The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

The blood beneath Su Yun'er seeped in increasingly larger amounts, staining a large patch of bluestone slabs crimson. Her face was deathly pale, her body convulsing in pain, and she kept murmuring, "My child... my child..."

The scene was completely chaotic.

The imperial physician was hurriedly summoned. After taking her pulse for a moment, he frowned and said with a subtle expression, "This pulse... seems to indicate that she mistakenly ingested something that promotes blood circulation, which led to the miscarriage."

"A blood-activating substance?" Su Yun'er suddenly grabbed the imperial physician's sleeve and shrieked, "Someone must be jealous of my marriage into the royal palace and wants to harm my child! Who is it?! Who is so vicious?!"

Her gaze was like a poisoned needle, piercing fiercely at Li Yan, whose face was equally pale.

The guests were completely silent, but their eyes were darting around—today's show was truly full of climaxes.

Su Yun'er pointed a trembling finger at Li Yan opposite her, her voice sharp and shrill: "It's you! You must be jealous that I'm carrying His Highness's child, and you want to harm my child!"

Li Yan's expression changed: "What nonsense are you spouting!"

"I'm not lying!" Su Yun'er cried out, "The imperial physician said it's a blood-activating substance! Today, only you, only you have a chance..."

"Your Highness!" Chu Qingzi, who had been sitting quietly at the table, suddenly stood up. Her voice was clear and sharp. "When I went to change my clothes just now, I saw Miss Li's personal maid in the side courtyard, sneaking around burying something in the corner."

The entire room fell silent.

Xiao Qiming's face turned ashen: "Go dig!"

The guards quickly dug out an oiled paper package from the corner of the side courtyard wall; inside was a pile of medicinal dregs. The imperial physician examined it, his expression grave: "It's safflower, a large quantity of safflower."

A potent and dangerous drug used to promote blood circulation and induce abortion.

Li Yan's maidservant knelt down with a thud, trembling all over: "It was...it was Miss who told me to do it...Miss said that Consort Su cannot give birth to the imperial grandson first, otherwise...otherwise she will have no place to stand..."

"You're talking nonsense!" Li Yan screamed, raising her hand to strike, but was stopped by the guards.

She turned to look at Xiao Qiming, tears streaming down her face: "Your Highness, please understand! I didn't! This lowly servant must have been instructed by someone to frame me!"

"Enough!" Xiao Qiming roared, veins throbbing on his forehead. He stared at the farce unfolding before him—a concubine had suffered a miscarriage in public, another was accused of poisoning, her dowry consisted of stones and counterfeit goods, and her mother-in-law owed millions in loan shark debts…

We've completely lost face.

And what's worse is yet to come.

Another group of people rushed in from outside, each holding IOUs and mortgage documents, their voices louder than the last:

"Liu! The mortgage on your shop in the south of the city has matured, and the principal and interest amount to 200,000 taels!"

"Three hundred acres of paddy fields in the western suburbs will be handed over today!"

"And the deed to the villa in the west of the city, signed and sealed in black and white!"

The majority of the Yongning Marquis's estate changed hands right before everyone's eyes.

Aunt Liu collapsed to the ground, her eyes bloodshot as she watched the deeds to the shops that once belonged to her and that she had secretly mortgaged being taken away one by one.

She suddenly scrambled to her feet as if possessed and lunged at Li Yan: "You wicked woman! Give me back my daughter's child—"

The guards stopped her. Unable to break free, she turned and lunged at the empty dowry chests, rummaging through them one by one, only to find more stones and fakes.

"My money... my assets... all gone... all gone!" She was disheveled and looked like a madwoman. Suddenly, she looked up and stared intently at Su Yaoyao, who was standing calmly in front of the crowd.

"It's you! It's all your fault!" Aunt Liu screamed hoarsely, her finger trembling as she pointed at her. "You're just like your dead mother! Both of you are jinxes! I should have killed you too back then!"

