You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

"Don't know? You don't know who he is, so you're willing to collude with Simon? Don't you know the effects of Simon's silver leaf drug today?"

Emperor Qinyong kicked him away.

“Your Majesty, it’s not just Simon. I’ve heard that he’s on good terms with the Lou family. Xiao Yi has had close ties with the Lou family all these years. General Xie should have sent someone to investigate this matter. If you want evidence, you can ask him.”

Prince Rui said with a chuckle.

If his previous dislike of Xiao Yan was driven by personal feelings, then his current dislike stems from a genuine sense that there's something wrong with him.

He dared not admit what he had done, and he didn't think before he started causing trouble. He was betrayed by Xiao Yi without even realizing it.

Emperor Qinyong looked at Xie Yanting, who had remained silent.

The reason he investigated the Lou family was because Xie Wanru asked him to. The Lou family had kept a low profile all these years, and the world would think that the Lou family had joined forces with the Third Prince in order to compete for the position of a prestigious family.

Who would have thought that Grand Tutor Lou was a henchman of Xiao Yi, the former crown prince of the previous dynasty?

“Your Majesty, what Prince Rui said is true. In addition to his close relationship with the Third Prince, Xiao Yi has been associated with the Lou family for at least several decades. I captured an assassin who confessed that Xiao Yi has been infiltrating the Lou family all these years, and that the Lou family has been helping him with all his actions.”

After Xie Yanting finished speaking, Xiao Yan's face turned even paler.

Only then did he realize how foolish he had been. He had trusted Xiao Yi because he thought Xiao Yi could get in touch with Simon and get rid of the Lou family.

In reality, he was the pawn; he hadn't escaped the Lou family, and the Lou family was just Xiao Yi's dog.

Xie Yanting continued, "The gold and silver that the Lou family secretly sent to the Northern Barbarians have been seized. There are countless gold and silver treasures in the Xuzhou military camp. The Lou family originally intended to compensate the Northern Barbarians as payment for their border exercises. My previous kidnapping was also due to the Lou family and the Third Prince."

After saying that, he took a step back.

Emperor Qinyong drew a sword from a nearby guard and was about to strike Xiao Yan, who was so frightened that he scrambled to find a place to hide.

"You piece of trash! You dare to join forces with the Lou family to kidnap a general of my Great Zhou! Do you know that the Northern Barbarians are eyeing us covetously? Without the Xie family protecting the land of Great Zhou, once they break through the breach, our Great Zhou's territory will be defiled by the Northern Barbarians, and our people will be forced to wander and suffer!"

Emperor Qinyong never expected Xiao Yan to be so stupid. He was so angry that his chest trembled and his hand holding the sword became unsteady.

"Father, calm down."

Xiao Long ran over and snatched the sword away; he couldn't very well let his father, the Emperor, punish Xiao Yan on the spot.

Emperor Qinyong, panting heavily, scanned everyone present with piercing eyes, finally landing on the disheveled Xiao Yan, his anger barely contained.

"Place him in the imperial prison and lock him up with Xiao Yi. Without my decree, no one is allowed to visit him!"

The Emperor's voice carried an undeniable authority.

"Yes!" The guards responded and stepped forward to lift Xiao Yan up. Xiao Yan's face was pale, and his eyes were full of despair and resentment.

"Father, although my third brother deserves to die, could you please show leniency considering that he was once a member of the royal family?"

Xiao Long tried to plead for Xiao Yan, but was interrupted by the piercing gaze of the Diligent and Brave Emperor.

"The royal family will not tolerate such scoundrels! If you plead for him again, you will be guilty of the same crime as him!"

Emperor Qinyong's voice was as cold as a blizzard, causing Xiao Long to shiver and dare not speak further.

He had never seen his father so stern.

Xie Yanting watched all of this with deep, penetrating eyes.

Finally, he looked at the Emperor Qinyong, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, although the matter of the Lou family has been investigated, the Northern Barbarians are still eyeing us covetously. If the Northern Barbarians make any moves, I am willing to lead troops to fight and vow to defend the Great Wall's borders."

Upon hearing this, the Diligent and Brave Emperor's eyes flashed with approval: "Good! I knew it! With loyal and patriotic men like you in my Great Zhou, how could the borders not be peaceful!"

Emperor Qinyong finally calmed down a bit.

"Seize the Lou family property immediately, but do not make a big fuss. Keep a low profile and bring Grand Tutor Lou before me. I have some questions for him."

The diligent and brave emperor gave his instructions.

It was obvious that he didn't want to publicize this matter too much, since bringing up the previous dynasty would inevitably lead to questions about how he obtained the throne, and the Diligent and Brave Emperor did not want to dredge up the past.

Xie Wanru did not utter a single word from beginning to end.

She watched the Emperor Qinyong lose his temper and watched him order Xiao Yan to be taken away.

In reality, aside from falling out of favor, Xiao Yan shouldn't suffer any further harm, but as for Xiao Yi... she doesn't know what will happen to him.

In short, all she knew was that no matter how virtuous the emperor was, he would not harm his own child. If anyone else had done such a thing, they would have been executed long ago.

Just as she was about to leave, Xie Wanru suddenly remembered that she wanted to ask Xiao Yi something: what was his relationship with Fu Rou?

But she also knew that Xiao Yi would not say anything at this time, so after a brief initial investigation of Xiao Yi, she had someone investigate Fu Rou.

In her previous life, she hadn't paid much attention to this woman and hadn't been interested in her background. But upon investigation, she discovered that Fu Rou had once been the daughter of an official.

Meanwhile, at the Yong'an Marquis's residence, Shen Yanzhi was having a tantrum with Fu Rou.

“Son, how could Xie Wanru possibly be truly good to you? She’s lying to you. I’m your real mother, and only I am truly good to you.”

Fu Rou pulled Shen Yanzhi along. She never expected that the first person to submit to Xie Wanru would not be Shen Nian'an, but her own son.

"You're good to me? Then what can you do for me? You can't even give me the status of a legitimate son, leaving me to be despised and humiliated! I'll never be able to hold my head up high for the rest of my life! How come Aunt Wan isn't doing this for my own good? She doesn't look down on Mo, she even saved my life. In that cold weather, I would have died long ago if it weren't for her. She gives me money to spend. What can you give me? Besides being a burden to me, you're useless."

Shen Yanzhi showed no other expression besides disgust.

Fu Rou felt so heartbroken she could hardly breathe.

She was willing to do anything for Shen Yanzhi, but Shen Yanzhi didn't see her efforts.

"In other words, there are rumors about Xie Wanru everywhere. She's not a good person. Don't believe her, you can't."

Fu Rou's voice was slightly choked with tears. Her behavior was effective on a man like Shen Nian'an, but Shen Yanzhi was just a child, and he couldn't understand it.

Xie Wanru had no intention of spreading rumors, but the storytellers in the teahouse started gossiping about her.

This is interesting. She used to think it was Shen Nianqing causing trouble, but now that Shen Nianqing has been married off, she's actually getting more and more capable.

"Your Highness, there are rumors circulating about Xie Wanru everywhere. She probably doesn't even have the face to go out anymore."

Shen Mengyan

"Haha."

Lou Yao couldn't stop smiling. At first, she didn't think Shen Nianqing's idea was very good, but as she listened, she found it particularly pleasing to the ear. She found anything that criticized Xie Wanru particularly agreeable.