Listening to her daughter's heartfelt words, the pregnant Lady Hou went on a killing spree.

"emperor!"

The empress, standing to the side, couldn't help but gasp softly.

The emperor waved his hand, wrapped his handkerchief around the porcelain cut on his hand, and signaled to the empress not to make a fuss.

The princes and princesses all looked at Lady Wuwei with the eyes of someone looking at a dead person; this was the price she paid for her reckless actions.

Xiao Ce casually held his wine cup, thinking that his father should also take a good look at how many corrupt officials were hiding beneath the seemingly peaceful and prosperous Ming Dynasty.

The emperor, now unusually calm after his fury.

"I had long heard that Lu Li jumped into the water after the eldest daughter of the Feng family was rescued by the Lady of Anshun Marquis. However, in my opinion now, the Marquis of Wuwei's mansion is trying to claim this life-saving grace as their own."

How could someone with such a shrewish and unreasonable attitude be worthy of a noble title?

"Guards, draft an imperial edict: effective immediately, strip the Marquis of Wuwei of his title of Marquis and demote him to Earl."

Lady Wuwei looked up in disbelief. She couldn't understand how the Marquis's mansion had changed from a Marquis's mansion to an Earl's mansion in just a few words.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty. Please rescind your order."

With a wave of his hand, Chief Steward Yu quickly ordered two men to drag Lady Wuwei out.

Everyone watched helplessly as the dignified Lady of the Marquis was dragged out by two servants, crying and making a scene.

If it weren't for the need for further investigation, the emperor would have already ordered the execution of everyone in the Marquis of Wuwei's household.

Once the person was dragged away, the emperor looked at the ministers below with a forced smile.

"The banquet continues."

Upon hearing this, the ministers hurriedly raised their wine glasses and clinked them with those next to them, pretending to be very busy.

Everyone was sweating bullets. The banquet had just begun when the Marquis of Wuwei's mansion was inexplicably downgraded to a count's mansion. They were genuinely afraid that they would be next.

Ji Yueru was also momentarily taken aback; the emperor's decision was far too hasty.

Lady Feng was the most surprised; she never expected the emperor to do such a thing.

She didn't think the Feng family held such an important position in the emperor's heart. She needed to go back and discuss it with her husband to see what was really going on.

The head of the Feng family is visiting friends and is not in the capital for the time being; otherwise, he would have come today.

The palace banquet continued, and the sounds of dance and music began.

But now, none of the people present were in the mood to enjoy the singing and dancing; they were only thinking about having a peaceful and uneventful time at the palace banquet.

Having been interrupted, the child stopped talking about them. The emperor thought it would be best to bring the topic back on track.

Aside from his sons and the concubines in the harem, there's probably no one else who would dare to lay a hand on him, all for the sake of the chair he sits on.

Thinking it over, the emperor turned his gaze to his sons.

Apart from Xiao Ce, the three sons trembled under the emperor's gaze, wondering what their father intended to do next.

King Cheng used to love showing off at every banquet in the palace, but now he had no desire to show off at all, and wished he didn't exist to reduce his presence.

I'm afraid that the voice just now was targeting him and might say something.

If that's the case, let alone seizing the throne in the future, he probably can't even hold onto his current throne.

Only he knows whether his own hands are clean or not. Not to mention him, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Ming have the same thoughts.

The concubines sitting nearby were extremely nervous, wishing there were a few more fools like the Lady of Wuwei who had just been there.

"Second son."

What used to be a pleasant surprise when his father called him that has now turned into a shock.

King Cheng shuddered.

"Father."

The conversation in the hall stopped, and everyone looked at King Cheng.

"Mother, look at Prince Cheng, he looks so funny. Why is he trembling when the Emperor calls him? It's not like he's going to kill him."

"I'm going to die! I'm going to die!" King Cheng cried out in his heart.

"I heard you acquired a treasure recently."

King Cheng laughed twice.

"It's all just rumors spread by the people below. A thousand-year-old red coral is hardly a treasure. I will have someone send it to the palace to present to Father Emperor later."

How did the red coral, once considered king-grade, end up being presented to the emperor?

Ji Yueru was puzzled.

"What's wrong with that red coral?"

"Mother, you don't know, that thousand-year-old red coral was specially prepared for King Cheng by the people of Da Xun Kingdom. They soaked it in hallucinogenic potion for a whole year."

In his previous life, King Cheng placed it in his bedroom and absorbed the hallucinogenic drugs released by the red coral day and night.

Two years later, during the battle for the throne, Prince Cheng repeatedly acted strangely, which was due to the influence of hallucinogenic drugs.

He's now presenting the red coral to the emperor; if the emperor is influenced by this, the consequences could be dire.

As soon as An'an finished speaking, the once steady Prince Cheng began to tremble again.

He dared not imagine what would happen if the red coral, placed in his father's palace, ultimately caused his father to fall ill, and it was discovered that it was because of the red coral. Would his head still be securely on his neck then?

"Father, I suddenly remembered that there is a flaw on that red coral, which is not as good as the East Sea Dragon Pearl that I just acquired. I will have someone send the East Sea Dragon Pearl to you later."

King Cheng thought that this time there couldn't be anything wrong.

Hahaha, I wonder who Cheng Wang offended that he's been being watched all this time. That East Sea Dragon Pearl can cause people to become infertile.

He's quite the rascal, presenting the emperor with a pearl that can render people infertile.

King Cheng finally succumbed to the pressure and fainted with a thud.

Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn of events and couldn't understand why King Cheng would suddenly faint.

The emperor looked at the crown prince sitting next to Prince Cheng. This time, the crown prince's usually dim-witted brain had actually shown some intelligence.

"It's alright, the second child's seizures have flared up again. Everyone, please don't panic. Let someone carry him away to rest for a while."

Consort Xian gritted her teeth in anger. When did her son develop the problem of convulsions?

But now that she had lost the initiative, she dared not speak, for fear that the voice had targeted her and that her bottom was even dirtier than her son's.

Two eunuchs hurriedly helped King Cheng down through a side door to rest.

The emperor at the head of the table spoke in a detached tone.

"Everyone, continue."

Many courtiers' hands, which were holding wine cups, began to tremble. Knowing that today's events were so exciting, they would have preferred to take sick leave and stay at home.

Many officials took the opportunity to wipe the cold sweat from their foreheads when no one was looking, and they knew they would apply for a posting when they got back. They never wanted to attend this damn palace banquet again.

Just now, Lady Wuwei Marquis passed away, and now Prince Cheng has fainted. Who will be next?

【Huh, how come I didn't know that Prince Cheng developed a problem with convulsions?】

The Emperor and Empress were on tenterhooks. They couldn't let the little ones know that they could hear her thoughts, otherwise they might not allow it.

The Queen spoke as if in jest.

"King Cheng has had this problem since he was a child, but it was never told to outsiders before. I never expected that he would have this problem in front of everyone today."

"Your Majesty, you must pay more attention in the future and find some renowned doctors to examine Prince Cheng."

"The Empress is right. I will issue an order to summon renowned doctors to examine Prince Cheng in a moment."

The unconscious Prince Cheng was unaware that he had inexplicably developed a seizure problem, while Consort Xian was filled with despair.

[Mother, the Crown Prince really is as rumored—not very bright.]