It was only the early hours of dawn, and the Empress had long been asleep. Being forcibly awakened by his intrusion, she was already startled.
No sooner had she sat down than she was met with such a barrage of accusations, which immediately made her chest tighten with anger. Her face turned cold as she said, “A lowly Outer Chamber Consort who knows no manners—what’s wrong with me teaching her a lesson? She left long ago!”
Upon hearing the first half of the sentence, Pei Zhen’s hands in his sleeves suddenly clenched, and his expression darkened instantly. When he heard the second half, he immediately pressed further, his gaze sharp as a knife.
“Left? Where did she go?”
“She has legs of her own—how would I know where she went!”
Seeing him like this, the Empress grew even more furious and scolded, “Zhen’er, is this how you treat your mother, all for the sake of a lowly woman?”
She was practically fuming with rage.
As the Crown Prince, she had thought he performed exceptionally well in handling the recent flood disaster, which to some extent had stabilized the court officials. This could temporarily dispel some of the gloom brought by the issue of his heirlessness and ease the dissatisfaction among the ministers.
But what happened instead?
Not only was she abruptly awakened from her peaceful sleep, but he also showed no concern for her, his mother, nor spoke any comforting words. Instead, he confronted her like this over a lowly woman.
Really…
The lesson she gave during the day was still too lenient!
She thought to herself, feeling extremely displeased. It seemed she would have to find another opportunity to bring the woman back and teach her another lesson. This time, she would personally take matters into her own hands.
As she thought this, she looked up and met Pei Zhen’s gaze. The coldness in his eyes sent a chill down her spine. Seeing that he had nothing more to say and was turning to leave, she quickly stood up to stop him, calling out:
“Zhen’er…”
But the man had already strode away, leaving her feeling even more displeased.
“Nanny Xu, go. The Crown Prince is now searching for that wretched maid. Send someone to keep an eye on the Eastern Palace and report any developments to me immediately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will go at once.”
Nanny Xu accepted the order and immediately went to carry out the task.
As for Pei Zhen’s sudden return and his direct intrusion into the Empress’s palace, such matters naturally could not be kept from the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, that is what happened…”
The chief eunuch bowed and reported everything that had just occurred in detail.
“The Crown Prince is searching for his Outer Chamber Consort?”
After listening, the Emperor was filled with surprise. This was indeed beyond his expectations.
At the very least, he had never seen his Crown Prince care so deeply for any woman before, and to search for her like this as soon as he returned…
“Then where is this Outer Chamber Consort? Where did she go after leaving the palace? She couldn’t have grown wings and flown away, could she?”
“Your Majesty, she was taken away by Consort Liu of the Eastern Palace and has not emerged since.”
“Consort Liu?”
The Emperor had already guessed as much. He turned the name over in his mind and then asked, “Is she the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister?”
“Your Majesty, that is correct.”
With this reminder, he recalled.
Liu Yiyi, the daughter of the Prime Minister. Back then, to stabilize the Prime Minister’s faction and ensure his support for the Crown Prince, he had arranged for the Crown Prince to marry the Prime Minister’s legitimate daughter. Originally intended to become the Crown Princess, she was later demoted to the position of Lady of Goodness due to certain incidents.
He had heard that her temperament was somewhat spoiled, but she had remained well-behaved since marrying into the Eastern Palace all these years.
He never expected that she would take advantage of the Crown Prince’s absence from the capital…
“Send someone to keep an eye on the Eastern Palace, especially the Crown Prince’s movements. Report any developments to me promptly.”
Not only the Empress, but the Emperor had also issued orders to keep an eye on the Eastern Palace.
The existence of the Crown Prince’s Outer Chamber Consort was something he tacitly permitted. Moreover, since the Crown Prince was poisoned, it had been rare for him to value a woman so deeply. The Emperor was still waiting for this woman to bear the Crown Prince’s heir.
After all, there were only three months left…
Pei Zhen hurriedly left the palace, and the Shadow Guard beside him finally delivered precise news: Miss Chu was invited into the Eastern Palace by Consort Liu’s people from outside the palace last night.
And she had not left… to this day.
“Liu… Yi… Yi!”
Upon hearing this, the man gritted his teeth, his eyes instantly bloodshot, and a violent aura surged around him, as if he were a demon returned from hell.
He mounted his horse and, disregarding palace regulations, galloped straight toward the Eastern Palace. No one dared to stop him along the way.
He charged straight into the courtyard where Liu Yiyi resided and barged into the inner chamber.
At that moment, Liu Yiyi, who was still asleep, was roughly dragged out of the warm silk quilt. Before she could see who it was, her neck was tightly gripped by a hand as strong as iron pincers.
“Ugh…” She instantly woke up, her eyes wide with terror. The sound she had just made vanished in her throat as she met Pei Zhen’s blood-red, savage eyes, which seemed ready to devour her.
“Where is Chu Shengsheng?”
The man’s voice was hoarse and icy, each word carrying a chill like shards of ice.
“Your… Your Highness… your humble servant doesn’t know… Ah!”
She hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to return so soon and was still thinking of making excuses, but the man had long lost his patience. He violently threw her to the ground, then stomped hard on her neck, pressing down with force.
Her face instantly flushed red, unable to breathe. Her hands struggled frantically in the air as the shadow of death loomed over her.
“Ugh… ugh…”
Liu Yiyi struggled desperately, but it was useless. Tears instantly covered her cheeks. She wanted to beg for mercy, but she couldn’t utter a word.
Was she going to die?!
Was the Crown Prince going to kill her for that wretched woman?!
This realization filled her heart with despair and regret.
Just then.
“Your Ladyship! I’ll speak! I’ll speak!”
The old maidservant beside her, seeing that Liu Yiyi was about to be stomped to death, was terrified out of her wits. She knelt with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly and shouting, “Your Highness, spare her! Spare her! Lady of Goodness… Lady of Goodness locked her in the rear courtyard’s side room!”
Hearing this, Pei Zhen’s pupils contracted sharply. He abruptly lifted his foot, and in the next moment, the long sword at his waist was unsheathed. A cold glint flashed—
“Thud!”
The sword pierced through the maidservant’s chest, blood splattering all over Liu Yiyi’s face. The maidservant stared in horror, then slowly collapsed to the ground.
After that, without even glancing at the woman coughing violently on the ground, his figure moved like lightning, charging straight toward the remote side room.
Meanwhile, inside the side room, Chu Shengsheng was waiting for Pei Zhen to arrive while fiercely arguing with the System.
“I haven’t eaten anything since I came out this morning, and it’s been almost a full day and night. Why won’t you let me borrow some food?!”
“You’ve already let me borrow twice before! What’s one more time? I won’t owe you Points!”
“Besides, I’m not asking for anything fancy. Just a chicken or a duck would do. It’s not like I’m asking for those elixirs.”
She had talked until her mouth was dry, but the System still hadn’t responded at all.
While waiting for Pei Zhen to arrive, she felt even hungrier.
So she had just tried to borrow from the System again, but this time it wasn’t falling for it.
“System, you don’t want to see me die of starvation instead of failing the mission, do you?”
[System Notification: Target character Pei Zhen will arrive in three seconds.]
Huh?
Shit, shit, shit.
The system notification startled Chu Shengsheng, making her jolt. She hurriedly tied herself up again, then struck a pose, tilting her head and closing her eyes—her acting skills kicked in!
The next second, the door to this side room was violently kicked open.
Through her disheveled hair, she secretly cracked open a slit of her eye, faintly able to see a familiar man standing in the doorway.
Perfect, Pei Zhen, now it’s your turn!