“The reason? Tell me the reason. Why did you beat your brother like that?” The Emperor sneered when he got angry with his self-righteous look.

This was so shameful. His two Princes fought fiercely in front of the Chuxiu Palace. How could the civilians view the royal family? Once he thought of this, the Emperor felt that his heart hurt with anger.

“Father, my mother has picked First Miss Shao for me. In my heart, First Miss Shao is my future Princess. When I saw my eldest brother and her hugging each other, I was so angry that I beat my brother. Now I know I was wrong. I will apologize to my brother!”

Chu Liuzhou lowered his noble head and spoke to the Emperor. After that, he sincerely said to Chu Liuyue, “Brother, I was impulsive just now. If you’re still angry, just beat me. This time I won’t dodge, let alone fight against you!”

His sincere tone almost made others believe him.

With her head being lowered, Shao Wanru stared down at the blue bricks in front of her. Her long eyelashes covered all her emotions. If she had not known that Shao Yanru kept secret illicit love affairs with the two Princes, now she would have thought that this was just a misunderstanding.

A misunderstanding was better than the situation that everyone had bad intent.

This was expected. Although these people knew it well, they couldn’t say that. After all, it was so shameful for the royal family to have such a scandal.

And it was not only Chu Liuyue and Chu Liuzhou who would lose their faces. Both of them denied that they had an affair with Shao Yanru, but they could be understood.

“It was just a misunderstanding, and he asks me to beat him back.” Chu Liuyue was so angry that his face was twisted. But in the end, he had to suppress his fury and calm down and said, “It was a misunderstanding, so it’s good to have solved it. I also did the wrong thing to you, brother. When you attacked me just now, I couldn’t help fighting back. I didn’t make it clear.”

In that situation, who could make anything clear since they had begun fighting?

Chu Liuzhou twitched his mouth in pain, but he still put a smile on his face and said, “Brother, it’s all my fault. Just blame me!”

“I also did something wrong on this matter. I shouldn’t have dragged First Miss Shao down!”

“No, it’s my fault!”

“It’s my fault!”

The two men had fought fiercely moments earlier, but they became close brothers now.

Seeing their hypocritical expressions, the Emperor went furious that the veins on his forehead stood out. He picked up the teacup at hand and threw it at his two sons. “Shut up!”

The great hall fell silent immediately. Even the Empress stole a glance at the Emperor uneasily. Now, even she did not know what the Emperor meant, so she had to behave with care.

This matter could be big or small. Up till now, she still had not spared time to talk to Chu Liuzhou. She had only had time to ask Chu Liuzhou not to reveal that he had had an affair with Shao Yanru for a long time. An affair of a child of the royal family could become a political affair. Although Chu Liuyue could also be dragged in, the Empress did not dare to take the risk.

Now the Emperor didn’t seem to believe it, but he would at least not talk about what happened in the court because of this.

“Empress, the Consort Selection has not yet been practically done, so why should you decide who will be chosen? You’ve made your decision, haven’t you? Then why should we select? Let what should be done be done!” the Emperor said coldly.

Hearing that, the Empress could not sit still anymore. She dropped to her knees and her eyes turned red. While wiping her tears with her handkerchief, she said, “Your Majesty, I didn’t leak the information to our son, Zhou on purpose, but that he happened to come over and overheard it. I liked First Miss Shao, so I said that I wanted to make her Princess Zhou. But what I said was heard by Prince Zhou, and he was satisfied. I didn’t expect… I didn’t expect something like this to happen!”

“A misunderstanding again. All misunderstandings happened to you people, but I’ve never experienced any misunderstandings. Look at this…” The Emperor hit the table hard with his palm and said angrily, “A good lady from an aristocratic family will be killed by your misunderstandings that came one after another.”

Even if the Emperor did not really believe it, he had to say that in public. A daughter of an important official came to the palace to attend the Consort Selection. Whether she was selected or not, she had almost lost her life. This was somewhat unreasonable. How would the officials think about it? Would they say that the two Princes forced the lady to death?

“Your Majesty, I was wrong. Please punish me!” the Empress said tearfully and aggrievedly. She had taken all the blame without mentioning anything about Chu Liuyue and Chu Liuzhou.

The woman deserved to be an Empress. Shao Wanru moved her head slightly. Now, the serious trouble was basically gone, but Shao Yanru was in trouble. The fact that the court and the harem were separated was good for everyone. The Emperor planned to turn a blind eye.

“You deal with it then. Ask the one from Duke Xing’s Mansion to go back. Things have come to this point, so she can’t marry into the royal family anymore!” the Emperor stood up and said coldly. After that, he turned and strode away with his men. The Emperor was deeply ashamed of this. It was a scandal for his two sons to have fought like that because of a woman.

“Yes, I see!” The Empress was very respectful. Holding the palace maid’s hand, she stood up and heaved a secret sigh of relief. This was the best solution. Under such circumstances, it was not suitable for the lady to marry into Prince Yue’s Mansion or Prince Zhou’s Mansion.

