On Our Wedding Night, I Discovered the Crown Prince’s Hidden Illness
Chapter 446: The Distinction Between Legitimate and Illegitimate

Chapter 446: Chapter 446: The Distinction Between Legitimate and Illegitimate

The Emperor rubbed his forehead, his expression slightly overcast.

Consort Xian saw this and rose with a smile to stand behind him, starting to massage his forehead.

"Emperor, I didn’t mean to fault the Commandery Princess intentionally. It’s just that there are rules within the palace. When I saw the two palace maids guarding the Commandery Princess, I mistakenly thought that the Commandery Princess had brought two maids into the palace, hence the misunderstanding."

This scene made many of the concubines clench their teeth in envy, but with Consort Xian’s status derived from her two sons, how could they compete with her?

Even their visit to Chenglan Palace today was specifically restricted to each bringing only one palace maid.

If they weren’t aware that they hadn’t offended Consort Xian recently, they might have thought she was taking the opportunity to eliminate them.

The Emperor closed his eyes and grunted, his voice revealing neither happiness nor anger.

Consort Xian said with a gentle smile, "Since the Crown Prince instructed these two palace maids to guard the Commandery Princess and the Ninth Princess, let’s consider the matter settled."

She had summoned many concubines, the Eldest Princess, and Princesses to Chenglan Palace today, and had specifically called Leng Yu Yan.

As for Lai Manting, she wasn’t part of Consort Xian’s plan. It was the Fourth who suggested she come to make tea for them. Thinking the Fourth was showing filial piety, Consort Xian agreed. Now that she thought about it, perhaps the Fourth was seizing the moment to rid himself of Lai Manting.

While the Fourth’s plan might have been realized, Consort Xian had another purpose in summoning Leng Yu Yan today: she wanted to seize the opportunity to humiliate her.

After the drowning incident, Leng Yu Yan hadn’t been betrothed to her son, and now she was bestowed to the Crown Prince. Consort Xian wanted to release the resentment before the Beiliang Princess arrived.

Unexpectedly, not only did she fail to humiliate her, but the Crown Prince had suddenly appeared and defended her.

The Emperor opened his eyes: "Well, this is a trifling matter, let’s turn the page."

Ye Yuan chuckled heartily: "Brother, if you ask me, even if the Commandery Princess brought two maids into the palace, it should be permissible."

The Emperor seemed impatient but, seeing Ye Yuan’s bandaged hand, softened his tone: "Oh, and why is that?"

"As the Princess Beilan and the Crown Prince are soon to be wed, after the marriage, the Princess will be our Tiancheng’s Crown Princess Consort. The Crown Princess Consort ought to be the principal wife, and it wouldn’t matter how many maids or palace maids she wishes to bring." Ye Yuan laughed again, "Of course, Ah Yan is not yet the Crown Princess Consort, so it’s reasonable for Consort Xian to give a few words of guidance."

At that moment, Princess Consort Liu spoke up: "There is a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate, and as elegant as it sounds for us concubines to be the mothers of the Crown Prince and other Princes, the palace regulations stand. The Crown Princess Consort is the legitimate daughter-in-law of the Tian Family, what say do we, as concubines, have?"

Her words implicitly stated that once the Princess Beilan became the Crown Princess Consort, it wouldn’t be easy for Consort Xian to discipline her.

Princess Consort Liu wore a proper smile on her face, but inwardly cursed Consort Xian a thousand times. She had entered the palace years ago and only occasionally did the Emperor think of her, and when he planned to spend a night with her, Consort Xian always had an excuse to pull the Emperor away.

Today, she seized the rare opportunity to see Consort Xian at a disadvantage.

What Princess Consort Liu said made sense, and many concubines secretly ridiculed Consort Xian.

Consort Xian awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth. Though she presided over the six palaces, her lack of hope for queenship was her sore point.

At this moment, with Princess Consort Liu speaking so unreservedly, it was as if she were shouting to everyone that Consort Xian, despite her great power, was just a concubine.

Disciplining the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess Consort, as a mere concubine, she had absolutely no right!

Leng Yu Yan finally witnessed the overt and covert struggles among the concubines.

Consort Xian was honey-mouthed and sharp-tongued, smiling with a knife hidden behind it. Princess Consort Liu demoted herself while speaking, so no one could say anything against her, and in the process, she managed to expose Consort Xian’s facade and hit her where it hurt.

