The Crown Princess overturned the table and turned the tables; she lit this fire in the Eastern Palace herself

Gu Moyuan looked down at her.

"You've gotten bolder lately."

Chen Qinglan raised her face, her eyes still red, but her voice was not as yielding as usual.

"If I were any more timid, I fear the Chen Family would have been devoured by you and the Empress, leaving not even bones behind."

Gu Moyuan's face darkened.

"Presumptuous."

"It is Your Highness who is being presumptuous."

Chen Qinglan pushed herself up, her ankle cut by broken porcelain, blood staining the edge of her sock.

She didn't look at her wound, but stared at Gu Moyuan, every word filled with resentment that had been suppressed for many years.

Does Your Highness believe the Empress will still pave the way for your future?

With you locked up in the Eastern Palace, who outside would still treat you as the crown prince?

Gu Moyuan's hand froze in mid-air.

Chen Qinglan smiled, but it was a bitter smile.

"The Fifth Prince, Gu Nianli, is only nine years old, yet the Empress is already choosing a suitable match for him, and coincidentally, she has chosen my own younger sister!"

And you? You sit here drinking cold wine, taking your anger out on me, and you think you're some kind of crown prince who can decide the life and death of others at will?"

"Shut up."

Gu Moyuan stood up, smashing his wine cup on the ground.

The wine splashed onto Chen Qinglan's skirt, and a strong smell of alcohol wafted over.

"The Empress Dowager is supporting my fifth brother only to stabilize the Empress's position. She will not abandon me."

Chen Qinglan looked at him without a trace of fear in her eyes.

"Does Your Highness truly believe this?"

Gu Moyuan's face twitched.

Chen Qinglan took a step forward.

"You distanced yourself from your own mother, Consort Xian, back then because her maternal clan had no one to help you."

The Empress paved the way for you, so you treated her like your own mother.

But now that you've committed one offense after another, it would be foolish for the Queen to still place all her bets on you."

She paused, lowering her voice.

"You can't even keep an heir, why should the Empress wait for you to turn things around?"

After those words were spoken, the hall fell silent except for the crackling of the charcoal fire.

The color drained from Gu Moyuan's face little by little.

He wanted to argue.

But in the Hall of Supreme Ultimate, Chu Tianxing's words "it's difficult to have children" echoed in his ears again.

The imperial physicians bowed their heads, the emperor looked disappointed, and the guards outside the Eastern Palace grew increasingly tighter—all huddled together.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Chen Qinglan felt no pleasure whatsoever.

She had hoped that this person would wake up soon, and that one day he would see her situation.

But seeing him so dejected, she only felt tired.

Gu Moyuan gripped the corner of the table, his fingertips digging into the edge.

"Mother... has she already contacted Qingyuan?"

Chen Qinglan did not answer.

Silence is more ruthless than a response.

Gu Moyuan suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with suppressed anger.

"How dare she be so fast!"

Why doesn't she dare?

Chen Qinglan's voice softened.

"Your Highness, you are already a pawn in her hands."

If she wants to remain empress, she has to find a new path for herself.

"You're quite steady on your feet," the crown prince said hoarsely.

"Is the Chen Family now also considering changing masters?"

Chen Qinglan did not answer immediately, but instead looked down at the medicine cup on the table.

The prince, growing increasingly enraged at her lack of response, grabbed the cold, half-cold teacup on the table and forcefully splashed it at her.

Tea mixed with shards of porcelain flew past her forehead, landing and shattering into pieces.

A red mark appeared on Chen Qinglan's forehead. She raised her hand to wipe away the water stains on her forehead, her gaze falling on the Crown Prince's face without looking away.

"Your Highness certainly had the strength to spill that tea." Her voice was flat, tinged with sarcasm.

"I don't know why this strength can't be used for anything worthwhile."

The crown prince's face flushed instantly. He stood up abruptly, pointing at Chen Qinglan, his finger trembling uncontrollably.

"What did you say?"

"Your Highness doesn't understand, and I have no way to explain it to you." Chen Qinglan took a step forward, her foot bumping into the overturned charcoal brazier.

