Now, in this crowded palace gathering, Xiaoying was deliberately provoking him.

Feng Yuan turned around calmly. While adjusting her cloak, he used his height as cover to quickly plant a kiss on her cheek and whispered, “Being so mischievous… I’ll deal with you when we return to the prince’s mansion…”

Xiaoying giggled but noticed Feng Yuan’s gaze shifting past her to someone behind.

Following his line of sight, Xiaoying saw Mu Hanjiang, who hadn’t appeared in public for a long time.

The former young master in white robes seemed to have recovered his composure. His beard was cleanly shaved, and his hair neatly arranged, no longer showing the dejected appearance he had while recuperating at the prince’s mansion.

However, he seemed to have lost considerable weight and no longer favored white clothing. Instead, he wore plain black robes, which, combined with the darkness in his eyes, gave people a gloomy feeling.

He had obviously witnessed the moment when Feng Yuan had embraced and kissed Xiaoying. The young master’s jawline tensed, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

Duke Ding, who walked beside him, observed the three young people with a composed expression, suddenly feeling that this scene was familiar.

Buddha says: Without mind, there is no emotion; without emotion, there is no love; without love, there is no desire; without desire, there is no delusion.

Failing to achieve a state without desire leads to the growth of emotions, love, and yearnings.

No one understood better than him the painful taste of jealousy breeding inner demons.

Now, in the cycle of karma, Mu Hanjiang seemed to be experiencing everything he once went through, perhaps even worse—caught unprepared, his life turned upside down.

Feng Yuan, the illegitimate child whom Mu Hanjiang had pitied and sympathized with since childhood, had suddenly become Dafeng’s noble Crown Prince and was about to marry the lady he loved.

The once elegant young master dressed in snow-white had become an illegitimate son who couldn’t face the light, and now had to watch helplessly as the lady he cherished was to be wed to another?

Such a sudden fall would breed the most poisonous and potent resentment!

Thinking of this, Duke Ding stood behind Mu Hanjiang and softly said, “This Lady Ying is truly radiant, certainly different from the other young ladies in the capital. No wonder you liked her…”

Hearing this, Mu Hanjiang quickly averted his gaze and coldly replied, “What are you talking about, Father? I have no relationship with her.”

Just then, Xiaoying greeted him with natural grace, raising her hand: “Has the young master’s injury completely healed?”

Mu Hanjiang didn’t even look at her, instead turning to follow Duke Ding toward His Majesty’s study.

Xiaoying laughed in frustration and asked Feng Yuan, “What’s going on? Judging by his manner, it seems he hasn’t fallen out with Duke Ding?”

Feng Yuan replied calmly, “Duke Ding blamed the Xiaoyin Mountain Villa incident entirely on Princess Anqing’s failure to supervise her subordinates. Fan Shiqi, whose hands and feet were rendered useless, was found hanged with a suicide note at the main beam of Xiaoyin Mountain Villa. The Imperial Court confiscated the gambling houses and money shops operated by Xiaoyin Mountain Villa, which was enough to settle the matter. As for Duke Ding, he probably fabricated a convincing story for both the Princess and Mu Hanjiang.”

Xiaoying raised her eyebrows. “Let me guess, the seized gambling houses and money shops were probably poorly managed, leaving behind just empty shells?”

Creating false accounts wasn’t difficult. Once the money and silver were transferred away, after the storm passed, Xiaoyin’s money shops and gambling houses would rise from the ashes like his private ironworks.

Feng Yuan nodded, and Xiaoying truly admired Duke Ding’s powers of deception.

As for Princess Anqing, despite her proper and restrained appearance, she was easily swayed emotionally.

Xiaoying had heard Xiao Tianyang mention that the Princess had been infatuated with Duke Ding since her youth. This unrequited longing from her lower position had continued after her marriage, with Duke Ding seemingly always having leverage over Anqing, forcing her compliance.

The death of Swordmaster Xiao Jiumu was filled with suspicious points. If it had been Xiaoying’s father, he would have dug three feet into the ground to uncover the truth.

Yet Princess Anqing could lightly dismiss the matter of her father being secretly attacked by Chen Xifan. She accepted punishment from His Majesty, admitting her dereliction of duty in failing to restrain the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards, allowing Duke Ding, who lurked in the background, to escape unscathed.

Such power of enchantment was truly astonishing!

When the father and son left His Majesty’s study and walked to a secluded palace alley, Duke Ding finally said to Mu Hanjiang, “Do you know why I stopped you earlier from pleading for the former Dragon Scale Shadow Guards?”

Mu Hanjiang maintained his tense expression and replied coldly, “These men have served in the Dragon Scale since their youth, many now middle-aged with no other skills. With such a sudden disbandment and merely a few dozen taels as settlement, how will they support their wives and children?”

