Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 42

“Who else knows this secret besides the Empress Dowager and the Feng family?” Yun Zishu asked and then added, “And, of course, besides you.”

Si Cang said, “The Feng family and the Empress Dowager are the direct participants who led the entire matter. Everyone else involved then has been silenced. Now, apart from the Feng family and the Empress Dowager, only the Emperor knows, I know, and Your Highness knows.”

The Feng family is the Empress Dowager’s family, so it’s normal for them to know.

Moreover, not everyone in the Feng family would know about it. After all, swapping the royal family’s offspring was a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of the family. The more people who knew about it, the greater the possibility of the secret being leaked.

The old Duke Feng was the only person who was in charge of the matter besides the Empress Dowager, but no one knew whether he had told his son and grandson about the secret.

Yun Zishu was silent for a moment, then suddenly curled her lips in a sarcastic smile. “So the reason why Father wanted to kill the Feng family was not entirely because of military power, but more because he wanted everyone who knew about this to disappear.”

Si Cang nodded. “Yes.”

The Feng family not only held military power but also held the emperor’s fatal secret. That was why he tried his best to get rid of them. However, the Feng family had been acting flawlessly for years, and the emperor had never been able to grasp a handle on them. Coupled with the empress dowager’s obstruction, how could he easily eliminate the Feng family?

Therefore, it can be determined that her father was currently in a situation where he was wary of causing collateral damage.

Yun Zishu lowered her gaze in contemplation, thinking about the key points in this matter.

After a while, she raised her eyes to look at Si Cang. “How did Father learn the truth?”

Si Cang said, “After the Empress Dowager switched the princess out, she secretly maintained contact with the Ji family. When the Ji family’s daughter married the current Emperor, he had not yet ascended the throne, but the Empress Dowager was 90% sure that she could ensure the Emperor’s ascension to the throne. As long as the plan was successful, she could not only bring her biological daughter back under her watch but also bring greater benefits to the Ji family. So both parties agreed to this matter.”

Yun Zishu’s brow furrowed, and she suddenly remembered that the Ji family was also one of the participants in the entire event of secretly swapping the prince.

“Originally, this was a perfect plan, mutually beneficial for both sides. The Empress Dowager relied on the Emperor to secure her position as Empress Dowager. She could enjoy a lifetime of glory and wealth while also retrieving her daughter. Even if they couldn’t openly acknowledge each other, they could still do as much as possible to make up for it.” Si Cang’s voice was faint. “And as long as it is ensured that the son born by the Emperor and the Empress is made the Crown Prince, then the bloodline of the royal family can be regarded as returning to its legitimate line.”

Yun Zishu nodded slowly. The plan was indeed effective, but the human heart is unpredictable. No one could ensure that their plan was foolproof.

“It’s just that the head of the Ji family had an extra thought. He believed that the Empress Dowager might be partial to her daughter, and the Emperor alone in the palace would be vulnerable and weak. In case the Empress Dowager had the idea of dealing with him, it would be detrimental to the Emperor.” Si Cang’s gaze rested on Yun Zishu’s face, and he calmly told the truth, “The old head of the Ji family found a way to secretly inform the Emperor of the truth.”

…So that’s how it was.

Yun Zishu was silent for a moment and let out a faint, mocking smile. “Even a seemingly flawless plan ultimately encountered unexpected twists. That’s why they say things are hard to predict.”

Si Cang hummed in agreement, his tone slightly colder. “No one expected that after learning the truth, the Emperor would quickly develop a murderous intent toward the Empress, not even sparing the legitimate eldest son.”

Yun Zishu raised her hand to her brow.

The human heart is difficult to fathom, and the heart of an emperor is even more unfathomable.

When it concerned his own origins and bloodline and the throne he sat upon, how could he allow any uncontrollable accidents to happen?

The Empress Dowager had schemed meticulously, but in the end she still harmed her own daughter.

She wondered if the Empress Dowager, whose inflated ambition was satisfied and who enjoyed a lifetime of wealth and glory, ever felt deep regret for her actions in the middle of the night?

Yun Zishu’s voice grew somber. “This princess remembers that the old head of the Ji family passed away two years ago.”

“Yes.” Si Cang answered every question without any intention of hiding anything from her. “The old head of the Ji family’s unauthorized disclosure was the main reason for the queen’s murder. The empress dowager held a deep grudge against him and could not let him go.”

“Who killed him?”

Si Cang lowered his eyes. “I killed him.”

“Does Father Emperor know?”

Si Cang nodded. “The Emperor knows that I killed the old head of the Ji family, and he also knows that I am aware of the secret from back then.”

Yun Zishu asked one final question. “Did the Empress Dowager order you to do it?”

“It was more of a transaction,” Si Cang said. “This humble official helped her get rid of the old head of the Ji family, and the Empress Dowager promised me that, when necessary, the Feng family must protect the safety of the Princess and serve as your strongest support.”

Yun Zishu looked up and stared at him in surprise.

Si Cang said, “The other members of the Ji family are not aware of this secret for the time being, so if you need money in the future, Your Highness can ask the Ji family for it.”

Yun Zishu frowned slightly but said nothing.

The rest of the Ji family didn’t know the secret from that year, which meant that they still thought that the deceased empress was the daughter of the Ji family… Yun Zishu’s expression tightened. Yes, all the people who participated in that year were dead.

Even her nominal maternal grandmother was no longer alive.

A trace of mockery flickered at the corner of Yun Zishu’s lips.

The emperor was the son of the merchant Ji family, and her mother was the true royal blood.

The Empress Dowager, to gain honor through her son, found reliable people to switch the identities of the two. Later, she used the huge family property of the Ji family to help the emperor ascend the throne and brought her daughter into the palace as the queen.

It was a perfect plan of swapping the crown prince.

But the human heart is ultimately unable to withstand the test.

Under imperial power, the waters are treacherous and unpredictable. There have always been plots and schemes, full of dangers. It is not surprising when strange things happen.

All the calculations and all the means are nothing more than for their own benefits.

Yun Zishu didn’t know if the Empress Dowager had ever regretted it.

Her daughter died. Did she hate the emperor? Did she hate herself for her unscrupulous behavior for the sake of profit?

Or, for the sake of wealth and glory, did she simply not care how her daughter died?

Si Cang said in a deep voice, “The Feng family can be used by Your Highness, but you must not be too compliant with them.”

“Compliant?” Yun Zishu came back to her senses from her thoughts and smiled indifferently, “This princess doesn’t know what compliance means.”

After saying this, Yun Zishu put down the teacup and stood up to leave.

A shocking secret was fully digested over the course of a meal and a cup of tea.

Si Cang accompanied Yun Zishu to the garden. They strolled along the quiet paths; the fresh air in the garden involuntarily relaxed their moods.

“Your Highness,” Si Cang asked about someone on his own initiative, which was rare. “How has Xiao Yunheng been recently?”

Yun Zishu said indifferently, “He is currently in the midst of loving intimacy with Li Xue. I have no interest in concerning myself with them.”

She let Xiao Yunheng move in just to temporarily shut up the emperor and the crown prince so that they would not issue this decree or that order to her every two or three days. It certainly wasn’t to bring Xiao Yunheng over to provide him with fine food and drink.

“I happen to be free lately, so I’ll see if Xiao Yunheng and Li Xue’s relationship can withstand this torment.” Yun Zishu picked a flower at random. “If they can, then I certainly would think highly of them and simply help this loving couple succeed.”