Late at night, in the imperial palace.
The emperor closed the last memorial and said, "Prepare the carriage for Yaoguang Palace. It’s been two days since I last saw Consort Xue—she must be missing me by now."
Just then, a young eunuch’s voice came from outside the door.
Yin Shun scolded, "His Majesty is retiring for the night! Whatever it is, report it tomorrow!"
The eunuch outside dared not argue but insisted, "Your Majesty, it’s a memorial from Acting Vice Minister Yan Zheng. He claims to have uncovered the mastermind behind the embezzlement of military weapons and urgently requests an audience with Your Majesty..."
The emperor paused. "Bring it in!"
The night was cool as water in the imperial study.
After reading the memorial, the emperor slammed his palm on the table with a loud bang. "Good, very good! So Yan Zheng has traced this all the way to my imperial uncle!"
Yin Shun’s heart skipped a beat. "Your Majesty, could Acting Vice Minister Yan have made a mistake...?"
"A mistake? Look at this—black ink on white paper, along with over a dozen testimonies. Does this look like a mistake?" The emperor’s chest heaved with anger. "And this line—'the key witness was provided by the Duke of Chu.' Ha! What a perfect father-in-law and son-in-law duo they make!"
Yin Shun dared not reply. After a long silence, he ventured, "Then does Your Majesty intend to arrest Yan Zheng and charge him?"
The shrewd man, sensing the shift in the wind, immediately dropped the formal title and referred to him simply as "Yan Zheng."
The emperor fell silent for a moment before pressing a hand to his forehead. "Charge him with what? For investigating thoroughly to clear his father and brother’s names? How can I punish him for that?" He sighed deeply. "In the end, it’s my own relatives who disappoint me. The Marquis of Pingjing could betray city defense plans for personal vengeance, and now Prince Bao and my own uncle, the Marquis Chengen, dare to embezzle funds meant for the soldiers risking their lives at the front. These scoundrels—yet I have no choice but to protect them... Commander Ling!"
A shadowy figure emerged silently from the darkness.
"Where is Prince Bao now? Summon him to see me!"
The shadow left and returned moments later. "Your Majesty, Prince Bao went to the polo grounds and has not yet returned."
"The polo grounds? The one the Empress hosted today?"
Before Commander Ling could respond, the voice of Princess Jiahui rang out from beyond the hall. "Imperial Father! Imperial Father, you must uphold justice for your daughter!"
The emperor glanced at Commander Ling, who immediately melted back into the shadows.
Princess Jiahui pushed past the eunuchs and rushed in. The emperor sighed. "What is it? Who has upset our Jiahui?"
The princess sobbed, "Imperial Father! It’s the Chu sisters! They frightened my horse and made me fall! Look, my hand is still bruised!"
The emperor examined her injury, his heart aching. "Have you seen the imperial physician? What did they say?"
"They said it’s not serious, but it will take time to heal. Imperial Father, please punish them! Have them arrested and beaten!"
The young princess pouted, but the emperor’s thoughts drifted elsewhere. "The polo match hosted by the Empress... So the Chu sisters you mentioned are...?"
"Chu Ruoyan and Chu Ruolan from the Duke of Chu’s household! Especially Chu Ruoyan—don’t let her usual sickly appearance fool you. It’s all an act..."
The emperor didn’t hear another word. He stood abruptly. "Commander Ling, find out where these two women are now!"
A voice acknowledged from the shadows. Princess Jiahui wanted to say more, but seeing her father’s stormy expression, she held her tongue.
"Did you see your great-uncle at the polo grounds today?"
She shook her head.
The emperor’s face darkened further. So, he had gone in secret.
Suppressing his rage, he exhaled slowly. "Jiahui, return to your chambers. I have matters to attend to."
"But Imperial Father, the polo match—"
"Take any grievances about the match to your mother, the Empress. I have urgent business!"
Princess Jiahui’s survival in the palace hinged on her ability to read moods. Recognizing her father’s impatience, she swallowed her protests. "Yes, Imperial Father."
Once the princess left, Yin Shun couldn’t resist asking, "Does Your Majesty suspect Prince Bao sought out the Chu sisters to cause trouble?"
