Chapter 46 “Your Majesty, I suspect today’s events are related to the King of Chu…”

Chapter 46 "Your Majesty, I suspect that today's incident is related to the Prince of Chu..."

Several martial monks burst in, while the noblewomen waited in the courtyard.

Those who often came to worship recognized this as the small courtyard where Lady Zhao frequently rested, and they began to whisper gossip to the ladies beside them.

Seeing this, the Lady of the Marquis of Anping couldn't help but let a sly smile creep across her face.

When Zhao Zhen heard the door being forced open, he initially thought it was Lady Zhao's maid being disrespectful. He frowned deeply, ready to scold her, but upon turning around, he saw several monks holding wooden staffs.

Zhao Zhen's face changed, his body stiffened, and Lady Zhao screamed in terror.

"Who allowed you to come in? Get out!" Zhao Zhen shouted sternly.

He hastily grabbed the clothes off the ground to cover himself, but before he could fully dress, the martial monks restrained his limbs with their staffs, rendering him immobile.

"How dare you! Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?" Zhao Zhen roared, trying to intimidate the monks with his status.

He did not suppress his voice, and in his anger, it grew even louder, so that everyone outside the courtyard could hear him clearly, especially the words "this official."

The noblewomen's expressions changed, and they began to whisper among themselves.

Whether out of genuine piety or to uphold their own virtue, everyone expressed disdain, their faces filled with anger as they demanded severe punishment.

"Seize these shameless, adulterous wretches!" the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery shouted furiously, forgetting her status and cursing outright.

The Lady of the Marquis of Anping hurried forward to support her, gently patting her chest to calm her down. If the Princess Consort were to faint from anger, it would be disastrous, as she was counting on her to deal with the Zhao family's disgraceful pair.

It seemed the heavens themselves had conspired in her favor, revealing this scandalous affair.

Upon hearing the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery's command, the martial monks no longer hesitated. They used their staffs to haul Zhao Zhen out. As for Lady Zhao, she was completely terrified. She never imagined things would escalate to this point, being caught in adultery in public, especially with...

It's over, it's over. She felt as though she had plunged into a frozen abyss, her body turning to ice. She instinctively looked toward Zhao Zhen, "Brother..."

Zhao Zhen, after the initial shock, regained his bearings. He realized the sudden arrival of so many martial monks must be part of a plot against him. At this point, he had no time to consider Lady Zhao's fate and only gave her a cold glance.

Seeing his expression, Lady Zhao shuddered, as if recalling his cold demeanor from over a decade ago.

Lady Zhao's strength drained away, and she crumpled onto the bed.

Zhao Zhen was hauled out by the martial monks. He had hastily thrown on an outer robe, barely covering himself, but most of his chest and legs were still exposed, presenting a disgraceful sight. As for Lady Zhao, she had also been naked when the monks barged in. To spare the onlookers further scandal, they roughly bundled her in a robe and dragged her out.

Before the two were hauled out, everyone had assumed it was merely a case of adultery, and they were furious at the insult to Buddha, eager to punish the offenders severely. But when their identities became clear, the scene fell into an eerie silence.

The Minister of Finance, Zhao Zhen, and his sister, the Princess of Chu?

Both were disheveled, their hair tangled, with unmistakable marks on their exposed skin. No one could defend them.

The Lady of the Marquis of Anping narrowed her eyes, feigning shock, covering her mouth and speaking in a hushed tone, "Is that Minister Zhao and the Princess of Chu? Aren't they siblings? This is incest!"

The word 'incest' nearly made the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery faint with rage. She clutched her cane with a white-knuckled grip, the veins on her aged hands standing out like cords, and without hesitation, she raised her cane to strike the two.

"To commit such a vile, incestuous act on the sacred grounds of Buddha, especially on the day of the Bathing Buddha Festival! I won't rest until I've beaten you to death to vent my fury!" she shouted, swinging her cane fiercely at them.

Zhao Zhen, initially pinned by the martial monks, was struck repeatedly before the searing pain jolted him back to reality.

"Stop!" he bellowed, his voice carrying the authority of someone long accustomed to high office, his eyes dark and menacing.

"I am a high-ranking official personally appointed by the court. Even if I have committed a grave offense, only the Emperor has the authority to punish me. How dare you women lay hands on me!" Zhao Zhen shouted, grabbing the Princess Consort's cane.

The Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery, elderly and frail, and a woman at that, couldn't match his strength and was momentarily at a loss, but his words infuriated her once again.

