FBC – Chapter 245 A Complete Mess

The lady-in-waiting and the palace eunuch behind the Empress immediately rushed forward with their attendants. The eunuch kicked the door open with a loud bang.

The faces of Prince Ping’an and his group changed drastically.

The lady-in-waiting and the eunuch strode in quickly. Soon, the room erupted in a cacophony of crashing and banging noises.

Before long, they both ran back out, their faces as pale as wax and full of terror, as though they had seen something unspeakably horrifying.

The Empress deliberately asked, “Who is inside?”

The lady-in-waiting and eunuch stammered, too frightened to speak.

It was too dreadful. Utterly shocking beyond imagination!

Gu Hua stepped up beside the Empress. “When I went in to change earlier, I thought I heard County Princess Jiang and the Heir of Jiang speaking.”

“Impossible!”

Prince Ping’an roared in fury, “You vile woman, how dare you slander them!”

The Empress’s expression hardened as she snapped, “Prince Ping’an, watch your tongue! Gu Hua is the widow of Duke Yong!”

Prince Ping’an glared at Gu Hua, whose calm face and faintly mocking eyes made his rage boil over.

He was so furious that he completely forgot his status and lunged forward to strike her.

Zhao Yuxuan and Zhao Yuwen quickly grabbed hold of him, but his strength in anger was immense, and they struggled to restrain him.

Seeing this, Sun Chongyang and the others rushed over—one clinging to his neck, another to his waist. The young men hung off him like sacks, pinning him down until he could not move.

Yuan Jieying swayed on her feet and almost fainted, caught just in time by someone nearby.

Her face turned pale then blue, shame flooding her so intensely that she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. Her hands clenched her sleeves tightly as her whole body trembled.

All the humiliation and resentment she had endured for years erupted at once. She burst into tears and threw herself into her mother’s arms, crying bitterly, “Mother! This is the good marriage you arranged for me! I told you before—the Jiang family is a pit of vipers! The men of the Jiang clan are all hypocrites, filthy and depraved! Yet you insisted on pushing your daughter into the fire pit!”

Madam Yuan was so shocked by what she had seen that she stood frozen. Hearing her daughter’s heart-wrenching cries, she too began to weep.

The Yuan family patriarch, Duke Kai, was stationed in the northern borderlands. After losing two sons in quick succession, he had fallen seriously ill.

Thus, only Madam Yuan had come today with the daughters and younger sons of the family.

Now, all the Yuan girls were crying together in a miserable chorus.

Prince Ping’an bellowed, “You still have the gall to cry? As the eldest daughter-in-law, you couldn’t keep your husband in line, and now you’ve shamed us all! Our Jiang family disowns you!”

Madam Yuan’s fury exploded. She pointed at him and shouted, “When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam is bound to be! You committed adultery with your sister-in-law and birthed Jiang Duo—do you think no one knows? My two sons bore your Jiang family’s sins and died for it, and you still think we owe you? You bullies! How is the Yuan Army in the north supposed to defend this country with peace of mind when our family is treated like this?”

“Madam Yuan,” someone urged, “perhaps we should handle the matter at hand first.”

Prince Ping’an felt the world spin before his eyes.

Consort Jiang clenched her teeth so hard she nearly shattered them.

The entire courtyard fell into dead silence.

The Empress exchanged a look with Gu Hua and said calmly, “Bring the people out. Perhaps it isn’t them.”

Prince Ping’an roared, “No need!”

But he was pinned down under a pile of people, unable to move an inch, howling in frustration.

Consort Jiang’s eyes nearly burst from their sockets. She screamed at her attendants, “Are you all dead?!”

The lady-in-waiting who had been beaten earlier by Jiang Jingchuan sneered, waved her hand, and several burly matrons who had been guarding the door surged into the room.

Moments later, two disheveled figures were dragged out.

Jiang Ruoxi’s face was flushed crimson, her eyes hazy and unfocused.

Jiang Jingchuan’s face was also burning red, his eyes bloodshot, like a wild beast gone mad.

They froze the instant they saw the crowd staring at them with mixed expressions.

Jiang Ruoxi let out a piercing scream and tried to retreat into the room, but the matrons held her down firmly.

She cried and struggled, panic-stricken, her tearful eyes seeking Jiang Jingchuan’s.

He, too, seemed to regain awareness, staring blankly for a long moment before his gaze met his father’s murderous eyes. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor with a thud.

