Chapter 5: Adopted Daughter Becomes Husband's Illegitimate Daughter
Shanxi stared wide-eyed, looking completely bewildered.
Seeing this, the old man quickly stepped forward to explain, "You've forgotten, back then, when Xiao Pa Cai tried to pursue you, you refused, so you casually agreed to betroth a junior from the Shan family to his younger relative..."
Back then, the Emperor Emeritus fell in love with his grandmother at first sight, and from then on, he was deeply in love with her and could not live without her.
In order to win the heart of the beauty, he was even willing to ruin his reputation and do many shocking things...
However, the Great-Grandmother's attitude was firm. Seeing that there was no hope of marriage, the Emperor Emeritus settled for second best and proposed that his grandson marry the Shan family's granddaughter, and that she must be a direct descendant!
Grandma was thinking of getting rid of the retired emperor as soon as possible, so she nodded in agreement...
Recalling the past, Shanxi was stunned.
Did she dig a hole for herself eighty years later?
"But... this Seventh Prince is quite the playboy!" The old master secretly glanced at the Seventh Prince, his brows furrowed so deeply they could crush a fly!
There are countless talented and extraordinary people who want to marry his great-grandmother, so it's too much to be betroth him to a playboy prince.
The Crown Prince, in a tone of indignation, said, "So what if he's a playboy? Don't you all know what kind of person Shanxi is?"
"A piece of trash like you dares to dream of marrying me as a concubine? What a pipe dream you're having!"
"If it weren't for the Emperor Emeritus's decree, I wouldn't even bother to ask for her hand in marriage!"
"Although my seventh uncle is a playboy, he is still a prince, with a noble status!"
"And her? A good-for-nothing, a good-for-nothing who grew up in the countryside. For her to marry my seventh uncle is simply marrying above her station!"
"To climb the social ladder?" Shanxi's lips twitched slightly.
Is she marrying above her station?
If Xiao Pa Cai hadn't knelt down and begged her, pestering her for three days and three nights, would she have agreed to something like this without thinking?
"It's just an imperial edict, I'll just go and return it!" Shanxi said nonchalantly.
The old man listened and nodded with a smile.
If that little brat knew that Shanxi was actually the Empress Dowager, he might very well have swallowed the imperial edict himself.
"Pfft..." The Crown Prince burst into laughter as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world: "Hahaha, you? You think you can take me on?"
"Who do you think you are? A piece of trash, daring to disobey imperial orders?"
"If it weren't for the fact that you were born into a virtuous family, you wouldn't even have the chance to see me, let alone be granted a marriage!"
Two crisp "snap!" sounds rang out simultaneously.
The prince's laughter stopped abruptly.
He covered his face, looking at the Seventh Prince and Shanxi with grief and indignation, his eyes filled with anger and resentment.
The Seventh Prince glanced at him coldly, his eyes full of disdain: "Your father is not in a position to make decisions for me!"
Realizing that even his father, the Emperor, couldn't do anything about his seventh uncle, the Crown Prince immediately gave up.
But soon, the Crown Prince transferred his anger to Shanxi. His eyes widened in fury, and he roared through gritted teeth, "You vile woman, how dare you hit me?"
"Auntie hitting her nephew, is there a problem?" Shanxi said, hands on her hips, exuding an imposing aura.
Upon hearing this, the crown prince was speechless.
However, the more I thought about it, the more wronged and angry I felt!
He is the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince!
"Throw him into the palace and let the Emperor discipline him properly! Don't let him embarrass himself again until he's been properly disciplined!" The Seventh Prince said with a disdainful tone.
Upon hearing this, the guards immediately stepped forward, grabbed the prince by the ear, and dragged him outside...
"Ahhh, be gentle, be gentle, it hurts, it hurts..." The prince's face was contorted in pain.
He screamed loudly as he was dragged away by the guards, staggering and looking extremely disheveled.
When Shan Yurou saw this scene, she turned pale with fright.
His Highness the Crown Prince was her only support; if even the Crown Prince...
Shanxi looked at the Seventh Prince, smiled, and cupped her hands in a gesture of respect: "Steward, see the guest out!"
Sun-hee's commanding manner was very skillful, as if he had long been accustomed to such authority.
