The Empress Dowager, bolstered by Elder Master Geng’s support, found a measure of courage.
To be put at a disadvantage?
Impossible!
Yun Shu and Zhan Tian Ye exchanged glances. It seemed the Empress Dowager would not yield until she reached the brink of disaster.
Or did she believe Elder Master Geng’s arrival could turn the tide?
Zhan Tian Hong sighed deeply, "Alas, Mother, can you provide proof of your innocence? I truly believe in you, but rumors are rampant now, and Fifth Brother and Miss Yun Er have their claims. This matter cannot be decided solely on my belief, it must be based on evidence."
How unsurprising!
He had long suspected a connection between the Empress Dowager and the Regent, but he hadn't expected their entanglement to be so deep, even producing an illegitimate child?
What, was she trying to replace him with this bastard child in the future?
Therefore, they had used every trick in the book against him over the years,
Wishing for his early demise.
He secretly glanced at Zhan Tian Ye, wondering when Fifth Brother had learned of this and why he hadn't told him sooner.
Had he known this sooner, and possessed evidence early on, he would have certainly subjected the Regent to a thorough interrogation before his death! And then let the world know what the Regent had done!
Yet, now that the Regent was dead, his burning hatred had nowhere to be unleashed!
Seeing Zhan Tian Hong's feigned belief in her while demanding evidence, the Empress Dowager gritted her teeth in anger and inwardly cursed, but still forced herself to maintain composure, "The evidence is that I have done nothing wrong, and I will not allow others to speak slander! I am the Empress Dowager of this nation, the Emperor's mother, upright and honorable!"
This statement was truly shameless.
Zhan Tian Hong wished he could slap her, upright and honorable?
"King Ye, General Yun, Miss Yun Er, what is your intention in slandering the current Empress Dowager with your baseless accusations? Do you wish to make a spectacle of the imperial family for the world to see?" Elder Grandfather Geng asked in a deep voice, adopting an elder's demeanor.
He intended to use his status as the Elder Grandfather of the Geng family to suppress them.
Aiming for a position of dominance.
In truth, on his way after hearing the news, Elder Grandfather Geng had nearly coughed up a breath. His current calm and steady demeanor was because he knew that if the Empress Dowager fell, the Geng family would also fall.
The current Emperor increasingly could not tolerate the Geng family.
Once he was gone, the Geng family would be utterly destroyed.
Therefore, no matter what, he had to hold firm! They had to get through this hurdle!
"Elder Grandfather Geng, regarding the matter between the Empress Dowager and the Regent, if there is no evidence, this general will certainly not permit Shu'er to speak of it! I understand Elder Grandfather Geng's difficulty in accepting this, but the Empress Dowager and the Regent have already committed grave errors, leaving no room for regret!" Yun Chang Feng replied solemnly.
They exchanged a look.
Yun Chang Feng could see a hint of a request in Elder Grandfather Geng's eyes.
A very subtle request.
Unfortunately.
The control of this matter lay with King Ye and Shu'er.
The information they had uncovered.
"The evidence is here." Zhan Tian Ye cut to the chase. He had no good impression of the Geng family.
He handed the collected testimonies and other evidence to a nearby palace servant.
Upon seeing the thick stack of evidence, the Empress Dowager's eyes suddenly reddened, her vision blurred, yet she defiantly declared, "It's all fake! It's all fake! King Ye, Yun Shu, you dare to fabricate evidence to frame me?! Emperor, you must thoroughly investigate this matter!"