Chapter 26

The nemesis of the aloof crown prince

The banquet at the Kunning Palace fell into an instant of dead silence.

The music of silk and bamboo stopped abruptly, the attendants held their breath, and the dropping of a pin could be heard throughout the grand hall.

Su Wan collapsed onto the cold golden brick floor, her entire body stiffening, her pupils shrinking sharply, and she was left completely dazed.

The secret ledger, the evidence of corruption...

How could these shady secrets, hidden deep within the Su Family and concealed for decades, suddenly be dug up?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

The Su Family were generations of veteran officials with a solid foundation and cautious methods. Those dark accounts had long since been sealed away in layers with extreme secrecy. Even she only understood half of it, so how could Xiao Heng have investigated them so thoroughly!

The guard knelt on the ground and reported in a loud voice, every word sounding like a thunderclap:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Your Highness! The Eastern Palace's secret guards, in coordination with the Ministry of Justice, searched the inner courtyard's secret room of the Su Residence overnight. They seized countless privately hoarded tax silver ledgers, records of bribes taken over the years, and secret letters colluding with external relatives! Every single item is true, and the ironclad evidence is like a mountain!"

The Empress sat upright on the Phoenix Throne, her complexion instantly turning ashen as her palms clenched fiercely.

She had always favored the Su Family, remembering old ties, and time and again she had tolerated Su Wan's malice and self-will, and time and again she had maneuvered and pleaded on behalf of the Su Family.

Yet she never imagined that-

The Su Family, who appeared to be a loyal and honorable clan, were actually bold enough behind the scenes to embezzle the national treasury, form private factions, and throw the imperial court into turmoil!

This was no longer a family matter or private grievance; it was a grave crime violating national law and deceiving the sovereign!

The Empress's heart was filled with both anger and regret, her complexion turning a mix of green and pale, completely losing even a shred of confidence to plead for the Su Family.

Within the hall, Su Wan raised her head abruptly, looking at Xiao Heng like a madwoman as her voice trembled piercingly:

"It was you... You started plotting against our Su Family long ago!"

"You planned to drive us to utter ruin from the very beginning, didn't you!"

Her tear-filled eyes were bloodshot and her features twisted. All her gentle masks shattered completely, leaving only bone-deep obsession and hatred.

Xiao Heng lowered his gaze to glance down at her, his eyes devoid of a single ripple, holding only a bone-chilling coldness.

"Plotting?"

He parted his thin lips, his voice ringing cold and clear through the grand hall.

"If not for your Su Family courting death step by step and refusing to know restraint, when has this prince ever thought of driving you to utter ruin?"

"Poisoning the well water, harming lives with medicinal decoctions, framing loyal and righteous men, deliberately ruining her reputation, and forming factions in the imperial court to obstruct our marriage."

"This prince exercised forbearance again and again, sparing your dignity and leaving you a way out, but your greed knew no bounds and your malicious thoughts never ceased."

"It was you yourselves who personally destroyed the Su Family's century-old foundation."

Every word rang with metallic force, every sentence piercing straight to the heart.

Su Wan was rebuffed until her entire body trembled, a breath clogged in her chest and nearly causing her to faint.

She finally understood completely.

From the moment she targeted Shen Zhiwei again and again, from the moment she refused to stop and secretly dealt venomous blows, the ending for the Su Family had already been sealed.

She fought for love a lifetime, burned with jealousy a lifetime, and schemed a lifetime.

In the end, not only did she fail to destroy Shen Zhiwei, not only did she fail to retain the slightest glimmer of the crown prince's gaze, but she had personally dragged down the entire Su Family.

The loss outweighed the gain, and she lost the entire game.

She was a complete and utter joke.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps came once more from outside the palace. Ministry of Justice officials holding case files strode into the Kunning Palace and bowed to report:

"Reporting to Her Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! The main culprit of the Su Residence, Old Master Su, and all members of the Su Family have been captured and brought to justice! Upon investigation, the amount of embezzled silver over the years is astronomical, their faction members are numerous, and the evidence of their crimes is conclusive and irrefutable!"

The grand scheme has been settled!

The century-old Su Family collapsed with a resounding crash!

The noble and illustrious clan of former days, a family of heavy weight in the imperial court, was utterly wiped out overnight.

The Empress closed her eyes, filled with exhaustion. Without a shred of strength left to defend them, she spoke in a heavy voice:

"Handle them according to the law, investigate impartially, and show no mercy."

A single sentence of impartial handling completely pronounced the death sentence of the Su Family.

Upon hearing the final sentence, the last shred of strength was completely drained from Su Wan's body.

She collapsed onto the ground, tears rolling down frantically as she laughed with a frantic and desolate expression: "Gone... everything is gone... My family background, my glory, my Prince... all gone..."

She raised her head, staring fixedly at the two people standing side by side not far away.

Xiao Heng stood tall and straight, his heart and eyes completely filled with the Shen Zhiwei by his side. Even while embroiled in the court's storm, he still instinctively turned sideways to shield her in a safe spot, the tenderness and favoritism in his eyes completely unmasked.

That was the deep affection she had begged for a lifetime, hoped for a lifetime, and gone mad for a lifetime, yet could never obtain even a sliver of.

"Shen Zhiwei..." she whispered softly, her voice hoarse and broken, "You won... you won completely and utterly..."

As her words fell, her vision darkened, her body grew soft, and she fainted away directly.

The attendants hurriedly stepped forward to support her. The once noble and precious Su Family young lady was now disheveled and utterly desolate.

From this day onward, there was no longer a gentle Miss Su in this world.

There remained only a defeated criminal whose family was ruined and who possessed nothing at all.

The tumultuous storm of the palace banquet had finally settled.

All the gloom, all the scheming, and all the grievances entwined over several years came to a complete end.

When leaving the palace, the night was gentle and the evening breeze was slightly cool.

The carriage traveled smoothly along the palace lane, warmth pervading the interior.

Shen Zhiwei leaned against Xiao Heng's embrace, letting out a long sigh of relief as the heaviness that had weighed on her heart for so long was completely lifted.

"It's... finally over."

From the Shen Family being falsely accused to surviving alone, from facing several dead ends to enduring endless storms.

She had endured a full several years of darkness, and now the weather had finally cleared, the villains were caught, and all matters were secure.

Xiao Heng lowered his head, his fingertips gently brushing away the last trace of melancholy between her brows as his voice turned gentle and lingering, filled with utter pampering.

"Mn, it's over."

"Everyone who has ever harmed you or hurt you has received their punishment."

"From now on, there will be no more storms, no more scheming, and no one will ever dare drive a wedge between you and me."

He tightened his arms, holding her securely, pressing the tip of his nose against the crown of her head as he whispered a soft promise:

"Zhiwei, from this day forward, there is only peace, and the sweetness of the passing years."

Their grand wedding was close at hand, and the road ahead lay wide open.

The wind and rain had dispersed, and all things were promising.

Their fulfillment had finally arrived as scheduled.