"Very well! Very well! Very well!" The Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery laughed in extreme anger, her aged eyes coldly staring at Zhao Zhen. "You claim to be one of the Three Excellencies (high-ranking officials), and I have no right to punish you. Then let’s take this to the Emperor and see what he decides."

"The Emperor, as the Son of Heaven, should set an example for the world and ought to have you severely punished!"

Zhao Zhen’s heart sank like a stone.

With his incestuous affair exposed in public, the Zhao family's influence might save his life, but his current position... was another matter.

No, he needed to find a way—fast.

Zhao Zhen’s gaze swept over the gathered ladies, searching for anyone suspicious, but all he noticed was the Lady of the Marquis of Anping, her expression gloating.

Her? True, the Wang and Zhao families were at odds, but the Marquis of Anping and his wife were hardly capable of such a scheme.

An accidental discovery? After years in the political arena, Zhao Zhen refused to believe this was mere chance.

Before he could investigate further, the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery had already ordered the monks to escort him and Zhao Shi to the Dragon Hall to face the Emperor of Liang.

Zhao Shi was paralyzed with despair, her limbs limp from terror, and she was practically dragged like a ragdoll.

The Emperor of Liang, having just presided over the Buddha Bathing Ceremony, was resting in the Dragon Hall, waiting to have a vegetarian meal before returning to the palace. He had just lain down on the couch but hadn’t yet fallen asleep when a eunuch hurried over, bowing deeply. Despite his haste, his footsteps were silent.

"Your Majesty, the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery requests an audience," the eunuch whispered, kneeling before the Emperor’s couch.

"Hmm? What is it?" The Emperor of Liang opened his eyes lazily, his tone tinged with irritation.

The eunuch hesitated to disturb the Emperor’s rest, but the matter was too grave to overlook.

"It is said that someone was caught committing indecent acts in the temple, and it involves... Minister Zhao," the eunuch murmured, his head bowed low.

The Emperor of Liang’s relaxed demeanor vanished, and he bolted upright from the couch.

"Zhao Zhen?" His piercing gaze locked onto the eunuch.

The eunuch could only nod cautiously.

The Emperor of Liang’s chest rose and fell as he barked at his attendants to dress him.

"Bring them in."

The crowd then ushered Zhao Zhen and Zhao Shi into the front hall, their disheveled appearance drawing gasps.

When the Emperor of Liang emerged and saw Zhao Zhen, disheveled and humiliated, his anger ignited.

Although the Buddha Bathing Ceremony was important, he did not personally preside over it every year. The last time was three years ago, and this year, when he had deigned to attend, such a scandal had occurred, especially involving a high-ranking official he had personally promoted, Zhao Zhen!

Not only had Zhao Zhen lost face, but the Emperor's own dignity had also been tarnished.

The Emperor of Liang’s face darkened, and he sat expressionlessly in the main seat, scanning the crowd below.

The Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery stepped forward first and reported the incident to the Emperor of Liang.

After listening, the Emperor waved his hand. "This matter is indeed a violation of propriety and has sullied the ears and eyes of the ladies. Attendants, please escort the ladies to rest."

The crowd was then ushered out, leaving only the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery standing firm, unwilling to move.

"Aunt, why not step aside and rest?" The Emperor of Liang’s eyes narrowed, his tone deceptively calm.

The Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery gripped her cane, her gaze fixed directly on the Emperor of Liang. "Your Majesty, this old woman dares to tell you one thing—today marks the Buddha's birthday, and such a scandal occurring in this sacred century-old temple, if not severely punished, would indeed damage the dignity of the court if it spreads!"

The Emperor of Liang's mood darkened further, especially as the words of the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery subtly carried a tone of instruction, which displeased him even more.

"I understand, please go and rest first, Auntie," the Emperor of Liang said in a firm tone.

The Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery glanced at him, and finally, with no other choice, leaned on her cane and was escorted away by the palace attendants.

After all the ladies had left, only a few serving eunuchs and the Zhao siblings, kneeling on the ground, remained in the hall. The Emperor of Liang looked at the two with a gloomy expression, not speaking, and the atmosphere grew tense and oppressive.

After a long silence, the Emperor of Liang suddenly seized a celadon teacup from the table and hurled it violently at Zhao Zhen's head.

Zhao Zhen felt the gust of wind coming but could only kneel steadily in place, not daring to dodge, until the teacup hit his forehead, breaking a large patch of skin on his forehead, and the scalding tea poured down his head, mingling with the bright red blood.

