After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 887 - 883: Speculation
At that moment, the palace maid was about to crawl out from under the bed when she suddenly heard this and was so frightened that her body felt cold halfway through.
Who in and out of the palace doesn’t know that the Empress bore the Emperor a pair of children?
The daughter, Princess Shouning, is the Empress’s precious jewel, and the son is the Second Prince, the Emperor’s legitimate heir.
Yet the Empress hysterically shouted at the Duchess, saying that she had only ever given birth to Princess Shouning, a daughter, in her lifetime.
To kill her daughter and then demand her forgiveness—it’s like stabbing her in the heart with a knife!
She has only given birth to one daughter her entire life, and just because she harbored admiration for Prince NanAn and defied them a few times, they wanted to send her off for a marriage alliance. When have they ever considered her?!
Back then, the Empress’s anger and weeping still echo in the ears.
The palace maid hid under the bed, trembling and not daring to move.
After the Duchess left, the palace maids and nannies entered the hall to serve.
The palace maid intended to act as if nothing had happened and continue wiping under the bed.
But while others hadn’t noticed her, one palace maid did; it was the one who had previously robbed her and been seen by Su Jin and Xingxing.
That palace maid saw her pale face and guessed that she must have overheard something, otherwise, she wouldn’t be so frightened.
That palace maid tried to probe indirectly, but this palace maid named Xue Liu didn’t reveal a word.
That palace maid threatened her, saying that if she didn’t give her the monthly salary, she would report to the Empress that on the day she was talking to the Duchess, she didn’t leave but hid under the bed to eavesdrop.
She wasn’t eavesdropping; she simply didn’t have time to leave.
Xue Liu was afraid she’d really report her to the Empress, so she had to give her the monthly salary to buy her silence.
A few days ago, that palace maid accidentally broke the Empress’s jade hairpin, fearing blame from the Empress, she wanted her to take the blame.
Xue Liu did not agree, knowing that if the jade hairpin was broken, the Empress would beat her half dead and then send her to do labor.
The palace maid threatened her that if she didn’t confess to it, she would report to the Empress and drag her down together.
At that time, when the Empress wasn’t in the Phoenix Palace, Xue Liu took the opportunity to run away.
She knew she couldn’t escape the palace, so she hid in Chaohua Palace, and if it really couldn’t be helped, she’d meet the Emperor to tell him what she heard.
Of course, this was the last resort.
Because she only heard one sentence and had no evidence to prove the Second Prince wasn’t born of the Empress.
The concept of catching people in the act or red-handed, the palace maid understood.
While hiding in Chaohua Palace, she didn’t know when the Emperor would come.
Fortunately, Young Master Su and his group entered Chaohua Palace, giving her a glimmer of hope.
What the palace maid actually wanted to report was merely this single sentence, yet this single sentence was too heavy, with potential consequences that could be bloody.
The palace maid thought Su Jin was reckless; if she told her of such an enormous matter, she’d definitely drag her to the Imperial Study to report to the Emperor directly, and when the Empress retaliated, she’d be beaten to death in public. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
She chose not to tell Su Jin but rather Xie Jingchen, hoping that Xie Jingchen could investigate, and evidence could topple the Empress.
Moreover, she could also ask Xie Jingchen, considering her divulging such a big secret, to save her family, as she feared the Empress might target her family.
The palace maid knelt on the ground and revealed this.
Inside the room, Xie Jingchen, outside Su Jin, Xingxing, and the Hidden Guard were all greatly shocked.
The Second Prince is not born of the Empress?!
If the palace maid hadn’t said anything, they wouldn’t have dreamt of this possibility.
The palace maid mentioned that in her lifetime, the Empress had only given birth to Princess Shouning, a daughter.
But how did she manage to fool people with a ten-month pregnancy?
Had the Emperor not realized anything at all?
Yet the palace maid had no reason to trick them, and it was improbable that the Empress calculated against them knowingly because such a significant matter, without concrete evidence, they wouldn’t dare present to the Emperor, bearing suspicion that the Prince wasn’t the Emperor’s blood—that accusation, no one could bear.
This matter is exceedingly significant; no wonder the palace maid is cautious again.
Xingxing looked towards Su Jin, ready to speak, while Su Jin said, "This matter must not be leaked out in a single word."
Xingxing nodded repeatedly, "I know, I won’t tell anyone."
Xingxing’s voice wasn’t small, and the palace maid heard it, suddenly looking out of the bamboo room.
But, she didn’t see anything.
As she withdrew her gaze, Su Jin got up and walked inside.
Xie Jingchen looked at Su Jin, "What do you think of this matter?"
Su Jin replied, "This matter is of utmost importance and must be thoroughly investigated."
Xie Jingchen instructed the Hidden Guard to take the palace maid out of the mansion and relocate her, and additionally to support this palace maid’s family to prevent any misfortune.
Such a significant matter, Xie Jingchen and Su Jin dared not tell the Emperor, yet Xie Jingchen decided to tell the Prince.
The Prince was also deeply shocked upon hearing it from Xie Jingchen.
Because this matter is monumental.
If Marquis Dongxiang hadn’t been summoned back to the Capital to suppress Duke Chong.
With Duke Chong and the Empress Dowager’s influence, it’s highly likely they would elevate the Second Prince.
If truly successful, wouldn’t that easily overturn the imperial power?
The Prince barely remembered events from over ten years ago, but vaguely recalled, "Over ten years ago, Princess Qi once gave birth to a stillborn..."
However, Princess Qi’s delivery seemed to have been before the Empress’s.
A few days later, the Empress gave birth to the Second Prince.
The Emperor remembered the untimely death of Prince Qi’s firstborn, and the Empress Dowager was in a poor mood, so there was no palace banquet shared by ruler and ministers.
If the Second Prince were Prince Qi’s flesh and blood, it might also explain why Prince Qi has no offspring, yet he’s recruiting troops, harboring rebellious intentions.
Because all these years, the Emperor hasn’t shown an intention to establish a Crown Prince, with the Eldest Prince acknowledged under Consort Yun. The Emperor, in his affection, combined with the Jibei Marquis Mansion’s assistance, granted the Eldest Prince the capacity to contend with the Second Prince.
If, in the future, the Emperor truly made the Eldest Prince the Crown Prince, then Prince Qi would undoubtedly lead troops into the Capital to support the Second Prince to ascend.
If the Emperor established the Second Prince as the Crown Prince, then naturally, all would remain peaceful.
This also explains why the assassin, who held Princess Jiuling and Princess Fuqing, aimed to kill the Eldest Prince.
At that time, Prince Qi hadn’t escaped the Capital yet. If the Eldest Prince died, among so many of the Emperor’s princes, none could challenge the Second Prince.
Prince Qi seemed to have lost miserably, yet he was actually still the winner.
But the Second Prince being the child of Prince Qi and Princess Qi is merely the Prince’s speculation, without evidence.
Moreover, this matter happened over ten years ago, making it difficult to investigate.
Though challenging, it still must be looked into further.
Plus, Consort Yun’s death...
The Emperor has searched for so long without finding anything, now adding the Second Prince’s identity mystery.
Inner palace struggles have always been filled with schemes, proving to be undeniably true.
After Xie Jingchen returned from seeing the Prince, Su Jin sat there lost in thought, and upon seeing this, Xie Jingchen asked, "What are you thinking?"
Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen and said, "Concubines have the custom of receiving a peaceful pulse, especially when expecting."
"If back then, the Empress were faking pregnancy, it certainly wouldn’t have escaped the Imperial Physician responsible for her pulse. I intend to enter the palace tomorrow to investigate which Imperial Physician was responsible for the Empress’s pulse back then, perhaps finding some clues."
