Chapter 35 Physical Evidence
Inside the magnificent palace of the Yan Kingdom.
The sounds of orchestral instruments filled the air, and the dancers' figures were captivating.
Cui Yue changed into a gorgeous exotic costume. She had just performed a dance, and now she held a glass cup in her slender hand, a smile on her lips.
Across from him, Yu Jingchuan, the former eldest prince of the Great Yu Dynasty, was being flattered by a group of sycophants.
"Your Highness, you are the one destined by Heaven! The Yan Kingdom's court is in complete chaos because of these princes, and even the princesses want to follow the example of the Great Yu and become empresses!"
"Exactly! What does that young girl from Yu Kingdom know about governing a country? She's practically bringing chaos to the court!"
Yu Jingchuan was flattered and became quite drunk, his handsome face flushed red.
He waved his hand with great flair, displaying an air of heroic spirit.
"Rest assured! Rest assured, everyone! Now that I, the prince, am back, I will certainly need your help! From now on, everything will be easy to discuss!"
Cui Yue looked at this group of fools, a hint of contempt flashing in her eyes, but her smile remained gentle.
She gently swirled her wine glass, her gaze drifting towards the direction of the Great Yu Kingdom, a cold smile playing on her lips.
Hmph, judging by the time, that so-called second princess of the Great Yu should be publicly accused by now, disgraced, and dying a miserable death.
All of this is that old hag's own doing!
Who told her to make things difficult for me and Jingchuan back then? Today, let her taste the agony of unbearable pain!
She glanced at the Yan Emperor on the stage, whose eyes were shining as he stared at her, and once again curled the corners of her lips into a smile.
It's done!
The fish has taken the bait!
…
In the Great Yu Dynasty, in front of the imperial palace gate.
The atmosphere seemed to freeze.
Everyone's hearts were in their throats as they nervously watched the swaying Empress Dowager.
The palace servants nearby were in a flurry of activity.
[Grandmother, Grandmother, please don't faint! Wait a little longer, I'll exchange for the gene pills for you as soon as possible!]
[System, system, is there anything that can restore the Empress Dowager to her former self?]
Yu Zhao was extremely anxious.
The system sighed in its mind.
[Host, you currently have too few points; you can only purchase high-yield crops.]
Just as Yuan Hua was feeling dizzy, he suddenly heard his granddaughter's thoughts, and his drowsiness was instantly dispelled.
She steadied herself and forced herself to stand up straight.
Just then, a clear voice rang out.
Lin Xiang, dressed in a blue official robe, slowly walked out from among the officials. He had a handsome face and an unusually calm expression.
"This young lady."
He spoke gently to the woman who was weeping on the ground, his tone cautious.
"Do you have any concrete evidence to support your accusation against Princess Luanxue of the current dynasty? You can't just convict a princess of a nation of heinous crimes based on a few words from you alone."
Lin Xiang paused, his voice becoming clearer.
"Furthermore, I recall that Princess Luanxue has lived a secluded life ever since she was found six years ago. After marrying her husband, she has never stepped out of the princess's residence and has always been indifferent to worldly affairs. How could she possibly do something like sending people to hunt her down?"
[Good job, Lin Xiangxiang! We're counting on you this time!]
Lin Xiang's lips twitched slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.
However, his words instantly calmed the enraged crowd down a bit.
"What Prime Minister Lin said seems to make some sense. That second princess really doesn't go out much."
"Yes, she always claims to be ill at royal banquets. I thought she was just weak."
In the crowd, the butcher Tie Dan, who slaughtered pigs, started shouting again.
"I don't think so! Anyone can put on an act. Maybe he's just feeling guilty and afraid to go out and be recognized!"
"Didn't you see how badly this girl is dressed? She's covered in blood! Who would joke with their own life like that?"
A woman with a cool and aloof demeanor spoke calmly from the side.
"Everyone, please be careful with your words. How can we casually discuss the reputation of Princess Dayu? His Majesty and the Empress Dowager are wise and will surely give us a fair judgment on the truth!"
On the stage, the woman, upon hearing Lin Xiang's questioning, not only remained calm but also swore an oath with unwavering conviction.
She crawled a few steps, moving closer to Yuan Hua, and looked up at his face, which was covered in bloodstains.
"Evidence! My daughter certainly has evidence!"
"Mother! The dragon and phoenix jade pendant that you personally placed on my finger is still in my hand! That vile woman Luan Xue, the jade pendant she took from me was a fake! I have long since hidden the real jade pendant!"
As she spoke, the woman's hands trembled as she pulled a jade pendant from her tattered bosom.
The jade pendant was wrapped tightly in strips of cloth, and as she unwrapped it layer by layer, everyone gasped in shock.
