Prince's residence, Fifth Princess's courtyard

Inside the main room, the lights were on, and the faint sounds of a woman's pleasure could be heard. A slender figure was also reflected in the window.

The palace maids and eunuchs guarding outside the door all had their faces flushed red.

"emperor,"

The arrival of Emperor Kangxi and Xu Lejin took the palace servants by surprise.

A sharp glance swept across, and the palace maids and eunuchs guarding the door immediately lowered their heads, falling silent as if trembling with fear. They felt both anxious and relieved.

Among these palace maids and eunuchs, there were also those who were 'bullied' by the Fifth Princess.

Kangxi stared at the brightly lit room, from which low murmurs could be heard from time to time. His face was so gloomy it seemed as if water could drip from it. His eyes were bloodshot, and his clenched hands could not hide the anger in his heart.

Xu Lejin sighed softly and lowered her voice, "Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess is young and may have been misled. The Fifth Princess is Empress Xiaocheng's only surviving bloodline, Your Majesty..."

At this moment, Xu Lejin suddenly felt a sense of guilt.

The Fifth Princess was still a child, at the age when her heart was just beginning to stir with love. She was bewitched by a palace guard and committed a shameful act.

As an Imperial Noble Consort, she should have covered for the Fifth Princess, gently advising her to be chaste and self-disciplined, instead of...

Now that the matter has reached the Emperor's ears, he is furious.

The Fifth Princess is probably...

Kangxi glanced at Xu Lejin with a complicated expression, staring at the two slender figures reflected in the window of the brightly lit room, his eyes narrowed.

"Haha, you little slut, weren't you playing hard to get at first, unwilling? Now, looking at you like this, you really are..."

"Princess, please spare this servant!"

Inside the room, the charming voices of the Fifth Princess and another woman could be heard.

Xu Lejin's face turned pale, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief.

Why are there two women in this room? Besides the Fifth Princess, there seems to be a palace maid as well.

How dare I, how dare I!

Xu Lejin was dumbfounded, her legs trembling. Fortunately, Ruhua and Nongying beside her supported her, preventing her from falling to the ground.

Kangxi took a few steps forward. The palace servants guarding the door wanted to stop him but dared not, so they let Kangxi approach. With a 'bang', Kangxi kicked open the tightly closed door.

"ah,"

Two screams suddenly came from inside the house.

Xu Lejin followed behind Kangxi and quickly glanced into the room. She saw no guards as she had expected, but rather the Fifth Princess and another naked palace maid.

Covering her eyes, Xu Lejin quickly retreated.

Standing in the courtyard, the cool night breeze blew by. Xu Lejin snapped out of her shock and felt a chill run down her spine. This was no longer as simple as the Fifth Princess having an affair with a guard.

This is a scandal, a royal scandal!

"Consort Hui has arrived! Consort Wan has arrived!"

"Consort Que and Consort Duan have arrived!"

Just then, a sharp voice came from outside, and Xu Lejin was jolted awake from her shock, realizing the seriousness of the situation.

Xu Lejin walked quickly outside and happened to run into Consort Eque, Consort Hui and others who had come to visit.

When Consort Que and Consort Duan saw Xu Lejin's serious expression, they suddenly realized that something was wrong. They bowed respectfully and remained silent, while Consort Hui and Consort Wan exchanged a glance.

Consort Hui looked at Xu Lejin and asked softly, "Your Highness, what happened? Is the Fifth Princess alright?"

"this,,,"

Xu Lejin looked troubled.

After a moment, Xu Lejin said in a deep voice, "Actually, it's nothing. It's just that something suddenly happened in the Fifth Princess's courtyard, so His Majesty and I came to take a look."

"It's late at night and the dew is heavy. It was my oversight to make Consort Hui and Consort Wan make this trip. I forgot to have the palace servants inform them."

As she spoke, Xu Lejin walked out.

Consort Hui and Consort Wan clearly didn't believe it, and craned their necks to look into the room, wanting to see what had happened.

Consort Que glared at them, and Consort Hui and Consort Wan reluctantly followed her out.

Half an hour later

The group returned to Yikun Palace. Xu Lejin sat silently in the main seat, while Consort Que and Consort Duan looked worried, and Consort Hui and Consort Wan looked gloating.

Time passed second by second.

As midnight approached, Liang Jiugong, who served the emperor, bowed and came to Yikun Palace, saying respectfully, "Your Highness, Imperial Noble Consort, Your Highnesses, His Majesty is tired today and has already retired to Qianqing Palace."

"The Fifth Princess is fine. His Majesty instructed me to inform the Imperial Noble Consort that she can rest assured."

Liang Jiugong and Xu Lejin were speaking in cryptic language.

Consort Que and Consort Duan realized the seriousness of the matter and remained silent with their heads down. Consort Hui and Consort Wan also realized that something was wrong and their brows furrowed.

The next day, news came from the prince's residence.

The maids, servants, and eunuchs who served the Fifth Princess were all ordered to be gagged and beaten to death. A new batch of older maids and servants were then assigned to serve the Fifth Princess.

Xu Lejin sighed softly and said, "The Fifth Princess is confused. She did something wrong and implicated the maids and servants who served her!"

Ru Hua and Nong Ying lowered their heads slightly.

After considering for a moment, Nongying spoke softly, “Your Majesty is right. However, the nannies and palace servants who served the Fifth Princess did not know how to advise her, which led to the Fifth Princess committing a serious mistake. Being beaten to death is the lightest punishment.”

That being said, however…

Xu Lejin's thoughts drifted away, and she murmured, "The Fifth Princess is the mistress, and the nannies and palace maids are servants. If the Fifth Princess is determined to do so, how can the nannies and palace maids persuade her otherwise?"

"In the Fifth Princess's courtyard, many palace maids have mysteriously died in the past year or two, and many palace servants have been replaced..."

A few days later

News came from the previous dynasty that the fourth princess, Ihana, was betrothed to the Niohuru family; the fifth princess, Burhe, was betrothed to the Hesheli family; the sixth princess, Moyaqi, was betrothed to the Kharachin tribe of Mongolia; and the seventh princess, born to Xu Lejin, was betrothed to the Guarjia clan.

Consort Que spoke softly, "Your Highness, I have heard that the consort His Majesty has chosen for the Fifth Princess is over twenty years old, eight or nine years older than her, and..."

"And it's only a branch of the Hesheli family."

Xu Lejin nodded, her expression indifferent.

Immediately afterward, Consort Que lowered her voice and added, "I've also heard that the Fifth Princess's husband has several concubines, and even a son born out of wedlock has been born to him."

Xu Lejin nodded slightly and looked at Consort Que. "His Majesty has his reasons for arranging this marriage. The Fifth Princess is still young. This is just an arranged marriage. There are still several years before she is to be married."

Consort Que paused for a moment, then awkwardly shut her mouth.

Nongying strode in from outside the palace, bowed respectfully to Xu Lejin and Consort Que, and said, "Your Majesty, Consort Que, Noble Lady Bu and the Sixth Princess request an audience."

"Consort Bu and the Sixth Princess?"

Xu Lejin was stunned for a moment, then instructed Nongying to invite Consort Bu and the Sixth Princess into the palace.