A cold snort of displeasure echoed from the Emperor's nose. With a sharp flick of his sleeve, Emperor Xuanwu spoke in a low, thunderous tone.
"Let them enter."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Li Dehai bowed low and backed respectfully out of the imperial study.
Before long, Yun Shu and her companions appeared in orderly formation before Emperor Xuanwu.
"Your daughter/ your son/ this consort/ greet Father Emperor. May Father Emperor enjoy eternal peace and fortune."
"If you lot could go a single day without creating trouble, We might finally have some peace."
His tone was acerbic, his gaze sharp. He cast the first glance toward the Crown Prince, clearly irritated.
"You just took a side consort today, and yet instead of staying in the Eastern Palace to properly entertain your guests, you've come here to disturb Us? Explain yourself."
"Father Emperor, this son…"
"Father Emperor, allow this son to speak!"
Like a small potato sprouting from a heap of towering corn stalks, Yun Chuhuan strained to raise his hand above the heads of his taller siblings.
"This matter today actually started with me!"
"You?"
Wasn't this about Xiao Wu delivering a painting to the Crown Prince? How had this turned into something involving the Sixth Son?
Emperor Xuanwu narrowed his eyes with suspicion but gave a slight nod.
"Then speak."
"It happened like this. Earlier today, while we were at the Eastern Palace, Fifth Sister was about to present the gift she prepared for Crown Prince Brother. He wanted Side Consort Shen to come retrieve it.
I thought that wasn't appropriate. And since I also had a gift to deliver, I offered to take Fifth Sister's gift and present both together to Crown Prince Brother myself.
But while I was on the way over, I didn't watch my step and fell flat.
Side Consort Shen, perhaps fearing I'd fall on her, not only refused to help me up but actually stepped back!"
Yun Chuhuan had his own code of conduct:
No matter what the situation, always present it in a way that benefits oneself. And if the incident involves someone he dislikes, then by all means, lodge a proper complaint.
Unbothered by the presence of the Crown Prince or Shen Jingshu, Yun Chuhuan righteously sold Shen Jingshu out.
"Though Side Consort Shen didn't help, she ended up stepping on her own skirt hem and nearly tripped herself.
Thankfully, Fifth Sister reacted quickly and caught her. She even fell herself in order to keep Side Consort Shen from falling."
He made sure to highlight one fact: even if Shen Jingshu had fallen, it would have been entirely her own doing. Not a single coin's worth of blame could be laid on him.
And she hadn't even fallen in the end—Yun Shu had protected her.
In just a few brief sentences, Yun Chuhuan had cleared himself of all responsibility.
Pleased with his own cleverness, he was about to puff with pride, when Emperor Xuanwu suddenly focused on a different detail.
"Xiao Wu fell? Was she hurt?"
"Thank you for your concern, Father Emperor. This daughter is unharmed."
Anticipating what Yun Chuhuan might reveal next, Yun Shu remained uncharacteristically reserved. She only shook her head politely.
But Yun Chuhuan stepped forward half a pace, not to be ignored.
"Father Emperor, your son fell too. Why aren't you asking if I was hurt?"
"If you were truly injured, you would have already wailed your grievances endlessly. Do We need to ask?" With a glance full of disdain, Emperor Xuanwu returned to the main matter at hand.
"Continue. After Xiao Wu shielded the Crown Prince's side consort, what happened next?"
"Oh, after that, Fifth Sister said Side Consort Shen looked rather pale and wanted Imperial Physician Sun to take a look. But Side Consort Shen refused no matter what."
Prompted by the Emperor's reminder, Yun Chuhuan resumed with renewed vigor.
"Her behavior was far too suspicious. Fifth Sister and I grew concerned.
We feared that she might claim she was fine now, only to later say she had suffered injuries and blame me entirely. That would be most unjust. So we insisted that Imperial Physician Sun check her pulse."
"And the result?"
By now, Emperor Xuanwu's expression had darkened. His voice fell even lower as his gaze swept coolly across the Crown Prince and Shen Jingshu, finally landing once more on Yun Chuhuan.
"What was discovered about the Crown Prince's side consort?"
"Imperial Physician Sun diagnosed a pregnancy pulse."
Yun Chuhuan blinked innocently.
"Father Emperor, does simply getting married mean one can immediately have a pregnancy pulse?"
"You wretched brat!"
Emperor Xuanwu no longer had time to waste on Yun Chuhuan's nonsense.
He snatched up a memorial from his desk and hurled it unerringly into the Crown Prince's face.
"Is this how you behave as the heir to the throne?"
"This son admits his mistake. I… I was momentarily unwise…"
"Enough!"
His palm slammed against the desk with a resounding crash. The sound echoed through the study.
Face frozen with fury, Emperor Xuanwu ordered coldly.
"Xiao Wu, take your younger brother and leave."
"Yes."
Yun Shu understood. Imperial Father considered them too young to hear what would come next.
Without hesitation, she clamped a hand over Yun Chuhuan's still-chatty mouth and dragged him from the imperial study at top speed.
"Mmff! Mmff!"
It wasn't until they were nearly thirty paces away that Yun Chuhuan finally regained his right to speak. He stomped his foot in protest.
"Fifth Sister, why didn't you let me talk? We were part of this too. Why should Eldest Brother and the others stay while we're the ones pushed out?"
"Is being pushed out really so bad?" Yun Shu casually wiped her hand with a silk handkerchief—one that had just come into unfortunate contact with a bit of spit.
"Father Emperor looked ready to explode. It's a blessing we left when we did. Otherwise, we'd have to beg forgiveness for the Crown Prince's sake, just for form's sake.
I've no intention of pleading for him. Not even a single false word."
"But don't you think this makes us feel excluded?"
Though Yun Chuhuan admitted she had a point, he still looked disgruntled.
"And now we don't even get to watch the excitement!"
"As long as the outcome is what we desire, some spectacles are best left unwatched."
Yun Chuhuan raised a brow.
"What do you think Father Emperor will do to punish the Crown Prince and Side Consort Shen?"
"How would I know?"
Yun Chuhuan paused, then circled back.
"But why would Father Emperor punish them at all? And what did Eldest Brother mean earlier about 'tainting the imperial bloodline'? Hasn't Side Consort Shen already married Crown Prince Brother? If she's with child, isn't that normal?"
Yun Shu fell silent.
Her brain must be malfunctioning to be engaging in this conversation with Yun Chuhuan.
With a weary sigh, she rubbed her forehead and decided to feign ignorance.
"How should I know? We were kicked out just the same."
"But Father Emperor clearly looked furious. By all logic, the Crown Prince and Side Consort Shen are going to be punished."
"That's true."
Yun Chuhuan nodded with conviction.
"If you ask me, I think Father Emperor might fine them... no less than five thousand taels of gold."