Chapter 734: Shu Yu's Idea (Patreon)
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Chapter 734: Shu Yu's Idea
In the book, the Fifth Prince always sought to manipulate others, trying to pit the Second Prince and the Third Prince against each other to weaken their power, just like what happened with the Shu family.
However, there was one incident where the male and female leads were trapped in a crisis and hurriedly took refuge in a secret passage, only to discover that it was a meeting place for the Noble Consort and a certain courtier. Both parties were shocked, and unfortunately, they were discovered.
With no escape route, they were forced to fight their way out, revealing the truth.
The Emperor soon learned of the situation and was so shocked that he knocked over his most precious inkstone and fainted on the spot. Before the situation could escalate, he ordered the news to be sealed and rumors to be controlled. Such a scandal involving the royal family must not be leaked.
Next, he summoned all the relevant personnel to the court for questioning and uncovered a shocking secret—the Second Prince was the courtier's son.
The Emperor, who was already gravely ill, spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out.
When he regained consciousness, he accused the Noble Consort and the courtier of various crimes and secretly executed them.
As for the Second Prince, perhaps for the sake of face, the Emperor spared his life for the time being but demoted him to a commoner. He was later sent to exile in the northwest and was killed on the way.
Everyone knew who carried out the act.
If the matter had ended there, it would have been acceptable. However, the Emperor was extremely concerned about his reputation. Since it was the male and female leads who exposed the truth, he had no intention of sparing them.
Using a similar excuse, the Emperor imprisoned the male and female leads.
At that time, they were under the protection of the Fifth Prince, who had greatly assisted them. They were his right-hand men.
Naturally, the Fifth Prince couldn't just stand by and watch them die. He had no choice but to intervene and save them.
With that rescue, he revealed himself, and the Third Prince, who had previously paid little attention to him, quickly discovered his true identity and turned his anger towards him.
Even the Emperor began to suspect this son of his and started suppressing him.
Fortunately, the Fifth Prince had already established a solid foundation, and the power of the Third Prince had greatly diminished over the years. With the Emperor's failing health, they couldn't stop the Fifth Prince from ascending the throne.
However, due to this incident, the path to the throne had become more complicated and filled with hardships for the Fifth Prince. There were also rumors circulating after his ascension, claiming that he was not legitimate.
So when Meng Yunzheng mentioned Gong Qiu's involvement with the concubines in the palace, the name "Noble Consort" flashed through Shu Yu's mind.
After all, not many people had the audacity to do such things.
Shu Yu said to Meng Yunzheng, "I heard you mention the assassination attempt on the Liu family back then, and I thought maybe only Noble Consort Liu's family had such an experience in the palace."
"That was already twenty years ago. I didn't expect you to know about it."
Shu Yu forced a smile. She knew about things that happened twenty years later. Would you believe it?
She changed the topic, "Have you ever thought that the Second Prince might also be that man's son?"
Meng Yunzheng looked at her abruptly. "What, what are you saying?"
"Well... it's just speculation. We should be bold in our guesses but cautious in seeking evidence, right? Think about it, the Noble Consort and Gong Qiu were involved in an affair so early on, and their relationship was so strong. It's not impossible that the Second Prince could be his son." She paused for a moment, then lowered her voice mysteriously. "Even if he's not his son, we can make it seem like he is."
Meng Yunzheng squinted his eyes slightly and fell into deep thought.