Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

Emperor Jingzhao did care, and he cared very, very much.

He didn't summon the Tenth Prince and Consort Rong for questioning, knowing he wouldn't get anything out of them anyway.

He simply sent someone to investigate privately.

If this rumor is false, that's fine. But if it is true, then Consort Rong has no reason to remain in this world.

Such a cunning person is a potential threat if left alive; it's best to deal with him as soon as possible.

As for the tenth prince, he could be spared and sent away at a distance.

Now we're just waiting for the investigation results.

At this moment, the Tenth Prince was furious and enraged in his residence, while also feeling overwhelmed and panicked.

He naturally knew who wrote the story.

But he really couldn't do anything to her.

So he had nowhere to vent his anger, and feeling extremely frustrated, he could only vent his anger by smashing things in a fit of impotent rage.

After venting my anger, I felt panicked and scared.

He naturally knew his father's methods, and he knew even more about the sixth prince's methods.

He knew that this calamity was unavoidable, and there was no way to escape it.

But he knew perfectly well that his life was not in danger; he just didn't know how his father would deal with him.

If you ask him if he regrets it, he certainly doesn't.

If he regrets anything, it's that he didn't take the person away in time yesterday.

Otherwise, she would already be his by then, and none of these things would have happened.

He was secretly annoyed, thinking he should have brought more people yesterday.

Who would have thought that the Prince's guards were so formidable, and that she herself was not to be underestimated either!

He was feeling frustrated, and Consort Rong was feeling just as frustrated.

She had been pretending for so many years, but she never expected that her mask would be so easily torn off.

Years of planning and forbearance vanished overnight, how could she not be heartbroken?

She was furious and resentful, determined to find the mastermind behind it all and tear him to pieces to vent her anger!

At this time, she was unaware of the good deeds of the Tenth Prince and even ordered people to secretly investigate who was behind the rumors.

But right now, the most important thing is His Majesty's attitude.

Having served the emperor for many years, she naturally knew his ruthlessness and heartlessness.

Once verified, she will absolutely not be allowed to remain.

At this point, she had to find a way out for herself.

After thinking for a while, she went to the Empress's Phoenix Palace.

The Empress had known her for many years and treated her with utmost sincerity; she would definitely find a way to protect her.

However, upon arriving at Fengqi Palace, they were told that the Empress was not receiving guests.

She inquired repeatedly before learning that the Empress had caught a cold and was currently resting and not in a position to receive guests.

Consort Rong's heart instantly sank into an ice cellar.

She stood outside Phoenix Palace, her face pale, her body trembling, almost unable to stand.

At that moment, she felt an unprecedented sense of despair and helplessness.

He then suppressed his panic and fear, struggled to steady himself, and staggered back to his palace.

Consort Rong, burning with anxiety, paced back and forth in the palace, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

The Empress must have known; she must have known that she had been pretending and deceiving her all these years.

Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?

Besides, she's been sick before, and every time I visited her when she was ill, I never turned her away.

So she must have known.

Ah!

"Just catching a cold" is all an excuse!

She simply didn't want to see her again.

With the path of becoming empress blocked, she could only calm down and think about whether there were any other options.

………………

Meanwhile, the residence of Consort Rong's maternal family—the residence of Imperial Censor Zhao—was also shrouded in gloom and filled with anxiety.

Everyone in the mansion, young and old, was in a state of utter disarray due to this sudden turn of events.

And then there's Miss Zhao, who's currently at the General's Mansion.

She knew she was doomed as soon as she heard the news.

Because it cannot withstand close scrutiny, and traces can be easily found.

So she thought of returning to the Imperial Censor's Mansion, but was stopped by her husband, General Qin.

They then took her to the hall.

The atmosphere in the hall was heavy and oppressive.

General Qin's family members, from his highly respected grandparents to his dignified parents and siblings, all wore solemn expressions and had piercing gazes.

General Qin's gaze was like that of a hawk, fixed on the frail and fearful Miss Zhao kneeling in the hall.

"I'm only giving you one chance to tell the truth. Is this matter true or false?"

