Chapter 219 The Mystery of My Origins
"So, is it Xiao Li or Xiao Zhi?" Du Zhengming asked.
Sure enough, a single sentence caused Consort Rong's facial expression to change slightly.
She looked up at Du Zhengming: "You are indeed clever. I underestimated you."
"Your Majesty, please tell me the truth."
I think you know this secret, Prince Rui knows it, and Princess Rui, Ye Zhen, probably knows it too.
If you don't tell us now, we'll send someone to sow discord between Ye Zhen and him, and then Ye Zhen will talk about it.
If you want to protect your child, you have to sacrifice something.
Consort Rong snorted coldly and said, "You're right, Ye Zhen knows everything, but she won't harm my son."
Du Zhengming shook his head and said, "That was before. Now, Ye Zhen's two sons, one is dead and the other is neither alive nor dead."
"Can she just stand by and watch the North fall into your son's hands?"
Consort Rong insisted, "I don't need you to sow discord. I trust Ye Zhen."
Seeing that she was unmoved by reason, Du Zhengming said again:
"Fine, if you don't want to tell me, we've already sent people to collect his blood."
Once it's retrieved and tested, we'll know the result.
At that point, whether you say it or not won't matter.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you don't seize it, don't blame me later.
Upon hearing this, Consort Rong simply closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
Seeing that he had no other choice, Du Zhengming said, "I will give you time to think it over. Once you have made up your mind, you can have the jailer call me."
After saying that, he stood up and walked outside.
He thought for a moment and decided to interrogate the Third Prince again to see if he knew anything.
After seeing his son and wife yesterday, the Third Prince told them everything in detail.
Upon seeing Du Zhengming again, his attitude became indifferent.
"I've told you everything I know, what are you doing here?"
The Third Prince spoke casually with his eyes closed.
"I have uncovered some new information that you did not mention yesterday, so I came to ask if you were aware of it."
Upon hearing this, the Third Prince opened his eyes and said, "Oh, tell me about it."
“We tested your blood, Consort Rong’s blood, and Prince Rui’s blood.”
We discovered that you share a bloodline with Prince Rui, but have no blood relation to Consort Rong.
"I'd like to ask if you are aware of this matter?"
Upon hearing this, the Third Prince looked surprised, as if he had heard an incredible joke.
"Du Shaoqing, if you have any questions, ask them as soon as possible. I promised you yesterday that I would answer them to the best of my ability."
Why go through all that trouble today, spouting such absurd nonsense?
Du Zhengming knew immediately that the Third Prince seemed to know nothing.
He sighed and said, "Third Prince, what I said is true."
Our basic deduction is that Consort Rong gave birth to Xiao Zhi, but Xiao Zhi had eye problems.
In order to gain a foothold in the harem, he sent Xiao Zhi to the northern border and replaced you with him.
Before coming to see you, I had just met with Consort Rong, who admitted that you are not her son.
The Third Prince was truly listening to something cryptic.
"This is impossible, it's simply unbelievable..."
The third prince stood up in the prison and paced back and forth, muttering to himself.
"Impossible, this is impossible... My mother has always treated me very well."
After a long while, the Third Prince stopped.
Turning to Du Zhengming, he asked, "Then who is my mother? Xiao Zhi's mother?"
Du Zhengming nodded: "Yes, I heard she died not long after giving birth to you."
The third prince suddenly sat down on the ground and said:
"Absurd... Absolutely absurd..."
Du Zhengming chimed in: "Is it absurd?"
But I don’t find it absurd at all.
Is there anything more absurd than having the emperor replaced?
"If His Majesty can be replaced, what's a little replacement of a prince a decade or so ago?"
The third prince remained silent after hearing this.
After a long pause, he finally spoke and asked Du Zhengming, "So, what brings you here today, Young Master Du?"
"I came here to ask if you know anything about Xiao Zhi."
Or did Consort Rong mention it to you?
The third prince shook his head.
