The Eldest Daughter Returns: Imperial Uncle, I'm Pregnant!

Chapter 400 Lu Yan's Affair Exposed

Gu Qingwan quickly stood up and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."

The Empress Dowager waved her hand, gesturing for her to sit down: "We're family, no need for formalities."

The hall was quiet for a moment, with only the soft chirping of birds outside the window and the clear sound of the copper bells on the eaves in the breeze.

The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "The affairs of the palace have been quite numerous lately. Are you still able to handle them?"

Gu Qingwan replied gently, "The affairs of the manor are handled by the head maid. I only need to take a look and it is not tiring for me."

The Empress Dowager gave her a deep look, her tone slightly somber: "You have always been intelligent, and I am at ease with you. However..." She tapped the table lightly with her fingertips, her voice lowered, "Now that you are carrying the child of the Prince of Chu, it is inevitable that some people will be envious. You must be careful in everything you do."

Gu Qingwan's heart skipped a beat, realizing that the Empress Dowager was giving her a warning. She immediately replied respectfully, "Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered, and I will certainly act with caution."

The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction and chatted for a few more minutes. Seeing that she remained respectful and gentle, the kindness in her eyes deepened.

After a short while, the Empress Dowager seemed a little tired. Gu Qingwan, observing her expression, stood up and took her leave at the right time: "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is tired. I will not disturb you any longer. I will come to pay my respects to you another day."

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly: "Go, take good care of yourself, and if you need anything, just come and find me."

Gu Qingwan curtsied and withdrew, leaving Cining Palace with light steps.

After her figure disappeared outside the palace, the Empress Dowager slowly closed her eyes, gently twirling her prayer beads between her fingers, and murmured softly, "I hope this child will be born safely..."

Outside the palace, the sun shone brightly. Gu Qingwan looked up at the sky, her lips slightly upturned, but her eyes were calm and serene.

The bloodshed in the palace has passed, and the families of officials have left one after another under the Empress's arrangement. Who can help but sigh? The once extremely wealthy Empress Dowager's family has been personally demoted to commoners by the Empress Dowager. The Second Prince has gone mad, and the Third Prince has been imprisoned in the Imperial Prison. Now that the Crown Prince's position is secure, no one can have any more ideas.

Many officials' families were also killed or injured. Gu Qingwan met Madam Meng at the palace gate.

"Greetings to the princess."

Gu Qingwan did not get off the carriage. She lifted the curtain and looked at the woman next to Old Madam Meng, whose face was bandaged and still had traces of blood seeping out. This woman was Shen Shi, who had stopped her at the Marquis's residence, along with the two concubine daughters of the Marquis's residence.

“Madam Meng, I still remember the scene when you and Yanran helped Qingwan out of a predicament when we returned to the capital. How wise you were back then. Now that you have gone through this, I think you should have had some enlightenment.”

Madam Meng's body became even more hunched. After all, she was an elderly woman, and suddenly experiencing a palace coup, witnessing the slaughter and seeing rivers of blood, was something she couldn't bear.

Recalling the words her son had spoken to her before his departure, which still echoed in her ears, she couldn't help but burst into tears. She looked at her niece beside her with complicated emotions, perhaps she really should have an epiphany as the Princess of Chu had said.

The Queen Consort of Chu, covered in blood, fought her way into the palace from outside, like a demon, her eyes bloodshot with rage.

The ladies in the palace who fawned over Consort Xi took advantage of her power and humiliated these noblewomen. Princess Chu took the whip and lashed them again and again, as if she were the one being ripped apart, making people feel fear towards this young princess.

"Your Highness is right to reprimand me... I will go to the ancestral hall to pray for the soldiers on the frontier when I return."

"Praying for blessings is the best thing to do." Gu Qingwan's words were as light as the wind, yet they reached everyone's ears.

Lu Yan hid and fled into the Yi'an Marquis's residence before dawn. Covered in blood, he went straight to the study in the backyard. In his panic, he packed some important things and made sure to treat and bandage his wounds.

He could stay at the Marquis of Yi'an's residence for a while. His only destination now was Xiao Chen's estate. The estate was very secluded and had only recently been purchased by Xiao Chen. He figured the Marquis of Yi'an probably didn't know about it yet. He would go there to meet up with Xiao Chen, and the two of them would take all their money and run away. They wouldn't be afraid of not having a chance to make a comeback.

As a result, Lu Yan took away almost all the money in the Yi'an Marquis's account.

As Lu Yan was leaving, his noise startled the Crown Princess Zhu Xiaoyan, who was recuperating. Lu Yan held a sword in his hand, intending to kill her to silence her, but for some reason, he suddenly remembered the sweet and affectionate days of their honeymoon.

