Chapter 76: Regret… For Giving Birth to Me?

Inside Qingyun Palace.

Madam Sun was wiping her tears.

Wen Qingyuan kept his head down.

The mother and son looked as pitiful as could be.

Concubine Hui, her mouth twisted, paced back and forth in the room, “…Stop…crying!”

Speaking with a crooked mouth was truly exhausting.

Madam Sun immediately stopped crying and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. “Daughter, have you thought of a way to save your brother?”

Concubine Hui was infuriated, and her twisted mouth suddenly straightened out, though she didn’t realize it. “Mother, it’s not that I want to scold you, but if my brother is foolish, must you follow suit? The imperial examination is a matter of national importance, the backbone of the court, not something to be trifled with!

Wen Qingyuan is a useless, reckless fool, and you follow right along with him. How do you expect to remedy this situation? The best solution is for him to immediately confess to the Emperor. The Emperor is magnanimous; I’m sure he will be lenient.”

Huh?

Her mouth had straightened out from anger…

“No, Jiao’er, your brother has committed a capital offense. If he confesses, not only will he be executed, but our entire Wen family will be doomed.”

“If you know it’s a capital offense, then he should all the more confess. Do you think this matter can be hidden forever? Do you think the Emperor is a fool?” Concubine Hui gritted her teeth. “When I was young, you favored my brother and neglected me.

When I grew up, for the sake of securing the Wen family’s status and for your own glory, you sent me to the palace to be chosen as a concubine. And now, when Wen Qingyuan has caused trouble, you come running to my palace, finally thinking of me.

When there was no trouble, how many times did you visit me over the years? Just once?

Mother, let me tell you, the reason Wen Qingyuan is in this mess today is because you spoiled him rotten!

Now that trouble has come, you look to me for help. You’ve come to the wrong person!”

“Jiao’er, don’t say that. Our Wen family only has one son, your brother…”

Concubine Hui couldn’t listen any longer and interrupted, “Yes, in your eyes, sons are for continuing the family line and bringing prosperity, while daughters are just a burden, a waste to raise. Well, now your precious son is about to die, and only now do you remember you have a daughter. Don’t you think it’s a little late?”

“Jiao’er!” Madam Sun slapped Concubine Hui across the face.

Concubine Hui turned her head away, standing still.

Madam Sun was stunned. “Jiao’er, I… I didn’t mean to, I…”

She took a step forward.

Concubine Hui sneered, “I merely spoke the truth, and you became so enraged that you hit me. When Wen Qingyuan endangered the entire Wen family, did you ever lay a finger on him? Mother, put yourself in my shoes. If you value sons so much and despise daughters, why didn’t you just drown me at birth? Why let me live to be a constant source of your irritation?”

Madam Sun sat down on the floor, crying loudly, “Jiao’er, you can’t say that. Back then, with the Third Prince, it was I who gave you the idea and helped you!”

Noticing Concubine Hui’s warning glance, Madam Sun quickly shut her mouth.

“I was wrong, I was wrong.”

Concubine Hui found the scene utterly ridiculous.

Wen Qingyuan stood by, dumbfounded. “Sister…”

Concubine Hui trembled with rage. Why did she have such a family?

“The Emperor has arrived!”

As soon as the Tyrant stepped into Qingyun Palace, the three of them immediately saluted him.

The Tyrant stood there, his gaze landing on the red mark on Concubine Hui’s face. His eyes darkened. “It seems I have arrived at an inconvenient time.”

“Your Majesty, what are you saying? I’m overjoyed that you’ve come. I long for your visits to Qingyun Palace day and night.”

By her calculations, it had been over half a year since the Emperor last visited Qingyun Palace.

She had thought the Emperor had forgotten about her.

“Arrest Wen Qingyuan!” The Tyrant’s voice was cold and devoid of emotion.

Concubine Hui looked up, shocked. “Your Majesty…”

The Tyrant’s gaze was icy, his presence commanding. “Concubine Hui, are you planning to plead for Wen Qingyuan?”

Concubine Hui knelt on the ground. “Your Majesty, I…”

She knew that pleading now would be useless and would only provoke the Emperor’s wrath, implicating herself as well.

Wen Qingyuan was taken away.

Madam Sun wept uncontrollably.

Concubine Hui kept signaling to her with her eyes.

But Madam Sun couldn’t contain herself.

“As for the rest of the Wen family, I will investigate thoroughly. If they were kept in the dark, they will be spared, but if they are found guilty of covering up the crime… they will not be shown any mercy!”

