"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Consort Xian became even more displeased when she noticed everyone's gaze on her, "What's the matter? Do you all think I resemble this dog servant in any way?"
Hua Liuli glanced at Consort Xian and then at the blue-clad eunuch. Honestly speaking, there was hardly any resemblance between the eunuch and Consort Xian, including the eyes he mentioned.
"Liuli," the Crown Prince whispered in her ear, "What do you think?"
"The palace is heavily guarded, it would be extremely difficult for the Tian family to cooperate with Consort Xian and take a living baby out of the palace," Hua Liuli shook her head and whispered, "If someone wanted to abandon a child in the wilderness, it means they didn't want the child to survive. In that case, why not kill the child in the palace and then take the corpse out?"
This matter was full of loopholes and Hua Liuli didn't believe the eunuch's words at all. She looked at the blue-clad eunuch and asked loudly, "After you were picked up, were you adopted by a poor family?"
The blue-clad eunuch sneered, "Yes, I had nothing to wear and eat."
"The swaddling cloth given to newborn princes in the palace is soft and skin-friendly. Who would pick up a castrated child and leave behind the precious swaddling cloth?" Hua Liuli couldn't help but chuckle, "The person who made up this lie clearly doesn't know that even common folks wouldn't throw away a piece of cloth the size of a palm. Even if these fabrics are too delicate to be worn as outer garments, they can be washed and used as undergarments."
The blue-clad eunuch retorted, "They were afraid and didn't dare to bring back those fabrics. What's so strange about it?"
"They didn't dare to pick up the fabrics, but they dared to pick up a newborn baby?" Hua Liuli argued, "Who gave you the idea that you are Consort Xian's child? Who led you to investigate these so-called truths?"
Consort Xian, who was already worked up, looked puzzled. How was she involved in this?
The blue-clad eunuch didn't look into Hua Liuli's eyes as he coldly laughed, "No one. I discovered the truth myself. Fushou Junzhu, the future Crown Princess, actually supports Ying Wang."
Without hesitation, the Crown Prince stepped forward and delivered a kick. He then elegantly adjusted his robes, "You can suspect Ying Wang and scold him all you want, but when it involves Gu's betrothed, Gu has a bad temper."
Perhaps because he had experienced the Crown Prince's bad temper before, the blue-clad eunuch, after being kicked by the Crown Prince, didn't dare to say anything.
Emperor Changlong had already sent people to search the blue-clad eunuch's room. Seeing the Crown Prince kick the eunuch, Emperor Changlong cleared his throat and said to Consort Xian, "Consort Xian, this eunuch suspects that he and Minghao are twin brothers but, due to... his physical deficiency, he was abandoned by you."
"It's impossible!!" Consort Xian was startled and, forgetting her anger, hurriedly explained to Emperor Changlong, "Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with Chenqie. If Chenqie had given birth to twins, Chenqie would definitely know it. Moreover, in the Inner Palace, even if Chenqie had ten times the courage, Chenqie wouldn't dare to send an imperial child out of the palace."
After speaking, she took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, seemingly as if she was about to cover her eyes and cry. Seeing her action, Emperor Changlong's head began to throb, and he quickly said, "Zhen is just explaining the situation to you. When did Zhen say that Zhen doesn't believe you? Our younger generation is present, so please sit calmly and explain the situation clearly."
Younger generation?
Consort Xian turned her head and glanced at the Crown Prince, instantly composing herself.
As a woman who aspired to have the Crown Prince kowtow to her and have him call her 'Mother', she absolutely couldn't lose her dignified and elegant image in front of him.
Once assured that Consort Xian wouldn't burst into tears, Emperor Changlong breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he looked at Hua Liuli with a loving gaze. He had chosen a gentle, considerate, kind-hearted, and willing-to-risk-her-life-to-protect-him Crown Princess for his son. From now on, his son wouldn't have to experience the hardships he had endured.
"Hua Liuli, please continue," Emperor Changlong smiled kindly at Hua Liuli, his eyes gleaming with the light of 'my son has found a great treasure', "Zhen thinks your speculation is quite reasonable."
The Crown Prince proudly smiled and said, "Gu's beloved Junzhu is naturally intelligent."
