The chilly voice echoed in the air. Before Shen Yanhuan could react, a tall figure strode out.

His face, which bore a three or four-part resemblance to Emperor Wei Jing, revealed an intense murderous aura.

The moment she saw Xie Jin'an, Shen Yanhuan was dumbfounded.

How… how could this be?

Her informant in the Eastern Palace had clearly told her that Yu Qingwu and the Crown Prince had had a huge fight last night, and they were likely to break up. The Crown Prince shouldn’t be here!

Xie Jin'an’s appearance caught Shen Yanhuan completely off guard.

She stared in disbelief at the approaching man, her lips trembling violently, her previously triumphant expression now deathly pale.

Xie Jin'an sat down gracefully in the grand chair in the hall, his phoenix eyes fixed on her with a half-smiling, half-serious expression. He asked in a cold voice, "What did Consort Shen just say? That I am not the Emperor's biological son?"

"This lowly… this lowly one was just joking with the Crown Princess." Meeting Xie Jin'an's dagger-like gaze, Shen Yanhuan was so frightened that tears welled up in her eyes. Without even thinking, she blurted out this extremely absurd excuse.

Xie Jin'an scoffed coldly, not replying.

He turned his gaze leisurely to Yu Qingwu and smiled. "That's right, Crown Princess, I seem to have also heard Consort Shen say that your mother is dead, and telling you not to pursue this matter any further. What does this mean? Could it be that your mother-in-law's death is related to the Rongguo Duke's Mansion?"

"And what's this about the Rongguo Duke controlling the court?"

"Is the Shen family… plotting a rebellion?"

Xie Jin'an's voice was light, but by the end, the smile on his face had gradually frozen. He looked at Shen Yanhuan with extremely sinister eyes, saying each word slowly, "Consort Shen, when did it become the Shen family's turn to control my Xie family's empire!"

With a loud bang!

Shen Yanhuan trembled violently, collapsing to her knees with a thud. Terrified and tearful, she kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive me! I was just joking with the Crown Princess. My family is loyal to His Majesty and would never do anything rebellious."

Although the other party was only a junior, Shen Yanhuan felt her legs weaken under that pair of sharp, falcon-like eyes. She was so frightened that cold sweat broke out all over her body, and large tears streamed down her face.

Looking at Shen Yanhuan's terrified, completely unexpected expression, Yu Qingwu was extremely satisfied.

Back then, when this woman bullied her mother, she had been very arrogant. Her mother being sent to Prince Ning as a concubine was also thanks to this so-called aunt.

Yu Qingwu didn't want to let any of those who had harmed her mother off the hook.

She coldly swept her gaze over Shen Yanhuan kneeling on the ground, her red lips curving into a smile. Before Xie Jin'an could speak, she replied to Shen Yanhuan with a faint smile, mocking, "Consort Shen, your earlier appearance, so excited and speaking so sharply, didn't look like you were joking at all."

"Moreover, didn't you also say that you have a personal letter written by my maternal grandmother?"

Her eyes turned cold. Yu Qingwu stood up and snatched the letter from Shen Yanhuan's hand.

Shen Yanhuan subconsciously wanted to snatch it back, but before she could get close, Xie Jin'an suddenly raised his foot and kicked her hard.

In an instant, Shen Yanhuan coughed up blood.

She clutched her chest, looking at Xie Jin'an in disbelief. Amidst her fear, she threatened Xie Jin'an in desperation, saying sharply, "Your Highness, I am still your stepmother. Even if there is an interrogation, it is not your turn to use torture. You… you dare to overstep."

"Overstep? Consort Shen's mind seems to be a little unclear? I am the Crown Prince, the master of the Eastern Palace. According to the laws of Wei, not only can I deal with you, but my Crown Princess also has the power to execute you."

Xie Jin'an was not exaggerating. The laws of Wei clearly distinguished between the嫡 (dí, of the primary wife) and 庶 (shù, of a concubine).

