Chapter 8
"Crown Prince, Tang Jingcheng."
These five words, like an invisible spell, echoed in the small space of the Lu family's backyard, lingering for a long time.
Dead silence.
A suffocating, deathly silence, as if you could hear each other's heartbeats.
Time stretched out infinitely at that moment, the air solidified like amber, freezing everyone's expressions in that instant—horror, astonishment, disbelief, and... a hint of barely concealed excitement.
Immediately afterwards, this deathly silence was completely shattered by a sudden and explosive commotion.
"Good heavens! Did I hear that right? She said... His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"She's gone mad! This woman must be insane! How dare she implicate the Crown Prince!"
"But... she doesn't look like she's lying..."
The noble ladies could no longer care about their reserve and decorum. They began whispering amongst themselves, their murmurs buzzing like a beehive ablaze, completely out of control. Their eyes darted back and forth between the kneeling, weeping commoner, the ashen-faced Lady Lu, and... Cui Yunxi, whose identity was both unique and awkward.
A barrage of gazes, some sympathetic, some pitying, some gloating, and some simply watching the spectacle, were like countless fine needles, all aimed at the yet-to-be-married Crown Princess.
Cui Yunshu clung tightly to her sister, almost feeling Cui Yunxi's body stiffen instantly. She glanced up and saw that the color was visibly draining from her sister's usually calm face, turning as pale as paper. But to her surprise, aside from the initial shock, Cui Yunxi's eyes didn't show the collapse, shame, or despair she had expected. Those clear eyes were now unusually calm, so calm…it was almost frightening.
This is not how a woman should react after her fiancé is embroiled in a shocking scandal.
For the first time, Cui Yunshu felt a subtle, indescribable wavering in her belief about her plan. But this wavering was quickly overwhelmed by her despair at her second brother's entry into the Eastern Palace and her anxiety about the fate of her entire family.
She pinched her palm hard, the sharp pain instantly snapping her back to reality. She told herself she couldn't be soft-hearted, she couldn't back down. Her sister's calmness at this moment was perhaps just a result of her upbringing as a noblewoman, a forced composure to avoid losing her composure in front of outsiders. She must be in great pain, in utter despair.
Everything I did was to save her!
Cui Yunshu took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her unease, and continued to play the role of the terrified younger sister. Her body trembled slightly as she clung tightly to her older sister, as if only in this way could she draw a sense of security.
At the eye of the storm, Madam Lu had completely collapsed. She lay limp on the ground, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. She knew that from the moment the name "Tang Jingcheng" was uttered, this matter was no longer something that her mere Lu family could suppress.
The crown prince has been smeared, and the foundation of the nation is shaken. This catastrophic disaster occurred at the Lu family's spring banquet. Regardless of the final outcome, the Lu family cannot escape blame. At best, they will become a laughingstock in the capital; at worst... they may be implicated in the emperor's wrath.
She's finished, and the Lu family is finished too.
In stark contrast to Madam Lu's despair was Miss Wang Shuyue. Looking at the utterly out-of-control scene before her, a smug, victorious smirk curled at the corner of her lips. She knew that her question had just been a tremendous service to the Second Prince.
“Madam Lu, things have come to this point, I think… we should report it to the authorities.” Wang Shuyue spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone’s ears. She gently waved her fan, appearing compassionate and sympathetic. “This matter concerns His Highness the Crown Prince’s reputation, and is no small matter. If this woman is speaking nonsense, she should be severely punished as a warning to others; but if… if there is truly an injustice, we cannot stand idly by. We should ask the authorities to investigate thoroughly, clear His Highness’s name, and give this poor lady justice.”
Her words were eloquent and impeccable, completely absolving herself of any wrongdoing and utterly dispelling any thoughts of a private settlement from Madam Lu.
"Yes, report it to the authorities!"
"This must be reported to the authorities! This matter must be thoroughly investigated!"
The surrounding noble ladies immediately chimed in. They loved watching the drama unfold, especially such a shocking revelation involving the royal family.
Madam Lu was completely disoriented at this point. Hearing the words "report to the authorities" was like grasping at a straw. Yes, report to the authorities! Throw this hot potato away! Throw it to the government, to the Court of Judicial Review!
In order to protect herself and prevent the situation from escalating beyond control within her own residence, she practically scrambled to her feet and yelled at the steward beside her, "Quickly! Go... go to the Jingzhao Prefecture! No! Go to the Dali Temple! Quickly go and invite the Minister of the Dali Temple over!"
This move was exactly what Cui Yunshu wanted.
What she wanted was official intervention, to completely escalate this scandal within the inner quarters into a political case open to the public scrutiny! Only in this way would the scandal have enough weight to shake the marriage agreement between the Cui family and the Crown Prince!