Pei Jihuai shifted his steps to the side. The Eastern Palace was the same from top to bottom, especially when it came to seizing every opportunity to praise Fushou Junzhu.
"Your Majesty, this subject was just sharing my own speculation, which may not be accurate," Hua Liuli sighed, "When this subject was stationed at the border, this subject once heard a military physician talk about a condition where people, due to their difficult lives, develop delusions of being a noble relative or the beloved of someone important. In severe cases, they can't distinguish between reality and imagination, eventually mistaking their imagination for reality."
This blue-clad eunuch was a castrated person, and from a young age, he may have been subjected to various provocations from people around him. After entering the palace and serving Ying Wang, he became accustomed to luxury and witnessed Consort Xian's favor towards Ying Wang. Perhaps he developed the imagination that if he were also Consort Xian's child, his life would be just as good.
However, imagination is just imagination. For someone who seeks redemption by relying on imagination and mistakes it for reality, there must be someone intentionally guiding them.
"Can you tell me about your experiences from childhood?" Hua Liuli looked at the blue-clad eunuch.
"Why?" The blue-clad eunuch regretted it. Someone had already warned him to avoid Fushou Junzhu. Although he didn't believe in such rumors, he had specifically inquired about Fushou Junzhu's whereabouts after arriving at the Cherry Garden Estate. He made sure she had gone cherry-picking and wouldn't return for some time before seizing the opportunity.
Unexpectedly, Fushou Junzhu returned early and happened to see him carrying cherries.
Someone had warned him before that Fushou Junzhu was very sinister, but he didn't care. What was there to fear about a young girl who would start crying at the slightest harm before anyone could even touch her delicate body?
However, the facts proved that this Junzhu was indeed sinister.
If it weren't for her, Ying Wang would have long died of the poison, and Consort Xian would have been plunged into the pain of losing a child.
"Because I'm curious," Hua Liuli's smile was innocent, "I love listening to stories the most."
The blue-clad eunuch: "..."
Just let him die, he didn't want to talk.
"Gu already knew that this eunuch was lying. He doesn't even dare to mention his past. How could he have any imperial bloodline?" The Crown Prince tapped his palm lightly with his folding fan, seemingly as if he was watching a lively scene on the street, "The imperial offspring are all handsome and elegant. Your face doesn't resemble the Ji family at all. Stop talking nonsense and take him out to be executed."
"All handsome and elegant?" The blue-clad eunuch sneered and looked up at Ying Wang, whose face turned dark and grim.
Everyone followed his gaze and looked at Ying Wang.
Ying Wang furrowed his brows, "Why is everyone staring at me?"
"Although there have been occasional exceptions to that, the imperial family abandoning the imperial bloodline has never happened before," the Crown Prince coughed, "Someone is deceiving you."
"Impossible!" The blue-clad eunuch stated firmly, "She told me personally, it can't be wrong."
"She?" Pei Jihuai furrowed his brows, "Who is she?"
However, the blue-clad eunuch ignored Pei Jihuai and looked at Hua Liuli, "Because of your existence, many of their plans have been foiled several times. They won't let you go."
Hua Liuli remained silent. She was just a fragile and sickly young girl. What did she have to do with all this?
"I was adopted and abused since childhood; was beaten and cursed by the people who adopted me. I crawled on the ground like a dog to please their entire family," the blue-clad eunuch suddenly laughed maniacally in a low voice, "At the age of seven, I entered the palace; the senior eunuch in charge was even worse than a beast. When I turned ten, and because my birthdate was the same as Ying Wang's, the noble Consort Xian sent me to serve by Ying Wang's side. All of this was because Consort Xian believed that my horoscope could ward off disasters for Ying Wang."
"I only assigned you to my son because I saw you were abused when you were young," Consort Xian couldn't help but laugh out of anger, "My son is of imperial blood, protected by His Majesty's dragon energy. Does he need a little eunuch like you to ward off disasters?"
"Consort Xian, of course, wouldn't acknowledge such a thing," the blue-clad eunuch sneered mockingly, "A woman like you, who can abandon her own offspring, what else can't you do?"
"If you were so dissatisfied, you should have continued to stay by that senior eunuch's side," Consort Xian's temper was fiery, and couldn't tolerate being wrongly accused, "Why did you stay by my son's side?"
The blue-clad eunuch paused for a moment, "If I hadn't stayed by Ying Wang's side, how would I have known that you treat your other son so well?"
"I only have one son," Consort Xian reiterated with a cold face.
Soon, someone presented the items that were found by searching the blue-clad eunuch's room. They also brought along with two imperial physicians.
Among these items were faded and broken swaddling clothes, yellowed medical records from the Imperial Medical Bureau, and some items related to Consort Xian and Ying Wang.
"Are you insane?" Consort Xian saw a handkerchief she had accidentally lost inside and said, "I am not your birth mother."
"If Mother doesn't want to acknowledge me, then so be it," the blue-clad eunuch's voice gradually calmed down, "Throughout my life, I was despised by others when alive and pitied by no one when dead. It's all because of my ill fate."
"But have you ever thought that if Consort Xian is not your birth mother, all that you have done would make it impossible for you to find your biological parents?" Hua Liuli took a few steps toward the blue-clad eunuch. There was no disgust or pity in her eyes, "During your many years in the palace, do you really believe that someone like the Tian family and Consort Xian could take away a living child from the harem without being noticed?"
At that time, both Consort Rong and Consort Xian wanted to give birth to the eldest son. They must have assigned people to monitor each other's palaces. If such a thing had happened, Consort Rong would have been the happiest. How could she have helped Consort Xian conceal it?
The blue-clad eunuch's eyes became panicked, and he shook his head frantically, "I don't believe it, you're lying to me."
"If you were able to find the medical records from twenty-one years ago at the Imperial Medical Bureau, why didn't you check the list of personnel who attended Consort Xian's childbirth in the Lincui Palace?" Hua Liuli's gaze was clear, so clean that the blue-clad eunuch, who was already mad, gradually calmed down.
"Perhaps deep down, you know that Consort Xian is not your biological mother," Hua Liuli sighed, "But your childhood was too bitter, and you wanted a mother, someone to bear your hatred. So, you believed the misleading words of others and became their pawn."
"In fact, if you weren't the attending eunuch of Ying Wang, you wouldn't even have any value for them to exploit," Hua Liuli looked at him with compassion, "Your life has been so difficult. Tell us who used you, and we will help you seek revenge."
The blue-clad eunuch was stunned for a moment and then sneered, "Fushou Junzhu, do you think I'm a naive three-year-old who would easily fall for your tricks?"
"Your Majesty, these are all the medical records related to Consort Xian from twenty-one years ago," the imperial physician handed a stack of yellowed medical records to the Emperor, "When Consort Xian was three months pregnant twenty-one years ago, there were indeed signs of twins in her pulse. However, after several senior physicians rechecked her pulse, they found that there was an error. The Imperial Medical Bureau has records of the pulse examination process."
"With so many records, you only found the medical records suggesting Consort Xian's possible twin pregnancy," Hua Liuli turned her head and looked at the blue-clad eunuch, "Throughout your whole life, the only person who showed you compassion was Consort Xian, yet you believed the lies of others and tried to harm her son."
"I don't believe it, I don't believe it!" The blue-clad eunuch went mad, he looked at Consort Xian in a frenzy, "Mother, Mother, I am your child, right?"
Consort Xian shook her head indifferently, "From beginning to end, I only have one child, Ji Minghao."
"Then what about this swaddling cloth, this one!" The blue-clad eunuch refused to give up, "This swaddling cloth can only be used by a prince."
"These fabrics were presented by a diplomatic envoy from the Daimei Kingdom twenty-two years ago," Zhao Sancai said, "Although the imperial family of Daimei no longer uses these fabrics, they have always maintained the tradition. If the person who deceived you had the intention, they could naturally acquire these fabrics."
"Daimei..." The blue-clad eunuch muttered to himself, "Was I deceived?"
"Then who are my biological parents?!" He looked at everyone, "Who gave birth to me and abandoned me?"
No one could answer him.
In a courtyard somewhere, the man received a message from his subordinate.
"Master, the plan has failed."
The man stared at his subordinate with a cold gaze for a long time before saying, "Why again this time?"
When he mentioned the word "again", his mood miraculously calmed down.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The man: Why did I say "again"?