"Zhao Zhen, you are indeed my loyal minister, on such an important day, in such a solemn occasion, you commit incest with your cousin sister and are caught red-handed, really bringing me shame!" The Emperor of Liang was so angry that he laughed.

Zhao Zhen dared not argue, stretched out his hands, touched his forehead to the ground, and knelt down for a long time.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger, your servant deserves to die ten thousand times."

Zhao Zhen knew the Emperor of Liang's temperament well; the more he tried to defend himself at this time, the more likely he was to anger him.

"You also know you deserve to die ten thousand times! Guards, take this beast devoid of human ethics away..."

Just as the Emperor of Liang was about to pass judgment, Zhao Zhen quickly raised his head, thinking quickly, "Your Majesty, your guilty servant feels that today's incident is indeed suspicious, please allow your servant to elaborate!"

The Emperor of Liang then stopped his remaining words, waved his hand, and dismissed the attendants.

"What suspicion, speak!" The Emperor of Liang narrowed his eyes dangerously, if Zhao Zhen did not give a convincing reason, hmph!

Seeing that the Emperor of Liang was indeed willing to listen to him, Zhao Zhen felt relieved, but did not answer immediately. Instead, he first glanced at Zhao Shi, his expression seeming to say "some matters are not suitable to be discussed in front of outsiders."

The Emperor of Liang's eyebrows sank, but he still raised his hand to signal the attendants to take Zhao Shi away first.

Zhao Shi had not spoken a word since she was brought over, and the emperor seemed not to care about her, but the more this was the case, the more her heart grew cold, because this meant that in the emperor's eyes, she might already be a dead person, and now she was to be taken away, she was even more terrified, uncertain of what awaited her.

But she dared not disobey the Emperor of Liang's command, and before leaving, she could only look at Zhao Zhen with eyes full of plea and hope, hoping he could intercede on her behalf.

After Zhao Shi was taken away, Zhao Zhen looked at the eunuchs around the Emperor of Liang, and the Emperor of Liang seemed to sense his intention, so he also dismissed them, leaving only the two in the hall.

Zhao Zhen raised his eyes, met the Emperor of Liang's gaze, and slowly said, "Your Majesty, your servant suspects that today's incident is related to the King of Chu."

The Emperor of Liang's pupils contracted, and his back instinctively straightened.

His face remained expressionless, but Zhao Zhen still noticed this subtle change and found his way out from this change.

"Oh, how could it be related to the King of Chu? As everyone knows, the King of Chu abstains from court politics and remains aloof from worldly affairs," the Emperor of Liang asked with a grand tone.

Hearing this, Zhao Zhen smiled in his heart.

Jiang Huai, the King of Chu, was a thorn in the emperor's heart, as long as he was involved, the emperor would naturally be willing to exonerate him, thus attributing all conspiracies to the King of Chu.

Zhao Zhen bowed again, his expression sincere and indignant as if he was truly wronged, "Your Majesty, it is not that your servant deliberately slanders the King of Chu, but this matter is indeed suspicious."

The Emperor of Liang looked at him, waiting for his next words.

Zhao Zhen continued, "Dare not deceive Your Majesty, last month the Prince of Mobei came to Chang'an to arrange a marriage but delayed in deciding on a candidate, your servant did not want Your Majesty to worry day and night and harm the dragon's body, so I took the liberty to discuss with... the Princess of Chu, to have Princess Shun'an perform at the banquet, and the Prince of Mobei indeed chose Princess Shun'an because of this. Princess Shun'an is the King of Chu's only daughter, his sole bloodline with Liangzhou, now married far away to the frontier, how could the King of Chu not hold a grudge against your servant and the Princess of Chu?"

"Therefore, he deliberately chose this day, designed for the matter between your servant and the Princess of Chu to be exposed in front of everyone, just to make Your Majesty angry and cut off your servant as revenge for his daughter!" He spoke with genuine emotion and deep sorrow, as if everything today was truly framed by someone, if one did not know the inside story, one would almost be deceived by him.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor of Liang lowered his eyes and fell into deep thought.

That day, when the Fifth Princess was led to perform at the night banquet, he had indeed noticed something unusual, but once the marriage alliance was settled, he no longer cared. Later, his attendants reported to him that it was Noble Consort Zhao who had proposed the idea. He understood then that Noble Consort Zhao was worried about the Fifth Princess marrying the barbarians and thus came up with this plan. He said nothing, pretending not to know.

