Long Yiyou looked at Long Xuanmo in shock, "Third Imperial Brother, is everything that Fifth Imperial Younger Brother said true?" Weren't those achievements credited to you, Third Imperial Brother?

Long Xuanmo nodded slowly.

"Third Imperial Brother truly has a discerning eye and good fortune to have found such an outstanding woman as Ms. Yang!" Long Yiyou sincerely expressed his happiness for Long Xuanmo, but his brows soon knitted together in a grave expression, "If I'm not mistaken, Lao Liu must have also recognized Ms. Yang's extraordinary talents, or he wouldn't have suddenly sought to marry her.

Lao Liu has always been engrossed in painting and calligraphy; how could he have come to know about these things? And what could his purpose be in wanting to marry Ms. Yang?"

Slowly swirling the teacup in his hand, Long Xuanmo spoke with ambiguous intentions, "Lao Liu mentioned that he acted upon the words of the Sixth Imperial Sister."

"Impossible!" Long YiXuan immediately refuted, "The Sixth Imperial Sister has never been close to Lao Liu, she would never tell him about Ms. Yang's matters!"

Long Xuanmo's expression became gloomy and cold, his brows bore a chilling intent, and the corner of his lips curled into a sneering arc.

"Could it be the Second?" Long Yiyou pondered aloud.

Prince Duan, the Second, was deeply favored by the Emperor; his mother was one of the four consort mothers and hailed from a powerful maternal family. Aiming for the throne, he was constantly at odds with the Third Imperial Brother.

Since the Third Imperial Brother often visited Anping County, Prince Duan must have sensed something and discovered Ms. Yang's extraordinary abilities, determined to bring her under his control at all costs.

Unfortunately, Prince Duan had countless women in his household, and with Ms. Yang's considerable connections to several powerful and noble families, she would never be allowed to enter the Duan Prince Mansion.

Most crucially, once the Emperor learned of the reason, he would certainly conclude that Prince Duan harbored ulterior motives, resulting in a loss far outweighing any gains. Hence, he coerced Lao Liu to come forward and propose to Ms. Yang since Lao Liu and his mother were powerless and had no choice but to follow Prince Duan's orders.

Long YiXuan nodded in agreement; the Second was always scheming and cunning, very likely to have instigated Lao Liu to oppose the Third Imperial Brother.

Long Xuanmo pursed his lips and remained silent, yet within the depths of his eyes, vast like the ocean, a shadowy edge of darkness flickered.

"Prince." Just then, Mo Yun entered the study, glanced at Long YiXuan and Long Yiyou, and upon seeing his master's nod, he respectfully said, "Subordinate followed Prince Jing to a secluded residence in the city. Prince Jing spoke a few words with a masked figure in black before returning home. Subordinate recognized that person as Fang Jie, a trusted guard of Prince Duan."

Long YiXuan clenched his teeth in fury, "It is indeed the Second!"

Long Yiyou remained silent, just quietly observing Long Xuanmo, his gaze filled with concern and contemplation.

Filling his teacup with water from the kettle, Long Xuanmo took a light sip, and his pitch-black pupils gradually covered with a mist, like an unfathomably deep lake, inexplicably sending a chill down one's spine.

"Third Imperial Brother…"

Long YiXuan was eager to say something, but Long Yiyou shook his head slightly at him, leaving Long YiXuan with no choice but to keep his mouth shut, internally considering how to 'repay' the Second properly.

In a room at the Jing Prince Mansion.

Seeing Prince Jing enter with a face full of joy, a gorgeous woman who had been embroidering set down her work and stood up. She approached him with a coquettish smile, "Prince, was it a success?"

"Halfway there," he said as he led the lady to sit by the table. Prince Jing planted a kiss on her charming face, "All thanks to your brilliant plan in that embroidered pouch, I believe it won't be long before Father grants my marriage to Yang Mengchen!"

"May you achieve your heart's desire, my Prince," the woman self-referred to as Mo Xiang spoke with a hint of resentment but with seductive eyes that tantalized Prince Jing beyond resistance.