"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Consort Xian became even more displeased when she noticed everyone's gaze on her, "What's the matter? Do you all think I resemble this dog servant in any way?"
Hua Liuli glanced at Consort Xian and then at the blue-clad eunuch. Honestly speaking, there was hardly any resemblance between the eunuch and Consort Xian, including the eyes he mentioned.
"Liuli," the Crown Prince whispered in her ear, "What do you think?"
"The palace is heavily guarded, it would be extremely difficult for the Tian family to cooperate with Consort Xian and take a living baby out of the palace," Hua Liuli shook her head and whispered, "If someone wanted to abandon a child in the wilderness, it means they didn't want the child to survive. In that case, why not kill the child in the palace and then take the corpse out?"
This matter was full of loopholes and Hua Liuli didn't believe the eunuch's words at all. She looked at the blue-clad eunuch and asked loudly, "After you were picked up, were you adopted by a poor family?"
The blue-clad eunuch sneered, "Yes, I had nothing to wear and eat."
"The swaddling cloth given to newborn princes in the palace is soft and skin-friendly. Who would pick up a castrated child and leave behind the precious swaddling cloth?" Hua Liuli couldn't help but chuckle, "The person who made up this lie clearly doesn't know that even common folks wouldn't throw away a piece of cloth the size of a palm. Even if these fabrics are too delicate to be worn as outer garments, they can be washed and used as undergarments."
The blue-clad eunuch retorted, "They were afraid and didn't dare to bring back those fabrics. What's so strange about it?"
"They didn't dare to pick up the fabrics, but they dared to pick up a newborn baby?" Hua Liuli argued, "Who gave you the idea that you are Consort Xian's child? Who led you to investigate these so-called truths?"
Consort Xian, who was already worked up, looked puzzled. How was she involved in this?
The blue-clad eunuch didn't look into Hua Liuli's eyes as he coldly laughed, "No one. I discovered the truth myself. Fushou Junzhu, the future Crown Princess, actually supports Ying Wang."
Without hesitation, the Crown Prince stepped forward and delivered a kick. He then elegantly adjusted his robes, "You can suspect Ying Wang and scold him all you want, but when it involves Gu's betrothed, Gu has a bad temper."
Perhaps because he had experienced the Crown Prince's bad temper before, the blue-clad eunuch, after being kicked by the Crown Prince, didn't dare to say anything.
Emperor Changlong had already sent people to search the blue-clad eunuch's room. Seeing the Crown Prince kick the eunuch, Emperor Changlong cleared his throat and said to Consort Xian, "Consort Xian, this eunuch suspects that he and Minghao are twin brothers but, due to... his physical deficiency, he was abandoned by you."
"It's impossible!!" Consort Xian was startled and, forgetting her anger, hurriedly explained to Emperor Changlong, "Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with Chenqie. If Chenqie had given birth to twins, Chenqie would definitely know it. Moreover, in the Inner Palace, even if Chenqie had ten times the courage, Chenqie wouldn't dare to send an imperial child out of the palace."
After speaking, she took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, seemingly as if she was about to cover her eyes and cry. Seeing her action, Emperor Changlong's head began to throb, and he quickly said, "Zhen is just explaining the situation to you. When did Zhen say that Zhen doesn't believe you? Our younger generation is present, so please sit calmly and explain the situation clearly."
Younger generation?
Consort Xian turned her head and glanced at the Crown Prince, instantly composing herself.
As a woman who aspired to have the Crown Prince kowtow to her and have him call her 'Mother', she absolutely couldn't lose her dignified and elegant image in front of him.
Once assured that Consort Xian wouldn't burst into tears, Emperor Changlong breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he looked at Hua Liuli with a loving gaze. He had chosen a gentle, considerate, kind-hearted, and willing-to-risk-her-life-to-protect-him Crown Princess for his son. From now on, his son wouldn't have to experience the hardships he had endured.
"Hua Liuli, please continue," Emperor Changlong smiled kindly at Hua Liuli, his eyes gleaming with the light of 'my son has found a great treasure', "Zhen thinks your speculation is quite reasonable."
The Crown Prince proudly smiled and said, "Gu's beloved Junzhu is naturally intelligent."
