Ye Liujin originally wanted to say, "Cousin is not your son."
However, she felt that if her Elder Brother were to say to her Elder Sister right now, "Liujin is not the daughter of our father and mother," her Elder Sister would likely give him a severe beating and then scold him for losing his mind.
Her Aunt would not believe it.
Having experienced the ten months of pregnancy and the pain of childbirth, her Aunt felt more truly than anyone else that the child had come from her own womb. She would never believe that Xiao Cong was someone else's child.
Emperor Liang’s scheme was seamless.
It was only a pity for her Aunt's biological child; she had no idea where that child was now. In her previous life, Ye Liujin had sent people to search, but they only knew the child’s age—they didn't even know if it was a boy or a girl. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack, and in the end, the matter was dropped.
Xiao Zhaoyan had said that perhaps the child was killed by Emperor Liang the moment it was born.
But Ye Liujin always harbored a sliver of hope.
Even a tiger, though cruel, does not eat its own cubs. Could a Father really bring himself to raise a hand against his own child?
"Clatter!"
A single sentence from Ye Liujin caused Lady Rong to knock over the teacup beside her.
Consort Chen, however, remained perfectly composed. She held Ye Liujin, feeling immense distress for her. "He has been an excellent swimmer since childhood; it matters not if he falls in. But you—how did your body become so cold?"
"I have always said the people serving you are negligent, yet you protect them every time. This time, I shall certainly not show them any leniency."
She then looked up at the panicked Lady Rong and frowned. "This is fine Jun kiln porcelain; it is worth an entire month of your stipend."
"Your Highness, please forgive me," Lady Rong knelt in a panic. "I was merely worried for the Third Prince. It is so cold; what if the Third Prince falls into the Taiye Pond and ruins his health from the freezing water?"
"He chose to jump himself; can he blame others?" Consort Chen shot her a disgruntled look.
She then asked Ye Liujin softly, "Why did that wretched creature jump into the Taiye Pond? Look at the trouble he’s caused—he must have frightened you terribly, didn't he?"
This son of hers was truly nothing like her.
Ye Liujin lifted her head from Consort Chen’s embrace, her eyes filled with tears, looking utterly aggrieved.
"Cousin said he wants to marry Rong Chan and told me to come and tell Aunt myself to break off the engagement."
"Cousin also said that if I didn't agree, he would jump into the Taiye Pond and say afterward that I was the one who pushed him."
"If word got out, my reputation would be ruined. His Majesty and the Empress Dowager dote on him, so they would naturally take his side and dissolve the engagement. I would never be able to marry anyone else in the future."
Her tears fell in succession, and the tip of her nose turned red, making her look incredibly pitiable.
With every word she spoke, Consort Chen’s expression grew a shade darker.
"Miss Ye, do not be afraid," Lady Rong hurriedly spoke up. "Your marriage to the Third Prince was decreed by His Majesty; no one can take it away."
"Aunt hasn't even spoken yet," Ye Liujin muttered as if absentmindedly. "Why is Lady Rong in such a hurry?"
"It looks as though Cousin is Lady Rong’s son instead."
The color drained from Lady Rong’s face instantly, and she desperately tried to cover her tracks. "I… I was only feeling distressed for Miss Ye. Besides, Chan'er would certainly never harbor such thoughts."
She stole a glance at Consort Chen and saw that although she was angry, she didn't seem to suspect anything. Only then did Lady Rong breathe a sigh of relief.
"When exactly did you entice Cong'er into having such thoughts?"
Consort Chen cast a cold gaze toward Rong Chan, who was shrinking behind Lady Rong with downcast eyes.
"This servant-daughter would not dare." Rong Chan knelt on the ground, looking piteous.
She said to Ye Liujin with a trembling voice, "Sister Jin, I have always treated you like my own sister. How could I possibly covet the Third Prince? I truly knew nothing of this."
"There must be a misunderstanding, I…"
"Your Highness," a small eunuch entered Guanju Palace and interrupted Rong Chan. "The Third Prince has arrived."
Consort Chen lightly patted Ye Liujin to signal her to sit steadily, then stood up herself and let out a cold snort. "It’s good that he’s here."
From the moment Xiao Cong entered, Lady Rong’s eyes could no longer turn away. In such cold weather, having fallen into the Taiye Pond—how freezing that must be!
"Imperial Concubine Mother, Ye Liujin, she…"
Slap!
Consort Chen delivered a resounding slap to the soaking-wet Xiao Cong.
"Imperial Concubine Mother!"
Smack!
Consort Chen delivered another slap without the slightest hesitation.
"What do you want to say?"
