Mrs. He was lying on the ground in a posture of complete submission. She was brought up by Empress Hu since she was a child. Although they were sisters, they were actually like mother and daughter. Now she was kneeling there with her back always straight. Emperor Yuanfeng looked through her and felt as if it was Empress Hu who had returned.
The young couple, married from birth, shared hardships together. Whenever Emperor Yuanfeng thought of his wife who had accompanied him through fire and water, his heart would unconsciously soften.
He stared at Mrs. He silently for a long time. He did not rush to call Mrs. He to get up. Instead, he said, "Aunt, do you know that Prince Zhuang discovered that someone was practicing witchcraft in the palace and cursed the royal family to have no babies born?"
Mrs. He frowned, raised her head and looked directly at Emperor Yuanfeng. After thinking for a while, she said, "Your Majesty, if you want to curse the Huang family, why do you have to start with Prince Zhuang alone? He is not the only one of your bloodline. Besides, I am watching from the sidelines and don't believe this matter has anything to do with the Song family and Song Heng."
She was frank and honest. Emperor Yuanfeng looked at her and said, "But there are witnesses and evidence. All clues point to the Song family. If, as you said, Song Heng is really Pei'er's bloodline, then the Song family is deceiving the emperor! Why didn't they report it to us for so many years, but instead prevented us from getting close to each other?! What kind of thoughts did they have?!"
This interrogation was full of traps, and it would be easy to be completely overturned if you were not careful. Mrs. He calmed her mind and did not hide her inner sorrow and anger: "Your Majesty, don't you think the timing is too coincidental? The Song family may not know Song Heng's life experience, otherwise, why did the former prince's wife make things difficult for Song Heng for so many years, almost causing a bloodbath among brothers? Besides, if the Song family really had this intention to conceal Song Heng's identity, why would they be so reckless?"
Finally, she couldn't help herself and called out to her brother-in-law in a sad voice: "Sister, your spirit in heaven is also looking forward to getting to the bottom of this matter. If the former prince and his wife knew about this, they would definitely want to know the truth!"
Emperor Yuanfeng was able to seize the throne and depose the emperor, and he could also punish his son without mercy. He was not a soft-hearted person, but Mrs. He's call of "brother-in-law" really touched his heart.
He was silent for a moment, then asked Mrs. He to stand up, and then ordered, "Call Chen Wenqing."
Uncle Chen Wenqing straightened his clothes outside, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the steps to meet the emperor.
The weather was getting colder, and the wind outside made the wind chimes under the eaves tinkle from time to time. In the past, Concubine Li liked to sit on the high platform and listen to the sound, but now, she really couldn't sit still.
The young eunuch came again and again, but never brought the news they wanted to hear.
Even someone as calm as Concubine Li couldn't hold her temper any longer: "Did something go wrong? Otherwise, why hasn't there been any movement for so long?"
If everything had gone according to plan, everything should have been settled by now. With so many witnesses and evidence, the emperor should have been shocked by now. But now there is still no reaction. How can this not make people panic
King Zhuang pondered. He was not as anxious as Concubine Li. After all, he was the one who arranged the matter. He knew best that this matter was three parts true and seven parts false. But the three parts were enough - Song Heng was really the son of the late crown prince!
If only this were implemented, the downfall of the Song family would be inevitable.
Because the Song family had hidden Song Heng for more than ten years, they couldn't explain it clearly.
As for how to verify Song Heng's background, King Zhuang also worked hard. With Chen Haohui as his accomplice, he first found the children of the wet nurse who died with the former Crown Princess, and fabricated a whole set of flawless stories for them to speak in front of the emperor.
Then there is the jade pendant, plus there is Chen Haohui's testimony, and Zhang Qingyuan is by his side - everyone knows that Zhang Qingyuan is the prince's most trusted confidant. The fact that he can stay by Song Heng's side under an assumed name, doesn't that explain something
"No hurry." King Zhuang sat on the high platform, looking at the ancient tree that had grown almost to the sky, and said slowly: "Wait a little longer."
The wait lasted until the evening.
Concubine Li could no longer hold back her anger. She clenched her hands and looked pale. "This battle concerns our future and life and death. We cannot allow any mistakes. We need to think about our retreat."
As soon as these words were spoken, another inconspicuous and unfamiliar eunuch ran into the Jiqing Palace.
Concubine Li was on the high platform. She saw the young eunuch at a glance. Her heart skipped a beat and she lowered her voice to King Zhuang and said, "Here he comes!"
Perhaps they were wrong, things were too complicated and involved the late crown prince, so Emperor Yuanfeng was a little slow
Prince Zhuang took a deep breath and helped Concubine Li down from the platform. As they walked down the stairs, they saw the young eunuch running towards them. For some reason, he suddenly felt a pain in his throat and had a bad premonition - if everything went well, the person who came to report the news should not have such an expression.
Sure enough, the young eunuch didn't even bother to kneel down, and lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, Madam, the Emperor summoned Madam Qin and Princess Zhuang to the palace."
What?!
Concubine Li had never expected that Emperor Yuanfeng would suddenly summon Madam Qin and Princess Zhuang, because there was no need to do so. Not to mention that Princess Zhuang was his daughter-in-law, she was just recovering from a miscarriage, and unless there was anything life-threatening, she should not be disturbed in any case.
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant, and she subconsciously turned to look at her son.
King Zhuang had never thought of this, but he still held out hope - not necessarily. His arrangements had been so careful that even if he summoned Mrs. Qin and Princess Zhuang, it would not change anything. They were not fools and naturally knew what to say and what not to say.
Even though he was thinking this, King Zhuang became increasingly anxious from his initial calmness. It was not until it was almost dark that he finally could no longer hold back and stood up.
Everything was going smoothly before. He came to the palace to accompany his mother, firstly to show his benevolence and filial piety, and secondly to avoid this matter and make himself appear clean and without suspicion.
But now, if things don't work out, he will be trapped.
His heart felt as if a stone had fallen on it, and it sank all the way to the bottom of the valley.
Concubine Li's face was even paler and she almost felt like vomiting. She couldn't even eat, and she kept urging Prince Zhuang to send someone to investigate. Prince Zhuang had bribed a lot of people in the palace with the help of Cheng Ding'an and the Xu family. Although he didn't dare to make friends with the eunuchs in important departments, he had won over a lot of ordinary eunuchs and small firemen, so he could always get some clues.
Prince Zhuang felt even more uncomfortable when she urged him. He frowned and was about to speak when there was a sudden commotion outside. Then the head of Jiqing Palace rushed in and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor has summoned you."