“Your Majesty, Nanny Zhang requests an audience.”

Eunuch Li spoke in a low voice at the Emperor’s side.

“Why has she come?” The Emperor held the vermilion brush in his hand, lifted his head in puzzlement, and with a wave of his large hand said, “Summon her.”

Nanny Zhang hurried in, just in time to see the maids in the study lowering their heads and withdrawing, leaving only the Emperor and Eunuch Li. She respectfully performed a bow: “This old servant pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“Instead of attending to the Crown Princess, what are you doing entering the palace?” The Emperor raised his hand to signal her to rise and asked casually.

“The Crown Princess has submitted a plaque to enter the palace and is now in the Empress’s palace.” Nanny Zhang’s brows and eyes were stern, her expression poor, clearly something had happened. “This old servant has come now to report an urgent matter.”

As she spoke, Nanny Zhang recounted from last night to this morning, how Lin Weiyin took advantage of the situation to curry favor and mock the Crown Princess, recounting it word for word, without omission.

Her wording was precise, not mixed with the slightest bit of personal color, yet the more it was fact, the more it provoked fury.

The Emperor’s expression changed at once, his thick brows knitting, his lips pressed tight.

“The Crown Princess grew up in the Lin residence from childhood, and her reputation is far inferior to that of her elder sister, let that be. Now that she has received the imperial family’s favor and been conferred as the noble and precious Crown Princess, this person, having only received a single night’s favor, actually dares in front of everyone to mock her with barbed words.” As Nanny Zhang spoke, she let out a long sigh, helplessness in her eyes. “Who knows how much hardship the Crown Princess has suffered in the past.”

The Emperor had known of this matter when choosing the Crown Princess.

A compliant person, if not strong enough, would certainly be bullied.

“The Crown Princess is obedient and compliant, not as clever and crafty as others.” Nanny Zhang shook her head. “If not for this old servant’s reminder, I fear she would have swallowed this grievance obediently, waited for a few coaxing words from His Highness the Crown Prince, and then welcomed the person into the residence.”

These words were reasonable.

The Emperor’s breathing rose and fell in his chest and abdomen as he tried to ease the stifled anger in his heart, but in the end he still widened his eyes, his brows raised in fury, and with a “pa” slammed down the brush in his hand, cursing, “Unfilial son!”

The jade brush shattered on the ground at once, breaking into scattered pieces, a few drops of vermilion ink falling, like bloodstains.

“Outrageous!” The Emperor held the table, steadying the dizziness caused by surging blood and qi, and rebuked harshly, “With so many women in this world, he insists on neglecting the Crown Princess, and must, in the middle of the night, fool around with her elder sister who is yet to be married?!”

“It is common for men to be sentimental, but this matter has indeed lost propriety.” Nanny Zhang seemed to console as she sighed, “If earlier she had been brought into the residence as a tengqie together, it would have been fine—why cause matters now to lose face on all sides.”

“This is the Crown Princess I personally appointed for him!” The Emperor thought of how, just a few days ago, the Crown Prince had treated Lin Yuanjin with such gentleness and courtesy before him, which suddenly became utterly false; the more he thought, the angrier he grew. “The Crown Prince was still saying a few days ago that he cherished his wife!”

If he truly cherished her, would he not even be able to achieve the most basic mutual respect between husband and wife?!

Clearly it was all false!

Yesterday, the Crown Princess had defended the Crown Prince in every possible way at the banquet; her deep affection had made the Emperor suddenly think of his early-deceased Empress. Yet in just one short night, even if they had not yet been deeply in love as husband and wife, the Crown Prince had still committed such a disgraceful act.

“This son is utterly unlike me!” The Emperor said in a low voice.

If it were him, he would absolutely not leave his beloved wife, waiting bitterly through the long night, unattended, and instead be so easily led away by some improper person.

The Emperor turned his head and asked, “Where is the Crown Princess?”

“No matter how wanton the one at fault may be, she is still of the Lin family, the Crown Princess’s elder sister.” Nanny Zhang sighed again as she spoke. “The Crown Princess is young and inexperienced; I fear she is now in front of the Empress, asking for punishment.”

“What crime does she have?!” The Emperor widened his eyes, and was angered into laughter at once.

He completely forgot the punishments that often implicated others when someone committed a crime. Under the force of the facts, and with others repeatedly emphasizing it in words, in his eyes the Crown Princess had become entirely a pitiful little person, kind and easily bullied.

“Now that the Empress has become a mother-in-law, she has forgotten the suffering of daughters-in-law—how can she stand up for the Crown Princess?” The Emperor sneered, calculation flickering in his eyes. “People’s hearts are biased. No matter how obedient the Crown Princess is, she cannot compare to Cui Xinyi, who grew up before her.”

“The Crown Prince is frivolous; he cannot even handle matters in the inner courtyard, unfit for great responsibility.” He muttered, “I still have to handle it myself.”

After saying this, the Emperor waved his hand to signal Eunuch Li: “Summon the Empress and the Crown Princess.”

At this moment, in Yihe Palace.

The Empress sat upright in the main seat, holding a teacup in her hand, yet not a single drop touched her lips.

