At the same time—
Fengtian City was full of hidden currents.
Besides the third birthday banquet for the Crown Prince and Sixth Prince, all major factions were focused on fighting over Xu An.
Every crime Xu An committed had solid evidence.
Emperor Qian Yuan was furious and ordered Xu An be executed by beheading.
But the court erupted in opposition.
"Your Majesty, when the Grand Ancestor founded Great Zhou, he declared that the nation would be shared with the scholar-official class and that no scholar would ever be executed."
"Xu An is guilty, but if he's killed for this, it may shake the foundation of our national policy."
"We beg Your Majesty to reconsider."
It wasn't just in court. After court ended, memorials flooded the Imperial Study like snowflakes.
Bang!
Emperor Qian Yuan slammed the table in rage. "What damned scholar-officials? Behind them are just those aristocratic clans!"
Xu An committed such huge crimes, but now the entire court refused to let him be executed. How was the royal family supposed to challenge the power of the clans?
At this moment, Emperor Qian Yuan deeply realized just how massive the power of those clans truly was.
He felt that if he forcefully executed Xu An, the entire court might grind to a halt.
Many officials had directly threatened him—if he dared to execute Xu An, they would immediately resign.
And amid all this uproar, Xu Yan, the Grand Secretariat Head, remained silent.
But his silence was the same as quietly supporting Xu An.
Because he was Xu An's father.
If he truly supported Emperor Qian Yuan, he would've stepped forward to denounce his own son. But instead, he left the emperor in an awkward position.
Inside the Heavenly Prison—
A servant from the Xu family came to visit Xu An and passed on the news from outside.
After hearing it all, Xu An burst into laughter. "Great Zhou is ruled by scholar-officials alongside the emperor. Not even His Majesty can kill me."
At that moment, a small figure appeared outside the cell door.
"Crown Prince… it's you."
Xu An's gaze turned cold.
Yang Cheng said calmly, "Lord Xu, do you believe that even if my father can't kill you, I can?"
"You? Kill me?"
Xu An sneered. "Your Highness wants to kill me yourself? No matter how I die or where I die, the whole world will believe it was His Majesty who did it."
"So, you don't believe I can kill you," Yang Cheng replied.
Truthfully, even he hadn't expected that Mother and Father would go this far—they actually wanted to kill Xu An.
The moment Xu An was taken away by the Imperial City Guards, Yang Cheng knew this wouldn't be easy.
Because in his past life, fifteen years later, Xu An was the main driving force that got him deposed as Crown Prince.
That event enraged Emperor Qian Yuan, who wanted Xu An executed too. But just like now, he was stopped by the clans.
Not long after, Xu An died.
But the one who killed him wasn't Emperor Qian Yuan—it was Yun Guanqing.
Because Yun Guanqing discovered that Xu Yanci wasn't her biological son. He was born of Xu An's mistress.
Back when Yun Guanqing was pregnant, Xu An had swapped her baby with the one born of his mistress.
Later, when Yun Guanqing found the mistress, the woman said she'd already killed Yun Guanqing's real son long ago.
That made Yun Guanqing go mad.
She had raised her child's murderer's son for almost thirty years. The hatred nearly drove her insane.
That very night, she killed Xu An.
It had been Xu An's idea to swap the children.
He never truly loved Yun Guanqing—it was just a political marriage. His real affection was for the mistress.
Right now, Xu An had no idea what Yang Cheng was thinking. He just looked even more smug.
"Your Highness, even His Majesty can't kill me. What will you use to do it?"
"Even if you tried, the jailers would never let you succeed. If they did, they'd die too."
Sure enough, all the jailers around were staring hard at Yang Cheng.
Yang Cheng stayed calm. "Within three days, Xu An, you will die. I, Yang Cheng, said it."
With that, he turned and left.
In his past life, Yun Guanqing only learned about the baby swap thirteen years later.
This life, he would make it happen earlier.
He didn't need to investigate or find any evidence. He just needed to tell Yun Guanqing.
With her methods, she'd definitely uncover the truth quickly.
That same day—
At the Xu residence in the capital—
Yun Guanqing received an anonymous letter.
After reading it, she sat in silence for a long time.
Then her eyes turned cold.
She told her trusted maid, "Go check Courtyard Number Three on Virtue Lane off Rosewood Street. See if there's a woman named He Shuyun living there. Ask around to see if the master often visits her house."
The maid was startled but didn't ask questions. She rushed out to investigate.
The truth was easy to find. It didn't take long for the maid to return, her expression dark.
"Madam, everything you said matches," she reported in a low voice.
Yun Guanqing erupted in fury, hurling her teacup at the floor.
Even that didn't feel satisfying enough. She yanked off the jade bracelet on her wrist.
It was a priceless gift from Xu An. Without hesitation, she smashed it to pieces.
Then a vicious gleam flashed in her eyes.
"I want to dress up nicely," Yun Guanqing said.
Half an hour later, a sedan chair arrived outside Courtyard Number Three on Virtue Lane.
Yun Guanqing stepped out of the sedan.
Her servants kicked the gate open.
Yun Guanqing walked in with poise and authority.
"Who are you people?" a charming-looking woman stepped out.
Yun Guanqing gave a look to her maid.
The maid stepped forward, grabbed the woman's hair, and started slapping her hard across the face.
The woman's pupils shrank. She seemed to realize something. "It's you!"
"Make her kneel when she speaks to me," Yun Guanqing ordered.
