The Emperor looked at Qin Yuecheng kneeling below and asked with extreme displeasure, "Your Highness, do you have any evidence to accuse the current princess of being a fake heiress?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Yuecheng smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I happened to save an old woman. That old woman was one of the midwives who delivered my baby years ago. It was she who told me my true identity and the truth about how I was switched at birth."
The emperor narrowed his eyes dangerously, his body radiating imperial anger, and asked in a cold voice, "Where is that midwife now?"
Qin Yuecheng could also sense the Emperor's anger, but she thought it was directed at Qin Qianluo and was secretly pleased. She said, "Your Majesty, the midwife is currently outside the palace. Your Majesty may summon her to the palace for a confrontation."
The Emperor gave Eunuch Liu a look, and Eunuch Liu immediately ordered the guards to bring the midwife into the hall. Soon after, everyone saw the guards bring in a woman with gray hair and tattered clothes.
After entering the hall, the woman dared not look around. She hurriedly knelt down next to Qin Yuecheng and said in a trembling voice, "This humble woman, Chen Guilan, greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
The Emperor said coldly, "Chen Guilan, were you the midwife who delivered the baby at the Left Prime Minister's residence? Do you have any evidence to prove that Princess Qingyun and this woman were switched at the time?"
Chen Guilan glanced nervously at Qin Yuecheng, and only felt relieved when she saw Qin Yuecheng calmly nod slightly to her. "Your Majesty, I was one of the midwives hired by the Left Prime Minister's residence. After delivering the young lady, I was carrying hot water back when I happened to see someone suspiciously carrying a swaddled baby leaving the Left Prime Minister's wife's room. Suspicious, I put down the hot water and secretly followed. I saw that person hand the swaddled baby to a man in black. I dared not make a sound and could only approach after the figure disappeared. I found a silver lock on the ground with the character 'Qin' engraved on it. I recognized this longevity lock; it was placed in the young lady's swaddled baby by the Left Prime Minister's wife's personal nanny when she was born. Knowing that I was of low status, I could only pick up the silver lock and put it away, not daring to make a sound."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor glanced at Prime Minister Qin, whose face was already flushed with anger. Seeing the Emperor looking at him, Prime Minister Qin shook his head and denied the matter. He had never hired any outside midwives. The midwives in the Prime Minister's residence back then were midwives he had trained for many years, so there was no need to hire any more.
The Emperor lowered his gaze, his aura growing even colder. The Xuanyuan Kingdom had truly gone to great lengths: "Then how did you know that Qin Yuecheng was the baby who was switched back then?"
Chen Guilan dared not raise her head, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, when I was delivering the baby, I noticed a red mole on the inside of the little lady's arm. I took a few more glances out of curiosity and remembered it. That day, I was persecuted by villains and almost starved to death on the street. It was Miss Qin Yuecheng who gave me money and food. I thought she looked familiar, and then I remembered that she looked somewhat like the Left Prime Minister's wife. I also noticed a red mole on her arm, and that's when I realized that she was the baby that was switched with the Left Prime Minister's wife."
Qin Yuecheng also pulled up her sleeve, revealing the red mole so that everyone could see it. If it weren't for Princess Qingyun's inner voice reminding them, they probably would have believed it by now.
The Emperor glanced at it and asked, "Where is that longevity lock now?"
Qin Yuecheng took out a small and exquisite longevity lock from her bosom and held it high: "Your Majesty, when Granny Chen saw the mole on my arm and carefully examined my appearance, she found that I resembled the Left Prime Minister's wife by six points. So she gave me this longevity lock so that I could have something to prove my identity."
With a single glance from the Emperor, Eunuch Liu took the longevity lock and handed it to the Emperor. The Emperor glanced at it casually and then tossed it to Prime Minister Qin. Prime Minister Qin caught the longevity lock, curled his lip in disdain. Although it was exquisite, his wife had given Luo'er a gold lock back then.
Seeing Prime Minister Qin's disdainful look, the Emperor found it amusing, and the chill around him dissipated considerably. He asked, "Does the Left Prime Minister recognize this lock?"
Prime Minister Qin stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and said, “Your Majesty, I do not recognize this lock. It was a gold lock that my wife gave to our youngest daughter. This silver lock does not belong to me.”
Qin Yuecheng stared wide-eyed in astonishment. A girl, born with a gold lock? How could that be? A silver lock was already good enough. Why were all girls treated so well? Qin Qianluo was so lucky! She had to take it from her!
With a sob in her voice, Qin Yuecheng said, "Your Excellency, does he not want to acknowledge me? I am your own daughter! That Qin Qianluo is just a usurper!"
"Shut up, you brat!" Several angry shouts rang out. Prime Minister Qin Jiyuan glared at Qin Yuecheng, the Emperor's anger, which had just subsided, flared up again, Eunuch Liu also glared at this arrogant woman, General Mu wished he could chop this woman who spoke so wildly, and Su Jinyun also glared angrily. Everyone's eyes seemed to want to devour her.
Qin Yuecheng trembled under the angry stares of so many people, forgetting even to cry. But a greater sense of resentment welled up in her heart. Why? Why was she born a pawn, to be played with? In that country where women were not treated as human beings, Qin Qianluo had so many people protecting her!
She was unwilling to accept this and, in a moment of anger, she shouted, "Qin Qianluo is a thief who has usurped my place! She stole my life and committed such a despicable act. Qin Qianluo is utterly shameless!"
"Shut your stinking mouth!" A clear, cold voice rang out, stopping the ministers who were about to disregard their status and etiquette and take action. Everyone looked towards the palace entrance.
Lin Ruoqing, dressed in the attire of a first-rank noblewoman, had a face full of anger as she glared at Qin Yuecheng, who was kneeling in the hall. Qin Qianyu, standing beside her, was also glaring angrily at Qin Yuecheng.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
