Ying Zhengjing tapped the table rhythmically. "Princess Consort of Dingbei, do you have any explanation for this?"
Wei Shiwan's eyes were red, but she spoke righteously, "Your Majesty, this matter must be a deliberate scheme against your subject's wife, against the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion. Even a vicious tiger does not eat its cubs. Yan'er and Siyuan were both born from me. How could I ever let them commit such a shameless act?"
Wei Shiwan spoke in defense of Li Siyuan ultimately for her own sake.
To put it bluntly, Li Siyuan was her son. They shared both glory and disgrace. If she only defended Li Ruoyan and not Li Siyuan, not only would Ying Zhengjing see through it, but outsiders would certainly think she was sacrificing the pawn to save the chariot.
[丢卒保车 (diū zú bǎo jū): lit. to sacrifice the pawn to save the chariot; fig. to make a minor sacrifice in order to avoid a major loss or to secure a greater advantage].
"Li Siyuan, you speak."
Ying Zhengjing turned the focus to Li Siyuan.
Suddenly called upon, Li Siyuan turned pale with fright. Ignoring the pain in his body, he quickly knelt down. "Your Majesty, this subject is..."
Li Siyuan took the opportunity to deliver the excuse he had already prepared.
Ying Zhengjing raised an eyebrow. "You say you were in the Imperial Garden during Xushi (7-9 PM), then inexplicably fainted, and woke up in the Cold Palace already engaged in that affair with the Crown Prince?"
"Yes."
"Is there anyone who can confirm you were indeed in the Imperial Garden at Xushi?"
"The Heir Apparent can confirm it."
After saying this, Li Siyuan turned his gaze towards Li Jin.
Li Jin, receiving the cue Li Siyuan threw him, immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, this subject did indeed encounter Li Siyuan in the Imperial Garden during Xushi."
"So, you are claiming you are innocent." Ying Zhengjing narrowed his eyes slightly, then turned to look at Li Ruoyan. "And what about you? Why were you dressed like that when you appeared?"
"Your subject's daughter... Your subject's daughter also doesn't know why it was like this..." Li Ruoyan, having been spoiled and pampered, became flustered and panicked under Ying Zhengjing's sudden questioning, and could only repeatedly plead ignorance.
Ying Zhengjing questioned her again, "Truly do not know?"
"Truly... truly... This subject truly knows nothing..." Li Ruoyan shook her head vigorously, indicating she knew nothing at all.
Actually, the fact that someone of Li Ruoyan's temperament could hold out this long and insist she knew nothing was entirely due to the decision she made after seeing Wei Shiwan's subtle signal earlier.
Ying Zhengjing fell silent, ceasing his questions, and meaningfully scrutinized the people below.
Could the Prince of Jingnan and the Prince of Pingxi have joined forces? Planning to incite my anger to punish the Prince of Dingbei, so they can reap the spoils?
It was not unreasonable for Ying Zhengjing to think like this. The Prince of Dingbei, the Prince of Jingnan, and the Prince of Pingxi currently formed a tripartite balance of power. If one faction fell, the other two would undoubtedly not hesitate to devour the fallen faction's influence.
Ying Zhengjing's silence was torture for Wei Shiwan and the others. They all tensed their nerves, waiting for him to speak.
If not for the unexpected variable of Li Siyuan's sudden appearance, Wei Shiwan wouldn't be feeling so terrified, she would have already moved to the next step of her plan.
Damn it, who was it? Who plotted against me?
Wei Shiwan's face was as black as a pot bottom. No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't figure out the reason for Li Siyuan's sudden appearance there.
Perhaps by fortune or misfortune, Wei Shiwan had considered many possibilities, yet it never once crossed her mind that Li Siyuan himself could have masterminded the entire affair.
It felt like a century had passed.
Ying Zhengjing finally made his decision. "The Crown Prince has disgraced himself beyond redemption by committing such an act during Our longevity celebration. From this moment forth, We shall issue an edict to the world, deposing Ying Ziheng from the position of Crown Prince. As for Li Siyuan, he is bestowed upon Ying Ziheng to be his Principal Consort."
