"Indeed, how spectacular. Let this prince hear it as well."
The crowd turned to see the source of the voice.
Nangong Li pushed Nangong Mo into the hall, followed by four guards.
Nangong Li was clad in a brocade robe, the fabric of which was fine silk. The snow-white trim embroidered with elegant bamboo patterns complemented the jade in his hand.
Nangong Mo, dressed in a spotless white robe, sat in his wheelchair. His dark eyes were cold and devoid of emotion, his brows seemingly etched with the unmelting ice of northern snow-capped mountains, a frost that could not be thawed.
Nangong Li was jovial, while Nangong Mo was aloof.
Upon Nangong Li and Nangong Mo's arrival, everyone present, except for Old General Gu and Gu Qianying, immediately knelt in salutation.
Afterward.
Nangong Mo glanced at Gu Qianying, then turned his gaze to Nangong Li.
Nangong Li understood instantly and commanded the guards behind him, "Guards, present the gifts this prince has brought."
With that.
The guards re-entered. Two of them brought forth a woman. She was dressed in coarse homespun cloth, her hair disheveled, her face covered in scars, rendering her appearance unrecognizable. One of her hands had been severed at the wrist, and though the other was intact, it seemed too weak to be of any use.
As the two guards brought the woman to the center of the hall, they released her simultaneously. The woman, utterly devoid of strength, collapsed onto the ground.
"Who is this?"
The first to speak was Gu Yefeng, who found Nangong Mo’s presence displeasing but was compelled to consider his sister, Gu Qianying, and thus refrained from expelling Nangong Mo and Nangong Li on the spot.
However, Nangong Mo did not even spare Gu Yefeng a glance, instead gesturing for Nangong Li to explain on his behalf.
"This woman is Meng Xiang, who for many years swapped identities with the Meng clan. She is the true courtesan of 'Yichun Pavilion,' Miss Yun Ping. Her appearance bears a striking resemblance to the Meng clan, yet there are distinctions. This prince has also discovered that Miss Yun Ping is not only proficient in music, calligraphy, painting, and literature, but also has a rudimentary understanding of medicine and ancient texts, truly a peerless woman of the world.
Your household's Master Gu, infatuated by her beauty and talent, insisted on taking this woman as his concubine. While this would have been a normal affair, a fire years ago caused the death or injury of many girls in 'Yichun Pavilion,' and Miss Yun Ping mysteriously disappeared.
As Nangong Li spoke, he beckoned to the guards behind him, who brought a pot of wine. He took a large gulp, fanned himself, and continued, "This was initially an unsolved case. However, 'Yichun Pavilion' was not very famous at the time, and its madam had no powerful backing, so the case was dropped.
But more than half a month later, the courtesan of 'Yichun Pavilion,' Miss Yun Ping, reappeared outside the Gu mansion, heavily pregnant. The rest, this prince need not elaborate, you can all imagine."
Finally, Nangong Li approached Gu Kun and said with a smirk, "If you claim that for all these years you never knew that your beloved concubine Meng was an imposter, it's too unbelievable. The deceased Miss Meng was neither proficient in music, calligraphy, and painting, nor did she understand medicine or ancient texts. How were you so captivated by her?"
Gu Kun's face changed color at Nangong Li's question. He stepped forward and, facing Old General Gu, hastily defended himself, "Father, your son is wronged! If not for the Third Prince and Ninth Prince bringing forth the real Meng Yun Ping, your son would never have known that the person who has been by his side all these years was a fake!"
"You didn't know? Hmph!"
Gu Qianying let out a laugh. She looked at Gu Kun and said, "Father, Grandfather may be old, but he is not senile. If you truly did not know, then how is it that within days of taking Concubine Meng as your concubine, you 'accidentally' knocked over the old steward, Uncle Wu, who had been with Grandfather for many years? After Uncle Wu died from your collision, how did it happen that this Meng Qian, the father of Concubine Meng, was coincidentally saved by Grandfather?"
Gu Qianying turned to face Old General Gu. "Grandfather, all these things I heard from you. Originally, these were the little stories you told me when I was a child to lull me to sleep. But thinking back now, the entire affair was nothing but a colossal conspiracy."
Gu Qianying pointed at Gu Kun. "And in this conspiracy, your son, my father, was also involved!"
"You unfilial daughter, what nonsense are you spouting? I knew nothing! The former steward was already ill. That day, your father merely bumped him lightly, he did nothing else. How can you frame your father like this!"
As he spoke, Gu Kun knelt heavily before Old General Gu. "Father, your son is wronged! The entire matter is a conspiracy orchestrated by others, and your son knew nothing of it. Your son has never done anything to betray the Gu family in his life. I implore you to believe your son!"
As he knelt there, pleading his innocence, the woman who had collapsed nearby slowly crawled towards him.
The woman suddenly grabbed Gu Kun's trouser leg, attempting to say something to him, but Gu Kun kicked her away. "Get away, ugly creature, don't touch me! Don't think you can frame this old master by pointing your fingers around. How could this master be sullied by a lowly creature like you? Get away from this master immediately, you vile woman, you disgust me."
As Gu Kun spoke, his tone was filled with disgust, as if he were not surprised to see the disfigured "Meng Yun Ping."
His demeanor suggested that he had likely seen this ravaged woman before.
Gu Qianying took in his expression.
The woman lay on the ground, sobbing. She pointed at her mouth, babbling unintelligibly, as if trying to convey something.
Gu Qianying walked over to her, squatted down, and examined her hands and tongue. Finally, she felt her pulse. "Someone poisoned you, disfigured you, and severed the tendons in your hands, rendering you unable to speak or write?"
The woman nodded, her sobs intensifying.
Gu Qianying took the woman's arm, allowing her to lean against her.
Gu Qianying looked into her eyes and asked, "Then let me ask you, are you truly Meng Yun Ping, the courtesan of 'Yichun Pavilion'?"
The woman nodded.
"Did you and my father, Gu Kun, have a relationship?"
The woman nodded again.
Gu Kun shouted urgently, "Ugly woman, why are you nodding blindly? What nonsense are you spouting!"
Gu Qianying turned back sharply. "Father, why the rush? The innocent will always be innocent. What are you afraid of?"
"What am I afraid of? Yes, the innocent will always be innocent, hmph!"
Gu Kun's eyes darted about, clearly betraying his guilt.
Gu Qianying ignored him.
She continued to question the woman before her. "Then let me ask you again, is it Concubine Meng who did this to you? And at that time, did you seek help from my father? Did he see you disfigured and crippled, decide he no longer wanted you, and then engage in an affair with Concubine Meng?"
The woman glanced at Gu Kun and continued to nod tearfully.
After finishing her questions, Gu Qianying instructed Lu Zhu to help the woman down, urging her to settle the woman well and promising to treat her when she had the time, to help her become a normal person.
The woman gratefully kowtowed three times to Gu Qianying before following Lu Zhu away.
After the woman left.
Gu Kun still refused to admit anything. "A mute, unable to speak or write, can say whatever you want. You unfilial daughter, even if your father dislikes you and your mother, he is still your father. How can you frame me like this? Unfilial daughter, you..."
"Clatter!"
The teacup fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
Nangong Mo looked coldly at Gu Kun. "She is this king's betrothed princess!"
Nangong Li added appropriately, "Master Gu, speak with caution. Disrespecting your future princess is a grave offense!"
Gu Kun's body stiffened, his expression extremely grim. Unable to best Gu Qianying, he turned to Old General Gu and cried out, "A mute's words cannot be trusted. I implore Father to investigate thoroughly."
At this moment, Old General Gu, who had remained silent, finally spoke.