Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 564: Clap Clap Clap!

Chapter 564: Chapter 564: Clap Clap Clap!

After weighing the pros and cons, Chen Shijing felt that his eldest son Chen Jun’s decisive actions might save their Chen Family.

He closed his eyes and steeled his heart, saying, "Your Majesty the Empress, this humble one is willing to sever the father-son relationship with Chen You. My earlier words were offensive to Your Majesty, I have eyes but failed to recognize greatness, I shall slap my own mouth!"

Slap slap slap slap!

In front of the neighbors, Chen Shijing slapped his own face resoundingly.

The sound reached Chen You’s ears. Chen You looked angrily at his brother and father; they had completely abandoned him for their own sake.

Zhan Lan, aiming to take advantage of the Chen Family’s misfortune, looked at Huang Gun, "I never thought I’d see a scene of father and son turning against each other, brothers becoming enemies."

Huang Gun immediately understood Zhan Lan’s intention, raising his voice, he said, "Oh, I understand now. Each of them harbors different ulterior motives. It’s like they are secretly doing something shameful, wanting to take it all for themselves! Ahem, they all want to have the Chen Family’s property for themselves!"

Chen Jun frowned, thinking Chen You was mindless, hoping he wouldn’t be manipulated.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, Chen You knelt before Zhan Lan, "Your Majesty the Empress, my father is smuggling private salt, and my older brother’s business is also illicit. If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to check!"

"Oh." Zhan Lan smiled slightly, exempting taxes for three years, Mu Yan had sacrificed so much; we can’t always rely on him for silver. She also wanted to take advantage a bit to support Mu Yan.

Upon hearing Chen You’s accusation against him, Chen Shijing’s expression changed drastically. This legitimate second son always caused him trouble. If not for Chen You being his biological son, he would have expelled him from the house long ago.

Now he is talking nonsense. What if Her Majesty the Empress takes this seriously!

Chen Jun’s face darkened. They had originally planned to sacrifice only Chen You first and later find a way to negotiate on his behalf.

Unexpectedly, this mindless fool betrayed him and his father!

Chen Jun knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhan Lan, "Reporting to Your Majesty the Empress, Chen You has nothing to do with our Chen Family anymore. He is deliberately seeking revenge, uttering complete nonsense!"

The bystanders, knowing Her Majesty the Empress was conducting an investigation here, dared not approach but could only watch from a distance.

They feared the Chen Family, hoping Her Majesty the Empress could eradicate them.

They all awaited how Her Majesty the Empress would deal with the Chen Family.

Suddenly, the bystanders heard the uniform footsteps not far away, Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, Xiao Chen, arrived with constables.

Seeing the Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Justice arrive, Chen Shijing felt as if a snake had crawled on his back, starting to tremble uncontrollably, breaking out in cold sweat.

Chen Jun’s brow furrowed; he feared their Chen Family wouldn’t escape disaster today.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!" Xiao Chen nodded.

Zhan Lan lightly raised her hand, "Mr. Xiao, the second son of the Chen Family acted righteously against family interests, accusing his father of smuggling private salt and claiming the eldest son’s business is illicit. This matter must be thoroughly investigated."

"As you command!" Xiao Chen took people into the residence.

Since Mu Yan ascended the throne, Xiao Chen had seen Zhan Lan less and less.

Today, Zhan Lan had Little Anzi look for him, and he knew Zhan Lan still regarded him as a friend.

During those days in Western Rong, Zhan Lan seemed to have sensed his feelings, but he restrained his emotions and did not disturb Zhan Lan again.

Now she had become the empress like in the previous life, but what was different was that Zhan Lan was now more composed and adept.

A group of people entered the residence; the female relatives and servants of the Chen Residence knelt everywhere, and Xiao Chen personally led people to search.

Not long after, Zhan Lan was invited into the residence by Xiao Chen, and Huang Gun followed in as well.

...

On another side, Prefect Zhao hurriedly arrived at the Chen Residence with Housekeeper Liu and constables.

"What’s going on?" Prefect Zhao, sitting in the carriage, asked Housekeeper Liu.

Housekeeper Liu embellished his description of the events that had just happened, and Prefect Zhao instantly had a headache upon hearing it.

In the early years, the Chen Family Head deliberately ingratiated himself with him, and they became friends.

But later, as the Chen Family gradually declined, he had been indifferent to the Chen Family’s matters.

Plus, considering Chen You’s matter today, he had already helped, but now with Chen Shijing’s serious statement, he feared the Chen Family might reveal all his affairs.

Thus, he urgently brought people to the Chen Residence.

With a few constables following him, he found that entering the Chen Residence was like entering an unguarded place.

Where did all the people from the Chen Residence go?

Prefect Zhao walked toward the main house, and the constables behind him quickened their pace.

The further Prefect Zhao walked, the more he felt something was amiss. Upon reaching the courtyard before the main house, he saw a group of servants and women kneeling on the ground.

Two rows of constables from the Ministry of Justice stood at the main house entrance.

He immediately sensed something was wrong. Why were people from the Ministry of Justice here? Prefect Zhao’s eyes fell on the woman seated in the main seat in the central position of the main house.

The moment Prefect Zhao’s gaze met Zhan Lan’s, he felt his Adam’s apple move twice, and his feet felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

Standing to Zhan Lan’s left was a man, none other than Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, Xiao Chen.

Likewise, there was someone standing on her right, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry, Huang Gun. Why was he here too?

Prefect Zhao suddenly remembered that these two had once been subordinates of Her Majesty the Empress.

Unaware of Zhan Lan’s identity, Housekeeper Liu, when leaving, exaggeratedly said, "Lord Governor, see how arrogant that woman is! She dares to sit in our family head’s seat!"

Prefect Zhao swallowed, immediately stepping forward quickly, kneeling at the door, and bowed, "Servant Zhao Xianzheng greets Her Majesty the Empress!"

The constables behind him showed expressions of fear and also knelt in turn.

Housekeeper Liu stared in shock at the peerlessly beautiful woman in the main seat, realizing she was the Empress; his legs went weak, and he fell to the ground, obsequiously saying, "Greetings, Her Majesty the Empress!"

Chen You looked at Zhan Lan, finally seeing her true appearance, so stunning that it could topple a nation, but disaster was upon him, and he felt no lust at all!

Chen Jun lowered his eyes, not daring to look at Zhan Lan. He thought he had been quite slick, but when he lifted his eyes and saw Zhan Lan’s eyes earlier, it felt like in Her Majesty the Empress’s eyes, all his deeds were exposed without place to hide.

The overwhelming pressure made him feel suffocated.

Chen Shijing’s heart thudded; he didn’t know how Her Majesty the Empress would punish his family. He knelt on the ground weakly, like frostbitten cabbage, all former arrogance gone.

Prefect Zhao glanced at the kneeling Chen family father and sons, thinking to himself that things were not good; the Chen Family must have betrayed him, and it seems Her Majesty the Empress was waiting for him!

The Chen Family had really set him up.

Zhan Lan looked directly into Prefect Zhao’s eyes, "Lord Zhao, is there something you wish to say to this palace?"

Kneeling on the ground, not knowing how much the Chen Family had revealed about his affairs, Prefect Zhao swallowed and said, "Servant dares not hide from Her Majesty the Empress, servant confesses."