These concubines had been "slaughtering" in the palace for over twenty years, and even the younger ones had been at it for more than a decade. They all wore smiles, but their eyes held varying expressions, showing that not one of them was to be trifled with.

Even those Eldest Princesses on the periphery of power should not be underestimated.

"The Crown Prince is concerned with Beilan, he is without fault," the Emperor suddenly rose, "And what Princess Consort Liu says does indeed make sense."

There should be a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate.

This was so even among commoners, and the Tian Family needed to set an example for all people.

He took two steps, then said, "However, I must remind the Crown Prince and Beilan of one thing. In order for the Crown Princess Consort’s status to be respected by all under heaven, Beilan, the issue of your mother’s reputation urgently needs to be addressed!"

Leng Yu Yan nodded, "Yes, I understand!"

Ye Yiheng’s phoenix eyes narrowed beneath the eye veil. This matter had already been discussed in the Imperial Study. Now, raising it again in front of so many people was too much of a blow to one’s dignity.

Due to the multitude of emergencies that had arisen, they had been traveling back and forth between the capital city and Beilan City, busy with fleeing for safety, and had put this matter on hold for some time. Now, to resolve Yanyan’s mother’s reputation issue, they most needed the assistance of Prince Zhenbei, Lai Ran.

But the Father-in-law was still in Beilan City and couldn’t help for the time being.

Ye Yiheng was puzzled. It had been almost seventeen years; where should he start his investigation?

The Emperor "hmm-ed" once and lifted his feet to walk away. Ye Zhenyu glanced at Leng Yu Yan and followed the Emperor’s steps to leave.

Leng Yu Yan looked down, her mother’s reputation issue needed to be resolved, and for that, she had to visit Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion.

Previously, she had called Qiubo Dongyan to the capital city, not only to cause spots to appear on Lai Manting’s face but also for another matter, which was to "greet" Madam Lai.

Qiubo Dongyan had already "greeted" the old lady, and now it was her turn to take action personally.

Thinking of this, Leng Yu Yan supported Ye Yiheng’s arm, "Your Highness, let me assist you."

"Alright," Ye Yiheng grabbed her hand in return and left with an easy grace.

A silence fell in Chenglan Palace.

Then Consort Xian forced a smile on her face and strenuously managed to complete the discussion before waving for everyone to leave.

As everyone walked away, Consort Xian’s face suddenly darkened, "Princess Consort Liu has quite the nerve, to dare to be so disrespectful to me!"

Nannies and palace maids approached to advise and give suggestions...

At this moment, Lai Manting was sent back to Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion.

In just thirty minutes, the news that Lai Manting had been discarded and lost her status as Consort Liang spread throughout the mansion.

At the entrance of Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion, the crowd of onlookers formed a ring around the gate.

It turned out that the maids and old women who had accompanied Lai Manting to Prince Liang Mansion, along with all their belongings, had been sent back by Prince Liang Mansion’s people.

Lai Manting had only been a concubine, only carried into the mansion, and had not held a wedding with Prince Liang, but Mrs. Feng had still prepared quite a dowry for Lai Manting.

Now, all these dowries, along with Lai Manting’s clothes and belongings, had been piled up by the servants of Prince Liang Mansion right at the gate of Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion.

This caused much discussion among the people, and the news of the third young lady of Marquis Ningyuan’s Mansion being abandoned by Prince Liang quickly spread far and wide.

In the main courtyard of the mansion.

Mrs. Feng faced her daughter, who was weeping bitterly, at a loss for what to do.

Seeing her daughter’s veil wet from crying, she lifted it to reveal the daughter’s face marked with spots, which turned her own face deathly pale.

"How could this happen?"

Lai Manting clenched Mrs. Feng’s hands, "Mother, the spots on the little girl’s face after you drugged her were similar to mine. Do you really not have the antidote?"

"I really don’t have it. The Wu father and son said they couldn’t develop an antidote, didn’t they?"

"Are the Wu father and son withholding the antidote and refusing to give it to us?"

"Absolutely impossible! They have worked for us for so many years without ever causing trouble."

Lai Manting tugged at the dark hairs on her face forcefully, "Mother, what’s the point of living when I look like this? Why is it that the little girl can get rid of her spots, but I can’t?"