The maid let out a muffled cry, and Qin Yongtao immediately stopped moving, afraid the servant would hear.

Fortunately, the servant ran off immediately.

Qin Yongtao secretly thought it was a close call. Coming back to his senses, he felt a current of electricity course through his entire body. Qin Yongtao was overjoyed and immediately pressed down on the maid and began moving.

This morning, when he heard that Zhou Li had been confined, he was beside himself with joy and extremely happy.

However, no matter how happy he was, he couldn’t go out drinking and listening to music. Without even anyone to talk to, even his happiness was diminished. Just then, this maid passed by his study, swaying back and forth like a ripe peach, and Qin Yongtao immediately found something to do.

Qin Yongtao used some methods to coax her into his study, and was almost interrupted by the servant.

Just as he was getting into it, the servant spoke outside again: “Master, Master…”

Qin Yongtao was furious: “What is it now?”

After Xu Shi’s incident, Qin Yongtao was afraid people would suspect him, so he replaced many people in the courtyard. This servant was new, still young, and single-mindedly wanted to show his face more before the master.

Everyone else knew the master had business to attend to with the maid, so no one came forward to report and anger the master—they pushed him to go. He understood nothing and foolishly ran back and forth, determined to complete his tasks well.

When Qin Yongtao got angry, he didn’t catch on and reported everything: “Seventh Young Mistress also had her maid bring a letter, which this servant has placed here.”

“…I know!”

“Master, do you want to see the letter? If you do, this servant will go get the key…”

Qin Yongtao held back again and again: “I don’t want to see it!”

The servant was stunned for a moment, scratched his head, and walked away.

After Qin Yongtao had his fill of fooling around, he called the maid to fetch the letter. He was thinking about replacing this foolish boy—if he interrupted him a few more times like this, what would he do if he became impotent in the future?

The maid said coquettishly: “Master, this is a box that can’t be opened without a key.”

Qin Yongtao was surprised: “Wasn’t it said to be a letter?”

The maid swayed her waist as she brought over a small black iron box. Qin Yongtao stroked his chin: “Sending a letter with such ceremony? Go call someone to smash this box open.”

Soon, two strong men came with iron hammers and started pounding the black iron box. Strangely, the box remained perfectly intact, completely undamaged.

Qin Yongtao was furious and had the servant called over: “What exactly did that girl say?”

“Master, Seventh Young Mistress’s maid just said she was following Seventh Young Mistress’s orders and had business to discuss with you.”

“What else did she say?”

“This servant came in to ask for your instructions, and you said you wouldn’t see her, so this servant went out and informed Miss Ziteng. Miss Ziteng then gave this servant this box, and she also said the key to this box was in her hands. If you wanted to see the letters inside, you should send someone to the Liang residence to get the key.”

Qin Yongtao’s eyes blazed with fire: “Why didn’t you get the key?”

The servant said with difficulty: “Master, you said you didn’t want to see it.”

Qin Yongtao almost stumbled, then kicked the box away: “Who wants to see her letters? Such mysterious nonsense!”

He was quite angry. He had wanted that dead girl to expose the Empress, but the dead girl played riddles, delaying again and again, and then there was no movement at all.

With Xu Shi in this condition, who else could handle affairs?

Now it was good—even if that dead girl didn’t handle affairs, his own nephew was still a noble and respected prince. In the future, he wouldn’t need that dead girl.

Qin Yongtao vented his anger, then enjoyed himself again in the evening before sleeping.

The next morning he practiced calligraphy in his study all morning. At noon, he saw that everyone in the courtyard had strange expressions. Steward Qin hurried in: “Master, something terrible has happened!”

Qin Yongtao was displeased: “What is it? What could be so terrible?”

His nephew was now the only prince wielding power. Consort De had also met the same fate as Consort Kang. Although there were still two consorts in the palace, they were not only old and faded but also had no sons.

This made Consort Kang stand out.

Not only was her rank high, but she also had a capable adult son.

So his status as Qin Yongtao was now incomparable to ordinary people, and his rules should naturally be established gradually.

Steward Qin opened his mouth with “something terrible has happened.” In the blink of an eye, Qin Yongtao decided in his heart to go to the Imperial Clan Court later to pick a steward who understood rules and had good judgment—only that would match his status.

Steward Qin didn’t notice Qin Yongtao’s expression because he was truly frightened: “Master, Master, now it’s spreading everywhere outside that Concubine Lian is not, is not your, your daughter…”

“What?!” Qin Yongtao’s mouth could fit an egg: “This, this is what nonsense…”

“Outside, outside people are saying that the old madam was pregnant some time ago… the old madam was addicted to adultery… when she was young she was already like this. Concubine Lian doesn’t look like you at all—she’s not your daughter at all, but is, but is…”

Qin Yongtao’s eyes widened: “This, impossible!”

“Master, this servant doesn’t believe it either, but now it’s spread everywhere… probably, probably Sixth Prince will come soon…”

Before his words finished, they heard someone calling loudly as he entered: “Grandfather, please refute the rumors for Mother Consort!”

Qin Yongtao hadn’t come to his senses yet and looked dazedly as Zhou Qin strode in, obviously very anxious.

Qin Yongtao instinctively said: “This, of course it’s not true! Your mother consort is my biological daughter—how could she be someone else’s child? This is someone with ulterior motives spreading rumors, spreading rumors!”

“Grandfather, please stand up and refute the rumors!”

Qin Yongtao murmured: “Of course, of course I must stand up and refute the rumors.”

Only then did Zhou Qin breathe a sigh of relief: “Grandfather, please go to the Ministry of Rites to refute the rumors about Mother Consort’s identity.”

Qin Yongtao awakened as if from a dream: “Ministry of Rites?”

“Yes, Grandfather, please quickly follow this prince.”

But Qin Yongtao acted as if scalding water had been poured on his feet, actually retreating several steps: “No, I can’t go…”

Zhou Qin was puzzled: “Grandfather, what are you saying?”

“I, I can’t go…”

Zhou Qin’s eyebrows shot up: “Lord Qin!”

Qin Yongtao shuddered and took a deep breath: “Your Highness, please listen to me.”

Zhou Qin felt a bad premonition rising in his heart. After being stunned for a moment, he slowly recovered from his excitement and stared intently at Qin Yongtao, wanting to see what exactly he was going to say.

At this point, how could Qin Yongtao dare to hide anything? He told Zhou Qin about how he and Xu Shi had been intimate during Old Madam Qin’s mourning period, resulting in Xu Shi becoming pregnant. In the end, they spent enormous effort to get rid of that bastard child, but Xu Shi suffered a stroke as a result.

After finishing, Qin Yongtao said: “Your Highness, this rumor must be the work of someone with intentions. If people really investigate, the physician who diagnosed your grandmother still has evidence!”

So this rumor—he actually couldn’t refute it!