Baili Chen said shamelessly, "Of course it's because of my wife. My wife is the most beautiful woman in Langya Continent. Because my wife chose to marry me in the end and loves me so much, I'm naturally more and more confident in marrying such a beauty as you."
Seeing Baili Chen's smug expression, Ouyang Yue's anger dissipated, and she chuckled, "Shameless."
Baili Chen didn't care. Watching his wife's beautiful lips curve into a lovely smile, he couldn't resist the urge to steal a kiss. Just as he leaned in, a commotion arose beside him. Baili Chen's face darkened, and he stopped. Turning around, he saw Leng Sha kneeling on the ground, not looking up. His voice turned cold: "What brings you here to disturb me? Can't you see I'm with my wife?" In his heart, he thought, "What a clueless person! Didn't she see I was about to steal a kiss? She's ruining my good time!"
Leng Sha kept his head down, pretending not to know Baili Chen's frustration, and said in a deep voice, "Master, there has been a major discovery."
"Oh, what did you find?" Although Baili Chen felt a little resentful, he knew very well the person he had brought with him. If he wasn't really that important, Leng Sha wouldn't have rushed in so recklessly, and he wouldn't have vented his resentment.
"Your Majesty, the Second Princess has left the palace."
Ouyang Yue was taken aback: "As expected, it's ahead of schedule. Where did she go?"
"The Crown Prince's Residence!" As soon as Leng Sha finished speaking, Baili Chen and Ouyang Yue were both stunned. "The Crown Prince's Residence? She went to the Crown Prince's Residence?"
"Yes, Crown Prince's residence. I sent thirteen teams of men to catch up with the Second Princess. She is very cautious when she travels, and we almost lost her," Leng Sha said calmly.
Ouyang Yue looked at Baili Chen and said, "Could it be that one of the strategists in the Crown Prince's residence is Baili Jing's sweetheart?"
Baili Chen nodded slightly: "That's possible. However, Baili Jing is the Empress's biological daughter and is usually very arrogant. Does the Crown Prince's residence have someone with such outstanding talent who can win her heart and make her willing to take great risks to meet him in secret at night?"
Let alone a princess of a nation, even a young lady from an ordinary family having an affair with a man is a very serious matter, let alone Princess Baili Jing, who should be a model of noble ladies in the Great Zhou Dynasty. If she were discovered, it would be an extremely dangerous situation. Looking at it this way, unless the strategist in the Crown Prince's residence is truly so exceptionally talented that even Baili Jing is captivated by him, then there must be some hidden secret behind this.
Ouyang Yue's expression suddenly froze. She was somewhat surprised and uncertain about the thought that had suddenly flashed through her mind. She couldn't help but ask Leng Sha, "Leng Sha, where will the Crown Prince sleep tonight? Have the people you arranged for him sent word out?"
Leng Sha finally raised his head, but his expression was somewhat strange: "Reporting to Madam, we have found out that the Crown Prince was originally going to sleep in Consort Lin's room tonight, but something seems to have happened, so he went to the study."
Baili Chen asked doubtfully, "Oh? He does dote on this Lin Yingying, even at a time like this... wait..." Baili Chen's expression changed drastically, and his voice became even lower, "Could it be?!"
Ouyang Yue's expression was also not good: "It's highly possible! Although this Crown Prince is a very cunning and ruthless person, it cannot be denied that he is indeed a talented person with outstanding looks." Moreover, the Crown Prince's high position and the demeanor he has cultivated since childhood as the future successor to the throne are unmatched by ordinary people. Such a man certainly has the capital to drive women crazy, but this idea is a bit too shocking.
A look of hatred flashed across Baili Chen's face: "These two shameless bastards actually did something like this!"
This is immoral, this is incest!
Even if the royal family is corrupt, no one has ever done anything like this. The thought is nauseating; it violates the natural order. How could a normal person do such a thing? Baili Chen has no affection for the royal family, but he cannot tolerate Baili Cheng and Baili Jing's actions that harm them. He is, after all, a member of the royal family, and if this incident were to break out, the Great Zhou Dynasty would likely be thrown into chaos. With such a corrupt royal family, how can the people still have faith in them? It was always thought that the Great Zhou Dynasty royal family used force to subdue the people because they were relatively clean and benevolent towards them. But no normal person can tolerate such incestuous acts. If someone fanned the flames, it would be all over.
