Chapter 5

Chapter 5

When they finished speaking, they waited for Empress Mother to pass judgment.

A chill spread through my heart.

After so many years as siblings, I had thought they were merely spoiled and unruly.

But in that moment, I understood.

They were malicious.

Kneeling on the floor, I coughed softly a few times.

“Empress Mother, if they like each other, then where they go and what they do is beyond my control. But Leju Palace is my bedchamber, and they have defiled it. I ask to be moved to another palace.”

I could not see anyone’s expression, so I had no way of judging what they were thinking.

The Danmaku flew past in a blur of messages.

[The empress is so domineering! Is this what an Empress Regnant for the ages looks like? Ah, I’m dead!]

[This drama should be called The Empress and Her Trash Sons.]

[The princess is amazing too. She didn’t try to prove her own innocence. She only stated the facts and didn’t fall into the trap of defending herself.]

[The princess is still too isolated. She’s all alone. If the empress doesn’t trust her, she’s finished.]

[Back then, to frame the empress consort, the empress even smothered her own biological daughter to death. I’m afraid she may not have much sincere affection for the princess either. She still hopes her sons will inherit the throne.]

I froze.

Empress Mother had once strangled her own daughter to death?

There had been rumors like that in the palace, but I had thought they were nothing more than wild gossip.

I never imagined they were actually true.

After a long silence, Empress Mother said coldly,

“The three of you brothers have acted with arrogance, corrupted the inner court, and violated human decency. Each of you will receive thirty strokes of the cane, forfeit three years of stipend, and be confined to your residences for three months.”

“Eldest, you first harmed your younger sister, then humiliated your cousin. You shirked responsibility and showed no sense of accountability. For now, you will be removed from your duties at the Ministry of Revenue. Come see me again only when you have truly turned over a new leaf.”

“Yunle, from this day onward, you will move to Qianxi Palace. However, Yunle, you have disappointed me greatly.”

My heart clenched. What was Empress Mother disappointed in?

Disappointed that I had framed my three imperial brothers?

That I had taken revenge on Song Lianwei?

Or disappointed that I had used her?

I could not figure it out.

Empress Mother left.

My three imperial brothers received their beatings.

First Imperial Brother fared the worst. With Empress Mother’s tacit instruction, his caning was especially heavy.

Hongshuang said that when he was carried away, he was nearly crippled, but the look he gave me was as if he wanted to kill me.

Worry was hard to hide in her voice.

“Princess, what will you do in the future?”

Yes.

What would I do in the future?

When Second Imperial Brother was carried away, he seized the chance to sow discord.

He looked at Song Lianwei and sneered, “Lianwei, today, you and First Imperial Brother could have consummated a fine match, but someone refused to let that happen and summoned me and Third Brother here. We were certainly at fault in what happened today, but you should understand who the true culprit is!”

I did not know what Song Lianwei thought.

But I would never let him have his way.

Calmly, I said, “Second Imperial Brother, you do have a silver tongue. But if you truly had no desire to compete, why did you fight First Imperial Brother over a woman? What would have been wrong with letting them be together? Hah. Since you couldn’t have her yourself, you didn’t want First Imperial Brother to have her either. Even I can see through that petty little scheme of yours, so how could you possibly hide it from First Imperial Brother? A hypocrite like you will receive your retribution sooner or later.”

Before Third Imperial Brother could speak, I said coldly, “Third Imperial Brother, the same goes for you. There is nothing wrong with ambition, but having ambition while refusing to admit it is what makes someone contemptible. If you are truly a man, then ask Empress Mother for permission to marry Song Lianwei. Then I will still acknowledge you as my brother.”

Third Imperial Brother snapped angrily, “Why should I? They were the ones who made the mistake first.”

I gave a scornful laugh. “Ha ha ha ha. Do you think Song Lianwei is dirty now?”

He snorted. “That is not what I meant.”

I rebuked him coldly, “Hypocrite. Before she came into contact with you, Song Lianwei was perfectly clean. After coming into contact with you, she became dirty. That only proves that the dirty ones are you. Wherever you go, you carry filth with you.”

“Sophistry!” Third Imperial Brother shouted in fury.

“Third Brother, don’t bother with her. She’s a madwoman. No one likes her, so she doesn’t want us to like Lianwei either. One day, we’ll make her understand what we’re capable of.” Second Imperial Brother’s voice was dark and cold.