Pei Jihuai shifted his steps to the side. The Eastern Palace was the same from top to bottom, especially when it came to seizing every opportunity to praise Fushou Junzhu.
"Your Majesty, this subject was just sharing my own speculation, which may not be accurate," Hua Liuli sighed, "When this subject was stationed at the border, this subject once heard a military physician talk about a condition where people, due to their difficult lives, develop delusions of being a noble relative or the beloved of someone important. In severe cases, they can't distinguish between reality and imagination, eventually mistaking their imagination for reality."
This blue-clad eunuch was a castrated person, and from a young age, he may have been subjected to various provocations from people around him. After entering the palace and serving Ying Wang, he became accustomed to luxury and witnessed Consort Xian's favor towards Ying Wang. Perhaps he developed the imagination that if he were also Consort Xian's child, his life would be just as good.
However, imagination is just imagination. For someone who seeks redemption by relying on imagination and mistakes it for reality, there must be someone intentionally guiding them.
"Can you tell me about your experiences from childhood?" Hua Liuli looked at the blue-clad eunuch.
"Why?" The blue-clad eunuch regretted it. Someone had already warned him to avoid Fushou Junzhu. Although he didn't believe in such rumors, he had specifically inquired about Fushou Junzhu's whereabouts after arriving at the Cherry Garden Estate. He made sure she had gone cherry-picking and wouldn't return for some time before seizing the opportunity.
Unexpectedly, Fushou Junzhu returned early and happened to see him carrying cherries.
Someone had warned him before that Fushou Junzhu was very sinister, but he didn't care. What was there to fear about a young girl who would start crying at the slightest harm before anyone could even touch her delicate body?
However, the facts proved that this Junzhu was indeed sinister.
If it weren't for her, Ying Wang would have long died of the poison, and Consort Xian would have been plunged into the pain of losing a child.
"Because I'm curious," Hua Liuli's smile was innocent, "I love listening to stories the most."
The blue-clad eunuch: "..."
Just let him die, he didn't want to talk.
"Gu already knew that this eunuch was lying. He doesn't even dare to mention his past. How could he have any imperial bloodline?" The Crown Prince tapped his palm lightly with his folding fan, seemingly as if he was watching a lively scene on the street, "The imperial offspring are all handsome and elegant. Your face doesn't resemble the Ji family at all. Stop talking nonsense and take him out to be executed."
"All handsome and elegant?" The blue-clad eunuch sneered and looked up at Ying Wang, whose face turned dark and grim.
Everyone followed his gaze and looked at Ying Wang.
Ying Wang furrowed his brows, "Why is everyone staring at me?"
"Although there have been occasional exceptions to that, the imperial family abandoning the imperial bloodline has never happened before," the Crown Prince coughed, "Someone is deceiving you."
"Impossible!" The blue-clad eunuch stated firmly, "She told me personally, it can't be wrong."
"She?" Pei Jihuai furrowed his brows, "Who is she?"
However, the blue-clad eunuch ignored Pei Jihuai and looked at Hua Liuli, "Because of your existence, many of their plans have been foiled several times. They won't let you go."
Hua Liuli remained silent. She was just a fragile and sickly young girl. What did she have to do with all this?
"I was adopted and abused since childhood; was beaten and cursed by the people who adopted me. I crawled on the ground like a dog to please their entire family," the blue-clad eunuch suddenly laughed maniacally in a low voice, "At the age of seven, I entered the palace; the senior eunuch in charge was even worse than a beast. When I turned ten, and because my birthdate was the same as Ying Wang's, the noble Consort Xian sent me to serve by Ying Wang's side. All of this was because Consort Xian believed that my horoscope could ward off disasters for Ying Wang."
"I only assigned you to my son because I saw you were abused when you were young," Consort Xian couldn't help but laugh out of anger, "My son is of imperial blood, protected by His Majesty's dragon energy. Does he need a little eunuch like you to ward off disasters?"
"Consort Xian, of course, wouldn't acknowledge such a thing," the blue-clad eunuch sneered mockingly, "A woman like you, who can abandon her own offspring, what else can't you do?"
"If you were so dissatisfied, you should have continued to stay by that senior eunuch's side," Consort Xian's temper was fiery, and couldn't tolerate being wrongly accused, "Why did you stay by my son's side?"
