When the Crown Prince returned to Yuqing Palace, he learned that Li Zhong had confessed everything he knew.

Li Zhong said that Ru Guo, who was by the side of the Ninth Princess, was from the same hometown as him. Ru Guo said that she would marry Li Zhong when she reached the age to leave the palace, but Ru Guo looked down on Li Zhong because he was just a doctor.

Later, Ruguo somehow found a packet of ebony seeds and gave it to Li Zhong, hoping that Li Zhong could gain the Crown Prince's favor through this.

"Second Prince, do you think things are really as they say?" The eldest prince always felt that things weren't so simple.

"He Zhu, send someone to bring Ru Guo over!" the Crown Prince ordered.

"Second brother, isn't this a bit inappropriate? After all, Xiao Jiu is our sister! And she's being raised in Cixi Palace!" the Third Prince asked worriedly.

"I didn't have her brought along, which is already giving her face. My grandmother is a wise woman and won't stop me!" If it weren't for the Fourth Prince, the Crown Prince would have brought the Ninth Princess along as well.

Before He Zhu could even reach Cixi Palace, the Empress Dowager's men arrived at Yuqing Palace, saying that the Empress Dowager wanted to personally interrogate Li Zhong.

"I will go with you to Cining Palace!" the Crown Prince said. Li Zhong decided not to go to Cining Palace, so as not to frighten the Empress Dowager.

"We'll go with you!" The eldest prince and the third prince also chased after them.

When the three princes arrived at Cining Palace, they happened to run into the Imperial Noble Consort and the Fourth Prince, who were also visiting Cining Palace.

"Mother Tong, what brings you here?" The Crown Prince knew that the Imperial Noble Consort rarely came to Cining Palace.

"The Empress Dowager wishes to see me!" the Imperial Noble Consort said with a smile.

The Crown Prince frowned, thinking that the Empress Dowager's behavior was probably because of Ruguo.

When the Crown Prince and the Imperial Noble Consort entered Cining Palace, they discovered that in addition to the Empress Dowager and Emperor Kangxi, all the concubines of the rank of Consort and above were also present.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. I am late, please forgive me!" The Imperial Noble Consort greeted Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager.

"Imperial Noble Consort, please rise!" the Empress Dowager said expressionlessly.

The Imperial Noble Consort sat in the only empty seat. Above her was Emperor Kangxi, and beside her were Consort Liang and Consort Cheng, among others. Opposite her sat Consort Hui, Consort Rong, Consort Yi, and others.

"Grandson greets the Empress Dowager!" The Crown Prince, along with the eldest prince and his two brothers, bowed to the Empress Dowager and asked.

"Get up quickly!" The Empress Dowager looked at the Crown Prince with a smile. "Why are you all here?"

"Your Majesty, you wanted to see Li Zhong, but he can't come. I've brought his confession!" the Crown Prince said.

Su Mo'er presented the confession in the Crown Prince's hands to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager flipped through it once, then handed it to Emperor Kangxi, who was standing to the side, saying, "Your Majesty, please take a look too!"

Apart from Emperor Kangxi, the Empress Dowager, and the Imperial Noble Consort, everyone else present was completely baffled. They had no idea why the Empress Dowager had summoned them.

The Empress Dowager has been living in the Cining Palace all these years and has not cared about anything in the inner palace. What's going on today?

Moreover, they had heard that something had happened at Yuqing Palace, and their first thought was that something had happened to the Crown Prince. But now the Crown Prince was standing in front of them perfectly fine. What exactly happened at Yuqing Palace?

After reading Li Zhong's confession, Emperor Kangxi asked, "Grandmother, what are your plans?"

"We'll talk when they arrive!" the Empress Dowager said. "Since you and the others are here, why don't you stay?"

We Manchus don't have so many rules. Besides, we're about to lose our lives, so rules don't matter! You can all sit next to your Emperor!

"Yes, Your Highness obeys!" the Crown Prince and the others replied.

Consort Hui and the others were filled with suspicion. What had happened that could make the Empress Dowager disregard the rules? Sensing the tense atmosphere in the room, they all fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.

Ruguo told the Ninth Princess that she was not feeling well, so the Ninth Princess told her to go back to her room to rest. Ruguo was the Ninth Princess's head maid and was deeply trusted by the Ninth Princess.

Ru Guo was going to the Imperial Hospital to find Li Zhong. She had also heard about the Imperial Physician being summoned to Yuqing Palace, and she wanted to confirm it with Li Zhong.