I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

Consort Shen's body went limp, and several palace maids beside her hurriedly supported her.

Blood fell on the front of the palace dress, staining a large area of ​​peonies red.

"Mother!"

Ignoring his injured arm, Lu Cheng tried to get down from the sedan chair, but his knees buckled as soon as his feet touched the ground, and he collapsed against the side of the chair.

"Imperial Physician! Summon the Imperial Physician immediately!"

The Imperial Garden was thrown into chaos.

The palace maids helped people up and moved chairs. Several women awaiting selection were so frightened that they retreated to the flower bushes. Liu Ruyan also turned pale and knelt on the spot, not daring to move.

Covering her swollen face, Lady Wei cried out in a shrill voice, "His Highness the Ninth Prince has made the Imperial Concubine vomit blood!"

As soon as that shout rang out, the gazes of the officials' families around them all changed.

Lu Yuan stood still, holding Su Yuling's hand tightly.

Su Yuling turned her head to look at him.

"What if something really happens?"

"I could make her vomit blood with just one honest word. How has she survived in the harem all these years?"

Lu Yuan looked at Consort Shen, who was being helped to a soft couch by a palace maid.

"Besides, vomiting blood isn't necessarily a bad thing. Maybe it's because he ate too much nourishing food for breakfast and is taking this opportunity to vent his anger."

Lu Cheng steadied himself against the sedan chair, and upon hearing these words, his lips trembled with anger.

"Lu Yuan, if anything happens to my mother, I will make you pay with your life!"

"Stand up straight before you talk to me."

Lu Yuan glanced at his legs.

"You're practically kneeling down yourself, yet you still want to stand up for others. What, has all your filial piety gone into your knees?"

Someone nearby couldn't help but laugh out loud, then quickly covered their face with a fan.

Just as Lu Cheng was about to have an attack, six imperial physicians rushed in from outside the flower path.

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy, carrying a medicine chest, knelt down to pay his respects as he entered the crowd. Lu Cheng rushed over and grabbed his sleeve.

"Why bother with formalities? Quickly treat Mother Consort!"

The imperial physician hurriedly stepped forward, draped a silk handkerchief over Consort Shen's wrist, and closed his eyes to take her pulse.

The surroundings gradually quieted down.

Consort Shen leaned against the soft couch, her face pale and her breathing rapid. A group of palace maids knelt on the floor, several supporting her arms while others wiped the bloodstains from her clothes with handkerchiefs.

Lu Cheng stood guard to the side, his eyes fixed on Lu Yuan.

After a moment, the abbot withdrew his hand.

"Your Highness, please rest assured. The Imperial Concubine was simply overwhelmed by anger, causing her blood to rush to her head and vomit blood."

"Is there any danger to your life?"

"It's nothing serious. I'll prescribe a calming and soothing remedy; a few days of rest will be enough for you to recover."

Lu Cheng let out a long sigh of relief.

The palace maids kneeling around also relaxed.

Consort Shen opened her eyes and was about to speak when Lu Yuan interrupted her.

"Did you hear that? It's okay."

He looked at Consort Shen with a smile on his face.

"Your Highness, your mental fortitude is lacking. I only said a few words, and you've already collapsed."

"If you really sit on the Empress's throne, hundreds of things will be sent to you from the six palaces every day. Today someone is vying for favor, tomorrow someone is complaining. Wouldn't you be spitting blood every day?"

Consort Shen, who had just caught her breath, felt a lump in her throat again.

She pointed at Lu Yuan, her arm trembling.

"You...you..."

"Your Majesty, please don't get agitated."

Lu Yuan took half a step back.

"The imperial physicians just saved you, and now you've vomited again. They'll have to examine your pulse again. The Imperial Physicians are paid monthly; they can't keep using the same illness to boost their performance records, can they?"

The abbot stared down at the medicine box, wishing he could swallow himself whole.

Lu Cheng could no longer hold back. He rushed to Lu Yuan and pointed his finger at his nose.

"You bastard!"

"You've angered my mother so much, and you still dare to insult her!"

"Kneel down and apologize to your mother!"

Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes as he looked at the finger extended in front of him.

"Second brother, didn't I remind you before not to point your finger at me?"

"So what if I'm pointing at you?"

Lu Cheng's chest heaved, his fingers almost poking Lu Yuan's brow.

"I am your elder brother, and today I will teach you a lesson on behalf of our father, you disrespectful brat!"

Lu Yuan reached out and grabbed his index finger, bending it to the side.

The soft crack of bones breaking reached everyone's ears.

Lu Cheng was stunned for a moment, then knelt down with his hands clasped in his hands.

"what!"

The scream startled the birds on the flowering branches.

