EMHTC -Chapter 30 Oh! It turns out that the Crown Grandson was just talking…

The old emperor took a deep breath and said to the commander of the Imperial Guard, “Go and summon the Crown Prince.”

“My father called for me?”

The Crown Prince shook his head, trying to dispel the shock of the phrase “abandon the court and the title of Crown Grandson” from his mind. He stepped forward a few paces, positioning himself conspicuously between the two rows of officials.

Usually, this was not a problem, but at this moment…

The Crown Prince’s heart suddenly sank, sensing an ominous premonition. “Let’s leave from the other side…” he muttered, intending to sneak away.

Before he could finish giving the order, he heard Xu Yanmiao’s voice:

【Hmm? Why is the Crown Prince stepping out?】

【Probably summoned by the old emperor. Poor Crown Prince, he doesn’t even know yet that his eldest grandson is gone. He loves his daughters so much—he just bought them rouge and powder yesterday. It’s clear how much he cherishes his children. When he finds out…】

【Wait, what?】

The Crown Prince raised his arm to cover his face.

It’s over. Father, that matter is probably going to…

【If the Crown Prince loves his children so much, why hasn’t he tried to bail out his son all this time? Instead, his brother-in-law has been running around handling everything.】

【Let me think…】

【What?! The Crown Prince’s eldest son isn’t even the son of the Crown Princess?! He’s the son of a concubine, raised under the Crown Princess’s name?! The Crown Princess only has four daughters?!】 Xu Yanmiao’s eyes widened.

No wonder the Crown Prince hasn’t been concerned about the situation with the eldest son lately! He’s been roaming around gossiping!

So it turns out the Crown Prince is just like his father, only valuing children born of his legitimate wife!

The court officials were stunned.

An uproar broke out.

Years ago, the emperor had publicly announced that the Crown Prince had a son, explicitly referring to him as the child of the Crown Princess!

The old emperor: “…”

“Smack!”

The old emperor mimicked the Crown Prince’s gesture, raising an arm to cover his face.

I really… shouldn’t have summoned the Crown Prince at this moment!

The Crown Prince, sensing the escalating chaos, tried to make a swift retreat. Hobbling on his feet, he muttered, “Let’s leave quietly…”

But the Prime Minister Dou grabbed his wrist. “Your Highness!” He lowered his voice, his expression indescribable. “What is the truth about the Crown Grandson?”

His precious granddaughter was once destined to marry the Crown Grandson as his legitimate wife!

Although the Prime Minister didn’t particularly care about the legitimacy of bloodlines, as the Crown Grandson had been officially recognized under the Crown Princess’s name, he was still considered the rightful heir. However…

The Crown Princess is only forty! She could still give birth! If she were to bear a true legitimate son in the future, and the emperor decided to make the new son the heir, what would happen to his granddaughter then?!

The Crown Prince forced a sheepish smile. “Uncle… well, actually…”

Before he could explain further, a group of officials affiliated with the Crown Grandson surrounded him.

The Crown Prince: “…”

The Crown Prince: “…Oh no.”

These officials, while hesitant to show overt hostility, looked at him with teary, pleading eyes.

After all, their allegiance to the Crown Grandson wasn’t born of loyalty, but of pragmatism. The Crown Grandson’s stable position—as the first legitimate son, seemingly irreplaceable—was their basis for aligning with him.

However, with this revelation…

They recalled a similar situation in the Chu Dynasty.

Back then, Emperor Zhenzong of Chu had no sons and had to adopt a relative’s child as his heir—the future Emperor Zhongzong. But five years later, Zhenzong finally had a biological son and immediately sent Zhongzong back to his original family. Unfortunately, the prince later passed away, prompting Zhenzong to recall Zhongzong. Several years later, Zhenzong had another son, once again sending Zhongzong away. When this son also died, Zhongzong was brought back yet again.

This cycle of succession gave rise to the saying “Three in, two out,” a cautionary tale about hasty decisions.

These officials paled at the thought.

If the Crown Princess were to bear a son, the old emperor might send the current Crown Grandson back to his biological mother! What would become of us then? We’ve tied ourselves too closely to the Crown Grandson’s faction!

The Crown Prince wanted to wipe his sweat.

He mentally cursed Xu Yanmiao several times but maintained his usual frivolous demeanor, feigning nonchalance. “I understand your concerns. But think about it—if my wife and I were able to have more children, wouldn’t we have done so by now? Moreover, the emperor has vowed not to repeat the mistakes of Emperor Zhenzong. Even if another son is born, as long as Crown Grandson behaves appropriately, his position as heir will remain secure. The emperor has given his word, backed by an imperial decree. If you doubt me, you can ask the emperor yourself.”

“Where is the emperor?”

