Chapter 4: Your Servant Is Guilty

Jiang Daiyin: Did he just look at me?
Why would he look at me!
What a lunatic...

Bewildered, Jiang Daiyin led Feng Wuchen into the Yikun Palace. A dense crowd of imperial physicians surrounded the bedside, all currently kneeling on the ground. With all the physicians here, could the Seventh Prince be seriously injured? Jiang Daiyin couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease.

"Your Majesty, please take a look at Ye'er. If he ends up disfigured, what are we to do!" Noble Consort Wei wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her voice filled with mournful sobs.

"Father, the Tenth Prince pushed me!" Lying on the bed, Feng Linye’s chubby face was full of grievances.

"How is the Seventh Prince’s condition?" Being his own son, the Emperor found it difficult to remain cold-faced, so he raised his eyes to look at the physician.

The head physician’s eyes darted around for a moment before he spoke slowly: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince has been startled and needs to rest quietly. As for the injury on his forehead, I guarantee it will definitely not leave a scar."

Hearing this, Jiang Daiyin stepped forward to take a look.
"Oh, this little scratch really needs medicine immediately; if we wait any longer, the wound will have already healed." She pulled Feng Wuchen over, "Physician, you had better take a look at my Wuchen instead!"

Physician Zhang was pulled over to examine Feng Wuchen’s injuries. Feng Wuchen felt bewildered; was the Empress not afraid that others would see the old scars on his body?

"Your Majesty, look at her!" Wei Ranzhu was furious.

Feng Yu rubbed his temples; at times, he felt quite helpless. "Is this the 'attempted murder' you spoke of—two children accidentally bumping into each other and scraping a bit of skin?"

It seems that although this Emperor is a scoundrel, he is not entirely without brains. Jiang Daiyin gave the Emperor a mental compliment.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it is fortunate that we servants arrived in time, or else the Seventh Prince would have been in danger." Nanny Wang flopped onto her knees. "Empress, even if the Tenth Prince is not your own, you cannot harm him like this! I have heard more than once that the cries of a child are often heard coming from the Fengyi Palace!"

Noble Consort Wei shed her arrogant and domineering demeanor, putting on a facade of concern for the Tenth Prince. Yet, every word she spoke implied that the Empress was abusing him.

Just then, Physician Zhang finished applying medicine to Feng Wuchen, his face wearing a complex expression. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Tenth Prince has multiple abrasions on his body, and... and many whip marks. New wounds are layered over old ones; there isn't a single patch of healthy skin left on the Tenth Prince!"

A five-year-old child—he could not fathom how the Empress, who usually appeared virtuous and kind, could be so vicious and ruthless in private.

Wei Ranzhu raised her chin triumphantly and beckoned to Feng Wuchen. "Poor Tenth Prince, come forward and let Noble Consort Wei look at your injuries."

Chunyu’s heart jumped into her throat. It was over. Were the things their mistress had done finally going to be exposed?

Feng Wuchen did not dare to move; he looked at Jiang Daiyin in a panic, feeling completely at a loss.

"Chen'er, come here!" Feng Yu beckoned. His expression was extremely grim, his brows cold and sharp.

Jiang Daiyin watched as Feng Wuchen walked forward, her words caught in her throat. Should she defend herself? But the original owner of this body had truly done those things; she found herself speechless for a moment.

Wei Ranzhu looked triumphant. Abusing the imperial line—the Empress was finished for sure!

Feng Yu pulled up Feng Wuchen’s sleeves, and sure enough, he saw the arms covered in abrasions, with whip scars layered beneath the fresh wounds. His pupils constricted, and he was instantly overcome with rage.

"Empress! What else do you have to say?"

Jiang Daiyin knelt on the ground, offering no defense. "I am guilty."

Noble Consort Wei sneered. She hadn't expected the Empress to forgo even a shred of explanation. This was perfect; the Emperor would surely punish her severely! The position of Empress was as good as hers.

"Audacious! You are completely unfit to be the mother of the nation!" Feng Yu was furious. He had thought that what he saw with his own eyes suggested Jiang Daiyin wasn't that kind of person, yet she wouldn't even offer a rebuttal. Could it be that the palace maid’s words were true, and the Empress was truly adept at disguise?

"Guards! Confine the Empress to the Fengyi Palace. She is not to leave without an imperial decree!"

[Feng Yu's Favorability -100]

The heart that Jiang Daiyin had been holding in her chest finally withered.

"Father! Your son asks for your mercy." Unexpectedly, Feng Wuchen suddenly knelt down.

Fearing that Feng Wuchen would ruin things, Noble Consort Wei quickly interjected. "Tenth Prince, do not be afraid. With His Majesty here, she will not dare to hit you again. You are a good child; in the future, Noble Consort Wei will protect you well." Her crimson lips curled upward, her eyes full of the certainty of victory.

"Revoke the Empress's seal and let the Noble Consort manage the six palaces."

Feng Yu’s anger burned even hotter. With this decree, Jiang Daiyin was effectively a deposed Empress!

"Mistress..." Chunyu’s face turned ashen, a cold chill settling in her heart.

Jiang Daiyin was just as anxious; she did not want to spend the rest of her life in a cold palace!

"Father! These injuries were all because your son was mischievous, which is why Mother hit me. I beg Father to forgive Mother this once!" Feng Wuchen said loudly, then knocked his head against the floor several times. His small, childish face was full of determination as he gathered the courage to look at Feng Yu.

"Tenth Prince! What nonsense are you spouting?" Noble Consort Wei shrieked. Was this child brainless? The Empress had beaten him to such a state, yet he was still speaking up for her! It seemed she hadn't hit him hard enough; he had forgotten the pain as soon as the wounds healed!

"Chen'er, is what you say true?" Feng Yu’s suspicious gaze shifted between the two.

"Reporting to Father, it was Chen'er who accidentally broke Mother’s favorite vase. Mother lost her temper for a moment and hit me a bit too hard, that is all."

Listening to Feng Wuchen, the image of the vase shattering and her beating Feng Wuchen half to death flashed through Jiang Daiyin's mind. She gritted her teeth in frustration; this child’s spirit was far too resilient—he didn't even hate her after all that. With a spirit like this, he would succeed at whatever he set his mind to!

"Even so, she should not have been so ruthless!" Feng Yu was clearly still angry, though perhaps a little less so.

"Yes, it is all my fault. I only hope that Your Majesty will give me a chance to make amends." Jiang Daiyin seized the opportunity to step down, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Wei Ranzhu clenched her fists in anger, her nails digging deep into her palms.

"Chen'er is too thin. Send word to the Imperial Kitchen to take better care of the Empress’s palace." Pulling on the child’s arm, Feng Yu realized he was nothing but skin and bones.

"Yes," Fulin Hai replied with a smile.

Seeing that Feng Wuchen was useless, Wei Ranzhu shot a look at Feng Linye.

"Ouch, it hurts!" Receiving his mother’s signal, Feng Linye immediately began rolling on the bed. "Mother, my whole body hurts so much!" He continued to wail and fuss about his pain.

"My poor Ye'er, how could someone have harmed you so cruelly!" Wei Ranzhu threw herself onto the bedside, wailing.

"Physician Zhang!" Feng Yu called out in a deep voice.

Physician Zhang’s body shuddered as he hurriedly stepped forward to check the pulse. The pulse check left him drenched in sweat; his eyes darted wildly as he struggled to think of a good excuse.

"Your Majesty! You must not let the culprit who harmed Ye'er go unpunished!!" Wei Ranzhu cried out, kneeling at Feng Yu’s feet with her mouth agape.