Chapter 101

Seeing Dongfang Qingxuan's attitude, Ye Huahuan's face turned pale, but her heart was thrilled.

Although Ye Qingran's engagement with the Crown Prince had been annulled, she kept worrying that the Crown Prince would once again be bewitched by Ye Qingran.

Now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief!

Ah, how could this be? Everyone, don't misunderstand! They are definitely not Qingran's children! They are merely distant relatives of our Ye Residence! Don't misunderstand Qingran—she isn't that kind of person!

Zhao Shi cradled the bleeding Ye Sisi while ignoring her own injuries, defending Ye Qingran—a scene that was truly moving!

Sister, what time is it now, and you're still speaking up for her! You're just too kind! Ye Qingran is a hopeless good-for-nothing; she doesn't deserve your deep affection!

Wang Yan spoke loudly.

Dongfang Ling'er chimed in: "Exactly! The two kids call her mother—what more explanation is needed? Ye Qingran is a shameless woman who bore children out of wedlock."

For a moment, many people whose emotions had been stirred also chimed in.

At this moment, Mu Qingrou stepped forward, her expression behind the veil full of malice.

She gave Ye Qingran and the two children a cold glance, her voice laced with mysterious force rising high.

"As a noble lady of the xiangfu, Ye Qingran should set an example for young women, yet she has lost her virtue and borne children out of wedlock. I propose that her two wild offspring be drowned in a pig basket, their corpses thrown into the wilderness. Then expel Ye Qingran, this deviant, from Xiliang City—to set things right!"

Having said that, Mu Qingrou felt a surge of satisfaction.

Ye Qingran, for the grudge of my ruined visage and the hatred of my stolen elixir, today I will reclaim them all!

"I agree! Such corrupt customs must be eradicated root and branch; otherwise, how will the noble ladies of Xiliang City face anyone?"

Zhao Yan immediately raised her hand in agreement.

Following close behind were the Thirteenth Princess Dongfang Ling'er, Guanglu Fu's Wang Yan, and the Seventh Prince Dongfang Xuan…

More and more people endorsed Mu Qingrou's proposal, agreeing that Ye Qingran's two children be drowned in a pig basket, their corpses left in the wilderness, and that Ye Qingran be expelled from Xiliang City—their voices swelled into a towering wave!

Of course, many also felt something was off about the matter, and that killing innocent children was simply too cruel.

"Today, the Crown Prince happens to be present—let him make the decision!"

Wang Yan suddenly proposed.

Dongfang Qingxuan frowned, seeing countless gazes converge on him.

His gaze swept past the crowd and locked onto Ye Qingran on the Xuanwu Platform.

All the past events stood vividly before his eyes.

Five years ago, she professed deep love to him, this feeling unchanging, yet she turned around and coupled with another man, becoming pregnant.

Five years later, on Xuanwu Street, she declared she would divorce him, henceforth each going their separate ways, reducing him to a laughingstock.

Five years can change many things.

She has changed—no longer the meek and obedient girl of five years ago, now radiant, yet still not the image of the crown princess he had dreamed of.

Ye Qingran, as my crown princess, must be pure of body, endowed with talent and strength sufficient to suppress an era.

But you are not worthy!

The vast crowd fell into a hush.

After a moment, the Crown Prince spoke loudly: "As the offspring of a high official, Ye Qingran has borne children out of wedlock and failed to set a proper example—her crime is aggravated. I, the Crown Prince, decree that her offspring be sentenced to death; as for Ye Qingran herself, since she is the daughter of General Dingyuan, her fate shall be decided by His Majesty."

Upon these words, the hall erupted in an uproar.

Ye Huahuan and the others, however, broke into delighted smiles.

This statement meant agreeing to have Ye Qingran's two children killed.

As for Ye Qingran, whether she stays or goes is of no consequence.

Anyway, once Ye Qingran loses her children, she will surely suffer a devastating blow, never recover, and bearing the stigma of bearing children out of wedlock, she will be condemned by all and never have a chance to redeem herself!

On the Xuanwu Platform, Ye Qingran slowly rose to her feet, her gaze upon Dongfang Qingxuan as if looking at a dead man.

Han Xing and Leng Yue stood behind her, pityingly regarding this bunch of fools.

A dragon has reverse scales; whoever touches them must die.

Ye Qingran's feigning weakness to eat the tiger does not mean she is easy to bully.

The children are her reverse scale, even if they are not her own by birth.

But for those she cares about, once threatened, she will surely defend them to the end!

However, before Ye Qingran could speak or act, a black-clad figure silently drifted down onto the Xuanwu Platform.

Everyone stared, seeing that the newcomer was a man of unparalleled handsomeness.

He stood with hands behind his back, tall and straight, his features peerless, bearing the form of a demon god and the aura of an emperor, graceful as if a Divine Curse had descended—indeed, he possessed an unmatched elegance!

The newcomer turned out to be the Grand Master himself!

However, most of those present had never before seen the Grand Master's visage; on the contrary, the young lords and ladies of Xiliang City, led by Dongfang Qingxuan, widened their eyes in astonishment.

Grand Master, how did you come here?

Isn't he usually unpredictable, like a divine dragon that shows its head but not its tail?

Even Ye Huahuan, who knew that Ye Qingran and the Grand Master had recently been at odds, couldn't help but startle.

"Could it be that the Grand Master has come to watch Ye Qingran's joke?"

Ye Huahuan speculated in her heart, the more she thought, the more reasonable it seemed.

The Grand Master had already learned that Ye Qingran had coupled with another wild man and borne two wild offspring, and for this he had rebuked Ye Qingran severely, even expelling her from the Grand Master's residence!

So, the Grand Master's descent today onto the Xuanwu Platform could hardly be to defend her!

Just thinking that the Grand Master might also come to see Ye Qingran's joke, and perhaps even insult her, Ye Huahuan's lips curled into a subtle arc.

"Qingxuan has met the Grand Master before; I don't know why His Excellency has graced us with his presence."

Even as a crown prince, Dongfang Qingxuan inevitably feels inferior before the Grand Master.

His father the Emperor had told him that while the Donglin Country could do without this emperor, it could not do without the Grand Master—the Grand Master's status in Donglin speaks for itself.

Everyone heard Dongfang Qingxuan's words, only then did they belatedly realize that this person was none other than their Donglin Country's renowned National Master!

In an instant, everyone's expression shifted from curious bewilderment to a look of solemn reverence.

Pair after pair, the light in their eyes glittered, like the light of belief!

"We have met the National Master!"

The sounds of the heavens merged into a surging torrent, echoing through the clouds; the crowd knelt in worship, their expressions and tones filled with boundless reverence.

Back then, Donglin was plagued by plague, starving corpses littered the ground, mournful cries filled the fields, the whole nation swayed in storm and rain, nearly facing the risk of extinction.

When danger loomed day and night, it was the National Master who stepped forward, dispelling the crisis and rescuing countless people from the sea of suffering!

Therefore, even after all these years, the National Master rarely appears, yet in the hearts of Donglin's people, he holds an unshakable status.

In their eyes, the National Master is the Divine Curse, a living bodhisattva sent by Heaven to rescue them from fire and water!

"If this National Master does not come, his own son will be granted death by the Crown Prince."

The low, magnetic voice, as always pleasant as celestial music, yet its tone bore a faint, ominous meaning, making listeners instantly sense an untouchable authority, their spirits shaken.

Those words rang like a thunderclap; everyone's gaze froze, their facial expressions could only be described as panic!

What does the National Master say—these two children, are they the National Master's offspring?!