northernbook Chapter 389 Court of Secrets (VII)
Chapter 389 Court of Secrets (VII)
"What do you mean she's not my daughter?" Yang Luoyang's voice trembled with barely contained rage.
Zheng Liang's eyes were cold as steel as he faced the man who had caused so much pain. "Exactly what I said, Yang Luoyang. Yang Ning is not your daughter, and she will not be punished for your crimes."
The court fell into a stunned silence. Yang Ning stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock. The proud and arrogant Yang Luoyang now looked pale and shaken, his composure crumbling.
Emperor Zheng Huang leaned forward on his throne, his gaze sharp. "Crown Prince, explain yourself. What is the meaning of this?"
Zheng Liang nodded, his voice clear and unwavering. "Your Majesty, I've uncovered a truth that's been hidden for far too long. Yang Luoyang isn't just guilty of corruption and conspiracy. He's also a murderer."
Gasps filled the room. Yang Ning's hands tightened at her sides, her knuckles turning white.
"Murderer?" Emperor Zheng Huang's voice was dangerously quiet.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Zheng Liang continued. "He killed Yang Ning's real parents - her mother, Madam Yao Ru, and her biological father."
Yang Luoyang's face contorted with fury. "Lies! All lies!"
"Silence!" Emperor Zheng Huang thundered. He turned to Zheng Liang. "Continue, Crown Prince."
Zheng Liang nodded, his gaze sweeping across the shocked courtiers. "Yang Ning's mother, Madam Yao Ru, was married to a scholar who worked in the royal palace. He was known for his dedication to the people and the empire. Madam Yao Ru was already pregnant with Yang Ning when Yang Luoyang entered their lives."
The court listened intently as Zheng Liang unraveled the dark tale.
"Yang Luoyang became obsessed with Madam Yao Ru's beauty. He arranged for Yang Ning's father to have an 'accident', leaving her mother alone and vulnerable. Then, pretending to be kind, he offered to marry her and give his name to her unborn child."
Emperor Zheng Huang leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "And where is this man now?"
"That man has been captured by my team of guards, Your Majesty," Zheng Liang replied, his voice firm. "Your Majesty, that man was the one who secretly trespassed inside the prison and tried to murder Officer Zen on the orders of Yang Luoyang. He was almost successful in his crime, but thankfully, my royal guard was alert and caught him in the act.
Not only is Officer Zen alive, but that man is also being investigated by my team of guards."
The ministers exchanged confused glances, murmuring among themselves. Even Yang Luoyang's face turned ashen upon hearing this news. That boy, that boy was the dog he had raised since he was young. He was perfect for manipulation, needing only a few words of affirmation and food to give away his life. And now he was captured. Everything was over.
Emperor Zheng Huang frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Then why did Gu Lan say that Officer Zen had died? And what about that suicide note?"
Zheng Liang's eyes gleamed with a hint of satisfaction. "Your Majesty, that suicide note was also planted by that man, in an attempt to disguise the murder as a suicide. However, it was not successful. To avoid alerting the enemies, we went ahead with their conspiracy to see how it would unfold.
We aimed to capture more people in this trap, including Officer Wang, who was leading the effort to disguise this murder as a suicide. Before our team could apprehend him, the Crown Princess appeared with Commander Wei and had already captured him."
The court erupted into shocked whispers at this revelation. Ministers exchanged glances, their faces a mix of surprise and admiration at the intricate plan that had been executed right under their noses.
Yang Luoyang's face, already pale, now looked utterly drained of color. The intricate web of deceit he had woven over the years was unraveling before his very eyes, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. He realized with growing horror that not only had his plans failed, but they had been used against him to expose his entire network of conspirators.
Emperor Zheng Huang nodded slowly, a look of grim approval on his face. "Well done, Crown Prince. And well done, Crown Princess. Your actions have uncovered a plot that threatened the very foundations of our empire."
Zheng Liang's voice softened as he turned to Yang Ning. "You come from brave, good people. Their blood is in you, not Yang Luoyang's. You've always been better than him, and now you know why."
Yang Luoyang lunged forward, fighting against the guards. "You have no proof! You're making this all up!"
"We have proof," Zheng Liang said calmly.