After leaving the Jin family, Nangong Yi still couldn't make sense of things. Once a thought arose in his mind, everything felt suspicious.
"Zhou Kang, secretly investigate the old servants around the Empress Dowager and the old servants around Minister Jin. If there is indeed some unspeakable connection between them, there will be clues."
"Your Highness, do you actually believe the rumors outside?"
Nangong Yi's expression was solemn: "I cannot afford not to suspect. The Empress Dowager has always treated me differently from my brothers since I was young. If the Empress Dowager truly has an illegitimate son, and he is hidden among the three princes, then I am the most likely candidate!"
"Your Highness, don't overthink it. How can you possibly be the Empress Dowager's illegitimate son? Someone must be targeting Your Highness, deliberately slandering the reputations of the Empress Dowager and Minister Jin. The Empress Dowager and the Jin family are your support. Once they fall, Your Highness will be in danger!"
Nangong Yi understood these matters well, but where there's smoke, there's fire. Such a widespread rumor, if it amounts to nothing, will at most lead to the impeachment of court officials. He feared that this matter would arouse the Emperor's suspicion. The Emperor was already prone to suspicion; if he acted without investigation, he might punish them, and they wouldn't even know how they died. Therefore, he had to uncover the truth first!
"Go and investigate quickly. We must uncover the truth before anyone else!"
"Yes, if it's false, we can clear the names of the Empress Dowager and my uncle. If it's true..." Nangong Yi couldn't imagine what it would be like if he were truly the Empress Dowager's illegitimate son... No, he wasn't, he definitely wasn't the Empress Dowager's illegitimate son!
Currently, the Empress was under house arrest, and Consort De was the highest-ranking concubine in the harem, acting as the Empress and managing all affairs of the six palaces. She was discussing matters with the other concubines in the main hall when her head maid hurried in.
The head attendant stepped forward: "Qing Jun, what is so urgent?"
Qing Jun whispered something into the head attendant's ear. The head attendant hesitated, but still chose to inform Consort De. Upon hearing this, Consort De maintained her composure: "That's all for today. I hope all sisters will assist me in managing the affairs of the six palaces."
"As Your Highness Consort De commands, this concubine takes her leave."
After the concubines departed, Consort De turned to Qing Jun: "What has happened to Your Highness?"
Qing Jun looked around. Consort De understood: "Everyone else, leave."
When only three people remained in the main hall, Qing Jun spoke: "Your Highness, news has come from the Imperial Study. The Censorate has impeached the Empress Dowager for moral misconduct and licentious behavior in the palace..."
"Preposterous!" Consort De exclaimed, "In this palace, besides His Majesty, there are only eunuchs. How can there be licentious behavior in the palace?"
"Your Highness, it is said that the Empress Dowager was licentious in the palace while residing in the imperial villa, and even gave birth to an illegitimate son."
Consort De slammed the table in anger: "Nonsense, how could the Empress Dowager have an illegitimate son?"
"This servant was also shocked to hear it and investigated thoroughly. It is said that it has spread widely outside, and they have even composed nursery rhymes about it," Qing Jun steadied herself and then sang, "True prince, false prince, the Empress Dowager has an illegitimate son. True mother and child, false mother and child, a civet cat exchanged for a true prince."
Consort De and the attendant beside her exchanged glances: "Does the Empress Dowager really have an illegitimate son?"
"Your Highness, what you should be worried about now is which prince the Empress Dowager replaced with her illegitimate son!"
Consort De instantly sobered up. That was right, she should be worried about which prince the Empress Dowager had replaced. Prince Chu is twenty-six this year, Prince Qin is twenty-four, and Prince Chu is the youngest at nineteen. When Prince Chu and Prince Qin were born, the Empress Dowager was still in the palace. It would have been impossible to give birth to a child secretly!
Then the only possibility was Prince Qi! No, there was also the deceased Prince Han. Prince Han was also born during the Empress Dowager's relocation to the villa... But the Empress Dowager had always disliked Prince Han. If he were truly her child, how could she not protect him?
Consort De felt extremely uneasy: "Send for my brother to enter the palace."
"Your Highness, rumors outside say that Minister Jin and the Empress Dowager are having an affair!"
Consort De's mind reeled. Her brother and the Empress Dowager having an affair, how was that possible?
"You mean the Empress Dowager's illegitimate son was born to my brother?" Consort De felt a chill run down her spine. Leaving aside the question of an illegitimate son, if Jin Xiao were found guilty of an affair with the Empress Dowager, Jin Xiao would surely die!
"Why my brother, why my brother?" Consort De angrily swept the things beside her to the ground. "Back then, our family was weak, and she, to climb higher, entered the palace to be selected as a concubine, so she broke off my brother's engagement. Our Jin family did not dare to pursue it. Later, my brother, through his own ability, entered the capital as an official. She felt guilty and gave him some support. But now she is going to ruin our Jin family?"
"Your Highness, calm down," the wet nurse comforted her, "It's just unfounded gossip; there's no evidence."
"Your Highness, His Majesty already knows about this matter and has sent people to investigate. He has also ordered a blood-typing test for the three princes."
"His Majesty has always been suspicious. With such rumors spreading outside, he will naturally be doubtful. However, merely because of rumors, he would order a blood-typing test, that's impossible!" Consort De had been in the palace for so many years; she couldn't say much else, but she had a good grasp of the Emperor's thoughts.
Qing Jun bit her lip: "I also learned from Eunuch Xiao Fu that His Majesty possesses evidence, and the evidence directly points to His Highness Prince Qi."
Consort De rushed forward and grabbed Qing Jun's collar: "You're spouting nonsense! The child I raised for nineteen years, how could he not be my child? If he's not my child, then where is my child?"
"This matter, I'm afraid, only the Empress Dowager knows," Qing Jun said with a worried expression. "Your Highness, if His Highness Prince Qi is truly not your child, then where is the real Prince Qi? Is he still alive?"
Consort De sank back into her chair, her heart in utter chaos: "No, Yi'er is my child, he is my child. I watched him grow from so small to this big. How can he not be my child!"
"Qing Jun, how can you speak such nonsense in front of Her Highness!" the wet nurse hugged Consort De. "Your Highness, please don't worry. The truth will prevail. His Highness is your child, he is your child."
"Yes, Your Highness, as long as you believe His Highness is your child, then he is your child!" Qing Jun chimed in, "It's just a pity for the true prince, who knows where he is suffering now!"
"Qing Jun, leave!"
"This servant takes her leave." Qing Jun walked out with a wronged expression.
"Wait." Consort De stopped Qing Jun. "Does His Majesty really have evidence?"
"Your Highness, you only need to wait a little longer. When the day of the blood test arrives, it will become clear whether His Highness is your child or not. If he is your child, everyone will be happy. If he is not your child, you must seek justice for the true prince!"