Prince Ping’an suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted dead away.

The youths hanging on him all dropped to the ground with startled cries as eunuchs rushed forward to carry him inside.

Consort Jiang shrieked in despair. The whole scene dissolved into complete chaos.

The unrelated noble ladies and their daughters fled the scene as fast as they could.

The court officials exchanged glances, unsure whether to stay or go.

They silently cursed themselves for following the princes to the dragon boat docks—now they had seen something they could never unsee.

Gu Hua quietly squeezed the Empress’s hand.

The Empress glanced at her, then turned to instruct, “Take these two back to Prince Ping’an’s residence. Carry Prince Ping’an to a chamber and summon the imperial physician. As for everyone else—return to your duties. His Majesty will be here soon to begin the banquet and contests. Princes, you’d best go prepare. Today is your day to be tested by your father.”

The princes, eager to escape, all nodded quickly and dashed off.

Only the eldest prince remained, frozen in place.

The Empress spoke gently, “You should go as well. If you can win the contest, your father’s anger will ease somewhat—and it might even restore some honor for your mother and the Jiang family, don’t you think?”

The eldest prince, eyes red, bowed deeply. “Your son obeys.”

Soon, those to be carried were carried, those to be dragged were dragged.

Madam Yuan led away Yuan Jieying and the younger family members, and the officials all bowed to the Empress and withdrew.

Qian Peiqin stood rooted in place, staring fixedly at Gu Hua.

Gu Hua turned to her, a faint smile curving her lips. “So, how’s your little scheme working out?”

Qian Peiqin suddenly snapped back to her senses and screamed, “Vile woman! You planned this! You set them up! The heir would never have come here—it’s your doing! You poisoned them! You’ll die a horrible death, you venomous witch!”

The Empress flared up. “Fifty slaps!”

At once, two palace maids stepped forward. One kicked Qian Peiqin behind the knees, forcing her to kneel; the other seized her hair and began slapping her hard from side to side.

They were clearly experienced—each strike landed with brutal precision, leaving Qian Peiqin’s head spinning and her breath choking in pain.

Gu Hua looked up just in time to see the palace maid who had led her here trembling as she tried to sneak away.

“It was her who brought me here!”

The Empress immediately gave the eunuchs a sharp glance, and they rushed after the fleeing maid.

When the fifty slaps were done, Qian Peiqin collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood and losing consciousness.

The Empress said coldly, “Lock her in the inner prison. Have her interrogated thoroughly.”

When the crowd had dispersed, the Empress patted Gu Hua’s hand and said softly, “You never cease to impress me.”

Gu Hua smiled. “Your Majesty flatters me. They brought this upon themselves.”

The Empress nodded, sighing with an almost pleased tone. “Who would have thought the Jiang family was so filthy? That a brother and sister could… ah, I can’t even say it. What a disgrace.”

Gu Hua heard the satisfaction in her voice and sighed along. “This secret has been buried in the Jiang family for years. They tried to marry Jiang Ruoxi to Mu Junyan, hoping the heir would give up on her—he wouldn’t dare provoke Mu Junyan, after all. But in the end, it all came out.”

The Empress shuddered at the thought. “Heavens… how will I explain this to His Majesty? After all, Jiang Ruoxi was supposed to enter the palace—her rank was already decided! Thank goodness this scandal broke now. If she had entered the palace first, and then something like this happened, how could His Majesty ever face anyone again?”

Gu Hua nodded. “Indeed. Your Majesty only acted to protect the dignity of the royal family.”

They shared a knowing smile.

The Empress mused, “The Empress Dowager will be arriving with His Majesty soon. Tell me—should I inform her of this matter?”

Gu Hua replied, “This humble one believes Your Majesty should speak with the Empress Dowager privately and let her decide how to handle it. After all, she is from the Jiang family—best to give her that courtesy. As for His Majesty, you can inform him after the dragon boat races. No need to ruin the princes’ contests with this scandal, right?”

The Empress beamed and patted her hand again. “You’re absolutely right. Now, shall we return to the banquet?”

Gu Hua bowed. “As you wish.”

The Empress was in high spirits.

The Jiang heir was finished. Jiang Ruoxi would never enter the palace again—her family would likely wish her dead. Consort Jiang and the eldest prince’s reputations were in shambles, and if the eldest prince failed to win the dragon boat race… the crown prince’s seat would surely fall to the second prince.