Sometimes, that’s just how things are.

Wei Feng’s dissatisfaction with Wei Qiang had been long-standing, but as long as it remained unspoken, these grievances were like moss growing in dark places, like festering sores in the heart—forever hidden from the light.

No matter how turbulent his feelings inside, he would maintain the appearance of brotherly harmony and respect before everyone.

But now that everything had been laid bare, now that the words had been shouted out, that false shell of pretense had been shattered in an instant, just like the broken porcelain scattered across the floor.

A scene of devastation, yet somehow strangely satisfying.

Yes, he had been dissatisfied with Wei Qiang for a long time.

They were both sons of the Prince and Princess Consort, yet Big Brother had monopolized their parents’ attention since childhood, born as heaven’s favored son, the future master of the Prince’s manor.

And what about him? As long as he played the role of a well-fed, worry-free young nobleman and didn’t cause trouble for the family, that was good enough.

He had accepted this—after all, who told him to be born a few years later?

But what he couldn’t stand most was Wei Qiang’s attitude of harboring resentment toward the Pingnan Prince’s manor even after becoming Crown Prince, while Father and Mother, despite being coldly treated by him, still eagerly sought his favor.

Even after becoming Crown Prince, Wei Qiang still monopolized all their parents’ attention.

They say that life brings disappointment eight or nine times out of ten, but for Wei Qiang it was reversed—his life brought satisfaction eight or nine times out of ten, lacking only one or two points, which was the death of Princess Qingyang.

Yet this single point became Wei Qiang’s excuse for tormenting their parents and distancing himself from the Pingnan Prince’s manor.

Where did he get such audacity!

Back then, did Father hold a knife to his throat and force him to do it?

The more Wei Feng thought about it, the angrier he became. That already precarious brotherly bond was like a fragile spider’s thread, finally torn apart by today’s argument.

The festering sore had been uncovered, exposed to sunlight—painful and ugly.

Never before had he been so clearly aware as he was now: he actually loathed Wei Qiang.

He loathed how the other man was born possessing everything yet didn’t cherish it, loathed how he pretended to be noble and aloof while actually being greedy and shameless.

“Go to hell!” Wei Feng kicked over a small stool nearby.

The stool fell among the scattered porcelain shards, looking rather forlorn.

Wei Feng stood up and kicked the stool several more times, venting the fury in his heart.

Compared to Wei Feng’s outward release, Wei Qiang’s anger remained bottled up inside. Returning to the cold Eastern Palace, he felt even more suffocated.

That bastard Wei Feng clearly had never truly respected him as an elder brother, yet dared to interrogate him publicly, putting him in such an awkward position.

Didn’t that fool know that he and the Pingnan Prince’s manor shared both loss and glory?

Wei Qiang picked up his teacup, took a sip, then hurled it to the ground. Suppressing his rage, he demanded, “Who served this tea!”

A palace maid knelt down: “It was this servant.”

“Are you trying to scald me to death?”

The maid bowed her head even lower, prostrating herself on the ground and trembling: “This servant deserves death, I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness…”

Wei Qiang stared down at the palace maid from his superior position, turbulent waves surging in his eyes.

The woman before him lay humbly on the ground, exposing her pale, slender neck, as if it could snap in an instant.

Wei Qiang’s fingers moved involuntarily, and suddenly he thought of that night.

Zhaohua had also had such a slender, pale neck. He had applied only a little force, and then she moved no more.

A strange agitation rose from Wei Qiang’s heart, like an uncontrolled wild beast clamoring to break free from its cage.

Wei Qiang grabbed the palace maid and threw her onto the bed.

Much later, Wei Qiang regained his rationality and said coldly, “Get out. Keep your mouth shut.”

The maid hastily climbed down from the bed, straightened her disheveled clothes, and retreated.

Night had completely fallen. Wei Qiang sat alone for a long while, then let out a long sigh.

At Emperor Yong’an’s side, news had arrived as soon as Wei Qiang returned to the palace.

