Chapter 52 Real or Fake Princess? No more cuts?
Inside the Zichen Palace, bathed in dazzling golden light, three groups faced each other: the Huangfu Clan, the Jin Clan, and Huang Tufeng…
We can no longer call her Huang Tufeng; we should call her by her real name, Huangfu Feng.
The three men each occupied a corner, looking down at Jin Suiqing standing in the Zichen Hall. The hall was brightly lit, so brightly lit that Jin Suiqing's eyes were half-closed, and she would occasionally squint. She thought to herself, "Those officials who are so afraid to open their eyes when they see the emperor probably aren't afraid, they're just blinded by the lights."
Thinking of this, Jin Suiqing almost burst out laughing. She quickly pursed her lips to suppress it, but from above, she looked like she was about to cry. Shang Tingzhi, who was next to Huangfu Ying, frowned and was about to make Jin Suiqing kneel down. Before she could speak, Huangfu Ying raised her hand to stop her, "If you don't want to kneel, then don't. You've been a princess for so many years. I'm afraid you can't take this."
Shang Tingzhi bowed and said that the Emperor was benevolent. Jin Suiqing's ears twitched, and he heard it clearly. He then got excited, forced out two tears, and slammed them onto the ground.
Jin Shiyu tightened his thighs and tried to stand up, but Jin Guizhong pressed him down on the stool and said, "Your Majesty, is Suiqing really not Princess Qingyang's child?"
Huangfu Ying frowned and closed her eyes. "I don't know."
Huangfu Li, standing beside her, kept her eyes fixed on Huangfu Feng without saying a word.
Jin Guizhong also looked at Huangfu Feng, his face was pale and his brows were furrowed. He observed Huangfu Feng from all angles, trying to see something out of her face.
But apart from the paleness caused by blood loss, nothing else could be seen on this woman's extremely ordinary-looking face; it was as if she had no flaws whatsoever.
He showed no fear of meeting the Empress, nor any joy at the change in status; he simply stood there calmly, his eyes indifferent.
Jin Guizhong hoped to catch even the slightest change in her eyes, as it would determine his future and even whether the Jin family could live in peace.
Unfortunately, no.
The Empress closed her eyes to rest, but her breath made his hair stand on end. In the blink of an eye, cold sweat broke out on Jin Guizhong's forehead. At this moment, he missed the feeling of Jin Suiqing'er, the chubby little dumpling, sitting peacefully in his arms.
He dared not let go of Jin Shiyu, fearing that he might become ruthless and do something that would cause a disturbance and offend Huangfu Ying.
Jin Guizhong squandered his health on wine and women in his youth, and even in his prime, he showed signs of old age. The older he got, the more he longed for the care of his children, and the more he could no longer suppress his regret towards them.
To be honest, because he felt indebted to Gu Hanjiang, Jin Guizhong dared not suppress his ruthless son. He hadn't dared before, and now he couldn't. The sound of Jin Shiyu clenching his teeth reached his father's ears clearly. He was terrified and now regretted being blind to his son's feelings for Jin Suiqing.
When he was young, he deceived Gu Hanjiang, but after spending time with him, he realized that his mother was a womanizer. Like mother, like son; if this son were to raise his sister, he'd probably go astray!
Huangfu Li sneered, breaking the silence, "Your Majesty, I have already ordered someone to summon the imperial physician with knives and hemostatic medicine. All it takes is to make a cut on Jin Suiqing's wrist to verify whether she is real or fake."
“No need.” Jin Shiyu said with extreme restraint, “If Princess Huang Qingyang has a hidden ailment in her bloodline, my sister once bumped her forehead when she was a child. Although there was no blood, the subcutaneous bruising did not dissipate for several days. I can testify that there is no need for surgery.”
Jin Guizhong: "Shi Yu, shut up!"
Huangfu Li said coldly, "Words are useless; seeing is believing."
Jin Shiyu suddenly looked up, her eyes like a mother wolf protecting her cubs, revealing a wild ferocity, "She's been afraid of pain since she was little..."
"Jin Shiyu!" Jin Guizhong roared in anger, raising his hand to slap Jin Shiyu hard across the face. The force of the blow sent Jin Shiyu's head flying to the side. Jin Guizhong snarled, "You must not disobey His Majesty!"
