The tall, vermilion palace walls faintly obscured half the sky. Consort Fu sat in her sedan chair, her glamorous makeup making her appear as if half of her was hidden in a halo of light the moment she looked up.

She sat in the sedan chair, only asking the eunuchs carrying it to stop. Her gaze was fixed on Li Shiyue, who was not far away. Perhaps it was the midday sun, but her expression was not clearly visible.

"The Crown Prince's wife has finally managed to enter the palace today, why is she in such a hurry to leave? If I hadn't happened to meet the Crown Prince's wife today, I'm afraid the Rongguo Duke's mansion would have rejected my invitation to the Pixiang Palace again tomorrow."

Li Shiyue stood up, raised her eyes and smiled slightly, feeling a strange unease about Consort Fu's tone.

Especially since it was impossible to see Consort Fu's expression, her tone was neither humble nor arrogant: "It was really inconvenient for the household to refuse Your Highness's invitation earlier, and I should personally go to Pixiang Palace to apologize."

"It's just that my maternal grandmother and mother are not fully recovered yet. I came to the palace today because the Crown Princess was worried about the situation at the Duke's mansion. I need to go back as soon as possible today, as the mansion is probably in a lot of chaos."

Consort Fu's lips seemed to curve into a deeper smile: "I see. If you need anything, just come to Pixiang Palace to get it. I won't keep the young master's wife busy today. We can catch up properly another day."

Her red lips moved slightly, and as soon as she finished speaking, the head palace maid standing outside the sedan chair called out "Lift the sedan chair," and the group walked leisurely towards the end of the long palace street.

Li Shiyue stepped aside, watching the blue phoenix sedan chair gradually blur in her vision, then turned and walked towards the palace gate.

The family members at Shousong Hall were all present, but after returning to Tongxin Hall and changing their clothes, the whole family knew about it.

Compared to Li Shiyue's surprise, Xu Yunci seemed quite calm, taking her hand and sitting down beside Old Madam Xu.

"When I entered the palace today, my elder sister told me that what we know outside the palace is not very clear. In fact, Prince Zhao goes to the Pixiang Palace every day to pay his respects to Consort An. However, Consort An is ill, and Prince Zhao has never gone to Consort An's palace to see her. He has only sent some mild tonics."

Li Shiyue pursed her lips, her gaze mainly fixed on the Duke of Rongguo and Madam Yang, and finally on Old Madam Xu, reaching out to support Old Madam Xu's forearm.

"There is one more thing. Please don't be impatient, Father and Mother. Please wait until I finish speaking."

Duke Rong subconsciously looked at his wife beside him. Madam Yang had just recovered and her face was slightly rosy. She clutched her handkerchief tightly after hearing Li Shiyue's words.

"But what's wrong with Yuan Niang? Tell me slowly, we're not in a hurry."

Li Shiyue was still worried, but Xu Yunci was one step ahead and walked to the side of the Duke of Rong and Madam Yang.

"My elder sister also said that the young prince was almost harmed. Someone deliberately tried to set fire to the palace, but the young prince's wet nurse risked her life to protect him."

"The person behind it is Pi Xiang Palace. The flammable items were among the gifts sent by the Qi Kingdom princess. However, those gifts were prepared by Pi Xiang Palace, and the Qi Kingdom princess brought them over casually. As for whether she knew about it, even I, the elder sister, don't know."

Sure enough, as soon as Li Shiyue finished speaking, not to mention that Old Madam Xu beside her almost broke the Buddhist prayer beads.

The Duke of Rongguo looked displeased, but still subconsciously helped Yang Shi, who had suddenly stood up, together with Xu Yunci: "Madam, Madam, please don't be angry."

Yang's face flushed instantly. She was about to speak when a tickle ran through her throat, and she couldn't help but cough.

He spoke hastily, his eyes reddening from choking.

Xu Yunci also comforted her from the side: "Mother, don't be angry. You've just gotten a little better, don't upset yourself. Your elder sister is most worried about your health now. Your illness really frightened us."

"Yes, yes, Yuan Niang has been clever and quick-witted since she was little. You heard Yan Yan say that Yuan Niang and the little prince are fine. They were just a little frightened, not sick."

Madam Zhou quickly stepped forward and patted Madam Yang's chest, saying, "If Pi Xiang Palace dares to harm our Xu family's child today, who knows what she might do tomorrow. Eldest sister-in-law, you must take good care of yourself and wait to see the day when Pi Xiang Palace reaps what she sows, so you can avenge Yuan Niang and the little prince."

Madam Xu was alright, but her body trembled uncontrollably. She held Li Shiyue tightly with both hands and looked at Madam Yang with reddened eyes.

After a while, it was Old Madam Xu who calmed down first. Her eyes no longer held their usual kindness, but were filled with a cold, sharp light: "Second Brother."

Xu Yunci walked to the middle, and Old Madam Xu let out a heavy breath and said sternly, "Kneel down."

"Today, your grandmother wants to ask you a question. Your elder sister and your nephew have been murdered. As a son of the Xu family, what will you do?"

Old Madam Xu's eyes flashed with a cold light, catching everyone present somewhat off guard. Only Madam Yang, leaning against the Duke of Rong, gritted her teeth and stared at her eldest son.

“Consort Fu, a mere concubine, dared to plot against the Emperor’s grandson. As the heir of the Rongguo Duke’s mansion, do you accept this insult or not?”

Xu Yunci lifted the front of his robe, knelt down straight, and raised his head with a murderous look in his eyes: "Grandson does not acknowledge it. The Rongguo Duke's Mansion is loyal to wise rulers like the Emperor and His Highness."

"good!"

Madam Xu sat up straight, her wrinkles etched with anger, and narrowed her eyes as she looked out the window: "Remember what you said today. If anyone dares to touch the Xu family, let them see if a mere imperial concubine can protect them."

After everyone left, only Madam Yang, Xu Yunci, and Li Shiyue remained in Shousong Hall.

After thinking for a moment, Li Shiyue told her about seeing Consort Fu on the palace road: "I felt that Consort Fu was different from the one I had met before. It was as if a bright and flamboyant person had suddenly become low-key and reserved."

“If it were before, Consort Fu would definitely have had me forced to go to Pixiang Palace and apologize for refusing the invitation last time.”

"Today I was even prepared to continue dealing with her, but I didn't expect her to leave with her people after just a few words. Before leaving, she even said, 'Let's meet again another day.'"

"Let's meet again sometime? Then let's set fire to her so she can know what it means to be roasted in the fire." Madam Yang had calmed down by now, but when she mentioned Pixiang Palace, her eyes couldn't help but show disgust and resentment.

“At the banquet at the Princess’s residence yesterday, the Princess of Qi told me privately that no one from the Duke of Rong’s residence or even the Xu family should accept the invitation from the Pixiang Palace.”

Li Shiyue looked up at Old Madam Xu and recounted what had happened at the Princess's residence yesterday, omitting the part about Prince Zhao and what she had said to the Princess of Qi.

"Perhaps the rumors that the Qi princess and Consort Fu had an unpleasant encounter in the Pixiang Palace are not false, but probably true."

Madam Xu sneered: "Think about it, when did this rumor start?"