Everyone thought it was just an ordinary banquet. It was simply because the rumors in the court were too loud, and Madam Yuluan had no choice but to do it in order to quell the arguments.
However, after three rounds of drinks, the emperor turned to look at the Imperial Master and said, "The Second Prince is also here today, so let's follow the original plan!"
Madam Yuluan subconsciously stood in front of Xuanhui and said, "Your Majesty, you summoned the Imperial Preceptor today. Is there something you want to do? You didn't even inform me in advance so that I could prepare in advance!"
"It's no big deal. It's just that according to the Great Zhou custom, I've arranged for the Imperial Master to bring good fortune to my offspring! Zhaohua has experienced this before, I wonder if Yao'er still remembers it?"
The emperor's face showed no other emotions.
Seeing this, she hesitated and made way to let the imperial teacher approach.
The Imperial Preceptor walked forward unhurriedly, took out the wooden sword he carried close to his body, and began to demonstrate, muttering something to himself. The concubines present could not understand what he was saying, and they simply enjoyed their meal while observing him curiously.
I don't know if it was because he was too nervous, or because he was busy practicing during this period, but his skills were not so good. He just shook his right hand, and the sword fell straight down!
It cut a bloody wound on the second prince's arm, causing him to cry out in panic on the spot!
Madam Yuluan was filled with heartache. She snatched Xuanhui and held him in her arms, angrily scolding him, "Master Imperial Preceptor, are you truly sincere in wishing for my child, or are you deliberately hurting him?! With so many people watching, what on earth are you planning to do to the Second Prince?!"
He didn't say anything, but instead plunged the sword, which still had a drop of blood hanging from it, directly into the golden bucket of clear water next to him.
Then, the Imperial Master calmly turned around, walked up a few steps, and knelt in front of Xie Yanci.
"Your Majesty, I observed the stars tonight and have a feeling that the Second Prince's fate is different. After much thought, I can only use this method of killing first and reporting later to temporarily deceive Your Majesty and then break the deadlock."
Xie Yanci frowned and asked doubtfully, "What do you mean by that, my dear?"
"Your Majesty, please prick your finger and drop some blood in there so I can see if it can be dissolved."
Madam Yuluan's expression changed. After handing the Second Prince to Qian Wei, she almost rushed in front of them.
"Your Majesty, you must not listen to the Imperial Master's nonsense! He has already injured Xuan Hui, and he dares to injure the dragon's body again! You..."
The Imperial Preceptor's gaze was firm, and he showed no fear as he met the Emperor's gaze. "Has Your Majesty never had any doubts? What could have caused the Imperial Concubine, who had been childless for years, to become pregnant? And does our Second Prince look like his mother, or is it someone else's?"
Xie Yanci was in a dilemma: there were concubines and palace maids all around him, and if he didn't explain this matter clearly, it would probably become a topic of conversation for everyone.
His face was ashen as he looked at the Imperial Master: "Yu Huai, you have pushed me to this point today... If I don't see the result you promised, I will have to make you pay with your life!"
"Yes, I feel that the opportunity I've found isn't very suitable. But for the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty, I have nothing to fear. If the Second Prince is truly the Emperor's biological son, then without the Emperor and Madam Yuluan saying anything, I will commit suicide right here in the palace!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Yanci cut his finger with a short blade and dripped blood into the basin of water.
Madam Yuluan screamed and her face turned pale!
Afterwards, the emperor and the imperial teacher saw at the same time: the two bloods could not mix, but instead gradually drifted apart and dispersed into a ball!
Xie Yanci's expression became increasingly ugly. He stood up and kicked Madam Yuluan in the chest.
"You bitch! I've treated you well, why would you do such a thing?!"
The concubines present also understood what was going on. They looked at each other in bewilderment, not daring to breathe. However, Eunuch Yang was alert and immediately cleared the outsiders out of Chengqian Palace.
Wei Shuyi did not leave, but chose to transform into the emperor's confidante and stay by his side.
Madam Yuluan wanted to protest her innocence, but she knew better than anyone how this child came to be. Therefore, she could only remain silent.
Seeing this, Xie Yanci was furious and drew his imperial sword to chop off her head!
"Your Majesty, please calm down. It's not a pity for me to die anyway! Anyway, my mother's family has long been destroyed. Living alone in this world is lonely and desolate. I only ask you to keep this child. After all, he is also..."
"How dare you say that? This is my son! How magnanimous do you think I am to raise someone else's child?!"
Wei Shuyi watched helplessly as he snatched Xuanhui's swaddling clothes, lifted him up high, and then threw him down fiercely!
Not only Madam Yuluan, but even she herself was shocked.
The emperor's brutal side was revealed to her for the first time. She couldn't help but imagine how he would react if he knew her identity as the daughter of a guilty minister and discovered that she had been deceiving him for years.
Xie Yanci's shadow guards appeared collectively.
"Go to the Forbidden Palace! Bring them all over!"
So, in confusion, she was forced to go to the palace where she first met the emperor.
The emperor didn't care about Madam Yuluan's reputation at all. In front of everyone, he stripped off her clothes and left only her inner garment.
"I don't think I've told you yet what this palace is used for. The reason I'm so kind to you and can forgive your death sentence is for no other reason than that you are the legendary daughter of the Phoenix. Now, Yu Pei, please personally check for me to see if she is real? Or... was she just a fake from the beginning?"
The Imperial Master nodded upon hearing this, pulled away the sleeve that was in the way, and smeared the potion on Madam Yuluan's arm. However, nothing appeared.
"To answer the emperor's words, from the very beginning, this was a scam planned by Qu Wenhe and him! The real Phoenix Girl has been strangled to death by them in the Duke of Wei's mansion!"
When Wei Shuyi heard this, his heart skipped a beat.
Who is he talking about?! Wait!
What did the emperor call him? Yu Pei?
She didn't expect that the emperor also knew the true identity of the imperial teacher and had changed his words.
What was even more unexpected was that in order to fight for Fengnu and preserve the Xie family's kingdom, the king of a country actually believed such a ridiculous rumor and indirectly killed hundreds of people in the Wei family!
Xie Yanci collapsed exhausted, feeling that he had been deceived by lies for so many years, which was particularly ridiculous.
"So, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Wei... is the true candidate for queen, not the one in front of us, right?"
Yu Pei didn't answer directly, but instead fixed his gaze on her: "Your Majesty must be very curious as to why I was able to swap bodies with that villain the moment Concubine Xu appeared! It's simply because Concubine Xu is the one with the Phoenix Fate. This fate, bestowed by heaven, protects her from the harm of evil spells. That's all!"
Xie Yanci's figure moved, and he looked over in disbelief: "But, but she was born a palace maid, not..."
Having said that, he belatedly asked Wei Shuyi, "So, Yao'er, your background isn't that simple, right?!"
She didn't dare to answer easily, for fear of losing her head.
After catching a glimpse of Yu Pei's slight nod, she lifted her skirt, knelt, and formally introduced herself: "Your Majesty, before my parents died unjustly, they used all their connections to send me, a young concubine, into the palace. I was indeed born a palace maid, and apart from those family matters that cannot be shared with outsiders, I have never deceived you!"
Xie Yanci was overjoyed and did not pursue the so-called crime of deceiving the emperor at all.
He held her hands with such passion in his eyes that she could hardly tell whether his eyes held the surprise of seeing her again after a long separation or the madness of having regained the Phoenix Girl.
In the Forbidden Palace, bursts of wailing from a woman were heard.
Madam Yuluan, who was the most favored lady in the country, died quietly on that rainy night.
The future of Yonghua Palace will be ruled by the Wei family.
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