NOVEL NEXT Chapter 151 - 151: Disdainful
Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Disdainful
The Emperor’s face showed his displeasure as he angrily said, “Before I bestowed the marriage to the Crown Prince, why did the Leng Family push her forward?”
Originally, Lai Manting was the chosen one, but after the urgent pleas from the Leng Family and Consort Xian, the candidate was changed to Leng Yu Yan.
Now, Old Madam Lai had exploded with this shocking news.
The Emperor’s eyes swirled with raging fury as he rebuked, “Do you know what the crime of deceiving the sovereign is? It seems that Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion is not far from being raided!”
His gaze was sharp, and he radiated the imposing authority accumulated from long years on the throne.
Leng Zongfa hurried over and knelt, kowtowing, “Emperor, my mother is old and senile, talking nonsense, please forgive us!”
Old Madam Lai said anxiously, “Please calm your anger, Emperor! Everything I have said is true, Leng Zongfa didn’t know that Leng Yu Yan isn’t his biological daughter.”
Hearing this, Leng Zongfa collapsed to his knees in defeat.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow, glanced at the man whose official wife had been allegedly cuckolded, and his stern expression eased somewhat as he asked in a deep voice, “Why did you not speak of this matter sooner or later?”
It was only after he had set the wedding date that she spoke!
Old Madam Lai bowed her head and said, “I only learned the truth yesterday myself. An old servant from our home told me the secret before returning to his hometown. Right after the Emperor determined the wedding date, I felt I should reveal the truth. To remain silent would be the true crime of deceiving the sovereign!”
“Years ago, Mrs. Zhang had an affair and gave birth to Leng Yu Yan. Later, she lived in sorrow until she fell ill and passed away.” As she spoke, she kowtowed again.
Upon hearing this, Leng Yu Yan was furious, knowing her mother was a victim of foul play and now this old woman was splashing dirty water on her memory.
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She clenched her fists tightly, dismounted quickly, and strode to Old Madam Lai, “Let me ask you, do you have any proof?”
“The old servant has already returned to his hometown,” Old Madam Lai respectfully said towards the Emperor on the main seat. “Emperor, a paternity test by drawing blood will prove the truth.”
Leng Yu Yan sneered, a cold light flaring in her eyes.
Now it seemed that her mother’s death had the most to do with this old woman—this talk of an old servant was just an excuse.
The Imperial Physician would always accompany the Emperor when he traveled.
The Imperial Physician went to the Imperial College and obtained water and a bowl, then pricked Leng Yu Yan and Leng Zongfa’s fingertips on the spot for the blood test.
The results of the blood test confirmed that Leng Yu Yan was indeed not Leng Zongfa’s daughter.
After the results were presented for the Emperor and the Empress Dowager to review, the Imperial Physician announced, “These two individuals do not share a blood relation.”
Leng Zongfa was stunned on the spot.
He had thought that if Lai Manting were to lose Prince Liang’s backing, Leng Yu Yan could marry a more powerful prince, but who knew she wasn’t even his daughter!
Leng Yu Yan sneered again, then suddenly burst into laughter.
The Empress Dowager frowned, “Has this girl gone mad?”
Ye Yuan, who was in the audience stands, felt a tightness in her heart and couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She picked up her skirts and walked to Leng Yu Yan’s side, “Ah Yan, are you okay?”
Leng Yu Yan shook her head, “Aunt, I’m fine.”
“Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion is a vile place. I am glad not to be Leng Zongfa’s biological daughter, and I am even more grateful that I share not a single drop of blood with the old woman before me.”
As she spoke, she returned to Old Madam Lai, leaned down slowly, and smiled coldly, “Just remember, my mother will come to see you every night!”
Old Madam Lai started with fright, trying to maintain her composure, “You, a bastard child, what else do you have to say?”
The Emperor pondered for a moment, then said sternly, “Given this, the marriage between this woman and the Crown Prince is hereby annulled.”
“Father Emperor…” Ye Yiheng stepped forward, bowing.
But to his distress, he began coughing violently, unable to utter a complete sentence.
After coughing for a while, he promptly collapsed.
