Quick Transmigration: Drama Queen's Daily Life-Chapter 766 - 755: The Substitute Younger Sister

Little Golden Crow perched on the branch of an osmanthus tree outside the study, listening to Qi Feng updating Duan Huaijin on the events of Ye Qiu’s life.

"Your subordinate has found that before the Princess Consort married Prince Wang, the Ye Residence had dismissed a large number of servants, and those people have now been found by your subordinate. A servant who once belonged to the Princess Consort’s Luoxia Courtyard said that the favoritism the Princess Consort received in the Ye Residence was nothing but a charade created by the Ye Family. Old Master Ye and Ye Wangshi never truly doted on the Princess Consort, and not a single person in the Ye Residence really knew the Princess Consort’s actual preferences. The items procured for her were chosen according to Ye Xia’s taste, and it was only after Ye Xia’s selection that they were sent to her."

The more Duan Huaijin listened, the angrier he became, clenching his teeth he said: "What else?"

"Furthermore, although Miss Xia would often send gifts to the Princess Consort, they were either items she disliked or ones that the miss could not use herself. However, these acts were all portrayed as Miss Xia’s affectionate gestures towards her younger sister. Your subordinate also found out that Miss Xia once gave the Princess Consort a noisy myna bird to disturb her rest. Later on, because her own myna bird did not speak, she took back the one from the Princess Consort, and she also later took the Princess Consort’s Little Red Bird indiscriminately."

"Good, very good indeed. These lies even fooled this prince. Is there more?"

"Before the Princess Consort’s coming of age, she went with Miss Xia to celebrate her maternal grandmother’s birthday, but she wore a dress that was completely unsuitable for her - not only was the pattern ill-suited, but even the size was too large. Yet, Miss Xia, who wore the same design, fit perfectly. This matter had caused murmurs among the guests present at the time. It was clearly the mother Ye Wangshi’s favoritism, but somehow it later turned into the narrative that the Princess Consort lacks taste. Prince Wang would know this with a single inquiry."

While Qi Feng was reporting, his own anger was no less intense. He had not known that the Princess Consort had such a hard time in the Ye Residence and blamed his previous investigation for not being thorough, leading to the Princess Consort’s misunderstandings by Prince Wang and her continual suffering from others’ misconceptions.

"Then why didn’t you uncover this during your previous investigation?" Duan Huaijin coldly interrogated Qi Feng, with a murderous glint flickering in his eyes.

Qi Feng knew he had made a mistake and thus had no intention to defend himself, and with a kowtow he said: "Your subordinate acknowledges his error, I am willing to accept the punishment."

"Go to the Punishment Hall yourself. If you can come back alive, I will forgive you."

The color drained from Qi Feng’s face as he knew his chances of survival were slim, but who else was to blame but himself for not having investigated thoroughly in the first place?

The next day, white banners were raised at Prince Li Mansion. In less than two hours, the news of Princess Li’s death spread throughout the entire capital.

In the Eastern Palace, the young Crown Prince looked out at the sky somewhat wistfully. He had not expected the gentle, dignified, and elegant Princess Li to pass away so suddenly. He still remembered the way she thanked him after eating venison – sadly, though the venison remained, she was no more.

The Ye Residence too was shocked upon hearing of Princess Li’s death. Ye Borong and his wife Ye Wangshi panicked. Their eldest daughter Ye Xia had only recently claimed to have swapped identities, so who was the one that had just died?

"Calm down. Regardless of whether it is Xiaxia or Qiu’er who has passed, as parents, we should both go visit," Ye Borong forced himself to be calm.

Ye Wangshi was utterly distraught, saying in a frantic tone: "But what if it turns out to be Xiaxia? She has always been healthy, how could something happen to her?"

"It could be Qiu’er, right? According to Imperial Physician Liu from before, her time was about up," Ye Borong said with a flicker in his gaze.

"But she is no longer the Princess Consort. Did you hear the news clearly? The one who died is Princess Li. If that’s the case, what about Xiaxia? What is she now?"

Ye Wangshi was in a panic, but it was clear from her words that her real concern was only for Ye Xia. She feared both the loss of Ye Xia and the potential that Ye Qiu died as Princess Li. If it were Ye Qiu, then what would become of Ye Xia? Wouldn’t all their hopes come to nothing?

After all, from the beginning to the end, they never considered how their other daughter, Ye Qiu, would fare?

The Hidden Guards lurking in the Ye Residence heard their conversation loud and clear. By the time they stood up and prepared to head to Prince Li Mansion, the Hidden Guard had already arrived there first, and reported their words back to Duan Huaijin, verbatim.

"Good, I knew they were partial, but I never thought they would be biased to this extent. Impressive indeed!" Duan Huaijin gnashed his teeth in anger, having already slapped a crack into the table.

"They are on their way to the Prince Wang Mansion now."

"When they arrive, bring them straight in."

"Yes, Prince."

Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi dismounted the carriage at the entrance of Prince Wang Mansion, shocked and scared by the grandeur of the funeral procession. Invited by the servants, they walked in with trembling hands, but the further they walked, the more something felt amiss. Weren’t they supposed to visit the mourning hall first? How did they end up in the back courtyard?

It was not until the servants opened a courtyard door that they stumbled upon Ye Xia, who was in a sorry state.

Ye Wangshi gasped in shock: "Xiaxia, how did you end up here? Thank goodness it’s not you, thank goodness."

But after the initial relief came embarrassment and confusion: "Does this mean that it’s your sister in the mourning hall? But why are you locked up here? Why are you in such a state? How could Ye Qiu be buried under the title of Princess Consort? Where does that put you in Prince Wang’s eyes?"

"Mother, stop talking." Ye Xia let out a bitter laugh, "I was wrong, Prince Wang never really liked me. He only wanted to swap my identity back to spite Ye Qiu. Now that Ye Qiu is truly dead because of our provocation, Prince Wang is using me as the scapegoat. Father, Mother, it’s not just me he won’t let off, he won’t spare either of you as well."

Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi were greatly alarmed, and upon turning their heads, they indeed saw that the servants who had led them in had left, and the courtyard door was firmly shut.

"How dare he? No matter what, we are Ye Qiu’s parents!" Ye Borong exclaimed in horror.

"Father, just accept our fate. Prince Wang has already uncovered the truth about the past, including how we feigned affection towards Ye Qiu and forced her into taking someone else’s place in marriage. He is grieving over the death of my younger sister and won’t forgive us, whom he deems the real culprits," Ye Xia said with a scornful laugh, her features devoid of the vitality they once had.

"Does he intend to prosecute us? By what right? I am Ye Qiu’s father. No matter what I have done to Ye Qiu, even if I only pretended to dote on her, Prince Wang has no authority to question it!" Ye Borong contended, defensively finding excuses for himself.

Ye Xia shattered his illusions with a calm retort: "Just the crime of identity swapping alone is enough to have us beheaded, and Father, can you guarantee that you have never bribed officials? Are you sure you have paid all the due taxes on your business?"

With every question Ye Xia asked, Ye Borong’s face grew another shade darker, until at last he collapsed onto a stool.

"If Prince Wang doesn’t want to admit that he is the one who caused my sister’s death, he needs to find a scapegoat, and we are the real culprits of my sister’s death besides him. He will never let us go."

After speaking, all three of them turned pale.