If there was no Empress in the palace, internal affairs were managed by the Crown Princess. Even if there was an Empress, in urgent matters, the Crown Princess could still execute some lower-ranking concubines.

Although Shen Yanhuan was the legitimate daughter of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, now that she was Consort Shen of Emperor Wei Jing, she was just a minor concubine.

If Yu Qingwu executed her at this time and presented the letter to Emperor Wei Jing, Emperor Wei Jing would have nothing to say.

Shen Yanhuan had originally thought that Xie Jin'an and Yu Qingwu, one a playboy Crown Prince who wouldn’t have thoroughly studied the laws of Wei, the other a merchant's daughter who had been out in the wild for many years, certainly wouldn’t be clear about these rules.

Therefore, she thought of scaring them to take the opportunity to escape.

Hearing Xie Jin'an's words, she was immediately stunned.

This, was this really that纨绔 (wánkù, good-for-nothing) and absurd Crown Prince? Was this really the heir who was so stupid as to go against the powerful officials for the sake of a merchant woman?

Shen Yanhuan gritted her teeth, her eyes full of unwillingness. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't refute a single word.

Looking at the constantly changing expression on her face, Yu Qingwu also roughly guessed what she was thinking.

She glanced at her with mockery and couldn't help but laugh, explaining to her, "Consort Shen, you wouldn't think that the current Crown Prince is stupider than you, would you?"

"You… possessing a jade ring invites robbery! To kill or to cut, do as you please, why the need to talk so much." Seeing that there was no way to recover, Shen Yanhuan gritted her teeth and simply admitted defeat.

However, Yu Qingwu would not let her die so easily.

Originally, the matter of the Shen family and the Qiu family’s embezzlement would not have hurt their vitality too much.

But now it was different. Shen Yanhuan even claimed to control the court and held Qiu's personal letter…

Yu Qingwu did not reply, only turning her head to exchange a glance with Xie Jin'an.

Xie Jin'an chuckled and ordered in a deep voice, "Men, Consort Shen instigated the Crown Princess to defy and offend her superiors. Take her to prison immediately. The Rongguo Duke's Mansion's Tai Furen (Grand Madam), Qiu, is the main culprit, arrest her as well. Furthermore, from today onwards, none of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion are allowed to step out of the mansion, and they are all to be detained in the mansion to await interrogation."

As soon as Xie Jin'an finished speaking, several guards immediately dragged Shen Yanhuan away.

Shen Yanhuan shouted to the heavens, trying to protest her innocence, but the guards stuffed a rag into her mouth.

Back then, her mother had also been sent to Prince Ning's mansion with a rag stuffed in her mouth.

Looking at Shen Yanhuan's embarrassed appearance as she was dragged away, a trace of relief flashed in Yu Qingwu's eyes, and she sneered, "I originally wanted to use her to kill Prince Ning, but unexpectedly, she was forced to jump the wall like a cornered dog, using such inferior means to harm me."

"So, Senior Sister, playing the pig to eat the tiger is still very useful." Xie Jin'an gently placed his hand on her shoulder, brought his head closer, and whispered in her ear, "You see, if it weren't for the fact that I had ruined my reputation to create such an absurd and depraved image in my early years, if it weren't for the fact that I had crippled your martial arts, giving you the image of only being able to rely on seducing men to survive in front of that Qiu woman, how would they have used such a stupid way to deal with you? Naturally, you wouldn't have been able to seize such an advantage."

"So, Senior Sister, shouldn't you be thanking me?" His lips curved into a smile, and he suddenly leaned in and nibbled at her earlobe.

Yu Qingwu trembled violently, but soon a murderous aura rose in her eyes again. She raised her head, looking at the man with a charming expression, and asked with a seductive tone, "How does Your Highness plan to deal with Shen Yanhuan and Qiu? Although they are slandering, if those gossips spread, I'm afraid it will more or less have a negative impact on Her Majesty the Queen and Your Highness."