Entering the Palace to Discuss Matters

The Empress Dowager fingered her prayer beads, memories of Xiao Qianyu being raised at her knee flashing through her mind one by one.

When he was still swaddled, he would open his toothless mouth and smile at her so adorably;

When he learned to walk, the palace attendants would carry him to play in the gardens, and he would always remember to pick flowers himself and bring them back for her, his Imperial Grandmother;

When he grew a little older, he would fuss over her like a little adult, solemnly instructing the palace attendants to take good care of her;

Whenever she and the Emperor clashed, that child would stubbornly and boldly defend her;

At times, the Empress Dowager felt that the Crown Prince was simply too gentle and sentimental. He seemed to truly understand her pain as a mother estranged from her son, and the loneliness and hardship of being laden with glory yet trapped deep within the palace. That was why he was always so considerate and sensible, always putting himself in others' shoes—yet that also made him easy for others to hurt!

A tear could not help but slip from the corner of her eye. The Empress Dowager prayed devoutly, "Yu'er, go peacefully. May your next life be safe and fulfilled, and may you never again be born into an imperial family, life after life."

She closed her eyes and silently recited her prayers when Nanny Feng burst in. "Empress Dowager, something has happened at the Execution Grounds."

The Empress Dowager abruptly opened her eyes. "What did you say?"

Nanny Feng hurriedly relayed the eunuch's report.

With a clatter, the Empress Dowager snapped the prayer beads in her hand, and the round beads scattered uncontrollably across the floor.

Her gaze turned dark and unfathomable. Stretching out her hand, she said, "Help me up. Where is His Majesty? Take me to him at once."

Kunning Palace.

Empress Changsun was the current Emperor's first wife. She later bore the Emperor two sons and a daughter, her position unshakable and her favor boundless.

Crown Prince Xiao Qianyu was her first child and also the Emperor's legitimate eldest son. At the age of three, he had naturally been named Crown Prince.

Who could have imagined that the Crown Prince was fake? From the moment of his birth, villains had swapped him out of the deep palace, using a counterfeit child to steal the true one's place.

Fortunately, Heaven had opened its eyes. The traitorous officials and rebels' scheme had been exposed, and amid the setting right of chaos, everything returned to its proper place. The True Crown Prince had been found, while the False Crown Prince had been sent to the execution ground and was about to be beheaded.

Yet the False Crown Prince had, after all, been raised at the Empress's knee for many years. Before his identity was exposed, they had once shared the loving harmony of mother and son for twenty years.

Thus, although she hated the False Crown Prince, people were not grass or trees—how could they be without feelings? Knowing that he was about to be beheaded and depart for the Yellow Springs, the Empress could not help but feel sorrow.

The Second Prince knew his mother would be heartbroken, so he had rushed into the palace early in the morning to attend her at her knee, hoping to soothe her troubled heart.

Sure enough, with the Second Prince at her side playing the dutiful child in colorful clothes and joking around, the Empress gradually began to smile. She even ate a few more bites at lunch. The atmosphere in the hall eased, and even the palace maids' nerves were no longer wound so tight.

The Empress's chief palace maid finally dared to joke, "Thankfully, the Second Prince is here. Otherwise, Your Majesty might have wasted away from grief. We servants would not even know how to console you. As expected, the Second Prince is the most filial to Your Majesty."

The Empress was dignified and graceful in appearance, gentle and elegant, with faint lines at the corners of her eyes. At that moment, a smile rested on her lips as she looked at the Second Prince with boundless maternal affection, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

Naturally, the Empress loved her obedient and filial younger son. Unlike her eldest son... Thinking of her eldest son, pain stabbed through her heart, leaving her desolate and bereft. She forced a smile. "Qianze is naturally excellent. You have been thoughtful."

As she spoke, she patted her younger son's hand.

Second Prince Xiao Qianze said sweetly, "This is what your son ought to do. I do not deserve Mother Empress's praise. If Mother Empress truly finds me filial, then reward me generously later. Your son will accept it all."

The Empress liked how her younger son never stood on ceremony with her. She pressed her lips into a smile. "Fine. Whatever treasures you take a fancy to, have Pomegranate pack them up later and send them to the Second Prince's residence."

"Your son thanks Mother Empress." The Second Prince grinned.

Just as the atmosphere was full of delight, news arrived from the Execution Grounds—lightning had descended from the heavens to protect Xiao Qianyu. The Three Judicial Offices had misjudged the case. Xiao Qianyu had always been the True Crown Prince.

"What?" The Empress shot to her feet in shock, the phoenix hairpins atop her head swaying.

Second Prince Xiao Qianchen's eyes flickered uncertainly. He even spilled the tea in his hand. He hurriedly set the cup back on the tea table and lowered his head to conceal his unwilling expression, utterly failing to notice that the Empress's face held only horrified bewilderment, not a trace of joy.

"Was it not said that the evidence conclusively proved the Crown Prince was fake? How could such an important matter possibly be misjudged? What are the Three Judicial Offices even for? Where is the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review? Where are the Ministry of Justice officials? Are they all a pack of useless fools?" The Empress's expression changed drastically as she questioned them in rapid succession. She slammed her hand on the table and rose. "Where is His Majesty? I wish to see His Majesty."

The Empress hurried out of Kunning Palace with her attendants, Xiao Qianchen following close behind without leaving a single step between them.

After Emperor Yongchang issued a decree during the morning court ordering the execution of the False Crown Prince Xiao Qianyu, he dismissed court early.

Thinking of Xiao Qianyu about to be beheaded before the public, his mood immediately grew heavy. After handling several memorials, he rose and went to the inner palace for diversion.

The few new young concubines he had recently taken were fresh and beautiful. He went over to sit with them for a while, and only with beauties there to soothe him did his mood improve somewhat.