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

Lu Cheng felt a lump in his throat and almost fainted on the spot.

He propped himself up on the ground and raised his head. His swollen face was unrecognizable, only the anger in his eyes burned brighter and brighter.

"Father, Ruyan cannot marry him!"

As soon as she spoke, Liu Ruyan closed her eyes.

Wei Shi also tugged at Lu Cheng's clothes, trying to stop him from talking anymore.

All the officials' wives and relatives in the garden were watching. Just moments ago, the Liu family mother and daughter claimed that they had no personal relationship with the Second Prince. Now, the Emperor had only mentioned that Liu Ruyan should become the Ninth Prince's concubine, and Lu Cheng was already so anxious.

Is this what you call not being familiar with someone?

Lu Yuan reached out and touched his chin.

"Second brother, your reaction is not right."

"You were willing to let Miss Liu become my father's concubine, but why are you in such a hurry to make her my maid?"

"Do you two really have some kind of secret relationship?"

Lu Cangqiong's gaze fell on Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng then realized that he had fallen into a trap again.

Saying that Liu Ruyan cannot marry Lu Yuan is tantamount to admitting that he cares about her.

This is tantamount to publicly admitting that the two had an affair.

This is a grave crime of disobeying one's superiors.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" Lu Cangqiong asked.

"Ruyan...Miss Liu is involved in a drugging case, which has damaged her reputation. Ninth Brother is a prince, how can he take her as a concubine?"

Lu Cheng made up an excuse, but his eyes kept glancing at Liu Ruyan.

Liu Ruyan knelt on the ground, her tears already dried.

She looked at Lu Cheng's left arm, which was slinged across his chest, and the last bit of hope in her heart faded away.

He said he would marry her.

Now, in order to extricate herself, she even said that her reputation was damaged.

Lu Yuan nodded in agreement with Lu Cheng's words.

"Second brother, that's not right. Since you know her reputation is damaged, why did you still send her to the palace to participate in the selection of concubines for Father?"

He looked at Liu Ruyan.

"Father, we still have to beat my second brother."

Liu Ruyan swayed, her face growing increasingly pale.

She was sent to the palace by Lu Cheng, who originally hoped to become a concubine.

As a result, the emperor didn't like her, and the ninth prince also disliked her, saying in front of all the women in the garden that she was an unwanted object.

Wei could no longer tolerate it.

"Your Highness, even if my daughter has made a mistake, it should be investigated by the Court of Judicial Review and the Imperial Clan Court. How can you humiliate a woman like this?"

"Hasn't Madam Liu had enough?"

Su Yuling took a step forward, and Madam Wei immediately shut her mouth.

The handprint on her face was still warm.

Lu Yuan grabbed Su Yuling's wrist and pulled her back.

"Don't rush to make a move."

Su Yuling glanced at his hand.

"Feeling sorry for him?"

"I feel sorry for your hand hurting."

Lu Yuan turned her hand over, and her palm was indeed a little red.

He rubbed the red mark twice with his thumb.

Su Yuling felt a burning sensation in her ears. She glanced around and saw many young ladies from official families peeking at her, so she pulled her hand back.

Don't give me that.

"Next time, use the scabbard to hit someone; it'll save your hands."

"This is the royal palace."

"Then let's find a secluded spot to fight."

Shen Hanqiu stood behind the two of them with a smile in his eyes, then stepped forward to straighten Su Yuling's crooked sleeve.

"Your Highness should refrain from teaching the Princess Consort these things; you'll likely be the one getting a beating when you return to the palace."

Lu Yuan thought about it and felt that what he said made a lot of sense, so he took a step to the side.

Lu Cangqiong watched the three of them exchanging glances and felt increasingly satisfied.

A good relationship leads to a faster offspring.

However, Liu Ruyan's matter cannot be left unresolved.

He looked at Zhou Fu, "Investigate the Liu family thoroughly and see if she actually drugged them."

Lu Cheng knelt on the spot, his mind in turmoil.

If Liu Ruyan confesses to drugging him, his punishment will not be as simple as being confined to his quarters for six months.

"Father, Ruyan is frail and cannot withstand interrogation."

Lu Yuan chuckled. "You were calling her Miss Liu just now, and now you're calling her Ruyan?"

"Second brother, your innocence lasts less than a pee."

Lu Cheng turned his head and glared at him.

"Lu Yuan, don't push your luck!"

