RPAGF Chapter 291 The winds in the capital have shifted again.
Chapter 291 The winds in the capital have shifted again.
Dr. Qian carefully felt the pulse, and after a moment he released his hand, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
"Don't worry, the young mistress's pulse is steady and strong, and the fetus is very healthy."
"That's good……"
Yu Ling hurried in from outside, her face showing barely concealed anxiety.
"lady."
She walked over to Chu Ruohan and lowered her voice.
"The winds in the capital seem to have shifted again."
“Right now, there’s a rumor going around that the young princess Lin Xingyao from the Yong Prince’s mansion isn’t actually the princess’s biological daughter.”
"They were secretly switched by the midwife from back then..."
Chu Ruohan paused slightly in the hand holding the medicine bowl.
Unconsciously, her fingernails rubbed against the rough rim of the bowl, making a soft sound.
This news came at just the right time.
Why did it have to be spread now, right when the matter of the crown prince's bloodline was causing such a stir?
Could it be that the Empress couldn't contain herself and wanted to use the scandal of Prince Yong's residence to divert attention?
How can we stop the people from focusing their attention on the Crown Prince?
But Chu Ruohan always felt that things weren't that simple.
There seems to be a deeper scheme behind this.
Meanwhile, inside the Prince Yong's residence, the atmosphere had plummeted to freezing point.
"You bastards! What nonsense are you spouting!"
Princess Yong was so angry that she trembled all over, her well-maintained face filled with rage.
She slammed her hand on the table, making the teacup jump.
"Chuan'er hasn't even returned yet, and people outside dare to spread rumors about Yao'er's background like this!"
"Men! Go and investigate! Arrest all those gossiping troublemakers!"
"enough."
Prince Yong, who had been silent all along, finally spoke, his voice low and deep.
He glanced at his furious wife.
"You can't catch them all."
"Rumors are like water; it's better to guide them than to block them."
"Look at the Crown Prince's side, such a big incident has happened, has the Emperor ordered a large-scale arrest of those who were talking about it?"
Princess Yong was taken aback, her anger subsided slightly, but the worry and resentment in her eyes remained undiminished.
Lin Xingyao, standing to the side, looked extremely pale and ashen.
The hands, hidden in the wide sleeves, were already clenched into fists, the nails digging deep into the palms, causing a sharp pain.
She clearly caught the fleeting scrutiny and suspicion in her father's eyes when he looked at her.
That gaze, like a cold needle, mercilessly pierced through all her pride and pretense.
Even her father is starting to doubt her?
This realization plunged her into an icy abyss.
Lin Xingyao practically fled back to her own courtyard.
"boom!"
"Bang!"
She swept the precious porcelain pieces violently to the ground, shattering them into pieces.
The servants inside were so frightened that they fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.
An elderly woman, who looked rather old, quickly stepped forward, her face filled with worry.
"Oh dear, Princess, what are you doing? Be careful not to hurt your hand!"
Lin Xingyao's chest heaved violently, her eyes burning with raging anger and a hint of barely perceptible panic.
That midwife is long dead!
There is no proof!
In this entire world, besides herself, there is only one other person who knows the secret of her true background!
"Wei Qiming!"
She spat out the name through gritted teeth, her voice filled with resentment.
"That dead eunuch who's lost his manhood! Bastard!"
To shut him up, she even sent him that bastard child.
How dare he!
How dare you expose this!
Isn't he afraid of losing everything?
The old woman quickly cleaned up the mess on the floor, then brewed a new cup of hot tea and brought it to Lin Xingyao.
She kept her head down, and her fingers trembled slightly at an angle where no one was watching.
A tiny amount of colorless and odorless powder fell silently into the tea and dissolved instantly.
"Princess, please calm down and have some water to soothe your throat."
The old woman's voice was gentle and full of concern.
Lin Xingyao was in a state of confusion and, seeing that it was her most trusted personal nanny, she was completely unsuspecting and drank it all in one gulp.
The old woman helped her sit down on a cushioned chair and offered her heartfelt words of comfort.
"Princess, what's troubling you? Please tell this old servant."
"Don't keep it all bottled up inside. What if you get sick from getting angry?"
These words of concern contained a subtle hint of guidance.
As expected, Lin Xingyao followed her lead and directed her anger at Wei Qiming once again.
"Who else could it be? It must be that eunuch Wei Qiming!"
"He must have been the one spreading rumors!"
The old woman lowered her eyes, concealing the glint of shrewdness deep within them.
"That Wei Qiming is just relying on his sister being the Empress."
"Their current unbridled behavior is probably a sign of desperation."
She paused, lowering her voice even further, as if sharing some earth-shattering secret.
"This old servant has heard that... the Crown Prince in the palace seems to be... not the Emperor's biological son."
"It is said that the Empress secretly brought it back from outside the palace."
Lin Xingyao suddenly raised her head, a look of shock flashing in her eyes.
The old woman continued unhurriedly, "The Wei family is still hoping that the Crown Prince will ascend the throne in the future so that Wei Qiming's crimes can be pardoned."
"But what if... the Crown Prince can't ascend the throne at all? Wouldn't Wei Qiming have to be a slave in a place like a mine for the rest of his life, rotting away there?"
These words were like adding fuel to the fire, instantly igniting all the resentment and bitterness in Lin Xingyao's heart.
Wei Qiming, if you're not having an easy time, don't expect me to be either!
But she still hesitated for a moment.
"But...but the Emperor did not issue an edict to depose the Crown Prince."
"As long as the Crown Prince remains in power, the Wei family has hope of turning things around, and Wei Qiming will be released sooner or later..."
The resentment in his eyes was almost overflowing.
The old woman leaned closer, her voice seductive.
"The royal family is silent now, but what if they do?"
"If Wei Qiming gets this news at the mine and realizes he might never have a chance to rise in society, do you think he'll go completely insane?"
"What can't a mad eunuch do?"
Lin Xingyao met the old woman's cloudy but shrewd eyes.
The old woman continued meaningfully, "If Wei Qiming were to completely blow up the matter of the Crown Prince not being of imperial lineage..."
The consequences could be disastrous.
But for Lin Xingyao, perhaps... it's an opportunity?
As long as the capital is in chaos, who will care whether she is a real princess or not?
Once the Wei family falls, Wei Qiming will no longer have the power to threaten her!
Lin Xingyao suddenly stood up, a ruthless glint in her eyes.
"Mommy!"
"Prepare a carriage for me immediately!"
"Let's go to the mine!"
The desolate mine was filled with dust and the air was thick with the pungent smell of dust and ore.
Lin Xingyao, dressed in an expensive gown, looked completely out of place in this environment.
She stood looking down at Wei Qiming, whose clothes were tattered...