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The three people who came out of the Qin residence were on their way back to the Zhennan Prince's Mansion.

Mo Bai asked curiously, "Your Highness, Qin Guang is clearly a scoundrel, and Qin Qingmin is even worse. But when Your Highness asked him just now, Qin Qingmin seemed genuinely unaware of the land matter."

Chen Nan's expression was complicated; he was also thinking about this.

I originally thought Qin Qingmin was the most likely person to take control of those lands.

Judging from what just happened, Qin Qingmin clearly didn't know about this.

Instead, Wu Xu spoke up: "Your Highness, could it be that the prefect, relying on the Qin family's power, did this on his own?"

Chen Nan shook his head: "Probably not. He's just a branch of the Qin family. Forcibly seizing land is a serious matter; he probably wouldn't dare. Besides, if something like this has happened right here in the capital, it's bound to happen elsewhere."

For a moment, Chen Nan had no good ideas.

The three of them returned to the palace in silence.

The next morning, Chen Nan, still asleep, cried out urgently, "Your Highness, His Majesty has decreed that all officials of the sixth rank and above in Northern Wei must come to court."

Chen Nan, having changed his clothes, walked out of the room.

With a look of anxiety on his face, Uncle Wang urged again, "Your Highness, you'd better hurry up, the court assembly is about to begin."

Chen Nan didn't reply, glanced at Uncle Wang, and left the mansion.

After leaving the Prince's residence, he rushed towards the Imperial Palace at an extremely fast pace.

When he arrived at the entrance of Fengtian Hall.

Dozens of officials dressed in yellow robes were waiting outside.

After weaving through the crowd, I saw two more eunuchs on either side of the Fengtian Hall.

One of them whispered a reminder: "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager is very angry. Please wait a moment while I go in and inform her."

Inside the Fengtian Hall, the Empress Dowager, dignified and graceful, sat firmly on the dragon throne.

His eyes constantly scanned the court officials below.

Suddenly, a cold shout rang out: "Are you all mute?"

The voice was loud; even Chen Nan, who was standing at the door, could hear the anger contained in the tone.

Chen Nan was puzzled as to why the usually gentle Empress Dowager was so angry today.

Just then, the eunuch who had gone in to announce the news cautiously arrived at the center of the main hall.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the Empress Dowager coldly questioned, "What? Does this mean anyone can just enter the Fengtian Hall at will?"

"Drag him out and behead him!"

At a command, armored guards on both sides marched toward the center of the main hall.

The eunuch could not withstand such pressure. He bent his knees and knelt down, hurriedly saying, "Empress Dowager, I have something to report!"

The Empress Dowager was already in a bad mood, and when a eunuch interrupted the court session, her mood worsened to the extreme.

She didn't listen to his explanation at all: "What? Didn't you hear what I said?"

The guards on both sides quickened their pace and helped the kneeling eunuch up.

This incident brought back memories of the Empress Dowager's attitude towards the Prince of Zhennan from the dragon throne.

He hurriedly spoke up: "Your Majesty, I have come to report on matters concerning the Prince of Zhennan."

He knew this was his only chance to survive.

If he were truly dragged outside the palace, not even the King of Zhennan, let alone the Heavenly King himself, could save him.

Sure enough, he guessed correctly.

Upon hearing that the matter being reported concerned the Prince of Zhennan, they realized it was related to him.

In her excitement, the Empress Dowager stood up, leaned forward, and stretched her right hand out in the air: "Wait!"

"What do you want to report? What could possibly be related to the Prince of Zhennan?"

She had just been wondering why this court assembly had gathered all the officials of the sixth rank and above from the Northern Wei Dynasty.

She searched for a long time but couldn't find any trace of Chen Nan.

Suddenly, she began to wonder what kind of surprise this eunuch could bring her.

As the Empress Dowager finished speaking, the eunuch who had been lifted up was lowered back to the ground.