Baili Chen had no attachment to the throne, but it was still useful to them. If it caused unrest among the people, the Great Zhou Dynasty might become unstable due to rumors. If another country attacked from the border at that time, and someone inside took the opportunity to cause trouble, the Great Zhou Dynasty would be in turmoil.
This may seem like just a royal scandal, but if it gets out, it could shake the very foundations of the nation.
Neither Baili Chen nor Ouyang Yue had anticipated these events. Ever since Baili Cai revealed that information, they had suspected Baili Jing of doing something shady. Going away for only two days at a time was unusual; they had considered the possibility of her having a man, but they never imagined it would involve Baili Cheng. They were siblings, and the Empress's pregnancy was undeniably true. Moreover, for Baili Cai to find out about this would likely have been a long time coming; the two had been together for an unknown period. Allowing this to continue unchecked would inevitably lead to serious trouble.
Furthermore, they also had to intervene when Baili Jing dealt with Ouyang Yue. Although this matter shocked them, it was also a good way to get rid of Baili Jing and perhaps stir things up even more.
Baili Chen thought for a moment and said to Ouyang Yue, "Yue'er, I'll go find my third brother now."
Ouyang Yue nodded. This matter should indeed be discussed further, and everyone should think of a solution. Baili Chen then changed into black clothes and, under Leng Sha's protection, secretly went to the Prince Zhi's residence. Ouyang Yue looked at the night sky, her expression unreadable: "I really didn't expect this. Baili Jing, Baili Cheng, ha, this royal family is rotten to the core! It's disgusting!"
Thinking this, she couldn't help but picture Baili Chen's face. Ouyang Yue's heart skipped a beat. Apart from her husband, none of them were good people!
Chuncao then came over, picked up the cloak that had fallen to the ground in surprise, and draped it over Ouyang Yue. Dongxue also said from the side, "Your Highness, it's chilly at night, you should rest for a while."
Ouyang Yue nodded: "Anyway, I can't sleep, so you two sit down and talk to me."
Spring grass and winter snow responded naturally. This night seemed quite long. Baili Chen didn't return until almost dawn. When he came back, his face showed signs of fatigue. Ouyang Yue naturally told him to rest first, but Baili Chen held her tightly, somewhat worried, and asked, "Yue'er, what are your thoughts?"
Ouyang Yue tilted her head: "What...what are your thoughts?"
"These things?" Baili Chen hesitated. "I didn't expect... you wouldn't..."
Ouyang Yue interrupted him, saying, "If these two dare to do such a thing, they should bear the necessary consequences. This has nothing to do with us; they are reaping what they sowed. Now that you have reached a conclusion with your third brother, you should rest. You came back after staying all night looking so haggard. Do you really want to make me feel sorry for you?"
Baili Chen looked deeply at Ouyang Yue, then smiled and leaned down to kiss the corner of her lips: "Let's sleep together, my wife must be tired."
Ouyang Yue punched him lightly: "I'm not sleepy anymore."
"Come on, my wife, stay with me." This time, Ouyang Yue didn't object and let Baili Chen put his arm around her. But she understood what Baili Chen wanted to say. He was afraid that she would think that all royals were this kind of perverted people and that she would have some bad thoughts about him. What a fool she was. If that were the case, she wouldn't have married him in the first place.
In the morning, in the Empress's Anle Palace, a palace official asked with some confusion, "Huh, why is Jing'er so late today?"
Several concubines sat under the Empress's command, including the newly arrived concubine, Fenyan. However, compared to the others, she was clearly served by more people, all of whom were very clever and were personally appointed by the Emperor, demonstrating the Emperor's high regard for Fenyan. Every time the other concubines saw Fenyan, it aroused their jealousy, but Fenyan always remained so gentle and weak, as if she really didn't see them.
