That's why you told the Empress Dowager that Xie Zhiyao was keeping a man outside. If they really take your words to heart and follow this line of investigation, they might be able to find out about the women that Prince Qi's mansion has been openly and secretly placing in the backyards of various officials over the years.

If we dig deeper, we might find that the Prince of Qi's residence had close ties with court officials and also with officials sent to other regions.

Even the Zhou, Fan, Zhao, and Bai families have intricate connections with him.

Over the years, the Qi Prince's Mansion has profited handsomely from these families.

King Xie Qi then exchanged the money he had amassed for provisions and weapons to prepare for a rebellion.

Despite Xie Zhiyao's young age and status as a woman, the King of Qi doted on this intelligent, ambitious daughter who had been clever since childhood.

Xie Zhiyao was involved in more than half of the things that King Qi did.

It can be said that Xie Zhiyao was the most eager to seize power in the Qi Prince's Mansion, apart from the Qi Prince and his heir.

The man who is currently most favored by her side is nicknamed the Jade-Faced Young Master. This man was given to Xie Zhiyao by the Bai family, and he is Bai Yu's illegitimate son named Bai Yu.

The two were a perfect match, and many people died at their hands.

Especially that white jade, which is Xie Zhiyao's brain. He was responsible for most of Xie Zhiyao's later misdeeds.

Emperor Mingxi: Why are these families involved again? Not only are they colluding with foreign tribes, but they're also conspiring with princes within their own borders. Are they trying to gamble on multiple fronts? How wonderful!

"Smart, that's exactly what I meant. I just don't know if the Empress Dowager and the Emperor's people are capable enough to investigate this deeply."

Emperor Mingxi and Empress Dowager exchanged a glance. After learning about the actions of the Zhou family and the other four major merchants from Yue Fuguang and the system that day, Emperor Mingxi returned to the palace and explained everything to his mother.

The Empress Dowager was not just a champion of palace intrigue; she was also a politically astute mother whom the emperor trusted implicitly.

Although she lived in the inner palace for a long time, the emperor often discussed state affairs with his mother, the Empress Dowager. Therefore, the Empress Dowager was very clear about the situation of those four families. As political beings, they thought more deeply about these matters.

Since the Qi Prince's Mansion and those families have close ties and even shared interests, and those families are involved with foreign tribes.

Could the King of Qi also be involved with foreign tribes?

Emperor Mingxi secretly noted that he must send more people to monitor the Prince of Qi's residence, as his birthday was approaching and the capital was currently filled with envoys from many countries.

It remains to be seen whether the King of Qi will make contact with them in private!

The Empress Dowager looked surprised and said, "What? You mean that the well-behaved Zhiyao is keeping male concubines before she's even married?"

The Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the table in a fit of rage. She said to Emperor Mingxi, "Your Majesty, you must take this matter seriously. When you have time, invite all the clan elders together to discuss this matter and have them discipline the younger generation. We cannot allow such a thing to tarnish the reputation of our royal family!"

"Fu Guang, don't worry, your grandmother and the emperor will definitely stand up for you. Yu Qiu, go and see if Tai Kang and Prince Qi and his wife have arrived yet."

If they haven't arrived yet, then tell them they never need to come again!

The Empress Dowager's temper flared up as soon as the rest of the family had finished their lunch and these people hadn't arrived yet.

Aunt Yuqiu accepted the order and went out. She returned shortly afterward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Prince Qi and Princess Qi, along with Princess Taikang, are already waiting outside."

The Empress Dowager immediately turned cold and said, "Let them in!"

Soon Yuqiu led three people in. The one in the lead was a man who looked to be in his thirties. He had a fair complexion, a short beard, and a face that resembled Emperor Mingxi.

These two traits must have been inherited from their common father, the former emperor who favored his concubine over his wife.

This man must be the Prince of Qi. He was dressed in a dark-colored prince's robe, wearing a jade crown, and had jade and red gold pendants hanging from his waist. He was about 1.75 meters tall, which was considered a medium build in the Dayan Dynasty.

Behind her followed two elegantly dressed women, one in black and one in purple.

The two were about the same age. The one in the purple palace dress was dressed in a luxurious manner. Yue Fuguang didn't understand, but it was obvious to everyone that it was a style from two years ago.

However, even though she was in her thirties, she was still very beautiful and looked somewhat like Emperor Mingxi. She was probably Princess Taikang, Xu Jiao's mother.

The woman in the lotus-colored palace dress with a hint of sorrow on her face should be Princess Consort Qi, and also Xie Zhiyao's mother, Madam Feng.

Her skin was fair but slightly sickly. Although she looked distressed, her eyes were clear and bright. Yue Fuguang was quite impressed with her at first glance.

When the three arrived at the main hall, they saw that in addition to the four royal leaders, there was also a little girl, and on her forehead was a rather divine lotus mark.

It's no surprise that this is the newly appointed Junior Tutor, Yue Fuguang, who has been making waves lately.

They had only met briefly at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, and they never expected that the little girl would change so much in just over a month.

He looks even more like a little fairy boy in front of Guanyin than when I first saw him.

The three men respectfully bowed to the people at the head of the table, but even after kneeling for a while, they did not hear the familiar call to rise from the head of the table.

The three of them panicked, especially Princess Taikang and Prince Qi, who had something to hide. They secretly wondered where they had slipped up and angered the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Just as their legs were starting to go numb from kneeling, the Empress Dowager's cold voice came from above, "Get up, all of you, and stand up to answer."

Well, it seems this person has really been angered this time, as even their usual seat has been taken away!

King Qi was the first to approach the Empress Dowager with a fawning expression, saying, "Mother, is there something I have done wrong? Please tell me, and we promise to correct it."

Tai Kang, emboldened, gave a fawning smile, "Yes, Mother, I promise I won't do it again."

Mingxi glanced at Princess Taikang and said, "Taikang, why are you alone? Where is Xu Wei?"

Princess Taikang smiled ingratiatingly, "Your Majesty, my husband and my eldest son went to the estate outside the city yesterday, and it will probably take them quite a while to get here. So I came ahead of myself."

She glanced cautiously at the people seated at the head of the table and said timidly, "What exactly have we done wrong? Please enlighten us, Mother and Imperial Brother!"

The Empress Dowager, though not angry, exuded an imposing aura. She looked at them coldly and said, "You haven't offended me; you've offended our Fuguang."

Fleeting light? Young Master Yue's fleeting light!

When did they offend her? This newly favored royal consort is someone they're trying to win over, not someone they'd want to offend!

King Qi said, "Mother, is there some misunderstanding? This is the first time we've met the Junior Tutor since your birthday banquet. How could we possibly have offended her?"

"Has the Junior Tutor mistaken you for someone else?"

Princess Taikang said, "Yes, Mother, this is the first time I've met the Junior Tutor, apart from the Thousand Autumn Banquet. I'm sure I haven't offended her!"

Emperor Mingxi picked up the tea in front of him, took a sip, and said slowly, "Xie Qi, Tai Kang, do you want to arrange a marriage between you and Yu's eldest son?"