The guards on both sides did not retreat, but instead waited behind the eunuch.

The eunuch knelt down with a thud and said directly, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Zhennan is waiting outside the palace. I am just here to report."

"Oh? Prince Zhennan is already outside the palace?" A glint flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes, and she hurriedly said, "Quickly, quickly, summon Prince Zhennan into the palace."

The eunuch was secretly delighted, knowing that his life could be saved.

After getting up, he didn't even dare to raise his head, and bowed to the dragon throne, saying, "This humble servant takes his leave."

Step by step, they retreated out of the main hall.

They breathed a sigh of relief after arriving outside the hall.

With a grateful look in her eyes, she looked at Chen Nan and said, "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager summons you to the palace."

Chen Nan nodded to him and stepped into the hall.

Upon entering the hall, Chen Nan didn't look anywhere else and went straight to the head of the military officers.

The Empress Dowager glanced at the woman on the dragon throne, and the scene in the Imperial Garden yesterday flashed through her mind.

Thinking of that scene, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

The Empress Dowager thought Chen Nan was looking at her, and there was even a smile on his lips.

She smiled slightly at Chen Nan as well.

This smile, however, was seen by the court officials inside the hall.

The expressions on the faces of the courtiers were not very friendly.

Especially Hongming behind Chen Nan, who was pouting as if he were jealous.

"Your Majesty, I have a report to make!"

A deep, resonant voice suddenly echoed from inside the main hall.

Chen Nan was all too familiar with that voice.

Last night, he even chatted with the owner of the voice for a long time at the mansion.

Looking towards the source, it was indeed that old fellow Qin Qingmin.

However, he seemed happier now than he was yesterday.

What does Qin Academy have to report?

The Empress Dowager looked at Qin Qingmin with great interest, quietly waiting for him to continue.

Qin Qingmin glanced around, blinked impassively, walked to the center of the hall, and bowed, saying, "Empress Dowager, I wish to impeach Prince Chen Nan of Zhennan."

Upon hearing this, the civil officials in the hall began to make a commotion, with small groups of people laughing and discussing among themselves.

On the other hand, no one from the military side made a move.

Only one person had a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.

"Shut up!"

The Empress Dowager gently tapped the dragon table.

A curious gaze swept over Qin Qingmin: "Oh? Qin Academy wants to impeach the Prince of Zhennan? On what grounds?"

Qin Qingmin pointed at Chen Nan and said loudly, "Empress Dowager, how dare the Prince of Zhennan be late for such an important morning court session?"

"Isn't this a contempt for the Empress Dowager's power?"

"It's one thing to be late, but upon entering the main hall, you didn't even know to apologize to the Empress Dowager."

"He stood directly in the position of the head of the military officers."

"Isn't this disregarding General Hongming?"

Chen Nan didn't react to his words at all.

Hongming stared wide-eyed, his gaze constantly shifting between Chen Nan and Qin Qingmin.

She didn't understand; wasn't Qin Qingmin talking about Chen Nan?

How did I suddenly get involved with her?

Moreover, Chen Nan is the rightful Prince of Zhennan, a title bestowed upon him by the Empress Dowager.

She, Hongming, is just a general. What right does she have to stand at the head of the military generals?

For some reason, from the civil officials' side, voices of agreement could be heard from time to time.

"That's right, Qin Xueyuan is right."

"It's one thing for the Prince of Zhennan to be late, but he didn't even apologize. He clearly doesn't respect the Empress Dowager at all!"

"Strip him of his title of Prince of Zhennan and demote him to a commoner!"

In an instant, voices of condemnation followed one after another.

Chen Nan, who was at the center of the vortex, seemed not to hear anything, staring straight ahead without making any move.

Seeing this, Qin Qingmin roared, "Prince Zhennan, do you know your crime?"

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager did not interrupt.

He placed his hands flat on his thighs, looking ready to watch the show at any moment.