Now it seems that the Fifth Princess's marriage alliance indeed gives Jiang Huai a reason for revenge.

He once had a deep affection for the daughter of the Zhang family. Even though he seemed heartbroken over the years, could he really have no feelings for this daughter? If he didn't, he wouldn't have sent her to Liangzhou in the first place.

The Emperor of Liang pondered for a while, then suddenly raised his eyelids, a sharp light shooting towards Zhao Zhen kneeling on the ground. "Hmph, even if you were set up, if you had been disciplined and restrained, how could others have found such an opportunity?"

Zhao Zhen dared not refute and quickly prostrated himself on the ground again. "Your Majesty, I am guilty! This matter is all due to my youthful folly and indecisiveness, which ultimately led to today's disaster..."

He wept bitterly, seemingly filled with remorse.

"Hmm?"

Zhao Zhen then recounted the past in detail: "...I am the eldest brother in my family, taught from a young age by my elders to love and care for my siblings. Out of pity for my cousin who lost her mother early, I often looked after her. Thus, my cousin has always been close to me since childhood, often bringing me tea and snacks during my late-night studies. One day, my cousin came, and I, having drunk heavily with friends, mistook her for a concubine in my drunken state, thus committing this mistake. I... did not wish to continue this error, but my cousin..."

At this point, he seemed unable to continue, as if unwilling to speak ill of Zhao Shi, but his earlier words clearly implied that his feelings for Zhao Shi were merely fraternal, and it was Zhao Shi who had cunningly climbed into his bed.

"Is that so?" the Emperor of Liang asked deliberately.

He naturally understood Zhao Zhen's self-justification, but the truth of the matter was not important.

"I dare not deceive Your Majesty."

"Even if it was a momentary mistake, today's incident has become known throughout the court and the public. I cannot easily let it pass," the Emperor of Liang said. The light in the room was not as bright as outside, and his voice echoed in the semi-dark hall, carrying a deep meaning.

Zhao Zhen had a sudden inspiration and immediately said, "I only wish for Your Majesty's mercy. I will serve as Your Majesty's vanguard for the rest of my life!"

This was his only chance, not only to save his life but possibly also his official position.

With such a scandal, the entire court would surely despise him, and the aristocratic clans would not tolerate him. Apart from relying on the Emperor of Liang, he had no other way to rise again. Even if he climbed higher in the future, if the emperor grew tired of him, he would instantly fall from the clouds into the mud. And this was exactly what the emperor needed.

The aristocratic clans were powerful, and the emperor was often constrained by them. He needed someone he could completely control, and Zhao Zhen was now that person.

From now on, he would be the Emperor of Liang's blade.

The Emperor of Liang stared at him for a while, seeing his resolute and determined eyes, and after some thought, said nothing, only ordering him to be temporarily detained and imprisoned.

Zhao Zhen kowtowed and withdrew, taken away by the Imperial Guards outside the hall, but his mood was not too bad.

This hurdle had been passed with a scare but no harm.

Although no flaws were detected, he was sure that someone had definitely stirred up trouble today, otherwise how could it have escalated to this point? As for whether the King of Chu was really involved, the emperor would surely order an investigation. If evidence was found, it would provide an excuse to deal with the King of Chu. Even if nothing was found, given the emperor's temperament, he would only become more wary of the King of Chu, thinking he was hiding deeply.

Zhao Zhen and Zhao Shi were imprisoned in the Dali Temple, and other ministers who heard the news, especially Wang Gui, who was at odds with Zhao Zhen, quickly gathered some colleagues to ask the Emperor of Liang how he intended to handle the matter.

Wang Gui wished he could strip Zhao Zhen of his position as Minister of Finance. Without the Zhao family's backing, he wondered if Noble Consort Zhao would dare to be so arrogant.

Unfortunately, despite his eagerness, he only received a response from the Emperor of Liang: "There are still doubts in this matter. I have ordered their detention, and will decide on their punishment after further investigation."

Wang Gui was deeply disappointed but had to let it go. However, he thought to himself that such a scandal would not be easily overlooked, even by the emperor. Zhao Zhen was in for big trouble.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zhen and Zhao Shi were escorted to the Dali Temple and imprisoned. Whether intentionally or not, they were placed in the same cell.

Seeing her brother, Zhao Shi rushed to him like a lifeline, eagerly asking, "Brother, how will His Majesty deal with us? Will he kill me? They've locked us up here, will I be tortured..."