Upon hearing this, the steward hurriedly went to see the Seventh Prince off.
Only after she finished delivering the package did she realize why he should listen to her.
Oh well, I've already given it away!
The backyard was quiet.
As soon as the Crown Prince left, Shan Yurou instantly reverted to her weak and pitiful appearance, cowering timidly behind Shan Mingyuan.
Shan Mingyuan, on the other hand, had a shifty look in his eyes, as if he was considering: what would be the chances of winning if he killed all these people who knew the truth?
Shanxi saw through Shanmingyuan's thoughts with just one glance.
She raised her finger slightly, and a beam of light instantly enveloped Shan Mingyuan.
"Kneel down!" Shanxi's voice was cold and stern.
As soon as he finished speaking, the huge courtyard seemed to be under a spell, with everyone kneeling down with a thud.
Two men even instinctively pinched their ears...
The kneeling old man paused for a moment, realizing that Shanxi wasn't talking about him. He hurriedly wiped the dust off his knees, a simple smile spreading across his face. He stood up, muttering, "I'm getting old, my legs won't obey me anymore."
Upon hearing this, the other servants looked at each other and then stood up.
Only Shan Mingyuan's legs seemed to be nailed to the ground, and he couldn't get up no matter how hard he struggled.
Shan Mingyuan's face flushed red, and veins bulged on his forehead: "Shanxi, are you crazy!"
"You dare to make your father kneel down? Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?!"
"I am your biological father! Your disobedience and unfilial behavior will be punished!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a muffled clap of thunder suddenly echoed through the previously tranquil sky.
Upon seeing this, Shan Mingyuan burst into laughter, his laughter sounding particularly arrogant against the backdrop of thunder.
He said smugly, "Shanxi, you are extremely rebellious! You disobeyed your own father and even made him kneel down. Look, even Heaven can't stand it anymore. You will be punished!"
Sun-hee looked at him coldly, her eyes devoid of any emotion, as if she were looking at a clown.
She spoke slowly, her voice icy: "If the father is kind, the son will be filial. If the father is not kind, how can the son be filial?"
"Heh... Shanxi, don't forget, without me, there would be no you! My blood flows in your veins, and that's a fact you can never change in your entire life!" Shan Mingyuan's eyes were wide open like copper bells as he glared fiercely at Shanxi!
He bet that Sun Xi wouldn't dare to touch him!
If she were to do it, it would be patricide, a grave offense of disrespect, and even the old master wouldn't be able to protect her!
Seeing that Shanxi didn't dare to do anything to Shan Mingyuan, Shan Yurou became more confident: "I am now the Crown Princess. If you know what's good for you, you should kneel down and kowtow to me!"
"Don't forget, you're all waiting for me to take your place in the competition a month from now!"
"If I don't go, your Shan family will lose all face in front of the world and bring about your own destruction!"
A grand competition?
Shanxi looked at the old man with a puzzled expression.
The old man bowed respectfully and said, "Great-Grandma, it's like this, a month from now, a neighboring country will be visiting..."
Five competitions were specially arranged to facilitate cultural exchange and enhance friendship.
However, this competition is no simple matter; it concerns the face and reputation of both countries.
As the foremost family in the dynasty, the Shan family naturally had to send someone to fight. This was not only an honor for the Shan family, but also their duty!
Although Shanxi was a good-for-nothing, Shan Yurou was a famous favorite daughter of the emperor in the Jun Dynasty, making her the perfect candidate for the role. Therefore, Shan Yurou's name was submitted early on.
If it weren't for what happened tonight, he wouldn't have known that Shan Yurou was Shan Mingyuan's illegitimate daughter!
“Madam, while this father and daughter are certainly hateful, the most urgent matter is the affairs of the nation,” the old man said respectfully, his eyes full of earnestness.
There was one more thing he didn't dare say.
It's true that he doted on Shan Yurou as his own granddaughter for more than ten years, and Shan Rou, who is also Shanxi's biological mother, cherished Shan Yurou even more, holding her in the palm of his hand and keeping her in his mouth, afraid that she might fall or get hurt.
If Rou'er knew that Shan Yu Rou was Shan Ming Yuan's illegitimate daughter with another woman, I wonder if she could accept it...
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