If it were the Ayan of the past, she would never have dared to say such words.
Yan Zheng felt a surge of heat rise within him, but the timing and place were entirely inappropriate!
Suppressing his desire, he replied hoarsely, "Ayan, we'll talk about this tonight when we return."
"Why wait until tonight? Weren't you just—" She paused, as if suddenly realizing something, and covered her mouth in surprise. "Oh, so you prefer doing it outside?"
"No!" Yan Zheng's temple throbbed, but the heartless girl only grinned and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Then it's settled! Let's hurry back and have some fun!"
Having lost her inhibitions, her words and actions now came from pure instinct.
Did this mean his Ayan truly enjoyed being with him...?
"Meng Yang."
Outside the carriage, the guard who had accidentally overheard the last remark stiffened. "Yes, sir!"
"Prepare the carriage to take my wife back—"
"Understood! I'll go to the palace to request leave for you—wait, what?!" Meng Yang immediately regretted his slip of the tongue, though inwardly he admired his master's restraint. How could any man resist such temptation?
Clearly, the person inside the carriage shared his thoughts.
"What about you? Aren’t you coming back with me?"
"I have matters to attend to. Be good." Yan Zheng took a deep breath and gently pried her fingers away, watching as her face scrunched in displeasure. "Have you forgotten? The Xue family."
By now, the Xues were likely causing an uproar in the palace...
Chu Ruoyan nodded. The second rule of serving one's master was never to interfere with his duties.
Still, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed...
Noticing this, Yan Zheng added, "Tonight, I’ll leave it to you."
The implication of those words was profound. Her eyes lit up instantly. "You promised! No take-backs!"
Yan Zheng agreed before heading to the palace.
As expected, Consort Xue had already brought the matter before the Emperor.
Shi Hong, the Prefect of Shuntian, the Minister of Justice, and Old Censor Wang were all present—even the elderly censor had been summoned.
The imperial study was in chaos!
"Your Majesty! Old Censor Wang abused his authority, while Shi Hong and the others flattered the Chief Minister, favoring Old Madam Cao simply because she is related to his wife! I beg Your Majesty to deliver justice for my brother!"
Consort Xue swayed her slender waist as she knelt dramatically.
The Emperor hurriedly helped her up. "Beloved Consort, what is this? Rise at once!"
She leaned into his embrace, sobbing pitifully. Before the Emperor could console her, Shi Hong and the others, including Old Censor Wang, all knelt and declared, "Your Majesty! Marquis Chengen is morally corrupt! Resentful after his separation from Madam Chu, he bribed a maid to abduct her in broad daylight, intending to violate her! Had County Princess Changle not intervened, disaster would have struck! We implore Your Majesty to uphold justice for the Cao family!"
The Emperor’s head spun from the conflicting accounts. Just then, a eunuch announced the Chief Minister’s arrival.
"Summon him at once!"
Moments later, Yan Zheng entered the hall. As he began to kneel, the Emperor waved him off. "Enough formalities, Chief Minister. Tell us, what truly happened between the Cao and Xue families?"
Shi Hong and the others sighed in relief.
They expected him to side with the Caos, but Yan Zheng merely bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, my wife is related to the Cao family. My words may carry bias, so I dare not comment recklessly."
The Emperor nodded approvingly, while Consort Xue clenched her handkerchief in frustration.
Clever Yan Zheng!
By appearing impartial, he ensured the Emperor would trust whatever he said next.
Sure enough, the Emperor replied, "Speak freely. I need your counsel to make a fair judgment."
Yan Zheng inclined his head but said, "Your Majesty is wise. The details are not for me to elaborate. I came only to report that Old Madam Cao’s unborn child is unlikely to survive."
"What?!"
The Emperor shot to his feet. Consort Xue paled. "You—you must be lying! She was merely frightened—how could she lose the child?"
Shi Hong stepped forward. "Your Majesty, it is true! We all witnessed Old Madam Cao bleeding from her legs—a clear sign of miscarriage!"
The Emperor’s vision darkened as he remembered Cao Yang—his former Minister of Revenue and Justice, a man who had dedicated his life to duty, remaining unmarried until his forties.
Now, after finally taking a wife, he lay unconscious from injuries inflicted by An Sheng.
And now, even his unborn child was slipping away...
The Emperor’s expression turned icy. Before Consort Xue could plead further, he roared, "Bring him before me!"
Yan Zheng stepped aside with a faint smile.
Soon, Xue Gui was dragged in, clutching his right eye and wailing. "Your Majesty! You must avenge me! That vicious woman injured my eye—the physician says I may lose it!"
The Emperor glared. "Oh? Who injured you?"
"Chu Jing! My former wife!"
"And why would she attack you unprovoked?"
Xue Gui hesitated, glancing at his sister.
Consort Xue frantically signaled him to stop, but he misinterpreted her look as encouragement. "The shrew is paranoid! I merely invited her for tea to reminisce, but she accused me of ill intent and stabbed me with a hairpin!"
"Your Majesty! Assaulting an official is unforgivable! Arrest her at once! And the Cao family, failing to control her, should also be—"
Crash!
The Emperor hurled a teacup at his feet.
Consort Xue knew it was over. The scalding water splashed onto Xue Gui as the Emperor thundered, "Tea? You invited her to bed! Multiple men tearing at her clothes—was that also tea? Xue Gui, how many times have I spared you for Consort Xue’s sake? Did you think I forgot about the weapons embezzlement case?!"
Xue Gui collapsed to his knees. "I beg for mercy!"
Every other official involved in that scandal had been punished—only he escaped.
Now, with the Emperor reopening the case, his fate was sealed.
"Mercy? Too late!" The Emperor stormed toward him, pointing at Old Censor Wang and the others. "Do you know how old the Censor is? He had to kneel before me because of you! Do you know how many cases Shi Hong handles daily? Yet he, the Prefect, and the Minister of Justice all came to plead against you! You, Xue Gui, are so important that my highest ministers must kneel to condemn you!"
Trembling, Xue Gui kowtowed frantically, only for the Emperor to kick him away.
"You think my love for Consort Xue will save you? You disgrace her! Guards!"
The imperial guards rushed in.
As the Emperor prepared to pass judgment, Consort Xue threw herself at his feet. "Your Majesty! He is my only brother! I beg you, remember our lost Fifth Prince—spare him this once!"
The mention of their deceased son struck the Emperor like a knife to the heart.
The Emperor hesitated.
Shi Hong whispered, "Chief Minister!"
This was a reminder to Yan Zheng—under no circumstances should the Xue family be allowed to regain power.
Given the current situation, a deadly feud had already been forged. Allowing the Xue family even the slightest opportunity would spell endless trouble in the future.
Yan Zheng understood this well. He gave Shi Hong a reassuring glance before turning his gaze toward the palace doors.
By his calculations, the person should have arrived by now.
As expected, a young eunuch hurried into the hall and whispered something to Yin Shun.
Yin Shun promptly announced, "Your Majesty, Old Madam Cao has arrived—and she has brought Lord Cao with her, carried in on a litter!"
