Immediately afterwards.

The Empress Dowager was then helped into the hall by Qin Mohan, with Ye Jingyu following beside her.

Upon seeing this, the Emperor curtsied respectfully and said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

"Your humble servant, your concubine, your wife, pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

Eunuch Yin, Physician Fang, and the Ye family also knelt down in worship.

Ye Qingcheng hurriedly went to greet her.

"Grandmother, what brings you here?"

"Qing, are you alright?"

"My granddaughter-in-law is alright."

"Okay! That's good."

"Mother."

Ye Jingyu ran into Ye Qingcheng's arms and called out.

"Yu'er".

Ye Qingcheng hugged him and responded gently, then glared at Qin Mohan.

"Qin Mohan, why are you disturbing the Empress Dowager instead of taking Yu'er out of the palace?"

Qin Mohan opened his mouth: "I..."

"Seventh Prince, do you really not trust me?"

"Father, your son..."

Qin Mohan knelt down and said, "I'm sorry, Father, I was overthinking it."

"Hmph, I never thought you would ever make me feel so disheartened."

"Your Majesty, I am sorry, I was wrong."

"Alright, Your Majesty, don't blame Han'er. You either sent secret guards to send him out of the palace or to prevent him from seeing me. It's no wonder he's anxious."

"Mother, do you not trust your son either?"

"You told me to have Eunuch Yin bring Qing'er here, but not Han'er and Yu'er, and even ordered them to return to the manor first. Tell me, who wouldn't have some doubts about your actions?"

"Your Majesty, I simply wanted to keep you out of the picture before I could confirm it."

"Is it confirmed now?"

The Emperor nodded: "Yes! It's confirmed. Princess Consort Han is indeed Ye Qingcheng, the daughter of Prime Minister Ye."

"That's good."

The Empress Dowager smiled and nodded: "Then, may I take Qing'er with me?"

"Of course, even if Mother doesn't say anything, I will have someone escort her out of the palace and back to her residence."

After the Emperor finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Qin Mohan and glared at him: "Seventh Prince, didn't Eunuch Yin tell you that I would have someone escort Princess Han back to her residence?"

"Yes, Father."

"Hmph, if that's the case, why are you still here?"

"Your son..."

"Alright, Your Majesty, please stop blaming Han'er. He was just nervous and worried about Qing'er, after all, she is his wife."

"Hmph, I'll spare you this time for the sake of your grandmother. But once you return to your residence, you'll be confined there for three days."

"Yes, thank you, Father."

"Alright, now that Princess Han's identity has been confirmed, you may all return!"

"Yes, Father."

Then.

The Empress Dowager, Qin Mohan, Ye Qingcheng, and Ye Jingyu then left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After they left.

The Emperor glanced at Prime Minister Ye and his group.

"Ye Guoxiang, you love one of your daughters dearly while treating the other like dirt. You really are a good father."

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong and beg your forgiveness."

"Hmph, fine. I summoned you here mainly to confirm the identity of Princess Han. Now that her identity is clear, I can't be bothered with your family affairs."

However, the Crown Prince's concubine, consumed by jealousy, harbored malicious intentions towards her younger sister and attempted to disrupt the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet; her crime was unforgivable.

"Guards, drag him away and give him one hundred strokes of the cane as punishment. If he commits this offense again, I will not let him off lightly."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyao trembled, her pupils filled with fear.

"No! Your Majesty, spare my life! I know I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again, please spare my life!"

"Your Majesty, please spare my daughter! She may not be able to withstand a hundred lashes, Your Majesty!"

"Yes! Your Majesty, I beg you, I beg you to spare my sister! Your humble servant is willing to take the punishment in her place, please forgive her!"

"No...Your Majesty, I beg you, for the sake of my family's generations of loyalty, spare Yao'er!"

“Prime Minister Ye, if it weren’t for the fact that your Duke’s family has been loyal for generations, do you think it would only be a hundred strokes of the cane? I would have had her beaten to death long ago.”

"What are you all standing there for? Drag him away."

"yes."

After the two guards finished responding, they went up and grabbed Ye Qingyao from both sides.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty...Spare...Spare my life...!" Ye Qingyao's face was filled with fear at this moment.

Aunt Liu was also crying and pleading with the Emperor.

Ye Guoxiang and Ye Weihai both kowtowed and begged.

However, the emperor remained unmoved, glancing at the family with cold eyes.

soon.

Ah...ah...ah...

Ye Qingyao's screams rang out from outside the palace gates.

Aunt Liu felt a pang of heartache upon hearing this.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty... I beg you, please stop hitting her. If you keep hitting her, my daughter will die."

"Yes! Your Majesty, if the beating continues, my sister will be crippled even if she doesn't die. I am willing to take the blame for her."

"How dare you, Deputy General Ye! Are you my subject, or a loyal subject of the Crown Prince's concubine? How dare you forget your own status for the sake of a mere half-sister?"

"This humble servant dares not..."

"Hmph, if you dare beg for mercy again, you can forget about being a deputy general."

Upon hearing this, Ye Weihai trembled and dared not say another word.

Even Ye Guoxiang, who was about to plead for leniency again, could only lower his head and dare not speak again.

The same was true for Aunt Liu.

After about an incense stick's time.

One hundred strokes of the cane were enough.

The Emperor then waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After Ye Guoxiang and his family came out, they were heartbroken to see Ye Qingyao, who had already fallen into a coma.

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