【Master, don’t be angry. Let’s just focus on our own conversation.】

The officials present nodded inwardly in agreement—yes, yes! Young Immortal Lord, pay no mind to us! Divine Artifact, please continue!

【This Zhou Yan and his wife, Madam Zhuo, are cousins.】

"Cousin marriage?"

From Yue Fuguang’s tone, the sharper ones could already sense trouble, especially with the seemingly casual glance she cast toward Zhou Qingyu.

This didn’t escape the notice of the shrewd individuals present, least of all Zhou Qingyu himself, who for some reason felt an inexplicable prickle on his back.

His father, Zhou Yan, wasn’t faring much better.

【Indeed. Master, you already know the dangers of cousin marriage, let alone when the two were barely fifteen at the time of their wedding—their bodies not yet fully developed. Conception was already difficult, and being close relatives only compounded the issue.

Madam Zhuo and Zhou Yan took two years to conceive their first child, who was stillborn.

The following year, she conceived again but miscarried within three months. It wasn’t until later that she successfully carried Zhou Qingyu to term.

In the years after Zhou Qingyu’s birth, Madam Zhuo suffered three more miscarriages before finally carrying another child to term when Zhou Qingyu was five.

By then, the concubines in the Zhou household had already borne Zhou Yan two sons and a daughter. Madam Zhuo grew even more desperate to give her husband another heir.

When Madam Zhuo was five months pregnant, her younger sister, Little Madam Zhuo, was newly widowed. Out of pity for her sister—who was also pregnant—and fearing she might be mistreated by her late husband’s family, Madam Zhuo wanted to bring her under her own care.

Old Lady Zhuo, their aunt, sympathized with her niece but also considered that a recent widow shouldn’t move into another family’s home.

So, she rented a small house next to the Zhou residence, separated only by a wall, allowing them to keep an eye on her.

Thus, Little Madam Zhuo settled next door. When the time came, the sisters went into labor on the same day—coincidentally while Little Madam Zhuo was visiting her sister.

Their mother, Old Lady Zhuo, had arrived two days earlier to stay with Little Madam Zhuo, fearing her younger daughter might lack elder guidance during childbirth.

With both sisters in labor, Old Lady Zhuo was the busiest.

That night, Madam Zhuo gave birth to a deformed boy, who died shortly after.

Soon after, Little Madam Zhuo safely delivered a daughter.

The birth of a "cursed" deformed child terrified Old Lady Zhuo.】

"A curse? Blaming heaven for everything! Isn’t it just the consequences of their own actions?"

Zhou Yan, the one who had "sinned," flushed with shame, his ashen face tinged with an odd redness.

【Exactly. Isn’t it normal for close relatives to bear deformed or intellectually impaired children? But these ancients didn’t understand—they just called it a divine curse.

Old Lady Zhuo feared this would damage her elder daughter’s standing in the Zhou Family, especially since the Zhuo Family had already declined and relied heavily on their in-laws for support.

She also wanted to secure a future for her widowed younger daughter, so she proposed swapping the children.

After some thought, both sisters agreed. Madam Zhuo did it for herself and the Zhou Family’s reputation.

Little Madam Zhuo wanted to remarry and saw a daughter as a burden. Had it been a son, he might have been her support in a future marriage.

But with a daughter, their lives would be difficult if she didn’t remarry.

So, they announced that Madam Zhuo had given birth to a daughter—later known as Concubine Xian Zhou Yunxin.

Meanwhile, Little Madam Zhuo claimed her grief over her late husband had weakened her body, and the boy she bore was too frail to survive.】

"When did Zhou Yunxin learn she wasn’t the Zhou Family’s biological daughter?"

【At eight years old, when Little Madam Zhuo returned to the capital with her new husband after years away. Her husband, Tan Qi, was a failed scholar who married her for her dowry—enough to fund his studies.

When he learned his wife had an elder sister married to a high-ranking official, he became even more eager.

Thus, Little Madam Zhuo remarried within a year of returning home after Zhou Yunxin’s birth.

Tan Qi, after seven years of relying on his wife’s money, finally passed the imperial exams as a "Tong Jinshi" (a lower-tier scholar). This was why Little Madam Zhuo only returned to the capital eight years later.

Out of selfishness, Little Madam Zhuo told Zhou Yunxin the truth, hoping the now-favored young miss of the Zhou Family would later look after her half-brother, six-year-old Tan Yiming.】

"So after being forced into the palace and separated from her lover, Zhou Yunxin grew to hate the Zhou Family, who weren’t even her blood relatives?"

【Yes. Even after gaining imperial favor, the Zhou father and son never benefited. Instead, she often whispered in Emperor Mingxi’s ear about how mistreated she’d been in the Zhou Family, ensuring they faced constant setbacks.】

Emperor Mingxi’s face twisted in embarrassment. He prided himself on not being easily swayed, but Zhou Yunxin’s tearful complaints—especially during intimate moments—were hard to resist. So, he’d given the Zhou father and son minor troubles.

In his defense, he’d never intended real harm to his minister and father-in-law. Though he hadn’t promoted them, he hadn’t demoted them either.

As a father who favored his younger son, how could he judge others for not treating their children equally?

The ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‍officials near the Zhou father and son shot them sympathetic glances. Now they understood why the famously favored Concubine Xian had never used her influence to benefit her family.

This wasn’t out of virtue—it was because her "family" wasn’t family at all, but enemies.

【Meanwhile, her blood-related brother, Tan Yiming, and stepfather, Tan Qi, reaped immense benefits from her status.

Tan Qi, a mere Tong Jinshi, rose from seventh rank to third rank in just over a decade—a meteoric ascent!

Her brother, Tan Yiming, though academically inept, bought an official post thanks to his sister and later preyed on innocent women. He deserved castration and a life in the palace.

Both were key figures in the Ninth Prince’s faction.】

Emperor Mingxi: Is the palace a dumping ground for trash? Must every foul creature be castrated and sent here?

Officials still waiting for promotions: We envy this Tan Qi, wherever he is.

Only the Vice Minister of Revenue lowered his gaze thoughtfully. If he recalled correctly, a newly transferred official in their ministry was named Tan Qi—a patronage appointee.

So, he’d climbed through Concubine Xian’s connections?

Without looking up, he knew the Emperor’s expression must be stormy. Tan Qi’s tenure would be short-lived...

"Did the Zhou father and son support the Ninth Prince?"