Chapter 102 The Truth Revealed
When Princess Ning'an and Chu Yunjin entered the palace, Yan Cang was still in Chonghua Palace.
One wave subsides, another rises.
When Emperor Zhaode learned that Princess Ning'an was requesting an audience, he subconsciously assumed that she had come because of the confiscation of Prime Minister Wen's property. He frowned and said, "I have many important matters to attend to here and do not have time to see her."
This imperial sister is also reckless.
With the Prime Minister's residence implicated in treason and collusion with the enemy, could she possibly plead for leniency? The fact that Wen Yishu wasn't implicated was already an act of extraordinary leniency on his part.
"Your Majesty, the Princess Consort of Yan has also arrived," the eunuch reported respectfully. "Princess Ning'an says she has an extremely urgent matter and requests that Your Majesty grant her an audience."
Emperor Zhaode angrily said, "Why did she bring the Princess of Yan here? Does she want the Princess of Yan to plead for her?"
Standing to the side, Yan Cang said, "Father, you should still meet her. The Eldest Princess probably didn't come here for the Prime Minister's residence."
Emperor Zhaode turned to look at him: "How did you know?"
Yan Cang said calmly, "Recently, Princess Ning'an has been in frequent contact with Yun Jin. I learned from Yun Jin that the princess has become suspicious about her inability to conceive over the years and has been investigating the matter."
Having been unable to conceive for many years?
Emperor Zhaode was puzzled. Wasn't Ning'an recently pregnant?
He was puzzled, but slowly nodded: "In that case, let Princess Ning'an and Princess Yan come in."
"Yes." The eunuch accepted the order and left.
Princess Ning'an and Chu Yunjin stepped into the palace one after the other and bowed to the emperor, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
"Your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
Chu Yunjin quietly walked over and stood next to Yan Cang.
Princess Ning'an lifted her skirt and solemnly knelt on the ground: "I discovered the truth a couple of days ago. It was Wen Yishu who had been unable to conceive all these years."
"What did you say?" Emperor Zhaode frowned. "Why would he do that?"
“Because he has three biological children.” Princess Ning’an gritted her teeth and said hatefully, “Every month he would take one day to visit the woman who bore his child, Wen Changyan’s house, a branch of the Wen family, under various pretexts. I didn’t know this before, but I only recently discovered the clues.”
She took a deep breath: "He went to the Wen family residence again today. My sister invited the Princess Consort of Yan to go with him so that we could have a witness. After we got to the Wen family residence, I asked Madam Wen to take me to see Zhao Ying'er. Outside Zhao Ying'er's room, I heard Wen Yishu talking to Zhao Ying'er."
“Zhao Ying’er said herself that it was an honor to bear children for him. Wen Shiyu kept saying that life in the Princess’s mansion was not easy, and that my sister did not plead for Wen Heyun because they were not my biological children, so I was indifferent and stood by.”
Emperor Zhaode looked at Chu Yunjin.
Chu Yunjin nodded, indicating that what Princess Ning'an said was true, and added in a low voice: "After Wen Heyun was taken to the imperial prison, Wen's husband repeatedly begged his aunt, the princess, to come to the emperor to speak for Wen Heyun. After being refused by his aunt, the father and son complained that his aunt was cold-hearted and did not treat Wen Shiyu and the others as her own children."
She paused, then continued, "Today in the Wen family's inner courtyard, in front of Zhao Ying'er, Wen Jingyi even said... she also said she didn't know when her aunt would die."
Emperor Zhaode's face was filled with anger, and his brows and eyes were frosty.
Princess Ning'an was silent for a moment: "Your Majesty, I have been kept in the dark for so many years, immersed in the gentle lies fabricated by Wen Yishu, thinking that he was a responsible man. I never expected that he had been scheming against me all along."
Emperor Zhaode's voice was icy: "So you mean that the three siblings, Wen Shiyu, Wen Shijie, and Wen Jingyi, are all children born to Consort Wen and that Zhao Ying'er?"