"Alright!"

Lu Cangqiong stopped the two men, "The second son left the manor without permission during his confinement period. He will be punished for another three months after he returns. Without my decree, anyone who dares to release him will be punished as well."

Lu Cheng was struck dumb and hurriedly began to defend himself.

"Father, I am acting on Mother's orders."

Lu Yuan delivered a direct blow to him, "You mean, Consort Shen's verbal order is superior to Father Emperor's decree?"

"You, I... Father, I didn't mean that."

Lu Cheng kowtowed, trembling.

Lu Cangqiong looked toward the soft couch.

Consort Shen had just taken the qi-regulating pills sent by the imperial physician when she heard these words, and her face lost even more color.

She originally intended to use the Hundred Flowers Banquet to save face for Lu Cheng and, incidentally, send Liu Ruyan to the emperor's side.

In the future, they will become a help to their son.

Little did they know that the Hundred Flowers Banquet was not for selecting concubines for the emperor at all.

"Your Majesty, Cheng'er has been recuperating for many days. I just wanted him to come out and get some fresh air."

"The confinement is meant to make him reflect on his actions, not to give him some fresh air."

Lu Cangqiong's tone was somber, "Since you are ill, return to the palace to recuperate. Leave the affairs of the six palaces to Consort Shu for now. We'll talk about it again when you've recovered."

Consort Shen was stunned.

Relinquishing control of the six palaces was more painful for her than vomiting blood.

Moreover, Consort Shu has an extremely good relationship with that little beast Lu Yuan.

Is His Majesty looking for a top-tier heir apparent?

"Your Majesty, I am fine."

"The imperial physician said you suffered a heart attack due to excessive anger."

Lu Cangqiong glanced at the blood on her clothes and said coldly, "If I continue to make you work so hard, it will seem like I don't care about the harem. This matter is settled."

Consort Shen opened her mouth, but ultimately dared not argue further.

Palace servants lifted the soft couch, and another group of people stuffed Lu Cheng back into the sedan chair.

Before leaving, Lu Cheng kept staring at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan waved to him.

"Second brother, rest assured and recover from your injuries. See you in three months."

Enraged, Lu Cheng kicked the sedan chair, but the kick caused him to curl up in pain as he touched his injured spot.

After the farce ended, the officials returned to their seats, but their feelings were no longer the same.

Previously, people believed that the emperor would choose concubines, so many people were worried that their daughters would be sent to the palace to serve a man in his forties.

The current outcome is that they are having their fortunes told for the Ninth Prince, so their gazes toward Lu Yuan have become very intense.

The Ninth Prince is the son of the late Empress. He holds the Imperial Sword and has control over the Phoenix Battalion.

A few days ago, we sent out the cavalry artifact, and today the cement is ready.

More importantly, he was protective of his own.

The Liu family mother and daughter only asked two questions before Su Yuling dared to take action.

The Ninth Prince not only didn't blame her, but was also worried that her hand was hurting.

If my daughter could enter the Ninth Prince's residence, at least she wouldn't be bullied by outsiders.

Several women had already pushed their daughters to the front.

Upon seeing this, Lu Yuan turned around and left.

Lu Cangqiong grabbed him by the back of his collar.

"Where to?"

"My son remembered that there were still some account books in the Ministry of Revenue that he hadn't looked at."

"I'll check back later!"

"The disaster victims in Hedong can't wait any longer."

"Stop using disaster victims as a shield."

Lu Cangqiong pulled him to the middle of the flower path and pointed to the more than one hundred people on both sides.

"You must choose at least one for me today. I am still waiting for the old sage to bestow a method to solve the problem of the empty treasury."

Lu Yuan turned to look at Su Yuling with a helpless expression.

Su Yuling held the long sword in her arms, a smile on her face.

"Why is Your Highness looking at me like that?"

"If Father lets you choose, then choose."

She spoke very magnanimously, but her thumb had already pushed open the knife guard.

Lu Yuan's lips twitched violently, and he looked at Shen Hanqiu again.

Shen Hanqiu was very polite and took a step back.

"Your Highness, I have no objection."

After she finished speaking, she helped Su Yuling pick up the scabbard.

Lu Yuan was both amused and exasperated. He looked at the "beauties" on the field, glanced at Lu Cheng, and then pointed to Liu Ruyan, who was crying.

"Father, it's her!"

"Second brother, you shouldn't have any objections, right?"