In fact, all three men outside the hall had heard Li Helan’s furious screaming clearly.

Li Qitian pretended not to hear because his sister was behaving so promiscuously, and being caught in the act by the two parties involved was too disgraceful.

Pang Xiao was completely absorbed by the unconscious Qin Yining on the ground, so frightened his soul nearly left his body, with no attention to spare for anything else.

Ji Zeyu took a deep look at Li Helan, then stood behind Li Qitian, unwilling to say another word, his expression unprecedentedly rigid.

The Empress Dowager’s hands had gone cold, yet she still maintained a proper and noble smile on her face: “It’s like this—An’yang had some wine and became a bit drunk, so everything she said was drunken nonsense. The Princess fell down carelessly herself, perhaps she hit something and fainted. I’ve already ordered someone to fetch the imperial physician.”

Pang Xiao’s fists clenched tightly behind his back. If he hadn’t forced himself to stay calm, curse words would have already spilled from his lips.

His perfectly healthy wife had been fine when he brought her in, even knowing to cooperate with him in their act. How long had he been away before she collapsed like this!

Pang Xiao strode forward and half-lifted Qin Yining, letting her head rest in the crook of his arm. He wanted to show concern but dared not be too obvious, fearing it would arouse greater suspicion.

So what everyone saw was Pang Xiao holding Qin Yining with a dark expression, his face full of gloom.

People couldn’t tell whether he was heartbroken for his wife or felt his dignity had been violated.

Li Helan had calmed down by now. Because she had been too angry earlier and had shouted extensively, her head was still buzzing.

But the rationality that returned with calmness told her she seemed to have caused a great disaster.

Those words of hers had been heard by Prince Consort Ji!

Li Helan’s heart was in turmoil as she carefully glanced at Ji Zeyu, discovering he still had his usual cold demeanor, as if even if the sky fell, he would only show this same expression.

Li Helan felt her heart had already gone half cold.

All her recent efforts to have food boxes, clothes, and her own embroidery sent to Ji Zeyu—all her attempts to curry favor—had probably been in vain. She didn’t know if Ji Zeyu had heard those words just now. If he had, perhaps she would never have a chance to win this man’s heart in this lifetime.

Men like Ji Zeyu and Pang Xiao, who had shed blood killing enemies on battlefields—who among them could tolerate a wife whose heart was always thinking of another man, causing such a scene?

This was equivalent to slapping Ji Zeyu hard across the face, and doing so in front of outsiders.

The reason Ji Zeyu remained silent was only because she was a princess and he was the prince consort who had married the princess.

If not for this status standing between them, she probably would have received divorce papers long ago.

Li Helan looked at Ji Zeyu’s handsome face, then at Pang Xiao crouching on the ground half-holding Qin Yining without saying a word, suddenly feeling that everything had fallen apart—she had lost everything.

“The imperial physician has arrived!”

Just as everyone’s thoughts were racing, the imperial physician had already been dragged in stumbling by eunuchs.

Seeing His Majesty and both war gods present, the imperial physician was so frightened he fell to his knees with a thud: “This old subject pays respects to…”

“Skip the formalities, quickly examine the Princess.”

“Yes!” Hearing the urgency in Li Qitian’s voice, the imperial physician dared not delay and hurried to Qin Yining’s side to treat her.

On the way here, the little eunuch who had summoned him had already hinted at the Empress Dowager’s intentions, so the imperial physician had originally planned to respond according to the Empress Dowager’s wishes.

But who could have expected that the nation’s two great military commanders, those princely war gods like killing spirits, would be staring at him so intently? Even His Majesty was watching like a hawk from the side.

For a moment, the imperial physician didn’t know how to respond. Following the Empress Dowager’s wishes might very well offend others, but if he didn’t follow them, while he wouldn’t offend others, he would offend the Empress Dowager.

This matter—there was truly no right way to handle it!

Seeing sweat beading on the imperial physician’s forehead, Pang Xiao bit his teeth tightly with worry and asked in a low voice: “How is she?”

His deep voice startled the imperial physician’s heart, and he blurted out: “The Princess’s body has no serious problems. Perhaps she received some shock and suddenly fainted. This…”

After saying this, he remembered the Empress Dowager’s instructions and was so frightened his face went white.

Pang Xiao pressed: “What kind of shock?”

“Just, just… emotions.” The imperial physician dared not meet the Empress Dowager’s gaze and stammered: “Extreme anger, extreme sorrow, extreme joy—any of these could cause emotional fluctuations, so fainting from this isn’t strange.”

Having already told the truth, there was really no taking it back now, so the imperial physician could only bite the bullet and speak honestly.

“I see.” Pang Xiao turned back to glance at the Empress Dowager and Li Helan. “So my humble wife’s condition wasn’t caused by hitting something after all. Since there’s nothing seriously wrong, this subject will take her back now.” The last sentence was directed as a question to Li Qitian.

Li Qitian was already furious, his face ashen with anger. But with Pang Xiao asking this way, he had absolutely no reason to refuse. Currently, he had no one in his cabinet, and the only noble faction that could speak for him was Pang Xiao. With things having reached this point, he still hoped to win over Pang Xiao for great undertakings, never expecting that these two troublemakers in the inner palace would brazenly lie and offend him.

“Since there’s nothing seriously wrong, taking her back to the residence to recuperate is good.” Li Qitian nodded with apparent concern.