Duke Ding sighed, “Can’t you see that His Majesty is using this opportunity to disband the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards?”

Reportedly, the newly established secret guard called the Sacred Robe Guards was formed by His Majesty recruiting experts, following Ye Zhanxue’s approach from years ago.

The difference from the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards was that this time, Emperor Chunde personally controlled them, without any long-standing ailments, making them naturally more trustworthy.

Duke Ding continued, “His Majesty has wanted to disband the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards for a long time. Previously, he hesitated because your mother was Xiao Jiumu’s orphaned daughter, and many in the guard had intricate connections with the Xiao family. He couldn’t disband them directly without hurting the sentiments of old retainers from his time as crown prince.”

Mu Hanjiang tightened his throat and said softly, “Father needn’t explain. I’m the one who harmed my subordinates in the guard!”

By now, Mu Hanjiang had finally realized that when he had concealed the truth from His Majesty and took full responsibility for instigating the Jiangzhe conflict, he had touched the Emperor’s reverse scale.

How could an enforcement tool serving as His Majesty’s right hand dare to have its thoughts and do other things?

Even if Mu Hanjiang was his flesh and blood born out of wedlock, this was unacceptable!

Mu Hanjiang knew that since that incident, many mistakes of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards began to be exposed one after another. His Majesty no longer covered for them, adopting a stance of handling matters according to regulations.

This Xiaoyin Mountain Villa incident merely gave Emperor Chunde a justifiable excuse to take action.

Yesterday, when His Majesty berated Princess Anqing, he, his father, and all the civil and military officials outside the hall had listened.

His mother, who had maintained her face for a lifetime, ultimately failed to preserve her final dignity. Her face turned pale as she walked out of the great hall with slightly faltering steps.

Emperor Chunde’s youthful, illicit affection for Anqing had long transformed into avoidance, fueled by shameful guilt over their impropriety, leaving little trace as the years passed.

And the halo of her father, Swordmaster Xiao Jiumu, which Princess Anqing had relied upon, was no more.

After returning, his mother told Mu Hanjiang that what disappointed her most wasn’t the disbandment of the secret guard she had devoted half her life to, but that His Majesty completely disregarded Mu Hanjiang’s future by including him in the list of those who had neglected their duties.

Even his ceremonial military position had been removed by His Majesty. The Emperor said that he was still young and would be better off staying away from matters of fighting and killing. The Hanlin Academy was currently compiling new books, and Mu Hanjiang could join them.

So not only were those old members of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards suddenly dismissed and left without support,

But all the skills that Mu Hanjiang had cultivated since his youth, enduring beatings and straining his heart’s blood, had all become useless.

Mu Hanjiang remained silent about his mother’s explanation, as if he hadn’t heard it.

Since learning about his mother’s past transgressions, he had not actively spoken to her again.

For Mu Hanjiang, who had always been filial, this was extremely unusual. Princess Anqing went from indignant helplessness to resignation, not knowing how to reclaim her son’s heart.

The only bond connecting mother and son seemed to be Duke Ding.

After finishing the birthday banquet at the palace, Xiaoying observed men wearing the dark purple robes of the Sacred Robe Guards passing by as she exited.

She had heard Feng Yuan mention the Sacred Robe Guards and couldn’t figure out what Duke Ding was up to, so easily relinquishing his power and agreeing to His Majesty’s abolition of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards.

At this moment, the sky seemed about to unleash a gloomy downpour, with low-hanging black clouds pressing down, making it difficult to breathe.

As Xiaoying boarded her carriage and looked back, Young Master Mu in his black attire slowly walked out from the palace gate. Against the backdrop of the opening and closing palace gates’ shadows, his eyes flickered, gazing deeply at her…

Xiaoying’s palace visit this time had completely removed the last reservations about their marriage.

His Majesty had already given tacit approval, and the court officials could no longer raise issues about the resemblance between the Prepared Princess Consort and the Crown Prince.

After all, even His Majesty had personally stated that it was merely a coincidental similarity in appearance, and questioned the motives of those who insisted on making far-fetched connections.

At the same time, His Majesty’s edict to depose the Crown Prince was finally issued.

The frail former Crown Prince Feng Qiyuan finally used the excuse of being too weak to bear the nation’s burden, becoming the only prince in Dafeng’s history to be removed from the position of heir apparent without being demoted.

However, since his removal, court officials hadn’t seen the Crown Prince, leading to various rumors.

Elder Teng was most distressed and, after failing to persuade His Majesty, went to make a scene at Prince Ruixiang’s mansion.

With Xiaoying’s approval, Feng Yuan opened the doors and invited Elder Teng in for tea.

