Father, who is both a heir and a descendant, is still biased; the bound system has gone berserk.

Emperor Cangxuan made the final decision with a single blow!

"I will send the edict announcing the dissolution of the engagement to the Marquis of Weiyuan's residence later, and instruct the Ministry of Rites to handle it and announce it to the world."

Emperor Cangxuan gave Shangguan Tang a meaningful look.

Shangguan Tang's heart pounded. With the Emperor's decree, Fu'er would have nothing to do with the Second Prince anymore!

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness!"

Shangguan Tang knelt down and kowtowed deeply.

She tried hard to hide the excitement in her voice; she was practically ecstatic.

Ying Yufu was also extremely grateful.

The empress stood frozen in place, bewildered.

Emperor Cangxuan glanced at the Empress and saw that her face was pale and her expression was aggrieved. He softened his tone and said, "Empress, I know you dote on Ze'er, but even if he is a prince, he cannot be so reckless and frivolous in matters of marriage."

The empress forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Your Majesty is right. I understand. It's all my fault as his mother for not raising him properly."

Emperor Cangxuan did not speak, but simply looked at her quietly.

Ying Yufu and Shangguan Tang exchanged a glance, and then Ying Yufu took her leave.

Emperor Cangxuan waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

Upon seeing this, the crown prince also took his leave.

Emperor Cangxuan gave him a meaningful look and said indifferently, "Yes, go."

The crown prince turned around and left with Ying Yufu and the others.

The Empress turned her head and stared at the Crown Prince's back, a faint unease passing through her heart.

Only Emperor Cangxuan and his empress remain here.

The empress's eyes reddened, and with a gentle blink, tears wet her eyelashes.

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault. Please punish me!"

The empress rested her head on the emperor's lap, sobbing softly.

Emperor Cangxuan said helplessly, "How old is he? As a prince, he should have the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This is not your fault."

The Empress silently shed tears.

Emperor Cangxuan said, "Since it was his own choice, he must bear the consequences of that choice."

Seeing that Emperor Cangxuan had no intention of changing his mind, the Empress knew that going too far would be counterproductive, so she could only silently stand up and sit down in a seat to the side.

"Your Majesty, what about Linglong...?"

"Since it's already like that, I'll bestow her upon Ze'er as a concubine during the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet."

This was exactly what the Empress expected, and she gladly expressed her gratitude.

Emperor Cangxuan stayed for a while longer. When he saw Madam Duan arrive, he gave the Empress a look that said, "You'll have to deal with this yourself," and then got up and left.

The moment the emperor left, the empress smashed the teacup.

Her face was colder than ever before.

There was even a subtle sense of distortion.

Madam Duan, who was about to step forward to cry and plead, paused involuntarily. Such an empress inexplicably inspired fear.

The Empress took a few deep breaths, and her complexion returned to normal.

Immediately, palace maids came forward to collect the broken teacup pieces from the ground.

Madam Duan then cautiously stepped forward.

The Empress said coldly, "His Majesty just issued an edict to dissolve the engagement between Ze'er and Ying Yufu."

Lady Duan looked surprised and said, "Your Majesty is angry about this? I think this is a good thing."

The Empress looked at her.

Madam Duan said, "With the marriage agreement in place, it's unlikely that His Majesty would make Ying Yufu a concubine, since the rules of etiquette cannot be violated."

The Empress was aware of this as well; with the marriage certificate in hand, Ying Yufu could only be a legitimate wife.

But naturally, she didn't want Ying Yufu to be her principal wife.

That's why she came up with this idea today.

It just didn't work out.

Madam Duan was very sad. "Her Majesty wanted to prevent Ying Yufu from becoming the principal wife, but she had to resort to this tactic because of the marriage agreement."

It failed.

The Empress narrowed her eyes.

She glanced at the Empress and said, "Fortunately, His Majesty dissolved the engagement, so we can say that we have achieved our goal."

"It's just exquisite..."

Madam Duan shed tears.

His expression softened as he asked, "How is Linglong?"

"Linglong... she was probably frightened." She was also injured.

She just couldn't bring herself to say it; it was, after all, not something to be proud of.

The Empress frowned. "Where is that maid?"

Madam Duan's face instantly darkened. "I will handle this."

The Empress nodded, but her expression was also unpleasant.

Her son, who was perfectly fine, could have found any woman he wanted, yet he insisted on clinging to that incredibly ugly maid.

She wanted to curse her as a vixen who seduced people, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

After all, that beautiful woman had nothing to do with fox spirits.

When the prince wakes up, he'll probably be heartbroken.

The Empress felt both heartache and dejection. She never expected that her son couldn't even handle a young girl like Ying Yufu.

They even got outsmarted.

She sighed deeply, "Linglong has really suffered today. As for Ying Yufu, I really misjudged her. I didn't expect her to be so cunning."

His Majesty has already promised that Linglong will be bestowed upon Ze'er as a concubine at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

Madam Duan was taken aback, unsure whether she felt joy or disappointment.

The Duan family is the Empress's maternal family, so in principle, Linglong could become the Second Prince's principal wife.

Madam Duan dared not reveal her true feelings, and only expressed her gratitude with a look of thanks.

……

The imperial edict announcing the dissolution of Ying Yufu's engagement with the Second Prince was delivered to the Marquis of Weiyuan's residence on the same day.

The Ministry of Rites acted swiftly, and soon the whole country knew about it.

At the Marquis of Weiyuan's residence, Ying Hengzhi was completely dumbfounded.

"How could this be?" Ying Hengzhi's voice trembled.

She looked helplessly at Liu Xueyan, "Mother, why would His Majesty annul the engagement between Ying Yufu and the Second Prince?"

Liu Xueyan's expression was equally solemn.

She stared at the old tea in the rough porcelain teacup in front of her, the bitter taste of the tea still clearly lingering in her mouth, making her tongue feel numb.

She couldn't help but miss the famous tea varieties of the past.

"Don't panic, Zhi'er. His Majesty is only dissolving the engagement between Ying Yufu and the Second Prince. Dissolving the engagement only means that Ying Yufu cannot be the principal wife."

Isn't this perfect?

Ying Hengzhi was still very uneasy.

"But, Mother, have you thought about why His Majesty would do this? Could it be that Ying Yufu and Shangguan Tang did something again?"

What if... what if they beg His Majesty to grant Ying Yufu a marriage with someone else?

Then won't Ying Yufu's dowry still fly away?

Liu Xueyan had obviously thought of this as well.

Ying Hengzhi was truly anxious; her eyes were red. "Mother, Father has been demoted to Earl. His Majesty is clearly angry with Father."

"If it weren't for the wealth behind Ying Yufu, Her Majesty the Empress would never have allowed me, a mere daughter of a noble family, to marry the Second Prince!"

She knew very well that the Empress liked her and secretly promised her to be the Second Prince's principal wife, partly because of the secret alliance between Marquis Weiyuan and the Cheng and Duan families.

Secondly, and most importantly, was Shangguan Tang's dowry and the entire Mu family, the richest family in the country.

That immense wealth is the most attractive thing.

"Mother, do Ying Yufu and Shangguan Tang know something? Otherwise, why would they be so ruthless?"

Ying Hengzhi asked anxiously.

Liu Xueyan's fingers trembled slightly.

"This matter cannot be rushed; we still need to ask your grandmother and father for a solution."

The mother and daughter hurried to Shou'an Hall.

In Shou'an Hall, the old lady and Ying Nanyao both had extremely solemn expressions.

They stared at the edict announcing the dissolution of the engagement left by Eunuch He, and Ying Nanyao couldn't help but fall off his wheelchair.