I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

Zhou Fu stood behind Lu Cangqiong, his lips twitching slightly, and whispered a reminder: "Your Majesty, this is the Second Prince."

"Father, it is your son!"

Lu Cheng's face was swollen, and tears were almost streaming down his face.

Lu Cangqiong glanced at him a few more times before recognizing his second son from his disheveled hair and purple python robe.

"Why do you always look like this whenever you see Lao Jiu?"

Lu Cheng almost choked.

What do you mean he got himself into this state?

He's the one who got beaten up!

"Father, it was Lu Yuan who did it!"

"Your son, by Your Majesty's grace, came to attend the Hundred Flowers Banquet. Your Ninth Brother publicly humiliated Your Majesty and even injured me. All the officials and their families in the garden witnessed it!"

"Father, please severely punish my ninth brother and uphold royal etiquette!"

Lu Cheng knelt on the ground, blood streaming down his lips from his nose. He held up his severed finger in front of Lu Cangqiong, as if afraid his father wouldn't see it clearly.

Lu Cangqiong frowned and looked at Lu Yuan.

"You hit him again?"

"Father, this time it's really not my fault."

Lu Yuan was still holding Su Yuling's hand, and his tone was very calm as he answered.

"My second brother poked my face with his finger and said he would teach me a lesson on your behalf. I thought you were in your prime, in excellent health, and could eat three bowls of rice for breakfast, yet I hadn't heard of your passing."

"He was so eager to exercise his paternal authority on your behalf that I feared he harbored rebellious intentions, so I broke one of his fingers for you."

Lu Cangqiong's face twitched.

Zhou Fu lowered his head, trying hard to suppress his laughter.

Lu Cheng hurriedly crawled forward two steps.

"Father, he's talking nonsense! I was just angry because he was disrespectful to Mother, so I scolded him a few times."

"rebuke?"

Lu Yuan looked around at the officials' families.

"Everyone heard that. My second brother made me kneel down before the Imperial Concubine and said he would teach me a lesson on behalf of Father."

"If he can discipline the princes on behalf of the emperor today, will he be able to review memorials on behalf of the emperor tomorrow?"

"You're spouting nonsense!"

Lu Cheng stood up in a hurry, but he only got halfway up before his legs gave way and he knelt back down.

Lu Yuan gestured with his chin toward him.

"Father, look, he can't wait to kneel down and admit his mistake."

People around them burst out laughing again.

Lu Cangqiong's face darkened, and he turned to look at Consort Shen on the soft couch.

"What exactly happened?"

Consort Shen was helped to sit up by a palace maid, with a patch of blood still on her chest.

She had intended to accuse Lu Yuan, but when she met Lu Cangqiong's gaze, she felt a little guilty.

"Your Majesty, I only saw that Yuling hit the Liu family mother and daughter, and I wanted the couple to apologize."

"The Ninth Prince said that I had no right to manage him, and even publicly humiliated me, saying that I was just a concubine in the harem."

Her eyes were already red as she spoke.

"Your Majesty, I have served you for many years, managing the six palaces on your behalf. Even if I have not rendered meritorious service, I have certainly worked hard. How can I, your concubine, manage the harem in the future if he speaks like this?"

Lu Cangqiong did not immediately express his opinion.

He glanced at the handprints on Wei Shi and Liu Ruyan's faces, then looked at Su Yuling.

"Yu Ling, why did you hit someone?"

Su Yuling released Lu Yuan's hand and clasped her hands in a salute.

"Your Majesty, Lady Liu did not bow to my daughter-in-law and even publicly questioned Your Highness, demanding an explanation from you regarding the Liu family."

"Liu Ruyan was involved in the drugging incident and had an unclear relationship with the Second Prince. The Prince said a few words to her, and she cried and accused the Prince of ruining her reputation."

"My daughter-in-law saw that they were disrespecting their superiors, so she taught them some manners."

Lady Wei quickly knelt up straight, "Your Majesty, I am innocent! My daughter has no affair with the Second Prince. The Ninth Prince deliberately humiliated my daughter."

Lu Cangqiong looked at Liu Ruyan.

"You're not familiar with the second brother?"

Liu Ruyan lowered her head, tears still clinging to her chin.

"I have only met His Highness the Second Prince a few times at palace banquets, and we have absolutely no private relationship."

