TFWYH – Chapter 872 Blood Test for Kinship

“You… you…”

“Weng Nai is right!”

Just as Gu Hengcang was rendered speechless by Tang Wan, the Emperor spoke calmly.

“Gu, I have absolute faith in you. But since Weng Nai has raised the matter, and with everyone watching, I cannot allow you to suffer an unjust accusation!”

With that, the Emperor glanced at Ji Liu.

“Ji Liu, examine Prime Minister Gu.”

“Yes!”

Ji Liu answered and turned toward Gu Hengcang with a beaming smile.

“Prime Minister Gu, please extend your hand.”

Gu Hengcang: “…”

For a moment, he had no idea what to do.

He knew that what he had done was extremely risky, but he had done it anyway.

Just as Tang Wan had said: if you don’t enter the tiger’s den, you can’t get the tiger cub.

But… but…

Gu Hengcang’s hesitation did not escape the notice of the officials.

The way they looked at him gradually changed.

At first, they had merely been puzzled. Then their expressions turned to disbelief.

The Emperor’s face also darkened.

“Gu, extend your hand.”

“Yes…”

Gu Hengcang helplessly closed his eyes for a moment before trembling as he extended his hand.

Ji Liu merely leaned closer and sniffed his fingers. The next instant, his expression changed.

“This is the smell of alum! Prime Minister Gu, you… why would you do this?”

The officials: “…”

The Emperor: “…Ji Liu, what did you say?”

Ji Liu hurriedly knelt before the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, there is the smell of alum on the Prime Minister’s fingers. If alum is added to the clear water, then even if the two people are biological father and son, their blood will not be able to merge!”

“Impudent!”

The Emperor was stunned for several seconds before exploding in fury.

He had never imagined that Gu Hengcang would actually dare to do such a thing.

“Your Majesty, please calm down!”

When the Emperor was enraged, corpses could litter the land for miles.

The civil and military officials immediately dropped to their knees.

Gu Hengcang also seemed to lose all strength and collapsed to his knees.

“Your Majesty, please forgive me! This old臣 was simply confused for a moment.”

Grand Tutor Yi immediately sneered and kicked him while he was down.

“Was it truly a moment of confusion, or was it premeditated? Prime Minister Gu, don’t treat all of us like fools. Ever since Lord Ling entered the imperial court, you and your grandson have repeatedly targeted him. We’ve all seen it with our own eyes. But I never imagined that you would actually dare to deceive the Emperor. Hah…”

After saying this, Grand Tutor Yi cupped his hands toward the Emperor and spoke righteously.

“Your Majesty, even a tiger will not eat its own cubs. Gu Hengcang was willing to deceive Your Majesty in open court merely to eliminate his own grandson. His crime is utterly unforgivable. I respectfully request that Your Majesty punish him according to the law.”

“We respectfully request that Your Majesty punish him according to the law!”

The officials aligned with Grand Tutor Yi hurriedly echoed him.

The people on Huangfu Yi’s side wanted to speak up and plead for mercy, but after receiving Huangfu Yi’s warning glance, they immediately fell silent.

For a moment, the entire Golden Hall was filled with voices calling for Gu Hengcang to be punished according to the law.

Cold sweat poured down Gu Hengcang’s face. Out of habit, he looked toward Huangfu Yi for help.

But this time, Huangfu Yi ignored him. He did not even spare him a glance.

The Emperor’s expression remained cold. He did not order the officials to rise. Instead, he waved toward Wan Zhenxiang.

“Test it. Let Prime Minister Gu be completely convinced.”

“Yes!”

Wan Zhenxiang carried the bowl over to Huangfu Yi.

Huangfu Yi calmly picked up a needle, pricked his finger, and squeezed a drop of blood into the water. Then he beckoned Ling Yu over.

Ling Yu smiled and walked over. She likewise pricked her finger and dropped a single drop of blood into the clear water.

Everyone craned their necks to look.

Even the Emperor rose from his seat, staring intently at the bowl.

At this point, Gu Hengcang still held onto a sliver of hope. He too stared anxiously at the bowl.

They watched as the two drops of blood in the bowl slowly merged together, becoming indistinguishable from one another.

The Emperor smiled and looked at Gu Hengcang.

“Prime Minister Gu, do you have anything else to say?”

Gu Hengcang’s face turned deathly pale. All the strength seemed to drain from his body, and he collapsed limply onto the floor.