Although the Tiansheng Dynasty had no precedent for a female emperor, there’s always a first time for everything.

Ah Bao had the absolute ability to sit on the throne.

Of course, this idea was something he would never share with anyone.

The Tyrant went to see the Minister of Justice.

The Minister of Justice had already been to the palace in the morning, but he had to return in the afternoon.

He reported the important developments regarding the civil service exam fraud case to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, Shangguan Ze has confessed everything. It wasn’t Minister Wen of the Ministry of Rites who was involved in the fraud, but rather his son, Wen Qingyuan.”

The Minister of Justice reported the whole story, including the relationship between Xiao Liangliang and Xiao Ziran.

The Tyrant already knew all about these matters from Ah Bao’s thoughts.

No wonder Ah Bao sighed when the Minister of Rites was mentioned.

Eunuch Xi softly added from the side, “Your Majesty, Madam Sun has accompanied Wen Qingyuan into the palace to visit Concubine Hui. They are currently in Qingyun Palace.”

The Tyrant’s face darkened. “Prepare to go to Qingyun Palace.”

The Third Prince felt a mix of emotions.

In the past, when he said he wanted to visit his mother at Qingyun Palace, he was somewhat happy. But today, he couldn’t muster any joy.

His mother wasn’t really his mother.

The Third Prince, who couldn’t keep things bottled up, didn’t know how he would face his ‘mother’ next.

…

Qingyun Palace.

Madam Sun fainted in fear after hearing the Emperor’s words.

She was carried out of the palace by attendants.

By the time she arrived at the Wen residence, it was already night.

Minister Wen hurried out upon hearing the news and finally learned what had happened in the palace.

He cursed Madam Sun for being foolish and scolded his disappointing son.

“Minister Wen, His Majesty has decreed that Madam Sun is guilty of covering up a crime. Considering her role as a mother, she will receive ten lashes as a warning to others,” the head eunuch conveyed.

Upon hearing this, Minister Wen immediately bowed repeatedly. “I am willing to take the punishment in my wife’s place.”

“Master, I cannot make that decision. You will need to petition the Emperor yourself.”

Minister Wen watched as the unconscious Madam Sun received ten lashes.

She was jolted awake by the beating, only to faint again.

…

In Qingyun Palace.

The Emperor held Ah Bao tightly in his arms.

Di Zian hadn’t come along, fearing his own bad luck might result in another scolding.

The Third Prince, however, stood obediently at the side.

“Concubine Hui, is there anything else you’re hiding from me?”

Concubine Hui, uncomfortable and with a swollen face, lowered her head, not daring to speak unless the Emperor asked.

Assuming the Emperor was inquiring about the civil service exam fraud case, she shook her head. “Your Majesty, I wouldn’t dare hide anything from you.”

The Tyrant’s demeanor grew darker.

“Are you sure?”

Concubine Hui bit her lip. “Your Majesty…”

The Tyrant grew impatient and stood up. “Since there’s nothing more here, I’ll take my leave. As for the matters of your Wen family, a married daughter is like spilled water; I won’t involve you.”

However, he couldn’t just ignore the issue of the Third Prince’s parentage.

The royal bloodline was not something to be taken lightly.

Seeing that Concubine Hui seemed unaware of his suspicions, the Emperor decided he needed to investigate thoroughly.

The Emperor left with Ah Bao in his arms, while the Third Prince found an excuse to stay behind.

Concubine Hui wiped away her tears.

“It’s all your fault for being so useless! Now, even my brother has been implicated, and your little uncle is in prison. If you don’t work harder to climb up the ranks, how will we ever see a day of glory?”

The Third Prince frowned deeply.

Over the years, he had often obeyed his mother, never going against her wishes.

He knew that before entering the palace, his mother hadn’t lived well in the Wen family; his grandmother didn’t like her.

Because of this, he tried his best to be obedient, to avoid making his mother angry.

In this palace, his mother had only him as her family.

But he hadn’t expected this…

“Mother, do you think I’m useless?”

Concubine Hui was startled. “Indeed! You’ve accomplished nothing! I used to think the Seventh Prince was the most useless, but now I think you are!”

Perhaps it was the frustration from Wen Qingyuan’s situation, but Concubine Hui’s temper flared, and she spoke harshly.

The Third Prince let out a bitter laugh and lowered his head. “So… you must regret giving birth to me, don’t you?”