After my whole family overheard my thoughts, they went berserk.

Shi Chenfeng was immediately enraged.

The imperial concubines who frequently served him knew that he was most averse to others talking about him.

"Third Prince, please don't be angry. I know you don't like to hear these things, but I am devoted to you and it hurts to hear them."

"Who is it?" Shi Chenfeng asked coldly.

With tears in her eyes and a look of heartache on her face, Chu Yunshuang said cautiously, "Yes, it's the Third Imperial Consort..."

"What did she say about me?" Shi Chenfeng questioned.

"They say the entire Prince Zheng's mansion depends on her for support, but you, Third Prince, don't understand her..."

"Smash!" Shi Chenfeng angrily smashed the bowl.

He instructed Chu Yunshuang, "Go back first."

After saying that, he stood up angrily and strode out.

The gate to Qingfeng Garden was kicked open.

When Si Wan'er saw Shi Chenfeng's furious appearance, she was terrified and quickly lowered her posture, stepping forward to ask him respectfully.

"Third Prince, what's wrong...?"

"Snapped!"

Shi Chenfeng slapped her hard across the face, and blood immediately flowed from the corner of her mouth.

Si Wan'er's ears were ringing from the beating; she covered her face and trembled all over.

"Third Prince, what did Wan'er do to make you angry..."

She knew in her heart that the Third Prince disliked her because the marriage was arranged by the Emperor.

Over the years, he has been gentle to other women, but only to her he has been irritable and would hit her at the slightest disagreement.

But every time she was beaten, she had no idea why.

"What did you do to anger me? Don't you know the answer yourself!" Shi Chenfeng was furious.

Recently, he has been very displeased with Si Wan'er.

The daughter of the Si family was the Third Imperial Consort, but the Si family father and son went to help the Crown Prince with disaster relief.

The Emperor and Empress doted on Shi Miaomiao, ignoring the Third Prince's residence, but Si Wan'er insisted on going to get close to her.

He hated women talking about him behind his back, and Si Wan'er made a big mistake by openly saying that the Prince Zheng's mansion was supported by her.

It's true that he's not favored, but he hasn't fallen so low as to need a woman to support him!

Shi Chenfeng picked up a whip and lashed it at Si Wan'er, tearing her thick clothes and revealing numerous wounds.

The servants in Qingfeng Garden knelt there, and every single one of them was trembling all over.

"Si Wan'er, remember this: you are my imperial concubine, and you can only be loyal to me. If you dare to disobey me again, you will be whipped!"

Si Wan'er was beaten until her whole body convulsed, and blood kept seeping from her wounds.

"Third Imperial Consort, how are you? Are you in pain?" Her maid, Cui'er, helped her up.

Si Wan'er was pale, her hair was disheveled, and the pain from her injuries had gone numb.

Cui'er helped her to the bed, but she was completely unable to move. Her face was ashen, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

She once asked herself, is there any point in living like this?

Seeing her like this, Shi Chenfeng showed no pity whatsoever and immediately coldly ordered, "Without my permission, no physician shall be summoned!"

"When I'm about to inflict pain, I'll make you reflect on your actions and see where you went wrong!"

After saying that, he turned away coldly and strode out.

Cui'er knelt by the bed, watching Si Wan'er wipe away her tears.

"Third Imperial Consort, you must hold on! I will definitely find a way to save you! You must hold on!"

into the night.

The Empress stood at the entrance of the Huayao Palace, her eyes filled with longing.

It was because Shi Lingfeng, along with Shi Miaomiao, had not yet returned home.

"Your Majesty, please don't worry. The Second Prince is a grown man now. Perhaps he lost track of time while playing with the little princess," Qing Sui reassured the Empress.

Qianhe took the cloak and draped it over the Empress.

The queen was extremely anxious.

The Second Prince is unreliable too. How could I have been so impulsive as to entrust Miaomiao to him?

If she hadn't heard Miaomiao's heartfelt desire to go out and play, she wouldn't have handed her over to the Second Prince.

"No, I'm anxious. I have to wait outside the palace."

The Queen put on her cloak and strode outside.

Outside the palace, a carriage sped towards them.

"Your Majesty, it's the Second Prince's carriage!" Qing Sui exclaimed excitedly.

When Shi Lingfeng saw the Empress standing under the city gate with a worried expression, he knew that she was waiting for Shi Miaomiao.

“My dear sister, look how favored you are! Mother is already waiting for you outside the city gate.”

"Hmph, of course! Unlike you, even when you're dead, people will complain you're taking up too much space!"

Shi Lingfeng was unconvinced.

Is he really that annoying?

"Your subject greets Your Majesty!" Shi Lingfeng said, holding Shi Miaomiao in his arms.

"Oh my, I finally saw my beautiful mother! I've missed her so much! And today's outing was so much fun!"

The Empress took Shi Miaomiao from the Empress and checked her thoroughly. Only when she saw that Shi Miaomiao was safe and sound did she feel relieved.

But when he glanced at Shi Lingfeng, he felt a surge of anger.

"Look at the time! Don't you know to bring your sister back?" the Empress scolded him.

Shi Lingfeng felt wronged.

"Mother, it's not that I don't want to bring my sister back, it's just that she's so attached to the outside world and doesn't want to come back!"

"Your sister is only two months old, how could she be so greedy? You're the one who's playful, and you still have the nerve to blame your sister?" The Empress glared at him.

Shi Lingfeng explained.

"No, it was really my sister who wanted to play. She wanted to watch strong men wrestle. If I didn't take her, she would keep spitting at me, so I took her!"

"What? You actually took her to watch wrestling?" The Queen was even angrier: "That kind of place is so chaotic, and your sister is so young, how could you take her to such a dangerous place!"

Shi Lingfeng: ...

He couldn't explain it clearly.

She wanted to watch wrestling, to see strong men take off their clothes, to see their fierce figures, and to see the exciting scene of them embracing.

He swore he hadn't misheard a single word!

"Bring me a stick!" the Queen snapped.

She had prepared this stick long ago!

"boom!"

The stick was raised and landed on Shi Lingfeng's buttocks.

Shi Lingfeng covered his buttocks in grievance and begged Shi Miaomiao for help.

"Sister, say something! This was all your idea! You can't just watch Mother beat me all the time!"

"Your sister's idea? Your sister can't even speak properly, where would she get an idea? You think little kids are easy to bully?!"

Another blow landed on Shi Lingfeng's buttocks.

Sometimes, eavesdropping on what others are thinking isn't a good thing!

Unbeknownst to him, Shi Miaomiao's eyes were already crinkled with laughter.

"Mother, this was all Second Brother's idea. And, I'll tell you a secret, Second Brother met a woman outside and almost abandoned his sister!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress added a few more blows.

Shi Lingfeng roared inwardly.

you are vicious!

"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress!"

A dirty girl knelt before the Empress, startling Qing Sui and Qian He, who quickly stepped in front of her.

"Who are you?" Qing Sui demanded loudly.

"Oh, isn't this my third sister-in-law's maid, Cui'er?"

After hearing her thoughts, the Empress carefully examined her.

It really is.

"Your Majesty, my imperial concubine is dying. She is covered in wounds and there is no physician to treat her. Please, I beg you, save her!"

"Oh no, Third Sister-in-law has been beaten again! This time, Cui'er went to the palace to beg to see Mother, but Mother refused to see her. Third Sister-in-law is heartbroken and has lost all hope in life!"

The Empress's expression changed drastically.

"What exactly happened at Prince Zheng's residence?"

Cui'er shook her head, crying.