The atmosphere at this morning’s court session was somewhat frigid.

The ministers who were better informed already knew about what had happened last night. Each one was carefully guarding their thoughts, not daring to rashly submit memorials.

Finally enduring until the morning court ended, everyone scattered swiftly.

“Second son, you stay behind!”

The Emperor spoke coldly, his voice seeming to carry icicles as it shot straight toward Prince Gongxi’s brow.

His fingers couldn’t help but tighten.

Last night’s affair, he had conducted very secretly. No matter how they investigated, it couldn’t possibly be traced back to him.

Even if some suspicious traces were discovered, all the clues would point to the Gongsun family.

Thinking of this, Prince Gongxi calmed down somewhat.

He followed the Emperor to the imperial study.

The Empress and the Crown Prince were both there, as was Chu Yi. Eunuch Gao closed the door and withdrew.

“You all know about last night’s matter.” The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, his expression inscrutable. “There’s no need for me to state it explicitly, is there?”

“Your Majesty, I just asked my nephew. Last night he went to the horse grounds and passed by Prince Pingxi’s residence but didn’t do anything else.” The Empress spoke slowly. “I was thinking, could it be that Princess Guli learned of this woman’s existence and dealt with her before the grand wedding?”

The Crown Prince quickly shook his head: “Yesterday I played polo with Princess Guli’s brother. The prince said his sister Princess Guli doesn’t like third brother. How could she possibly kill someone in the capital of Great Jin for third brother’s sake?”

The Empress looked at her son with disappointment, feeling he had failed to meet expectations.

Now that evidence pointed to the Gongsun family, she had to point out a second suspect.

Otherwise, she and her son would fall into a strange cycle of self-incrimination.

Prince Gongxi raised his head and said: “Your son remembers that at the last palace banquet, third brother kicked Minister Gongsun to protect Miss Yun. Could it be that Minister Gongsun harbored resentment and is therefore taking revenge on third brother?”

Hearing this, the Empress was also stunned.

Her nephew was acceptable in other aspects, but when he saw a beauty he couldn’t walk away. Chu Yi had prevented him from getting close to Yun Chu, and that troublemaker might indeed take revenge on Chu Yi because of this, and wouldn’t dare tell her, his aunt… Could it be…

Even if it were true, she couldn’t admit it.

She countered: “I heard that the place where Miss Liu was taken was ancestral land of the Gui family. Mo’er, is this so?”

Prince Gongxi Chu Mo said incredulously: “That land may have belonged to the Gui family hundreds of years ago, but it was sold long ago and has nothing to do with the Gui family.”

If we’re going to talk like that, at least half the land in the capital once belonged to the Gui family, because hundreds of years ago the Gui family was the capital’s famous major landowner. Later, when they pursued official careers, they gradually sold off those estates…

“Mother Empress has the Gongsun family, Second Brother has the Gui family, and I have nothing.” A bitter smile appeared on Chu Yi’s lips. “The Yin family is incompetent, and your son is also incompetent. I couldn’t protect my own woman. I don’t blame Mother Empress, I don’t blame Second Brother. It’s because I myself am too useless. It’s because I wronged her…”

The Emperor’s brows were gloomy.

He had the Yulin Guards investigate all night, and until now they hadn’t found any obvious evidence.

But clearly, it was either the Empress or the second son.

Even if nothing could be discovered, he still had to give the third son an explanation.

Looking at it now, the third son indeed seemed too weak in power.

His maternal Yin family had only one fifth-rank minor official with absolutely no presence in the court, incomparable to the Empress’s maternal family and Consort Hui’s maternal family—the difference was more than just substantial.

Moreover, the Crown Prince’s primary consort and two secondary consorts all came from distinguished backgrounds, Prince Gongxi’s princess consort was also a Grand Scholar’s daughter, but looking at Chu Yi, he truly lacked everything.

“No need to make excuses anymore.” The Emperor coldly slapped the table once. “The Empress failed in her duties. Her monthly allowance is reduced for half a year.”

