After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 685 Mrs. An
Now it seems, Marquis Dongxiang clearly intends to talk to him about Su Jin’s background.
As a result, he ran into trouble as soon as he opened his mouth.
Moreover, with the fake Old Madam of the Prince Zhenbei Mansion found, a funeral needs to be held.
The clash of both mourning and celebration caused him to leave in a huff.
It was his own oversight; Marquis Dongxiang had been persistently trying to have his daughter recognized as a princess, he should have given it more importance.
He and Marquis Dongxiang have been brothers for many years; he would not insist on requesting the princess title without cause, he is not someone who overly values power and status.
If he truly valued power and status that much, he wouldn’t have stayed incognito in Qingyun Mountain for many years.
Thinking of Marquis Dongxiang’s nature, forcing his daughter on him, he refuses.
If he wanted to recognize his daughter now, he surely would show a long face.
"Let’s go, leave the palace to recognize my daughter!" said the Emperor.
"...."
The Emperor was ready to head out, and Eunuch Fu couldn’t keep up with the Emperor’s pace at all.
The Right Minister came over and stopped the Emperor.
The Emperor’s affection for the Princess Consort of Prince Zhenbei was evident to all officials.
Previously deemed excessive, now it was clearly because of blood ties.
Knowing she is his daughter, he had even more reason to spoil and care for her.
But the matter of recognizing a princess is significant; the statement by Eunuch Fu that the Princess Consort of Prince Zhenbei also had a litchi allergy and Consort Yun appeared in the Emperor’s dreams isn’t enough.
After all, it’s a princess, royal blood.
Everyone was aware that Consort Yun died from childbirth complications, taking two lives, and it was always said Consort Yun was pregnant with a young prince.
Such a significant oversight cannot be treated lightly.
Recognizing the princess must not be rushed, as haste leads to chaos.
The Right Minister earnestly persuaded the Emperor not to be impulsive, with Eunuch Fu siding with him, "Your Majesty, if she’s your daughter, she can’t run away, so there’s no need to rush."
"Marquis Dongxiang held onto my daughter for more than a decade without returning her, how can I not be anxious?!" said the Emperor angrily.
"...."
Eunuch Fu felt it was necessary to speak a word of fairness.
Marquis Dongxiang didn’t hold the Emperor’s daughter without returning her.
He tried to give his daughter to the Emperor for the title of princess as soon as they met, didn’t he?
And not just once.
Grievances aside, the Emperor listened to reason nonetheless.
But he still insisted on leaving the palace.
Only this time, not to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, but to the Imperial Mausoleum.
He wanted to open the coffin to examine the body!
Back then Consort Yun died a double death, he personally carried the body into the coffin, how could she have given birth to a daughter?
If Prince Zhenbei stated this on the court, it would not be false.
Sinning against the Emperor, joking with him, is not a responsibility he can take on.
The Right Minister could stop the Emperor from going to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, but not from going to the Imperial Mausoleum to open the coffin.
A visit to the Imperial Mausoleum was indeed necessary.
The Emperor’s exit from the palace would usually require preparations three to five days in advance, but given the urgency, exception was made.
The grand procession left the palace, heading directly to the Imperial Mausoleum.
Consort Yun was the Emperor’s favored concubine, desiring to be buried with her in eternity, thus she was laid to rest in the Imperial Mausoleum constructed for the Emperor.
The Emperor stood before the stone coffin, touched it, and personally pushed it open.
After many years, the once breathtaking Consort Yun had become only a skeleton.
However, the abdomen of this skeleton had no small remains.
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice observed and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Yun did give birth back then."
"But Consort Yun’s belly was very large when she was buried," said Eunuch Fu.
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice looked at Eunuch Fu and said, "A woman’s belly doesn’t immediately go flat after childbirth, but whether or not Consort Yun had given birth, the imperial physician who attended to her shouldn’t have been oblivious."
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice sensed a major case.
Everyone believed Consort Yun’s was a case of a double death.
