“Qiyun-gege… I like you, Kui’er likes you so much…” Her voice was high-pitched and full of deep affection.

However, upon hearing that name, Emperor Wei Jing's face instantly darkened.

Qiu Kui was Qiu Shiyi Niang's name, and who Qiyun was needed no further explanation.

"Bastard!" Emperor Wei Jing's expression visibly turned sinister, and he grabbed the ring in his hand and threw it.

With a bang, a loud crash echoed.

Consort Liu's face paled with fright, and she trembled with anger. She hurriedly signaled to the old nanny beside her and tugged at Emperor Wei Jing's arm, saying, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Perhaps… perhaps it's a misunderstanding…"

Before she could finish speaking, Xie Qiyun's foul language drifted from behind the rockery. He seemed completely unaware of anyone's presence, calling out to Qiu Shiyi Niang with deep affection, asking, "Kui'er, is Qiyun-gege better or that bastard Xie Jin Yan?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Shiyi Niang replied in a spoiled tone, "Of course, Qiyun-gege is better. It's just that, Qiyun-gege, you've been with me so many times, yet you're still unwilling to come and propose marriage. That's why I had no choice but to settle for that bastard with Southern Yue blood…"

Southern Yue blood, bastard? Settle for?

A moment ago, everyone was still in shock at the collapse of Qiu Shiyi Niang's image. Now, they were all terrified, their faces pale.

What audacity! To dare to publicly humiliate the current Crown Prince!

No matter how useless or absurd the Crown Prince was, he was still born of the legitimate wife.

Empress Zhou was also Emperor Wei Jing's first wife. When Emperor Wei Jing was still a down-on-his-luck prince, Empress Zhou was always by his side. Although there were many favored concubines in the palace now, everyone knew that Empress Zhou's position in Emperor Wei Jing's heart was irreplaceable.

Emperor Wei Jing trembled with anger, while the royal nobles remained silent, looking at each other, their faces filled with fear.

Empress Zhou's eyes reddened, and she opened her mouth as if to say something, but swallowed it back down.

She only dismissed all the members of the clan and instructed the nanny who accompanied her, "You… go and bring those two to the Fengzao Palace."

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry." After dismissing everyone, she stepped forward and helped Emperor Wei Jing walk towards the Fengzao Palace, saying very gently, "Perhaps there's a misunderstanding in all of this?"

"Qiyun has always been the most filial child and loves his younger brothers the most. He… he couldn't possibly humiliate his own brother like that."

"He can publicly have an affair with his brother's future consort! What else is he incapable of doing!"

Empress Zhou's words not only failed to persuade him but also made Emperor Wei Jing even angrier.

He glared fiercely at the uneasy Consort Liu beside him and said angrily, "Look at the good son you've raised! I think I shouldn't have let you raise him from the start! Now he's committed such a scandal!"

After a long scolding, Emperor Wei Jing still didn't calm down. He shook off Consort Liu and walked ahead with Empress Zhou.

Yu Qingwu and a group of princes and princesses stood in place, watching Emperor Wei Jing walk past. Not long after, they saw Xie Qiyun and Qiu Shiyi Niang, disheveled, being dragged along by nannies and guards.

Seeing this scene, Xie Ruizhi, who had been teary-eyed just now, perked up.

She craned her neck and looked at Xie Qiyun and Qiu Shiyi Niang again, uncertain. After confirming that it was indeed them, she immediately cheered up and pulled Yu Qingwu, saying, "Royal Sister-in-law, did you see that? That's Eldest Royal Brother and Qiu Shiyi Niang! They're so shameless!"

"That's right. I thought the Crown Prince was just slandering her because he couldn't get Qiu Kui. Now it seems that the Crown Prince truly has discerning eyes!"

At that moment, the other princes and princesses also began to whisper.

Except for Xie Rongrong, who was born to the same mother as Xie Qiyun. Just a moment ago, she was arrogantly stepping on Xie Jin Yan to set off her royal brother. Now, she was slapped hard in the face. She bit her lip tightly, glared at Xie Qiyun's back for a moment, stomped her feet, and returned to her palace.

Xie Ruizhi watched her frustrated back and smiled at Yu Qingwu with a relieved expression, "Royal Sister-in-law, look at her! She always flaunts her pure Great Wei bloodline. Now it's good! Father will definitely not spare Eldest Royal Brother! Maybe even Consort Liu will fall out of favor. Then I'll see how she can still be so proud!"

Hearing this, Yu Qingwu suddenly trembled and quickly covered Xie Ruizhi's mouth, gently reminding her, "Sixth Princess, be careful with your words…"

"What's there to be afraid of? The last time I fought with her, I broke her bone, and Father only confined me for a month."

"I'm not afraid of her! If you hadn't stopped me just now, I would have beaten her to a pulp!"

Xie Ruizhi said triumphantly and hooked Yu Qingwu's arm, boastfully saying, "Royal Sister-in-law, you don't know, Father said that among all the children, he loves me the most! He said that I'm most like him! Even the way I fight is exactly the same as when he was young! I asked him, 'What about Royal Brother?' Father said, 'How can that brat compare to our little cotton-padded jacket?'"

"His Majesty… is really good to you," Yu Qingwu said softly, looking at her for a moment, with envy.

If her father were still alive, perhaps she could be as fearless as Xie Ruizhi…

"What are you chatting about? Let's go."

While Yu Qingwu was lost in thought, a large hand rested on her shoulder.

She turned her head and saw Xie Jin Yan standing beside her, raising his eyebrows slightly. He glanced at Xie Ruizhi, who was excitedly talking to Yu Qingwu, and showed a disgusted expression, waving his hand at Xie Ruizhi, saying, "Xie Ruizhi, go back to your palace. Your Royal Sister-in-law and I have serious matters to attend to."

As he spoke, he pulled Yu Qingwu away.

Xie Ruizhi cursed angrily from behind, but seeing that they were heading towards Fengzao Palace, she didn't follow and instead turned back to her palace.

Yu Qingwu looked back at Xie Ruizhi's angry back, sighed softly, looked up at Xie Jin Yan, and asked softly, "Since Your Highness can't bear to see the Sixth Princess being bullied, why not help her yourself?"

"Look at her behavior. If I personally help her, wouldn't she fly to the heavens? Look at what A-Yue is like? I don't want Ruizhi to become a second A-Yue." Xie Jin Yan sighed, leaned closer to Yu Qingwu's ear, and said with a smile, "Besides, if I don't let Shijie (senior martial sister) make a move, how can you establish your authority in front of those noble families and my siblings? In the future, anyone can step on you."

To give her a chance to establish her authority?

If he hadn't ruined her martial arts skills that day, why would she have to take this path?

Meeting Xie Jin Yan's gentle eyes, Yu Qingwu's mood became complicated again. She lowered her eyes and didn't speak.

Unknowingly, the two had arrived outside the Fengzao Palace.

Before they could get close, Yu Qi walked up. He frowned tightly, looked at Yu Qingwu, then looked at Xie Jin Yan, and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, Yu Liangdi (Consort Yu), His Majesty summons you two to speak."