Filthy and Disgusting

A new prince had appeared in the palace, and the news had spread throughout its entirety that very day. The Empress Dowager made no effort to hide it, and early the next morning, she summoned all the consorts, princes, and princesses of the rear palace to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity and publicly announced Wen Ying's identity.

The explanation used was the one Prince Jing had suggested: the Empress had given birth to twins back then, but Wen Ying had been raised amongst the common folk due to a high monk's divination, only able to return after turning twenty.

Now, there was only half a month left until his twentieth birthday and capping ceremony. When the time came, the Emperor would issue an edict to restore his name to the imperial clan register and amend the jade genealogy.

Everyone sized up Wen Ying with suspicion and uncertainty. Naturally, they didn't believe the Empress Dowager's story. Didn't they see the Empress's sullen face? She had clearly gained a son, yet why did she seem so utterly unhappy? Furthermore, everyone had come except for Prince Yu, who was said to have been confined by His Majesty since yesterday. What hidden story lay behind all this was truly intriguing.

Despite their many speculations, no one dared to speak them aloud. One by one, they put on smiling faces and congratulated the Empress Dowager and the Empress. The various princes and princesses obediently addressed Wen Ying as "Elder Brother."

Wen Ying maintained his steady and calm demeanor throughout. The bearing in his every move was in no way inferior to these princes who had grown up in the palace. The well-informed had already learned that he was a former Jieyuan from Shangjing who had then risen to the rank of a fifth-rank military official in just three years. They couldn't help but click their tongues in amazement. His Majesty had truly picked up a treasure. With such an eldest legitimate imperial son, and seeing the attitude of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, the Crown Prince's position was in peril.

The various consorts couldn't help but think with a touch of sourness that Lady Shen was truly fortunate to have gained such an enviable and fine son. Even if the Crown Prince were to be replaced, it would still be her own legitimate son, although she didn't seem very happy about it.

Lady Shen was indeed extremely unhappy. Yesterday, the Emperor had only said they would discuss it later, but today, the Empress Dowager had directly helped her acknowledge that bastard son. How could she not be furious? Not to mention, news had arrived from Yong'an Palace early this morning that this new son of hers was heavily utilizing the people sent from the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, yet had completely ignored the ones she had sent!

Lady Shen endured and endured, barely suppressing the impulse to tear off all pretenses with the Empress Dowager. No matter how foolish she was, she knew that for the Empress Dowager to say this publicly, it must have been with the Emperor's tacit approval. If she exposed the matter of the child swap, it would be a loss of face for the Emperor, and she herself would gain nothing good from it. But she was absolutely unwilling to swallow this insult just like that!

Hall of Morning Splendor.

Ling Qiyu stood outside the hall, lifting his chin arrogantly and motioning for someone to open the door for him.

A eunuch from the Palace of Tranquil Longevity blocked his path, saying hesitantly, "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has ordered that no one is allowed to visit Prince Yu..."

"Is that so?" Ling Qiyu curled one side of his lips, his eyes filled with a sinister chill. "But how did I hear that my elder brother went in yesterday and even stayed inside for an hour? How is it that my elder brother can enter, but I cannot?"

Questioned by him like this, the eunuch was suddenly speechless. After all, the Empress Dowager had only said to guard against people from the Palace of Phoenix Grace, not to stop the Crown Prince as well. If the Crown Prince insisted on entering, how could they possibly stop him?

Thus, he dared not say more and stepped aside.

Inside the hall, Ling Qiyan's spirits were already better than yesterday. He was leaning against the couch, gazing distractedly at the winter scenery outside the window, motionless for a long time.

Ling Qiyu entered the room. Hearing the sound, Ling Qiyan lazily lifted his eyelids but paid him no mind.

Ling Qiyu tucked his hands into his sleeves and looked at Ling Qiyan with a humorless smile. "I thought my elder brother was suffering in the Hall of Morning Splendor, but it seems you're eating and drinking well, neither starving nor freezing, and even have a crowd of people waiting on you. Now I can rest assured."