Lu Yuan released his grip and looked down at him.

"I told you not to point, can't you understand human language?"

Lu Cheng was in so much pain that he was covered in sweat, his severed finger lying askew to the side. He raised his face, his eyes filled with resentment.

"Lu Yuan, I am your elder brother!"

"You think your imperial brother can just poke my face with his finger?"

"If you dare to hurt me, Father will never let you get away with it!"

Upon hearing the words "Father Emperor," Lu Yuan kicked Lu Cheng in the shoulder.

Lu Cheng tumbled backward, crashing into the sedan chair. Several palace attendants carrying the chair tried to approach, but stopped abruptly upon seeing the imperial sword at Lu Yuan's waist.

"You're using my father's name to pressure me again."

Lu Yuan walked up to Lu Cheng.

"Besides calling him 'Father Emperor,' what else can you do?"

"When you get beaten, call on your father; when you get into trouble, call on your mother; when you're broke, ask the Liu family for money; and even send your sweetheart to the palace to help you win favor."

"You're such a grown man, why do you live like a mere ornament?"

Lu Cheng struggled to get up.

"I'll fight you to the death!"

He grabbed Lu Yuan's collar with his uninjured hand.

Lu Yuan dodged to the side and slapped him across the face.

Lu Cheng tilted his head to one side, and blood immediately appeared at the corner of his mouth.

A second slap followed immediately.

Lu Cheng's face, which had only been swollen for a few days, swelled up again.

"stop!"

Consort Shen struggled to get up, and two palace maids quickly helped her up.

"Are you all dead? Pull him away!"

The eunuchs and palace maids around were in a panic, but no one dared to touch Lu Yuan.

On one side were the Imperial Concubine and the Second Prince.

On the other side was the late empress's eldest son, who wore the imperial sword and commanded the Phoenix Battalion.

If these palace servants took one step forward, their entire families might suffer the consequences.

Lu Yuan grabbed Lu Cheng by the collar and lifted him up from the ground.

"Second brother, you just said you were disciplining me on behalf of Father?"

"Come on, say it again."

Lu Cheng's legs went weak, but he still refused to admit defeat.

"You dare to beat your elder brother in the palace and injure the Imperial Concubine! Even if Father Emperor came, he couldn't protect you!"

"You're still being stubborn."

Lu Yuan punched him in the bridge of the nose.

Blood gushed from his nostrils, Lu Cheng's vision went black, and he fell backward.

Lu Yuan didn't let him land, but pulled him back by the collar.

"Your injuries from last time haven't healed yet, and you've come to see me again today."

Others won't turn back until they hit a brick wall, but you're the kind of person who makes even the brick wall want to move away.

The officials' families around them were horrified.

Some people felt that Lu Cheng had brought shame upon himself, while others secretly shook their heads.

No matter how favored the Ninth Prince was, he could not publicly beat his elder brother or talk back to the Imperial Concubine.

This is, after all, the imperial palace.

If this continues and the emperor doesn't punish them severely, the rules of the royal family will become a joke.

Wei Shi hid in the crowd, a glint of joy in her eyes. The bigger the commotion, the less significant the beating of the Liu family mother and daughter became.

It would be best if the Ninth Prince were stripped of his military power today.

Without the imperial sword, let's see how he investigates the Liu family.

Lu Cheng also thought of this. He spat out a mouthful of blood and deliberately shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Lu Yuan, if you've got the guts, kill me!"

"With so many people watching today, I'd like to see how Father Emperor will deal with you!"

"Who wants to deal with the ninth brother?"

A deep voice came from outside the flower path.

The eunuchs and palace maids knelt down one after another, and the officials' wives also quickly bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Lu Cangqiong led Zhou Fu into the Imperial Garden, followed by Xie Guangkun, the Minister of Works.

He originally came to the Hundred Flowers Banquet to watch his son choose his consorts, but halfway there he heard that Consort Shen had vomited blood and that the Second Prince and the Ninth Prince had gotten into a fight.

When Lu Cheng saw his savior, he scrambled over to him.

"Father!"

"You must stand up for your son and mother!"

"My ninth brother first insulted Mother, causing her to vomit blood in anger. Then he broke my finger and beat me in front of all the officials and their families in the garden!"

"If he continues like this, who will respect royal etiquette in the future? Brothers will turn against each other, the harem will be in turmoil, and the court officials will lose heart!"

Lu Cangqiong looked down.

The person on the ground had disheveled hair, blood streaming from their nose, their face swollen, and a cut on the corner of their mouth.

He stared at it for a good three breaths, but still couldn't recognize it.

"Holy crap, who is this guy with the bruised and swollen face?"