"oh."

Lu Cangqiong nodded, then asked, "Why did you look at the Ninth Brother when he mentioned the Second Brother?"

Liu Ruyan felt as if she were nailed to the ground.

She hadn't expected Lu Cangqiong to know this. With so many onlookers, anyone could have seen her glance. If she continued to deny it, and someone dared to say it, it would be considered deceiving the emperor.

"I was just startled and glanced over instinctively."

"You're so frightened you don't look at your mother, you look at your second son instead."

Lu Cangqiong's face revealed no emotion.

"It seems he has a face that can ward off evil spirits."

Lu Yuan couldn't help but turn his head and chuckle.

Su Yuling also pursed her lips.

Lu Cheng knelt beside him, his face growing increasingly grim.

"Father, Miss Liu is entering the palace to be selected; her integrity is of utmost importance. Ninth Brother has publicly slandered a woman; you cannot only listen to his side of the story!"

"To be selected?"

Lu Cangqiong frowned.

"Who told you she was chosen for me when she entered the palace?"

Lu Cheng was stunned.

Liu Ruyan also raised her head.

The officials and their families looked at each other, none of them understanding what the sentence meant.

Lu Cangqiong turned to look at Zhou Fu.

"What did it say in the post?"

Zhou Fu stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, the invitation only says that the Imperial Concubine is hosting a banquet for the Flower Festival, inviting eligible women from various households to the palace to enjoy the flowers. It does not say that it is for Your Majesty to select a consort.”

The color began to fade from Wei's face.

People outside are saying that the emperor's harem has not had any new concubines for many years, and the fact that more than a hundred young women have been invited to this Hundred Flowers Banquet must be to select imperial concubines.

It was precisely because the Liu family believed this news that they allowed Liu Ruyan to wear the dress that was to be chosen.

Lu Cheng also sensed that something was wrong.

"Father, since this isn't a selection of consorts for you, then these women..."

Lu Cangqiong pointed at Lu Yuan.

"I am making a divination for the Ninth Prince."

As soon as he said this, all eyes in the Imperial Garden fell on Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan dropped the half-piece of osmanthus cake from his hand.

"For me?"

"You already have a principal wife and concubines, what's wrong with having a few more people in the household?"

Lu Cangqiong spoke with righteous indignation, "The royal family has few heirs. As the eldest son, shouldn't you be producing offspring for the royal family?"

Lu Yuan glanced at Su Yuling.

Su Yuling was also looking at him, her hand already on the hilt of the knife.

Shen Hanqiu stood on the other side, his expression still gentle, but he silently took half a step back to the side, leaving Su Yuling room to draw her sword.

Lu Yuan felt a chill run down his spine.

"Father, I have only been married for three days."

"What's wrong with three days?"

Lu Cangqiong glared at him, "Your father got married the day after the war, and he didn't talk as much nonsense as you do."

"It's not a matter of time."

Lu Yuan looked around.

More than a hundred daughters of officials were also watching him; some were shy, some were expectant, and a few had already begun to adjust their hairpins.

This is not flower viewing.

He is the flower in the garden.

Lu Cheng finally came to his senses, his gaze falling on the light gold sash around Liu Ruyan's waist, and he felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

He took out 100,000 taels of silver and sent his beloved to the palace, with the aim of having Liu Ruyan serve his father, win his favor, and secure the position of crown prince.

Thus, this Flower Gathering became Lu Yuan's opportunity to choose women.

Liu Ruyan also figured it out.

She still had burn marks on her face, and she was already at her limit.

If she had known this would happen, she would never have worn a full set of clothes.

When Lu Yuan pointed Liu Ruyan out to the other person, his expression was somewhat strange.

"Father, do you mean the Liu family sent her here to be my concubine?"

"We already have a concubine."

After looking Liu Ruyan up and down, Lu Cangqiong's tone carried a hint of disdain.

"She is of questionable character and was involved in drugging; she could never be a concubine."

"They even need to investigate before admitting someone as a concubine!"

When Lu Cheng heard the word "concubine," his vision went black, and he felt a tightness in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Lu Yuan turned around and looked at Lu Cheng's swollen face, and suddenly realized what was going on.

"Second Brother, I had misunderstood you!"

"You didn't give your beloved to Father Emperor."

"You're giving this to me."