Father, who is both a heir and a descendant, is still biased; the bound system has gone berserk.

The Crown Prince and Minghuang both fell into a deep silence.

They not only resembled them, but each of them also had a crescent-shaped birthmark on their body.

The hooks are as red as blood, with a rich and vibrant color.

Even the world's best tattoo artist couldn't create such a result.

The birthmark was present from birth and was located on the lower back.

"Why return it? Go to my bedchamber and bring me the ebony box from the hidden compartment by my bedside," Emperor Cangxuan ordered again.

Why pretend to be an old man who knows the whole truth, when he naturally knows everything?

He returned shortly after leaving, carrying an ebony box carefully in his arms.

"Your Majesty!" He carefully placed the ebony box in front of Emperor Cangxuan.

Emperor Cangxuan opened it, and inside was another small box made of golden nanmu wood.

Upon opening the box, a crescent-shaped blood jade lay quietly inside, surrounded by a white jade ring inlaid with intricately carved patterns of the sun, moon, stars, and auspicious clouds.

The blue netting wrapped around the jade pendant, and in their daze, they seemed to see their mother, who was still an infant, holding the jade pendant tightly in her hand.

"This is indeed the Blood Moon Jade Pendant of the Dongchen Royal Family; only princes and princesses possess it."

The Crown Prince said.

He touched his lower back. Over the years, he had never imagined that the blood moon birthmark on his body would be related to Dong Chen.

His father was Emperor Beixuan, his mother was Hai Qiongzhang, and his maternal grandfather was Grand Tutor Hai.

How did he get involved with Dongchen?

Even now, he still feels a sense of unreality.

"Father, a birthmark can be a coincidence, an appearance can be a coincidence, and a keepsake can be something you found..."

The Crown Prince said, unwilling to give up.

Princess Minghuang gave him a speechless look.

"It just so happens that the Empress Dowager was adopted by the Hai family, and it just so happens that Dongchen Kingdom lost its eldest princess back then," she added.

Crown Prince: "..."

Emperor Cangxuan glanced at the Crown Prince speechlessly and said, "Go back and visit the Hai family. They also have some information about your mother's background."

The crown prince gave up.

"What exactly happened to the Dongchen royal family back then?" The crown prince narrowed his eyes, his mind racing.

Emperor Cangxuan glanced at him. "Want to know? You might as well ask those guys in the Heavenly Prison."

Those subordinates of the deposed crown prince of Dongchen at the Wangxiang blacksmith shop.

The crown prince, his expression complex, said, "Father, may I use this portrait of the deposed crown prince of Dongchen Kingdom, and this jade pendant from the Dongchen royal family?"

"Take it. Since you already know, you can take these things with you later."

But you must be careful not to let anyone see these things right now, to avoid causing trouble.

Emperor Cangxuan issued a warning.

The Crown Prince said slowly, "Father, the truth will eventually come out. If all of this is true, it will be known to everyone sooner or later."

"Father, why don't you choose another crown prince? I think the third and fourth princes are both good, and if not the fifth prince..."

The fifth prince was born just last year.

"roll!"

Emperor Cangxuan's face immediately darkened.

Crown Prince: "We're not leaving! Where's the food? Father, didn't you say you wanted us to stay for a meal?"

Emperor Cangxuan was speechless.

"Father, don't get angry with Mingxu. You'll only hurt yourself," Minghuang gently comforted Emperor Cangxuan.

Emperor Cangxuan's dark expression immediately softened. He looked at Minghuang with great relief and said, "Good child, thankfully I still have you."

Minghuang's eyes curved slightly, and she turned her head to glare at the Crown Prince again.

The crown prince looked completely innocent.

……

"Has His Majesty invited the Crown Prince and Ying Yufu to dine again?" the Empress asked.

Gao Fengyi bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Minghuang has also gone."

The Empress raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? That girl Minghuang actually agreed to leave her Changyue Palace?"

Cang Mingze and Princess Mingluan, who were sitting to the side, both looked surprised.

"Hmph, that ugly hag dares to show her face in public? Won't Father throw up when he sees her disgusting face at dinner?"

