The mad princess forces love upon him, and the aloof imperial advisor trembles every night.

Prime Minister Pei's expression changed drastically. He glared at his daughter, his eyes filled with the word "idiot." But then he thought—he was the emperor's father-in-law and the prime minister; the Pei family's honor and the empress's honor were intertwined.

Even if Chu Qingyue is arrogant, would she dare to publicly attack the Pei family? He steadied himself, picked up his wine glass, and decided to observe from the sidelines.

Chu Qingyue slowly turned around and looked at Pei Jiaojiao. Her gaze was calm, as calm as if she were looking at a dead person. She spoke softly, her voice not loud, yet strangely overwhelming all the subtle sounds in the hall, "Miss Pei, you just said that I am a 'withered flower,' 'tainted'?"

Pei Jiaojiao felt a chill run down her spine under her gaze, but she forced herself to lift her head and say, "Isn't that right! Who doesn't know what kind of people the Beiming are? You were forced into a political marriage seven years ago, how could you possibly still be a virgin!"

"Okay." Chu Qingyue suddenly smiled, a smile as alluring as a flower in full bloom, carrying the final splendor before destruction.

"Since Miss Pei is so certain that I have lost my innocence, and speaks with such certainty... then how about we make a bet in public?"

Pei Jiaojiao was taken aback: "Bet...bet on what?"

Chu Qingyue's smile was icy:

"Let's bet on whether my body is, as you say, a 'withered flower and fallen willow.' If it is verified that my body is indeed as you say, I will immediately commit suicide in this hall to atone for my sins and restore the royal family's reputation."

The entire hall erupted in uproar!

Suicide?! The eldest princess is actually gambling with her life?!

Before anyone could react, Chu Qingyue continued, her voice suddenly turning sharp: "But if my innocence is still intact, then it is you who are spouting lies and slandering the royal family—"

Her gaze was like a knife, scraping across Pei Jiaojiao's pale face, across Prime Minister Pei's suddenly stiffened body, and across the Empress's tightly clenched phoenix robe.

"Then, according to the laws of the Great Chu, defaming the royal family is a crime punishable by death. Considering the malice of your words and their undermining of the nation's foundation, it is not solely your fault. As for your Pei family, for allowing your daughter to commit such a heinous act and for defying the imperial authority, the entire family—shall be executed. What do you say?"

The color drained from Pei Jiaojiao's face instantly. She stared at Chu Qingyue in disbelief, then at her father, Prime Minister Pei, and finally at her elder brother, Pei Yu. Her lips trembled, her earlier arrogance completely gone: "No...no! We can't have our whole family executed! You...you give your life for mine...why should you give it to my entire Pei family?...!"

Chu Qingyue seemed to have heard the most ridiculous words in the world. She chuckled softly, her laughter filled with mockery and disdain:

"On what grounds? Pei Jiaojiao, who do you think you are? What makes you think your worthless life can be compared to mine, which I fought my way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood? And what makes you think that the lives of your entire Pei family can be put on equal footing with the Great Chu royal family and be sold for a price?"

Her voice suddenly rose, her gaze piercing like lightning as she swept over the Pei family beneath the throne: "Or is it that in the hearts of you Pei family members, the throne of Great Chu no longer belongs to Chu, but to the Pei?!"

These words were like a thunderbolt!

Prime Minister Pei, his wife, and their eldest son Pei Yu were utterly terrified. They fell heavily to their knees with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please understand! This old minister had no such intention! My daughter was ignorant and reckless, speaking without thinking, and had absolutely no intention of disrespecting Your Majesty's authority! This old minister is willing to take the punishment in her place! I beg Your Majesty for mercy!"

The Empress gripped the sleeves of her phoenix robe tightly, her fingertips turning white as she pinched them, almost tearing the phoenix embroidered with gold thread off.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm, and tried to salvage the situation:

"Yue'er, Jiaojiao is young and doesn't know any better; she speaks without thinking. I think this matter..."