Looking at Zhu Xiaoyan now, her face was pale and her body was as thin as a rake, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Although he didn't have much affection for Zhu Xiaoyan, she was, after all, the person he married. At this moment, he felt a little pity for her.

Zhu Xiaoyan clung tightly to the door frame. Lu Yan's sword was still stained with blood. She wasn't sure if Lu Yan would come over and kill her the next second, but she thought it would be better if she died at his hands.

But Lu Yan didn't. He seemed to have something he wanted to say to her but didn't say it. He left the Marquis's residence without looking back.

"Lu Yan!"

Lu Yan seemed to pause for a moment, but Zhu Xiaoyan couldn't see clearly because her eyes were already blurred with tears. Zhu Xiaoyan's whole body went limp by the door.

Last night's rain knocked all the newly sprouted peach blossoms off the trees, and one by one, these vibrant lives disappeared from this world.

Lu Yan rode at full speed to Xiao Chen's estate. At that moment, Xiao Chen was still lying on a chaise lounge, eating fresh fruit delivered from the estate, unaware of what was happening outside.

Lu Yan kicked the door open.

"Ah!" Little Chen was so frightened that she stood up abruptly, clutching her stomach. Only when she saw that the person who came was Lu Yan did her heart relax a little.

"Yanlang, it's you! You startled me. I thought a bad guy had broken in."

"Hurry up and come with me, or it will be too late."

"What?" Little Chen looked bewildered as he watched Lu Yan rush into the room and put all the valuables into the bundle, even taking the items from the hidden compartment on the bed.

"Iwaro, what are you doing!"

"There's no time to explain, hurry up and pack up!" Lu Yan's face was covered in sweat.

"No, you need to explain yourself clearly. What are you doing taking all these things? And has the matter with the Second Prince been settled? Hey, say something!"

Annoyed by the pulling, Lu Yan grabbed Xiao Chen's arm with a fierce look and said, "Listen to me! It's all your fault! It's all because of your stubbornness, because of this child in your belly! He ruined me, ruined both of us!"

Ms. Chen quickly clutched her stomach and shouted, "Lu Yan, what nonsense are you spouting! This is our child! How can you say such a thing about him!"

"My child, my child, my child! Do you know my father is back!"

These words struck Xiao Chen like a thunderbolt from the sky, leaving her completely stunned.

"What? What did you say? Who's back?" The hairpins in Xiao Chen's hair were askew. At this moment, she didn't care about her appearance or that her wrists had been pinched purple by Lu Yan.

"Stop asking questions and come with me!" Lu Yan pulled Xiao Chen Shi towards the door. He could have walked by himself, but for some reason, he couldn't put Xiao Chen Shi down.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of horses neighing came from outside the courtyard, and Lu Yan and Madam Chen froze on the spot.

"Who? Who is Lu Yan?" Madam Chen was so frightened that she couldn't speak coherently. The maidservant serving her knew more or less about the affair between Madam Chen and the young master. At this moment, she was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground and was unable to follow. She knew all too well that if the Marquis returned, Madam Chen would be dead, and she and the servants around her would also perish.

"You scoundrels, you wretches! Why don't you come out and face your deaths!" A thunderous voice boomed through the courtyard.

Though the spring breeze was warm, it felt like countless tiny blades slapping against Lu Chen's face. He gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles white, and his black horse, "Chasing the Wind," left a trail of deep hoofprints in the snow. The village on the outskirts of Beijing was already faintly visible, its gray silhouette appearing particularly lonely in the twilight.

"My lord, the estate is just ahead," said Zhao Cheng, the guard beside him, in a low voice.

A flicker of pain crossed Lu Chen's eyes. He recalled his deceased wife's resentful eyes before she died, her withered hands clutching his sleeve tightly, yet she ultimately couldn't utter the secret. Three years had passed; he had investigated for three years. Today, he was finally going to unveil that veil of shame.

"You all wait outside. No one is allowed to come in without my order." Lu Chen dismounted, his black cloak fluttering in the wind.

The gate to the manor was ajar, clearly left there intentionally. Lu Chen sneered and strode inside. The snow in the courtyard hadn't been swept away, but a string of fresh footprints led to the main house.

Dim light shone through the windows of the main house's attic. Lu Chen kicked open the door, and the sight before him made his eyes widen in horror.

"Father...Father!" Lu Yan suddenly pushed Xiao Chen away, his face turning deathly pale.

Madam Chen hurriedly pulled her clothes tighter, but couldn't hide her protruding belly. A hint of panic flashed in her eyes, then she forced a smile: "Why has the Marquis come? I...I've come to visit the old servant at the manor..."