"yes."
"This is a crime of deceiving the emperor!" Emperor Zhaode's voice was icy and stern. "The Wen family members are all incredibly audacious! They are simply outrageous!"
"I beg Your Majesty to do me justice." Princess Ning'an lowered her eyes. "They also said... they also said that I am a bastard."
Emperor Zhaode's expression changed: "A bastard?"
Ning An gave a bitter, cold laugh: "It seems they suspect my sister's background, or they may already know secrets that my sister is unaware of."
"This is utterly absurd!" Emperor Zhaode roared in fury. "It seems I, the emperor, am also blind, allowing myself to be fooled right under my nose for so many years!"
He was furious: "Where is Wen Yishu?"
"Your Majesty, I have already ordered that all five members of their family be brought to the palace." Princess Ning'an lowered her head, her expression unreadable. "If Your Majesty truly is not a member of the royal family, then let him deal with her as he sees fit."
"What are you saying?" Emperor Zhaode's expression softened slightly. "The truth is still uncertain, and it is very likely that they are talking nonsense."
Besides, even if it really wasn't her fault, it's not her fault.
The real culprit is the person who orchestrated all of this behind the scenes.
So who is it that can so easily control everything?
Emperor Zhaode's eyes were deep and thoughtful. The eldest princess was his sister and the Empress Dowager's daughter... Could it be that the Empress Dowager was manipulating things behind the scenes?
The marriage between Princess Ning'an and her husband, Wen, was also arranged by the Empress Dowager.
He thought about the Empress Dowager's attitude towards Wen Yishu and her three children over the years, her agitated anger in defending the Prime Minister's residence a few days ago, and Princess Ning'an's inability to conceive for many years...
Emperor Zhaode couldn't help but ponder, because someone he had admired in his youth could protect his descendants so selflessly and even treat his children and grandchildren better than his own daughter.
A guard entered the hall, cupped his hands, and reported, "Your Majesty, Prince Consort Wen has been brought in."
"Bring them in!"
Prince Consort Wen, his three children, and Zhao Ying'er were brought in one by one, all of them pale-faced and looking terrified.
Upon entering the hall, Prince Consort Wen knelt down excitedly, crying out his innocence: "Your Highness, I am innocent! Please let me explain..."
When Emperor Zhaode heard the words "Let me explain," he knew that what Princess Ning'an said was true and that Wen Yishu's crimes were indeed proven.
"Wen Yishu." Emperor Zhaode looked down at him, his gaze imposing and intimidating. "For over a decade, you have deceived the Princess flawlessly. How did you manage to do that?"
Prince Consort Wen trembled and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, I am innocent! I am innocent! I have never deceived the Princess, it's all a misunderstanding..."
"Misunderstanding?" Chu Yunjin walked over and sneered, "Since you say it's a misunderstanding, then you might as well explain. In broad daylight, what are you, a man nearing forty, doing in Wen Changyan's backyard with your three children? Aren't you worried that Wen Changyan will chop you up with a knife while you're alone in a room with Zhao Ying'er? Or is this an opportunity that Wen Changyan deliberately created for you, allowing you to secretly meet with his concubine in broad daylight?"
Prince Consort Wen's face turned deathly pale: "I...I'm not..."
“The Princess heard everything you said in the room clearly,” Chu Yunjin said. “You don’t need to make excuses.”
Wen Yishu stopped arguing and stiffly knelt down, her face full of despair.
The Prime Minister's residence was raided.
His brother and his family had all been imprisoned, with no hope of being reinstated. He had been caught red-handed by Princess Ning'an. What excuse did he have?
The Prince Consort Wen said dejectedly, "I have nothing to say."
Emperor Zhaode coldly and angrily asked, "So you admit that Wen Shiyu and the other two are your biological children?"
The Prince Consort Wen's voice was filled with despair: "Yes."
Emperor Zhaode then asked, "Is their mother Zhao Ying'er?"
"……yes."
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