Jin Shiyu froze and fell silent. Jin Guizhong lowered his voice and trembled as he said, "Hold on."
Kim Shi-ok couldn't hold back. How could he possibly hold back?
His beloved younger sister has always been afraid of pain since she was a child, but now she has to be forced to undergo surgery. How can he bear it?
At this moment, Jin Shiyu cursed in his heart. What nonsense about not being able to share a bed in life and sharing a bed in death? It was all bullshit from his filthy heart! Jin Suiqing's surgery was already like being in hell. If she suffered any more, he would bite that person to pieces, chop them up, and burn them to death. How could he bear it!
Jin Shiyu glared fiercely at Huangfu Li. If he dared to lay a knife on Jin Suiqing, he would risk his life to storm into Ziwei City in the middle of the night and kill him.
Thinking of his rebellious act, Jin Shiyu chuckled and nodded, "Your son knows his mistake."
Jin Guizhong struck with extreme brutality, causing blood to gush from the corner of Jin Shiyu's mouth. He suppressed his ruthlessness, but when he turned around, he saw Jin Suiqing standing in the main hall, looking at him with tears in her eyes.
Jin Shiyu's breathing quickened for a moment, and the ruthlessness that had reached its peak strangely fell to the ground, transforming into a person with arms and legs, holding a knife, wearing his skin, and sitting calmly in a chair.
He lowered his eyes and thought, there's no need to wait until midnight. As soon as Jin Suiqing gets stabbed, he'll rush up and kill Huangfu Li.
Jin Suiqing overacted and felt snot running down her nose, so she quickly raised her sleeve to wipe it.
She looked at Jin Shiyu and thought that perhaps the change in his identity was too fast and Jin Shiyu was not accepting it well. His slap from his scumbag father made him realize the truth and sober up. Apart from the bloodstains on the corner of his mouth, Jin Shiyu looked no different from usual.
Ultimately, life is more important, and that applies to everyone.
Jin Suiqing silently withdrew her gaze, thinking that since she was going to be cut anyway, there was no way to avoid it, so the sooner she cut it, the easier it would be. Rather than struggling, she would wink at the imperial physician and ask him to cut a place that wouldn't hurt too much.
In the eerie silence of the hall, Huangfu Feng, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up, "Your Majesty, there's no need to make that cut."
Jin Suiqing was shocked: Huh? You're not going to cut it?
Huangfu Ying opened her eyes. "Why? How can we verify her identity without cutting it? And how can we prove that your constitution isn't unique?"
Huangfu Feng and Huangfu Ying exchanged glances, and Huangfu Feng said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Bloodline cannot be changed. The blood clotting barrier has been shown to everyone, and there are also imperial physicians who can testify to it. There is absolutely no fabrication. If Your Majesty does not believe me, I can cut myself again in front of Your Majesty. I am so certain because I have evidence to prove my identity."
Huangfu Ying narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, "What evidence?"
Huangfu Feng calmly said, "You and Princess Qingyang were born of the same mother. The late emperor once ordered people to make a pair of white jade magic keys. Your Majesty and Princess Qingyang each hold one. When they are put together, the magic bell of Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix in Yaoguang Palace will be activated."
Hearing her words, Jin Suiqing's chin almost fell to the ground.
Is the pacing of this story right?
The plot isn't that the female supporting character gets cut, it's proven she doesn't have a blood clotting disorder, Huangfu Ying realizes their identities have been switched, the female lead takes the opportunity to feign grievance, directly pointing out that the injury wasn't accidental but caused by a dark force, the Empress is furious and immediately orders an investigation into the cause of Huangfu Feng's injury, summoning the teachers and students of the National Academy overnight for questioning, and only revealing the truth after the whole story is thoroughly investigated?
This item is the most crucial piece of evidence, an object to win favor, and also a reminder to Huangfu Ying that Huangfu Feng did not return empty-handed, but still has the proof of Princess Qingyang's legacy behind him.
Why is it being revealed now?