Although she felt regretful that she could not pull Duke Xing’s Mansion over to her side, at least, she did not let Duke Xing’s Mansion stand in line with Chu Liuyue. In this respect, this was not a big loss.

Since the matter had been decided in essence, it would be much easier to deal with the following things. The incident had happened unexpectedly, and it was not Chu Liuyue who had saved the two ladies in the end. Naturally, he was not responsible for it. And the Empress would not let him take the two ladies into Prince Yue’s Mansion as his concubines. Immediately, she ordered them to leave the palace and carefully learn women’s precepts and other morals for women when they got home.

The two ladies had behaved improperly. Having knocked Prince Yue into the water was a fact anyway.

Shao Wanru calmly saw the two ladies fall to the ground, paralyzed. Under such circumstances, they were sent back, and the Empress also meant to let them learn women’s precepts and other morals for women. In fact, she had cut off their path to the royal family.

In the future, they would have to marry some people in a faraway land or with low status.

On the surface, Shao Yanru looked much more miserable. She had been involved as an innocent person, and it was unknown whether she was alive or dead now. Before she committed suicide, she had left a blood letter to give an account of the matter. At this point, she had succeeded in saving herself.

Of course, Shao Yanru would be fine. The hairpin had not been deep in her skin.

Of course, this was just what was on the surface. In fact, Shao Yanru had obviously been hurt. She had been reduced to one who could not marry into any Prince’s mansion from one who would be the Princess of a Prince. How could someone like her be willing to give up? Next, she would probably plot against the Emperor, right?

Shao Wanru didn’t know what had happened to Shao Yanru in her previous life. Now she realized that it was probably the thing that her relationships with Chu Liuzhou and Chu Liuyue were found or somewhat exposed so that she couldn’t marry into Prince Zhou’s Mansion or Prince Yue’s Mansion in the end.

“The handkerchief with blood characters?” she asked herself inwardly.

She did not know what was written on it, but it seemed that there should be other reasons. When the Emperor left, he took the handkerchief away. If it were just a handkerchief on which Shao Yanru had written her account of the matter, the Emperor would not have taken it away.

Shao Yanru had something that the Emperor was interested in!

This was the answer Shao Wanru had thought of when she saw the Emperor take the handkerchief away. Her eyes deepened inexplicably. “At this time, Shao Yanru can still make others think that her reputation is not stained, which means that she did not just write the account of the matter in her bloodletter!

“Neither Chu Liuyue nor Chu Liuzhou mentioned their illicit relationship with Shao Yanru, but does the Emperor know nothing about it? Does it mean that Shao Yanru was summoned to the palace and became the Emperor’s concubine because of this in my previous life?”

Suddenly, the Empress’s voice came from above. With the Emperor being absent, the Empress regained her normal dignity. She asked indifferently, “Fifth Miss Shao, just now the imperial physician came over and reported that First Miss Shao’s life was saved. Fifth Miss Shao, do you want her to recuperate in the palace or to be sent back to Duke Xing’s Mansion to recover?”

Shao Wanru frowned slightly. It was quite difficult to answer the Empress’s question. How could Shao Yanru stay in this situation? She must be sent out of the palace, but being sent out meant that she wouldn’t have the chance to attend the Consort Selection.

In fact, Shao Yanru’s chance had been gone when the Emperor mentioned her. The Empress said so just because she wanted Shao Wanru to take the blame for Shao Yanru’s failure in the selection as if it was Shao Wanru who didn’t want Shao Yanru to stay in the palace.

The Empress was so hostile toward Shao Wanru that she refused to let her off even at this time.

“I will do as I am told, Your Grace!” Shao Wanru replied softly.

“First Miss Shao was actually unlucky, and Zhou made a mistake. If she is sent out of the palace at this time, I’m afraid that some people will doubt her reputation. Besides, it’s not suitable for her to move now. I want you to take care of her for a few days, Fifth Miss Shao. When her wound is stable and the rumors are basically gone, I’ll send her out then. Is that okay?” the Empress said.

“She is not suppressing me?” Shao Wanru was surprised, but then with a little thought, she immediately knew why. Spreading the rumors of Shao Yanru was equivalent to spreading the rumors of Chu Liuzhou. Although she disliked Shao Yanru very much, the Empress had to put on the airs as the mistress of the imperial harem to show her concern at this time.

The two ladies had just been deported from the palace in that name. Indeed, Shao Yanru was not suitable to leave the palace after them at this time. She was so seriously wounded that it was not suitable for her to move. That was a good reason.

“You’re right, Your Grace!” Shao Wanru said.

“Then you’ll have to stay in my side hall for a few days, Fifth Miss Shao!” The Empress instructed. Seeing that Shao Wanru agreed obediently, she was basically satisfied and nodded secretly. Fifth Miss Shao seemed to be obedient and gentle. She was very different from what Old Madam of Duke Xing’s Mansion said.

Previously, Shao Yanru had been her option, so she had not intended to take Shao Wanru into account. But now it seemed that Shao Wanru had some merits. Looking at Shao Wanru’s beautiful face thoughtfully, she formed another plan in her head!