His voice was deep and powerful, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying an undeniable authority.

General Qin looked to be in his early twenties, with a dignified and solemn demeanor. Although not exceptionally handsome, he was nonetheless imposing and a man of great talent.

Most importantly, his bloodthirsty warrior aura often made Miss Zhao think he was a rude and uncouth man.

He had none of the gentleness her cousin possessed; the charming gentleman had her completely captivated.

Faced with General Qin's questioning, she decided to just give up, since she couldn't hide it from him anyway.

With an almost defiant air, she raised her head high, her eyes flashing with disdain and contempt, and said loudly, "So what if I'm having a secret rendezvous with my cousin? He's a refined and gentle man, how can you, a boorish brute, compare to him!"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell into a deathly silence, as if the air itself had frozen.

Everyone was furious.

General Qin's elderly grandparents were so angry that their faces turned ashen and they almost fainted.

However, General Qin himself did not show the slightest sign of sadness.

He knew perfectly well that there was no emotional foundation between them.

It was just a normal arranged marriage by parents and matchmakers.

He only felt the responsibilities and obligations that a husband should have towards her.

Now that I know her true colors, that sense of responsibility has vanished.

At this moment, a resolute and ruthless glint flashed in General Qin's eyes.

She can forget about getting what she wants!

He would never divorce or abandon her; he would make sure they could never be together openly for the rest of their lives.

Aboveboard?

Impossible in this lifetime!

He stared coldly at Miss Zhao, his gaze sending chills down one's spine.

Upon seeing this, Miss Zhao couldn't help but feel a little flustered.

But she still threatened fiercely, "What can you do to me? What can your Qin family do to me? I am the Tenth Prince's woman. If you dare to lay a finger on me, you'll be in for the Tenth Prince's wrath!"

However, General Qin merely sneered, his smile filled with sarcasm and disdain: "Rest assured, I will naturally not do anything to you, but I will ensure that you will be my wife for the rest of your life, forever bearing the title of Madam Qin. Are you satisfied with that?"

His voice, though soft, struck Zhao's heart like a heavy hammer, instantly extinguishing all her arrogance.

How could a bloodthirsty general on the battlefield be a soft-hearted, merciful person?

Upon hearing this, Miss Zhao screamed hysterically, "No! Qin Qi! You can't do this to me! I've treated you like this, why won't you divorce me? Divorce me now!"

General Qin did not react at all to her shouting.

He waved his hand and had someone take her away.

From that day forward, she could no longer even think about stepping out of the Qin residence.

They could only be confined within the high walls of the Qin mansion for their entire lives, losing their freedom and all their fantasies about the future.

The hall returned to silence, and tears streamed down General Qin's mother, Madam Liu, like pearls falling from a broken string.

She sobbed with self-reproach, "My child! It's all my fault. I was blind back then, thinking she was a good person. I never imagined she would be like this. It's all my fault!"

Her voice was filled with deep regret and heartache.

General Qin quickly and gently comforted her, "Mother, don't say that. How could this be your fault? Even I was deceived by her appearance and didn't see her true colors. You don't need to blame yourself."

Upon hearing this, Liu stopped crying and asked, "So, what do you plan to do with her?"

General Qin sneered, "She thinks the Tenth Prince is deeply in love with her, but he's just playing around. The Tenth Prince doesn't care about her at all, but I won't let her have her way. She'll die in the Qin mansion, and don't even think about me letting her leave."

Liu asked worriedly, "So you're just going to let her occupy the position of mistress forever, and you're not going to marry another woman?"

General Qin had clearly already made up his mind. Upon hearing this, he replied, "Don't worry, Mother. From now on, she will exist as a secondary wife, just in name only. Otherwise, she will not exist and will not prevent me from marrying another wife."

Upon hearing this, Liu smiled and said, "Alright, since you've made up your mind, I'll listen to you. This time, I'll definitely keep my eyes open and find you a good wife."

General Qin replied with a smile, "Thank you for your trouble, Mother."

The rest of the Qin family also felt that this was a very good solution and were extremely satisfied.