Shen Qingque was wearing a pale green, round-necked robe embroidered with mountain patterns tonight, which made him look even more fair-skinned and handsome.

The lamplight cast a golden, dark glow on him, making him seem almost menacing.

Cui Yan looked at Shen Qingque with a mocking gaze. He had inquired about this person before and found him to be rather unremarkable. Apart from a pretty face that resembled his elder sister's, the most striking impression he left was that of a rigid and boring person.

The students in the academy all said that Shen Qingque was an average student, and his grades were mediocre in every exam. He was someone the teacher would not pay much attention to or worry about.

He didn't participate in any college activities, nor did he attend any private dinners. Over time, he became an outsider, and no one bothered to talk to him. Occasionally, if someone tried to speak to him, he would criticize their attire.

Cui Yan looked down on such a person and couldn't understand why Yongle only saw him that day!

Shen Qingque snorted coldly, his disdainful demeanor a stark contrast to his usual behavior, which surprised everyone.

"You dare to address someone by the title of Princess? How can Young Master Cui forget such a lesson so easily?"

Shen Qingque's words immediately reminded Cui Yan of the humiliation he had suffered that day. He had been pinned to the ground and beaten until his face was swollen by several servants, and then surrounded by strangers. The feeling of shame and indignation was like being stripped naked!

Cui Yan tried her best to restrain herself so that her face wouldn't contort with anger.

"Brother Chen, are you unwilling to drink this cup of wine?"

Cui Yan looked at him with a hint of threat in his eyes, but Shen Qingque met his gaze without fear and took the slender cup from his fingers.

"I can drink this wine, but after you finish it, please don't ever appear in front of me and the princess again."

Cui Yan's fingers, which were white from gripping the wine pot tightly, squeezed out a "good" through his teeth. He then watched Shen Qingque drink the wine before turning away.

Cui Yan curled her lips into a smile and cursed him inwardly as an idiot.

After Cui Yan and his group left, Cao Zhi moved over and sat down in the empty seat next to Shen Qingque.

Are you alright?

When Shen Qingque saw him, he bowed to him.

"I'm fine, it's just that this annoying guy ruined my good mood."

Cao Zhi thought to himself that Cui Yan was indeed quite annoying. How could a man do something to ruin the female lead's reputation? And he even dared to speak so disrespectfully to the girl's fiancé; his brain must be a bit shaky.

"Never mind him. The Emperor is hosting this banquet for us today so that we can eat and drink well. Come, let me toast you. Congratulations, Brother Shen, on passing the imperial examination! Your wedding night will be another joyous occasion! I wonder if I could have the honor of sharing a cup of celebratory wine?"

"Brother Cao, I welcome you if you wish to come!"

After drinking two cups of wine with Cao Zhi, Shen Qingque felt something was wrong with his body. It's true that drinking wine makes you feel hot, but the heat rushing towards his lower abdomen was very unusual!

Shen Qingque wasn't stupid; he quickly realized that there was something wrong with the cup of wine Cui Yan had offered him!

Judging from his physical reaction, he had been drugged with aphrodisiacs. Did Cui Yan intend to make him behave improperly in the palace and thus ruin his marriage to Yongle?

What a despicable person!

Cao Zhi noticed his grim expression and realized something was wrong. He looked around; everyone else was drinking and chatting happily, and no one was paying attention to them.

"Brother Chen, are you feeling unwell?"

Shen Qingque was covered in sweat, and his expression gradually became more restrained.

"I'll take you away."

Shen Qingque nodded and was helped out of the house.

However, Cui Yan went to great lengths tonight to ruin Shen Qingque's reputation and destroy his marriage with Yongle, so how could he let him leave the Qionglin Banquet so easily?

As soon as Cao Zhi helped him out the door, several of his cronies followed, asking in unfriendly tones, "Brother Cao, where are you taking Brother Chen?"

"Go to the toilet!" Cao Zhi replied perfunctorily.

"Oh~ let's go then! I'm going there too!" another carefree scholar said with a grin.

Cao Zhi's expression immediately darkened. He knew, of course, that this person was doing it on purpose. They wanted to see Shen Qingque embarrassed.

But Shen Qingque didn't offend them!

Cao Zhi glanced at the group of people, then expressionlessly helped Shen Qingque toward the urinal.

Upon reaching the restroom, the scholar who had accompanied them whistled and swayed his head as he watched them. His expression seemed to say, "Keep pretending, let's see how long you can keep up this act," which was extremely irritating.

Cao Zhi escorted Shen Qingque into a latrine, closed the door for him, and then looked at the scholar who had followed him.

"Why aren't you going? Are you shy? We're all men, don't be shy! You have what I have too, don't you?"

Upon hearing his words, the scholar's face immediately darkened. He snorted coldly and entered a nearby cubicle.

These latrines were small cubicles containing chamber pots, which eunuchs would come to empty. Therefore, they weren't as foul-smelling as latrines.

After the scholar entered the cubicle, Cao Zhi took off his belt, slipped it through the doorknob, and locked the door from the outside.

After doing such a despicable thing, he quickly helped Shen Qingque out and led the people away.

Meanwhile, the scholar in the restroom heard the door close and rushed to open it, only to find it locked from the outside. He yelled, "Cao Zhi! You just wait!"

Cao Zhi couldn't wait any longer. After helping the man out the door, fearing that Cui Yan's men were still lying in wait for them, he crouched down and hid in the bushes as he crawled out.

He didn't know where he had led his people, only that the people on his body were getting heavier and heavier.

Shen Qingque's back was soaked with sweat, and his consciousness gradually faded, but the pain in that area was so intense that even walking was difficult for him.

"Find the Princess..." He pulled a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to Cao Zhi. Cao Zhi was completely baffled; Princess Yongle wasn't among the invited guests, so naturally she hadn't entered the palace. How was he supposed to find her?

Even if he were stupid, he would know that the palace was a chaotic place with many factions. Even if he held up the jade pendant and shouted in the palace, he couldn't guarantee that the person he found was the princess's person.

This is truly distressing for him!

But he couldn't just leave Shen Qingque in the palace; he still wanted to marry Shen Qingyu!

Of course, it wasn't entirely because of his sister; out of humanitarian considerations, he should also help her.

Cao Zhi scratched his head, wondering why his mind was blank when he was usually quite smart.

All he could think about right now was Princess Xiaoyao, but she wasn't in the palace! What should he do?

Just as he was about to scratch his face raw, a frighteningly white face suddenly appeared in front of him, and he almost screamed.

Shh, come with me!