“He’s just…” The Crown Prince turned, only to find the imperial palanquin had disappeared down the corridor.

The Crown Prince: “???”

A string of expletives nearly escaped his lips.

“Whew, that was close.”

On the way to the Empress Palace, the old emperor reflected on the officials’ reactions and felt grateful for his swift… strategic departure. “The Crown Prince will handle this matter well. I have full confidence in his abilities.”

Yes, that’s it!

Reassured by his reasoning, the old emperor entered the Empresses’s Palace. Upon smelling the metallic scent of blood in the air, his expression turned grim. He quickly approached Empress Dou, his voice laced with concern. “Empress, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. She’s been stabilized. At first, she was still seeking death, but I managed to talk her down.”

“Oh. I wasn’t asking about her—I was asking about you, Empress. Are you unharmed?”

Empress Dou sighed. “I’m fine.”

The old emperor sat beside her, holding her hand as he began recounting the day’s events in detail—from why he had come to see her to the shocking revelations about the Crown Grandson.

When the empress heard that the Crown Grandson would rather forgo his position to be with Consort Qin, regardless of whether it was a heartfelt statement or a rash outburst, her brows furrowed deeply.

“I suspected as much,” she said.

“Oh?”

“That’s one reason I insisted on keeping Consort Qin here. Beyond sympathy for her plight, I wanted to see if the Crown Grandson could truly bear the weight of his position. Before meeting Consort Qin, he was a well-rounded talent—proficient in both civil and military affairs, sharp-witted, and composed in his actions. We all believed he would be the great leader of the third generation.”

“Ah, Empress, this wasn’t our fault. Who could have foreseen such a misjudgment?”

“I’m actually grateful for the Consort Qin’s involvement, which exposed his true nature ahead of time…” The Empress spoke in a calm tone. “The child is too accustomed to smooth sailing, capable only in favorable conditions. The moment something doesn’t go his way, his flaws become apparent.”

The Emperor nodded. Reflecting on the Consort Qin incident, he found her assessment accurate.

The Empress sighed again. “And both of you, grandfather and grandson, are equally stubborn. I worry that if the Consort Qin dies, and he finds out, he’ll end up resenting you.” There was something she didn’t have the heart to say aloud.

—If the Emperor were to know his beloved grandson harbored resentment for him due to his affection for a woman, it would surely break his heart.

The Emperor raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”

“If I had told you, you would’ve been even more determined to kill her.”

“Who says so?!”

“Then tell me, what was your first thought when you heard the Crown Grandson declared he would renounce the court?”

The Emperor didn’t hesitate and thundered, “I’d like to see if he has the guts! Empress, I even thought it through. When the time comes, I’ll have that Consort Qin dragged out and executed! I’d like to see if he’ll dare to storm the execution grounds!”

The Empress didn’t respond, merely giving him a long, silent look.

The Emperor paused. “…Alright, fine. If you’d told me this earlier, I probably wouldn’t have listened.”

Not only would he not have listened, but he would have been even more resolute in executing the Consort Qin, just to test whether his grandson would truly resent him for it. His stubborn, contrarian nature was something the Empress had weathered for decades—she knew it all too well.

“Your Majesty” The Empress took his hand gently, speaking softly, “If you want to test Qi Ge’er, I won’t object. But as for the Consort Qin… she’s already had a brush with death today. I’d like her to fake her death and leave the palace.”

The Emperor deliberated for a moment. “Alright.”

Over a month later, his anger had subsided somewhat. “I’ll arrange for a death row inmate to impersonate her at the execution grounds.”
If his grandson cared enough to defy everything for her, then he’d better have the guts to intervene.

The Crown Grandson still walked out of the prison with the mark of a slap on his face.

—By imperial decree, the Emperor had granted him an immediate release.

A group of minor officials, who weren’t required to attend court that day, gathered around him and Ji Sui, showering them with flattery.

“Your Highness, your hardship has ended! Surely this was a tribulation destined to pass, and now your path ahead will be smooth and without turbulence!”

“We should celebrate your release and recovery! Your Highness must have suffered greatly in prison!”

“Though you’ve suffered, Your Highness still exudes a heroic and dignified aura. No dust can dim your brilliance.”

“Lord Ji’s cleverness is unmatched, devising such an excellent plan to rescue Your Highness.”

“Indeed! And that shameless woman, playing hard to get with Your Highness. Instead of fleeing far away, she hid in the Princess Royal’s residence, just waiting for Your Highness to find her and rekindle your relationship!”

“Without Lord Ji, our faction would have been severely weakened in Your Highness’s absence.”

“The Emperor was furious this time. If Lord Ji hadn’t acted swiftly and made it clear the entire fault lay with that lowly wench, Your Highness might have faced dire consequences.”