It was a jade pendant with a dragon and phoenix design. Even though it was stained with blood, you could still see that it had a warm and lustrous color and a translucent texture. It was clearly an extraordinary piece.
More importantly, the dragon and phoenix patterns unique to royalty clearly originated from the imperial court.
Yuan Hua's breath hitched.
She tremblingly reached out her hand, and the palace servant beside her immediately understood and presented the jade pendant.
Yuan Hua took the jade pendant, which still bore traces of blood and warmth, and gently stroked a small, inconspicuous notch on the back of the pendant with his fingertips.
Tears, finally uncontrollable, fell in large drops.
Her voice was so hoarse it was unrecognizable.
"It's true. This jade pendant is exactly the same as the one I wore in my younger days."
But a question arose in Yuan Hua's mind.
That's not right.
When she examined the jade pendant that Luan Xue had brought back, she confirmed that it was genuine, and the location and feel of the notch were exactly the same.
Why, why are there two identical jade pendants?
Everyone was shocked upon hearing this.
"Heavens! Even the Empress Dowager says it's true! Could this commoner really be the second princess of our Great Yu?"
"If it's true, that's too tragic! Having your identity stolen and being hunted down, my god, who would be so heartless as to throw someone into a cage of wild animals?"
At this moment, an elderly official suddenly remembered something and stroked his beard.
"I remember that the Second Princess has a unique birthmark shaped like a snowflake on her neck! This commoner woman couldn't possibly be able to fake a birthmark, could she? If she does have a birthmark, then this matter is almost certainly true!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes immediately focused on the woman's neck.
The woman stubbornly straightened her chest, brushed aside the messy hair that was covering her neck with one hand, and completely exposed the right side of her neck to everyone.
"Mother! If memories can be accessed by others and jade pendants can be forged, then this birthmark I was born with can't possibly be fake!"
On her scarred neck, there was indeed a light red mark, delicately shaped, which, upon closer inspection, truly resembled a hexagonal snowflake!
The woman's voice suddenly rose, filled with grievance.
"The birthmark on my daughter's body is exactly the same as it was back then! The birthmark on Luan Xue's body is fake!"
"If you don't believe me, you can bring her here to see for yourself! The birthmark on her body has changed long ago! It's because her forgery skills were poor; over time, the fake color faded and the shape became blurry!"
"What's fake can never become real!"
As she spoke, she kowtowed heavily to Yuan Hua again, her forehead hitting the cold stone slab with a dull thud.
"It is God's mercy on my daughter, allowing her to awaken her memories at the last moment! Otherwise, she would have been torn to pieces by wild beasts, her body never to be found, and she would never have seen her mother again!"
"Mother!"
These heart-wrenching accusations left Yuan Hua at a loss, tears streaming down his face, his heart aching so much he could hardly breathe.
She couldn't imagine what she had gone through all these years if the person in front of her really was her biological daughter.
He was impersonated, left homeless, hunted down, and thrown into a cage with wild animals...
Just thinking about it made Yuan Hua feel like he was being slowly tortured.
Ke Luanxue...
How could that child, who was always so cautious, timid yet sensible in front of me, be fake?
For a moment, Yuan Hua was in a state of utter confusion, his mind a jumbled mess.
Just as everyone was holding their breath, that familiar, childlike voice finally rang out again!
[Oh dear! I'm so anxious! System, system, hurry up! Didn't you say I could eat the melon? Why isn't the melon pulp showing yet? My great-grandmother is heartbroken; her eyes are going to swell up if she keeps crying! I don't want to make her sad!]
[And I'm also curious! Is this really my imperial aunt? If she is, then who is the one in the princess's residence now? Is it a case of a switcheroo? Or is it princess cloning technology?]
Yuan Hua and the officials, whose minds had completely shut down: "..."
The story of "switching the prince for a cat" is understandable, but what exactly is "cloning princess technology"?
The system's mechanical voice rang in Yu Zhaoning's mind at just the right moment.
[Ding! Host, please be patient. Key characters have not yet appeared, and the plot cannot be fully unlocked!]
Yu Zhaoning blinked her big eyes, wondering to herself with curiosity.
[Key figure? Who is it?]
[Ding! Key figure: Princess Luan Xue, the Second Princess of the Great Yu Dynasty. Only when she personally appears and confronts the plaintiff can we officially begin discussing this!]
So that's how it is!
The main character isn't here, so this drama can't continue!
Yuan Hua, who was immersed in pain, heard these words and his eyes lit up instantly.
She turned around abruptly, her sharp phoenix eyes sweeping over the golden-armored guard commander behind her. Her voice, no longer trembling, regained its usual majesty and decisiveness.
"Someone come here!"
"Go to the Princess's residence immediately and bring Princess Luanxue here!"