But once the seed of doubt is planted, it quickly takes root and sprouts. She began to recall every detail of her interactions with Liu Wenxuan, those "thoughtful gestures" that had once moved her now seemed, in retrospect, to be deliberately contrived. Was he truly as detached from worldly affairs as he appeared?

Xin Rui's investigation quickly yielded results. His friends, who mingled with all sorts of people, uncovered another side of Liu Wenxuan that was previously unknown.

It turns out that while Liu Wenxuan presented himself as a refined and talented scholar to his classmates at the Imperial Academy, he displayed a completely different face at certain banquets and restaurants, especially when dealing with those who could bring him benefits. He was adept at currying favor with the powerful and influential, and had repeatedly hinted to classmates whose families held greater power that he was about to "marry" a princess in exchange for favors. His famous poem was very likely commissioned at great expense from a down-on-his-luck old scholar. He even once, in a drunken spree, boasted about the princess's "favoritism" towards him, and even implied that he already possessed a "token of affection."

Xin Rui even managed to obtain several drafts of private letters between Liu Wenxuan and his friends. In one of the letters, he shamelessly discussed the princess's appearance and temperament, speaking frivolously and regarding her as a stepping stone to success, showing no respect or affection whatsoever. This was completely different from the sincere and affectionate letters he wrote to Xiao Chengyu!

When this evidence was secretly delivered to Xiao Chengji, the Crown Prince's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

He immediately summoned Xiao Chengrui and Xin Rui, and threw the evidence in front of them.

Xiao Chengrui glanced at him and his eyes turned bloodshot with rage. He slammed his fist on the table and yelled, "You bastard! You have the guts to do this! I'm going to kill him right now!" He was about to rush out when he said that.

"Stop!" Xiao Chengji shouted sharply. "Kill him? And then let the whole world laugh at the royal family? Let Yu'er become the talk of the town?"

"What should we do? Are we just going to let him humiliate Yu'er like this?!" Xiao Chengrui roared, veins bulging on his forehead.

Xin Rui's face was also ashen, and he clenched his fists: "Your Highness, such a villain must not be let off lightly! But we need to come up with a foolproof plan that will not only ruin his reputation and make him pay the price, but also protect the princess's honor."

Xiao Chengji took a deep breath, suppressing his surging anger, his eyes flashing with cold light: "Of course he cannot be let off lightly. Doesn't he boast of his exceptional talent and noble character? Doesn't he want to use his marriage to the princess to rise to power? I will make him fall to his death in his most triumphant moment, never to rise again!"

A plan quickly took shape in the minds of the three boys. This time, they were no longer just brothers, but warriors who would join forces to protect their sister and uphold the dignity of the royal family.

The opportunity soon arrived. Soon, the Imperial Academy would hold an important debate on classical texts, which would be attended not only by the students but also by many prominent Confucian scholars and officials from the court. Liu Wenxuan, as a prominent figure within the academy, was naturally one of the main participants.

A few days before the debate, Liu Wenxuan "coincidentally" met Xiao Chengyu again, who was taking a stroll in the Imperial Garden. Seeing that Xiao Chengyu seemed somewhat distant, he was secretly alarmed, thinking that the rumors had reached the princess's ears. He quickly put on an even more enthusiastic performance, his words filled with criticism of the world and gratitude for the princess's "soulmate," even hinting that his family was already "making plans" for him, hoping that the princess could understand his "devotion."

Looking at his still handsome and gentle face, and listening to those words that had once moved her, Xiao Chengyu now felt only utter hypocrisy and disgust. She suppressed her emotions, following her elder brother's instructions, and did not turn hostile. Instead, she showed a hint of hesitation and worry, and said in a low voice, "I certainly trust Young Master Liu's talent. However… I've heard that this debate competition is full of experts, and Chief Minister Li particularly values ​​it… If you could win first place at this competition, it would surely… further convince everyone." Her words were subtle, yet they perfectly ignited Liu Wenxuan's competitive spirit and desire to perform.

As expected, Liu Wenxuan fell for the trap, thinking that the princess was worried that he was not good enough to match the royal family. He immediately swore that he would win the championship and let everyone see that his talent was worthy of the princess!

Little did he know, Xiao Chengji had already made all the arrangements. During the debate, when Liu Wenxuan was quoting classical texts and speaking eloquently, winning the admiration of the audience and feeling confident of victory, a seemingly ordinary scholar from a poor family stood up and posed an extremely tricky question to his argument, pointing directly to a flaw in his reasoning—a flaw that was precisely the "trap" that Xiao Chengji had carefully prepared for him by the Hanlin Academy scholars.

Caught off guard, Liu Wenxuan was momentarily speechless, sweat beading on his forehead. He tried to bluff his way out with flowery language, but the other party pressed him relentlessly, demanding to know the core meaning of the text. In his panic, he blurted out an obscure allusion to support his point, but he had completely misremembered its source and context!

At this moment, another student who had been assigned to the task immediately stood up, pointed out the error without hesitation, and recited the original text on the spot, proving that the student had misinterpreted the meaning of the scriptures and taken them out of context! The hall erupted in uproar!

Immediately afterwards, another student stood up and questioned the artistic conception of his earlier famous poem, "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River," which contradicted the views of a poet he had always admired. Their words were sharp, directly suggesting that the poem might not be original. Although it could not be confirmed on the spot that it was ghostwritten, the seed of doubt had already been planted.

Liu Wenxuan blushed crimson, utterly speechless. His earlier brilliance vanished, leaving him utterly humiliated. His carefully cultivated image as a talented scholar crumbled before the eyes of everyone. The Grand Master of Ceremonies Li and the assembled scholars on the platform shook their heads, their faces filled with disappointment.

But the one who truly dealt him the fatal blow was Xiao Chengji. His Highness the Crown Prince did not say much, but after the debate, in front of everyone, he calmly said to the Imperial Academy Chancellor Li: "In the path of learning, integrity is paramount. If one lacks talent, one can still strive for it; but if one's heart is not upright, it will all be in vain. Chancellor Li, the Imperial Academy is a place for cultivating talents for the country, and both character and learning are indispensable."

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