Yet Consort Yun gave birth to a little princess, who was taken with Marquis Dongxiang up Qingyun Mountain, where she stayed for over a decade.
Why did someone deceive the Emperor into thinking Consort Yun died from childbirth complications?
How was the little princess taken away by Marquis Dongxiang?
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice felt his professional instincts kicking in, eager to investigate the case thoroughly.
Duke Chong doused the flames, "Who can guarantee someone didn’t sneak into the tomb and steal the little prince’s bones?"
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice glanced at Duke Chong, "That suspicion of yours is quite unfounded."
"What kind of person is Marquis Dongxiang? His patience in rebuilding the Flying Tiger Army is testament to his character. Consort Yun was his cousin; why would he disturb her peace in the afterlife for selfish reasons?"
"Moreover, the Emperor’s affection for the Princess Consort of Prince Zhenbei is evident. Marquis Dongxiang has no need for deceit; having an extra daughter as a princess confers no great benefits upon Marquis Dongxiang, unlike a prince who could vie for the position of Crown Prince."
"I think whether the Princess Consort of Prince Zhenbei is the Emperor’s daughter, His Majesty knows best; father-daughter nature is deep, how could there be no sense of it?"
Duke Chong clenched his fists tightly.
He still wanted to say something when the Emperor cast a sharp gaze.
Duke Chong felt a chill down his spine.
"Withdraw, I want to be alone with Consort Yun for a moment," the Emperor said coldly.
The Minister of the Ministry of Justice withdrew with respect.
Everyone else withdrew too, even Eunuch Fu stood far away.
The Emperor stayed in the Imperial Mausoleum for half an hour before leaving.
Previously, the Right Minister had blocked the Emperor from going to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, so the Emperor came to the Imperial Mausoleum instead.
Since confirming that Consort Yun had given birth, neither the Right Minister nor Eunuch Fu had reason to stop the Emperor from going to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
The fact that the Princess Consort of Prince Zhenbei is a princess was exposed by Prince Zhenbei, but what exactly happened is not appropriate to ask him but requires inquiry with Marquis Dongxiang.
Therefore, the Emperor’s chariot halted in front of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
The guards sent by Duke Chong to encircle Dongxiang Marquis Mansion all kneeled to greet the Emperor.
The Emperor dismounted the chariot and strode into Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.
Hmm.
It was the Emperor’s first time entering a minister’s house, and after taking a dozen steps, no one had come forward to greet him.
The first to appear was Little Black.
Little Black ran over, circling around the Emperor.
Then came Young Master Su and the Ninth Prince.
"Father!" the Ninth Prince said excitedly.
"Father, why have you come to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion?"
The Ninth Prince ran up to him, the Emperor asked, "Where is Marquis Dongxiang?"
"He is having tea in the pavilion outside the training ground," the Ninth Prince replied.
"...."
Eunuch Fu’s mouth twitched.
The Emperor hurried from the palace to the Imperial Mausoleum, then to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, as anxious as ants on a hot pan, while Marquis Dongxiang was leisurely enjoying tea?
Eunuch Fu’s intuition told him nothing good would come from this.
The Emperor lifted his foot and headed toward the training ground.
In the pavilion.
Marquis Dongxiang and Mrs. Tang were having tea.
The Emperor walked over with large strides.
Upon seeing the Emperor, Mrs. Tang stood up to greet him, "This subject’s wife, Mrs. An, pays respect to the Emperor."
"Mrs. An?" The Emperor furrowed his brows.
Wasn’t it supposed to be Mrs. Tang?
Eunuch Fu scrutinized Mrs. Tang, his eyes widening more and more, his voice raising several notches, "You, you are...."
Mrs. Tang smiled at him.
Eunuch Fu recalled, and before the Emperor could react, Eunuch Fu said to him, "Your Majesty, she is the eldest daughter of Uncle Wenyuan Mansion who accompanied Consort Yun in the palace for two years back then."
But wasn’t the eldest daughter of Uncle Wenyuan Mansion supposed to have died on the way to her marriage?