"Shut up!" Lu Chen roared, his voice shaking dust from the rafters. "What a pair of adulterers! Lu Yan, she's your stepmother! Little Chen, whose child is that in your belly?"

Madam Chen's face turned pale, and she staggered backward. Lu Yan, however, suddenly regained his composure and stepped forward to block her path: "Father, please calm down. There's more to this than meets the eye..."

"Hidden story?" Lu Chen laughed angrily, his chest heaving violently, barely able to speak.

Just then, the side door of the warm pavilion was gently pushed open, and a woman in plain clothes walked in slowly. She was about twenty years old, with delicate features but a hint of vicissitude.

"Cuiying?" Little Chen cried out in alarm, her eyes filled with terror. "You weren't already..."

"Already dead?" The woman named Cuiying sneered. "Madam, how cruel you are! I did so many heinous things for you, and I even covered up the despicable things you did, and in the end? You actually wanted to kill me. But heaven has eyes, and I survived. It was the Princess Consort of Chu who saved me. I'm alive for this day."

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes.

Cuiying bowed deeply to Lu Chen: "My lord, I have come today to seek justice for myself and for Miss Su Xi!"

Lu Yan's expression changed drastically, and he shouted angrily, "You lowly servant, stop talking nonsense! Father, this maid has gone mad, throw her out immediately!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Lu Yan suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at Cuiying. "Father, this vile servant has slandered our mistress; she deserves to die!"

Cuiying showed no fear, instead stepping forward to press the sword tip against her throat: "Young Master, do you dare to do it but not admit it? Back then, you and your wife had an affair first, and to cover it up, you framed Miss Suxi, waiting only for the fruit to ripen before plotting to kill her. Now you even have your own child, how long will you continue to deceive the Marquis?"

Lu Chen was struck dumb, staggering back a few steps before he could catch his breath and lean against the table. Although he had already learned a thing or two on the way, he hadn't inquired about the specific details. After all, the prince had sent him a message instructing him to return and protect the emperor, and he could clearly distinguish between his personal life and the greater good.

Marquis Yi'an, Lu Chen, stared intently at Lu Yan: "Is what she said true?"

Cold sweat beaded on Lu Yan's forehead, and his hand gripping the sword trembled slightly: "Father, would you rather believe a lowly servant than your son?"

"Believe you?" Lu Chen gave a bitter laugh. "Then tell me, whose child is in Little Chen's womb?"

The room was deathly silent, save for the crackling of sparks from the charcoal brazier. Suddenly, Madam Chen knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face: "My lord, spare me! It was the heir who forced me... I... I had no choice..."

"You slut!" Lu Yan cursed, turning his sword towards Madam Chen. "You seduced me first!"

"Father..." Lu Yan finally panicked, dropping his sword and kneeling at Lu Chen's feet. "Your son was confused for a moment, please have mercy, Father..."

Lu Chen slowly raised his head, his eyes devoid of any warmth: "A moment of confusion? You poisoned Su Xi, that was a moment of confusion? Passed off a bastard as the legitimate son, that was a moment of confusion?" He abruptly stood up and kicked Lu Yan aside, "Guards!"

Zhao Cheng led his guards into the warm pavilion, and they were all speechless with shock at what they saw.

"Tie up this adulterous couple!" Lu Chen's voice was hoarse.

Madam Chen collapsed to the ground, then suddenly burst into hysterical laughter: "Lu Chen! What do you think you are? It's all your fault! It's all because of you! I clearly love the young master, but because of your stubbornness, you forced my father to marry me off to you as your second wife. You're old enough to be my father, why did you have to possess me, forcibly separating me from Lu Yan!"

Xiao Chen's words made Lu Yan's face turn as black as ink.

"I'd be willing to marry you and be a Marquis's wife, but you've been gone for so many years, leaving me alone in this empty house. I'm still young, how can I bear the loneliness in the Marquis's mansion! So the rekindling of my old feelings with Lu Yan is all your doing!"

"Slap!" A slap interrupted her words. Lu Chen withdrew his hand: "That's no excuse for you to be unfaithful!"

"Hehehe, I'm not a virtuous woman? Ask your son whether I started it or Lu Yan did! Lu Yan, you're no better. You clearly had me but insisted on marrying that Zhu Xiaoyan. What? You must be secretly pleased with having two women, one in the open and one in the dark?"

"Shut up!" Lu Yan knelt on the ground. He knew that his chances of winning were over. He had been confident that he was young and had surpassed his father after so many years of training. But now that he had fought his father, he knew that he was no match for Lu Chen.