She lifted her foot and sent the charcoal brazier rolling away, sending ashes flying and settling between the two of them.

She stared into the crown prince's eyes, her voice flat.

"Your Highness can't even last three breaths in bed, how can the Chen Family be expected to serve you?"

The Chen Family's silver, the Chen Family's disciples, and the infamy the Chen Family has shielded His Highness from over the years—

Does Your Highness truly believe that a crown prince without an heir can survive until the throne?

At this moment, the crown prince looked as if he had been stripped naked in public; all the color drained from his face, leaving only a deathly pale complexion.

He opened his mouth to curse, but no sound came out. He could only stare intently at the Crown Princess, his knuckles digging into the sandalwood armrest, not even noticing the tiny bloodstain that tore his skin.

A long silence followed.

Gu Moyuan walked around the table, his steps somewhat unsteady.

He walked to the window and pushed it open halfway.

The night wind blew in, chilling you to the bone.

The face of Consort Xian suddenly appeared in his mind.

That woman always dressed plainly and didn't dare to say much when she saw him.

When he was little, she would sew knee pads for him and make osmanthus cakes. Later, when he was made crown prince, he visited her palace less and less often.

She didn't ask any more questions.

At that time, Gu Moyuan felt that his mother was weak and useless, far less capable of planning for him than the Empress.

Now the Empress is starting to find a maternal family for her fifth brother.

Therefore, the person you push away with your own hands might be the only one you won't use to exchange for bargaining chips!

"Someone come here."

The prince exploded.

No one came in from outside.

The palace servants were all afraid of angering him.

Gu Moyuan raised his voice. "Guards!"

A young eunuch entered the hall tremblingly and knelt by the door.

What are your orders, Your Highness?

Go and invite Consort Xian.

The young eunuch turned pale.

"Your Highness, the Eastern Palace is under strict guard; this servant dares not..."

Gu Moyuan stared at him, his chest heaving violently.

He wanted to lose his temper and drag the man out to beat him to death.

But when he raised his hand halfway up, he let it fall back down.

Even a lowly eunuch knew that he was just a useless person who could be deposed as crown prince at any time.

As Chen Qinglan watched this scene, her fingers slowly tightened.

Gu Moyuan turned around and his gaze fell on her.

"You're right."

His voice was a little hoarse.

"The Empress Dowager wants to abandon the orphan."

Chen Qinglan did not respond.

Gu Moyuan suddenly laughed, but his laughter was dry.

"Since they all wish for my death, I will not let them have their way."

He walked to the desk and pulled out a blank sheet of paper.

Chen Qinglan's expression changed when she saw his actions.

What does Your Highness intend to do?

What are you afraid of?

Gu Moyuan picked up his brush, the ink shimmering on the tip.

"I only wish to write a letter to my mother, Consort Xian."

Chen Qinglan stared at his hand.

Gu Moyuan wrote the words "Your subject kowtows to wish Mother Consort peace," but the strokes of his pen became increasingly heavy.

He wasn't there to offer greetings.

He wanted to uncover everything that the Eastern Palace had hidden all these years.

How the Empress helped him ascend to the throne, how the Chen Family was bound to the Eastern Palace, and how the Consort Xian was neglected.

And those old stories he once dared not touch or ask about.

Since the queen wanted to choose a new son, he overturned the chessboard.

As Chen Qinglan watched his retreating figure, the worst possible scenario was already on her mind.

He immediately turned and walked out.

Her ankle wound was chafing painfully, but she didn't stop.

Chen Qingyuan was summoned to the palace every day.

The Chen Family is still under the Empress's nose.

This time, she couldn't wait for someone else to make the decision for her.

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[Thanks to: Bailu for the update reminder, Wan Gui, Xinghe, and Wangzhe for the "God-level" certification! Thanks to Jiu Meng for the likes, two milk teas, and capsules! And to so many other darlings for their love and support! I'm so grateful to you all! ˗ˋˏᰔᩚˎˊ˗]