Someone brought over a chair. Yun Guanqing sat down.
At the same time, the woman was held down, forced to kneel in front of her.
"He Shuyun, where is my son?" Yun Guanqing asked.
She was bluffing.
Truthfully, Yun Guanqing wasn't even sure if Xu An and this seductive woman really had swapped her child.
But He Shuyun fell for it. She thought Yun Guanqing must already know everything—otherwise, she wouldn't have shown up in person.
He Shuyun clenched her teeth and said nothing, her eyes full of hate.
That was all Yun Guanqing needed to confirm it. The woman really had done it.
Rage surged in her chest. Her eyes were tinged with red. "Not talking? Beat her until she does."
Her maid began slapping He Shuyun hard across the face.
But He Shuyun was tough. She kept her mouth shut, biting her lip through the pain.
That pushed Yun Guanqing past her limit. She stood up, trembling with fury. "Fine, very well. So you're tough? You three—drag her to the woodshed. Do whatever you want with her."
He Shuyun was charming and seductive, easy on the eyes.
The male servants had long been staring hungrily at her.
Now that a powerful lady like Yun Guanqing had given the order, none of them hesitated.
They grabbed He Shuyun and dragged her off.
Soon, disturbing sounds started coming from the woodshed.
Half an hour later—
When Yun Guanqing saw He Shuyun again, her eyes were already lifeless.
"I'll ask you one more time. Where is my son?" Yun Guanqing said coldly. "If you still keep your mouth shut, things will only get worse."
He Shuyun suddenly burst out laughing. "Your son? Three years ago, I strangled him with my own hands. Not only that, but I abused him every day. Starved him, gave him rags to wear, made him kneel all day, and beat him bloody with thorns."
"You're lying!" Yun Guanqing screamed, grabbing her by the throat. "You're lying to me, aren't you?"
"Why would I lie?" He Shuyun rasped. "Why should I be the hidden mistress, sneaking around while you get to live high and mighty? I hated you. I couldn't touch you, so I took it out on your son."
Yun Guanqing's eyes turned blood red. She lost all control and snapped He Shuyun's neck.
Afterwards, she felt a hint of regret.
Not for killing He Shuyun—but for letting her die too easily.
"Xu An..."
Her fury shifted.
In her eyes, the true culprit was Xu An.
He had planned the baby swap from the start. There was no way he didn't know what her son had suffered.
He must've known the child was being abused and still let it happen.
Her heart ached so much it felt like it was bleeding.
She had spent over a decade as Xu An's perfect wife. She raised Xu Yanci with love, taught him manners, helped Xu An in every way.
And this was what she got in return?
"Seal this matter. No one is to speak of it."
She adjusted her clothes.
She was going to the Heavenly Prison.
Before long, Yun Guanqing arrived.
"Husband, you've suffered these past days." Her voice was full of concern. "I brought you your favorite Hundred Flowers Drunken Immortal Wine, Jade Marrow Golden Cakes, and Dragon Blood Venison."
Xu An was deeply moved. "Guanqing, you've always cared for me the most."
She gave him a warm smile.
Xu An had no reason to be suspicious and started eating the food she brought.
The jailers didn't inspect it either.
No one thought Yun Guanqing would harm him.
But halfway through eating, blood suddenly poured from Xu An's mouth and nose.
A jailer shouted in panic, "Lord Xu, what's wrong?"
Xu An looked up in disbelief. "You… you poisoned me?"
Yun Guanqing's face was full of shock. "I don't know what happened!"
At the same time, she secretly sent him a voice transmission.
"Xu An, you heartless bastard. I know everything you did with He Shuyun."
Xu An was struck like thunder.
He opened his mouth to speak but the poison had already taken hold. His body collapsed backwards.
Back at the palace—
Yang Cheng was playing with Tang Xingyu.
Usually, he went to Autumn Water Courtyard.
But today, Cheng Junyi said training should be balanced with rest. She gave them a day off.
Tang Xingyu wanted to leave the palace, so Yang Cheng brought her here.
Yun Liyue liked the sweet little girl too.
But she had royal duties and only played with them briefly before letting Yang Cheng take Tang Xingyu to the imperial garden.
There, they unexpectedly ran into Xu Yanci and Yang Xiu.
"Crown Prince," Xu Yanci said, staring at Yang Cheng. "My father's incident must be related to Splendid Radiance Hall, right?"
'You're sharp,' Yang Cheng thought.
But he just said calmly, "What are you trying to say?"
"I mean that no matter how clever your schemes are, you won't bring down my father," Xu Yanci said. "Behind him are the aristocratic clans and the momentum of the world. Even emperors must follow the flow, not fight against it."
Yang Cheng said, "Xu Yanci, you're bold. You're not even an official and you dare say this to me, the Crown Prince?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Xu Yanci replied. "His Majesty doesn't necessarily like my grandfather, but he is still the Grand Secretariat Head. If you want the throne, you'll need to rely on the clans. Even if you dislike me, you'll still need to use people like me. And if you don't, you'll never ascend the throne. So I have no reason to fear you."
Yang Cheng didn't get angry. He just said calmly, "So you think I can't touch you or your father. Let's wait and see."
"Empty rage won't help you," Xu Yanci mocked.
Before he could finish, a eunuch from Radiant Sunlight Hall came rushing over in a panic.
Yang Xiu frowned. "Eunuch Tan, what's going on? Why are you so flustered?"