After failing the imperial examination, he began to wield immense power after entering the palace!

Chen Tie's face darkened, but he suppressed his anger and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying:

"I am a member of the Eastern Depot, here to investigate the case on the orders of the Admiral."

"Please inform Princess Jincheng that we wish to enter."

The gatekeeper paused for a moment when he heard the words "Eastern Depot".

Then, he chuckled and spat the toothpick from his mouth onto the ground.

"Since when have agents from the Eastern Depot dared to investigate cases at the Princess's residence?"

"Even Feng Bao from your Eastern Depot has to bow and scrape before my princess."

"Who do you think you are, you lowly spies? You dare to knock on this door?"

Chen Tie's face was ashen, and his fists were clenched so tightly they cracked.

But he still managed to hold back his anger and said in a deep voice:

"Please inform them that we have official business to attend to."

"If this delays important business, can a mere gatekeeper like you bear the responsibility?"

The doorman frowned, knowing full well that this was not something he could handle, and waved his hand impatiently.

"Wait here, I'll go in and inform them."

"Bang!"

The door was slammed shut again.

Chen Tie stood in front of the door, his face extremely grim.

He turned his head and glanced at Li Fan.

"Admiral, I'm afraid we won't be able to get through this door later."

Li Fan remained calm and even smiled, as if he were watching a good show.

"It's alright, no rush."

……

The Princess's Residence, Backyard.

Inside a warm pavilion with carved beams and painted rafters, the air was filled with the fragrance of incense and a cozy atmosphere.

Princess Jincheng lay on a soft sandalwood couch, her clothes half-undone.

A bright red nightgown was loosely draped over her shoulders, with the neckline wide open, revealing a section of her fair and smooth breasts and delicate collarbones.

Her face was extremely beautiful, bearing a resemblance to the Chu Emperor, but with an added touch of feminine charm.

With willow-leaf eyebrows, phoenix eyes, a high nose bridge, and full, rosy lips, she possessed an innate air of nobility.

Although she is in her early thirties, she takes excellent care of herself; her skin is as white and tender as a peeled egg, without a single wrinkle.

At this moment, she was lazily closing her eyes, letting a maid kneel in front of the bed and gently massage her calves.

Her calves were so white they seemed to glow, so slender they could be grasped in one hand, and a thin gold chain was tied around her ankle, gleaming with a lustrous sheen in the candlelight.

Across from her sat a person.

She wore a bright red brocade jacket with gold embroidery, the hem of which was embroidered with a golden phoenix spreading its wings, and her head was covered with jingling pearls and jade.

Princess Anle.

A lazy smile graced her bright face as she held a candied fruit in her hand, popping it into her mouth one by one.

"Auntie, the food here is delicious."

Just as Princess Jincheng was about to speak, a maid rushed in from outside.

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Princess Jincheng frowned, her phoenix eyes turning slightly cold.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?"

The maid knelt on the ground, her voice trembling:

"Your Highness, a group of agents from the Eastern Depot have arrived outside, saying they want to come in and investigate some case."

Princess Jincheng's face instantly darkened.

"The Eastern Depot?"

Princess Anle had candied fruit in her mouth, her voice muffled and tinged with dissatisfaction.

"Aunt, these people from the Eastern Depot are getting more and more audacious; they actually dare to come to your residence to investigate a case."

"When will we find a chance to properly punish them?"

Princess Jincheng hummed in response, without even lifting her eyelids.

"Those useless bastards from the Eastern Depot can't cause any trouble. Tell them to leave."

The maid said, "They seem unwilling to leave; they insist on seeing His Highness..."

"Smack!"

Princess Jincheng slapped the maid across the face with considerable force.

The maid was knocked to the side, and five bright red finger marks instantly appeared on her face.

"Useless! A bunch of eunuch lackeys, you dare to come and report? Just tell them to get lost!"

"If they don't leave, we'll kill them!"

The maid covered her face and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, yes! This servant will go and deliver the message immediately!"

Princess Anle sat to the side, a slight smile playing on her lips, looking on with amusement.

"Aunt, those people from the Eastern Depot are truly courting death, daring to disturb your peace and quiet."

Princess Jincheng snorted coldly, lay back down on the soft couch, and closed her eyes.

"A bunch of clowns, not worth mentioning."

"By the way, Anle, what interesting things have happened in the palace lately? Tell your aunt about them."

Princess Anle thought for a moment before opening her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Father, I've done something quite interesting lately."

"He sent a young eunuch who had only been in the palace for a few days to the Eastern Depot as its director."

Princess Jincheng paused slightly.

"Anle, what's that little eunuch's name?"

Princess Anle casually replied, "Call him Gao Jin."

Suddenly, she paused, stunned.

"Aunt, in principle, the Eastern Depot wouldn't dare to come to your residence to investigate a case. Could it be that Gao Jin who came this time?"

Her lips twitched involuntarily, and a strange feeling welled up inside her.

There was hatred, there was anger, and there was even a trace of something she herself was unwilling to admit...

expect?

"Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!"

Princess Anle cursed herself inwardly and quickly suppressed the strange feeling.

Princess Jincheng did not notice her unusual behavior and simply waved her hand lazily.

"Let him be. Anyone who dares to provoke me will have his life."

"Come, tell me again, what other interesting things have happened in the palace lately?"

now.

In front of the gate of the Princess's residence.

The vermilion gate opened a crack once more.

The gatekeeper's fat face peeked out from inside, his expression full of impatience and contempt.

He rolled his eyes at Chen Tie, his voice sharp and shrill:

"My princess said, get out of here."

"Get out of here, don't get in my way."

After saying that, he was about to close the door.

"etc."

Chen Tie pressed down on the door with tremendous force, and the doorman couldn't budge it at all.

"What are you doing?!"

The gatekeeper was immediately annoyed and reached out to push Chen Tie.

"Snapped!"

The next moment, Li Fan stepped forward and kicked the door hard.

"boom!"

The vermilion gate was kicked open, the door slamming against the wall with a loud bang, and two of the copper nails on the door were knocked off.

Caught off guard, the doorman was sent flying by the door panel, crashing to the ground with a thud and rolling several times before coming to a stop.

He clutched his chest, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, his face filled with disbelief.

"You...you all..."

Li Fan stepped over the threshold with his hands behind his back, without even glancing at him.

"Since the princess is unwilling to let me go in to investigate, then I will have no choice but to go in and investigate myself."

His voice was neither hurried nor slow, yet it carried an undeniable domineering air.

"Someone, come in."

The guards responded in unison and stepped over the threshold.

The doorman got up from the ground, his face filled with terror and anger.

He spread his arms wide, blocking the way of the barbarians, and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"You can't go in! This is the princess's residence! You can't..."

"Bang!"

Chen Tie grabbed him by the collar and forced him to the ground.

"Snapped!"

He was punched in the face, and blood gushed from his nose.

"ah!!"

The gatekeeper let out a scream, covered his face with his hands, and struggled desperately on the ground.

"Help! Help! Someone has broken into the Princess's residence!"