Weiyang Palace, Rear Hall.
Upon receiving the news, Zhao Cong hurried with quickened steps.
Just as he reached the palace gate, Li Ming was on duty.
Seeing Zhao Cong in such a flustered state, he couldn’t help but ask.
“What happened?”
Zhao Cong didn’t stop walking, only hastily tossing out a reply.
“The woman His Majesty has been searching for has been found, but… oh dear…”
Before he could finish, he hurriedly made his way into the hall.
At this moment, Quan Minghe had just returned to the rear hall of Weiyang Palace after the morning court session.
He had changed out of his solemn court robes and now wore a red and black imperial robe.
His posture was upright, tall and imposing.
Even half-reclining on the couch, he exuded an extraordinary presence.
“Your humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty.”
“Rise.”
Quan Minghe didn’t even lift his head, still intently focused on an ancient text in his hands.
Zhao Cong stood up, but the hand holding the horsetail whisk continued to tremble uncontrollably.
He stole a glance at the emperor’s expression, growing increasingly uneasy in his heart.
“Your Majesty, that young lady has been found.”
Quan Minghe, who had been lying on the couch casually flipping through the ancient text, slowly raised his eyes.
His gaze made Zhao Cong’s heart race with fear.
“Continue.”
Zhao Cong swallowed hard and forced himself to go on. “That young lady is the daughter of Grand Protector Shen.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Cong dared not look at Quan Minghe’s eyes again, quickly lowering his head.
Immediately after, with a “thump,” he knelt down.
He inwardly lamented his misfortune.
This daughter of Grand Protector Shen was the very one His Majesty had personally betrothed to the Prince of Lingyang.
What a mess this had become!
Quan Minghe’s hand, which had been turning the pages of the ancient text, paused, and a flicker of emotion seemed to pass deep within his eyes.
The atmosphere in the hall grew even more oppressive.
“What is the date today?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, today is the tenth day of the fourth month. Yesterday, the ninth day of the fourth month, was the auspicious date calculated by the Grand Astrologer—the day of the wedding between the Prince of Lingyang and the eldest daughter of the Shen family.”
Zhao Cong’s head was already bowed to the ground.
He couldn’t see the emperor’s expression, nor did he dare to look up.
The emperor’s woman had married someone else as a wife, and it was the emperor himself who had arranged the marriage.
He hardly dared to imagine what His Majesty must be feeling now.
Quan Minghe’s thin lips pressed tightly together, his eyes beneath long lashes gleaming with a dark light.
“Why was this only discovered now?”
He had given Zhao Cong the portrait several days ago. Why was it only after the wedding that the woman was found!
“Replying to Your Majesty, these past few days, Miss Shen has not left the Shen residence. I searched through all the eligible young women in Qian Capital, but Miss Shen came from the northwest and was also the Prince of Lingyang’s betrothed. It’s likely she was overlooked by those below.”
Upon hearing this, Quan Minghe directly threw the ancient text toward Zhao Cong’s head.
The book slid from Zhao Cong’s head and fell to the ground.
“Your servant deserves death ten thousand times! I beg Your Majesty to punish me!”
While pleading for forgiveness, Zhao Cong picked up the ancient text from the ground and presented it with both hands.
Quan Minghe twisted the thumb ring on his hand.
He spoke coldly, “Kill…” her.
He paused, leaving the last two words unspoken.
Instead, he asked, “Has anything happened at the Prince’s residence today?”
That woman had lost her purity. If Feng Moheng discovered it, he certainly wouldn’t let it go lightly.
“Replying to Your Majesty, nothing has.”
Quan Minghe’s tense expression relaxed slightly.
Perhaps…
“I recall the Prince has a woman he favors.”
“Yes, three months ago, Liu Jingyi, the illegitimate daughter of the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, entered the Prince’s residence. She is the woman the Prince favors.”
Quan Minghe, because of a previous plea from the Grand Princess…
Moreover, Shen Yuan held significant military power in the northwest, commanding a formidable force. He was a power the imperial court both relied upon and had to keep a close watch on.
After weighing the pros and cons, Quan Minghe decided to bring Shen Yuan’s daughter, Shen Yuling, to the Qian Capital.
Subsequently, he arranged a marriage, betrothing Shen Yuling to Feng Moheng and granting her the title of Princess Consort.
Having lost her purity, how could Shen Yuling dare to consummate the marriage with Feng Moheng?
As for Feng Moheng, his heart was devoted to Liu Jingyi, deeply in love with her. Today, the Prince’s residence remained as peaceful as usual, with nothing particularly noteworthy happening.
It seemed that perhaps… Feng Moheng and Shen Yuling were still innocent in their relationship.
Thinking this, Quan Minghe’s murderous intent subsided somewhat.
He had always been decisive and ruthless in his actions.
If it were an ordinary woman who had been with him and then married another man, it would be akin to touching his reverse scale.
He would undoubtedly send assassins without hesitation, ensuring such a disgrace to the emperor’s dignity would never have a chance to spread.
Nor would he allow a woman who nominally belonged to another man to continue living in this world.
Quan Minghe remained silent for a moment.
“Send someone to serve by the Princess Consort’s side. From now on, I want to know everything about her.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Zhao Cong withdrew from the hall, his legs still trembling faintly.
Li Ming was waiting outside and saw him emerge.
He asked quietly, “What happened?”
Zhao Cong whispered, “That woman is the Princess Consort who married the Prince of Lingyang yesterday!”
Li Ming took a step back in shock.
Having served by His Majesty’s side for many years, they both knew the emperor’s temperament well.
He asked softly, “Did His Majesty grant the Princess Consort a cup of poisoned wine?”
Zhao Cong shook his head.
“He only said to send someone to serve by the Princess Consort’s side.”
Li Ming’s face was filled with disbelief.
Could it be that the Princess Consort’s status was too high?
Indeed, as the eldest daughter of the Shen family, if she were to meet an unnatural death shortly after arriving in the Qian Capital, it would be difficult to explain.
But was His Majesty someone who needed to explain himself to anyone…
Before Li Ming could ponder further, the palace doors opened once more.
Looking up, he saw His Majesty emerging, and Li Ming quickly composed his expression.
“Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty.”
Quan Minghe strode outward.
“Prepare the carriage. We are leaving the palace.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Li Ming replied.
After taking a few steps, Quan Minghe halted.
“Bring the mask I wore last time I left the palace.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Li Ming instructed a young eunuch following behind to find Zhao Cong. Only Zhao Cong had accompanied His Majesty on the last outing, so only he could retrieve that mask.
If a mask was needed for leaving the palace, could it be… that His Majesty intended to visit the Princess Consort?!
Li Ming glanced up cautiously, trying to gauge His Majesty’s expression.
But he quickly lowered his head again.
Never mind. His Majesty had been on the throne for so many years, his emotions never showing on his face. It was impossible to discern anything.