She and Dongfang Heng led Dongfang Zhan to 'scheme' against her once in the east wing. Dongfang Zhan was wary and would not scheme against her a second time. Therefore, the person he would scheme against was Dongfang Heng.
So she ordered her secret guards to secretly inform Dongfang Heng. Dongfang Heng deliberately missed Shen Lixue and was led to the bridal chamber. After Li Youlan took off her clothes, he called out his secret guards to take away all the fabric. The playboys who were going to make a ruckus at the wedding night, instigated by the guards of the Holy King's Mansion, happened to arrive and saw Li Youlan naked.
"Li Youlan has really lost face this time." Let's see if she dares to make a move on Dongfang Heng again.
"That's the only way to teach her a lesson." Dongfang Heng's posture was elegant, and his faint smile carried an indescribable air of refinement and sharpness.
In the center of the courtyard of the new house, several young men huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, their eyes frequently glancing at the tightly closed door of the new house.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Those noble young men seem reluctant to leave." Princess Zhan's naked display is not something that can be seen all the time. Their hearts were stirred once, and they were somewhat infatuated. They wanted to see it again, so naturally they were reluctant to leave.
According to Li Youlan's plan, if she were caught naked in the bridal chamber with Dongfang Heng, Dongfang Heng, as an outsider, would appear in the bridal chamber of the Prince of Zhan's bride, making people think he had ulterior motives. Whatever Li Youlan said, everyone would believe her, and Dongfang Heng would be unable to defend himself and would be unable to clear his name no matter what he did.
The Azure Flame King is of noble status, and his consort must also be a woman of pure virtue. Regardless of whether Li Youlan has lost her virginity or not, since Dongfang Heng has seen her body, Dongfang Zhan will definitely not want her anymore.
She and Dongfang Zhan had a wedding ceremony, but they hadn't consummated their marriage yet. Furthermore, it was Dongfang Heng who barged into the room and ruined her chastity. The Emperor would vent all his anger on Dongfang Heng and wouldn't blame Li Youlan.
At that time, Dongfang Zhan will seize the opportunity to plead for mercy, and Dongfang Heng will have no choice but to accept Li Youlan, a symbol of shame, thus ruining his reputation and being scorned by everyone. Then Dongfang Zhan and Li Youlan's scheme will succeed.
They only think of their own interests and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. If Dongfang Heng falls for their trap, his life will be completely ruined. He will turn the tables on them and make them lose their reputation. It is their own fault and they will suffer the consequences. What he did was not excessive.
"His Majesty must be very angry." Li Youlan married into the Zhan Prince's Mansion and became the daughter-in-law of the Eastern Royal Family. Her every word and action represented the entire Qingyan Royal Family. Her naked display in front of so many noble young men was truly shocking.
"He'll definitely be angry, and he'll give Dongfang Zhan a good scolding." As the Prince of An, Dongfang Heng knew the Emperor quite well. The royal family had lost face, and no matter how much he loved his son, he would still discipline him.
Shen Lixue frowned: "Just a lesson? Isn't that too lenient?"
"Perhaps there will be some other minor punishments, nothing too serious." The Eastern royal family has already lost face; no amount of reprimand or punishment from the emperor will help. The best course of action is to try every possible way to salvage the situation.
Li Youlan's naked display in the bridal chamber had become the talk of the town in less than half an incense stick's time. Ministers and their families, while enjoying the wedding feast, whispered among themselves, their sympathetic gazes intentionally or unintentionally drifting toward Dongfang Zhan. The dignified Princess Zhan was actually walking around the bridal chamber naked; it was truly scandalous and immoral.
Although it was the bridal chamber, it wasn't even evening yet, and Prince Zhan hadn't even lifted the veil. Yet Li Youlan, the bride, had stripped naked in broad daylight, so eager to consummate the marriage? The world is going to the dogs, the world is going to the dogs!
The ministers and their families whispered softly, but the emperor, being a martial artist with keen hearing, heard everything clearly. His anger surged, and he could no longer remain seated. He flicked his sleeves and strode out of the banquet hall.
Dongfang Zhan's gaze darkened, and he stood up and followed him out.
Back in the imperial study, the emperor grabbed a handful of memorials and hurled them at Dongfang Zhan behind him: "How have you managed the Zhan Prince's residence? You've caused such a scandalous incident, you've completely disgraced the royal family!"
Dongfang Zhan neither dodged nor avoided the memorials, letting them hit him and fall to the ground with a rustling sound. He clasped his hands together and solemnly begged the emperor for forgiveness: "Father, please forgive me. It was your son who failed in his duty."
He and the Crown Prince both got married. The Crown Prince's residence was harmonious and happy, with the principal wife and concubines enjoying each other's company. However, in the Zhan Prince's residence, the prince took a concubine, and the principal wife showed off her naked body. The entire residence was in chaos and was about to become the laughing stock of the entire Qingyan.
Whether it was the court officials or the common people of Qingyan, they all reassessed his and the Crown Prince's abilities. The Crown Prince had naturally left him far behind. He didn't like being surpassed, especially by those weaker than him who had taken shortcuts and managed to get ahead of him. He hated them even more.
"Forgive me? Neglect your duty? You make it sound so easy. Have you heard what the ministers are saying?" Immoral and corrupt, the world is going to the dogs. The Zhan Prince's Mansion married a Princess who is even more open than a courtesan. The Qingyan royal family has completely lost face.
"Your subject knows his crime." The emperor was in a fit of anger, and Dongfang Zhan should not argue with him. He should first admit his mistake and wait for the emperor to calm down before making a decision.
