Chapter 222: Why Not Just Kill Him

Xiao Yang now faced a dilemma: whether or not to name Ji Xuanmo the top scholar.

A Son of Fortune... He was like a bomb.

If kept at a distance, his good luck might somehow get him pushed into rebellion.

If brought close, his good luck might somehow make him the Emperor.

She might even have to die to make way for him.

So, he was destined to be her enemy.

Xiao Yang’s mind sharpened its knives. ’Maybe I should just kill him!’

But the man had done nothing wrong yet. Besides, he was a talent many officials favored for the top scholar position. Killing him without reason would be hard to justify to the masses.

After some thought, Xiao Yang ultimately named Xie Shuze the top scholar, Ji Xuanmo the runner-up, and Gu Sheng the third-place scholar.

The rankings were announced. Although there was a slight shift, they weren’t far from expectations, so there wasn’t much controversy.

After the rankings were announced, everyone came forward to pay their respects.

Next was the parade on horseback, a circuit around the city.

"Your Majesty."

The Son of Fortune’s moment in the spotlight had arrived, late but not absent.

He stepped forward and knelt. "Your subject has come to the capital bearing my late mother’s final wish. I beg Your Majesty to grant it."

Normally, Xiao Yang should have asked what his late mother’s final wish was, but she deliberately chose not to.

"This is the Imperial Palace, not a wishing well."

She raised a hand, ready to end the matter, but Ji Xuanmo, as if terrified of missing this chance, quickly took out a Jade Pendant from his sleeve.

"This is my mother’s Jade Pendant. She gave it to me before she died, wanting me to present it before the Emperor and be recognized by my ancestors."

The crowd: "WHOA!"

As expected, someone would recognize this Jade Pendant at a glance.

Prince Jing slapped a hand over his own mouth. That damned mouth of his had a mind of its own today. Luckily, his reflexes were quick enough to cover it.

However, even if Prince Jing kept quiet, there were others with sharp eyes who noticed.

"Is that a dragon pattern on it? Could it be..."

Grand Tutor Xu raised his hand and smacked the man on the head. ’Are you the only one with eyes? Is everyone else blind?’

But the veterans of the court were crafty old foxes who knew not to speak recklessly. These new scholars, however, did not.

One of them exclaimed, "A dragon pattern! Isn’t that exclusively for the Imperial Family?"

This was the very sentence Ji Xuanmo had been waiting for. He looked at Xiao Yang. "Your Majesty, my late mother, Ji Xue, was originally named Chen Nian’en. She was once a handmaiden to the late Emperor and was a dear friend to a woman named Yang Xiu. She can prove your subject’s identity."

Xiao Yang watched him coolly. At this point, if she didn’t have Nanny Yang come out to testify, the matter wouldn’t be settled peacefully today.

With a single look from Xiao Yang, Liang Sha immediately went to fetch Nanny Yang.

"This servant greets Your Majesty."

Liang Sha had already explained the situation to her, so Nanny Yang knew what was happening. Upon arriving, she looked only at Xiao Yang.

"Take a look. Is this the son of your old acquaintance?"

Only after hearing Xiao Yang’s command did Nanny Yang turn to look.

She saw the young man, who was in his early twenties, and the Jade Pendant in his hand.

The Jade Pendant was brought to her. Nanny Yang examined it closely and knew exactly who this was, but she didn’t dare speak rashly.

Xiao Yang said, "Just speak the truth. We grant you immunity."

Only then did Nanny Yang speak. "This is indeed the late Emperor’s Jade Pendant. Back when the late Emperor was still a Prince, he had two personal handmaidens: myself, and Nianen. We were the late Emperor’s handmaidens, and also his concubines. We both served the late Emperor."

"When Nianen became pregnant, it coincided with the late Emperor’s engagement to the now Empress Dowager. When she learned the bride-to-be was Miss Chen from the Chen Family, Nianen became inexplicably terrified and deliberately hid her pregnancy."

