The Emperor's words sent a chill through Song Chaoyu's heart.
Song Chaoyu stepped forward to shield Qianshan, who lay on the stretcher, and then looked at Mu Hansu. "If you wish to verify, let us wait. Today, I see that the Prince of Ning and the people of the Southern Kingdom are convinced that our King is not the King. If that is the case, do you have any other evidence? You must let me see the person you claim replaced our King and went to the Southern Kingdom before I can believe your words."
Song Chaoyu had only one thought in her mind: she wanted to see Mu Changxi!
Only when she saw Mu Changxi safe and sound could she continue to "act" with these people with peace of mind.
The Prince of Ning believed that Song Chaoyu was still trying to "struggle."
He put on an air of having anticipated this and cast a glance at Song Chaoyu. "I knew you would say that!"
He clapped his hands and said to Minister Qiu and the others behind him, "Minister Qiu, you may bring the person out!"
Minister Qiu brought out the real Mu Changxi from behind, and a trace of nervousness arose in Song Chaoyu's heart.
However, the moment she truly saw Mu Changxi, her eyes welled up with tears—
Mu Changxi was covered in wounds.
He wore tattered clothes. Even though they had changed him into new clothes to present to the Emperor, Song Chaoyu could still see patches of blood seeping through the fabric.
Her heart clenched uncontrollably.
But fortunately, perhaps sensing Song Chaoyu's gaze, Mu Changxi slightly raised his eyes and, through his disheveled hair, looked at Song Chaoyu. His eyes were clear and calm, as if telling Song Chaoyu that he was fine and that she need not worry.
At this moment, Minister Qiu also stepped forward, pulling Mu Changxi, who could only stand upright with support, and brushed aside his hair to face the Emperor. "Your Majesty, look, doesn't this face look exactly like Prince Chang's?"
In fact, the moment the Emperor saw him, his pupils contracted.
He had never imagined that two people could look so alike!
He looked at this Mu Changxi, then at Qianshan lying on the stretcher.
Even as his father, he could not confirm which one was his son!
At the same time, his gaze grew colder.
At this moment, he was almost certain that Mu Changxi had deceived him.
"Who... are you?"
Finally, the Emperor spoke, looking coldly at Mu Changxi. "You look exactly like my son. Why do you look exactly like my son? You even have your legs broken, just like him!"
"Ha!"
Seeing the Emperor like this, Song Chaoyu couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. "Good, very good!"
Before anyone could ask, Song Chaoyu's eyes welled up with tears. "To convict our Prince Chang's manor and the Noble Consort, you not only found someone like this, but you even broke his legs? Do you know that doing so is creating evil karma! He is an innocent person, yet you have dragged him into this. Where is your conscience?!"
She turned and looked at the Noble Consort with despair in her eyes, then knelt beside the Noble Consort. "Mother Consort... look! What kind of world is this? To prove our guilt, they say whatever they want! The poor Prince, after finally returning from the Southern Kingdom, couldn't even enjoy a few good days before ending up like this. Mother Consort, scold them for not leaving us any way to live!"
As she spoke, Song Chaoyu's tears streamed down, and she reached out to touch her lower abdomen. "If we are truly found guilty today, what will become of my child and me? Mother Consort, it is my fault for failing you! I couldn't protect this child, and I don't know what to do from now on!"
The Noble Consort understood Song Chaoyu's meaning. She held Song Chaoyu's hand and also burst into tears.
At this moment, she no longer cared about her status as a Noble Consort or the palace rules. "My life has been truly bitter! Chang'er is my only child. When he was young, I had to send him to the Southern Kingdom to suffer. His legs were broken in the Southern Kingdom, and I, as a mother, could not stay by his side to care for him. I could only hope day and night for his early return."
The Noble Consort's heartache was genuine, so her tears at this moment did not seem fake. "After finally waiting for this child to return, just as his days were about to get better, he has once again fallen unconscious on his sickbed! My heart has not had a single day without being clenched. But I always hoped that the child would wake up, and everything would still have hope and a chance!"
She shook her head repeatedly, as if in unbearable pain. "Now, it's even worse. The child hasn't woken up, and now people are saying that I did such things with him! Emperor, can you tell me what I should do?!"
The Emperor's affection for the Noble Consort was also genuine.
So, seeing the Noble Consort so distressed, the Emperor felt uncomfortable as well.
He finally sighed, his eyes losing their earlier sharpness. "Noble Consort, don't be like this! Don't you think I am also heartbroken? But look at this person's appearance, how can he be so similar to Chang'er? Let them verify. If that Qi Feng is indeed Chang'er's child, everything will be clear. I will definitely cherish Chang'er and punish all those who have wronged Prince Chang. Trust me one more time, won't you?"
Song Chaoyu did not know what the Noble Consort was thinking, but her heart no longer believed the Emperor.
The Noble Consort also lowered her head and continued to weep, saying nothing more.
The Emperor then looked at Song Chaoyu, who was still pregnant, and finally waved his hand at her. "Princess Consort Chang, please get up quickly! If you have been wronged, I will definitely give your Prince Chang's manor an explanation! You are pregnant now, you cannot be so willful, do you understand?"
Song Chaoyu stood up, her heart filled with coldness.
She looked at the "Prince Chang" lying on the bed and asked the Emperor for confirmation one last time. "Father Emperor, as long as it can be proven that Qi Feng is Prince Chang's child, will our innocence be proven?"
"Naturally!"
Without waiting for the Emperor's approval, Mu Hansu, who seemed convinced, stepped forward and patted his chest to assure Song Chaoyu. "If Qi Feng is Prince Chang's younger brother's child, it proves that Prince Chang's younger brother has always been in the Southern Kingdom. But since we have found that person, no matter how stubborn he is, he is likely at the end of his rope. Your Prince Chang's manor should think more about the future!"
He turned and bowed to the Emperor. "Father Emperor, the imperial physician is waiting outside the hall. Your Majesty may summon the imperial physician to conduct the blood-mixing test for them!"
The Emperor nodded and said no more, beckoning outwards. "Summon the imperial physician!"
"Summon the imperial physician—"
The eunuchs' shouts rang out, and the Emperor's most trusted Imperial Physician Xu walked in from outside.
Before coming, he did not know the situation here, only that the chief eunuch had asked him to prepare the items for the blood-mixing test.
Upon entering and seeing the two "Prince Changs," he was also stunned, but he dared not say or ask anything more.
Imperial Physician Xu knelt before the Emperor, and the Emperor merely pointed at Qi Feng. "Imperial Physician Xu, examine this child for me and see if he is Prince Chang's child."
"Yes."
Imperial Physician Xu dared not delay. He walked towards the "Prince Chang" lying on the sickbed and was about to reach out to roll up Chang Wang's sleeve.
"Wait!"
Seeing his action, Song Chaoyu called out to him. "Imperial Physician Xu, please wait."
"Princess Consort Chang!"
Seeing Song Chaoyu step forward, even Song Yanjiao couldn't sit still and stood up, wanting to prove that Song Chaoyu was guilty of being nervous. "Why are you guilty? Why are you stopping Imperial Physician Xu?"