"Do you want to say that you forced Liujin to come to this Palace to break off the engagement, or do you want to say that Liujin pushed you into the Taiye Pond and you want to ask His Majesty and the Empress Dowager to seek justice for you?"
Xiao Cong was already shivering from the cold, and he hadn't expected his Imperial Concubine Mother to slap him twice in succession. His heart was filled with anger and resentment.
Besides, wasn't it a fact that Ye Liujin had pushed him into the Taiye Pond?
"She was the one who pushed me! Imperial Concubine Mother, you are beating your son without distinguishing right from wrong. Where is the justice in this!"
Xiao Cong's eyes were bloodshot, like a lion in a frenzy.
"You wretched creature!"
Seeing him actually speak like this, Consort Chen felt her heart turn cold. How could someone of the Ye Family bloodline be so stupid and wicked?
"Liujin is a weak woman who couldn't even catch a chicken; how could she push you into the Taiye Pond? If word gets out, people will laugh themselves to death!"
"It's one thing to be so bewitched by a vixen that you've lost your soul, but if you had come to this Palace of your own accord to discuss the cancellation of the engagement properly, I might have thought better of you."
"To have the audacity to let a young woman bring up the matter of breaking an engagement—how did I give birth to such an incompetent and cowardly thing!"
Consort Chen was maddened with rage. She grabbed a freshly cut plum blossom branch from the table and prepared to strike Xiao Cong with it.
"Imperial Concubine Mother, you are the mistress of a palace after all. How can you use such vulgar words as 'vixen'?"
Xiao Cong was struck several times by Consort Chen, the pain burning like fire, yet he still didn't forget to defend Rong Chan.
Ye Liujin glanced at Rong Chan discreetly, seeing her kneeling on the ground with her head bowed, her expression hidden.
Want to stay out of it? Not a chance.
"Cousin, if you truly pledged your life to Sister Rong in private, you should have come to tell Aunt sooner. Why bother jumping into the Taiye Pond to humiliate yourself?"
She choked back a sob, then began to cry so hard she was gasping for breath.
"Not only have you harmed your own body, but you have also broken Aunt's heart and ruined the friendship between Sister Rong and me."
"Sister Rong is pure and intelligent; she and Cousin are a match made in heaven. As long as you are both well, it doesn't matter if I suffer some grievances."
These words were undoubtedly fanning the flames and adding fuel to the fire. Consort Chen's strikes grew even heavier.
Watching Xiao Cong being beaten almost to death by Consort Chen, Lady Rong's heart was breaking.
Unable to hold back any longer, she rushed forward to shield Xiao Cong. Consort Chen couldn't pull back her strike in time, and it lashed across Lady Rong's face.
"Ah—"
A shrill, agonizing scream echoed through Guanju Palace. Lady Rong clutched her face with trembling hands, blood seeping through her fingers, as her heart sank.
For a consort, if her appearance was ruined, her life was over.
Consort Chen was stunned for a moment. She had wanted to deal with the Rong woman for a long time, but His Majesty had always protected her in secret. Today, she had thrown herself into the fray; she could blame no one else.
"Call the physician! Quick, call the imperial physician!"
Xiao Cong fearfully supported the stumbling Lady Rong, at a total loss.
"Don't think that just because you took this blow for Cong'er, this Palace will let Rong Chan off the hook."
Consort Chen sneered, "You women of the Rong Family are truly gifted when it comes to being vixens."
She turned and walked toward Rong Chan. Just as she raised the plum branch, she was violently pushed by Xiao Cong.
Ye Liujin stepped forward quickly to catch Consort Chen. "Aunt, are you alright?"
"Enough, Imperial Concubine Mother!"
Xiao Cong stood before Rong Chan, filled with unbearable indignation and bitter sorrow.
"How many more people must you hurt before you stop? This is clearly Ye Liujin's fault! What did Lady Rong do to deserve this? What did Chan'er do? If you want to favor Ye Liujin, so be it, but why must you strike people down!"
"I never knew that the mother who gave birth to me and raised me was such a person, unable to distinguish right from wrong, so ruthless and cruel."
Having just regained her footing, Consort Chen felt her ears ringing at Xiao Cong's words.
She saw Xiao Cong spread his arms to shield Lady Rong and Rong Chan behind him, his eyes filled with rage and utter disappointment toward her, his mother.
Ye Liujin was about to step forward to scold Xiao Cong, but she was held back by Consort Chen's ice-cold hand.
She squeezed a few words through her gritted teeth, commanding Feng Yi, the female official of Guanju Palace.
"Go and invite His Majesty here."