The hall fell silent, and Emperor Chongde frowned:
What is the Empress doing here at this time?
The Empress stepped into the palace gates by herself. Several ministers hurriedly bowed, but she raised her hand to decline and bowed to Emperor Chongde, saying, "I have come uninvited. Your Majesty, I apologize first."
She paused, a meaningful smile playing on her lips, her expression troubled. "However, something has happened to me, and I am truly at a loss for what to do, so I have come to Your Majesty for a decision."
Emperor Chongde's eyes deepened: "Oh? Empress, please speak freely."
Yun An, who had been keeping his head down, raised his eyes upon hearing the Empress's words. When his gaze fell upon a person standing next to the Empress, his pupils instantly contracted!
That's lotus picking!
How did she end up with the Empress?!
Yun An felt a surge of turmoil in her heart, while Cai Lian kept her head down the whole time, not daring to look at her at all.
The Empress glanced at Yun An, seemingly unintentionally, and hesitated slightly before asking, "This matter is of great importance, involving the face of the royal family. Would Your Majesty like to dismiss those around you?"
The ministers looked at each other, hesitating whether they should leave first.
Seeing this, Emperor Chongde made the decision: "Empress, please speak frankly. My ministers, there is no need to hold back."
The Empress paused, thinking to herself, "You said it yourself." She then had no more reservations: "Early this morning, Yun'an's maid, Cailian, entered the palace, crying and begging to see me, saying that... the princess wanted to kill her to silence her!"
"You lowly servant, what nonsense are you spouting?" Yun An's expression changed, and she glared fiercely at Cai Lian, who trembled and knelt on the ground with a thud.
"Princess, I really don't want to die! Please spare my life, Princess!" Cailian kowtowed repeatedly to Yun'an, whose face turned pale and then red, her eyes piercing her like knives.
"Shut up! When did I, the princess, ever want to kill you?" Enraged, she momentarily mistook the princess's residence for her own and kicked her hard to the ground.
Several ministers frowned upon seeing this.
Although it was known that Princess Yun'an was willful and capricious, if she could do so without any restraint in front of His Majesty, she would probably only be more severe in disciplining her servants in private.
Emperor Chongde's face darkened: "Yun'an, step down!"
Yun An's face stiffened, she glared at Cai Lian, and reluctantly stepped aside.
Emperor Chongde's gaze fell on Cailian, his expression inscrutable: "You said the princess wants to kill you to silence you? Why?"
Cailian's shoulders trembled, her head kowtowed to the ground, and her voice trembled: "Your Majesty, it's because...it's because this servant accidentally learned a secret."
A look of horror flashed in Yun An's eyes. Her lips moved, but Emperor Chongde spoke first: "What secret?"
Now that she's come this far, even if she backs down, the princess won't let her go!
Cailian bit her lip, a desperate determination flashing in her eyes, and suddenly looked up: "Actually, the princess is not His Majesty and Consort Li's daughter! She is this woman's granddaughter!"
She pointed to Zheng Wangshi kneeling beside her.
The people inside the hall were stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief, wondering if they had misheard. Emperor Chongde himself even gasped for breath.
"..."
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