Xiaoying, concerned that Feng Yuan might lose his temper and strike the disrespectful Elder Teng, hid by the tearoom window to eavesdrop.

As usual, Feng Yuan was concise in his speech, saying only that he greatly respected his fourth brother and never meant disrespect. It was Elder Teng’s commotion that tarnished the fourth brother’s reputation.

Elder Teng had witnessed the interaction between the Crown Prince and the Grand Prince in Jiangzhe.

Indeed, as Feng Yuan said, he truly cherished his fourth brother. Sometimes, when inspecting water conservancy projects and encountering waterways, the Grand Prince would carry the Crown Prince on his back without hesitation, truly exemplifying the role of an elder brother.

Moreover, when the brothers were together, there was never any conflict or argument. Most of the time, the Crown Prince would talk cheerfully while the Grand Prince looked at him with indulgence…

Elder Teng later learned that the rumors about the Grand Prince, the Crown Prince, and the Prepared Princess Consort were spread by the lady from the Yao family, certainly with the Second Prince’s involvement.

But he persisted, “The Crown Prince is virtuous and accomplished, with talent to sympathize with all under heaven. Such a talented individual has been deposed. If the Grand Prince truly has no intention of replacing him, he should persuade His Majesty to restore the Crown Prince to his rightful position.”

Feng Yuan replied calmly, “As long as I’m here, my fourth brother’s days will certainly be peaceful and free. Elder Teng need not worry.”

Feng Yuan spoke with sincere earnestness—after all, he was vouching for his brother-in-law, so he couldn’t be ambiguous.

But Elder Teng misunderstood his meaning and looked up at him, “This old man is only concerned about the former Crown Prince’s well-being and has no intention of interfering with the selection of the new heir apparent. If the Grand Prince thinks to recruit this lowly official, you’ve misjudged the person…”

If the Grand Prince intended to use the Crown Prince’s safety as leverage to coerce him into supporting his ascension, then the Prince had miscalculated.

Feng Yuan smiled, and with that smile, the frozen mountain thawed, bringing a sudden warm breeze of spring: “Elder has overthought this. What I want, I need not acquire through others’ hands, nor do I need to step on my fourth brother to reach… If I truly had such thoughts, you and my fourth brother should have died in Jiangzhe. How could you have safely reached today, coming to my residence to scold me with such vigor?”

Though he was smiling, Elder Teng suddenly felt an icy chill.

The dangers of the Jiangzhe conflict were known only to those who had experienced them firsthand. Looking back now, the Grand Prince indeed had the convenience to act in such a manner.

Somehow, Elder Teng felt that the Grand Prince wasn’t joking but had seriously considered this option…

So Elder Teng couldn’t help but probe, “Then… why didn’t the Grand Prince act in that way?”

Feng Yuan reached for his teacup and blew on it casually, “It was just a jest. How could Elder Teng take it seriously?”

He hadn’t done so only because a certain lady had clung to his arm, desperately begging him not to, saying that Elder Teng was a loyal minister who shouldn’t meet his end at the Connected River.

Such good fortune should be cherished by Elder Teng. If he continued to frequently come to his residence to make trouble, pointing fingers at his nose and interfering with his marriage, even the most compassionate heart would crumble.

He was never a person of saintly kindness, and the nearly escaped demonic heart was only pulled back by one person’s persistent effort.

Otherwise, the Feng imperial family would have already been in a bloodbath, killed to the last one. Elder Teng should know when to stop, lest he exhaust his good fortune!

Just then, a neither light nor heavy cough came from outside the window, seemingly reminding Feng Yuan to restrain himself and not further provoke the stubborn old man.

Elder Teng was indeed intimidated by the killing intent suddenly revealed by the Grand Prince.

At this moment, he greatly missed the gentle and amiable Crown Prince. As he rose angrily to leave, he saw the lady who had the same face as the Crown Prince walk in with a smile.

Elder Teng gave the lady a harsh glance and was about to leave when she handed him a letter: “When attending Noble Consort Yi’s birthday celebration, I was entrusted by the Crown Prince to deliver this letter to you, Elder. Please read it.”

Upon hearing this, Elder Teng opened the letter with trembling hands. The letter was indeed in the Crown Prince’s handwriting, extensively reassuring the Elder that the Crown Prince’s removal was exactly what he had wanted. This decision followed his heart, though it failed the loyal ministers who had supported him. Although Dafeng’s mountains and rivers appeared stable, they were beset with difficult ailments, internal troubles, and external threats. Such a situation didn’t require a benevolent ruler but a decisive heir with a profound strategy. Knowing himself inadequate for the task, he retreated from the current and asked the Elder not to insist further.

The letter moved Elder Teng to tears. That the Crown Prince entrusted this lady to deliver it showed his good relationship with the Grand Prince.