Just as the Emperor had expected, after learning Lin Yuanjin’s purpose, the first thing the Empress thought of was not that Lin Yuanjin, as the Crown Princess, had been humiliated, but rather that the Lin family had committed such a disgraceful act. If the Crown Prince had no choice but to bring Lin Weiyin into the residence, then she could also take the opportunity to bring Cui Xinyi into the residence as well.

The Empress had been worrying that the Emperor, out of personal preference, was favoring the Crown Princess and delaying the matter of the Crown Prince taking concubines.

Now that the Lin family had made a mistake, it was truly a case of searching high and low only to find it effortlessly.

“This child Xinyi has been watched by this palace since she was young, growing up together with the Crown Prince.” The Empress lifted the tea lid and brushed the surface of the tea, smiling as she spoke. “The Cui family has raised her well. Since childhood, she has been taught as a future principal wife. Not only is she proper and self-restrained, she is also thorough in managing household affairs.”

Lin Yuanjin sat at the side, holding her teacup, silent.

The Empress did not mention the Lin family in a single word, yet every word was pointing at her and Lin Weiyin in rebuke.

Rebuking her for poor household management and indulging her maternal family, or for scheming to let her elder sister consolidate favor; rebuking the Lin family for improper upbringing, allowing Lin Weiyin, still unmarried, to seduce the Crown Prince—utterly improper.

“The Lin family lacks foundation, and your mother is not from a noble lineage, so there are inevitably some oversights.” The Empress’s eyes held a smile; though her tone seemed like consultation, it carried an air that brooked no refusal. “Xinyi is clever and considerate. Once she enters the residence, she can assist you.”

Lin Yuanjin lowered her eyes, understanding. The Empress not only wanted Cui Xinyi to enter the residence, but also wanted to seize her authority over household management, turning her, the Crown Princess, into one with only a title and no real power.

The former was acceptable, but the latter was not.

Lin Yuanjin could disregard the power of the Crown Princess, but she could not disregard her own life.

The Lin family was already no match for the Cui clan. If she lost her authority as well, her position as Crown Princess would instead harm her, making others think she was someone everyone could bully.

People’s hearts are easily changed. Cui Xinyi may now wholeheartedly admire the Crown Prince—who knows what will happen in the future?

Lin Yuanjin would not gamble her life on another person’s conscience.

She did not respond. Her jade-like fingers lightly rubbed the teacup, as if in thought.

Suddenly, a palace maid entered from outside. Not only did she interrupt the standoff between the Empress and Lin Yuanjin, she also bent to whisper a few words into the Empress’s ear.

“Eunuch Li? What is he here for?” The Empress straightened in surprise. Though puzzled, her gaze quickly fell on Lin Yuanjin. Thinking of how Nanny Zhang was no longer by her side when she entered the hall, she suddenly realized the cause, and her gaze toward Lin Yuanjin grew even more dissatisfied. “Summon him.”

Even though the Empress did not truly believe this was Lin Yuanjin’s scheme—after all, Nanny Zhang belonged to the Emperor—it did not prevent her from venting her anger on Lin Yuanjin.

Very quickly, Eunuch Li, holding a fly-whisk, hurried into the hall with a full smile, his eyes narrowed into a line. “By His Majesty’s order, the Empress and the Crown Princess are summoned to Xuanyang Palace to converse.”

“It has disturbed Your Highness and the Crown Princess’s conversation—this old servant is at fault—but His Majesty’s order cannot be delayed.” Eunuch Li turned his head to look at the Crown Princess, speaking gently.

The Empress cast a glance, signaling the palace maid beside her to slip a purse into Eunuch Li’s sleeve, and asked in confusion, “For what matter has His Majesty summoned us?”

“His Majesty heard that the Crown Princess has entered the palace, and merely wishes to enjoy familial happiness and chat about household matters.” Eunuch Li accepted it without changing his expression and offered a hint.

The Empress’s speculation was confirmed, and her dissatisfaction deepened. She cast a bland glance at Lin Yuanjin, then raised her hand to summon her attendants. “Let us go.”

Both of them knew the reason for the Emperor’s summons and could not let the Son of Heaven wait long.

Along the way, each harbored their own thoughts, silent. When they hurriedly arrived at Xuanyang Palace, Eunuch Li led them straight inside. At the main seat sat the Emperor, holding a teacup, waiting.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” The two, whose atmosphere had just been tense, bowed at the same time.

“Rise.” The Emperor lifted his hand slightly, first looking toward the Empress, and asked leisurely, “It seems I have heard that the Empress has once again been impatiently arranging matters of the Crown Prince’s inner courtyard?”

He seemed to have been holding back for a long time; although his tone was calm, his words were particularly direct, filled everywhere with dissatisfaction.

“That is not the case.” The Empress’s smile froze at once. She glanced at Lin Yuanjin, then said with an embarrassed smile, “This concubine merely sympathizes with the Crown Princess being young and frail, not yet experienced, and wished to find her a helper.”

How did the Emperor know?!

“I merely spoke casually, yet it turns out this truly is the case.” The Emperor gave a light laugh, but there was no smile in his eyes; he did not accept her explanation at all. “You may deceive children with such words, yet now you even come before me to display your skill.”

The smile on the Empress’s face gradually faded, unease rising in her heart. She could not tell whether the Emperor truly had informants watching her, or whether, as he said, he had merely tested her casually.

Seeing that she could no longer maintain her composure, Lin Yuanjin once again knelt respectfully, her forehead touching the ground.