Chapter 569: Only one of you two can live

The Qin King writhed in pain, blood continuously spilling from his mouth, yet he still argued: "She… she's talking nonsense… this is all her scheme…"

"Wuxie is your child."

"Consort Ning, don't be deceived by the rebels!"

"I only took a liking to the Fourth Prince's qualities, and these past years I have devoted my efforts to supporting him."

"He and I are merely related by blood as uncle and nephew…"

"That so-called kinship test is all fake!"

"Consort Ning, even if I die, it doesn't matter…"

"But you and the Fourth Prince, mother and son, as well as His Majesty and the Empress, must not let the rebels' scheme drive a wedge between you."

"In that case, you have completely fallen into the rebels' scheme."

"The Zongzheng clan, from now on… will be scattered and separated."

"Is this what you wanted to see?"

Li Qingluo shook her head with a cold smile: "Still being stubborn."

"Then it's truly a pity for Zuliya."

"It's a shame that such a vicious person, even in death, never uttered a single word about you father and son."

"And yet you refuse even to acknowledge her existence."

"What, then, was her life truly for?"

The Qin King heard this, his face shocked: "She… she died?"

Consort Ning had already been driven somewhat mad by the truth.

She grabbed a chunk of metal from around the Qin King's abdomen, then strode to the burning vessel and threw it in.

Then she turned and went to the Fourth Prince, Zongzheng Wuxie's side.

She lifted her head, tears streaming down.

She reached out, removed the cloth stuffed in Zongzheng Wuxie's mouth.

"Your Highness…"

"Have you long known the truth?"

She let out a mournful cry.

Zongzheng Wuxie could not believe this fact either.

"Mother Consort."

"Your servant does not know."

"Your servant truly does not know!"

But many things in his mind had already become completely connected.

Zongzheng Wuxie had never before imagined that the truth could be like this.

But only now did he understand why the witch named Zuliya had been by his side since childhood.

Whenever they left the palace, she would take him on tours and carefully teach him things the Mother Consort had never taught.

And he finally understood why the Qin King treated him so selflessly, even more devotedly than the Father Emperor, a thousand times over!

As it turned out, they were his true birth parents.

As it turned out, he was actually a child born out of wedlock!

He was not the true Heavenly Dragon heir!

Zongzheng Wuxie did not want to face this fact.

Even though that old witch and the Qin King had given him their all, and even over these years he himself had felt genuine affection for them…

But compared to the stain of his birth, what was this affection?

"Mother Consort!"

"Do you not believe in your child?"

"Your child has grown up under the Mother Consort's care these years; we mother and son are of one heart, our feelings deep. How could outsiders, with a mere trick, make the Mother Consort doubt your child's lineage?"

"Mother Consort! Your child has only you as his mother!!"

"Now your child's hand is crippled; do you not feel pity for him?"

"Please, do not join with outsiders in doubting your child; your child cannot bear it…"

Consort Ning: "Don't say another word!"

She gave a low shout, her eyes reddened.

"Whatever the truth of the matter, I will personally verify it!"

It was clear that Consort Ning suffered the most.

Yet she still swiftly and decisively slashed her sword across Zongzheng Wuxie's leg.

And without regard for Zongzheng Wuxie's screams, she waited until his blood soaked his pant leg, then personally cut off the blood‑stained pant leg.

She split the cloth in two, first throwing one part into the vessel and burning it again together with the Qin King's to verify authenticity.

Watching the blood‑red flames, Consort Ning's heart sank completely into an icy abyss.

But she still waited for the fire to die down, then personally cut her own arm.

Then she threw her blood‑stained handkerchief and the remaining half of Zongzheng Wuxie's pant leg into the fire.

That fire, indeed, turned green.

Consort Ning, unable to withstand the blow, collapsed to the ground.

She let out a anguished cry: "As it turns out, you really are not my child."

"My true daughter was killed by you all long ago!!"

Upon seeing this truth, everyone else was also utterly shocked.

The imperial bloodline has actually been confused by this Qin Prince for so many years!

Everyone involuntarily cast sympathetic glances toward Consort Ning.

The true princess was drowned.

Moreover, the illegitimate son born of the Qin Prince and an MiaoJiang shamaness, who has been posing as the favored consort's son for so many years, even nearly pushed aside the crown prince to become the heir!

What an absurd thing—this Qin Prince truly has gall!

Li Qingluo looked toward Que'er.

Que'er hurried over to help Consort Ning up: "My lady, please rise first."

Consort Ning, completely limp, was helped down.

No matter how Zongzheng Wuxie cried and shouted, she had no reaction.

"Mother Consort—"

"Mother Consort, is bloodline really that important? After all these years, is Wuxie no longer your son?"

"Mother Consort, Wuxie truly regards you as his birth mother!!"

"These years, Wuxie didn't know the truth was actually like this; he only wanted to be your child."

"Mother Consort, could you really not want Wuxie, not want your son—"

"Mother Consort!!"

"The son also hates them, hates himself for not being your birth child, Mother Consort!"

Li Qingluo gave a cold chuckle.

As it turns out, before all vested interests, bloodline doesn't matter.

Just like Liu Qiongzhu from before.

Even if she knew her own origins, she would not wish to return to the Liu family.

Because only the Jiangjun Fu possesses wealth and honor.