Zhao Zhen, annoyed by her weeping, harshly pushed her away. "Shut up! How dare you ask? If you had been more careful, today's disaster wouldn't have happened. Didn't you have people guarding the courtyard gate? How come so many people came and no one came to warn us?"

Zhao Shi: "This... I don't know either."

Zhao Zhen sneered: "Yes, you don't know. You're nothing but a whore who only knows how to seduce her own brother!"

Hearing him hurl such degrading insults at her, Zhao Chunnu was stunned for a moment, and then her expression turned into one of pure anger, the mask of gentleness and fragility cracking.

"Seduce?" she shrieked sharply, "Zhao Zhen, have you no shame? Was it me who seduced you, or was it you who couldn't control your lust and took advantage of your own cousin?"

"Back then, I was just bringing you hangover tea. It was you who disregarded ethics and forced yourself on me. I struggled, but how could I match a man's strength? If you were truly drunk, how could you have had the strength to do such a thing? You used drunkenness as an excuse to act like a beast."

"Afterwards, I fled, wanting to pretend nothing had happened. But it was you, you took the opportunity to threaten me, forcing me to stay in your bed, not letting me marry, and even using medicine to abort a child, robbing me of the chance to ever be a mother. It wasn't until our clan elder found out that you had no choice but to send me to the King of Chu's residence as a pawn in your climb to power..."

As Zhao Chunnu spoke, her voice rose to a piercing shriek, her eyes red with grief and anger.

As a woman of the Zhao family, she had expected a life of comfort and dignity, perhaps marrying a young man of similar status. But instead, she was forced into a shameful affair with her own cousin, and now it had been exposed to the public. Zhao Chunnu could already imagine how dark her future would be—no, perhaps she wouldn't even live to see it.

She continued to mercilessly expose Zhao Zhen's depravity, "Ha! As the Zhao family heir, you could have any beauty you wanted. But you chose to mess around with me, just to savor the thrill of incest and depravity. You're nothing but a beast..."

"Slap!"

Zhao Zhen, furious and humiliated, could no longer bear to listen. He struck Zhao Chunnu hard across the face, causing half of her face to swell instantly.

His eyes turned murderous, gleaming with malice in the dim light of the prison cell.

"Zhao Chunnu, shut your mouth!" Zhao Zhen said coldly, sneering, "You say I forced myself on you, as if you're so innocent. Back then, when your mother died young and you were cast aside, wasn't it you who came to me seeking my protection? If it weren't for me, would you have lived in luxury, waited on hand and foot, draped in gold and silver?"

"And when I sent you to the King of Chu's residence, wasn't it you who couldn't stand the loneliness and came slinking back to me?"

Hearing this, Zhao Chunnu's eyes flickered for a moment, but then she resumed her victim's stance, "I tried to please you to improve my life. But the one who truly disregarded ethics was you, Zhao Zhen. That’s something you’ll never escape!"

At this, Zhao Zhen finally couldn't hold back and shoved her to the ground.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his face dark, glaring at Zhao Chunnu with a calculating look in his eyes.

Zhao Chunnu didn’t dare push him further. The difference in their strength was clear, and if he truly lost his temper, he might...

She retreated to a corner of the cell, sitting on the ground with her legs hugged to her chest, eyeing him with caution.

Back when she was just a young girl, she might have vaguely noticed Zhao Zhen's lingering gazes, but she didn't dare offend him. She knew that only by clinging to him could she have a good life. So when that incident happened, she didn't dare bring it up to the elders. Compared to Zhao Zhen, they would undoubtedly abandon her to protect him. And later, that's exactly what happened.

The relationship between the two of them had long been tangled beyond repair.

Meanwhile, after hearing Zhao Zhen's words, the Emperor of Liang sat alone in the hall, deep in thought for a while. Finally, he waved his hand and summoned a few imperial guards, ordering them to investigate whether Jiang Huai had any involvement in today's events.

Zhao Zhen had a point—things had happened too conveniently.

At the same time, he ordered the news to be sealed, to keep it from reaching the common folk and disrupting the day's religious ceremony. However, the noblewomen in the court already knew, and even if they didn't speak of it openly, they would surely gossip about the Zhao family in private.

The news quickly reached the courtyard where Noble Consort Zhao was resting. When she heard that Zhao Zhen and Zhao Chunnu had been caught in the act, she nearly fainted from anger. Her maids hurriedly supported her and helped her calm down.

After catching her breath, Noble Consort Zhao gripped her maid's hand tightly, her long nails digging into the maid's flesh without her noticing. She glared with furious eyes, "That slut Zhao Chunnu, she must have seduced my brother!"

