The scene was silent for a moment.
All pairs of eyes were staring at the bowl, and even the emperor himself held his breath nervously.
After waiting for a long time, the two drops of blood did not mix together.
"Your Majesty..." Concubine Liu broke the silence with a heart-wrenching cry, tears streaming down her face. "You see, I am innocent. I have done nothing to let you down."
The emperor's face was still ashen. He looked at Xiao Zhenting again and again. All the favoritism he once showed seemed to have turned into a kind of doubt.
He frowned and thought for a while, still seeming a little unsure.
"Someone come." The emperor called the eunuch chief, picked up the awl from the tray, pricked his fingertip, and dripped a drop of blood into the bowl.
The eunuch chief steward understood and came to Xiao Zhenting again, bowed and said: "Second Prince, I have to trouble you again..."
Xiao Zhenting felt hopeless.
He knew in his heart that at this point, he and his mother had been forced into a desperate situation.
If it is proven that he is not the emperor's biological son, he will surely die today.
Xiao Zhenting had never been so flustered as he was now. He was in a daze and allowed the eunuch to drip his blood into the bowl again.
In full view of everyone, the two drops of blood merged together.
Xiao Zhenting let out a long breath and choked up as he shouted, "Father..."
"Hmph." The emperor's expression softened somewhat, but he still snorted heavily to express his dissatisfaction.
"Your Majesty, I am innocent. You are the only one in my heart." Concubine Liu burst into tears and cried bitterly.
Tutor Sun saw this and didn't know what to feel.
The queen sat aside calmly, saying nothing.
Although it has been confirmed that Xiao Zhenting is the emperor's biological son, it cannot be denied that Concubine Liu and Tutor Sun have had private dealings over the years.
From this moment on, Concubine Liu’s reign in the harem... was over.
"Return to the palace."
The emperor walked away, leaving a group of people with their own thoughts in their hearts.
"What? Xiao Zhenting is the emperor's biological son?"
After Shangguan Wanning received the news, she slumped down in her chair and slammed the table with her fists.
"I didn't expect that I would fail in the end."
Lu Tong didn't understand why her young lady cared so much about this matter. She picked up the fan and fanned Shangguan Wan Ning gently.
"My lady, I spent twenty taels of silver to bribe the young maidservant beside the queen to get the news. She swore that she was there and saw it happen. It should be correct."
Shangguan Wanning suddenly felt a little tired. She rubbed her temples and said helplessly, "Forget it. It seems that Xiao Zhenting's fate has not yet ended. However, as long as Concubine Liu falls out of favor, it will be difficult for him, as a bastard, to achieve anything."
This hunting trip ended abruptly, and the emperor returned to the palace with a lot of anger. The first thing he did was to depose Concubine Liu and demote her to a palace maid and send her to the cold palace.
Xiao Yujue saw the emperor's intentions and asked the court officials to take the opportunity to impeach Sun Taifu. Soon, Sun Taifu was dismissed from office, his property was confiscated, and he was thrown into prison.
Instead, it was Sun Jinyao and Madam Sun who saved their lives thanks to the secret protection of the Queen and Xiao Yujue.
Late at night, Xiao Yujue was checking the various properties that were seized from the Sun family's property when Mu Jingrui knocked on the door and walked in.
"Jingrui, you're here just in time. Can you help me see which items we can still use to do something useful?"
Mu Jingrui did not step forward. He stood for a while with his eyelids lowered, and said softly, "Your Highness, I want to go to the prison to see Master Sun."
Xiao Yujue stopped what he was doing and looked up at Mu Jingrui. "Why?"
"He was the one who handled my father's case. He knows a lot of things we don't know. Given the emperor's personality, he will never allow him to live in this world. He might find an excuse to kill him soon. So... I want to see him before he dies."
Xiao Yujue thought about it seriously.
After observing and getting along with him for these days, he could see that Mu Jingrui was a rare talent.
But now he is the family member of a convicted official after all, and can only be a slave, which will greatly limit his performance.
"Okay," Xiao Yujue agreed, "Take my name card and go to the Ministry of Justice to see him. I also hope that you can find out the truth about your father's injustice as soon as possible and give him justice as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Mu Jingrui walked out of Xiao Yujue's study and saw Mu Jingyan waiting for him not far away.
"Brother, I want to go too."
"If a girl goes out so late at night, she won't be able to get married if people find out. Go back to your room and sleep."
"I won't!" Mu Jingyan stood in front of Mu Jingrui stubbornly, "You can never get married in this life, but you must clear the injustice for Dad."
Mu Jingrui sighed helplessly.
His parents were dead, and his sister was his only relative. How could he bear to let her down?
"Let's go."
Seeing that his brother had compromised, Mu Jingyan walked up to him, took his arm, and smiled.
The brother and sister came to the Ministry of Justice prison and found Tutor Sun's cell under the guidance of the jailer.
It was quiet all around, with only the occasional rat or cockroach crawling by, making a slight rustling sound.
Mu Jingrui looked at Grand Tutor Sun, whose face was haggard, exhausted and tired, through the wooden railing, and felt a little sad.
"Uncle Sun, Xiaoyan and I are here to see you."
Tutor Sun slowly turned around, reached out to push away the messy hair that was blocking his view, and raised the corners of his mouth in a meaningful smile.
"At this time, you call me Uncle Sun instead. Aren't you afraid that I will get you into trouble?"
"You have always been my father's best friend and an elder to Xiaoyan and me." Mu Jingrui said in a calm tone, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"If you have something to say, just be direct. There's no need to beat around the bush." Tutor Sun straightened up. Although he looked tired, he was still energetic.
"Since you said so, I won't be polite." Mu Jingrui likes to deal with smart people. "I want to know. My father was accused of treason and collaborating with the enemy, and the evidence is irrefutable. Everyone said that he committed suicide out of fear of punishment. What is the hidden story behind it?"
Grand Tutor Sun snorted. "Do you not believe that he collaborated with the enemy and committed treason, or do you not believe that he committed suicide out of fear of punishment?"
"I don't believe it." Mu Jingrui took a step forward, staring at Grand Tutor Sun with his sharp and deep eyes, "Uncle Sun, you'd better tell the truth now. Otherwise... the Sun family will be extinct."
Master Sun was stunned, and when he came to his senses, he clapped his hands. "Good, very good, compared to your father, you are more capable of accomplishing great things."
Mu Jingrui's words were obviously threatening him with Sun Jinyao.
"I can tell you what I know. Anyway, I won't live long. But I hope you won't regret it after you know the truth. Because the person who really framed your father back then..."
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