"How did Prime Minister Li raise his granddaughter? Even if she married her own cousin, and they knew each other well, she should still uphold the virtues of a wife. How could she lift the veil without permission, and even..." She stripped naked and displayed herself in the bridal chamber. Li Youlan's audacity was so outrageous that even the emperor felt ashamed to speak of it...
"Father, please calm your anger. When I get back, I will definitely put her in confinement and let her reflect on her mistakes..." Dongfang Zhan carefully apologized, agreeing to whatever the emperor said, without defending Li Youlan or explaining for her.
Because she had indeed made a serious mistake and needed to be severely punished to teach her a lesson and to calm the emperor down, any attempt to argue or explain would only intensify the emperor's anger.
"It's not just about making others reflect on their mistakes; you've made a mistake too." The emperor's anger not only didn't subside but grew stronger, and he roared furiously, "You've married three wives at once, and you're still not satisfied? You secretly went to the east wing to be intimate with female guests. You are the Prince of Qingyan Zhan, and you can have women whenever you want. Why did you have to put on a live sex show in front of all the guests on your wedding day?"
"Your Majesty, I had been drinking and my head was a little fuzzy. I took the wrong path and mistakenly entered the east wing. It just so happened that my Fifth Prince and the others came looking for me. There was a misunderstanding." He had schemed against Shen Lixue and Dongfang Heng, but they had outmaneuvered him. This matter was his secret and his shame. He absolutely could not tell anyone. Even if the Emperor did not object to him dealing with Dongfang Heng, he would still keep this secret that belonged only to him.
"Is that really all there is to it?" The emperor looked at Dongfang Zhan with skepticism.
"Your subject would not dare to lie. You can ask your fifth brother. When he entered the room, both your subject's and the girl's clothes were slightly disheveled, and nothing happened." Dongfang Zhan's words were firm and earnest, his gaze sincere, without the slightest hint of panic or evasiveness in his lie.
The emperor looked at Dongfang Zhan. He had watched his sons grow up since they were young, and this third son was the smartest and most outstanding. There were no concubines or maids in the Zhan Prince's mansion, which showed that he was not obsessed with women. The fact that he only took a concubine when he was almost twenty years old further illustrates this point.
He believed that the incident in the east wing was just a misunderstanding, and his anger subsided considerably. He sighed heavily and said, "I believe you, but the officials and the people of Qingyan may not."
The matter escalated so much that even the ministers were whispering about it at the banquet. It was impossible to stop them. Dongfang Zhan's reputation, which he had painstakingly built up over a dozen years, was almost completely ruined. When the people talked about Prince Qingyan Zhan, they no longer saw him as a polite and elegant gentleman, but as a lecherous and idle prince who took a concubine on his wedding day.
"Your subject understands." On the wedding day, Prince Zhan slept with the female guests who came to offer their congratulations, and Princess Zhan's body was seen naked by the young men who were making a ruckus in the bridal chamber. Such a shocking thing, even if it were him, Dongfang Zhan, he would look down on the people who were involved.
"What's done is done, there's no point in saying more. Let's think about how to restore your reputation and the face of the Eastern royal family." The royal family has lost face. Whether it's punishing Dongfang Zhan by confining him to his room to reflect on his mistakes or making him copy scriptures, the royal family's face is gone forever. They should do something practical to restore Qingyan Zhanwang's elegant and noble status in the eyes of the people. Once his reputation is restored, the face of the Qingyan royal family will be restored as well.
"Yes!" Dongfang Zhan replied in a deep voice, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.
He, the dignified King of Qingyan, elegant and noble, was betrayed by Dongfang Heng and Shen Lixue, becoming a laughingstock among the people of Qingyan. He is their sworn enemy, but his immediate priority is not to seek revenge on them, but to restore his reputation. A higher standing among the ministers and the people will make it easier for him to do other things.
---Aside---
(*^__^*) Hehe... It's almost the end of the month, so remember to vote, everyone! Don't waste your votes...
Chapter 203: Zhan Wang's Counterattack, Li Xue's Scheme
Golden sunlight, like spring water, streamed through the curtains of the magnificent carriage, warmly bathing Shen Lixue in her light blue cloud-patterned brocade dress, creating a hazy, indescribable beauty.
After sitting in the carriage for about half an hour, her body was a little stiff. She stretched lazily like a kitten, slowly lifted the curtain and stepped out of the carriage. A wave of herbal fragrance wafted over her, making her feel refreshed. She exclaimed softly, "The air after the rain is indeed exceptionally fresh."
Behind her, Dongfang Heng also got off the carriage and gently draped an ivory-white cloak over Shen Lixue: "It's cold outside, be careful not to catch a cold."
Shen Lixue's clear eyes looked through Dongfang Heng towards the towering mountain: "Heng, is the medicinal herb that Grandpa needs on this mountain?"
"Yes." Dongfang Heng nodded, his jade-like fingers lightly tying the cloak ribbon at her collar. The faint scent of pine resin carried a cool fragrance that was intoxicating.
The mountain path was very rugged and muddy. Shen Lixue frowned and said, "The road is a bit difficult to walk."
Dongfang Heng looked at the wet, muddy path. The ground was very soft and couldn't support much weight. Every step would leave half of your foot in mud. "I told you long ago to have the guards come and gather the herbs, but you insisted on coming yourself. Now you're complaining about how bad the path is." His tone was somewhat helpless, but there was no hint of blame.
"It's been raining heavily in the capital for ten days. I've been cooped up in my residence every day, and I'm almost getting sick from it. I'm taking this opportunity to gather herbs and go for a walk to clear my head." With that, Shen Lixue took Dongfang Heng's arm and slowly walked up the mountain.