Xue Fan is apprehended and brought to justice. I decree this."

Mrs. Xue fainted on the spot after hearing this. Jiang Zongwei and Xue Ying were so frightened that they knelt there like wooden chickens.

Chen Fu shouted, "Put all the Xue family members in jail."

The Imperial Guards quickly escorted them out. Jiang Zongwei was unwilling to be thrown into prison and wait for death, as his parents were waiting for him to rescue them.

"Eunuch Chen, I'm Xue Zhong's son-in-law, so I'm not part of the Xue family. I beg you to let me go! My parents have been kidnapped and I have to go save them. Please let me go!"

"All the servants in the mansion are considered members of the Xue family. How can you not be considered a member of the Xue family since you are his son-in-law? Xue Zhong is guilty of deceiving the emperor. Even if you are a son-in-law of the Xue family, you will not escape the punishment of beheading."

"All of them are thrown into prison."

"Yes."

The imperial guards escorted the Xue family to the prison, and many people gathered around to watch.

The entire capital city was in an uproar in an instant, and everyone was talking about how audacious Xue Zhong was, daring to deceive the emperor and ministers by making fake things out of nothing. He was courting death.

With the fall of the Xue family, the court is in turmoil again, and various forces are ready to make a move.

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like