Consort Zhang had long been loyal to the Empress and had remained obedient and compliant for many years, earning the Empress's trust. Then there was Consort Qi, the mother of the deceased Sixth Prince and now the Ninth Prince, Prince Sheng, Baili Mao. Originally affiliated with Consort Sun, she had visited the Empress's palace more frequently since Consort Sun's death, though she was noticeably more cautious. However, the Empress hadn't directly harmed her. Next was Consort Duan, a veteran concubine considered an anomaly in the palace. She never participated in the power struggles among the concubines, and due to her age, even Emperor Mingxian respected her greatly. Even the Empress never spoke harshly to her. This was because Consort Duan knew how to navigate social situations, never offending anyone, and no one considered her a rival. Besides these, there were other older concubines and newly favored ones. The Anle Palace was a vibrant place of competition and beauty, creating a unique and captivating scene.
Consort Zhang smiled and said, "Your Majesty, the Second Princess was bitten by a snake at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet and was quite frightened. She probably hasn't recovered yet. Your Majesty, please don't blame her, or your sisters will feel sorry for her."
Upon hearing this, the Empress glanced at Consort Zhang and said, "You all spoil her, which has made her increasingly disrespectful. She is not young anymore, and I have been helping her find a suitable replacement."
Fenyan then smiled and said, "The princess is a phoenix among women, a favored daughter of heaven. How can an ordinary person be worthy of her? Only by being selective can one find the best. Her Majesty the Empress is so dedicated to seeking benefits for the sisters, but she seems to have neglected the Second Princess. Her husband must be carefully chosen first, otherwise how can he be worthy of the Second Princess?" It sounded like she was complaining about the Empress, but it was actually all flattery.
The Empress squinted at Fenyan, noticing her simple, clean, plain pink dress with colorful embroidered trim. The dress, while simple, complemented her pure yet alluring face, adding a touch of elegance. Could she possibly like her? Even the Empress thought Fenyan was a rare beauty. While she might not be as beautiful as Consort Sun, she was far more adept at manipulating men's hearts than that shameless woman. The Empress knew how Fenyan had entered the palace, and that Fenyan couldn't possibly have any feelings for Consort Sun. She readily accepted this obvious flattery: "You all spoil Jing'er so much! Fine, I'm just asking her a few questions, and you act like I'm so strict with Jing'er. I won't dare say that in front of you next time."
Consort Zhang and the others couldn't help but laugh. The Anle Palace was less tense than usual. After a while, the greetings were over, and the concubines left one after another. The Empress then asked Lan He beside her, "Let's go and see Jing'er. Maybe she really has some aftereffects from the snake venom."
Lan He and Lan Ni, another close confidante of the Empress, led some palace maids to Yu Huan Palace. However, upon arriving at Yu Huan Palace, they learned that Bai Li Jing had already left the palace early, which aroused the Empress's suspicion. In the past, Bai Li Jing would not leave the palace without paying her respects. This was actually against the rules, and as a princess of the palace, such etiquette was a must.
The Empress asked sternly, "Do you know where she went?"
One of the palace maids said, "Your Majesty, I heard that she went to the Crown Prince's residence to see Consort Lin."
"Looking for Yingying?" Because the Empress doted on her niece Lin Yingying, Baili Jing and Lin Yingying had a good relationship since childhood. However, they had a fight a few years ago, which strained their relationship. But as they grew older, their relationship improved. Hearing this, the Empress was relieved: "I understand. Have the Second Princess come back to me."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The Empress and her entourage knelt on the ground and watched her leave. The Empress and her entourage had come up empty-handed. The Empress had no intention of returning to the palace and was thinking of taking a stroll in the back garden when she heard a rustling sound coming from a path. The Empress frowned, ignored Lan He's scolding, and walked over out of curiosity.
One side of Yuhuan Palace is a main road connecting several palaces, while the other side is a low green forest. Usually, few people enter this area. It is only in the summer that Yuhuan Palace can be cooler. Otherwise, Baili Jing would not have chosen this time to be here. The path is very narrow, and at the beginning is a row of artificial rocks, making it impossible to walk. So, gradually, few people will come here.
