Fake Daughter Is the Real Legend novel · Chapter 21 of 24
Chapter 21: The Palace
The Hall of Morning Audience had a floor of black stone and a roof of gold beams, and Ruyun knelt on it with her burned hand in a clean bandage.
The Grand Princess's maids had dressed her in the pale blue jacket.
Beside her knelt Shen Zhuo in his plain armor, with the lacquer box at his knee.
On the dais above them the Emperor sat on his dragon seat, a heavy man of fifty with sleepless eyes.
The Grand Princess sat below the dais in a chair with arms, as was her right.
She had refused to kneel.
"Aunt," the Emperor said. "You look better than your letter."
"I wrote the letter to a nephew with sense. Do not make me regret it."
A rustle of laughter went through the ministers.
The Emperor held up a hand.
"I have read the prefect's report," he said. "I have read the physician's report on the alum, and the confession of a woman at the eastern gate. I will have the rest in open court. Bring them in."
They brought in the Marquis first.
He had no hat and no belt.
Someone had taken the jade from his waist, and the gray had spread through his whole beard overnight.
Madam Fan came after him, walking.
Then two guards dragged in a man in chains with a broken nose and a brown quartermaster's coat.
"Cousin," Madam Fan whispered.
The quartermaster did not look at her.
He found Ruyun with his eyes and spat on the floor in front of her.
"Fake daughter," he said.
"Real daughter," said the Emperor, mildly. "Guard, hold his tongue."
Keep reading free with an account. Start Fake Daughter Is the Real Legend from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 20 · All chapters · Chapter 22 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend