A young eunuch in blue robes entered. He appeared quite young, with lively eyes – Pan Hai’s apprentice.

Pan Hai frowned and glared at the young eunuch.

This was no ordinary place, and they were serving no ordinary person. Even if the sky were falling, one must remain composed.

The young were indeed inexperienced.

At this moment, the young eunuch paid no heed to his master’s disapproval. As soon as he entered, he reported, “Your Majesty, Prince Xiang requests an audience.”

Emperor Jingming was stunned upon hearing this.

Prince Xiang?

Wasn’t today Eighth Son’s wedding? Had he remembered incorrectly, and Eighth Son wasn’t titled Prince Xiang?

Emperor Jingming couldn’t help but look toward Pan Hai, asking in a deep voice, “Isn’t today Prince Xiang’s wedding?”

Asking this question made Emperor Jingming rather melancholic.

In ordinary families, at this time, parents-in-law would be receiving bows from their son and new daughter-in-law. But in the imperial family, he could only read memorials in the Imperial Study.

It wouldn’t be until tomorrow morning that he could drink the ceremonial tea served by his new daughter-in-law.

Although he had many children and drinking such tea was no longer a novelty, whether it was special or not was one thing, but drinking day-old tea just seemed tasteless.

Pan Hai was also stunned at this moment, but he concealed his surprise and immediately replied to Emperor Jingming’s question, “Yes, it is.”

Upon receiving this confirmation, Emperor Jingming’s heart instantly chilled.

It’s over, it’s over. After that day’s palace banquet, another mishap had occurred!

“Where is Prince Xiang?” Emperor Jingming asked, raising his voice.

The young eunuch cautiously replied, “Prince Xiang is kneeling on the stone steps outside…”

“Tell him to get in here!”

Soon, Prince Xiang was kneeling before Emperor Jingming.

Emperor Jingming examined Prince Xiang carefully.

Compared to the princesses raised in the inner palace whom he rarely saw, he was quite familiar with his eight sons.

The rascal before him was indeed the one who was supposed to get married today!

“Give me a reason for your appearance here.”

Prince Xiang, his forehead pressed against the polished golden bricks, couldn’t control the anger in his voice: “Father Emperor, please punish me. I cannot go through with this marriage today.”

Emperor Jingming slammed the table heavily: “What exactly happened? Raise your head and speak!”

Prince Xiang hesitated for a moment before raising his head, revealing eyes brimming with tears.

Emperor Jingming was taken aback.

The little rascal was crying? A grown man, crying over something?

Thinking of this, Emperor Jingming’s anger suddenly dissipated, and he waited for Prince Xiang to explain.

Prince Xiang, of course, couldn’t cry and wail like a woman. With reddened eyes full of grievance and anger, he said, “On the way to receive the bride, Zhu Ziyu blocked the bridal sedan and tried to snatch the bride… saying he and Miss Cui were in love, that I had stolen her from him…”

As Prince Xiang spoke of this, his entire body trembled.

What could be more humiliating than having millions of people witness a green hat being placed on one’s head?

Today’s incident was a great disgrace and humiliation. He would not rest until this grudge was avenged!

True, he had defied the imperial decree, but if he had to swallow this bitter pill and bring Cui Mingyue into the Prince Xiang mansion just to comply, he would never be able to hold his head high for the rest of his life.

Making the decisive choice to abandon that wretched woman and come to the palace to plead guilty was his best option.

He was gambling on his father’s emperor being able to empathize with his son’s plight.

No, any man would understand his choice.

Prince Xiang inadvertently glanced at Pan Hai, adding mentally: Even half a man would understand.

Pan Hai was puzzled by this glance.

Emperor Jingming had already stood up: “Is this true?”

A prince’s wedding is interrupted by someone trying to snatch the bride… even novels wouldn’t dare write such a plot!

Emperor Jingming clutched his chest, feeling short of breath.

Pan Hai, frightened, repeatedly asked, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what’s wrong?”

Emperor Jingming waved his hand: “Pan Hai, go tell Han Ran to quickly investigate today’s events and report back.”

Han Ran was the commander of the Jinlin Guard. Although he was of equal rank with Pan Hai, Pan Hai could serve the Emperor closely, unlike the Jinlin Guard who had to either report to the Emperor through secret memorials or wait to be summoned.

With this layer of separation, over time, Pan Hai naturally had an edge over Han Ran.

Today’s princely wedding was a major event, and Han Ran had long since dispatched subordinates to watch the streets. After Zhu Ziyu appeared, although the Jinlin Guard members didn’t intervene, they promptly reported the situation to Han Ran.

Emperor Jingming didn’t have to wait long before seeing Pan Hai return with Han Ran.

“Your humble servant greets Your Majesty—”

Emperor Jingming impatiently cut off Han Ran’s words: “Well?”

Han Ran quickly glanced at Prince Xiang kneeling not far away, a flash of sympathy crossing his eyes, before lowering his head and saying, “Reporting to Your Majesty, today during Prince Xiang’s wedding procession, Zhu Ziyu blocked the way…”

Hearing Han Ran’s account, which didn’t differ much from Prince Xiang’s, Emperor Jingming flew into a rage, slamming the table again: “How has Zhu Deming been raising his son? It seems his demotion was for nothing!”

Zhu Deming was originally the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Although not of high rank, he was a notable figure among the numerous officials in the capital.

But after Zhu Ziyu’s scandal, Emperor Jingming demoted him from Junior Minister to a fifth-rank official, suddenly becoming an insignificant minor official.

In terms of ruining his father’s career, Zhu Ziyu had done a splendid job.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, Zhu Ziyu has already been disowned by the Zhu family.”

In an era where clan law often superseded imperial law, being disowned was a severe punishment.

A disowned person would henceforth have no family to rely on, and whatever they did in the future would no longer be associated with the family.

Emperor Jingming paused.

Since Zhu Ziyu had been disowned, naturally the blame could no longer be placed on the Zhu family.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Jingming slightly composed himself and asked, “Do the common people believe that Prince Xiang stole someone’s love?”

The kneeling Prince Xiang secretly gritted his teeth.

Steal someone’s love?

Was his head kicked by a donkey?

Han Ran glanced at Prince Xiang from the corner of his eye again and replied, “Those commoners love to follow rumors. Zhu Ziyu recklessly shouted while holding a banner, and many people believed him. They even said—”

“Said what?”

“They said Zhu Ziyu and Miss Cui were a pair of star-crossed lovers cruelly separated, and that it was quite pitiful…”

Prince Xiang, as a fellow man, I can only help you this far.

Prince Xiang was so moved he almost cried, having to lower his head to conceal his emotions.

Commander Han was being so righteous today.

His father emperor had always cared about his reputation and wouldn’t want to be seen as the villain who separated lovers in the eyes of the common people…

After a long silence, Emperor Jingming spoke: “Pan Hai, summon General Cui Xu and Princess Rongyang to the palace—”

Before he could finish, an eunuch came to report that Princess Rongyang was requesting an audience.

“Royal Brother, you must right this wrong for your sister—” Princess Rongyang rushed in, her tone faltering when she saw Prince Xiang kneeling on the ground.

“I’m listening. Speak slowly,” Emperor Jingming said.

Princess Rongyang had naturally prepared her complaint, focusing on how Prince Xiang had abandoned Cui Mingyue without considering the bigger picture.

After tearfully finishing her complaint, seeing Emperor Jingming with his eyes closed and silent, Princess Rongyang couldn’t help but urge, “Royal Brother, Mingyue has been taken back to the General’s mansion by Cui Xu. What should we do about Mingyue now?”

“It’s just as well that she’s been taken back to the General’s mansion.”

Princess Rongyang was stunned, then heard Emperor Jingming say leisurely, “Since Mingyue and Zhu Ziyu are a pair of lovers, I won’t play the villain. I’ll bestow a marriage upon them instead.”