Chapter 113: Still Dazed from a Wet Dream?

Emperor Zongkang led the special envoy from the Southern Kingdom on a tour of the Li Kingdom’s imperial palace. From the vantage point of the Hongjing Pavilion, one could overlook the vast majority of the palace’s stunning scenery: the artificial rockeries and strange stones below, the vast expanse of the lush green Lotus Garden not far off, a winding boardwalk leading directly to the Lotus Pavilion, and the Yufu Palace with its glazed tile roof. It was a breathtaking sight.

After enjoying the view, the party began to make their way toward the Yueque Palace. Suddenly, Nanny Chun rushed out from a side path and knelt before Emperor Zongkang. "Your Majesty," she cried, "it has been an hour since Princess Anya went to the side hall of the Yueque Palace to rest. I knocked, but there was no response, and the door is locked from the inside. I cannot force it open. Please, Your Majesty, check on Princess Anya."

Nanny Chun appeared incredibly anxious, as if terrified that something might have happened to the princess. Among the crowd, Ming Ze, the Third Prince of the Southern Kingdom, was shocked by her words. "What happened to Princess Anya? We must go to the Yueque Palace immediately! Why are you still standing there?"

Before Emperor Zongkang could even speak, the Third Prince had already taken the lead. Given that Ming Ze was a guest from afar, the Emperor silently acquiesced to proceeding to the Yueque Palace.

The group wound their way through the corridors to the side hall of the Yueque Palace. Many noblewomen, who had attended the midday banquet, were currently enjoying the flowers and chatting in the palace grounds. They were astonished to see the Emperor’s entourage, but, sensing the gravity of the situation, they followed along.

Inside the room, Xia Yue’er heard the sound of footsteps outside. Emperor Zongkang and his party arrived at the door of the second-to-last room.

Nanny Chun had originally arranged for them to enter Princess Anya’s room first, followed by the last room where the Seventh Prince was located. This would expose the pair before the Emperor in a natural, unfolding sequence of events. However, hearing the commotion outside, Xia Yue’er suddenly let out a loud cry.

Emperor Zongkang frowned at the sound. "Why is there movement in the last room?"

Nanny Chun, not having anticipated a disturbance in the last room first, could only reply, "The last room is where the Princess Consort of Jin is resting."

"Go and see what is happening," the Emperor commanded.

Nanny Chun had no choice but to push open the door to the last room. She smirked inwardly; whether it was this room or the previous one, as long as the Emperor saw it, the result would be the same.

Upon opening the door, the Emperor was met with a scene of chaos. Men’s and women’s clothing lay scattered on the floor. On the bed, a man lay fast asleep, while a woman huddled in the corner, clutching her clothes, her eyes red and filled with misery.

As Nanny Chun entered the room and saw the clothes on the floor, she threw herself onto her knees in a show of shock. She didn't even bother to look at the person on the bed, acting as though she already knew the outcome and merely needed to play her part.

Nanny Chun did not notice that the scene was being observed by two figures on the eaves nearby. Xia Jiujiang chuckled softly, "This performance is lacking. Nanny Chun didn't even look at the person on the bed before kneeling; her acting could use some work."

Jun Buwen glanced at her, stunned that she was critiquing the nanny’s acting at a time like this. She certainly had a bold heart.

Xia Jiujiang suddenly craned her neck, trying to wedge her head closer to Jun Buwen’s, nearly knocking him off the roof. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"The crack in the window is too small," she muttered. "I can't see the performance inside."

Jun Buwen shook his head. Her words were truly maddening; she was solely focused on watching the spectacle.

Emperor Zongkang’s face turned livid as he surveyed the room. "Very good! Truly excellent! While I am here hosting the envoy of the Southern Kingdom, the Seventh Prince is sleeping soundly in the Yueque Palace."

Kneeling on the floor, Nanny Chun felt a surge of secret joy as she heard the Emperor’s rage. Xia Jiujiang was the Princess Consort of Jin; for her to be caught in such an illicit affair with the Seventh Prince, and in front of the Southern Kingdom’s envoy, meant the Emperor would surely never forgive her.

"Someone!" the Emperor roared. "Bring me a basin of cold water!"

Eunuch An hurriedly complied. The Emperor, still seething, commanded, "Splash this degenerate awake! Let him see what kind of disgraceful thing he has done. The second daughter of the Xia family is an innocent maiden; he neither asked for her hand nor exchanged betrothal gifts, yet he... he has ruined her honor!"

Nanny Chun trembled at the mention of the "second daughter of the Xia family." She froze, frowning. *Xia Yue’er?* Was the Emperor senile? Could he not even recognize his own Princess Consort of Jin?

Nanny Chun looked up toward the bed, and at the sight, she nearly collapsed in terror.

There was no sign of Xia Jiujiang on the bed—only the Seventh Prince, Jun Qianye, and Xia Yue’er, both in a state of undress.

After the Emperor finished his furious outburst, a basin of cold water was dashed onto Jun Qianye, leaving him shivering.

Jun Qianye jolted awake with a start. Seeing the room filled with people, his clouded mind began to clear. He felt an intense soreness throughout his body and a heavy headache, but memories of his passionate encounter with Xia Jiujiang flooded his mind.

A surge of excitement rose in his chest. He hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. He didn't stop to consider why he had been in such a deep sleep; his only thought was that he had succeeded.

Seeing the Emperor’s fury and the crowd kneeling outside, Jun Qianye feigned panic and knelt. "Father, please forgive me! Xia Jiujiang and I are truly in love. We were overcome by passion and made a mistake. I am willing to take her as my wife; I beg for your blessing."

The Emperor was already furious at the scandal, which had brought shame upon the Li Kingdom's royal house in the presence of the foreign envoy. But hearing the name "Xia Jiujiang" pushed him over the edge.

Xia Jiujiang was the Princess Consort of Jin. For Jun Qianye to claim he had intimate relations with her was a blatant admission that he had sought to commit adultery with the King of Jin’s wife.

Where did he place the dignity of the royal family? Where did he place the King of Jin? Where did he place the Emperor’s own decree?

"Princess Consort of Jin?" the Emperor thundered. "Tell me, where is this Princess Consort? Have your dreams addled your brain? Can you not even tell the difference between Xia Yue’er and Xia Jiujiang?"

*Xia Yue’er?* What did she have to do with this? Jun Qianye remembered clearly that when he entered the room, he saw Xia Jiujiang sitting on the bed, smiling at him. His heart had raced, and he had pounced on her.

At that moment, a figure knelt beside Jun Qianye, sobbing. "Your Majesty, I... I came to the Yueque Palace to rest because I was feeling unwell. Suddenly, the Seventh Prince entered the room and... I beg Your Majesty to grant me justice."

Jun Qianye stared in shock at Xia Yue’er beside him. She was disheveled, clutching her clothes to cover the red marks on her skin. He felt as if he had been struck by lightning. *This is wrong! How did it become Xia Yue’er?*