But he shouldn't have set his sights on his own people.

Or rather, they shouldn't have interfered so much. For a subject to extend his reach into his harem—what was he trying to do? Was he plotting a rebellion?!

What's even more hateful is that he treated Tao Rong so well, yet she was only thinking of scheming against him.

Anger, disappointment, and heartache mingled together, and Emperor Mingyang finally understood the feelings of unhappy couples in the world, which were truly terrible.

Tao Rong shook her head, "I didn't. I only regard him as my benefactor. He avenged me, and I remember this kindness."

The more Emperor Mingyang listened, the angrier he became.

"You treat him as your benefactor, but what about me? You take all my kindness for granted?"

In particular, Emperor Mingyang thought of how kind he had been to Xue Huai'an recently, and he almost wanted to kill him.

"What's this about the hunting in Xishan?" He closed his eyes, but his anger was still burning.

Tao Rong, who was lying on the ground, stammered, "It was Prince Xue... he... he came up with the idea, saying that I don't need to worry about anything, he will handle it."

Emperor Mingyang pressed further: "So it wasn't a coincidence that you accidentally wandered into the hunting grounds?"

Tao Rong nodded fearfully.

"Your Majesty, I have no other choice." She kowtowed, tears falling to the ground one by one. "The Prefect is all-powerful in our area, and officials protect each other. I have no other choice but to rely on Prince Xue."

"What about the matter of Xishan Temple?" Emperor Mingyang asked again.

"It was all at the behest of Prince Xue, but... but the abbot and I are indeed old friends." Xue Huai'an had no ability to persuade the abbot to do things for her.

Emperor Mingyang suddenly recalled the words the abbot had said and found them extremely ironic.

The abbot of Xishan Temple said that this woman was destined to be with them.

Isn't it fate? She's involved with quite a few people.

"What is his purpose in letting you get close to me?"

He had given up hope of Emperor Mingyang, but he still needed to find out what Xue Huai'an was up to!

He is now the Vice Censor-in-Chief, a position almost unprecedented for someone his age. Despite such a high honor, he shows no gratitude and continues to extend his reach into the inner palace.

Tao Rong shook her head, "I don't know."

Emperor Mingyang was even more displeased and furious when he saw her evasive gaze. "You're still protecting him! Do you know that the revenge you sought wasn't done by Xue Huai'an?"

Tao Rong immediately looked up and asked, "What does Your Majesty mean? Was it not Prince Xue who avenged me?"

"How...how is this possible?"

"He clearly said..."

Emperor Mingyang said sarcastically, "What? You believe everything he says? It was Prince Chen who proposed a thorough investigation into this matter. Although avenging you was just a side thing, it was definitely not Xue Huai'an who did it."

"How...how could this be?" She slumped to the ground, her eyes almost lifeless.

Tao Rong quickly looked at Emperor Mingyang again, her voice surprisingly questioning, "Did he lie to me?"

"Otherwise what? I must say you are a very good pawn." Having won his heart and his favor, she only needs to whisper in his ear, and as long as it's not something particularly sensitive, Emperor Mingyang will indulge her.

Isn't he a good chess piece?

"Why would I need to lie to you?"

Tao Rong covered her face, tears welling up between her fingers, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty is guilty."

"Your Majesty, I have told you everything. Prince Xue instructed me to inform him of your movements, including what might happen in the harem, and to keep an eye on Princess Consort Chen as much as possible."

She told Emperor Mingyang everything Xue Huai'an had asked her to do, but Emperor Mingyang was clever enough to know that Xue Huai'an's purpose was far more than that.

"You already said it?"

If Tao Rong tells Xue Huai'an everything about his movements, then... he really can't trust Tao Rong anymore, even if he really likes her, it's impossible.

Tao Rong hurriedly shook her head. She crawled over and grabbed Emperor Mingyang's robe, saying hastily, "Your Majesty, I did not."

She thought for a moment, loosened her grip on Emperor Mingyang's robe, and hurriedly went to the drawer to retrieve all the letters, handing them to Emperor Mingyang.

"Your Majesty, all the correspondence between me and Prince Xue is here."

Her eyes, washed clean by tears, were especially bright. Her eyes and nose were red, making her look rather pitiful.

"Although I am his pawn, I have not fully informed him of your whereabouts."

Emperor Mingyang said nothing, but opened and read the letters. There were no seals on the letters, but Emperor Mingyang recognized Xue Huai'an's handwriting, having reviewed dozens of his memorials.

Every letter he wrote infuriated Emperor Mingyang, but seeing Tao Rong's reply calmed him down somewhat.

Tao Rong's replies were mostly "everything is normal", "His Majesty is not unusual", and "there is no special news in the palace". Some of them also mentioned things that had already happened, but they seemed harmless.

It seems that Tao Rong revealed those things only to gain Xue Huai'an's trust.

"Don't you consider him your benefactor? Why don't you tell him everything about me, down to the smallest detail?" Emperor Mingyang's anger towards Tao Rong subsided considerably, and his gaze towards her softened slightly.

However, this does not mean that Emperor Mingyang will let Xue Huai'an off the hook. What Xue Huai'an did has already crossed the line of a subject.

Tao Rong lowered her head and stammered, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty had selfish thoughts."

“Raise your head.”

Tao Rong dared not disobey, but her eyes were still somewhat evasive, as if she were a little shy.

"Your Majesty is also a human being. Humans are not plants or trees, how can they be without feelings? Your Majesty is so good to me, how could I not know anything? That's why I always hesitated when writing the letter, and in the end I just wrote 'Everything is as usual'."

Emperor Mingyang responded, but did not show any sign of letting her off the hook.

"If I hadn't discovered your affair with Lady Yang today, were you planning to keep it a secret from me forever?"

Tao Rong hesitated for a long time before nodding fearfully, but quickly shook her head again.

She said, "I cannot be an ungrateful person, but there is always a limit to repaying kindness. Once all the debts have been repaid, I will reveal everything to Your Majesty. At that time, whether Your Majesty kills me or despises me, I will accept it."

"It is all my fault, Your Majesty. Please punish me."

She knelt before Emperor Mingyang.

Emperor Mingyang couldn't help but resent Tao Rong, but he remembered that she had also been deceived, especially since repaying a debt of gratitude was perfectly justified. It was simply that they were on different sides, and Tao Rong hadn't done anything substantial to harm him.

How could he not soften his heart?

But despite his soft heart, he still wouldn't let Tao Rong off the hook; he still had to teach her a lesson.

"Effective immediately, Consort Rong has offended me and is hereby demoted to Zhaoyi and moved out of Shangchun Palace."

Tao Rong knelt down, not daring to disobey.

"Do you know you were wrong?" Emperor Mingyang asked her again, still reluctant to leave now, especially since the anger in his heart had not yet subsided.

"Yes, yes, I know I was wrong." Tao Rong was extremely obedient, and Emperor Mingyang always felt that Tao Rong's eyes were much clearer and brighter when she looked at him now.

It seems there was once a thin veil, but now it's completely gone.