"Later, she accompanied the late Emperor to the hunting grounds. On the way back, they were attacked by bandits, and she fell from a cliff. No body was ever found. From that day on, this servant never saw her again."

Nanny Yang only spoke of what she knew, but it was already very powerful evidence.

There was indeed a woman named Nianen who had received the Emperor’s favor, become pregnant, fallen off a cliff, and whose body was never found. That meant she had survived.

She survived, escaped, and became Ji Xun’s sister, eventually giving birth to this child.

Only on her deathbed did she tell the child his true heritage, instructing him to come seek his roots and be acknowledged by his ancestors.

The previous generation was all dead. The late Emperor was dead, the woman named Chen Nianen was dead, and the Empress Dowager was also dead.

Besides Nanny Yang, no one could prove this matter. But if he truly was of royal blood, he should not be left to wander among the common folk.

Everyone looked to Prince Jing, waiting for him to make a decision. He was now the only legitimate elder present.

Prince Jing: "..."

’He suspected this lot were all idiots. Did they really think he was the one calling the shots here?’

’What was he supposed to say? Tell the Emperor to acknowledge this long-lost brother who came out of nowhere? What a joke.’

He was a die-hard loyalist of the Emperor. Had anyone ever seen a member of the Royalist Party turn their back on the crown?

Rong Yin spoke up. "Even if such a person existed, and this Jade Pendant truly belonged to the late Emperor, it is still not enough to prove that this man is of the late Emperor’s bloodline."

"A story and a Jade Pendant. If it were that simple to prove he is of imperial blood, then anyone who knows the story and holds a Jade Pendant could also claim to be of the imperial family."

Rong Yin’s expression was cold and heavy, his Regent King’s authority pressing down on the room. "The Royal Family’s bloodline must not be tainted. This man’s identity and intentions are unknown. Guards, seize him for a thorough interrogation!"

Ji Xuanmo didn’t panic. Instead, he challenged, "Her Majesty has not yet spoken, yet the Regent King orders my punishment. Do you even have Her Majesty in your eyes?"

His gaze was sharp when he looked at Rong Yin, but when he turned to Xiao Yang, his expression suddenly softened. "Your Majesty, your subject has no other intentions. I only wish to be acknowledged by my ancestors to fulfill my late mother’s wish."

"My mother’s original surname was Chen. Her birth father was Duke Chen. Your subject and Your Majesty should be the closest blood relatives in this world. I seek to be acknowledged by my ancestors only for the sake of clarity, with no other motive."

Xiao Yang hadn’t said a word since Nanny Yang appeared. Her expression showed no shock, no surprise—only a cold calm, which remained unchanged.

If there was anything about Ji Xuanmo that concerned Xiao Yang, it was the fortune that clung to him.

As for whose son he was, Xiao Yang couldn’t care less. Forget being the late Emperor’s son—even if the late Emperor himself came back to life, if she didn’t want to give up the throne, it would remain hers.

But now, Xiao Yang realized there was a problem. More than a threat, he was just... revolting.

Especially that line: ’Your subject and Your Majesty should be the closest blood relatives in this world.’

How was that any different from the son of a modern-day mistress running up to the legitimate child and saying, "We’re family, we share the same blood"?

And this mistress was her own maternal grandfather’s illegitimate daughter, no less. The bloodline was certainly close, but... it was nauseating.

"The Regent King was right about one thing. A story and a Jade Pendant are not enough to prove your bloodline. And as for your words... We find them laughable."

Xiao Yang leaned slowly against the armrest. "If you are a fake, an impostor of the Royal Family’s bloodline, your entire clan should be executed."

"And if you are real, and you truly have ’no other intentions,’ then you are the late Emperor’s son. If We don’t grant you a title of nobility, you might agree, but I doubt the officials of this court, the Imperial Family, and the people of this realm would."

Xiao Yang’s gaze swept over everyone. "You all seem very interested in the Royal Family’s bloodline and the late Emperor’s romantic affairs. Why doesn’t one of you go ask the late Emperor for Us if this is truly his seed?"