Quick Wear: The first person to love the host

Su Ziyu slowly raised her eyes, a hint of struggle and wavering flashing in her gaze.

He hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Your Highness's kindness is deeply appreciated. However... the First Prince is a cautious person, and I am worried..."

"Oh, Brother Ziyu, you are too modest."

Seeing that his attitude had softened, Qi Haolian's lips curled into a smug smile. "Now that you are the person closest to him in bed, it is most convenient for you to do things. You don't need to do anything dangerous. Just inform me of his movements, especially his interactions with court officials, or any... inappropriate words or actions."

It's easy to say, but this is clearly a plot to make him a clandestine spy!

Su Ziyu remained silent for a long time before finally making up his mind and slowly nodding: "In that case... I am willing to serve Your Highness. I only ask that Your Highness keep your promise and protect my sister."

"Of course!" Qi Haolian clapped his hands and laughed, thinking he had succeeded.

Su Miaomiao listened quietly to their conversation, her slender fingers clenched into fists hidden in her sleeves.

Don't think she was unaware—the lecherous glint in the Second Prince's eyes when he entered was almost undisguised. One day, she would definitely…

The meeting, in which everyone had their own agenda, quickly came to an end.

The Second Prince led Su Miaomiao away first. As soon as they left, Qi Jinyu, who was in the private room next door, eagerly entered through a hidden door. "Madam, that scoundrel Qi Haolian has slandered me."

His handsome face was filled with grievance, looking like he was saying, "You'd better comfort me."

Liu Ye immediately lowered her eyes, trying her best to blend herself into the background.

Su Ziyu sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation—he had just dealt with the Second Prince, and now he had to appease this troublesome ancestor.

Although she knew he was faking it, she couldn't bear to see his expression and could only beckon him to sit down and talk.

"Now that Your Highness has heard what the Second Prince said—that he ordered me to be a spy—what are your plans?"

Qi Jinyu casually picked up the teacup that the lady had used, tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp. "Don't worry, Madam, just follow the plan."

Su Ziyu glared at him, annoyed. "You're quite easygoing."

In the days that followed, Qi Haolian, in accordance with his "agreement" with Su Ziyu, began to plan his actions against the First Prince. Based on the "intelligence" provided by Su Ziyu, he first sent someone to impeach a general under the First Prince, and then attempted to sabotage several important tasks.

Strangely, every time he tried to do something, it was like hitting a brick wall.

The impeachment memorial was rejected with irrefutable evidence, and the men he sent to sabotage him were caught red-handed, suffering a complete loss instead of a gain. What alarmed him even more was that several of his spies planted near the First Prince's residence mysteriously disappeared one after another.

Qi Haolian then vaguely sensed that something was wrong, as if every punch he threw had hit himself.

He had his doubts about Su Ziyu, but every time they met in secret, Su Ziyu would earnestly report the "latest situation," and Qi Haolian couldn't find a single flaw. In the end, he could only attribute his failure to the eldest prince's cautiousness and suspicion.

Until one day, Qi Haolian plotted to frame the eldest prince for colluding with a border general, intending to use this opportunity to get his father, the emperor, to take back Qi Jinyu's military power. All the "evidence" was ready, but on the eve of the attack, he was urgently summoned to the palace by his father.

On the emperor's desk lay his correspondence with others, revealing their conspiracy to fabricate evidence, as well as detailed records of his previous failed attempts! And the one who presented this irrefutable evidence was none other than the eldest prince, Qi Jinyu, whom he had been plotting to bring down!

Only now did Qi Haolian realize that all the "intelligence" Su Ziyu wanted to pass on to him was a carefully laid bait and trap by Qi Jinyu.

Every move he thought was brilliant was actually within the other party's calculations, and step by step he personally delivered the evidence of his crimes of forming cliques and framing his brother to his father.

With irrefutable evidence, Qi Hao was speechless and unable to defend himself.

In his rage, he completely lost his mind, knelt before the emperor, and cried out hoarsely, "Father! Your son has a shocking secret to report! The Grand Princess is not a woman, but a man! This is a conspiracy between my eldest brother and the Su family, a scheme to substitute one thing for another, to deceive the emperor and defile the palace, Father!"