The Empress said incredulously: “Your Majesty, I…”

“Let me ask you, even if this matter wasn’t your doing, a woman in the capital died innocently. Isn’t that your failure in duty?” The Emperor asked coldly.

The Empress pressed her lips together: “I accept the punishment.”

“And you, second son.” The Emperor’s voice grew colder. “Don’t go to the Ministry of Revenue for now. You’re punished to contemplate your errors behind closed doors for three months. Do you accept this?”

Prince Gongxi lowered his head: “Your son accepts.”

After all that scheming and calculating, he had gained nothing.

Chu Yi’s expression was very heavy.

Although that woman deserved to die.

But from Father Emperor’s perspective, she was an innocent woman, his son’s beloved.

A woman had died just like that, yet the punishment was merely a reduced allowance and contemplating errors behind closed doors.

In the imperial city, human life was too cheap.

“Consort Yin has been at the rank of consort for quite some years now, hasn’t she?” After a moment’s consideration, the Emperor said, “Transmit my decree to immediately confer the title of Imperial Consort upon Consort Yin.”

The Empress lowered her head: “Yes, I will handle it immediately.”

She imperceptibly glanced at Chu Yi.

This matter had caused her, the dignified mother of the nation, to have her monthly allowance reduced for half a year. The money wasn’t the problem; what was important was that she had lost the dignity of the nation’s mother and become a laughingstock.

Secondly, the second son had also been kicked out of the Ministry of Revenue by His Majesty and punished to contemplate his errors behind closed doors for three months, which was quite a severe punishment.

Yet the third son had thereby gained His Majesty’s sympathy and favor, and Consort Yin had also become an Imperial Consort.

She had good reason to suspect that the third son had used his beloved to orchestrate this entire series of events…

After leaving the imperial study, the Empress summoned Gongsun Ning and scolded him bloody.

“Aunt, I’m truly wronged…” Gongsun Ning wanted to cry but had no tears. “I did think about revenge, but that person is Prince Pingxi, who has the Yun Family Army in his hands, plus those eight thousand elite bandit-suppression troops. I may have the malicious intent but not the courage. I truly did nothing!”

The Empress narrowed her eyes.

Since this matter had nothing to do with the Gongsun family, then she had been dragged into the water by the second son, Chu Mo.

What a Chu Mo, daring to scheme against the Eastern Palace.

Inside the imperial study, the Emperor stepped down from the dragon throne and pressed Chu Yi’s shoulder: “Yi’er, she’s just a woman…”

“She was my beloved. I wronged her.” Chu Yi lowered his head. “Her death was entirely because I agreed to marry the Princess of Hongnan Kingdom. The Empress and Second Brother therefore couldn’t tolerate me. Father Emperor, let this matter rest.”

The Emperor’s head began to ache.

Fortunately, he had vaguely heard that Princess Guli was also not very satisfied with this marriage.

Since both parties were unwilling, why force them to become a resentful couple?

Thinking of this, the Emperor nodded with a magnanimous expression: “Since that’s the case, the marriage is canceled. But Yi’er, you are a man, a grown man shouldn’t be immersed in romantic sentiments. You should pull yourself together soon.”

Chu Yi looked sorrowful: “Yes, Father Emperor.”

He cupped his hands and was about to take his leave.

“Wait a moment.” The Emperor called out to him. “With all the unrest last night, I almost forgot that today is Yu’er and Changsheng’s birthday. This is a little token of affection that I, their Imperial Grandfather, prepared for the two of them. Take it back to them.”

Chu Yi nodded: “Thank you, Father Emperor.”

What the Emperor prepared were bolts of cloth and the four treasures of the study.

Not only did the Emperor bestow gifts, Consort Yin… or rather, Imperial Consort Yin had also arranged early for people to send birthday gifts for the children.

Chu Hongyu was extremely happy.

From now on, he and his sister would have two birthdays. The first day they would celebrate with Mother and their maternal family, and the second day they would enter the palace to celebrate with Imperial Grandmother.

Was there anyone in the world happier than he and his sister?