The blue-clad eunuch paused for a moment, "If I hadn't stayed by Ying Wang's side, how would I have known that you treat your other son so well?"
"I only have one son," Consort Xian reiterated with a cold face.
Soon, someone presented the items that were found by searching the blue-clad eunuch's room. They also brought along with two imperial physicians.
Among these items were faded and broken swaddling clothes, yellowed medical records from the Imperial Medical Bureau, and some items related to Consort Xian and Ying Wang.
"Are you insane?" Consort Xian saw a handkerchief she had accidentally lost inside and said, "I am not your birth mother."
"If Mother doesn't want to acknowledge me, then so be it," the blue-clad eunuch's voice gradually calmed down, "Throughout my life, I was despised by others when alive and pitied by no one when dead. It's all because of my ill fate."
"But have you ever thought that if Consort Xian is not your birth mother, all that you have done would make it impossible for you to find your biological parents?" Hua Liuli took a few steps toward the blue-clad eunuch. There was no disgust or pity in her eyes, "During your many years in the palace, do you really believe that someone like the Tian family and Consort Xian could take away a living child from the harem without being noticed?"
At that time, both Consort Rong and Consort Xian wanted to give birth to the eldest son. They must have assigned people to monitor each other's palaces. If such a thing had happened, Consort Rong would have been the happiest. How could she have helped Consort Xian conceal it?
The blue-clad eunuch's eyes became panicked, and he shook his head frantically, "I don't believe it, you're lying to me."
"If you were able to find the medical records from twenty-one years ago at the Imperial Medical Bureau, why didn't you check the list of personnel who attended Consort Xian's childbirth in the Lincui Palace?" Hua Liuli's gaze was clear, so clean that the blue-clad eunuch, who was already mad, gradually calmed down.
"Perhaps deep down, you know that Consort Xian is not your biological mother," Hua Liuli sighed, "But your childhood was too bitter, and you wanted a mother, someone to bear your hatred. So, you believed the misleading words of others and became their pawn."
"In fact, if you weren't the attending eunuch of Ying Wang, you wouldn't even have any value for them to exploit," Hua Liuli looked at him with compassion, "Your life has been so difficult. Tell us who used you, and we will help you seek revenge."
The blue-clad eunuch was stunned for a moment and then sneered, "Fushou Junzhu, do you think I'm a naive three-year-old who would easily fall for your tricks?"
"Your Majesty, these are all the medical records related to Consort Xian from twenty-one years ago," the imperial physician handed a stack of yellowed medical records to the Emperor, "When Consort Xian was three months pregnant twenty-one years ago, there were indeed signs of twins in her pulse. However, after several senior physicians rechecked her pulse, they found that there was an error. The Imperial Medical Bureau has records of the pulse examination process."
"With so many records, you only found the medical records suggesting Consort Xian's possible twin pregnancy," Hua Liuli turned her head and looked at the blue-clad eunuch, "Throughout your whole life, the only person who showed you compassion was Consort Xian, yet you believed the lies of others and tried to harm her son."
"I don't believe it, I don't believe it!" The blue-clad eunuch went mad, he looked at Consort Xian in a frenzy, "Mother, Mother, I am your child, right?"
Consort Xian shook her head indifferently, "From beginning to end, I only have one child, Ji Minghao."
"Then what about this swaddling cloth, this one!" The blue-clad eunuch refused to give up, "This swaddling cloth can only be used by a prince."
"These fabrics were presented by a diplomatic envoy from the Daimei Kingdom twenty-two years ago," Zhao Sancai said, "Although the imperial family of Daimei no longer uses these fabrics, they have always maintained the tradition. If the person who deceived you had the intention, they could naturally acquire these fabrics."
"Daimei..." The blue-clad eunuch muttered to himself, "Was I deceived?"
"Then who are my biological parents?!" He looked at everyone, "Who gave birth to me and abandoned me?"
No one could answer him.
In a courtyard somewhere, the man received a message from his subordinate.
"Master, the plan has failed."
The man stared at his subordinate with a cold gaze for a long time before saying, "Why again this time?"
When he mentioned the word "again", his mood miraculously calmed down.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The man: Why did I say "again"?