The Dali Temple acted much faster than expected.
In less than half an hour, a group of officials from the Court of Judicial Review, dressed in their official robes and carrying long swords, arrived at the Lu residence with solemn expressions. Leading them was Zheng Xiu, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.
Zheng Xiu was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a thin face and sharp, eagle-like eyes. He was known for his incorruptibility and meticulous approach to handling cases. As soon as he arrived, the unique authority and imposing aura of the government instantly silenced the previously noisy backyard.
He first bowed to Cui Yunxi and the others present, fulfilling his courtesy, and then his gaze fell on the woman who was still kneeling on the ground.
"Who are you here? What are you accusing me of? Tell me the truth!" Zheng Xiu's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
The woman, already exhausted from being dragged away by the servants and surrounded by onlookers, completely broke down upon seeing a real official from the imperial court. She could only repeatedly cry out, "I have been wronged... I have been wronged beyond measure..."
Zheng Xiu frowned, but didn't say anything more to her. He simply waved his hand to his subordinate beside him: "Take this woman, along with all the people related to the Lu family, back to the Dali Temple for interrogation!"
"yes!"
Two constables immediately stepped forward and helped the woman, who had collapsed from crying, to her feet.
Then, Zheng Xiu turned to the group of noble ladies present, cupped his hands in greeting again, and said solemnly, "You are all witnesses in this case. I hope you will be careful with your words and actions today. This case involves the Crown Prince and is no small matter. Our Dali Temple will definitely investigate thoroughly as ordered, and will not tolerate any false accusation or let any evildoer go unpunished. We will find out the truth, clear His Highness the Crown Prince's name, or... seek justice for the victims."
His words were forceful, serving as both reassurance and a warning.
The noble ladies present had never seen such a scene before, and they all fell silent, nodding in agreement.
What should have been a spring banquet for appreciating flowers, composing poems, and enjoying the beauty of nature ended in such an extremely embarrassing and awkward manner, with everyone unhappy.
The carriages from various mansions departed from the Lu family residence, carrying with them a wealth of earth-shattering secrets and their own thoughts, heading towards all corners of the capital.
It is foreseeable that Beijing will be sleepless tonight.
On the carriage back to the mansion, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost palpable.
Cui Yunshu sat beside her sister, keeping her head down the whole way, not daring to look her in the eye. Half of her heart was filled with the ecstatic joy of her plan's success, while the other half was filled with unspeakable guilt and unease in front of her sister.
She knew that her sister was the biggest victim in this storm, besides the Crown Prince. She should have been the Crown Princess that everyone envied, but today, in front of all the noble ladies in the capital, she had become a huge joke.
She must be very sad, right? She must really want to cry, right?
Cui Yunshu secretly and cautiously raised her eyes to observe her sister's expression.
Cui Yunxi leaned quietly against the car wall, her face still deathly pale, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow beneath her eyelids. She didn't cry, didn't become hysterical, and didn't even show any anger or humiliation.
Her gaze was unusually calm, as calm as a bottomless ancient well, without any ripples. She simply stared quietly out the window, as if everything that had happened that day had nothing to do with her.
This unusual calmness made Cui Yunshu feel a strange, deep-seated unease and confusion.
This isn't right.
Something's really wrong.
How could someone remain so calm after experiencing such a humiliating disgrace? Unless... unless she simply doesn't care.
But if she didn't care, why did she agree to this marriage?
One question after another, like wildly sprouting vines, instantly entangled Cui Yunshu's heart. For the first time, she realized that she didn't seem to truly understand the older sister who had been with her day and night for over ten years.
The carriage traveled through the bustling streets, its wheels rolling over the cobblestone pavement.
Outside the car window, one could already faintly hear some whispers.
"Have you heard? Something terrible happened at the Lu family's spring banquet!"
"This is more than just a big deal! It's an absolute disaster! His Highness the Crown Prince... actually... actually raped a woman and got her pregnant!"
"My God! Really? Does that mean the eldest daughter of the Cui family is..."
Shh! Keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind?!
Rumors have already taken flight.
These messages spread like wildfire throughout the capital, hundreds of times faster than official documents, from the backyards of grand mansions to the teahouses and taverns of the city streets. Everyone who heard them stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief, and then eagerly embellished the story for the next person.
A media storm, powerful enough to overthrow the Crown Prince and shake the court, has already taken shape.
As Cui Yunshu listened to the increasingly clear discussions outside the window, she felt no joy at the success of her plan.
She just stared at her sister's profile, which was unusually calm, and a strange unease grew stronger in her heart, almost threatening to engulf her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