"You're so mean, Big White."
"What are you afraid of? There's nobody here. We've been here for a long time."
Then a low, hoarse groan rang out, and the Empress's face immediately darkened. Just as she was about to speak, the clearly male voice rang out: "Speaking of which, I took a break yesterday, and when I came back, I seemed to see the Princess and her maid leaving Rain Ring Palace."
The woman grumbled, "Yes, it was my turn to be on duty yesterday, but I didn't get to enter the princess's quarters. I felt like the princess didn't come back last night. But the head maid said the princess left the palace early. I really don't know what's going on."
"Tsk tsk, just like you, you went out to find men." The man said with a wicked smile.
"Haha, don't talk nonsense, she's a princess..."
Hearing this, the Empress's eyes were filled with murderous intent. With a wave of her hand, Lan He immediately obeyed, and two black-clad guards flashed out and disappeared into the artificial hill. There was only a muffled sound, and the lovers who had been having an affair were completely silent. The Empress, however, said with a stern face: "Did the princess go to the Crown Prince's residence? Prepare for me, I am going out of the palace."
"Your Majesty, this..." It is a big deal for the Empress to leave the palace, and it is an even bigger deal for her to leave the palace without permission.
The Empress, however, couldn't care less about these things. She suddenly felt uneasy and her mind was in turmoil: "Quickly prepare, I will leave the palace immediately for the Crown Prince's residence."
Lan He and the others dared not delay and immediately made preparations. The Empress took off her heavy phoenix robe, changed into a noblewoman's dress, and secretly left the palace to go to the Crown Prince's residence. Then, she directly took the Empress's token. The guards of the Crown Prince's residence did not dare to make a sound and hurriedly invited the Empress in. However, after waiting in the hall for a while, the Crown Prince did not come. The Empress frowned: "Where is the Crown Prince?"
The head steward's face was covered in sweat, which kept dripping down his face: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is in his study. He still has some official business to attend to, but he will be done soon."
The Empress felt even more confused and stood up, saying, "Go to the study. I will see him in person."
The head steward was startled: "Your Majesty, this..."
"Shut up! If you want to stop me, go to the study." The Empress ignored the head steward, who was extremely anxious and hurriedly gestured to the servants around him. The Empress's brows furrowed, "Take him away! How dare you make such a move in front of me! Go to the study to see the Crown Prince. I want to ask you why he is avoiding seeing me, his mother?"
Of course, the Empress didn't make a big fuss. She took a quieter path to the study and had someone watch over it. Lan He pushed the door open, and the Empress frowned. There was no one in the main hall of the study. It was completely empty. Even the books and writing materials on the desk were neatly arranged, as if they hadn't been touched. This was hardly the way the Crown Prince worked. The Crown Prince wasn't even in the room.
The Empress's face immediately darkened. She, the mother of the nation, was astounded that a mere steward of the Crown Prince's residence dared to deceive her. She glared at the steward with a sinister look on her face. The steward was sweating profusely and his legs were trembling with fear, but he dared not speak. He was desperately hoping that even if the Empress wanted to punish him, he would accept it. He just wanted the Empress to leave quickly, or he would lose his life!
The steward was so frightened that he turned pale.
"Ah!" Just then, a suppressed sound came from inside. The Empress frowned and listened carefully. The sound kept coming, and it could be distinguished between men and women. She immediately understood. The Empress's face became even more gloomy. What a Crown Prince! It's one thing for him to act recklessly, but for his mother to leave the palace to see him without permission, he was actually here with those wild women. He had no manners at all. The Empress rushed in, and the head eunuch was so frightened that his eyes almost popped out.
He couldn't care less about the Empress's threat to shut up and immediately screamed, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is probably just tired and resting."
Upon hearing the steward's voice, a sound of something falling to the ground was heard from inside. At this moment, the Empress had already stepped into the inner room, about to shout and curse, but when she saw the scene in the room—the two naked men and women—her face turned to extreme horror, her body trembled with fear, and her legs almost gave way and she fell to the ground: "You... what happened? How could you two, you unfilial children, you two damned things!"
