Lan You Nian had Lan Ren return to Lan manor with a message, telling her older brother and the others that she was fine and asked them not to worry too much. When she has taken care of her business, she will return. Although Lan Jian Jun and Lan Mo Xian and the others were worried about what Lan You Nian was doing there, they knew that Lan You Nian had her own secrets. Secrets such as where was she the five years she went missing, what kind of people did she meet, what troubles has she encountered, but Lan You Nian did not talk about her past nor were they in any kind of position to ask about it. Now, they can only do their best to protect Lan You Nian.

“Mo Xian, what happened today? How did Nian’er fall into the water?” Lan Jian Jun received the news of his daughter falling into the lake in the palace while he was in the military camp. He promptly dropped all military matters on his hands and hurried back to the manor, but instead of seeing his daughter, he only saw his son coming back alone.

“Father must know there is something fishy about this palace banquet. Nian’er meimei was pushed by the eldest princess into the lake!” Lan Mo Xian fumed. Truth be told, he was aware of the many questionable points deserving of suspicion, but no matter what his little sister wanted to do, he will support her.

“What! Pushed by someone into the lake!” Lan Jian Jun exploded into fury. Although he was only a general, his daughter cannot be bullied for no reason at all, “I will go to the palace now to see his Majesty and have the Emperor give this general an explanation! Even if it’s the princess, she still cannot bully Nian’er like this!”

“Father, son will go with you!” Lan Mo Xian also cannot swallow his rage. It was apparent that the Empress’s faction wanted to discipline his little sister today. Since they did this so glaringly obvious, their Lan manor were not pushovers who allowed people to audaciously bully them.

“No, Mo Xian you can’t go. If both us of us go, the Emperor will think that our Lan manor is defying imperial power. But if father goes, it is only asking justice on behalf of my daughter. This way the Emperor can punish the eldest princess harshly!” Although he was in the military camps all year round, Lan Jian Jun still understood how the matters of the court worked. The Emperor was most suspicious. If their Lan manor was too aggressive, then there was no need for An manor to suppress them, for the Emperor will suppress Lan manor in the future.

“Son understands. Father be careful!” Lan Mo Xian gave his respects then watched as Lan Jian Jun rode away from Lan manor. The current father was truly loving towards little sister, otherwise based on father’s loyalty, how could he act like this? He didn’t know if Nian’er meimei will forgive father in the future?

When Lan Jian Jun arrived at the imperial palace to have Emperor’s personal eunuch Lu announce him, he noticed that in the imperial study there stood Royal Tutor He, fourth wangye Feng Xia Qi, and heir Jing Wu An. Everyone came for the same purpose; it was to ask for justice for Lan You Nian. However, what was most surprising for Lan Jian Jun was Tutor He’s presence. After all, Tutor He was the tutor of several dynasties. He usually didn’t concern himself about these things. Besides, Tutor He was overly pedantic. If the one who was bullied today was He Chu Yang, then Tutor He will not only not demand justice for his grandson instead he will make his grandson plead guilty.

“My lords, Emperor admits you in!” Eunuch Lu smiled, letting them walk into the imperial study.

Emperor Feng Xuan was clothed in golden dragon robes as he sat in the Imperial study reviewing memorials. Seeing so many officials all at once he couldn’t help feeling strange. The Emperor did not receive news of what happened in the palace banquet since this matter was suppressed by the Empress for she did not allow it to pass into Emperor’s ears.

“Teacher, why are you here?” Emperor put down the memorial in his hand. To Tutor He who was giving a formal bow he raised him up with a gesture. The Emperor still respected this teacher very much, so although Tutor He did not have any real power in the court, everyone still praises him.

“Emperor!” Tutor He suddenly fell to the ground, shocking the Emperor who couldn’t understand why this reserved teacher of his was acting like this.

“Teacher, what’s the meaning of this? Please get up! Lu Zi, help teacher up!” Emperor had Eunuch Lu who served close to him help Tutor He up from the floor.

“This old official came here today for the sake of my granddaughter. I hope Your Majesty will give justice to this old official’s granddaughter!” Tutor He bent over pleading. He only had this one granddaughter who he has been searching for many years, has suffered so much bitterness, and has finally been returned to him. Yet she hasn’t returned for a decent number of days before she has encountered such a thing, how can he not care!

“Teacher’s granddaughter? Isn’t that dear Official Lan’s daughter? What happened?” the Emperor asked bewildered. About the matter of Tutor He finding his granddaughter, the Emperor was aware of it but didn’t think that this one girl not only alarmed Tutor He and the general but even a wangye and the heir. This made Emperor curious about the girl who could achieve this.

