Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Execution of the Entire Clan

Very soon, a woman over forty, dressed in luxurious attire, walked in.

As soon as she entered, she fell to her knees with a thud.

“Servant Fangcao, pays respects to the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, and the Empress!”

“Fangcao, I’m asking you!”

Before Zheng Yi could speak, the Empress Dowager quickly asked, “The son born by the Empress, have you been the one taking care of him?”

“Yes, Empress Dowager.”

“The three pregnant women you brought in, was it to learn from them on how to care for the Empress? Where are they now?”

“Ah?”

Fangcao looked up at the Empress Dowager in surprise, then stumbled, “Yes, yes, that’s right.”

“They, they were sent out of the palace by me.”

Watching the two feign innocence and act, Zheng Yi coldly laughed, “Bringing pregnant women into the palace to learn how to care for the Empress?”

“Then why not bring them in when the Empress was first pregnant, but only when she was about to give birth?!”

“This, this, this…”

Fangcao immediately panicked, gritting her teeth, “Your Majesty, it’s because older pregnancies are dangerous, so we must handle carefully!”

“Yes, that’s how it is…”

Zheng Yi couldn’t help but admire the cunning of palace women, able to come up with such a reason.

He was both angry and amused.

“Summon the midwife!”

Soon, the midwife who had just helped the Empress give birth walked in, trembling, and bowed lavishly.

“Servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, and the Empress!”

She had obviously heard the conversations happening in the room and guessed something, feeling extremely fearful.

“Granny Wang, is that right?”

Zheng Yi said, “You are a veteran midwife in the palace; tell me, during the Empress’s labor, was a Prince or a Princess born?!”

“Yes, yes yes yes…”

Granny Wang was trembling all over, hardly knowing what she was saying.

She was well aware that palace intrigue involved the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Just a mere midwife, a single mistake, and she could face death!

“Granny Wang, you know the Empress Dowager and I go way back. Do not dare deceive His Majesty!”

At this moment, the Empress Dowager spoke again.

Zheng Yi looked at the Empress Dowager with dissatisfaction, “Mother?”

“Emperor, this matter relates to the Royal Family lineage and must be treated carefully.”

The Empress Dowager spoke with composure, “I’m doing this for your sake, Emperor.”

“It’s, it’s a Prince.”

After saying this, Granny Wang collapsed to the ground.

The Empress Dowager was pleased, “Son, did you hear that clearly? Even the midwife says it’s a Prince. What are you still doubting?”

Zheng Yi shook his head helplessly. If he hadn’t already known the truth, he might have been convinced by the Empress Dowager.

She truly was the ultimate winner in the palace struggles!

It’s known that the Empress Dowager wasn’t Emperor Zhengyong’s biological mother, yet she managed to control him tightly and even helped him ascend to the throne.

One can imagine her mastery in palace intrigue.

But unfortunately…

She was now facing Zheng Yi!

“Hoo…”

He exhaled deeply, beginning to focus his mind.

The pure Yin Qi continued to linger in the palace.

And it wasn’t far from the Empress’s chamber.

Or rather… it was right inside the chamber!

Following the feeling in his heart, he slowly searched.

Lu Lin’er asked curiously, “Your Majesty?”

“Everyone be silent…”

With one command, all the women present closed their mouths.

Even the Empress Dowager complied.

At this moment, the Empress Dowager was sending sharp warning glances to Fangcao and the midwife.

The two women were terrified, bowing their heads, not knowing what to think.

Very soon, Zheng Yi arrived in front of a bookshelf in the outer hall of the chamber.

The shelf was enormous, reaching the top of the chamber, filled with various books and antiques.

Upon seeing Zheng Yi arrive here, the Empress Dowager’s face looked even more displeased.

“Emperor?”

A mechanism?

Zheng Yi said, “Mother, will you open it yourself, or shall I?”

The Empress Dowager still acted tough, “Emperor, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Humph!”

Zheng Yi called, “Cheng’en!”

“Your Majesty!”

It was unexpected that the Empress struggled to sit up, gritting her teeth, “On the right side of the shelf, the fourth Jadeite and Mutton-fat Jade Vessel of the third row is the key.”

“I, I also want to know what the truth is.”

Zheng Yi followed the hint and turned the Jadeite and Mutton-fat Jade Vessel lightly.

“Click…”

Indeed, the bookshelf quickly moved aside, revealing the hollow space behind it.

The space had a stagnant stench mixed with a faint bloody odor.

Simultaneously, weak cries from newborns came from within.

Seeing this, Fangcao and the midwife felt utter despair and collapsed to the ground shivering.

Zheng Yi led people inside, and true enough, after turning a corner, they found several figures lurking.

Three pregnant women, three matrons tending to the babies.

Upon seeing Zheng Yi, the six were startled.

The three matrons quickly knelt, holding the babies, shouting long live the Emperor.

Even the three pregnant women struggled to stand.

“Hand the babies to me!”

“Yes, yes…”

The three matrons tremblingly handed the babies over for Zheng Yi to inspect.

These three babies were two girls and one boy.

Meaning, the three pregnant women summoned by the Empress, or rather by the Empress Dowager, bore two boys and one girl.

And the one they took outside was one of the boys.

As for his own daughter…

Zheng Yi turned his gaze to the girl on the left and felt a strange, innate connection.

At this moment, the pure Yin Qi was dissolving slowly from her.

“Take the babies outside!”

The three matrons carried the children out, witnessing this, the Empress Dowager slowly closed her eyes.

The Empress suddenly sat up straight, her voice trembling, “Which, which is my child?”

Zheng Yi looked at the midwife and said, “Granny Wang, I’m giving you another chance.”

“Name my child, and I will spare you a complete corpse.”

“Otherwise, your entire family will be executed!”

Granny Wang’s body froze abruptly, her teeth began chattering; she raised her head in panic.

“Your Majesty, mercy, mercy!”

“Speak!”

“It, it’s that one…”

While speaking, she pointed to the girl on the left. Zheng Yi slowly nodded.

“How do you know for sure?”

“Different swaddling, the boys have a green dragon pattern, the girls have a red phoenix pattern.”

“Who instructed you?”

Zheng Yi asked deeply, “The Empress or the Empress Dowager?”

“Emperor!”

The Empress Dowager suddenly uttered fiercely, “I did all this for the Great Yu World. Please, Your Majesty…”

“Mother!”

Zheng Yi retorted, “What I did is also for the Great Yu World!”

“Raising a bastard is not something I can abide by.”

“Speak! Who is it!”

Granny Wang flinched from the fright, subconsciously looking up at the Empress Dowager, and then quickly bowing her head, her voice trembling:

“It was, was, was…”

“It’s me!”

Suddenly, Fangcao lifted her head and said, “It, it was me. I did it all. It has nothing to do with the Empress Dowager or the Empress!”

“Oh?”

Zheng Yi glanced at Fangcao, and noticed the Empress Dowager exhaled deeply.

“It, it was me.”

Fangcao seemed to think it through, saying, “Servant did it because the Empress was too lonely missing His Majesty, gazing towards Qiankun Hall every night, unhappy.”

“So I thought if the Empress could give birth to a Crown Prince, His Majesty would visit more often…”

“Aunt Fangcao…”

The Empress was also stunned, never expecting Fangcao to offer such a reason, all for her.

This…

Zheng Yi also shook his head, saying coldly, “To dare harm a royal offspring for personal gain, it’s a heinous crime!”

“Granny Wang, be given a white silk!”

“The whole family exiled to Nanyue County.”

“Fangcao… execution by clubbing!”

“Whole family exterminated!!!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep