Lu Chen placed the written confession in front of Qin Shu and asked him to sign it, saying coldly,

  “No matter if it is a first concubine or a second concubine of the crown prince, they are both much more nobler than the position of Duchess Qin!

  “If I really despised her identity, I wouldn’t have given her a chance to come to Chang’an in the first place.

  “It’s you who are disgusting, not all other men in the world. In Datang, who can compare to the Lu family in terms of bloodline?

  “While enjoying the benefits that Qiao Ruoyun brought to you, you despised her bloodline. This is simply disgusting!”


  Qin Shuhua signed the confession paper and mocked, “Yes, you’re the most affectionate in the world, losing all your supporters and having your power declining day by day for the sake of a mere woman.

  “Concubine Qin is already pregnant, and the child in her womb will be the eldest son of Prince Huai. Even if she dies, her son will survive and our Qin family will have a comeback one day!”


  Lu Chen sneered. “My good eldest brother is the same person as you. Do you think he will let Concubine Qin give birth to his son and let his son implicate him?”


  Lu Chen put away the confession paper and gave it to Qian Yin. “It’s late at night, so I’m not leaving the imperial palace. Prince Wu, please go to the Ministry of Penalty and tell them to arrest Concubine Qin of Prince Huai and Duke Qin.”


  Qian Yin nodded.

  When Qiao Jinniang saw that Qian Yin was going to take Qiao Ruoyun away, she said, “My sister is not well. Why not let her stay in the East Palace?”


  Qian Yin said, “Your Highness, I’m afraid this is inappropriate. I will send Miss Qiao back to the Duke Anyuan Mansion. You can rest assured.”


  Qiao Jinniang somehow felt that the way Qian Yin looked at Qiao Ruoyun was not right, but the doors of the imperial palace were about to be locked, so it was indeed inappropriate to keep Qiao Ruoyun in the East Palace.

  Qin Shu was escorted away.

  Remembering how he acted affectionately towards Qiao Ruoyun in the daytime, Qiao Jinniang felt sick and vomited while leaning against the stone table.

  Lu Chen supported Qiao Jinniang and said, “Are you pregnant?”


  Qiao Jinniang shook her head. “No, I just had my period a few days ago, and the imperial doctor didn’t find me pregnant. I am just too disgusted by Qin Shu.”


  After all, she really believed that Qin Shu didn’t take a concubine because he had deep affections for Qiao Ruoyun, which showed how hypocritical a man could be.

  Lu Chen said, “Don’t think about him anymore. Although he is not the murderer, Duke Qin and Concubine Qin are, one killed his daughter-in-law and the other killed her sister-in-law.

  “Qin Shu concealed the truth and will definitely lose his official position. The entire Qin family will be sentenced to exile. So they won’t be able to appear in front of your eyes again.”


  “But Qin Miaomiao and Mrs. Qin are probably innocent.” Qiao Jinniang sighed. “I’m afraid that Qin Miaomiao really doesn’t know anything about it, and Mrs. Qin’s sadness today didn’t seem fake.”


  Lu Chen said, “The marriage contract between Qin Miaomiao and Lin Mo has not been canceled. If Lin Mo is willing to help Qin Miaomiao, she may not be implicated.”


  Qiao Jinniang remembered that after the misunderstanding between Qin Miaomiao and Zhou Siming was cleared up, Zhou Sisi kept making trouble.

  So the Zhou family had no time to take care of the matter between Zhou Siming and Qin Miaomiao.

  Mrs. Zhou was too occupied in Zhou Sisi’s affairs.

  And the Qin family was also hesitating whether to choose Prince Huai or the Crown Prince. After all, Lin Mo was on the Crown Prince’s side, while the Duke Wu Mansion was already on Prince Huai’s side.

  And the Lin family certainly wouldn’t take the initiative to propose to break off the marriage contract, so this matter was put on hold.

  Qiao Jinniang had faith in Qin Miaomiao’s ability. Even if she was exiled, she would probably be able to live a good life. Except for the disputes with Fulu, she had always been a smart girl.

  “Can you really exile the Qin family? After all, Ruoyun didn’t really die, and if one kills a junior member of his family, he will usually not be convicted of a felony?” Qiao Jinniang was a little worried.

  Lu Chen said, “The crime committed by the Qin family was not to kill Qiao Ruoyun, but to form a clique in the court for personal gains.

  “The Zhou family was deprived of their nobility title not because Zhou Sisi killed Tong Yingying, but also because of this reason.

  “Prince Huai had been enduring for so many years, and he knew better than anyone what his father hated the most, but his life was too smooth after he came out of the imperial mausoleum, so he forgot about it.”


  Qiao Jinniang asked Lu Chen curiously, “Then aren’t you doing the same thing by marrying me? And aren’t you forming a clique with Prime Minister Lin by befriending Lin Mo…”


  Lu Chen chuckled. “That’s different. I married you because I love you, and Lin Mo and I have been friends since childhood because he was my classmate.

  “Besides, I’m the Crown Prince. I am allowed to have my own power in the first place.”


  “So essentially, it’s because Father favors you.” Qiao Jinniang said, “No wonder your brothers all hate you. If I were them, I would have hated you too because Father is so partial to you.”


  Lu Chen blinked. “Well, I can’t help it. I’m just that blissful.”


  Qiao Jinniang said, “If we have a second child, you can’t play favorites. You have to treat Xi’er and the other children equally.”


  Lu Chen nodded. “Sure.”
……

  The Minister of Penalty, who was locked up in the Qin Mansion for the entire day, was about to fall asleep in a guest room when he was awakened by Qian Yin.

  When he was about to throw a tantrum, he recognized it was Qian Yin and hurriedly saluted him.

  “Your Highness, I didn’t know you came to Luoyang. Sorry for not welcoming you when you came. What can I do for you?”


  Qian Yin gave the confession paper to the Ministry of Penalty and said, “This is Qin Shu’s confession, which has been signed by him. He confessed that the murderers of Young Madam Qin were Duke Qin and Concubine Qin of Prince Huai. Please try this case overnight and give His Majesty an explanation as soon as possible.”


  The Ministry of Penalty touched his long gray beard and said in shock, “The murderers are Duke Qin and Concubine Qin?! Okay, I will try this case overnight.”


  Many officials and nobles who were locked up in the Qin Mansion came out to inquire about information when they heard the news.

  Then they were told that the Minister of Penalty had began to try this case because the murderers had been found, and when the murderers pled guilty, they would be able to leave the Qin Mansion…


  Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

  Seeing that the Ministry of Penalty took Duke Qin away, they were not too surprised when they thought of Qiao Ruoyun’s identity.

  But they all thought that the Qin family was really too much. Why didn’t they just have Qin Shu divorce Qiao Ruoyun?

  In Qin Miaomiao’s room, Fulu held her hand and said, “Don’t worry. This is done by your father and brother, and it has nothing to do with you. I will intercede for you. I will not let you become an official prostitute!”


  Qin Miaomiao spat. “What are you talking about? The Qin family’s crimes are not so serious.”


  Fulu replied, “Anyway, I will help you!”


  After the trial overnight, the next morning, the soldiers outside the Qin Mansion all retreated.

  All the ministers had to go to the levee without a good rest. They were determined to unite with imperial censor to impeach Qiao Jinniang hard.

  But imperial censors didn’t seem to have the slightest intention to impeach the Crown Princess.

  So the ministers could only give up.

  The Ministry of Penalty came out and said, “Your Majesty, I tried the case overnight, and found that the ones behind the murder of Qiao Ruoyun were Concubine Qin of Prince Huai and Duke Qin. These are their confession papers!”


  Emperor Huilin read the confession papers and said with a frown, “Duke Qin’s crime of killing his own daughter-in-law is unforgivable, and Concubine Qin is even more outrageous for killing her sister-in-law in order to seize power.

  “All the men in the Duke Qin Mansion are dismissed from their official posts, and the whole family is to be exiled to the frontier as a warning to others!

  “The title of Duke Qin should have belonged to Prince Consort Qin, and for the sake of the merits of the ancestors of the Qin family, Prince Consort Qin can pick someone to inherit the nobility title, but not from the line of this Qin family.

  “Concubine Qin is pregnant, so her life is temporarily spared, and she will be punished after giving birth to the child!

  “Prince Huai failed to properly discipline his concubine, but he has rendered a meritorious service in disaster relief in the South, so he is stripped of all his official posts and banned from serving in the court forever.”


  Prince Huai knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily. His father is really partial to Lu Chen to the extreme! The Crown Princess had soldiers surround the Duke Qin Mansion without his permission, but he didn’t blame Lu Chen for that at all.

  But he was banned from serving in the court forever, which completely ended his chances of getting the throne!

  Prince Huai gnashed his teeth. How could his father be so ruthless to him?!