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

next moment.

Princess Jincheng's voice became sharp and shrill, carrying an unreasonable and domineering tone.

Then, she abruptly turned towards the palace gate and shouted sharply outside:

"Guards! Where are the Imperial Guards?"

"Seize this scoundrel on the spot!"

"To be torn to pieces! To be ripped to shreds!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several imperial guards rushed in from outside the hall.

They were dressed in armor and had long swords at their waists. As soon as they entered the hall, they surrounded Li Fan.

"Whoosh!"

The knife was drawn half an inch from its sheath, its cold light flashing.

Feng Bao, kneeling on the ground, almost burst out laughing upon seeing this.

Here it comes!

Princess Jincheng is indeed Princess Jincheng; she's ready to kill at the slightest provocation.

He was overjoyed inside, but on the surface he feigned "terrification" and kowtowed repeatedly:

"Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your Majesty, please forgive us!"

But his peripheral vision kept falling on Li Fan, waiting to see him beg for mercy in terror.

But Li Fan remained kneeling on the spot, not even blinking.

His face was as calm as a stagnant pool, as if the imperial guards surrounding him were nothing more than a few moving wooden stakes.

Just as the imperial guards were about to touch Li Fan's shoulder...

"Who dares?!"

A cold voice suddenly burst in from outside the palace gate.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

A purple figure strode into the Qianqing Palace.

Wearing a purple court robe and a gold belt around her waist, her slender waist looked incredibly delicate.

Her full breasts stretched the fabric into a breathtaking curve.

Her face was cold and aloof, with a high nose bridge, thin lips slightly pursed, and phoenix eyes that held a commanding presence.

Consort Xie.

Leng Shuangqiu followed behind her, dressed in a black outfit with a cold and stern face.

As soon as Consort Xie entered the palace, her dark phoenix eyes swept across the entire room.

His gaze paused slightly when it fell on Li Fan, who was surrounded by the imperial guards.

Then, she withdrew her gaze, walked to the emperor's presence, and bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

The Chu Emperor glanced at her, and the tense expression on his face relaxed a little.

"The Imperial Concubine has arrived. Just then, something happened here. Could you come and take a look?"

Consort Xie slowly walked up and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Princess Jincheng, why are you so angry and even trying to kill people? What's going on?"

Princess Jincheng's phoenix eyes flashed with even more hatred when she saw Consort Xie.

"Consort Xie, what do you mean by this?"

Her voice was icy cold, carrying an undisguised hostility.

"I am about to punish a servant who has offended the royal family. Why are you interfering?"

Consort Xie remained expressionless and glanced indifferently at Princess Jincheng.

"Your Highness, Gao Jin is someone who came from this palace."

"What do you mean by threatening to kill him over a mere disagreement?"

Princess Jincheng's expression changed.

"Is he one of yours?"

Consort Xie did not answer directly, but continued:

"Besides, His Majesty is still here."

Her gaze fell on the Chu Emperor, her tone respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant.

"Gao Jin, that's the eunuch who was appointed by His Majesty as the head of the Eastern Depot."

"If Your Highness is so quick to threaten violence, shouldn't you at least ask His Majesty's opinion first?"

"By what right does Your Highness have to dispose of an official personally appointed by His Majesty in front of him?"

These words, though spoken softly, struck Princess Jincheng like a knife, hitting her where it hurt most.

Princess Jincheng's face changed from red to white, and then from white to green.

She turned her head sharply and looked at the Chu Emperor on the dragon throne.

"Brother, I didn't mean to bypass you when I gave the order; I was just angry."

The Emperor of Chu nodded: "I know."

He spoke calmly, revealing neither joy nor anger, nor any particular inclination.

Princess Jincheng gritted her teeth and forced herself to calm down.

She took a deep breath, turned her head, and stared intently at Consort Xie, her voice forced out through clenched teeth:

"Very well, Consort Xie, I understand now."

"No wonder this lackey dares to be so unscrupulous; it turns out, you're standing behind him."

"You've raised a really bold lackey!"

"He led a group of people and forcibly dragged my consort into the Eastern Depot!"

"Consort Xie, shouldn't someone who disregards imperial authority and the dignity of the royal family be executed?"

Her voice rose a few decibels, carrying a domineering air of self-righteousness.

Consort Xie frowned slightly after hearing this.

She turned her head and glanced at Li Fan.

A subtle, complex emotion flickered in those dark phoenix eyes.

To be honest, she was also a little scared.

She was unaware of Li Fanqian's actions beforehand.

Breaking into the princess's residence, beating the servants, defeating the guards, capturing the prince consort...

Each of these is enough to kill him ten times over.

But right now, she has to protect this person.

Because Li Fan was no longer just a pawn to her.

He was a knife, a knife she had used well and sharpened to its edge.

Without him, her entire scheme in the Eastern Depot would collapse.

Moreover, with Zhou Wenyuan's recent death, her influence within the Ministry of Justice has already been somewhat diminished.

If she were to lose the Eastern Depot, she would truly become a bird with broken wings.

Therefore, no matter what Li Fan did, she had to protect him.

At the very least, she had to make a statement in front of the Chu Emperor.

Consort Xie withdrew her gaze and looked at Li Fan. Her tone suddenly turned serious, carrying a hint of "questioning".

"Gao Jin, what have you done?"

"Explain yourself in front of His Majesty."

That's a clever way of putting it.

On the surface, it was questioning Li Fan, but in reality, it was giving him a chance to speak.

An opportunity to defend oneself in front of everyone.

Li Fan knelt in the hall, sighing inwardly.

Consort Xie is indeed Consort Xie.

In just a few words, the situation was transformed from "Princess Jincheng's one-sided complaint" to "face-to-face confrontation".

As long as he can provide a reasonable explanation, this matter will not be considered "disrespect for the royal family," but rather "an investigation carried out by imperial decree."

The nature of them is completely different.

Feng Bao knelt beside him, his smile froze slightly.

He didn't expect Consort Xie to appear at this time.

To everyone's surprise, she changed the course of the entire situation with just a few words.

This woman is indeed not easy to deal with.

But he didn't panic.

Because he knew that no matter how much Consort Xie tried to protect him, the fact that the prince consort was guilty was undeniable.

Gao Jin's actions of storming the princess's residence, assaulting people, and defeating the guards are undeniable.

As long as Princess Jincheng persists in her pursuit, Gao Jin will not escape this calamity.

Li Fan raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present with an open and honest look.

Then he spoke.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Your Majesty, and Your Highness the Princess."

"This servant went to Princess Jincheng's residence today not on my own initiative, but on the orders of Supervisor Feng to investigate a case."

Princess Jincheng snorted coldly: "Investigate what case? What right do you, a mere eunuch, have to investigate my husband's case?"

Li Fan smiled slightly: "Then Your Highness will have to ask Chief Eunuch Feng about this matter."

"After all, this case was entrusted to me by Chief Supervisor Feng."

"Chief Supervisor Feng knows the specifics best!"