Just like Li Chao Jing and Qu Shi had done before—having raised Liu Qiongzhu for sixteen years, even pouring out their heart and affection—they were thus more unwilling to accept the coarse, vulgar biological daughter compared to the more outstanding adopted daughter.

In their eyes, she was nothing more than a useless weed.

Even if it is blood of birth, what then?

Liu Qiongzhu would bring them greater benefit, so they favored Liu Qiongzhu more.

However, what attitude Consort Ning will ultimately take remains unknown for now.

For now, seeing her face full of sorrow and pain, she is still quite heartbroken.

Li Qingluo first looked toward the Qin Prince.

She opened with mockery: "Qin Prince, is this your good son?"

"After knowing the truth, has he even glanced at you once?"

The Qin Prince's face went white: "I don't care!"

"No matter how he denies it, the blood flowing in his body is also mine!"

"If it weren't for you suddenly showing up to meddle, he wouldn't even need to know these things, and I would eventually have a way to get him out of the Heavenly Prison. The originally undecided matter has been ruined by you——"

"Just who are you——"

What angered the Qin Prince more was that he still did not know the identity of the person before him.

He also did not understand his purpose.

Li Qingluo: "You don't care?"

She didn't believe it.

She ordered that Zongzheng Wuxie be released.

She also ordered that the Qin Prince be let go.

The injured father and son both simultaneously fell to the ground.

Li Qingluo threw a sword between them.

"Whoever kills the other first gives the survivor a chance to live."

"Go ahead."

Qin Prince: "Villain! I won't fall for your trick."

"I will kill you first——"

He crawled up, rushed over to grab the sword, then turned and thrust it at Li Qingluo.

Even the people beside Li Qingluo did not move at all.

They merely watched coldly as this scene unfolded.

Because just as the Qin Prince lunged forward, not even raising his sword to touch the corner of Li Qingluo's robe, Li Qingluo swiftly sidestepped like lightning, then stepped forward and kicked him to the ground.

"You……"

The Qin Prince lay on the ground, spitting blood violently.

Li Qingluo crouched down and snatched the sword from his hand.

Then she lowered her voice so only they could hear and said: "Qin Prince, do you still remember Princess Qingyue?"

"Back then you lured her to Great Chu Province under the pretense of a family visit, intending, for your own ends, to destroy her together with Zongzheng Langri."

"If Princess Qingyue herself had not been quick-witted and escaped disaster, your goal would have already been achieved back then."

"You wished to fratricide and seize the throne, you harbored such ambitions for years, yet in the end you ended up wretched like a dog, gaining nothing at all."

"Have you ever considered today's outcome?"

The Qin Prince's pupils suddenly contracted.

You...

You are Qingyue's person!?

He looked utterly disbelieving, yet finally reacted.

He realized that everything this person before him did was to avenge Zongzheng Qingyue!

Li Qingluo: "You guess."

Actually, the empress mother only briefly mentioned it a few times.

Speaking of the Qin prince's background, his childhood was even more miserable than theirs, because he grew up in the harem.

After Zongzheng Riri ascended the throne, the Qin prince seized a chance to flee and ran straight into Zongzheng Qingyue.

Upon learning his background, Zongzheng Qingyue personally brought him before Zongzheng Riri.

Zongzheng Riri initially disliked the Qin prince.

But he was simply too adept at disguise.

Even once, to cure the ailing Zongzheng Qingyue, he risked his life to personally pick the lifesaving herb growing on a cliff.

From then on, Zongzheng Riri began to value him a little more.

After Zongzheng Qingyue married into Da Chu, he also occasionally continued corresponding with her by letter.

Until one occasion, the Qin prince suddenly said his days were numbered, that he might never see again his most beloved and closest sister; having recently been repairing the imperial mausoleum, he learned that Zongzheng Riri intended to move the late empress's stone coffin, and being unable to stop it, the now Consort Zongzheng Qingyue immediately returned to Da Chu to visit her parents.

Only upon returning did she realize the Qin prince had deceived her.

He also seemed intent on making Zongzheng Riri's improper intentions toward Zongzheng Qingyue known to the world.

Fortunately, Zongzheng Qingyue repeatedly avoided her brother; her resolute attitude made Zongzheng Riri understand what was going on.

However, Zongzheng Riri seemed to tacitly accept it.

He neither took the initiative nor ever refused to avoid it.

This left Zongzheng Qingyue utterly cold-hearted.

A brother wants to scheme against me.

A brother never relinquished his petty, improper thoughts toward me.

Zongzheng Qingyue seized an opportunity to take Qin Yu and flee back to DaLiang.

Who would have thought, they also couldn't escape the conspiratorial poisoning by the scheming individuals of Da Chu and the evil spirits of the DaLiang harem.

Just thinking of this, Li Qingluo felt her heart ache as if pricked by needles.

The empress mother was such a good person.

She was the gentlest, kindest, dignified and virtuous, resolute and steadfast, yet clear about right and wrong woman in the world.

"If it weren't for her back then, you would still be nothing more than a slave's son from the harem!"

"Is this how you repay her?"

"Although she is already dead, your vileness will make those who still love her in this world never forget!"

Having said that, she rose and threw her sword into the middle again.

"I'll give you another chance."

"Of the two of you, only one can survive."

"Choose."