Ling Qiyan frowned. Ling Qiyu's sarcastic and affected words were truly annoying. He wanted to pretend he hadn't heard, but he feared this dog would just stand there and not leave. In the end, he couldn't hold back and reminded him in a cold voice, "Your elder brother is living in Yong'an Palace. Don't call the wrong person."

Ling Qiyu was unconcerned. "That one has only just arrived. In my heart, you are the dear elder brother I grew up with."

Ling Qiyan let out a cold laugh.

Ling Qiyu walked forward and stopped by the couch. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking down at the cold-faced Ling Qiyan on the couch, his gaze dark and unreadable.

He had coveted this person for so many years, held back by their so-called brotherly status, desperately restraining himself from touching him, only for someone else to get there first and take advantage. How hateful!

This person was nothing now. Even if their father was willing to spare his life, he would certainly not let him continue to live comfortably as Prince Yu. Since that was the case, what did he have to be scrupulous about anymore?

Ling Qiyan was made extremely uncomfortable by his gaze, and his expression grew colder. Just as he was about to order him out, Ling Qiyu's hand reached out and lightly touched his cheek. "Elder brother, do you think, at this point, that grandmother can still protect you for much longer?"

A chill ran down Ling Qiyan's spine. He forcefully slapped his hand away. "Scram."

Ling Qiyu slowly rubbed his fingers, as if savoring something, and said complacently, "Grandmother probably still wants to help you retain the title of Prince Yu, then choose a good place to send you away so you can live out the rest of your life in peace. But she is being far too optimistic. It depends on whether Father Emperor agrees. Even if Father Emperor doesn't kill you out of old father-son sentiment, he has raised another's son for twenty years for nothing. He has to vent this anger somehow. There's no way he would let you continue to be his son for the rest of your life, enjoying wealth and glory."

"So what? Do you think I care about that?" Ling Qiyan's face was full of indifference.

Ling Qiyu sneered, "You don't care, you're not afraid of death, but elder brother, you should know that there are many things in this world more terrifying than death."

Ling Qiyan's brows knitted. He then heard Ling Qiyu continue in a sinister tone, "Your birth mother, Lady Yun, was said to have been the number one beauty in Shangjing City back then. Her beauty could topple nations; she was exquisitely stunning. Even Father Emperor fell at her feet and has been unable to forget her for twenty years. A beauty like that is fine when she is the pampered daughter of a marquis's manor, but once her family falls from power, she is reduced to a plaything coveted and bullied by all, passed from one man to another. As for you, elder brother..."

Ling Qiyu paused, his gaze toward Ling Qiyan full of ridicule. "Elder brother is handsome, having completely inherited that Lady Yun's beauty. I imagine you cannot escape the same fate. Before, you were the lofty Prince Yu, so naturally no one dared to touch you. But now..."

Before Ling Qiyu could finish, hot tea from beside Ling Qiyan was splashed on his face.

Ling Qiyan stared at him coldly. "Try saying one more word."

Ling Qiyu was completely unconcerned. He raised a hand to wipe his face, his smile becoming even more wicked. "Look at this temper of yours, elder brother, still the same as before. Even in this state, you still don't know how to restrain yourself in the slightest. Do you think you can still casually cut out people's tongues or kick someone until they vomit blood? Never mind that those people are only discussing you in words, even if they really did something to you, what could you do now? Do you think Father Emperor would still offend those noble and powerful families to protect you?"

Ling Qiyan's face was taut, as if frosted over. Seeing this, Ling Qiyu became even more pleased with himself. He bent down, leaned in close, and said in his ear, "Since you don't mind being subservient to a man, what the one from Yong'an Palace can do, I can do too. If you come to me, I can protect you and let you continue to live the good life you had before. And no one else would dare touch you again. You should know, I am the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. In the future, the entire Great Cheng Dynasty will be mine. A single word from me can make people ascend to heaven or descend to hell."

Ling Qiyu's breath drilled into his ear as he spoke. Ling Qiyan's scalp tingled with disgust, and he nearly gagged.

He raised his eyes indifferently and saw the undisguised, fervent desire in Ling Qiyu's eyes. In that instant, he suddenly understood what kind of disgusting thoughts this beast held for him.

Ling Qiyu smiled ferociously and smugly, which in Ling Qiyan's eyes was utterly ugly and despicable. Under Ling Qiyu's direct and blatant gaze, Ling Qiyan slowly curled his lips and uttered softly, "That's if you have the ability to actually become the Emperor."

In the next moment, Ling Qiyan shot up. Before Ling Qiyu could react, he violently seized one of his arms, swung it forcefully behind his back, then grabbed the back of his neck with his other hand and ruthlessly slammed him onto the couch.

His arm was nearly dislocated. Ling Qiyu's vision instantly swam with stars from the pain. He bit down hard on his jaw to keep from crying out, his expression growing more ferocious. With his head pressed down by Ling Qiyan, one side of his face was flat against the couch. He turned his eyes with difficulty and embarrassment to look at Ling Qiyan. His eyes were filled with a grim and sinister chill as he hissed through his teeth, "This is the only way you can vent your temper on me. Sooner or later, you will still have to kneel and beg me."

Ling Qiyan pressed down on him forcefully and sneered, "What do you think you are? Why don't you take a piss and look at your own reflection? You think you can have ideas about me with a face like that? Let me tell you, I have nothing now. A barefooted man isn't afraid of one with shoes. You'd best not provoke me!"

Ling Qiyu's face was covered in a cold sweat from the pain. Being stared at by Ling Qiyan's fierce, bared-fangs expression only stimulated him to greater excitement. The way he looked at Ling Qiyan became even more blatant. He licked his dry, cracked lips and grinned at him ferociously, "This arrogant and domineering look of yours is really quite lovable. I just love to see this angry face of yours. Every time those young gentlemen and ladies who look like you are lying beneath me, as soon as I think of this expression of yours, I get so excited. It's just a pity that fakes are fakes, after all. None of them, no matter how much they resemble you, are a fraction as good as you. One day, I will definitely taste you for myself..."

Ling Qiyan slapped him hard across the face. Blood immediately seeped from the corner of Ling Qiyu's mouth, but he was still smiling, as if the angrier Ling Qiyan got, the more delighted he became. He constantly provoked him with words, "Look at you. You must be quite fiery in bed. No wonder that country bumpkin was also captivated by you. Even after you stole his wealth and glory for twenty years, he couldn't bear to hold it against you and even thought to plead for your life. I'm truly so jealous of him. If I had known you were so wanton, I would have gotten my hands on you long ago. How could I have let that kid have you for nothing? Haha, ha..."

At the mention of Wen Ying, the anger in Ling Qiyan's heart could no longer be suppressed. He forcefully grabbed Ling Qiyu's hair, yanked him up, then slammed him against the wall, smashing his head against it again and again. Ling Qiyu's forehead quickly turned bright red, covered in blood.

Ling Qiyu clenched his jaw tightly, not making a sound. But his grim eyes, fixed on Ling Qiyan and stained with thick desire, always held a triumphant smile.

Ling Qiyan had completely lost his senses. His eyes were crimson, and his entire body radiated a murderous aura. He only wanted to vent the rage in his chest, recklessly trying to beat Ling Qiyu to death.

He had nothing left. He truly didn't care about life or death. Whoever made his life difficult, he wouldn't let them have it easy either!

The servants standing guard outside heard the commotion and rushed in frantically. They were terrified by the scene before them and scrambled to pull the two apart.

Half an hour later, the Empress Dowager, Lady Shen, and Wen Ying, who had been in the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, arrived upon hearing the news. When the Emperor appeared with a dark face, Lady Shen was in the middle of a hysterical tantrum, demanding that Ling Qiyan be dragged out and fed to the dogs.

"Guards! Guards!! Are you all deaf! Drag this little bastard away for this palace! I want him dead! Dead right now!!"

"Enough!"