He was determined to go all out—even if he himself was in danger, he was determined to drag Qi Jinyu and Su Ziyu down to hell with him!

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the air seemed to freeze instantly.

The emperor's gaze suddenly sharpened like a knife, first sweeping over the second prince who was banging his head on the ground, and then slowly moving to the eldest prince, Qi Jinyu, who stood calmly to the side.

"Oh? Is what he said true?"

Qi Jinyu responded by lifting his robe and kneeling down. “Your Majesty, it is indeed my brother, the Minister of Rites, Su Ziyu, who married into my household. However, there is a reason for this. The Minister’s daughter, Su Miaomiao, has been frail since childhood and suffers from a condition called ‘soul separation.’ Before the wedding, her condition suddenly worsened, and a renowned doctor predicted that she needed to go overseas to recuperate, otherwise her life would be in danger.”

"However, the wedding date has been set, and the imperial decree is as firm as a mountain. The Su family knows that if they report the truth, the Emperor, with his benevolence, will surely grant the postponement. But what will become of the imperial family's reputation? How can the entire Su family dare to damage the imperial dignity for their own selfish reasons? With no other choice, we have resorted to this expedient measure. Su Ziyu is willing to use his manhood to serve his sister."

"The Imperial Concubine confessed this matter to me on the day of our marriage. I knew about it but did not report it, and I am willing to accept my father's punishment."

He spoke calmly and carefully, delivering his carefully prepared explanation, and portraying a "last resort" in a way that was both reasonable and empathetic.

The emperor's gaze swept back and forth between the two men, offering no comment, but his tense expression eased slightly. Merit was always the primary factor in an emperor's decision-making.

Seeing the situation was turning sour, Qi Haolian hurriedly said, "Father! This is mere sophistry! The crime of deceiving the emperor is unforgivable! Moreover, my brother harbors malicious intentions and has committed this immoral act with this merchant's son..."

"Second brother!" Qi Jinyu interrupted sharply, her voice as cold as ice, "You keep talking about upholding the laws and moral order of the country, then I want to ask you—you forcibly abducted Su Miaomiao back to the capital and imprisoned her, using her to coerce her brother and take the opportunity to target me at every turn, have you ever thought about what crime you would commit if I were truly disgraced and caused turmoil on the border?!"

Qi Haolian's expression changed drastically: "You...you're spouting nonsense!"

Qi Jinyu scoffed coldly, "The evidence is overwhelming. If Father doesn't believe me, he can summon the two siblings for a face-to-face confrontation."

Upon hearing the words "frontier unrest," the last trace of hesitation in the emperor's eyes vanished completely, replaced by the coldness and decisiveness of an emperor.

He had just received a secret report that the barbarian tribes on the border were making frequent disturbances, and a major war was imminent. At this moment, the safety of the border rested on Qi Jinyu's shoulders, and he absolutely could not allow her to lose heart.

"enough."

The two words, like a thunderclap, resounded throughout the golden palace.

"The Second Prince, Qi Haolian, has behaved improperly, framed his elder brother, and disrupted the court. Effective immediately, he is confined to his residence and is not allowed to leave without imperial decree. His mother, the Empress Dowager, has failed in her duty to educate her son and is also confined to the Fengyi Palace. The power of the harem will be temporarily managed by Consort De."

"The eldest prince, Qi Jinyu, failed to recognize talent and concealed the truth. He is hereby fined one year's salary as a warning to others. However, considering his outstanding military achievements and the reasonable circumstances, he will not be investigated further."

“Then Su Miaomiao…” Qi Jinyu spoke up at the right moment.

The emperor waved his hand, "You can take your imperial concubine back with you, of course."

Qi Jinyu felt a huge weight lifted from her heart. With her father's word, Qi Haolian, despite his reluctance, had no choice but to release the man.

The two princes kowtowed in gratitude and left the hall.

Outside the palace gates, Qi Hao's face was ashen, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Your Majesty, you are truly cunning! I will remember your 'enlightenment' today and repay you a thousandfold in the future!"

Qi Jinyu paid no attention to the defeated opponent's harsh words, only thinking about returning to the manor as soon as possible to ask the madam for praise.

He waved his hand casually and said indifferently, "Then I... will wait and see."