After Rebirth, She Becomes the Revenge Queen-Chapter 571 - 365: It Seems Time to Lay the Cards on the Table

"The ’abandoning’ you mentioned, does it include me?" the Empress said, "Do you believe I was also involved in what happened back then?"

"Is that not the case?" Yang Yi turned around, "If you hadn’t planned it together, how could I have just fallen into his trap?"

"Of course not!" the Empress denied firmly, looking at her son in disbelief, "Why do you think that way? Do you really assume I’m that kind of mother just based on suspicion?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The distance between mother and son was only a threshold, and Yang Yi could clearly see her face and expression. He observed for a moment and said, "It’s not entirely my own guess. What if I told you that the third one also said so to me?"

"The third one?"

The Empress was stunned, "You mean your brother? You mean Xin Er?... You met him?!"

The twilight darkened Yang Yi’s eyes: "Of course, I’ve met him. I met him seven years ago."

The Empress’s face was filled with shock: "What’s going on? Why haven’t I heard him mention it? How did he meet you?..."

Fu Zhen was standing at the gate of the courtyard, able to see the mother and son in the room through the decorative window on the wall.

Footsteps came from behind her, and before she could turn around, Mrs. Pei had already spun her halfway:

"Zhen Er! What’s going on? Is the person inside really the Crown Prince? How did you find him?"

Not only Mrs. Pei was in front of her, but Pei Yu also came over, and they were both slightly out of breath, as if they’d run fast.

Fu Zhen knew she couldn’t hide it from them any longer, and at this point, she didn’t intend to keep it secret anymore. Besides, Yang Yi had already agreed to come to the Pei family without hesitation, which meant he planned to reveal his identity. She nodded solemnly and said, "That’s right, you guessed correctly, he is the Crown Prince."

After saying this, she took Mrs. Pei’s arm, gesturing for the two of them to walk to the side, and then began to explain the whole story.

As Pei Yu and Mrs. Pei were listening in shock, the Empress inside the courtyard also stood there, completely tense with shock.

"Why would he tell such a lie? Did he really tell you everything like that? How dare he?"

"It’s the truth." Yang Yi said, "If you don’t believe it, you can naturally go back and verify it with him."

The Empress’s hunched body gradually straightened. She took a deep breath, tightly clasping her hands, and after a while, she said, "He’s only eighteen. He’s never been close to the court all these years. How could he have such deep cunning? Have I truly raised him in vain?"

Her murmur was clear under the quiet eaves, and Yang Yi looked at her: "He’s been by your side all his life. Compared to my words after such a long separation, it’s understandable if you don’t believe me.

"However, since you say you were not involved in the matter in Lakezhou back then, there must be a reason for him to lie about this. I’m merely stating the facts I know; whatever you decide to do with them is up to you."

The Empress looked back at him: "Must you speak to your mother like this?... Yi Yi, whether you believe it or not, I would never, even if I had to risk myself as bait, agree to let you face danger!

"But I know it’s right for you to resent me. As a mother, you were only ten years old at the time, and I was indeed supposed to protect you. It was my failure."

She choked up slightly, then looked him over again: "Tell me about your life these years. I want to know."

Yang Yi turned slightly, but no matter how he restrained himself, he couldn’t control the rise and fall of his chest: "What’s there to say? Whatever I’ve been through, I’m fine now, and that’s enough."

"If you don’t want to talk, then why did you come here this time?"

Yang Yi took a deep breath, looked up at the hanging painting on the wall, clenched and unclenched his fists, then gritted his teeth and turned back: "Zhen Er said you suddenly fell ill. I believed her and was tricked into coming."

The Empress’s voice softened: "Then why did you come when you heard I fell ill?"

Yang Yi pressed his lips together without speaking.

Tears welled in the Empress’s eyes as she smiled: "Do you still care about your mother in your heart? Despite your resentment, you don’t really believe that your mother would treat you that way, do you?"

Yang Yi’s tightly clenched fists had turned white.

The Empress stepped over the threshold, stopped in front of him, and looked up at him: "It was wrong of me to send you to meet the enemy back then. Not a day has passed that I haven’t regretted it over the years. Seeing you again now is heaven’s mercy on me. Can you forgive your mother?"