As Mingluan spoke, she slowly chuckled.

She was countless times grateful that she had ruined Minghuang's face back then; otherwise, just by looking at the Crown Prince's face, she would know what Minghuang looked like.

She would never allow Minghuang to surpass her.

Over the years, she has studied abroad, traveled extensively, broadened her horizons, and made many friends.

And what about Minghuang?

She could only hide in the Changyue Palace all day long, like a rat in a gutter, afraid to see anyone or show her face. Although she was the eldest princess, she was practically a figurehead.

Throughout the entire imperial city, everyone only knows her as Princess Mingluan; who still remembers Minghuang?

The Empress's tone was slightly reproachful, "Mingluan, you are the legitimate princess of Beixuan. You must be mindful of your words and actions. You may think what you just said, but you cannot say it aloud, understand?"

Mingluan nodded immediately. "Mother, I know I was wrong. I will definitely not do it again next time."

The Empress nodded in satisfaction and then looked at Cang Mingze.

"I heard Linglong is pregnant?"

Cang Mingze replied, "Yes, Mother, it has been more than a month."

"Good!" The Empress smiled with pleasure. "This is your father's first grandson, Mingze. Go now and tell your father this good news."

"Yes, Mother." Cang Mingze got up and left with a smile on his face.

Mingluan's eyes darted around. "Mother, I will also go with my brother."

The Empress nodded and said, "Go ahead. They are all your father's children, you may all go."

After Cang Mingze and Princess Mingluan left, the Empress's face turned somber again.

After a moment, she instructed, "Eunuch Gao, go to the Hai family again and make sure you see Granny Wang."

Upon hearing this, Gao Fengyi immediately bowed and agreed.

Gao Fengyi left the palace again.

But this time, he didn't go to the Hai family's house; instead, he went to a house on North Street.

He turned into an alley and knocked on the brass ring on the red-lacquered gate.

The rhythm is two fast beats followed by one slow beat, then two slow beats followed by one fast beat. After six beats, the door opens from the inside.

The person who opened the door was a middle-aged man, who looked like a hunter from the mountains, with a lithe figure and sharp eyes.

Gao Fengyi slipped inside, and the red-lacquered door closed tightly behind him.

"Is the master here?" Gao Fengyi asked.

"Master is here. Why are you so late? What's going on with the Hai family?" the hunter-looking man asked.

"I'll explain in detail when I see my master."

They entered the main house, where an elderly man with white hair and beard sat in the main hall.

The old man, dressed in coarse linen clothes and wearing a large animal skin overcoat, was nestled beside a warm stove, engrossed in reading a book.

"Owner!"

"Toyoshi is here?"

Gao Fengyi greeted her respectfully, his attitude showing more genuine submission than when he addressed the Empress.

Gao Fengyi said, "Master, I risked coming here this time because of the Hai family's affairs."

The old man put down his book, sat up straight, and asked, "What exactly is going on with the Hai family?"

Gao Fengyi said, "Last night..."

Gao Fengyi recounted in detail the events of the previous night, including the sudden news that Grand Tutor Hai was critically ill and the alarm that had reached the Emperor.

Then she added, "This morning at court, news came that Madam Hai had suffered a stroke and was critically ill. Her Majesty the Empress sent her subordinates to the Hai family to deliver an imperial edict summoning Granny Wang to the palace, but the Hai family did everything they could to prevent it."

My subordinate believes that the situation with the Hai family has changed.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in the old man's eyes. He slowly stood up. "The Hai family has been obstructing us in every way..."

Gao Fengyi asked, "Master, could it be that the Hai family has discovered something?"

The old man said, "The Hai family members are all extraordinary. Perhaps the Duan family did something, and some clues have been discovered."

Gao Fengyi hesitated for a moment and asked, "Master, when do you plan to recognize the Empress?"

As for His Highness the Second Prince, I feel the time is almost right. He's not young anymore, and it's time for him to know some things.

The old man pondered for a moment without speaking. After a while, he said, "Fengyi, you go back first. I will send someone to investigate the Hai family tonight."