“Today the Empress put together a chrysanthemum banquet. This official’s daughter was invited, but I didn’t expect the eldest princess to push my daughter into the lake. My daughter almost….” Lan Jian Jun fell to the ground, the typically unyielding man was genuinely distraught.

“Oh? Such a thing occurred?” Emperor’s voice was displeased. The main reason for his displeasure was because he did not receive any news of such a thing happening in the palace. It seems the Empress’s hand has even reached into the imperial palace. The Emperor was well aware that this matter was related to the faction struggles.

“Xia Qi and Wu An, you are here for this matter too?” the Emperor looked between two, one was his son, and the other was the official he favored.

“Answering Imperial Father, Lan manor’s third young miss Lan You Nian is modest and polite. Everyone saw her being pushed by eldest imperial sister into the lake. If she wasn’t saved in time, I’m afraid…so erchen came to ask Imperial Father to give Lan manor justice!” Feng Xia Qi knelt on the ground.

Emperor studied the son who knelt on the ground, his heart filled with conflicting emotions. In the imperial family, familial love was tenuous. He did not have any feelings for his own biological children. Amongst his many children, he only liked Xia Qi and Yi Xuan. The former Empress was the only woman he loved in this life, unfortunately…now, whether it is on the surface or in their hearts, these two children resented him, their Imperial Father. He wanted to compensate them but had no way to pay back anything, especially to his sixth son Feng Yi Xuan, he felt even more guilty…

“Answering Your Majesty, Lan manor’s third young miss is a rare talented woman, so this official already recognized Lan manor’s third young miss as little sister earlier. However, I didn’t expect for her to experience such misfortune after entering the palace for the first time. This official asks Your Majesty to give Nian’er meimei justice!” Jing Wu An also knelt on the ground, his voice contained a rarely heard earnestness.

Seeing such an earnest protective son and official, the Emperor felt even more curious about this Lan manor’s third young miss. Just what kind of child can make these people care so much about her?

“Eunuch Lu, go escort eldest princess here!” the Emperor’s stern voice passed down orders to Eunuch Lu. No matter what the end result of today’s issue was, a princess making trouble for a girl from an official’s family, really lost a princess’s dignity.

When everyone heard Emperor used the word “escort,” they knew the Emperor will not let go of the eldest princess. Don’t think that because the eldest princess was the Emperor’s daughter, she will be protected. Firstly, Emperor Feng Xuan was an upright ruler. Secondly, the Emperor was ruthless. In his heart, he only recognized Feng Xia Qi and Feng Yi Xuan these two children. Even if you ask him to kill his children, the Emperor won’t bat an eyelash, much less punish them. This was the heartlessness of being a ruler.

After a while, Eunuch Lu returned, but he didn’t bring the eldest princess. Instead, he brought the Empress An Qian Mei who waited outside the imperial study.

“Eunuch Lu what’s this? What about the person zhen asked you to bring?” Emperor bellowed. The Emperor’s anger caused Eunuch Lu to fall to the ground on his knees.

“Answering Your Majesty, when this slave went to ask for the eldest princess, only then did I know the eldest princess is lying down in bed still unconscious. The Empress heard Emperor wanted to see the eldest princess. She is now currently waiting outside the imperial study…” Eunuch Lu answered. Because he has been with the Emperor for so many years, he was not overly fearful like other servants.

“Oh? Unconscious? How did this happen?” Emperor was even more annoyed.

“Answering Imperial Father, when eldest princess pushed Lan manor’s third miss into the lake, it was sixth brother who saved her. But the eldest princess’s actions were truly infuriating, she even refused to admit to her deeds, so sixth brother tossed the eldest princess into the lake!” Feng Xia Qi confessed the truth. If Imperial father investigated this matter, he’d know the truth, so it was better if he stated the truth right now. Otherwise, if the Empress came, it probably wouldn’t be the case.

“Yi Xuan?” the Emperor was surprised. He didn’t think even his sixth son was connected to this matter. This son of his has been uncommonly apathetic since he was little and often has an inconsistent temper. But this time he intervened in this matter, it seems…. Ai, even his own son was not fond of him, this emperor.

“Let the Empress come in!” Emperor waved his hand to let Eunuch Lu admit the Empress to pass.