☆、213、Fratricide!!!
The Empress was so angry that she almost fainted, because the scene in the room was something she had never imagined.
The room was in complete disarray, with an atmosphere reminiscent of the aftermath of an affair. The bed was even more disheveled, with blankets and pillows flying everywhere. When she entered, the two people in the room were still naked, and the woman's pale body was even sitting on the man's lap. The sight of her naked body nearly drove the Empress mad with rage.
It would be one thing if it were just ordinary men and women seeking pleasure, but one of them was her own son, the current Crown Prince Baili Cheng, and the other was her own daughter, the Second Princess Baili Jing. How could she accept this? This was incest! If this matter were to spread, the Crown Prince would be finished, completely finished, and the Empress would be forever separated from him. How dare these two do such a rebellious thing? The Empress was so angry that she trembled all over. After cursing, she was so shaky that she could not speak.
Inside the room, Baili Cheng and Baili Jing were intimately entwined, creating a very passionate scene. However, upon seeing the Empress enter, their faces paled. Despite their pale complexions, their eyes still held a surge of passion due to the intensity of their previous encounter.
Only then did the two seem to react. Baili Jing cried out in surprise and immediately grabbed the quilt to wrap herself in, but the quilt had some kind of mark on it. Baili Jing's lips trembled. Compared to her, Baili Cheng, although also horrified, was much calmer. He immediately got out of bed, quickly put on an outer garment, and then picked up the clothes on the ground and handed them to Baili Jing: "Jing'er, put them on quickly." Then he lowered the gauze curtain, and Baili Jing put on her clothes with trembling hands. After a while, she lifted the curtain with trembling hands, and the two stood silently by the bed.
At this moment, the Empress felt a throbbing pain in her head. Lan He suppressed her horror and helped the Empress sit down. The Crown Prince waved his hand at the steward who followed in. The steward understood that this meant to deal with the people behind him, and immediately withdrew.
The Empress clutched her chest, breathing heavily. It took her a while to calm down. Lanhe handed her tea, but the Empress slapped it away with a loud "crash!" The teacup shattered into tiny pieces.
Upon seeing this, Baili Cheng stepped forward with concern: "Mother, are you alright?"
"You unfilial son, how dare you question me!"
"Slap!" With a curse, he directly brushed away Baili Cheng's outstretched hand of concern. A strange look flashed across Baili Cheng's face, but he quietly stepped aside.
Whether it was this trigger or not, the Empress was now rolling her eyes in anger. The anger she had managed to suppress earlier was reignited, and she angrily pointed at Baili Cheng's nose and cursed, "As the Crown Prince, look at what you are doing! You and Jing'er, you two wretched children, are you trying to drive me to my death?" The Empress slammed her fist on the table in anger, but the anger in her heart did not subside at all; instead, it grew even angrier.
"You two have actually done such a shameless thing! You are incredibly audacious, Crown Prince! Don't you think about the future? Don't you think about your position? Do you know how serious this is? You are simply outrageous, utterly outrageous! Jing'er, do you know you are a woman? You are a noble princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a model for noble ladies? Do you know the difference between a young lady of high birth and a prostitute? It's that a young lady would never do such a disgraceful thing. Have all the lessons I taught you gone to waste?!" The Empress was furious and began to speak without thinking. She was truly enraged. She had worried so much about her children all her life and always thought she was proud of them, but who would have thought they would do such a scandalous thing? The Empress felt her heart trembling, her face flushed red with anger, and hot breath was coming out of her nostrils. Her hands, which were on the table, trembled uncontrollably, even when she clenched her fists.
But what she said was really too much. Wasn't that comparing Baili Jing to a prostitute?
But in reality, it's not that different. The prostitute can be had for money, but Baili Jing doesn't even have any money. She's being offered to him for free, and they're even siblings! Isn't that even more disgusting?
Baili Jing is a princess of the current dynasty. Others may do such a thing, but she cannot. In the common people, if a woman loses her virtue before marriage and has no one to back her up, she will be drowned in a pig cage. You can imagine how important the matter of losing one's virginity is to others, let alone to the high and mighty royal family. Even a small matter can cause a huge uproar. If this matter gets out, even the empress cannot imagine the consequences.
