Bai Xiang had shown no mercy in dealing with the Wei family. If the Wei family's cronies learned of this weakness in the Bai family, they would surely seize the opportunity to strike back.
Therefore, it was possible that Bai Xiang and Bai Shanwei were observing from the shadows, using Madam Shen's actions to expose those behind the scenes.
With this realization, Feng Jin Yao immediately stopped Bai Dalang.
"Eldest Uncle, please do not panic. There might be another explanation. You should return first, and we can discuss this thoroughly."
Feng Jin Yao possessed unique insights into many matters, and Bai Xiang often praised her for her meticulous mind. This was why Madam Lin had sought her out.
Hearing her words, Madam Lin's anxious heart finally felt a little lighter.
She then turned to her husband and said,
"Listen to A Yao. Let's go back and discuss it first!"
Bai Dalang glanced in the direction of the imperial palace. It was already late to go now. It was better to discuss it first, so he turned and returned to the Bai mansion.
After Madam Shen was brought into the imperial palace, her initial joy gradually gave way to fear and nervousness.
This was the most prosperous and noble place in the world. She had actually entered it?
No wonder people outside were scrambling to become imperial consorts. It truly was a life fit for those above others.
Even a casual glance made her heart yearn uncontrollably.
Her greedy demeanor did not escape the eunuch's notice, and he felt a deep disdain.
After all, she was from the Bai family; how could she be so short-sighted?
Princess Wen Yi truly had her hands full with such a sister-in-law.
As he was thinking, he saw the entrance to the Imperial Study.
Given the sensitive nature of this matter, Emperor Qi had not summoned her to the main hall.
"Madam, this is the Imperial Study. I need not explain the rules to you. Please enter yourself. His Majesty is waiting for your reply."
"This... I..."
Madam Shen had never met an emperor before and was so nervous that she could not speak clearly.
Although the eunuch disliked Madam Shen, he had to maintain appearances. He said with a "kind" expression,
"His Majesty is benevolent. Madam need not worry."
With that, he gently pushed her. After Madam Shen stumbled into the study, he closed the door and stood up straight, addressing the guards outside.
"Be vigilant, and do not let anyone slip through!"
"Yes!"
Inside the study, Madam Shen swallowed several times before daring to walk further in.
Emperor Qi, clad in a bright yellow imperial robe, exuded an imposing aura. Madam Shen immediately knelt on the ground and cried, "Long live His Majesty!"
Emperor Qi frowned, looking at the pathetic Madam Shen, and began to ponder.
Could such a person truly dare to collude with the Ninth Prince's faction to frame the Bai family?
A moment later, Emperor Qi finally spoke.
"Prime Minister Bai, is this your third son's wife?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, yes."
"How can she be so undignified?" Emperor Qi mused inwardly, but he still tried to maintain a gentle expression as he addressed Madam Shen.
"You have been spreading rumors outside that Bai Shanwei's parentage is that of an illegitimate child?"
Madam Shen had not expected her father-in-law and Bai Shanwei to both be in the study. As they looked at her, their eyes held a strange mixture of pity.
Unable to get an immediate answer from Madam Shen, Emperor Qi grew impatient.
This kind of woman, outwardly fierce but inwardly timid, would have been handed over to the Dali Temple and confessed everything within three days if not for the masterminds behind her.
"Speak!"
Emperor Qi's reprimand caused Madam Shen to lose her wits.
She had no idea how to answer His Majesty, and her speech became even more stammering.
"This subject, this subject is... no... not... towards..."
After much fumbling, she still couldn't explain herself clearly. Prime Minister Bai glanced at her, his disappointment even greater than what he felt for Bai Sanlang.
He then said to Emperor Qi,
"Your Majesty, perhaps I should question her."
Emperor Qi waved his hand, clearly agreeing to Prime Minister Bai's request.
Facing her father-in-law, Madam Shen's nervousness subsided considerably, but her guard was also raised.
Her father-in-law was questioning her; what was he going to ask?
Prime Minister Bai paid no mind to her thoughts and slowly began to question her.
"Madam Shen, do you know your crime?"
Know her crime?
Madam Shen's eyes widened in disbelief. She had clearly spoken the truth, so why should she know her crime?
It was clearly her father-in-law's favoritism towards Bai Shanwei, deliberately using her as a scapegoat.
In her desperation, her words became much more coherent, and she immediately retorted.
"What crime do I know? Prime Minister Bai, are you trying to bully me with your power? His Majesty is here, and you dare to bully the weak so openly. It is one thing for me, a mere woman, to be wronged, but to confuse His Majesty's vision, is this not deceiving the emperor? If anyone should know their crime, it is Prime Minister Bai!"
Her speech was righteous and well-founded, as if she were a completely different person from the timid woman she had been moments before.
Prime Minister Bai listened to her words without any emotional reaction.
The moment she colluded with outsiders to put Bai Shanwei to death, this so-called daughter-in-law was nothing more than an empty shell in his eyes.
Now, asking her if she knew her crime was merely giving her a final chance.
Since she did not cherish it, she had no one to blame but herself.
He then said to Madam Shen,
"You say we are deceiving the emperor? But Si Ming's parentage has long been investigated and reported to His Majesty. It is His Majesty's compassion for our Bai family that he agreed to use the method of reincarnation to conceal Si Ming's identity. Where is the deception?"
Upon hearing Prime Minister Bai's words, Madam Shen was so shocked that she could not speak clearly.
"You... Impossible! Impossible! How could the Emperor conceal the identity of this little bastard! You must be lying to me, lying to me!"
She could speak such words as "little bastard" so casually in front of Emperor Qi?
Alas, she was already driven to madness by Prime Minister Bai's words and could no longer control her tongue.
She then launched into a tirade against Bai Shanwei, her words filled with obscenities.
"A slut gives birth to a slut. Your mother bewitched Third Master's heart, but you are even more capable, deceiving the hearts of both the Prime Minister and the Emperor! The Qiao family truly produces talents! No wonder they were so influential in the previous court!"
The Qiao family had been a prominent family in the previous court, but they had fallen into decline many years ago.
Even in her delirium, Madam Shen still brought this up to attack, or perhaps to drag Bai Shanwei down with her.
However, she did not know that with Emperor Qi's suspicious nature, how could he not have thoroughly investigated?
Therefore, Prime Minister Bai and Bai Shanwei had not concealed anything from the beginning. Their frank demeanor had instead earned them favor in Emperor Qi's eyes. At the very least, a subject who dared not hide anything was precisely what Emperor Qi valued.
As for whose child he was, whose seed, it was of no importance to Emperor Qi.
On the contrary, he felt that holding this leverage over the Bai family would make them even more loyal.