If the female lead is revealed now, without the scene of slapping the face of the vicious female supporting character, the female lead's prestige and the plot's enjoyment will be greatly reduced!
Huangfu Ying's expression hardened, and she sat up. Shang Tingzhi, who was beside her, said, "The magic bell is working."
"No, if it were truly working, its chime would be heard throughout the entire Ziwei City. This bell hasn't rung for sixteen years." Huangfu Feng pulled half of the magic key from his chest. "It's almost dusk now. Would Your Majesty be willing to give it a try and let the people of the world hear the sound of ten thousand birds singing in unison?"
A murderous glint appeared in Huangfu Ying's eyes. This young girl had come prepared for her return to the capital, even knowing such secret rumors about the palace.
It seems that her sister's death was not entirely unexpected. She was tricked by a fake princess for sixteen years, enduring hardship and biding her time, hiding the real princess in the mountains and having her wolf cubs raised.
What an impatient wolf cub! He's still too young and inexperienced to be feared. Huangfu Ying said casually, "No need to try."
Huangfu Li, filled with resentment and indignation, cried out in aggrieved voice, "Your Majesty!"
"Shut up," Huangfu Ying said, displeased with the mess he had made in his childhood. Her maternal love was completely gone. She gave him a disdainful look. "The blood clotting disease has been diagnosed. There is no need to make things difficult for Suiqing anymore. The princess's return home is a joyous occasion, and the whole country should celebrate together."
"Tingzhi".
"Your subject is present."
Huangfu Ying raised his sleeves and said sternly, "Draft an edict to announce to the world that we are grateful for the protection of Princess Qingyang's spirit in heaven. The princess has returned home, and the whole country is celebrating. A banquet will be held in the capital for more than a month. We will take a month off to go to the Shaohuai Palace in Hunan to pay homage to Princess Qingyang. The Jin family members are specially granted permission to leave the capital and go together. A general amnesty will be granted to the whole country. Those who are not guilty of the ten heinous crimes will be exiled if they are sentenced to death, and released if they are guilty of minor crimes."
After speaking, Shang Tingzhi withdrew. Huangfu Ying looked down at Huangfu Feng and beckoned, "Child, come here and let your aunt take a good look at you."
Huangfu Feng walked over, and Huangfu Ying took her hand, examined her closely, and said affectionately, "Why does your appearance look so strange?"
"I had a serious illness when I was a child, and it distorted my appearance."
Huangfu Ying frowned as if in distress, and after a moment asked, "Does he have a name?"
Huangfu Feng replied compliantly, "Just one character, 'Feng'."
The coldness in Huangfu Ying's eyes vanished in an instant. The Huangfu clan had always used single characters to name their members, and for these younger generations, the naming convention followed the pattern 'Li Feng Yun Yi, Yue Zhao Jiang Hai'.
Her dear sister, Princess Qingyang, had even prepared this for her. Now it seems that all that feigned kindness has backfired, allowing this wolf cub to return smoothly.
Huangfu Ying looked distressed and stroked Huangfu Feng's face, saying, "Good child, you've suffered."
Huangfu Feng shook his head. "I didn't suffer. The nanny who raised me treated me very well. She only told me my identity when I was about to come of age, letting me choose for myself. I came back because I wanted to see my mother and aunt. Have I caused my aunt any trouble?"
"What trouble is there when family members come home?" Huangfu Ying feigned kindness. "When you come home, you should be at ease. There is probably no place in the world more comfortable than Ziwei City. I am getting old and miss Princess Qingyang. Why don't you stay with me in the palace?"
Huangfu Feng lowered his head. “I am grateful for His Majesty’s kindness, but since I am not yet included in the Huangfu family genealogy, moving into Ziwei City at will would easily give others cause for criticism. The princess has been staying in the Jin family for sixteen years, and I am also sixteen years old. According to the rules, I should move out of the Jin family and into the princess’s residence. I cannot enter the palace unless summoned.”
Huangfu Ying's face instantly turned cold.
Author's note: Tomorrow I'll be going to pay for this chapter and try my best to release a long, two-in-one chapter.
Please forgive me if this post doesn't go viral. This poor office worker is working all night coding and then goes to work during the day; I'm probably going to die (sigh).
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