"Mother," Chu Qingyue interrupted her, her voice calm and unwavering, "the bet has been made, in full view of everyone; how can this be treated so lightly?"

She raised her hand: "Liu Yun."

The black-clad maid, Liu Yun, who had been standing quietly behind her, had prepared a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone at some point. She spread out a plain silk cloth, dipped the brush in ink, and wrote down the bet word for word in no time.

The ink was still wet when it was presented to Chu Qingyue.

Chu Qingyue didn't even look. She pressed her thumb on the cinnabar inkpad and then pressed it heavily onto the end of the plain silk. A bright red fingerprint appeared, like a blood curse.

She gently flicked the yellow silk and presented it to Pei Jiaojiao, who was slumped on the ground. The crimson sleeves drooped down, like a death warrant: "Miss Pei, the bet has been made, the fingerprints have been pressed, and the royal decree is law. Now, whether you gamble or not is no longer up to you. Press your fingerprint."

Pei Jiaojiao stared at the bright red fingerprints and chilling words, as if she were looking at a death warrant. She trembled like a leaf in the autumn wind, tears streaming down her face. Helplessly, she could only look at her aunt, the current empress.

The Queen's chest heaved violently, and she finally couldn't help but speak, her voice trembling with barely perceptible tension:

"Yue'er! How can such childish words be taken seriously? Miss Pei is young and ignorant, and her words are offensive; a slight punishment is sufficient. In my opinion, this matter... should be dropped!"

"Mother," Chu Qingyue's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable coldness.

"In the imperial court, before all the officials, even childish words can tarnish a person's reputation, ruin their honor, and shake the foundation of the nation. If this matter can be 'let go' today, will everyone be able to speak recklessly about the imperial family tomorrow without bearing the consequences? Where is the majesty of the imperial family? Where are the laws and regulations of the country?"

When Pei Jiaojiao saw that even her aunt, whom she relied on last, seemed unable to protect her, despair overwhelmed her like a cold tide.

At this critical moment, when even the emperor frowned slightly in deliberation—

"Wait a minute."

A clear, cold voice, as pure as snow, suddenly rang out. Everyone turned to look. The speaker was none other than the one who, since the start of the banquet, had not uttered a single word except for raising a toast—

Imperial Advisor, Si Chen.

He sat upright at the table, dressed in white as snow, with flowing silver hair. His pair of sapphire-gray eyes gazed calmly ahead, without sorrow or joy, without waves or ripples.

Chu Qingyue slowly looked at him. Their eyes met. One's eyes were like ice, concealing a surging bloodlust. The other's eyes were calm as a still well, yet undercurrents flowed within.

Si Chen slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Chu Qingyue before finally settling on the betting agreement. His voice remained calm.

"I observe the Princess's face—her forehead is as clear and bright as jade, without a trace of impurity; her philtrum is full, deep, and straight, indicating that her primordial yin is stable and her qi and blood are abundant. According to Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), the hexagram shows the omen of 'Jade Soul Condensed, Primordial Yin Not Depleted.' Her Highness the Princess is undoubtedly a virgin."

The words fell silent, followed by a deathly silence. Then, a clamor erupted like a tidal wave!

The Imperial Advisor testifies personally! The Imperial Observatory has maintained a stellar reputation for four hundred years, and the Imperial Advisor's word is as good as gold; he has never spoken falsely!

If he says he is a virgin, then he must be a virgin!

All eyes turned to Pei Jiaojiao, to Prime Minister Pei, and to the Empress—those gazes held shock, realization, mockery, schadenfreude, and above all, deep fear.

Pei Jiaojiao collapsed to the ground, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

Prime Minister Pei's face was ashen, and his whole body trembled like a withered leaf in the wind.

The Empress gripped her phoenix robe tightly, her fingernails breaking and blood seeping out, staining the golden phoenix's eyes red.