Su Qingrun stepped forward, shielding her younger sister tightly behind her, and kicked Aunt Liu hard in the chest:

"Say it again?"

Aunt Liu was kicked and rolled to the ground, coughing up blood, but she was still laughing madly:

"And you! Su Qingrun! You blocked my son's path to the throne! Why didn't you die at the border?! How did you manage to come back alive?!"

One of the guests gasped in shock:

"I remember now... wasn't this Lady Liu one of the maids who came with the mistress of the Marquis's household as part of her dowry?"

"A maid who came with the bride climbed into the master's bed and even caused the death of the mistress?"

"Judging from these words... you even want to harm the heir apparent and the legitimate daughter?"

"My God... how could there be such a wicked woman..."

The murmurs grew louder, and their gazes were like knives piercing Aunt Liu.

Su Yaoyao gently pulled away her brother's arm that was blocking her way, stepped forward, faced the crowd, and spoke in a clear and calm voice:

"Today is His Highness's joyous occasion, and I should not say much. However, the actions of Lady Liu involve my late mother's dowry and the ancestral property of the Marquis's mansion, so I must speak out here."

She gestured for Yang An to present the account book:

"This is irrefutable evidence of Liu's misappropriation of my mother's dowry and illegal sales of property over the years, item by item, clearly verifiable. As for the loan shark debts she owes..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the creditors, her tone resolute:

"It has nothing to do with the Yongning Marquis's residence, and even less to do with my brother. Whoever borrowed it, should return it."

Clear logic, commanding presence.

The guests nodded in approval—this was the demeanor a legitimate daughter of a marquis should possess!

He Qing fanned himself, adding fuel to the fire at the opportune moment, his voice languid:

"When Madam Liu borrowed the money, she mortgaged most of the Marquis's estate. Now that she can't repay it, according to the law... the creditor has the right to seize the property."

Su Cheng'an's vision went black, and he almost fainted.

Chu Qingzi, who had been standing quietly beside Su Yaoyao, suddenly spoke:

"My father can testify that among the land that Liu mortgaged, three hundred mu were imperial lands bestowed by the late emperor. To privately mortgage imperial lands... is an even more serious crime."

Su Yaoyao turned to look at her, and Chu Qingzi was also looking over. Their eyes met, and they both saw the same calmness and understanding in each other's eyes.

No need for further words, the tacit understanding has been reached.

Xiao Qiming stood amidst the chaos, looking at the crying Su Yun'er, the crazed Aunt Liu, the deathly pale Li Yan, and the people pointing at the mortgage documents and demanding repayment...

And the undisguised spectator looks from the guests made me feel a rush of blood to my head.

Today, he has completely lost face!

Finally, his gaze was fixed on Su Yaoyao.

The girl who used to follow him timidly now stood in the center of the crowd, calm and composed, her eyes revealing a brightness and...mockery he had never seen before.

He can be laughed at by everyone, but he doesn't care.

Only her!!!

Xiao Qiming's eyes were bloodshot, a surge of violent rage rising within him. He lunged at Su Yaoyao, his voice hoarse and ferocious:

"You bitch! You're laughing at me?! If I can't have you, nobody else can either—"

He hadn't finished speaking.

Outside the mansion gate, a eunuch's high-pitched, shrill announcement rang out:

"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

All sounds ceased abruptly.

Xiao Chenyuan, dressed in a black and gold python robe, slowly entered, stepping over the mess and bloodstains on the ground.

Sunlight fell on him, making his python robe shimmer and gleam, and his imposing aura instantly enveloped the entire area.

Without looking to the side, he walked straight to Su Yaoyao's side, reached out, and firmly grasped her hand.

Then she raised her eyes, her gaze as cold as an icy blade, sweeping over Xiao Qiming, who stood frozen in place. Her voice was calm, yet every word carried immense weight:

"Second brother, what did you just say...?"