“Chenqie greets the Emperor!” the Empress was dressed in the formal palace robes of an empress. She gave her respects, her gaze as gentle as water on the Emperor but the Emperor’s eyes did not contain any tenderness, as if the woman in front of him wasn’t his woman but a stranger.

“Rise!” the Emperor let Empress rise, then asked, “Why is the Empress here?”

“Your Majesty, I ask Your Majesty to give justice to chenqie. The eldest princess was thrown into the lake by Ming wang. Even now she is unconscious. Ming wang shows such disregard to palace rules acting without any restraint. It is really impudent! Please ask Emperor to punish severely!” Empress pled with red eyes. Not only was her daughter’s scheme not successful and the scheme was even reversed on them, but she was also even thrown by that monster into the lake, being tormented until she was extremely weak. If this anger were not vented, she would not be satisfied.

“Severely punish! Empress, you have guts!” Emperor suddenly roared, making the Empress fall to the ground in fear.

“The Eldest princess harmed Lan manor’s young miss in the palace. Were these many years of reading books in vain? You dare to plead for the eldest princess? You-this Empress is so ridiculous. You really disappointing to zhen!” Emperor looked coldly at Empress.

“Emperor be appeased! Lan manor’s third young miss accidentally fell into the water. Even if it was Luo’er who pushed her down, Ming wang still cannot hurt his older sister. If it was like this, will this palace still have any rules?” the Empress kowtowed, but there was no give in her tone.

“Accidentally fell into the water? Empress really can reverse black and white. Under the eyes of others, so many people all saw the eldest princess push the third young miss. And in sixth brother’s hands is Imperial father’s own decree saying Ming wang can punish any person of misconduct. He can kill first then report!” Feng Xia Qi countered righteously.

The Empress was suddenly afraid. That year, Ming wang who was only twelve used strategy to destroy Feng’s biggest mountain thief gang, so the Emperor sent down a decree that from then on Ming wang can kill first then report. This was the first time in so many years that someone in Feng obtained such a great privilege.

“But Luo’er is Ming wang‘s imperial sister. How can he hurt Luo’er?” Empress still continued to defend her daughter.

“Then eldest imperial sister openly hurting Lan manor’s third young miss is fine? When has Empress become unable to distinguish between right and wrong? If a prince violates the law, he must be punished like an ordinary person!” Feng Xia Qi sneered. They will definitely end every single one of the Empress’s faction. All these years, has what the Empress did to him and his imperial younger brother been little?

“Fourth wangye….” The Empress was still ready to defend, but at this moment the Emperor roared, “Enough, shut your mouth!”

Because of the Emperor’s roar, no one didn’t dare to utter a sound. The Emperor glanced at his son, his official, his teacher, all standing there. He knew if he did injustice to this case, it would definitely chill the hearts of these people. And as to his sixth son, he still didn’t know what his attitude was. If he didn’t handle this well then to his sixth son Yi Xuan, he would be unable to explain himself. His biggest headache was this sixth son. This son was not only powerful but also unruly. There was no feeling towards this kingdom of Feng in his heart. If it wasn’t for his fourth son, he knew for sure that Yi Xuan will not even protect this country at all.

“Send down zhen‘s decree. Eldest princess Feng Xiao Luo lacks in virtue. She is hereby punished by putting her under house arrest in the palace courtyard. She is not allowed to come out for a year. Deduct three years from her official salary!” Emperor coldly declared. This decree not only dealt with the princess but also gave Tutor He and the others an explanation.

“Emperor!” the Empress was going to say something. If punished by house arrest of one year, what will happen to her daughter? Her daughter has reached marriageable age. If she lost imperial favor then how can she find a suitable prince consort? How can she find a good supporter for her son?

The Emperor waved his hand letting Eunuch Lu lead Empress out. After the Empress left, Tutor He and Lan Jian Jun paid formal respects, “This official thanks the Emperor!”

“This matter is indeed the wrong of the eldest princess. Eunuch Lu tell the imperial hospital to send the new ginseng to Lan manor, also have the Directorate of Palace Seals (a palace eunuch agency in charge of the numerous imperial seals) send some treasures over!” the Emperor instructed Eunuch Lu. This was not only to appease Tutor He and the others, but this was also due to his curiosity about that girl. A girl who can make these people care about her and can make the Empress’s faction act against her was indeed very unique.

“This official thanks Emperor on behalf of my daughter!” Lan Jian Jun knelt on the ground.

Having dealt with Lan You Nian’s matters, the others left the Imperial Study only leaving Tutor He to play chess with the Emperor.