Chapter 203 Killing the Empress
These words were clear and logical, and every sentence made sense, instantly changing the direction of the discussion in the hall.
"Yes, Her Majesty the Empress's childbirth is a momentous event. With so many people watching in the delivery room, how could the baby be switched so easily?"
"I heard that His Majesty stayed outside the entire time, never leaving his side. If there really was a change of personnel, how could it have been kept from His Majesty?"
"Consort Cui must be insane. She'll make up any lie to drag Princess Chang down with her!"
But Li Ye felt inexplicably guilty listening to these words.
Because he himself knew what the situation was like in the Empress's palace at that time.
Therefore... Cui Yunyi's "exchange" is not entirely impossible.
Just then, Shen Guojiu stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, the Consort’s words are utterly absurd! I dare to guarantee with my life that there is absolutely no problem with the Princess’s background! Although the Princess does not resemble Your Majesty or her elder sister, she looks exactly like my mother, who is also the Empress’s mother. It is not uncommon for grandchildren to resemble their grandparents.”
Shen Churong immediately realized that his father was lying.
He had seen his grandmother when he was a child. The old woman had a round, auspicious face and gentle eyes, and bore no resemblance to the princess.
But after glancing at Li Yuanzhao, he also stepped forward and echoed, "Your Majesty, that is indeed the case! When I was a child, my grandmother was very strict with me and often punished me with family rules. So when I came to the capital and saw the Princess, I always felt like I was seeing my grandmother. I subconsciously dared not get close to her and even... argued with her many times without knowing what was good for me."
After he finished speaking, he lowered his head as if he were ashamed, looking exceptionally honest.
Upon hearing this, most of the officials in the palace immediately believed it.
Because everyone knows that the Shen family has always kept their distance from the eldest princess, and Shen Churong is known for her long-standing discord with her.
Even this father and son came forward to testify for the eldest princess, so the eldest princess must be like Madam Shen.
Since she looks so much like Madam Shen, how could she not be Empress Shen's daughter?
The Duke of Liang, who had remained silent until now, also stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I must also speak the truth. Although I have never met the Empress's mother, the Empress spoke with me before giving birth, and she told me with certainty that she was carrying a daughter."
The Duke of Liang was not lying; Shen Lang had indeed said those words to him back then.
Although she was nine months pregnant and about to give birth, she still did not put down her military duties.
Therefore, he had to go to the palace every two weeks to report on military affairs to her.
He still remembered that day when he entered the Empress's palace and saw her wearing a thin, close-fitting outfit, heavily pregnant, practicing with a long spear.
He was startled and quickly stepped forward to snatch the spear from her hand, complaining, "General, you're about to give birth, why are you still wielding a sword and spear? This spear is very heavy. What if you lose your balance and hurt the baby or cause a miscarriage?"
Shen Lang smiled nonchalantly, then released his grip, letting him take the spear.
"It's just a little exercise, why make such a fuss? Besides, this child should be trained hard in the womb so that she can grow into a strong, capable woman who is even more powerful than her mother."
Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but say, "But everyone in the court and the public hopes that you are carrying a prince. If it is a prince, he will be the future crown prince and inherit the Great Qi empire..."
Before he could finish speaking, Shen Lang's smile vanished instantly, and he interrupted him with a serious expression.
"I'm only carrying a daughter!"
He wanted to ask further, but saw that the general had already turned and walked to the table, picked up the border map and looked at it. He was clearly unwilling to continue the topic, so he swallowed his question.
To this day, he still doesn't understand why the general was so certain that she was carrying a daughter.
Just like before, he didn't understand why the general would marry the Prince of Yan, who was the least favored and had no power at the time.
Even though he was a rough and uncouth man, he could tell that the general did not like the Prince of Yan.
But she not only married him, she also used all her power to put him on the throne.
He vaguely felt that what the general wanted was never just the position of empress; she seemed to be planning something much longer.
But before he could figure it out, the general died, dying the moment he gave birth to his child.
Therefore, over the years, he has never been able to get close to the eldest princess.
Even knowing that the child was born to the general and was the daughter he had longed for all those years ago, he couldn't help but wonder: if it weren't for this child, would the general have survived?
This complex mix of emotions made him unwilling to openly oppose the Princess like Shen Guojiu, but he also never took the initiative to interact with her.
He could only watch from afar as she gradually gained a foothold in the court and secretly speak well of her to His Majesty.
But now, seeing the daughter the general risked his life to give birth to being questioned like this, he couldn't hold back anymore.
"Your Majesty!" Duke Liang bowed again. "Every word I have said is true. If there is even a single falsehood, I am willing to accept punishment under military law! Her Majesty the Empress, as a mother, is already certain that she is carrying a daughter. Consort Cui's claim that the prince was switched is utter nonsense! I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and clear the Princess's name!"
Li Ye looked at his two important ministers with a complicated expression, and then glanced at Li Yuanzhao, who remained calm.
He suppressed his doubts and said somewhat awkwardly to Cui Yunyi, "Yuan Zhao and the two ministers are right. You have no proof and only a few crazy words. How can I believe your one-sided story?"
"Besides, on the day the Empress gave birth, I stayed outside the delivery room the whole time, never leaving her side. How could there have been a case of a cat replacing the crown prince?"
As he said this, he glanced at Physician Wen, who was standing below the throne.
Whether he was with Shen Lang throughout her childbirth is now only known to the two of them.
But Li Yuanzhao had already seen through his thoughts.
Even with the testimony of important officials, the emperor's suspicions had not dissipated, and now he wanted Cui Yunyi to produce evidence.
Even at this moment, he still has to continue to play the "loving husband" role, which is quite "devoted".
It's just unknown whether he would still be able to laugh if Consort Cui continued speaking.
Seeing that this person was still deceiving himself, Cui Yunyi laughed even louder.
"Li Ye, do you dare say you were really outside the room the whole time? Do you dare say you saw Shen Lang give birth to a daughter? When Shen Lang suffered a sudden postpartum hemorrhage, where were you? What were you doing? Do you dare tell everyone present the whole story?"
The hall fell silent instantly, and everyone's puzzled gazes turned to the emperor on the throne.
What did the Imperial Concubine mean by that?
Did His Majesty really leave when the Empress gave birth?
What secrets are hidden here?
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