The Empress Dowager's furious shout interrupted her. She only instructed people to first take Ling Qiyu away to be treated by the imperial physician.

Lady Shen was filled with hatred and began to curse, "You're still protecting this little bastard even now! He stole the identity of one of your grandsons, and now he has nearly killed your other grandson! And you still want to protect him! Who is your real grandson?! You say I'm unfit to be a mother, but you're so biased. Who are you fit to be a grandmother to?! Clearly, you, the Empress Dowager, are the one whose virtue does not match her position!"

The Emperor strode forward, raised his hand, and slapped Lady Shen directly across the face.

Lady Shen was knocked to the ground, momentarily stunned, as if she never expected the Emperor to strike her.

The Emperor's icy voice sounded above her head, "We do not need an Empress who only knows how to throw tantrums and curse, and who is unfilial. If you continue like this, you might as well abdicate and yield your position sooner rather than later."

The Emperor prided himself on being a filial son. For Lady Shen to curse the Empress Dowager as someone whose "virtue does not match her position" right in front of him enraged him to the extreme. In the past, he had tolerated her a great deal because she had suffered when he ascended the throne, but he never thought he would have spoiled her to such a lawless extent. She had committed the crime of deceiving the sovereign and still dared to speak of it so brazenly in public, and now she even dared to be so disrespectful to the Empress Dowager!

And at this point, the Emperor even felt that it was Lady Shen's stupidity that had caused him to lose such an excellent son for twenty years, making him find her all the more displeasing to the eye.

Meeting the Emperor's look of utter annoyance, the words of argument Lady Shen was about to speak were swallowed back down. She didn't dare say another word, covering her face and sobbing aggrievedly. The Emperor waved his hand impatiently, sending her back to the Palace of Phoenix Grace to be placed under confinement.

With the weeping Lady Shen gone, the Hall of Morning Splendor fell silent once more. Ling Qiyan remained sitting on the floor by the wall with his head lowered, not making a sound.

The Emperor's sharp gaze turned to him, and he demanded, "Speak! Why did you attack the Crown Prince!"

After a long moment, Ling Qiyan slowly lifted his head and gave a silent, cold smile. "Why did I attack him? Why don't you ask him what he wanted to do to me?"

"Your Majesty, that fine Crown Prince of yours, he is a beast. He has always harbored those filthy and disgusting thoughts towards me. Before, he didn't dare to touch me. Now that he thinks he has the chance, he couldn't wait to pounce."

"He said he also wanted to taste me for himself. He is jealous and hates this new son by your side, because this son of yours was formerly my intimate guest."

Seeing the Emperor's face turn ashen, Ling Qiyan felt a great sense of satisfaction, the smile on his lips growing more contemptuous and disdainful.

No wonder his birth mother had been so crazed yesterday. Indeed, what was there to fear in death? There was nothing more satisfying than angering this emperor who had always been so self-righteous!

The Empress Dowager's eyes, however, instantly turned red. Her body swayed, and Wen Ying had to help her sit down.

The Emperor suppressed his anger with great effort and turned to ask Wen Ying, "Is what he said true?"

Wen Ying nodded calmly, "It is true."

The Empress Dowager finally let out a sob. "How could it be like this? What have you all done? This is a sin, truly a sin..."

The Emperor glared fiercely at Ling Qiyan. His heart was in turmoil. At this moment, he truly felt the intent to kill him.

Wen Ying took a step forward and suggested in a deep voice, "Father Emperor, the matter of Prince Yu should be resolved as soon as possible. I ask that Father Emperor spare his life. As long as the person Prince Yu, no longer exists in this world, let's let the rest go."

The Emperor's expression was hard and cold. He had originally planned to do so, but now, for the reputations of Wen Ying and Ling Qiyu, the thought of murder had already taken root in his heart.

Seeing the Emperor's prolonged silence, the Empress Dowager closed her eyes in utter exhaustion. With tears streaming down her face, she pleaded with her son in a hoarse voice, "Emperor, let's just do that. Consider it... a request from this old woman."