He could no longer trouble this soon-to-be-wed couple and rose to bid farewell, though he noticed the ink on the letter still seemed fresh, with a hint of moisture.

Of course, it was fresh—it had just been written, and the ink barely dried with a fan. How could it not be new?

Xiaoying lied with a straight face, neither blushing nor hesitating: “The study has been damp these days due to the southern sky’s return. The ink remains fresh. In a few days, if the Elder has time, would you come to the residence for a cup of celebratory wine?”

Elder Teng, being a civil official and lacking the mind for investigation, didn’t delve into the details. He solemnly put away the letter, looked at the Grand Prince, sighed deeply, waved his hand indicating he had no time, and departed with his hands behind his back.

It seemed that Elder Teng had no interest in the currently popular Grand Prince, whom many officials were betting on.

The old man’s judgment of people was accurate. The Grand Prince’s ruthlessness was too intense. If he became Emperor without restraint, without respected ministers to assist him, he would be in the same class as King Zhou or Emperor Yang—his heart too full of bloodlust!

But in his view, no one among the court officials could restrain the Grand Prince, not even his uncle, General Ye Zhong.

Little did he know that at this moment, the Grand Prince’s neck was being held by a pair of slender arms: “I told you Elder Teng is a stubborn mule who needs gentle handling. Why did you deliberately provoke him?”

Xiaoying frowned, craning her neck to question Feng Yuan.

Feng Yuan, however, encircled her slender waist, somewhat distractedly inhaling the faint fragrance from Xiaoying’s neck.

With both fathers-in-law residing in the Prince’s mansion, bound by propriety, he had been unable to enter Xiaoying’s chambers these days.

This torment, like a slow fire cooking desire, grew increasingly thick, just not knowing when it would boil over and erupt.

In two more days, he could rightfully possess this lady. On their wedding night, how could he allow Elder Teng’s stubborn interference? Naturally, he wanted to resolve this promptly!

He had already decided that if these old ministers continued to meddle, on his wedding day, he would have them all bound and hanged in the pavilion on the outskirts of the city until dawn!

Xiaoying also noticed that Feng Yuan had become less patient these days. Whenever they were alone, he would hold her like a fierce tiger that hadn’t seen meat for ages, clutching her waist so tightly it felt like it might break.

Previously, when they were intimate, Feng Yuan always pulled back at the final moment. Xiaoying had even secretly consulted books, suspecting Feng Yuan suffered from some form of impotence.

However, once she was caught reading such a medical book, Feng Yuan tossed it aside and smiled meaningfully at Xiaoying, saying he would soon let her know whether he was capable or not.

Xiaoying had insincerely comforted him, saying that even if he wasn’t capable, it wouldn’t matter as their connection was spiritual, and physical union wasn’t necessary.

After hearing this, Feng Yuan had teased her to tears and weak knees, making her admit that without physical union, it would indeed be unacceptable.

Given this, Xiaoying, who wasn’t one to be content with just vegetables, also eagerly anticipated their wedding. However, when she tried on her perfectly fitted wedding dress a few days ago, she discovered that the chest and waist areas had become tight and constrained. She had to hurriedly call in a seamstress to loosen the stitches and make it more comfortable.

Xiaoying had just celebrated her birthday, now a full eighteen years old. With regular nourishing sweet bird’s nest soup at the Prince’s mansion, her figure had become more voluptuous; no wonder the wedding dress had become tighter.

On this day, Feng Yuan left early to attend to official business at the Ministry of Personnel. He planned to take Xiaoying on a brief tour after their wedding, so he needed to handle his official duties first.

Since the Sacred Robe Guards had taken office, they had uncovered numerous spies planted by Wei Country in the court. The Imperial Court helped arrest many people, and these vacancies needed to be filled promptly by the Ministry of Personnel, keeping them very busy.

However, many of those arrested protested their innocence, causing disturbances in front of the Imperial Court. These days, the court was fraught with tension, everyone fearing they might be named by the Sacred Robe Guards.

Xiaoying, on the other hand, was relaxed, focusing solely on altering her wedding dress. After the two seamstresses took her measurements and prepared to make adjustments, Xiaoying removed her wedding dress, changed into regular clothes, and casually glanced at the hand of one seamstress holding the measuring tape: “I don’t believe I’ve seen you before?”

The main seamstress hastily replied with trepidation, “This… is my distant cousin. I temporarily called her to help…”

Xiaoying smiled without saying anything, while the cousin seamstress eagerly offered a cup of tea to the Prepared Princess Consort.

Xiaoying accepted the tea, using her long sleeve as a cover, and drank it properly. However, while drinking, her gaze over the tea’s edge looked directly at the one who had offered it.