Chapter 0203: The Deathly Silent Court, A Shocking Scandal That Stunned Everyone
“Prince Regent, why do you ask…” Even Qiu Wenqi was dumbfounded.
Why would the Second Prince suddenly ask such a private question?
For a young woman, discussing such intimate matters in court would be utterly embarrassing!
“Eldest Brother, what is Second Brother trying to do?” Xie Zimiao was also confused and couldn’t help but ask Xie Shoujun beside him.
To support his second brother and intimidate these restless ministers, he had been dragging Xie Shoujun to court every day.
Xie Shoujun glanced faintly at Hou Wende, who kept fidgeting and looked extremely nervous, then pondered thoughtfully, “Perhaps he wants to see whether Lady Qiu’s three years of infertility are due to coincidence or intention.”
When Xie Chengze was writing biology textbooks in Wu De Hall, Xie Shoujun had read some contents stating that after a woman’s menstrual period, there are less fertile and highly fertile phases. If Hou Wende only had marital relations during the less fertile phase, then Lady Qiu would naturally find it difficult to conceive.
However, judging by Hou Wende’s behavior, there might be more to the story.
“Everyone, remain calm.” Xie Chengze waved his hand, signaling them to settle down, then said with a serious expression, “This prince has some medical knowledge and might be able to cure Lady Qiu’s infertility. If she remarries in the future, your Qiu family wouldn’t need to worry about criticism for hiding this condition. Wouldn’t that be better?”
Xie Zimiao slapped his palm in realization, “That’s right! Second Brother knows medicine!”
He remembered that time when Second Brother had indeed taken his pulse!
Seeing Xie Zimiao say this, the ministers couldn’t help but believe it somewhat. After all, the simple and kind-hearted Fourth Prince never lied. If he said the Second Prince knew medicine, then the Second Prince probably did.
Xie Chengze cleared his throat, “Lady Qiu, since you’ve had no children for three years, you must have consulted many physicians. What did they say?”
Upon hearing this, Hou Wende’s eyes twitched.
Qiu Ziqin bit her lip, “The physicians said… there’s nothing wrong with my body.”
“Oh?” Xie Chengze turned to Hou Wende, “Hou Wende, have you been examined by a physician?”
“Your Highness jests.” Hou Wende quickly put on a smiling face, “My concubine has borne me two sons, so naturally there’s nothing wrong with me.”
“That may not be certain.” Xie Chengze shook his head, “What if those two children aren’t actually yours?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the court fell deathly silent +1.
Many ministers silently lowered their heads, their shoulders trembling.
This… their Second Prince truly dared to say anything!
“Your Highness’s words…” Hou Wende’s face turned green, “Although I am of low status, I cannot tolerate such slander! My sons look exactly like me! How could they not be mine!”
“Oh?” Xie Chengze asked doubtfully, “According to your logic, since you resemble your elder brother, your sons must also resemble your elder brother. Then couldn’t your sons be your elder brother’s? You resemble your father, your sons must resemble your father too, so couldn’t your sons be your father’s?”
As these words were spoken, the court fell deathly silent +2.
More and more ministers lowered their heads, their limbs trembling violently, mouths agape.
The Second Prince’s meaning was clearly suggesting that the concubine’s children might be Hou Wende’s elder brother’s or even his father’s sons!
How outrageous! Only the Second Prince would think of such a thing!
Hou Wende was practically fuming with rage, and Hou Yuanzhen was no better, his lips trembling with fury at these outrageous statements as he angrily exclaimed, “Prince Regent! How can you spout such nonsense!”
Yet neither of them noticed that Lin, the mistress lying prostrate on the floor, was trembling all over, nearly fainting from terror.
At that moment, Xie Chengze suddenly slammed the desk and thundered, “Lin! Speak the truth!”
Lin shuddered violently in fear, having never encountered such a situation before. Tears immediately streamed down her face as she desperately kowtowed. “This lowly slave… this lowly slave was forced! Spare me, my lord! It was all because the elder brother and father of the master forced me!”
As these words fell, dead silence enveloped the room—ten thousand times over.
Hou Wende whipped his head around, his gaze horrified as he stared at the mistress.
Hou Yuanzhen stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning, his body present but his soul seemingly departed.
The assembled officials gasped softly in disbelief, their eyes lifting incredulously toward Lin.
“What… what did you say?!” Hou Wende rasped, glaring viciously at Lin. “What nonsense are you spouting? Do you have a death wish? How could you possibly be involved with my elder brother and my… them?”
“This slave… this slave…” Lin sobbed, gasping for breath between cries. “Master… this slave was forced too. This slave also wanted to bear your children, but… but…”
“Oh? But what?” Xie Chengze asked with keen interest. “But Hou Wende’s body isn’t up to it?”
Hou Wende trembled all over and hurriedly retorted, “Absolutely not!”
“Qiu, you haven’t answered me yet—how often do you and Hou Wende share a bed?” Xie Chengze turned to ask Qiu Ziqin.
Qiu Ziqin was also dumbfounded. She stared blankly at Lin for a long time before suddenly remembering something and looking at Hou Wende in shock, her gaze drifting downward to a certain part of his body.
Hou Wende instinctively clamped his legs together.
“My husband and I… shared a bed once a month for the first three months after marriage. After that, we no longer did.”
As these words fell, the silence was broken. “Once a month? What newlywed couple only does it that infrequently?”
“If they don’t share a bed, how can she get pregnant? So it’s not that Qiu can’t conceive, but that Hou Wende never gave her the chance!”
“Hey, hey, could it be that he’s… incapable…”
The officials whispered among themselves, their eyes taking on meaningful expressions as they looked at Hou Wende.
“Qiu Ziqin! Don’t you dare spout nonsense!” Hou Wende’s face turned pale as he angrily shouted at her. “It’s clearly you who can’t lay eggs! I definitely shared a bed with you once every three days! Everyone in the mansion knows it!”
“My lord! If you don’t believe me, you can go ask at the Hou residence! The maids and servants all know that I shared a bed with my wife once every three days!”
Since he dared to say this, it must indeed be true.
“Oh?” Xie Chengze showed a surprised expression. “Qiu, how do you explain this?”
Qiu Ziqin bit her lip tightly. “This humble woman…”
She closed her eyes briefly, clearly finding it difficult to speak, then glanced at Lin again. Catching her gaze, Lin hurriedly lowered her head and knelt prostrate on the ground, tears dripping one by one onto the floor.
“Qiu, answer the question,” Xie Chengze slammed the desk again heavily. “If you have nothing to say, I will rule that the Hou family may divorce you. Your reputation afterward will have nothing to do with me!”
Qiu Ziqin came from a scholarly family, and reputation mattered greatly to a woman of her standing. If the accusation of infertility were confirmed today, the entire court would know her as a hen that couldn’t lay eggs. Given the Hou family’s nature, they would surely publicize it far and wide, and she would never dare show her face in Jingcheng again.
When she decided to separate from Hou Wende, their relationship had already reached a point of no return.
“Qin’er.” Qiu Wenqi knelt down and grasped her hand. “What is it that you can’t bring yourself to say?”
“Madam!” Hou Wende tried to speak but was promptly shoved aside by Qiu Wenqi’s hip. “Back off! Don’t speak to my daughter!”
Hou Wende could only cry out, “Madam! One day as husband and wife means endless devotion! Though I’ve made mistakes, haven’t I been tolerating you too? If you weren’t… inadequate, why would I have acted that way! Even so, I still love you, don’t I!”
Qiu Ziqin bit her lip hard, her expression growing more tormented. “I… I… Is it really my fault…”