Jin Wang Dotes on His Concubine

Chapter 179.3

The witness was soon called up. It was a fat woman.

“This person is Side Consort Su’s sister-in-law, Zhu-shi. Su Yaoniang gave birth to a child out of wedlock. Zhu-shi knows it best.”

“That one in her belly is a bastard. I don’t know which man she did it with. Back then…” As Zhu-shi talked about the matter, it was natural for her to add embellishments. She said how Yaoniang was a vicious girl when she was a child, and how she often hooked up with people and so on.

Empress Wei looked at Yaoniang. “Side Consort Su…”

Yaoniang was still unmoved. “This Zhu-shi has been divorced by my older brother a few days ago. She has committed three of the seven grounds for divorce: unfilial to her parents, jealousy, and gossiping too much. When I was still in my boudoir, she often abused me. My older sister couldn’t stand it, so she took me into her house to live temporarily. It was at this time that I met His Highness Jin Wang, which is why she doesn’t know. If Your Majesty has any doubts, you’re welcome to order people to question the Yao Family and Su Family neighbours. As for what those people said before, this concubine asks Your Majesty to take into consideration the painstaking efforts of parents on behalf of their incompetent children.

She paused, lowered her head and started to cry. “This concubine already admitted earlier that this concubine had suffered for the mistakes made during this concubine’s youth. This concubine doesn’t understand why Duchess Xuguo is so aggressive, repeatedly poking at my wounds, and even trying to frame my son Xiaobao for not being His Highness’s biological son in front of so many people. From what I can see, it’s not that they suspect my son Xiaobao isn’t His Highness’s son. They are simply deliberately trying to mislead the public and label my son as not being of imperial blood.

“Back when His Highness brought my son into the palace, his lineage was personally confirmed by His Majesty himself. My son’s face resembles His Highness’s so much, yet there are still people trying to turn black into white. I wonder where are you putting His Majesty, who recognizes my son’s identity? Does Duchess Xuguo think that His Majesty is senile and muddleheaded, easily deceived by people’s tricks?! “

One must admit that although Yaoniang seemed to be submissive, her words were very sharp.

Every word and every phrase accused the other party of harbouring ulterior motives. No one dared to intervene from the beginning to the end, for fear that if they weren’t careful, they would be dragged into this muddy water. Now that she was using Emperor Hongjing to make an argument, who dared to say that she was wrong? Questioning her would be accusing Emperor Hongjing of being senile and muddleheaded. Who would dare to do this?

Even Empress Wei dared not!

“You are misleading the others!” accused Duchess Xuguo with a blushing face.

“It should be you who is misleading the public, Duchess. Even if you don’t pursue this matter today, I, Jin Wang Manor, will pursue it to the end. Even if you hide at home, disaster will fall from the sky. However, I know that His Majesty is wise and mighty. His Highness is also decisive and wise. They will never be fooled by those with evil intentions!”

Outside the palace gate, a group of people stood silently. The person in the lead was Emperor Hongjing, and he was accompanied by Dai Wang, An Wang, Yong Wang and the others.

Emperor Hongjing glanced at Jin Wang, who looked the same as usual.

“I didn’t expect this young woman to speak so sharply.” Her flattery was also on point.

“She had always been timid. Today, she was probably forced into a corner.”

She had been forced so much into a corner that she even started to cry. When Emperor Hongjing saw the cold expression on his fifth son’s face, he knew that his heart must be aching.

While Emperor Hongjing was talking to Jin Wang, the person next to them was in turmoil as he glanced down with his half-opened eyes. Under such circumstances, Emperor Hongjing was still in the mood to joke with Jin Wang. What was going on inside? She was only a young woman, yet no one was speaking. One must know that he had arranged for more than one person’s presence.

What on earth were they waiting for?!

This person didn’t know that the entire play had gone awry from his original plans. Su Yaoniang didn’t panic at all, nor did she feel ashamed at all. She recounted the events from that year and even refuted what was said against her one by one. She even directly pointed out that the other party was deliberately scheming to frame her as an attack on Jin Wang Manor.

In this case, who dared to intervene?

How could they know that as a mother, Yaoniang would be unfazed even if her life was at stake? However, she refused to let her son, Xiaobao, be wronged even at the cost of her life.

Emperor Hongjing led the way in. Everyone in the hall stood up and bowed down one after another.

“Tell me. What’s going on?” Emperor Hongjing sat down beside the empress.

Duchess Xuguo was so angered by Yaoniang that her chest felt tight and she had difficulty breathing. Since she couldn’t speak, Hong Rang spoke for her.

After listening, Emperor Hongjing looked at Duchess Xuguo, “Madam Xu, is this true? Is there anything missing?”

“Everything is true. Nothing has been omitted. Your Majesty, please don’t listen to the evil person’s words…”

Emperor Hongjing stretched out his hand to interrupt her, his eyes a little dark. He glanced at Jin Wang. “What do you have to explain?”

“Erchen has nothing to explain, but Xiaobao is indeed erchen’s biological son. Emperor Father, please judge clearly.”

The method of how to verify whether someone was of the Zhao Family’s lineage has never surfaced. It was one of the most important secrets of the imperial family, and it was related to future generations. It was impossible for Emperor Hongjing to make this matter public just to prove to outsiders his grandson was actually his own.

The current situation was that Jin Wang, Yaoniang and even Emperor Hongjing all know that Xiaobao was of Zhao Family’s bloodline. It’s just that Yaoniang and Jin Wang couldn’t use the method as evidence, and they even had to pretend not to know. Emperor Hongjing also wouldn’t say anything about it.

Fortunately, Jin Wang was not unprepared.

After about two-quarters of an hour, a person walked in from outside the palace gate.

This person was actually Consort Jin.