“Lord Ji truly possesses extraordinary wisdom!”

Ji Sui accepted these compliments with a faint smile at the corners of his lips.

Then he caught sight of Xu Yanmiao exiting the court, clearly deep in thought and oblivious to him.

…Unlucky.

Still, with his nephew safely released, Ji Sui believed he could tolerate Xu Yanmiao’s presence. No matter what nonsense Xu Yanmiao might be pondering…

【The court drama is way too messy. Let me sort this out… First, although the Crown Grandson is nominally the legitimate eldest grandson, he’s actually not the Princess Consort’s son, but rather a concubine-born child registered under her name.】

Ji Sui froze briefly and turned to glance at the Crown Grandson.

The Crown Grandson had just mounted his horse. Noticing Ji Sui’s gaze, he tilted his head in confusion. “Uncle?”

He didn’t resemble Ji Sui’s sister much, though his features bore some resemblance to the Crown Prince. Ji Sui hadn’t thought much of it before, but now…

Thinking of their years together, Ji Sui felt a moment of awkwardness before brushing it off. He truly regarded the Crown Grandson as a nephew, and his sister had always treated the boy as her own, even supplementing his needs with her dowry. As long as the bond existed, what did biological ties matter?

【Hmm… Next… Lord Ji has a missing daughter, but not one born to his wife, Princess Qinghe.】

Ji Sui’s brows furrowed slightly, but it wasn’t particularly distressing. As long as he could keep things under wraps for a few more days until he left the capital…

【Finally, that missing daughter had a daughter of her own—none other than the Consort Qin entangled with the Crown Grandson!】

…Who?!

Ji Sui suddenly felt the world spinning. He staggered, clutching the prison’s iron gate for support, as though struck by a deafening slap. His mouth tasted of blood.

Meanwhile, Xu Yanmiao clapped his hands in his mind, delighted. 【Finally! I’ve figured it out! So the Consort Qin has no blood ties to either the Crown Grandson or the Emperor! Phew, what a relief!】

Elated at his revelation, Xu Yanmiao strolled away toward home. Ji Sui, his vision swimming, tried to reach out to stop him. But the world tilted further, and his legs buckled, sending him crashing to the ground.

“Wait… come back… explain…”

At that moment, a herald arrived in haste. “Your Highness! The Consort Qin has been taken to the execution grounds—she’s set to be executed at the third hour of noon!”

The Crown Grandson froze. “What? A-Zheng is still alive—ouch!”

He was yanked off his feet before he could react. Just as he was about to erupt in anger, he saw Ji Sui mount a horse and gallop away at full speed.

“Uncle! Uncle! You don’t even know how to ride a horse! Be careful! Watch out—you’re going to hit something—Uncle! Right! No, left!”

Ji Sui quickly vanished from sight. The Crown Grandson muttered, “What’s the rush? He suddenly knows how to ride?”

The herald hesitated. “Your Highness, Consort Qin… Please, Your Highness, don’t do anything rash!”

The Crown Grandson took a hesitant step forward before pulling back. “…Alright.” Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes and growled, “I will act prudently.”

At the execution grounds, in a pavilion overlooking the scene, the Emperor sat with a commanding presence, staring coldly out the window. “I’ll see if that insolent grandson dares to show up!”

Below, the executioner sprayed wine over his gleaming blade, preparing for the strike. A woman knelt on the ground, her black hair obscuring her face.

The blade rose high, catching the sunlight, as the sound of frantic hoofbeats echoed from the distance.

As the blade hovered mid-air, a desperate male voice, cracking with emotion, rang out: “Stay the blade!!!”

The Emperor’s face darkened, his expression thunderous. He grabbed the blade lying on the table before him, radiating murderous intent.

“Insolent—”

Ji Sui burst into the scene, throwing himself forward to embrace the kneeling woman as though reuniting with a long-lost family member. “My child! I’m your grandfather!”

The Emperor: “…?”

Why was it Ji Sui? Where was that insolent grandson?

Wait… What did he just say? Grandfather? Ji Sui’s granddaughter was… his…

The Emperor sank back into his seat with a thud, clutching his chest, his expression twisted with disbelief.

【Wrong! Wrong!】 Xu Yanmiao’s voice chimed in soon after. 【That’s not your daughter’s daughter—it’s a fake! A death row inmate!】

The Emperor: “…”

So, not the daughter of his ex-wife? Not Qinghe’s child? The Emperor barely had time to feel deceived before relief washed over him in a cold sweat.

All the gathered imperial guards witnessed the Emperor sit in silence for a moment before suddenly standing and erupting, “Xu Yanmiao! You little scoundrel!”

—It had to be that troublemaker’s thoughts that sent Ji Sui rushing in like this!

—That word, “grandfather”… it nearly stopped his heart!