The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 499: Chapter 499: All for Nothing Again

Xiao Chengxuan’s face was ashen.

He had already been demoted to a commoner, and now his father, the Emperor, had spoken such harsh words. He couldn’t bear to imagine what fate awaited him next.

”I have been wronged!” Xiao Chengxuan screamed himself hoarse. ”Father! I was truly framed! You—”

Consort Ru finally came to her senses and pleaded anxiously, ”Your Majesty, please calm your anger! There must be a misunderstanding! How could Cheng Xuan do such a thing? He would never—”

”Silence!”

Emperor Muwu roared,

”Anyone who dares to plead for him again will be charged with the same crime!”

Just as Consort Ru was about to say more, Emperor Muwu cut in sharply, ”Consort Ru has failed to discipline her son properly. Effective immediately, she is demoted to the rank of Talent and will be confined to the Cold Palace!”

Consort Ru couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her eyes flew wide open, and all the blood drained from her face.

However, Emperor Muwu wouldn’t even spare her another glance.

He had forgiven this mother and son time and time again, but they refused to learn their lesson. They had gone too far!

He had originally intended to give Xiao Chengxuan another chance, but recent events had left him utterly disappointed.

The son in whom he had placed such high hopes, whom he had personally raised and groomed for years, had unexpectedly turned out to be such an ungrateful wretch!

He was sinister in his ambitions and venomous in his thoughts.

Who knew when he might start plotting for the Dragon Throne itself!

A deathly silence fell over the great hall, leaving only a bone-chilling cold.

”And you!”

Emperor Muwu pointed at Xiao Chengxuan, his voice and expression grim,

”Your sins are grave, your actions treasonous! You are hereby exiled to Yizhou! For the rest of your life, you are forbidden to ever set foot in the Capital City again!”

Such was his thunderous wrath.

Even the officials present, like Chen Songshi and Tang Zhongli, were startled, their expressions filled with disbelief.

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t noticed Emperor Muwu’s previous favoritism toward Xiao Chengxuan; otherwise, they wouldn’t have all come to the palace today. Still, they truly hadn’t expected the final verdict to come so swiftly.

A chill coursed through Xiao Chengxuan’s body, his mind a total blank.

Only a single thought echoed in his mind: ’It’s over!’

He hadn’t felt such profound despair even when he was stripped of his title and made a commoner. After all, as long as he remained in the Capital City, there was always hope of making a comeback.

But now, only a few short days later, he was being exiled! Forbidden from entering the capital for the rest of his life!

This sentence had utterly sealed his fate!

From this day forward, all this splendor and wealth would be completely out of his reach.

Xiao Chengxuan opened his mouth, but he couldn’t even manage to form the words to beg for mercy.

But at that very moment, Emperor Muwu suddenly clutched his chest, a sharp, twisting pain seizing him.

He clutched his chest in agony. A moment later, his eyes fluttered shut, and he collapsed backward—

Eunuch Li, attending at his side, was the first to notice something was wrong and immediately rushed forward.

”Your Majesty!”

...

「Ye Mansion.」

Ye Chutang had a rare chance to sleep in. She had just gotten up and was about to brew some tea when she was urgently summoned by someone from the palace.

Seeing the messenger’s anxious expression, Ye Chutang’s eyelid twitched. She had a bad feeling about this.

She tried to inquire about the situation, but they remained tight-lipped. Realizing the matter was more serious than she’d imagined, Ye Chutang tactfully decided not to press them further.

The journey was silent.

When she arrived at the entrance of Qianyuan Hall and saw the grim-faced Chu Qiyuan already there, Ye Chutang’s suspicions were all but confirmed.

The hall was heavily guarded. Besides Chu Qiyuan, several Imperial Physicians were also gathered outside.

Every face was etched with worry, and the atmosphere was unbearably tense.

”Announcing the arrival of Second Miss Ye—”

As the attendant’s voice rang out, Chu Qiyuan and the Imperial Physicians all turned to look.

Ye Chutang finally saw him: Emperor Muwu, lying within the hall, his face as pale as wax paper.

She felt an instant headache coming on.

’Great,’ she thought. ’All that effort, down the drain again.’