Uproar at the Colorful Fragrance Courtyard

The Qi Emperor hurried over as soon as he received the news, wishing all the way that he could curse Lady Zhou to death on the spot!

Upon reaching the Colorful Fragrance Courtyard, he saw the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince huddled together like two trembling mushrooms.

Pain stabbed through the Qi Emperor's heart.

Before he could gather his sons into his arms, a woman with disheveled hair burst out of the room, clutched his legs, and wailed.

"Your Majesty! You must uphold justice for this humble concubine!"

Anger surged through the Qi Emperor, and he kicked Lady Zhou squarely in the chest.

Lady Zhou screamed and collapsed sideways onto the ground, clutching her chest.

The Qi Emperor cursed, "An imperial prince is ill! Who are you trying to choke to death with that overpowering perfume!"

"You sent people to make a scene in the front hall, and even after I sent an imperial physician, you still weren't satisfied! And you have the gall to drag the Crown Prince into this?!"

"Overpowering perfume..." Lady Zhou sniffed her sleeve and pleaded, "Your Majesty! It was Zhaoyi Xiao! She is trying to harm this humble concubine!"

"She poisoned me! Zhaoyi Xiao gave me this perfume! I was blinded, Your Majesty. Please uphold justice for me!"

The matron at Lady Zhou's side also knelt and pleaded.

"Your Majesty! Lady Zhou was eager to recover her health and obtained a Fragrance Recipe from Zhaoyi Xiao. That is why the strong fragrance has lingered so long! The Third Prince caught a chill a few days ago and has been crying incessantly. Lady Zhou was so worried that she urgently sought Your Majesty's protection!"

"As soon as His Highness the Crown Prince arrived, he demanded that the windows be opened. Lady Zhou lost her composure out of concern for the Third Prince! Please forgive her, Your Majesty!"

Bolao also dropped to his knees with a thud. "Your Majesty! When His Highness heard that the Third Prince was ill, he was worried and came to visit. The moment he entered the room, the overpowering perfume made him retch."

"If even His Highness the Crown Prince could not bear it, how could the Third Prince? He therefore asked for the windows to be opened, but Lady Zhou kept insisting that His Highness meant to harm the Third Prince and held him tighter and tighter, until the Third Prince stopped breathing."

"Had the Crown Prince not forcibly taken the Third Prince from her, I fear... it would have been beyond saving!"

The Qi Emperor already favored the Crown Prince. Never mind that the Crown Prince had done nothing wrong-even if he had, so what!

He beckoned to Qi Yuanzuo.

"Zuo'er, come here."

Qi Yuanzuo ran over, hugged the Qi Emperor's thigh, and called affectionately, "Father."

The anger on the Qi Emperor's face softened.

The sight seemed to pour oil onto the fire of Lady Zhou's hatred.

"He hit me!"

"Your Majesty! The Crown Prince slapped this humble concubine! I am his consort mother!"

At those words, the imperial physician wished he could cut off his ears and flee!

Every move Lady Zhou made struck below the belt!

Sure enough, the emperor flew into a towering rage!

Clang! The Son of Heaven Sword left its sheath, and the emperor pointed its blade at Lady Zhou.

His voice rang out like a tiger's roar and a dragon's cry!

"Wretched woman! You think you are worthy of calling yourself the Crown Prince's consort mother!"

"You are a servant first! A concubine second! A lowly creature like you dares to claim the place of the Crown Prince's consort mother?!!"

Enraged, the Qi Emperor raised his sword to strike Lady Zhou.

"Emperor! Stop!"

"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived!"

The Qi Emperor regained his reason, but his expression only grew colder.

"What guidance do you have for me, Mother?"

Four consorts accompanied the Empress Dowager. One was Consort Yin, another was Consort Xian, and Qi Yuanzuo had seen the other two at the Double Ninth Festival: Consort Shun and Consort Li.

Consort Shun did not look particularly meek.

Consort Li was truly beautiful.

Since the empress's death, the Qi Emperor had taken back the phoenix seal and had never entrusted it to anyone else. Consorts Shun, Li, and Xian jointly managed the harem, with Consort Xian at their head and the Empress Dowager meddling behind the scenes.

With such a commotion at the Colorful Fragrance Courtyard, the nearby consorts and concubines had long since heard it. Those of lower rank could ignore it, but the four consorts could not.

"Why is the emperor so angry?"

Fat Eunuch recounted the incident to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager glanced at the Crown Prince and asked Lady Zhou, "Who did you say harmed you with this overpowering perfume?"

Terrified by the Qi Emperor, Lady Zhou held her head and sobbed. "Zhaoyi Xiao! Zhaoyi Xiao harmed this humble concubine!"

The Empress Dowager said, "Summon Zhaoyi Xiao."

When Zhaoyi Xiao arrived, she looked utterly wronged. "Zhaoyi Wei gave me that Fragrance Recipe!"

And so Zhaoyi Wei was summoned as well.

Zhaoyi Wei said, "When I gave the Fragrance Recipe to Sister Xiao, I warned her that the fragrance was very strong and must be used sparingly. Did Sister Xiao forget to tell Lady Zhou? Lady Zhou must have used too much."

The Empress Dowager then ordered the perfume tested. The result showed that there was nothing wrong with it; Lady Zhou herself had greedily used too much.

The fragrance on Lady Zhou was so strong that even in the courtyard, anyone standing close found it pungent.

Qi Yuanzuo found the smell unpleasant and edged behind the Qi Emperor.

The Empress Dowager asked again, "Although Lady Zhou was at fault, wasn't the Crown Prince going too far when he slapped her? After all, Lady Zhou is also the Crown Prince's consort mother."

The Qi Emperor erupted in fury. "Who but the empress dares call herself the Crown Prince's consort mother?! Is she worthy!"

"As a concubine, she has no virtue! As a mother, she has no kindness! As a servant, she has no propriety! Does someone so unkind, immoral, unworthy, and ill-mannered deserve to cling to life?!"

Seeing that the emperor was about to order her execution, Consort Yin hurried forward. "Your Majesty! The Third Prince is still young, and Lady Zhou deserves credit for giving birth to him. Please show mercy, Your Majesty!"

The other three consorts also pleaded, "Please show mercy, Your Majesty!"

The Qi Emperor cared nothing for young or old!

Qi Yuanzuo knew that the Third Prince had also been reborn. If Lady Zhou died today, he feared the Third Prince would hold him accountable for it.

So he tugged at the Qi Emperor's robes. "Father, don't be angry. Anger is bad for your health. You must stay well, just like me."

As the Qi Emperor looked at him, the execution order caught in his throat and would not come out.

"Confine her to the cold palace!"

Everyone hurried to thank him for his mercy.

But Lady Zhou suddenly sprang up and seized the Third Prince, who lay on the stone table, intent on smashing him to death!

Cries of alarm rose all around.

The Qi Emperor shielded Qi Yuanzuo and watched her final struggle with cold eyes.

The Qi Emperor's gaze was cold and cruel. Lady Zhou understood with perfect clarity that he felt nothing for her, nor did he feel anything for her San'er!

She burst into wild laughter.

Her hand loosened, and the Third Prince fell through the air. Qi Yuanzuo lunged forward and caught him.

The Qi Emperor cried out in alarm, "Zuo'er!"