Prince Jing carried Mo Xiang straight to the inner chamber and laid her on the carved bed, then climbed on top, "Rest assured, the day our plan comes to fruition I shall immediately grant you the title of Imperial Consort," he said, sealing her luscious lips with a kiss, and soon the room was filled with amorous enchantment.

Meanwhile, the Emperor left the Imperial Study Room and, along with Sun Chuanmao and others, headed for Cining Palace to have dinner with the Empress Dowager (unless there were extraordinary circumstances, the Emperor would dine with the Empress Dowager every day).

Passing through the Imperial Garden, however, they overheard two palace maids whispering about a dispute between two princes over one lady, which infuriated the Emperor. He instantly decreed that the two maids be detained and interrogated by the Punishment Department, while ordering Sun Chuanmao to lead a thorough investigation.

Only he, his two sons, and Sun Chuanmao had been in the Imperial Study Room at the time. Who could have leaked this information?

The Emperor's countenance darkened, his eyes sullen and fierce. Even upon reaching Cining Palace, his mood remained unlightened.

The Empress Dowager took no notice of this matter and was also unaware of the Emperor's mood. After sharing dinner and chatting for a while about family matters, she retired for the night once the Emperor took his leave.

The Emperor, who was supposed to visit the Fengyi Palace, went straight back to the Qinzheng Hall (where he usually rested) instead. There, he busied himself with reviewing memorials while awaiting news from Sun Chuanmao.

"Your Majesty," about two hours later, Sun Chuanmao returned to Qinzheng Hall to report, "It has been investigated. After the two princes left the Imperial Study Room, a disagreement arose. Concubine Hua happened to pass by, but she refrained from spreading the word. Instead, it was her personal maid, Caiyun, who accidentally slipped. Fortunately, the rumor has not spread beyond the palace.

All those involved in spreading the gossip have been detained at the Punishment Department, awaiting your decree for punishment!"

Enraged, the Emperor exclaimed, "Strip Concubine Hua of her title and cast her into the Cold Palace, execute the palace maid Caiyun with the rod! Continue the interrogation with the rest to see what else can be uncovered! Announce my command: Prince Chen and Prince Jing are to reflect upon their actions in seclusion!"

"This servant follows your decree." Sun Chuanmao immediately went to both the prince mansions.

With a wave of his hand, a determined-looking man in black appeared in an instant. After receiving a secret edict from the Emperor, the man in black swiftly vanished without a trace.

Upon hearing the decree conveyed by Sun Chuanmao, Long Xuanmo remained silent, continuing to write a letter to Yang Mengchen in his study.

Prince Jing's face was clouded with a brooding ferocity.

Mo Xiang, observing the sullen and silent Prince Jing, let a hint of disdain and mockery flash through her eyes, then gently soothed him with comforting words and strategized for their next move.

The gloom on Prince Jing's face gradually eased as he sighed, praising Mo Xiang as his Zhuge Liang, his capable consort, and then resumed their tumultuous romance.

Three days later, Prince Ning and others returned to the Capital (though Long Xuanmo had set out a few hours later than they had, he had traveled day and night at a gallop, so he arrived earlier). As they entered the city gates, they saw their family's retainers looking around anxiously. Once they learned of the recent events, their expressions changed dramatically.

The Emperor's opposition to Long Xuanmo's marriage to Ms. Yang was expected, but to their surprise, Prince Jing had also sought to marry Ms. Yang.

"Ziyu and Luo Zhan to Prince Chen Mansion, Xixi take the children to visit mother and Imperial Sister-in-law," directed Prince Ning calmly. "I will meet with the Emperor right away."

The others nodded in agreement.

Long Jingxi took the two children to Cining Palace, not returning to the Princess Mansion until after dinner. Not long after, the Empress Dowager sent for the Emperor, and mother and son had a private conversation for about two hours. The next day, the Emperor decreed that Long Xuanmo must lead troops to Changshan Prefecture immediately to eliminate the bandit threat.

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