The Cold King Demands Love and Pleasure

"Something happened at the Prince's Mansion yesterday, didn't you know?" he said in a deep voice, his tone filled with anger.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Li Fuqi slept until dawn, and Min Youan arrived as soon as she got up. Mo Zhu hadn't had a chance to tell her about the fire in the East Garden.

Min Youan placed the handkerchief in front of Li Fuqi, "Stop pretending!"

Li Fuqi picked up her handkerchief and asked, "What do you mean?"

Min Youan stared at the woman before him with eyes as sharp as an eagle's. "You were the one who burned down the Princess's courtyard yesterday, weren't you!"

"What? The East Garden is on fire?" Li Fuqi exclaimed, but she was also happy about it. She had finally gotten her revenge for that slap!

"Didn't you send people to set the fire? I remember this handkerchief is from Mozhu!"

Mo Zhu looked up and saw that the handkerchief was indeed hers. She immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness, this servant stayed in Consort Fu's room all day yesterday and did not go out at all! If you don't believe me, ask the Consort!"

"Your master sent you to set the fire, so naturally he will cover for you!"

Li Fuqi finally understood. It turned out that Min Youan had come so early to interrogate her. "Just based on Mozhu's handkerchief? You suspect that I sent someone?"

"Only you have a motive. I remember that on the day my royal aunt came, the princess offended you!"

Her large eyes were filled with terror. "Yes, I'm angry, I hate Xia Tongsheng, but this fire really wasn't my idea!"

Min Youan gazed at Li Fuqi with a deep sense of guilt. Although she had gone to great lengths to marry him and he had tried his best, he still hadn't been able to take good care of her. "Whether it is true or not is no longer important! It's just that I don't want such a thing to happen a second time!"

"Your Highness, is that really the kind of person you think I am?" Her face was filled with disappointment.

All she got in return was Min Youan's cold departure. Li Fuqi felt utterly empty inside. She hadn't expected him to miss her so much, and tears streamed down her face.

Seeing Li Fuqi so upset, Mo Zhu felt very guilty. "Princess, I'm sorry, I don't know why the handkerchief ended up in the East Garden!"

Li Fuqi shook her head in despair. She no longer cared about the handkerchief; she was trapped in the fact that Min Youan didn't trust her. Her heart was filled with nothing but bitterness.

Consort Jing was increasingly worried about Min You'an's injuries while in the palace. She heard that his entire back was injured, and as his mother, she couldn't sit still any longer. As soon as the emperor finished court, she went to the imperial study.

Upon seeing her, the Emperor put down his vermilion brush and asked, "Why have you come?"

Consort Jing knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, I am worried about An'er and wish to leave the palace to see her!"

The Emperor's expression was somewhat cold; clearly, he hadn't expected that Consort Jing, who always knew how to behave appropriately, would act so recklessly this time.

Consort Jing knew, of course, that what she was doing was against the rules. A woman living deep within the palace was actually asking to leave the palace. Although her request was somewhat excessive, she still couldn't help but do it.

"Your Majesty, I know that what I am doing is unreasonable, but please allow me to be willful this once!"

He recalled how, over the years, Consort Jing had never sought titles or favor in the palace, and even when bullied by other concubines, she had never complained to him. Thinking of this, the Emperor's expression softened slightly. "I'll go with you!"

The emperor doted on Consort Jing, but even with such affection, Consort Jing knew that his love for her had its limits.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

When the emperor leaves the palace, it is a major event that usually involves the three provinces and six ministries. It is too troublesome and time-consuming. Therefore, this time the emperor only brought a few imperial guards and came to the Prince An's residence incognito.

At this moment, the gates of the Prince's Mansion were wide open, and wisps of black smoke were still rising from the East Garden, which had been burned down the night before. Cha Mian stepped forward to go into the Prince's Mansion to inform him.

"Eunuch Cha!" Cha Mian had previously come to the Prince's mansion to deliver an imperial edict, so the guard remembered Cha Mian.

"Quickly go in and announce that His Majesty has arrived!"

The guard looked outside and saw two luxurious sedan chairs parked outside the gate. He was both excited and nervous. "I'll report this immediately!"

Before long, everyone in the manor, young and old, came out to greet him. "Your subject has led everyone from the manor to welcome Your Majesty!"

At this moment, the Emperor, dressed in a bright yellow robe with blue cloud patterns and a black flower hat, finally emerged from the sedan chair, followed closely by Consort Jing.

Upon seeing her son, Consort Jing was eager to go over, but because of the Emperor, she could only slow down and follow behind him.

"Be flat!"

"Thank you, Father!"

Min Youan led everyone to stand up. Consort Jing was relieved to see that he was alright. "An'er, you almost worried me to death!"

"Mother, I'm perfectly fine now, aren't I?"

She caught a glimpse of Xia Tongsheng out of the corner of her eye. "Tong'er, how are you?"

Supported by Yingling, Xia Tongsheng looked tired. "Mother, I'm fine, I just twisted my ankle! Father and Mother, please come in and sit down!"

The emperor nodded, but as he passed by Gu Xue, he glanced at her. That single glance made Gu Xue feel a little intimidated! She didn't dare to raise her head until the emperor had walked quite a distance away.

Upon entering the Prince's residence, the Emperor and Consort Jing sat in the front hall, which seemed to imbue the entire hall with a sense of solemnity. The Emperor picked up his teacup and asked, "Have you found out the cause?"

Hearing the emperor ask this question, Li Fuqi became nervous and her face turned pale.

Min Youan glanced at Li Fuqi and said calmly, "It must have been a stray cat that accidentally knocked over the candlestick and started a fire!"

He had no choice but to tell the Emperor that Li Fuqi was responsible. Although he didn't love her, he had promised his imperial aunt that he had to protect her.

Seeing Min Youan say this, Li Fuqi breathed a sigh of relief, but who was framing her? She had no idea!

"You'll have to be more careful in the future!"

"It's Father!"

Looking at the injured Xia Tongsheng, Consort Jing had an idea. "Now that the East Garden has been burned down, Tong'er, where are you staying now?"

Xia Tongsheng said in a low voice, "Reporting to Mother, I will stay in Yingling's room!"

"No, how can a princess live with her maid!" Consort Jing immediately expressed her dissatisfaction.

"I was being presumptuous. The Prince's Mansion has several separate courtyards. I'll find one to stay in later!"

Consort Jing shook her head again, "That won't do either. The villa is too simple. You are the mistress of the Prince's mansion. How can you live in a place worse than a concubine!"

"It's alright, Mother, I don't care about these things!"

“It’s not a matter of whether you care or not, but this concerns the face of the royal family. In my opinion, you should move to Su’an Pavilion and live with An’er!”

"No need, Mother. The Prince has been working hard lately. If I move in with him, it will probably disturb his rest!"

Xia Tongsheng refused such a good offer without even thinking about it, which angered Gu Xue and Li Fuqi, and their expressions changed instantly.

Although Mi'er was also jealous, she knew her own limitations and dared not ask for too much.

“How could that be? An’er is handling matters in the study, while you are in the bedroom. You won’t be disturbed! What do you say, Your Majesty?” Consort Jing deliberately brought up the Emperor when she saw that Xia Tongsheng was unwilling.