Du Zhengming sighed: "It seems you're also kept in the dark."
"Do you know anything else about this matter?" Du Zhengming continued to ask.
The Third Prince continued to shake his head.
Du Zhengming stood up to leave, but after taking only a few steps, the Third Prince suddenly spoke:
"I want to see her."
"Who? Consort Rong?" Du Shaoqing asked, turning around.
"Yes."
"I need to inform His Majesty and obtain his decree."
The Third Prince hummed in agreement: "Please inform them for me."
Even if I'm going to die, I want to die knowing the truth. I don't want to live my life in a daze.
He died without even knowing who his biological parents were.
Du Zhengming sighed, which was taken as an agreement.
Du Zhengming was so busy that he didn't have a drop of water to eat or drink.
Upon returning to the government office, a food box was found on the table.
Upon opening it, I found a delicious array of six dishes and a soup, each with its own unique color, aroma, and flavor.
Du Zhengming was starving, so he immediately washed his hands and began to eat heartily.
After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, they began to review today's case files.
As I watched, I couldn't resist the drowsiness any longer, so I propped my head up and fell asleep.
When the palace eunuchs returned from their stroll in the streets to retrieve the food box, they found Du Zhengming asleep with his head propped up.
The eunuch did not disturb him, took the things and left.
Upon returning to the palace, he met with Princess Yongning and recounted in detail what he had witnessed.
Princess Yongning felt very distressed upon hearing this.
However, considering the tense situation at court, it was only natural that the Dali Temple was working hard to investigate cases under imperial orders.
So he instructed people not to send gifts for the next few days, but to send meals every day.
As night deepened, the entire capital city quieted down from its hustle and bustle.
Xiao Ling dragged her tired body home.
Xie Yunyu quickly instructed people to help him wash his hands and face.
Xie Yunyu brought out the food prepared in the kitchen.
"Oh dear, this day has been exhausting," Xiao Ling exclaimed.
"What have you been up to today? You look so tired."
Xie Yunyu ladled out a bowl of mung bean soup and handed it to Xiao Ling.
"Drink some water first to quench your thirst."
Xiao Ling held the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
Xie Yunyu then served him the rice and laid out the dishes for him.
Xiao Ling ate a whole bowl of rice before coming to his senses and replying:
"It's all because of those memorials."
The Consort Xian has a heatstroke, and the Second Prince did not go to help her today.
“Isn’t there also the Fifth Prince?” Xie Yunyu replied.
"The Fifth Prince? Hmph!"
"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be so tired."
Xiao Ling spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"He didn't want to read the memorials; he would drink water, go to the toilet, or stretch."
He disturbed my peace and quiet, so I scolded him a couple of times.
He stopped making a fuss, but then started asking me questions about the memorials one by one.
I don't even know if he did it on purpose.
Xie Yunyu laughed when she heard this, as it reminded her of when she was learning needlework as a child.
You won't be able to learn it.
"why are you laughing?"
Xiao Ling asked, puzzled.
"I remembered learning needlework when I was a child, just like the Fifth Prince."
My mother watched for two days and finally realized that I really had no talent for needlework.
So they gave up.
"You're not good at needlework?" Xiao Ling asked in surprise.
"Among the four arts, I am not good at playing the zither. Among medicine, divination, and astrology, I am not good at divination. Among poetry, books, and etiquette, I am not good at poetry."
“You’re not good at poetry yet. I heard from my grandfather that you’re the best at poetry.”
Xiao Ling turned her head in surprise.
"Would you believe me if I said I copied someone else's work?" Xie Yunyu pouted.
I don't believe it.
"I knew you wouldn't believe me. Fine, I'm not going to explain anymore. Just continue with your story."
"My business?"
"Is it because you're so tired?"
"That's all."
"Just because of the Fifth Prince?"
“I can’t even handle him alone, how would I survive if another one came along?”
Xiao Ling complained.
…………
Dear readers, chapter 217 was missed, but it has been added.
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