Baili Cheng frowned and said, "Your mother has already dealt with the people she brought today. Your mother need not worry about matters in my residence; I have my own methods."
"Yes, you really have some tricks up your sleeve, actually getting together with your sister... Humph! You've really grown up, you're not afraid of anything anymore, and you dare to do anything!" The Empress said in a very sarcastic tone, her eyes filled with hatred and resentment as she looked at Baili Cheng.
Baili Jing's eyes suddenly reddened, and she knelt down in front of the Empress with a "bang," grabbing the Empress's leg and saying, "Mother, please don't blame the Crown Prince. It was my fault for being infatuated. It has nothing to do with the Crown Prince."
"Smack!"
"You wretched maid! How dare you, the second princess, say such a thing!" The Empress was so angry that she slapped Baili Jing across the face. No matter how dignified the Empress was usually, she couldn't maintain her composure at this moment. She was disciplining her son, and Baili Jing was even more furious with her.
That said, it's said that daughters are their mothers' little darlings. Baili Cheng is destined for greatness, and although the Empress highly values this son, Baili Cheng has been learning various subjects and etiquettes every day since he was young, and he's constantly interacting with many people—how could he possibly have enough time? The one truly by the Empress's side is Princess Baili Jing. Baili Jing's ruthless nature is something she learned from the Empress, but in front of her, this daughter is very sensible and obedient, which makes the Empress very gratified. Therefore, emotionally, she actually prefers Baili Jing to Baili Cheng, whom she has high hopes for. But both of these children have disappointed her. Even now, Jing'er dares to say such things! The Empress is so angry she can barely speak!
What terrible things has she done to deserve such a thing from her children?
"Mother, Jing'er was only concerned about your son..."
"Shut up! All of you shut up! Even at a time like this, you still won't admit your mistakes. Did I make you do such a despicable thing? Did I force you to do it?!" The Empress shouted angrily.
Baili Cheng's expression darkened slightly, and he remained silent. Baili Jing covered her slapped face, noticing Baili Cheng's unpleasant expression, but dared not retort to the Empress. Suddenly, she found the courage to jump up, hug Baili Cheng tightly, and shouted angrily at the Empress: "Mother has always been thinking about the future of me and my brother the Crown Prince, but all of this was caused by you!"
"This is utter nonsense! Would I force you to commit incest?!" The Empress was furious, practically spitting fire!
Baili Jing, clinging tightly to Baili Cheng's neck, defiantly said, "My mother taught me from a young age that I am a favored daughter of heaven, and there are very few men in this world worthy of me. In a place like the palace, where it's a fight to the death, there's no room for naive people. Anyone who is naive dies, and each one dies a more gruesome death than the last. Didn't my mother once make me watch people being skinned alive to toughen me up?" The Empress's expression changed, her brows furrowing, her demeanor somewhat unnatural. "Seeing those people screaming in agony, still dying such gruesome deaths, I thought that I would never be like them. I must live a life more noble than anyone else, a life of high status, where no one can touch me. At that time, I wondered how I could achieve that position. Of course, I had to be like my mother, becoming the Empress of a country. Unfortunately, I'm a princess. I don't know what possessed me, but after thinking this way, I started to notice my brother, the Crown Prince."
At this point, Baili Jing seemed to be lost in a dream, her expression strange: "I know it's just a dream, something that can't be realized. But the more I pay attention to my brother, the more I realize how outstanding he is. He's the most outstanding man I've ever met, with both literary talent and exceptional intelligence. For some reason, when I'm with him, my heart feels like a young girl's when she's with a man she admires. I suddenly realize I want this man. I remember my mother once said that if you think something is right, you should do everything you can to get it. What does it matter if it's beneficial to you? But my brother is my brother, and I have struggled before. But when he had his first woman, I went crazy. Mother, do you remember when I had a high fever for several days when I was little, almost dying? That was when my brother started having affairs, right?"