Phoenix Dance: The Eldest Daughter's Physician Consort Shocks the World

Upon hearing the old man's words, Su Yao felt both nervous and expectant, and hurriedly asked, "Senior, please tell me the truth about my background, as it is of utmost importance to me."

The old man sighed and slowly said, "Child, your original surname was not Su. Your biological father was Chu Feng, the great general of Zhenyuan who had made great military achievements. Back then, General Chu was framed by a villain and falsely accused of treason. His entire family was executed. Fortunately, a loyal servant risked his life to rescue you when you were still an infant and sent you to the Su family to be raised. From then on, you have lived under the name Su Yao until now."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao was struck dumb, frozen in place, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief: "This... how is this possible? How could I be the daughter of a disgraced official?"

Lin Yu, standing beside her, gently held her hand and comforted her: "Miss Su, don't be afraid. No matter what your background is, we will face it with you."

Princess Pingyang chimed in, "Yes, Sister Su, birth doesn't determine anything. We know what kind of person you are."

Su Yao composed herself, a resolute glint in her eyes: "Thank you. Even though I am General Chu's daughter, I will definitely find out the truth of what happened back then and clear my father's name."

At this time, the situation in the court had not yet fully calmed down due to the matter of the Second Prince, and all factions were watching and waiting. Su Yao knew that if she wanted to thoroughly investigate her background, she had to gain a foothold in the court and have more say.

Lin Yu suggested, "Miss Su, our most urgent task is to consolidate our power in the court, strengthen our ties with other loyal ministers, and jointly confront any potential dangers. At the same time, we can start by investigating the officials who participated in the trial of General Chu to uncover the truth."

Su Yao nodded in agreement: "Young Master Lin is absolutely right. I remember Lord Li once mentioned that the presiding judge in charge of this case back then was Minister Zhang. He has now retired to his hometown, but perhaps we can find some clues from him."

Thus, Su Yao and Lin Yu embarked on their journey to find Minister Zhang. After some twists and turns, they found Minister Zhang's residence. However, upon hearing their purpose, Minister Zhang refused to see them, only sending a message: "This matter is from a long time ago, and I am old and cannot remember it. You two should not ask any further questions."

Su Yao understood that Minister Zhang must have some concerns and dared not reveal the truth. Lin Yu said, "Miss Su, it seems that Minister Zhang is afraid of getting into trouble. We need to find a way to make him believe us and dispel his concerns."

Just as they were racking their brains, Princess Pingyang suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Sister Su, Young Master Lin, I heard that Minister Zhang's granddaughter is seriously ill and has not been cured despite treatment. Sister Su is a highly skilled doctor, perhaps we can start from this point and gain his trust."

Su Yao's eyes lit up: "Your Highness's plan is excellent."

They managed to meet with Minister Zhang's granddaughter. After a careful diagnosis, Su Yao prescribed some medicine and personally cared for her. Under Su Yao's meticulous treatment, the little girl's condition gradually improved. Minister Zhang was deeply moved and finally relented, saying, "I have no way to repay your kindness. To be honest, I was also powerless in the case of General Chu back then. Although I was the presiding judge, there were other forces manipulating things behind the scenes, and I was merely acting on orders."

Su Yao asked anxiously, "Senior, do you know who is behind this case?"

Minister Zhang hesitated for a moment before saying, "I have only heard that it seems to be related to the former favorite concubine, Lady Liu. Although Lady Liu is no longer alive, her family still wields considerable influence in the court."

With a goal in mind, Su Yao and Lin Yu returned to the capital and began secretly investigating the Liu family. However, their actions aroused the Liu family's suspicion, and they started targeting Su Yao at every turn, trying to prevent her from continuing her investigation.

In the imperial court, officials from the Liu family joined forces to impeach Su Yao for interfering in state affairs and forming cliques, attempting to expel her from the capital. Su Yao argued vehemently in court: "Your Excellencies, I, Su Yao, have only ever thought of the court's interests and have never harbored any disloyal intentions. On the contrary, it is certain people who, for their own selfish gain, have not hesitated to frame loyal officials and distort the truth."

The emperor looked at the arguing crowd below and had some doubts in his heart, but did not express his opinion immediately.

Su Yao knew that the struggle was becoming increasingly difficult, but she had no way out. She and Lin Yu worked even closer together, collecting evidence of the Liu family's crimes on the one hand, and expanding her reputation and influence among the people on the other, in order to gain more support.

During this process, Su Yao unexpectedly discovered the subtle connection between the Liu family and the Second Prince. It seemed that they had secretly reached some kind of agreement, preparing to join forces to deal with Su Yao and other opposing forces at a crucial moment...