The maid, her flesh bruised and purple, dared not cry out in pain, only carefully attending to the enraged Noble Consort Zhao.

"No, if there's to be punishment, it should only be for that slut Zhao Chunnu. I must plead with His Majesty for my brother's sake," she said urgently, about to step out the door.

Noble Consort Zhao knew well that her current glory was closely tied to the power of the Zhao family. If her brother were to be demoted, her position in the palace would become precarious.

"No, no, I can't..." Noble Consort Zhao suddenly stopped in her tracks.

The matter had come to the Emperor's attention, and his mood was certainly not good at this moment. She couldn't risk provoking his anger at such a time; it would be better to wait until his temper had slightly subsided before she could go to plead and persuade.

Noble Consort Zhao had no choice but to suppress her anxiety, pacing back and forth in her room. After waiting until the afternoon, she returned to the palace, where she ordered the Jiu Hua Palace to be thoroughly cleaned and prepared the Emperor of Liang's favorite dishes and drinks before sending someone to invite the Emperor.

Meanwhile, she herself bathed in scented water, dressed up meticulously to look radiant and stunning.

When the Emperor of Liang returned to the palace, he also cleaned up and handled some routine state affairs. As the sun set, Minister Guo, timing it just before dinner, approached to report, "Your Majesty, Noble Consort Zhao has sent for you."

Noble Consort Zhao enjoyed lasting favor, and the Emperor of Liang spent half of each month resting at her place. In the past, whenever the Noble Consort sent for him, he rarely refused.

However, today the Emperor of Liang stayed silent.

He knew why she had sent for him.

But after all, Noble Consort Zhao had served him for many years and pleased him greatly. The Emperor of Liang ultimately decided to give her some face, as long as she behaved appropriately, he would not involve her.

When the Emperor's carriage reached Jiu Hua Palace, Noble Consort Zhao hurried forward to attentively serve and escort him into the hall.

The Emperor casually looked around, noticing fresh flowers in the vases, his favorite porcelain on the table, and dishes he loved, realizing that Noble Consort Zhao had gone to great lengths.

Noble Consort Zhao carefully observed the Emperor, seeing that his expression was still acceptable, she felt a bit reassured.

She attentively served the Emperor his meal, then personally brewed him some perilla tea. As he reclined on the soft couch, relaxing, she knelt in front of him.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report," Noble Consort Zhao said softly.

The Emperor's gaze suddenly hardened, the warmth in his eyes fading significantly as he coldly looked at her.

Noble Consort Zhao felt something was amiss, but as it concerned her brother, she had to speak up, so she continued bravely, "I heard that my brother has committed a mistake that has angered Your Majesty. He truly deserves to die, but he is after all my own brother. How can I bear to see him fall so low? I beg Your Majesty for mercy."

The Emperor stared at her for a while, then suddenly asked, "Do you know what Zhao Zhen has done?"

Noble Consort Zhao: "..." The matter was indeed hard to speak of.

The Emperor sneered, "You are ashamed to say it too, but he actually did it, and was caught by so many people, truly giving me a great face!"

Seeing the Emperor getting angrier, Noble Consort Zhao, in a panic, could only try to explain herself, "Your Majesty, my brother has been taught by sages since childhood, always disciplined and respectful, he would never actively engage in such obscene acts. He must have been momentarily careless and led astray."

The Emperor watched her lips moving as she defended Zhao Zhen, but his gaze suddenly fixed on her eyebrows and eyes.

She and Zhao Zhen were siblings, their features somewhat similar, especially their eyes, which were almost identical. Seeing her, the Emperor couldn't help but think of Zhao Zhen.

When Zhao Zhen was brought into the Dragon Hall today, although he was wrapped in clothes, he still looked utterly disheveled, especially when kneeling next to Zhao Shi, it was almost possible to imagine their previous disgraceful state.

Zhao Zhen had lustful thoughts towards his cousin, who knows if he had not entertained similar thoughts towards the more beautiful Noble Consort Zhao, perhaps only restrained by the fact that she was his sister.

Zhao Zhen also frequently visited her in the palace, seeing his charming and lovely sister, was he thinking about how she looked in bed?

Thinking this, the Emperor's face turned extremely ugly, even showing signs of nausea, feeling as if his woman had cuckolded him.

Without saying another word, the Emperor pushed her aside, stood up, and left Jiu Hua Palace with a grim face.