But the most unexpected one of all was the emperor.
No one had anticipated that the emperor would be so ruthless to himself. He had long taken a fertility - suppressing drug, cutting off his own chance of having offspring.
Over the years, although he knew that none of them were his own children, he still treated them extremely well. He waited until their hearts grew greedy, their courage swelled, and their ambitions were fully nurtured before delivering a fatal blow.
Who said that Xiao Ce was a weak, cowardly, and easy - to - manipulate emperor?
He understood better than anyone what it meant to endure humiliation in order to carry out a great cause. This was his most ferocious revenge against the noble families that had forced him onto the throne years ago and compelled him to abandon Shu Moyun.
The biggest mistake they had made was pushing him onto the throne, endowing him with supreme power.
He was the emperor, and he should have the final say in this world.
The emperor let out a sigh and said, "After Concubine Shu was sent to the Cold Palace back then, I knew she was pregnant. But she was framed during the New Year's Eve palace banquet. If the news of her pregnancy spread at that time, the child's lineage would surely be questioned. Just then, I accidentally learned that someone intended to harm her to clear the way for the Crown Princess position."
"This was my first child. I would never allow anything to happen to Concubine Shu and our child. But if she stayed by my side, she would always be in danger. That fire was indeed set deliberately by someone, and I just took advantage of the situation. I secretly sent her away to keep her and my legitimate son safe."
The emperor looked at Cang Xuan and smiled. "Lord Cang, I've never told you this. In fact, from the moment I first saw you, I knew you were supposed to be my legitimate eldest son. I've hidden this from you for so long and only now am I revealing it to you and the world. I just didn't know how to face your mother, my first wife, Lady Shu."
"When I learned that your mother was pregnant back then, I had already chosen names for the child. If it was a boy, it would be Xiao Yunjian; if a girl, Xiao Yunshang. Your real name should be Xiao Yunjian."
As the emperor recounted, everyone finally learned what had happened back then and understood the emperor's painstaking efforts for his wife and son. At the same time, he also cleared Cang Xuan and Shu Moyun of any suspicion, making the world think that it was all the emperor's scheme and that Cang Xuan had never known his true identity.
The reason he entered the court as an official was entirely due to the emperor's decision, not because Cang Xuan had deliberately approached with an ulterior motive.
This was the greatest protection a father could offer his son.
"Yunjian, would you like to recognize me as your father and call me 'Father Emperor'?" the emperor asked cautiously.
Cang Xuan and the emperor looked at each other from afar. The emperor's gaze at him was no longer as restrained as before but was filled with eagerness, kindness, and deep guilt.
Ever since he saw the emperor spitting blood and fainting, the nightmare that had haunted Cang Xuan had begun to loosen. After learning about the true identities of the four princes, the nightmare had completely dissipated.
Xiao Ce had never given up on Shu Moyun or him, nor had he ever betrayed his vow to Shu Moyun. What else did he have to worry about?
Cang Xuan lifted his robe, knelt on both knees, and bowed. "Your subject, Xiao Yunjian, pays respects to Father Emperor. May Father Emperor live long, long, and ever longer!"
As Cang Xuan changed his address to the emperor, Su Qing knelt on both knees and said loudly, "Congratulations to Your Majesty! After all these years, Your Majesty has finally found your legitimate son and is reunited with him! Your humble subject, Su Qing, pays respects to the Crown Prince!"
None of the four princes were of the emperor's bloodline, and since the emperor had personally acknowledged Cang Xuan as his legitimate son, Cang Xuan naturally should be the Crown Prince.
Hu Lie was the second to kneel. "Your humble subject, Hu Lie, congratulates Your Majesty and the Crown Prince on their reunion."
Then came Qin Hao, the Minister of the Supreme Court, Zhang Wentao, the Minister of Justice, Zhuo Hong, the Censor - in - Chief of the Court of Censors, the Marquis of Pingyang...
Finally, a large number of people in the field knelt down, and everyone said in unison, "Welcome the Crown Prince back to the palace!"
The emperor rose shakily and walked step by step towards Cang Xuan. He reached out his hand and said to Cang Xuan, "Good child, get up."
Cang Xuan offered his hand to the emperor and slowly stood up in front of him. He was a head taller than the emperor. The emperor held his hand and asked cautiously, "Is your mother still alive? Would she... forgive me for my helpless actions back then? Would she still be willing to return to my side?"
Cang Xuan paused for a moment and said, "Mother is alive. After leaving the palace back then, she took the alias 'Divine Doctor of the Apricot Grove' and has been practicing medicine and helping the common people. She is highly respected by the people. Now, she is staying at the Prince Qing's Mansion."
Su Qing couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "What? Doctor Shu is actually Concubine Shu!"
His eyes widened in shock, looking truly astonished, as if he had never known the identities of Shu Moyun and Cang Xuan. Indeed, he hadn't been in Shengjing twenty - one years ago and had never seen Shu Moyun, so it was understandable that he didn't recognize her.
Su Qing bowed his head, his voice panicked. "Please forgive your subject's ignorance, Your Majesty. Your subject didn't know that the 'Divine Doctor of the Apricot Grove' was Concubine Shu, so I was disrespectful and didn't treat her with the courtesy due to a queen."
The emperor laughed. "It doesn't matter. Ignorance is no crime. I forgive you."
The emperor then looked at Cang Xuan cautiously again. "Yunjian, shall I go with you to the Prince Qing's Mansion to bring your mother back to the palace?"
Cang Xuan nodded. "Okay."
This official - conferring ceremony finally came to an end.
The true identities of the four princes were exposed by the emperor. Their titles were all stripped, and they were escorted out of the palace by the imperial guards and sent to the prison of the Ministry of Justice. Concubine Tong and the other two concubines in the harem were also captured by the sudden arrival of the imperial guards and sent to the same prison.
Concubine Xian was not in the harem, so another group of imperial guards, led by Su Huaiyuan, rushed towards the National Protection Temple.
As for the former mansions of the Princes Qi, Jin, Huai, and Xuan, they were surrounded by the capital's military forces, and no one was allowed to enter or leave at will. When the people in the four mansions learned what had happened in the palace, they immediately fell into chaos.
On the streets of Shengjing, there were many military patrols. Every fifteen minutes, a team of soldiers would pass by the gates of the noble families. The uniform footsteps and the clanking of armor made everyone in the noble families feel insecure, and no one dared to make a move.
The emperor returned to his sleeping quarters to change into extremely solemn clothes. Then, accompanied by Cang Xuan, who had also changed into the clothes of a prince, and with a grand entourage, he set off towards the Prince Qing's Mansion in the most magnificent manner.
After the entourage left the palace gates, upon learning of the emperor's arrival, the common people knelt along the way. Everyone lowered their heads and didn't dare to look at the emperor casually, but eunuchs were announcing the imperial edict throughout the procession.
This edict detailed the crimes committed by the noble families twenty - one years ago, including causing the death of the former Crown Prince in the palace, plotting against Concubine Shu, and confusing the royal bloodline. The four princes and their birth mothers had been captured and imprisoned in the prison of the Ministry of Justice, and their backers would also await the emperor's punishment.
Concubine Shu, who was supposed to have died in the Cold Palace of the Eastern Palace back then, was actually still alive. The emperor had secretly protected her. Over the years, she had practiced medicine under the alias 'Divine Doctor of the Apricot Grove'. She had a son with the emperor, who was the emperor's only child, and he was none other than Cang Xuan, the former Prime Minister of the Cabinet who was regarded as a traitor by many!
He was the legitimate heir of the royal family!