The Villainous Consort (GL) - Chapter 21.1

Censor Ma’s eyes bulged, and he couldn’t help but spit in disgust. This hateful woman was treating him like a fool! The next second, seeing the stunned expressions of the crowd, he hastily knelt to beg for mercy: “Your Majesty, forgive me! This old official was momentarily muddled… I lost my decorum in public. Your Majesty, please forgive me!”

Hanshui secretly covered her mouth. The Prince Consort must have done that on purpose—how satisfying!

The Emperor’s expression grew darker. A grand wedding had turned into a farce; these people were truly relentless. However, the truth still needed to be unearthed. “Rise, Minister. Prince Consort, do not be impudent.”

Qi Yu blinked innocently. How was she being impudent? “Is that not so? Or is our way of counting different?”

Censor Ma’s beard trembled; he wanted to spit again. “That was just one question! This is the second. Prince Consort, stop your sophistry. The Emperor is present; this is no place for your insolence.”

Truly, as they say, “only women and small-minded men are difficult to deal with,” he thought. She’s run out of things to say and is trying to change the subject. Does she think this is child’s play?

Qi Yu noticed the subtle looks on everyone’s faces. Censor Ma’s rage was mounting, the Eldest Princess was frowning, and Hanshui… Hanshui was clenching her fists and pumping them up and down like she was having a fit.

Coming to her senses, Qi Yu exhaled slowly. “I grew up in the State Preceptor’s Manor. There are at least five, six, or seven personal maids who know of my birthmark. If one offered them a hundred taels of silver, they would say whatever was asked of them. No, ten taels would suffice. As the saying goes, ‘men die for wealth.’ Does Censor Ma not understand even this?

“As for the guard, didn’t he claim before his death that he was acting on the Second Prince’s orders? Is such testimony credible? I must ask Censor Ma: where did these filthy letters of denunciation come from? And how do you know this isn’t a malicious frame-up?”

As a modern university student who had participated in debate competitions, Qi Yu didn’t flinch. Without ironclad evidence, only an idiot would confess.

Censor Ma’s face darkened, and a flash of wariness crossed his eyes. This woman was not simple. He had been careless. Faced with her questioning, his resolve wavered. How was this supposed to end?

Where did the letter come from? On his way to the ceremony, an arrow had shot the letter into his carriage. Could it truly be a frame-up? No—matters had reached this point. Even if it were wrong, he had to make it right. Otherwise, what would happen to his lifelong reputation? How could he ever show his face at the Censorate again?

Recovering his footing, he raised his head. “On the way to the Princess’s Manor, a righteous citizen threw the evidence into my carriage. What? Does the Prince Consort suggest that I forged this evidence?”

As the saying goes, “the first to strike gains the upper hand.” Censor Ma looked triumphant. If he blocked her path now, the enemy couldn’t turn the spearhead back onto him.

Qi Yu frowned instinctively, then suddenly laughed. “Censor Ma, you jest. We have no grievances; why would you forge evidence? But what if someone is using you?”

“Impossible!” Censor Ma glared. He couldn’t admit to being used now.

“Don’t be anxious, Censor Ma. I would like to ask everyone: my father was adopted by my grandmother at a young age, was he not?” Qi Yu’s eyes flickered. Three questions, right? As a modern person, I won’t let an ancient official hold the lead at the negotiation table.

Censor Ma paused. This was common knowledge. “That is correct.”

Qi Yu looked at the crowd. “As you all know, the former State Preceptor—my grandmother—possessed the power of prophecy and rendered great service to the Kingdom of Baiyue. That is why my father was able to inherit the title of State Preceptor.”

Seeing the crowd nod in agreement, she continued, “Since my grandmother had the power of prophecy, she naturally would not have adopted a descendant of the former imperial family. Therefore, there is no issue with my father’s identity, correct?”

Censor Ma’s beard twitched. He had a bad premonition. He interjected, “Prince Consort, do not stray from the point! The former State Preceptor naturally did no wrong, and the current State Preceptor was likely deceived. The problem is you. Your identity is the issue. I advise you to confess quickly and stop dragging others into this.”

Qi Yu smiled again and looked at him. “Don’t be in such a hurry. This is my main point: since everyone agrees that my grandmother and father are beyond reproach, why would there be a problem with me?”

With that, she knelt innocently beside her father. The two of them stood side by side, staring at each other. Father Qi looked at his daughter in a daze, completely confused by the situation.

The crowd was equally perplexed. What was the Prince Consort talking about?

The Eldest Princess paused, then a look of realization dawned on her. Her brows rose slightly. So, after all that talk, this was what the Prince Consort was waiting for.

Censor Ma scanned the room. Seeing that others were also confused, he sneered. “The Prince Consort is merely sharp-tongued but nonsensical. Your words are incoherent and laughable.”

Qi Yu moved a bit closer to Father Qi. “Does Censor Ma understand now?”

Censor Ma frowned. He looked at the guests again and noticed a few people showing expressions of sudden realization. His unease grew, but he forced himself to say, “I do not. Pray, speak plainly.”

Qi Yu helped Father Qi stand up and explained with an innocent face, “Something this obvious shouldn’t need explaining. Anyone with eyes can see: I am my father’s biological daughter.”

Standing together, though they differed in age and gender, the similarity in their face shapes and the set of their eyes was so high that they were undeniably father and child.

Censor Ma blurted out a rebuttal, “You are father and daughter, of course you look—” He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he stared at their faces, speechless.

If the former State Preceptor and Father Qi were fine, then Father Qi’s biological daughter was naturally fine. But the crux of the accusation was that Qi Yu was not his biological child. Censor Ma’s lips trembled. He wanted to question it, but looking at their faces, he hesitated.

Qi Yu smiled thinly. “If Censor Ma still disbelieves, we can perform a blood-recognition test.”

She hadn’t read anywhere in the original book that the villain was adopted. Thus, Father Qi was indeed the original host’s biological father. Those remnants of the former dynasty had simply taken advantage of the original host’s ignorance to manipulate her.

Poor original host—she hadn’t even understood such a simple truth. And these officials, with eyes only for profit and power, had been selectively blind.

Father Qi finally caught on and chimed in, “Yes, yes! We can do the blood test!”

Censor Ma was left speechless. His legs shook as he looked toward the Emperor, unable even to find the words to beg for forgiveness. He felt trapped—buried by a simple pit. More importantly, he hadn’t even reached his third question!

The Emperor gave the father and daughter a long look before shouting coldly, “Minister Ma! I said that if anyone intentionally disrupted the Princess’s wedding, they would not be shown mercy. Do you acknowledge your crime?”

“Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, forgive me!” This time, it was Censor Ma’s turn to wail. He had been careless; his lifelong reputation was ruined.

“Hmph. It seems you no longer value your head,” the Emperor said, turning to the Eldest Princess. His meaning was clear: the punishment depended on her, as it was her wedding that had been tarnished.

The Eldest Princess remained calm. “Father, do not be angry. Censor Ma was likely deceived by a villain. Today is my day of joy; let us not pursue this further.”

Censor Ma kowtowed in gratitude.

The Emperor, however, was not entirely satisfied. “The Princess is magnanimous, but I cannot forgive the crime of slandering the Prince Consort. You shall no longer remain in the Censorate. Retire to your hometown early.”

With that, the Emperor turned and left, still harboring a sense of frustration. His daughter’s wedding had been spoiled. Infuriated, he decided to return to the palace to drink.