This caused a huge stir.
Once Ying Zhengjing announced this decision, everyone present was dumbfounded. No one had expected Ying Zhengjing to depose the Crown Prince, and to do so on the very day of his own longevity banquet.
Shen Qianxue widened her eyes in horror. "Your Majesty, this absolutely cannot be! This matter originally had nothing to do with Ziheng. Ziheng was also framed. Why must Ziheng bear the consequences? This is too unfair."
Shen Qianxue had remained silent earlier precisely because Li Siyuan was confirmed to be the legitimate shuang'er of the Prince of Dingbei.
Shen Qianxue was aware of Ying Zhengjing's wariness towards the three princely fiefdoms. Therefore, when selecting the Crown Princess for Ying Ziheng, she had painfully excluded the eligible daughters and shuang'ers of the three princes. She never expected such an event to occur and naturally wouldn't let go of this rare opportunity.
The Prince of Dingbei was one of the three princes with military power. Ying Ziheng was the Crown Prince. If they could use this chance to make the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion an asset for her son, it would be perfect.
Unfortunately...
Shen Qianxue's scheme was clever, but Ying Zhengjing's countermove proved even more masterful. While issuing the imperial decree that bound Ying Ziheng to Li Siyuan in marriage, he simultaneously stripped Ying Ziheng of his crown prince title.
"Noble Consort Chun, are you questioning Our decision?"
Ying Zhengjing countered with a question instead of answering.
"Your consort wouldn't dare." Ying Ziheng also wanted to speak, but Shen Qianxue glared at him coldly, stopping him.
Ying Zhengjing looked at Shen Qianxue impatiently. "Since you don't dare, then be silent for Us."
Hearing Ying Zhengjing say that Li Siyuan would be Ying Ziheng's Principal Consort, Li Ruoyan could no longer restrain herself. She instinctively blurted out, "Your Majesty, the matter between Li Siyuan and the Crown Pr— the Second Prince was originally a mistake. I beg Your Majesty not to mistakenly pair them."
"Audacious! How dare you criticize the Emperor's decision?"
Yang Shaochuan immediately spoke up to warn her.
Wei Shiwan's heart sank, this was disastrous, and hurriedly tried to remedy the situation. "Please forgive Yan'er, Your Majesty. Yan'er only misspoke because she likes the Second Prince too much."
Ying Zhengjing's mood was already very bad, and Li Ruoyan's reckless words poured oil upon the flames—she was courting death. "What profound affection! We shall grant her wish and have her also marry Ying Ziheng."
"Thank you for Your Majesty's grace... Thank you for Your Majesty's grace..."
Li Ruoyan didn't expect things to suddenly take a turn for the better. She immediately kowtowed to Ying Zhengjing to thank him, afraid he would change his mind.
"Your Majesty, Yan'er is the only legitimate daughter of the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion. How can she be a Secondary Consort?"
Wei Shiwan's face darkened.
Times were different now. Ying Ziheng was no longer the Crown Prince, so Wei Shiwan naturally did not want her daughter to marry a deposed Crown Prince.
Furthermore, Wei Shiwan hadn't forgotten that Ying Zhengjing had just said Li Siyuan would be the Principal Consort. Now, he was also bestowing Li Ruoyan upon Ying Ziheng—what could she be besides a Secondary Consort?
Secondary Consort? No, I must be the Principal Consort.
Hearing Wei Shiwan say she would marry Ying Ziheng as a Secondary Consort, Li Ruoyan refused to accept it. "Your Majesty, your subject's daughter is Siyuan's elder sister and the family's sole legitimate daughter. It violates all propriety for a shuang'er like him to hold precedence over her."
This idiot.
As soon as Li Ruoyan finished speaking, Wei Shiwan was so angry she felt like her orifices were smoking.
Didn't she see the Empress is also here? The Empress is also a shuang'er? By saying that, isn't she implicitly pointing fingers at the Empress?
Sure enough.
Gu Rushuang's face darkened. He said meaningfully, "So, you mean, even though both of you are legitimate offspring, you believe your status is nobler than Li Siyuan's?"
