After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

"Catching someone in the act?"

The advisor's words immediately caused a great stir.

A commotion erupted in the room.

"Did the prince consort abduct someone's daughter?"

"Isn't this Miss Li Xinlian? She came by several times yesterday?"

"Haven't we seen the Grand Prince Consort yet?"

"It's all for show... Master Xu is passing on a message to them..."

"Poetry...a romantic and talented man...and Miss Li is quite beautiful too..."

"That's incredibly audacious and utterly shameful!"

"Tsk..."

Suddenly, the officials of the delegation, who had been shocked and gathered around Li Wei to demand an explanation, all exchanged ambiguous glances, and the atmosphere in the room became strange.

Jia Shi'an, Wu Yuanlei, and other officials in scarlet robes looked at each other in disbelief.

This situation was completely unexpected for the mission.

Hearing the whispers of the officials behind him, Jia Shi'an's heart stirred, and he suddenly remembered something.

Two days ago, when he entered the city, Governor Li mentioned that his daughter, Xinlian, was holding onto the poems of the Grand Prince Consort and wouldn't let go.

She also said that her daughter wanted to learn poetry from the Grand Prince Consort, and hoped that he would be generous in giving her his guidance.

Master Jia calmed himself down, suppressing his shock, and felt that the matter was probably true.

His gaunt face hardened, and his mind raced.

Whether it was a deliberate scheme by the other party or Miss Li was genuinely in love with the Grand Prince Consort, the Grand Prince Consort has truly fallen into their trap this time...

This situation is getting out of hand!

Most importantly, how do I explain this to His Majesty?

The dignified Vice Minister of War had a worried look in his eyes and began to lament in his heart.

Without much time to think, he stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and proclaimed loudly:

"Lord Li! This is absolutely impossible! Everyone knows that our Deputy Envoy Ning was ill yesterday and did not even attend the banquet at Xiao Lake, staying entirely in Crane Garden! How could he possibly have gone out to meet a woman in secret?"

Zhao Shikuang, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, stepped forward several times and said:

"Lord Jia is right! May I ask Governor Li, from whom and where did you learn this news? Are you perhaps slandering our envoy?!"

Jiang Heng, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, with his head of gray hair, cupped his hands and said:

"Lord Li, this matter is too bizarre. Our envoys are all prudent and cautious people. How could they possibly commit abduction? Lord Li, please do not listen to the slander of petty people. There must be a misunderstanding."

Without needing to exchange words, the group tacitly understood that they absolutely had to stop Li Wei today!

If Li Wei really catches them in bed together... the reputation of the Southern Dynasty and His Majesty's reputation... will be completely ruined!

Jiang Heng, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, approached Li Wei and whispered:

"Lord Li! For the sake of your daughter's reputation and the diplomatic relations between our two countries, Jiang Heng urges you to withdraw your troops immediately! Your ostentatious display is surely placing your daughter in a hopeless situation. I assure you, if your daughter is indeed with the mission, we will return her intact and provide you with a satisfactory explanation!"

Jiang Heng bowed slightly in the wind.

Li Wei, however, kept his hands behind his back and didn't even glance at him.

He brought a full five hundred armored soldiers and went straight to the Elegant Gathering Building as soon as he entered the Crane Garden.

With a swift and decisive strike, all the Imperial Guards and servants outside the Elegant Gathering Pavilion were captured.

Clang, clang, clang—the sounds of armor rubbing together and deep footsteps echoed.

"Reporting to Your Excellency!" a general dressed in the standard armor of the Northern Dynasty's Green Standard Army roared, "We have captured all the guards of the Elegant Gathering Pavilion! Not a single person in the entire courtyard has escaped!"

"good!"

This was the first word Li Wei spoke after entering the Crane Garden.

Having said that, he lifted his official robe and stepped through the octagonal gate into the Elegant Gathering Building.

His advisor, steward, and about a dozen subordinates followed him as they leaped into the courtyard.

Seeing how aggressive the other party was, they were unwilling to say a single word to them.

Jia Shi'an and his companions all felt a chill run down their spines.

Right Vice Censor-in-Chief Wu Yuanlei sighed deeply and said in a low voice, "The Grand Prince Consort has fallen into a trap."

They were all quick-witted and intelligent people, and they naturally saw through Li Wei's actions, which seemed to be for the sake of his daughter's reputation but were actually pushing her into a pit of fire.

That so-called "daughter" was probably just bait to lure the prince consort into a trap!

Imperial Censor Cai Tong stroked his gray beard and said disdainfully, "If a person were upright, how could he fall into such a filthy trap?"

Zhao Shikuang sighed, "The young man is full of vigor and doesn't know the ways of the world... This time... he's fallen into Miss Li's trap."

Jiang Heng, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, also sighed, but said nothing more, only saying:

"Let's go, follow them."

The other party was not only the deputy envoy of the delegation, but also... their thoughts became increasingly complicated... and he was also the husband of the Empress of Liang, whom they were about to marry. They really had no idea how to judge this case.

Moreover, they are now in a heavily fortified city of an enemy state, and the mission's small force is completely inadequate in the face of the enemy.

Now we're probably at their mercy.

The east and west wing rooms of the Yaji Courtyard are about ten zhang apart, and the courtyard in the middle is spacious.

The group followed behind Li Wei and the others, quickly stepping into the courtyard.

Jia Shi'an hesitated, thinking that it was really not appropriate to alarm King Jing with such a fact.

On the other hand, they felt that apart from Prince Jing's intervention, they probably couldn't stop Li Wei today.

"It's possible they received instructions from Prince Yi to detain the Grand Prince Consort here," Jiang Heng whispered from behind.

The entire mission faced another crisis.

Prince Yi's Mansion... has made its move.

Jia Shi'an nodded slightly, feeling that what Jiang Heng said was probably true.

With this move, the Grand Prince Consort... was utterly disgraced.

"What a vicious trick!" Zhao Shikuang muttered bitterly.

The footsteps of the crowd were hurried and chaotic.

Dozens of foot soldiers had already sealed off the east and west wing rooms.

Li Wei ignored the officials of the Southern Dynasty and simply led the officials of the Northern Dynasty to stand in front of the east wing.

Jia Shi'an and the others were on tenterhooks.

Just as he was about to step forward to persuade her again...

"Clang!"

The door to the east wing was opened from the inside.

A disheveled figure, covering his forehead and with messy hair, staggered out from inside.

When Jia Shi'an and the others saw the dignified imperial son-in-law emerge from inside in such a state, their vision went black and they felt a deep sense of despair.

Ning Nan clutched his forehead, his head throbbing violently. He muttered curses and his breathing became rapid. After staggering a few steps, he simply collapsed and sat down outside the door of the east wing.

He was wearing only a close-fitting white robe, which wasn't even properly fastened, and he was lying on the ground, clutching his forehead and panting.

"hiss!"

Upon seeing the other party's demeanor, a chill ran through the Northern Dynasty officials. Some looked excited, some envious, and others mocking.

The eyes of the officials of the Southern Dynasty were filled with resentment, jealousy, confusion, and regret... a mixture of all these.

With a thud, Li Wei's burly figure strode forward, stepping onto three steps, without even glancing at Ning, who was panting and looking utterly disheveled on the steps, clutching his forehead.