Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court

“Nine generations?”

The Prince Consort’s heart skipped a beat but quickly regained composure as he gripped the Princess’s chin.

“Who do you think you are? Do you think this is where you belong? You’re just the daughter of a concubine in the palace. This is a countryside estate on the outskirts of the capital. If you die here, as long as I say you accidentally fell off a cliff, no one will know. You weren’t born of the Empress, and His Majesty won’t spare a thought for you.”

“Cough, cough, cough—”

Princess Wanshou slapped at him, struggling desperately, but the heartless Prince Consort only tightened his grip, nearly snapping her jaw.

“Your Highness,” the Prince Consort said coldly, smiling, “You’ve taken Zhizhi’s place for so long. It’s time to return it to her.”

Bang!

The door was kicked open.

“Return it to whom?” A wine jug, filled with anger, flew in, striking the Prince Consort on the forehead.

The Prince Consort covered his head, the sharp impact of the porcelain causing a strong dizziness. The pain shot down his scalp like a knife slowly cutting into him. The ceramic shards scraped his face, and the sharp pain felt like countless needles piercing his skin.

The small bleeding cuts burned and itched. The Prince Consort, in pain, didn’t know whether to keep covering his head or his face.

The Princess collapsed on the floor, her arms hanging limply at her sides, her palms still sweaty. She looked up at the person walking toward them, breathing heavily, “Father…”

The Prince Consort looked up, recognizing the person who had entered—his father-in-law, Emperor Tiantong.

Behind him, to his shock, were the Prime Minister and the six ministers, all wearing expressions that were neither smiles nor sneers, merely watching him.

His legs… went weak instantly.

“Your—Your—Your Majesty—”

The Prince Consort stammered, his teeth chattering, unable to believe his eyes.

Why would the Emperor suddenly come to the outskirts of the capital? And coincidentally appear just as he was about to execute Princess Wanshou?

The key point was! Why did he bring a bunch of high-ranking officials with him? Who goes to visit their daughter and son-in-law with ministers in tow? Was he specifically here to catch him in the act?

Xu Yanmiao took in the sight of the Prince Consort.

[So this is the Prince Consort who dared to execute the Princess? Liu Yi, the second son of the Duke Song, Liu Shen, and a celebrated scholar of poetry, calligraphy, and painting— the greatest talent of the Great Xia Dynasty?]

[He looks like a decent enough person, but how could he do such things as injuring the Princess’s eye, intentionally taking on eight concubines after the Princess’s miscarriage, rolling in bed with them in front of the Princess, and forcing her to plead for an official position for his younger brother?]

Each of the Prince Consort’s crimes that Xu Yanmiao recalled made the old Emperor’s fury rise, his breath growing heavier, as if a raging beast was roaring in his chest.

Finally, it erupted into a thunderous command: “Guards! Drag this bastard out and behead him! Anyone in his household who knew of this and didn’t report it—executed as well. His older and younger brothers are to share in the punishment. As for his father, I’ll spare his life and send him to the frontier to serve in the military. Furthermore, his father’s title as Duke will be revoked, and his mother will be stripped of her rank, reduced to commoner status!”

The Emperor was clearly showing some favor to the Duke Song, or else the entire family would be annihilated.

But Liu Yi didn’t think so.

The so-called “greatest talent” of the dynasty took a deep breath, standing tall as if still as graceful as ever, unbowed, “Your Majesty, what crime have I committed by instructing my wife? Why such a heavy punishment?”

But the rapid beating of his heart, the sweat dripping from his forehead, and the stench of fear and panic emanating from his armpits and all over his body revealed the tension in his emotions.

The old Emperor fell silent for a moment, his voice strangely distorted: “Instructing your wife? You say you were ‘instructing’ your wife?”

Liu Yi looked at Princess Wanshou, his flawless face turning toward her, his lips curving slightly: “The Princess can testify.”

Everyone turned to look at the Princess.

She remained silent for a few moments, then spoke weakly, her jaw clenched with the effort: “Father…”

The words caused her jaw to bruise, and there was a pause before she continued, unexpectedly pleading: “Father, please revoke the order. Yi Lang… Yi Lang was just angry for a moment. He didn’t mean to hurt me.”

The old Emperor: “…”

The old Emperor: “Huh?”

Liu Yi smiled faintly, that was his confidence.

—He knew full well the Princess’s affection for him, and it sickened him.

Princess Wanshou knew she was being shameless, but… she really couldn’t bear to hurt Yi Lang…

So she timidly looked at the old Emperor, “Father! Please!”

“You wait, wait—” The old Emperor gripped his forehead tightly with his right hand, almost forcing the words out from his throat: “He’s bringing concubines into your room to have sex, and you’re still begging for mercy for him?!”

The word “sex” was far too crude, and the Prince Consort clenched his fists in embarrassment.

Princess Wanshou turned pale, her voice trembling, “Father… How did you know…?”

Could it be that the Jinyiwei had infiltrated her side without her noticing?

The old Emperor smiled mysteriously, as if everything was under control.

The Princess held a title, not an official position. The Prince Consort held an official post but not one with an official seal, a ceremonial title. They couldn’t hear Xu Yanmiao’s thoughts—only the Duke Song, Liu Yi’s father, could, though he hadn’t told his son about it.

Mostly because the Duke Song hadn’t known his son was having an affair with the Princess.

In any case, if they held an official seal, they could hear the active thoughts of a person.

[Could the Princess have been manipulated by him?]

[No wonder, she gets insulted with venomous words every so often. She must often be blamed by this scumbag Prince Consort for “taking another woman’s place” but is too embarrassed to confide in anyone. She has to suffer in silence in the back palace, convincing herself that she loves this scumbag so much, there’s no way she can live without him.]

[Stupid scumbag, always eyeing other women while eating at the table, irresponsible, using the Prince Consort’s salary and enjoying the royal status, yet not treating the Princess properly, belittling and suppressing her—he’s a true scum.]

[What a pity, the Princess probably really believes she’s in love and can’t leave this scumbag, but she hasn’t realized she’s being manipulated.]

[Beep—]

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