Xie Qinyun: "..."
You glutton.
"At least act like the legitimate wife of the Imperial Family. Can you save so face for your Prince? Look at you, only focused on the food. The Emperor and Empress are right up there. Aren’t you worried about leaving a good impression?"
Gu Youyou couldn’t be bothered to respond. What’s the point?
She was rely preparing for the worst.
The banquet had already begun, but strangely enough, neither King Jin nor his eldest son were present, despite being the main characters of the event. The eldest son’s birth mother was even more of a mystery, hidden in so obscure corner. Servants were running the show from start to finish.
Even the Empress was helping coordinate.
So while the banquet seed normal on the surface, the absence of King Jin left every guest wearing a complex expression.
Both the Emperor and Empress were acting strangely today. Not only did King Jin fail to appear, but even his eldest son hadn’t been brought out. Yet, they both carried on as if nothing was amiss, keeping the atmosphere in check by skillfully making light conversation to sustain the bizarre mood.
Midway through the banquet, King Jin finally erged.
His features bore traces of exhaustion, even sorrow, completely lacking the jubilance one would expect from a father celebrating the birth of an eldest son.
The child wasn’t in his arms either. Instead, a green-clad maid behind him carried the baby, her hands trembling. She stole a quick glance at the grand spectacle before her but imdiately lowered her head. Her body shook like a leaf in the wind.
Old and far-sighted, the Duke of Huguo couldn’t make out the exact expressions of King Jin and the maid, but he could sense from the sudden shift in the banquet’s atmosphere that sothing was distinctly off.
What had happened?
Gu Youyou swallowed her final bite of food and placed her chopsticks down.
She narrowed her eyes and looked ahead. The play was about to begin.
Ignoring the strange gazes from those around him, King Jin walked directly to stand before the Emperor and Empress, and suddenly dropped to his knees.
The Emperor’s smile vanished as his gaze grew sharp. He asked in a low voice, "Xiaoran, why are you only showing yourself now?"
Kneeling before the Emperor, King Jin bowed low and hit his head against the ground, his expression filled with both resolve and regret.
He said, "Father, your son has committed a grave offense. An act so shaful it tarnishes the honor of the Imperial Family and drags into the depths of damnation."
The entire room fell deathly silent, all eyes fixed on the Emperor sitting high above and King Jin kneeling before him.
Expressions were bewildered, none having the faintest idea of what was going on.
Today had been anticipated as a joyous occasion for King Jin. For so long it was said he lacked an heir, and now, finally, he had one. Even if the child was illegitimate, it still brought King Jin so glory.
So why confess to wrongdoing now, of all tis?
And in front of so many people?
Could he not wait for a private mont, when the Emperor was in better spirits? Especially since what he ntioned was disgrace—sothing about tarnishing the Imperial Family’s honor.
The Duke of Huguo, sensing the gravity of the situation, began to suspect the words "tarnishing the Imperial Family’s honor" referred to sothing as scandalous as illegitimacy.
He was struck with alarm, thinking to himself: Has King Jin lost his mind? How can sothing like this be said aloud?
He quickly stepped forward, bowing toward the Emperor as he pleaded, "Your Majesty, King Jin, this is a day for celebration. If there’s any unpleasant matter, let it be discussed on another day. Why ruin such a wonderful occasion and dampen everyone’s spirits?"
The Emperor glanced at the Duke of Huguo, but instead of responding, he asked King Jin in a calm yet probing tone, "What matter is so urgent that you must raise it now, in public?"
King Jin kept his head lowered, not eting anyone’s gaze.
He replied, "I chose today to reveal it because... this child is not of my blood."
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