The emperor scoffed. "Isn’t it obvious? The Duke of Chu just submitted evidence of his embezzlement, and he coincidentally shows up where the Chu sisters are? Since when does the world work on such convenient coincidences?"
"And if he truly harmed the Chu sisters...?"
The emperor’s eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to a dangerous murmur. "Then I would have no choice but to deal with him." In the Battle of Hangu Pass, the Yan family had been wronged, but the dead were already gone—whether to punish the culprits or not had been his discretion.
But the Chu family was different. Chu Huaishan was his most trusted minister. Without a son, he doted on his daughters like treasures.
Fortunately, Commander Ling soon returned with news that the Chu sisters had safely returned to the capital before nightfall. Good. He only had one imperial uncle left—he didn’t want to act against him unless absolutely necessary.
"Shall Your Majesty still proceed to Yaoguang Palace?"
The emperor considered it. "No. To Kunning Palace instead. I’ll ask the Empress about today’s polo match."
The night passed uneventfully.
At dawn the next day, raised voices erupted outside.
The emperor sat up, rubbing his temples, as Yin Shun rushed in, flustered. "Your Majesty! Prince Bao demands an audience! He says... he wishes to propose marriage to the eldest Chu daughter!"
"What?!"
The emperor’s face paled. The Empress, beside him, gasped. "Prince Bao is over sixty! How could he think of marrying a girl younger than his own granddaughter? And... wasn’t the eldest Chu daughter already married before?"
The emperor’s expression turned icy as he recalled the previous night’s events.
Donning his dragon robes, he stepped outside to find Prince Bao kneeling before the hall, his face twisted with malice and hatred.
In truth, after being carried back to the palace last night, the imperial physicians had declared Prince Bao’s manhood irreparably damaged.
He could no longer function as a man—even basic bodily functions had become a struggle.
Humiliated beyond endurance, Prince Bao had endured the agony and dragged himself to Kunning Palace before dawn. Now, seeing the emperor, he cried out, "Your Majesty! This old subject has fallen in love! I beg Your Majesty’s grace to bestow upon me the hand of the Duke of Chu’s legitimate daughter, that she may become my Princess Consort!"
"Oh? Is that so?" The emperor regarded him coolly. "Imperial Uncle, is it the Chu daughter you desire, or the Duke of Chu himself?"
Prince Bao froze.
The emperor kicked him squarely in the chest. "Imperial Uncle, Imperial Uncle... You’ve always indulged in women, driving three Princess Consorts to their graves. Out of respect for the late emperor, I turned a blind eye. But now you dare extend your corruption to my court? What, the moment the Duke of Chu presents evidence against you, you can’t resist the urge to wed his daughter and torment her daily, is that it?"
Prince Bao, already in excruciating pain, howled as he hit the ground. "Your Majesty! I don’t understand! What evidence? I’m innocent!"
"Innocent? Did you think of the innocent soldiers at the front when you embezzled their supplies? Enough! Guards! Take Prince Bao to the Ministry of Justice. Isn’t Cao Yang also a son-in-law of the Chu family? Let him preside over the trial. I want every last one of my imperial uncle’s crimes exposed!"
Prince Bao was dragged away, bewildered. How could pursuing a woman—one he hadn’t even succeeded in claiming—provoke the emperor’s wrath to this extent?
Meanwhile, in the Hundred Insights Pavilion.
Chu Ruoyan stirred with a soft moan and awoke.
Her head throbbed as if trampled by a thousand camels. Just as she was about to call for Yulu to fetch some water, a cool, familiar voice reached her ears.
"Awake?"
Dazed, she looked up and met the gaze of a man whose face was as exquisite as a painting.
Fragments of the previous night flashed through her mind—the moonlit sky, the carriage, the man…
Vivid memories flooded her thoughts, and her eyes widened in horror as she stared at him. "I—last night, I…"
Yan Zheng watched her tense up like a startled deer, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, so enticing that he couldn’t help but want to take a bite.
A smirk curled his lips as he leisurely nodded. "Indeed. Last night, you took liberties with me."