“The Crown Prince and the Pingnan Prince’s heir got into a conflict at a wine shop?”

Zhou Shan bowed his head in acknowledgment: “The Pingnan Prince’s heir complained that the Crown Prince hadn’t visited the Prince’s manor to see the Prince and Princess Consort. In his anger, the Crown Prince slapped the Pingnan Prince’s heir…”

Emperor Yong’an said impassively, “I understand. Go and invite the Noble Consort here.”

Zhou Shan bowed and withdrew.

Emperor Yong’an narrowed his eyes, his mood somewhat complicated.

He was pleased to see the Crown Prince distance himself from the Pingnan Prince’s manor. However, with the Pingnan Prince in such a condition, the fact that the Crown Prince had left the palace without any intention of visiting suggested two possibilities: either he feared displeasing him, or he had little affection for his birth father and mother.

Whichever it was, it inevitably made him feel the Crown Prince was cold-hearted by nature.

As for the Pingnan Prince’s manor—Emperor Yong’an’s gaze turned cold.

When he had decided to adopt the original Pingnan Prince’s heir Wei Qiang as his son, he had summoned the Pingnan Prince’s family to the capital, essentially keeping them under his watchful eye.

Over these years, the Pingnan Prince’s manor had been relatively well-behaved, but it now seemed they had grown somewhat greedy.

Wanting their son to inherit the throne while also wanting him to remember old ties—how could there be such perfect arrangements in the world?

Emperor Yong’an rubbed his brow and sighed softly.

It was because Wei Qiang had already been grown when adopted, raised as the heir by the Pingnan Prince’s manor for so many years, that they inevitably harbored expectations.

If he had adopted an ignorant young child back then, there might not be these troubles now.

However, some tasks required people to carry them out, and promised benefits had to be honored. Even as emperor, he couldn’t always act entirely according to his wishes.

But circumstances had changed; the situation was now different.

The sharp blade hanging over his head had been removed, and the constantly turbulent northern territories had also quieted down. He was no longer that emperor who, just a few years after ascending the throne, had lost sons in succession and faced troubles both internal and external.

He was not yet too old, while the Crown Prince was already approaching thirty…

A thought vaguely surfaced in his mind.

Emperor Yong’an’s expression grew increasingly inscrutable.

“Noble Consort arrives—”

With the eunuch’s announcement, a beautiful woman entered.

Noble Consort Xiao wore gorgeous palace attire, radiant and dazzling, her glances full of life. With her arrival, the entire hall seemed to brighten.

Emperor Yong’an was delighted to see her and showed genuine pleasure.

This smile was extremely faint, yet for Emperor Yong’an it was quite remarkable.

Noble Consort Xiao smiled before speaking: “Why did Your Majesty suddenly summon me?”

“Come sit.” Emperor Yong’an gestured to the space beside him.

That should have been the Empress’s seat, yet Noble Consort Xiao sat down quite naturally.

And everyone in the hall had long grown accustomed to this.

With no empress in the palace, Noble Consort Xiao, who enjoyed deep imperial favor, was indeed the true mistress.

There were even rumors outside that the eager scheming of important court ministers couldn’t compare to a single word from Noble Consort Xiao.

“I called my beloved consort here to drink a few cups with me.”

Noble Consort Xiao laughed: “Your Majesty should have said so earlier—I’ve already eaten.”

“So you’re saying my beloved consort won’t give me this bit of face?”

Noble Consort Xiao’s eyes sparkled as she smiled: “How could that be? If Your Majesty wishes to drink, I would naturally be happy to accompany you.”

After drinking a cup, Emperor Yong’an casually mentioned, “By the way, did my beloved consort send someone out of the palace a few days ago to buy food from the wine shop opened by Luo Chi’s daughter?”

Noble Consort Xiao nodded with a smile: “I sent someone to buy a beggar’s chicken. I occasionally crave that particular dish.”

Emperor Yong’an held his wine cup and smiled: “Why don’t I have a word with Luo Chi and have him send that cook into the palace?”