"Of course."
Li Ruoyan agreed without thinking.
Watching Li Ruoyan repeatedly dig her own grave, Wei Shiwan felt like she could kill her. "Your Majesty the Empress, Yan'er is young and ignorant, which is why she said such things. I beg your forgiveness."
Gu Rushuang said coldly, "She is already of marriageable age, she is not young. Since you do not wish to be a Secondary Consort, This Palace will grant your wish for you to marry the Second Prince as a concubine. And Successor Princess Consort, your discipline is lax; otherwise, how would she have the audacity to say these things to This Palace?"
"Your Majesty the Empress..."
"Enough." Gu Rushuang interrupted Wei Shiwan's excuses. "Since you are unworthy of the title of Successor Princess Consort, you will revert to being a Secondary Consort, lest you teach the other children of the Prince of Dingbei's Mansion to be like this."
Ying Zhengjing expressed agreement. "Hmm, let it be done as the Empress says."
Ying Zhengjing's words were final. With his decree spoken, the matter was irrevocably settled.
Secondary Consort...
I am a Secondary Consort...
Wei Shiwan, who had worked so hard to attain the position of Princess Consort, fell to the ground in disbelief, completely unprepared to be demoted from Successor Princess Consort back to Secondary Consort because of Li Ruoyan's words.
Li Ruoyan still struggled. "No, I don't want to be a concubine. I am the Principal Consort. I am the Second Prince's Principal Consort."
Gu Rushuang looked coldly at Li Ruoyan and said, word by word, "Li Ruoyan, you are no longer a legitimate daughter but a daughter born of a concubine. Being able to be the Second Prince's concubine is an honor for you. Hurry up and thank Us for Our grace."
"No... I won't... Mph—"
Finding her mouth suddenly covered, Li Ruoyan was stunned.
Mother, what are you doing?
Wei Shiwan, forcibly suppressing the anger of being stripped of her Princess Consort title, covered Li Ruoyan's mouth and pressed her head down. "This subject's wife thanks the Emperor and Empress on Yan'er's behalf for the marriage arrangement."
"Enough. This matter will be thoroughly investigated. The Empress will stay. The rest of you may withdraw."
Although Ying Zhengjing was angered by Li Ruoyan, for Li Shiyun's sake, he spared her life and did not have her executed on the spot.
"Yes, your consort (your subject / your subject's wife) takes leave." As Ying Zhengjing was still angry, no one dared to test his temper further. They all quickly took their leave, afraid of accidentally provoking his wrath.
"Empress, come sit by Our side."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Gu Rushuang walked towards Ying Zhengjing and then sat on the dragon throne.
Seeing Gu Rushuang sit down, Ying Zhengjing leaned against him and slowly closed his eyes.
Gu Rushuang seemed accustomed to Ying Zhengjing behaving like this and simply closed his own eyes to rest as well.
___
After leaving, Li Ruoyan, still unrepentant, complained, "Mother, why did you agree earlier to let me be a concubine? Don't you know you're ruining my life..."
Slap.
Wei Shiwan, her face cold, slapped Li Ruoyan before she could finish speaking.
Li Ruoyan felt wronged. "You hit me."
"I shouldn't have indulged your willful and spoiled nature before." Wei Shiwan abandoned her usual gentle demeanor, speaking coldly. "After we leave the palace, you will stay properly at home until you marry."
By saying this, Wei Shiwan was essentially giving up on Li Ruoyan as a daughter.
"Mother..."
"Shut up for me."
Wei Shiwan quickened her pace, not wanting to pay any more attention to Li Ruoyan.
Perhaps because she was used to neglecting Li Siyuan, and because she was so angered by Li Ruoyan, Wei Shiwan didn't even notice that Li Siyuan intentionally separated from her and walked away.
Meanwhile.
Li Siyuan looked at Li Jin with a complicated expression. "Your Highness, was all of this calculated by you?"
"Don't you always call me Third Brother?"
Li Jin raised an eyebrow, answering the question with another question.
"If Your Highness doesn't mind, I would naturally prefer to call you Third Brother."
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