Pang Xiao then lifted Qin Yining horizontally in his arms. Suddenly remembering something, he looked down at the nervous imperial physician.

“Imperial Physician, since you examined my humble wife’s pulse, from now on I’ll have to trouble you to regularly monitor her condition.”

With one sentence, he put the imperial physician’s anxious heart at ease. Because Pang Xiao wanted him to care for the Princess’s pulse, even if the Empress Dowager was angry, she wouldn’t dare harm his life. The imperial physician understood that Pang Xiao was protecting him because he had told the truth, fearing he might be implicated.

The imperial physician hurriedly bowed: “Yes, this old one will certainly do his utmost.”

Pang Xiao nodded, then looked toward the Empress Dowager and Li Helan with her tear-stained face.

“This prince is very curious to know how a person who was perfectly fine when brought into the palace this morning could suddenly be shocked into fainting just from chatting with the Empress Dowager and Princess Imperial An’yang in Ci’an Palace. And what exactly did Princess Imperial An’yang say when she threw her drunken tantrum?”

In his fury, Pang Xiao’s dark tone made people feel the suffocating pressure of storm clouds gathering. Even Li Qitian, despite being emperor, felt an undeniable sense of oppression.

The Empress Dowager and Princess, both being women, dared not meet Pang Xiao’s murderous gaze.

To ease the awkward atmosphere, Li Qitian turned back to order the preparation of carriages and horses, also instructing the imperial physician to treat Qin Yining well.

The imperial physician complied and followed Pang Xiao, who was carrying Qin Yining, out of Ci’an Palace.

After Pang Xiao’s figure had disappeared and only the Empress Dowager, Li Helan, Ji Zeyu, and Li Qitian remained in Ci’an Palace, Li Qitian finally angrily swept everything off the table.

Cups, dishes, and tea bowls crashed to the floor, the shattered porcelain emitting sharp, piercing sounds that made everyone even more agitated.

“What happened! Didn’t I say that Pang Zhixi is my trusted minister whom I intend to rely on heavily, and you turn around and bully his wife? What exactly were you thinking? Are you deliberately trying to undermine me and make me look bad!”

“Imperial brother, you misunderstand. It really was because Lan’er had some wine earlier and couldn’t control her emotions. That Qin woman was showing off in front of Lan’er. Even if she fainted from anger, that’s her own business.”

“You still dare to argue?” Li Qitian snorted coldly in fury. “Do you think everyone is blind and stupid? You’re insulting my two trusted ministers—where does this leave me! I value Ji Lan and wanted us to become one family, so I chose him as your prince consort. What’s wrong with Ji Lan? Hmm? With his military achievements that terrified the Tatars, his outstanding abilities and appearance—how is he unworthy of you? Tell me!”

Li Qitian had always doted on Li Helan and rarely lost his temper with her, especially with others present.

Li Helan was shocked by Li Qitian’s interrogation.

Her lips trembling with fear, she said: “No, imperial brother, you misunderstand. The Prince Consort also misunderstands. I didn’t mean that.”

“Yes, An’yang truly isn’t that kind of girl. Your Majesty, you’re An’yang’s own brother who practically watched her grow up. Don’t you know what she’s like?” The Empress Dowager also hurried to smooth things over.

Li Qitian was about to explode with rage and at this moment couldn’t care that the Empress Dowager was his mother. He immediately said: “If you hadn’t spoiled and indulged her, could she have become like this now? Unable to get what she wants, she becomes cynical, feeling the whole world owes her something. Not only can’t she help me, she causes trouble everywhere. What use do I have for such a sister!”

“Your Majesty!” Hearing this, the Empress Dowager was so frightened her face turned ashen. Was Li Qitian planning to kill Li Helan?

The Empress Dowager grasped Li Qitian’s hand: “Your Majesty, please don’t be impulsive. Lan’er is your own sister!”

“Yes, she’s my own sister, but how has she helped me? She can’t do anything well and causes trouble everywhere!”

Li Qitian strode up to Li Helan and pointed at her nose as he scolded: “I chose a prince consort for you, but you won’t live properly. Instead, you meddle in everything and even dare to conflict with a court official’s wife, all for what? To compete for someone else’s husband! Do you think there’s any face left if this gets out? If you have no shame, I’m embarrassed for you!”

“Imperial brother!” Li Helan looked at Li Qitian in disbelief, sobbing: “Imperial brother, how can you say such things about Lan’er!”

“Did I say anything wrong? Whether I’m right or not, you know best in your heart. From now on, you will return to the Princess Mansion and reflect behind closed doors, copying women’s moral precepts every day until I’m satisfied before you’re allowed out. If you behave well and regain your former understanding and obedience, I’ll let you out. Otherwise, you’ll spend your lifetime copying women’s precepts in there. Do you hear me!”

Li Helan felt as if struck by lightning from a clear sky, her body swaying.

But Ji Zeyu kept his eyes downcast as if he hadn’t seen, and even with Li Helan beside him, he wouldn’t extend a hand to support her.

“Imperial brother, Lan’er doesn’t want to! Lan’er doesn’t want to!”

“Don’t want to? Do you wish to defy the imperial decree?” Li Qitian asked with a stern face.

Li Helan immediately trembled with fright.

She could truly see now that Li Qitian was a heartless person who wouldn’t remember old affections. Perhaps if it truly benefited his imperial position, she, Li Helan, would have already become a handful of yellow earth long ago.