The Imperial Physicians hurried to the Crown Prince’s side.
“Emperor’s decision is wise!” Old Madam Lai kowtowed again.
In an instant, several aristocratic wives sneered at Leng Yu Yan.
“It turns out she’s a bastard child; of course, she’s not fit for His Highness the Crown Prince!”
“Just look, she’s made the Crown Prince fall ill with anger!”
“That woman, her mother, how shameless, to have an affair and even bear a child!”
“A daughter must be no different with a mother like that!”
Zheng Liqi gave a sardonic smile, “Even the heavens couldn’t bear it anymore, forcing Leng Yu Yan to leave the Crown Prince.”
Thinking this, she sashayed gracefully over to Ye Yiheng’s side.
From now on, only she had the legitimate right to stay by the Crown Prince’s side.
Leng Yu Yan pinched her fingers, saying she could accept it, but her mother? Never!
“May I ask everyone present, when you were born, did you get to choose who your parents would be?”
This question prompted complete silence from the crowd.
She laughed again, “We are born to our parents, and owe them our physical being. Although I do not know who my biological father is, I will not allow you to slander my mother at this moment!”
“In my eyes, my mother is the finest woman in the world!”
“The actual truth of what happened back then is unknown to you all.”
“Just on the words of an old woman, you have all judged my mother’s character. Are all the people in Tiansheng Capital City so maliciously inclined to gossip and slander?”
“I will investigate the truth of this matter!”
“Those who harmed my mother will not escape!”
“What Crown Princess Consort? I never once cared for such a title!”
Leng Yu Yan stepped forward, cupped her hands in thanks, “I am most grateful to the Emperor!”
The crowd was in an uproar, losing both her status as the legitimate daughter and the intended role of Crown Prince Consort, yet she didn’t seem to be saddened in the slightest.
The Emperor’s expression turned cold, and he ordered the Crown Prince to be carried away as he left for the palace.
After glancing at Ye Yiheng being carried onto the palanquin, Leng Yu Yan turned back to Ye Yuan and said, “Your Highness the Eldest Princess, given my humble status, I probably shouldn’t call you aunt any longer. I will trouble you to look after the Crown Prince.”
Their relationship as betrothed was no more.
For him, there was no longer a need to guard against whether she might cause trouble; his disgust for her should end here.
For her, she originally didn’t want to be the Crown Prince’s consort. Now it seemed as if she was freed from that burden.
Yet—
He had been tied to her for some time, and though there was no affection between them, having been together so long there were still some strange factors at play.
Ye Yuan’s looked worried: “Where do you plan to go?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Ye Yuan suggested, “You could temporarily return to your maternal grandparents’ home, find out who your biological father is, and also lay low for a while.”
Leng Yu Yan nodded, “I thank the Eldest Princess for the advice, I take my leave!”
Just then, Ji Qingyu hurried over, “Ah Yan, let me take you away.”
Leng Yu Yan shook her head and gently refused, “You have your own life, and I have my own vengeance to seek. We will meet again in the future!”
She bowed and quickly departed.
Ji Qingyu wanted to insist, but Ye Yuan held his arm back.
“My child, in these turbulent times, let Ah Yan have some respite first; it’s better for both you and her.”
Realizing the profound meaning in his mother’s eyes, Ji Qingyu understood.
—
She could not return to the Leng Family; the Eastern Palace was no longer a place she could reside in.
With the current situation, the Imperial College was not good to attend; she couldn’t participate in the Ministry of War’s archery exam where she had won first place last month.
In the vast Capital City, she no longer had a place to stand.
Leng Yu Yan had just returned to the Eastern Palace, intending to pack up and leave, when unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager sent people to watch over her packing.
The Empress Dowager’s nannies watched her as if she were a thief.
Leng Yu Yan smiled lightly, remembering her mother’s dowry and her many rewards were stored in the warehouse at Tingfeng Garden, so she wrote a letter to Ye Yiheng.
Then she left the Eastern Palace with Miao Zhu and Mrs. Zhao.
Meanwhile, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager took Ye Yiheng back to the Imperial Palace.