Bairen frowned, feeling somewhat puzzled. Although Qi Hua was impetuous and foolish, he wouldn't be so bold and reckless. Bairen had vaguely heard people mention that compared to women, Qi Hua preferred men.

Even if the palace maid was beautiful, it wasn't enough for Qi Hua to lose control and risk offending the Emperor on this fateful day by taking advantage of her.

After some thought, Bairen said in a low voice, "Could it be that the Second Prince didn't know that palace maid was prepared by Empress Feng to be offered to the Emperor?"

Qi Xiao shook his head and smiled, "The entire palace knows about this matter. Moreover, those two palace maids were sent by the Feng family. It's unbelievable to say that Qi Hua knew nothing about it."

Bairen still couldn't understand, "Then how could the Second Prince be so daring?"

"Willing to die under a peony for the sake of romance." Qi Xiao remained calm and composed, not in a hurry to go over. He smiled faintly, "Besides, he had already drunk a lot of wine and got lustful after getting drunk. What's so hard to understand about that?"

Bairen shook his head, looking at Qi Xiao hesitantly, "Why do I always feel... that this matter has something to do with you, Your Highness?"

Qi Xiao laughed, "Bairen, just because I've harmed him a few times, every time he has bad luck it's because I schemed against him? Little heir, am I really that despicable in your heart?"

Bairen quickly said, "That's not what I meant, it's just... with something like this happening, you're still so calm and unperturbed... Forget it, I don't know how to put it."

Qi Xiao chuckled softly, "Now that Qi Hua has met with misfortune, should I anxiously rush over and try my best to cover up for him instead of being like this?" Qi Xiao stood up and tapped Bairen's face with a smile, "Don't worry, if anything happens to you, I will definitely be the first one to go to you."

Bairen turned his face to avoid Qi Xiao's hand and said softly, "Didn't Princess Dunsu just call for you? Go quickly."

Qi Xiao nodded with a smile, "Mm, this is a family scandal. You don't need to go over, lest some people take out their anger and embarrassment on you." With that, he turned and left, still leaving Jiang Deqing to accompany Bairen.

Bairen stood in a daze alone in the warm chamber. Jiang Deqing stepped forward to refill Bairen's tea and said with a soft laugh, "Is Your Highness tired? It's already the third quarter of the Hai hour*. The banquet will end soon. After it's over, this old servant will attend to you returning to Haiyan Palace."

*T/N: Hai hour is at 9-11pm

Bairen took the teacup and took a sip. Suddenly, he turned to look at Jiang Deqing, frowning, "You're not going to accompany the Crown Prince?"

Jiang Deqing smiled, "No, ever since you entered the palace, the Crown Prince instructed this servant that if he is not by your side, I must not leave you. It won't do for you to have no one beside you."

Bairen first felt warmth in his heart, then something flashed through his mind. He put down the teacup and pursed his lips. After a moment, he said, "The Crown Prince knew about this matter, right?"

Jiang Deqing smiled faintly without speaking. Bairen became more certain and laughed, "Why did he have to hide it from me? I wouldn't go divulge his secrets. I'm just a bit worried. If he does this right under the Emperor's nose, what if..."

Jiang Deqing looked hesitant. After a pause, he said in a low voice, "Your Highness misunderstands. It's not that the Crown Prince deliberately concealed it from you, it's just... this matter was originally aimed at you."

Seeing Bairen's shocked face, Jiang Deqing gave a bitter laugh, "Your Highness... this old servant has told you everything. Later if the Crown Prince asks, I'll have to trouble you to embellish a few words for me."

Bairen nodded. Only then did Jiang Deqing recount everything - how Empress Feng had her family send girls into the palace, how she timed it so the Emperor couldn't take them in, how she schemed to use those two girls to harm Bairen, and in turn use Bairen to eliminate those two girls.

Jiang Deqing sighed softly, "The Young Prince knows that you are our Crown Prince's most cherished person. When the Crown Prince learned of this, he became furious and was determined to teach Empress Feng a lesson. That's why today's events occurred."

Bairen's eyes were full of disbelief. He unconsciously lowered his voice, "Then... how did it also implicate the Second Prince..."

Jiang Deqing smiled faintly, "Using someone's own methods against them. To be honest with you, Your Highness, the Second Prince's wine was drugged during the earlier banquet. That's why he got drunk so quickly and... and became lustful. As for that girl... tonight Empress Feng kept ordering those two girls around on the pretext of serving the Emperor.

"On the surface, everyone thought Empress Feng wanted to let them show their faces in front of the Emperor, but in fact, Empress Feng had ulterior motives and still harbored the intention of harming you, Your Highness. Earlier, when you were chatting and laughing with the Crown Prince in the warm chamber, this old servant told the young eunuchs outside to go check why the Young Prince who went out to sober up still hadn't returned.

"Hehe... I reckon as soon as my words landed, the rats on that side had already scurried out of their holes."

Jiang Deqing smiled smugly, "The Crown Prince guessed correctly. Sure enough, Empress Feng's trusted eunuch took those two girls and headed down. But before they could get downstairs, one of the girls was stopped by the Crown Prince's people under some pretext.

"That eunuch was probably urged too fiercely by Empress Feng recently and was single-mindedly set on finding you, Your Highness. He didn't care about that girl and let Matron Jiang order her around while he hurriedly took the other girl downstairs to look for you..."

Bairen could guess the rest even without Jiang Deqing saying it. He took a deep breath, "Then that girl was sent to the Second Prince's room..."

Jiang Deqing shook his head with a smile, "Matron Jiang only said that the Emperor had been sitting for a long time upstairs and was a bit tired, so she told the girl to go to that room to find a few beauties to go up and give the Emperor a massage. The girl was very happy to get this task and eagerly went. But how she went in and never came out, well, no one knows. What a pity... a perfectly good maiden, unable to serve the Emperor, but instead deflowered by the Second Prince first."

Bairen thought it over carefully and suddenly felt a bit worried, "The wine used at the banquet tonight..."

"The wine pots and cups used tonight have long been washed, dried, and put away," Jiang Deqing smiled benevolently. "Even if someone thinks to investigate, it's too late."

Bairen was completely convinced. Thinking it over, he couldn't find a single flaw. Jiang Deqing sighed, "Does Your Highness understand now? It's not that the Crown Prince didn't communicate with you, it's just... Your Highness, this matter was originally aimed at you. Although the Crown Prince is not a shy person, he can't very well come and tell you that you've attracted trouble, so he did this and that for you, right?

"Besides, the Crown Prince repeatedly instructed us before that we must let the Young Prince have a good New Year. It's the new year, we're not allowed to speak carelessly and make you worry. Only now that it's over does this old servant dare tell you."

Bairen was lost in thought for a long while after hearing Jiang Deqing's words, his heart filled with complex emotions. Having achieved his goal, Jiang Deqing said no more and continued to carefully attend to Bairen, occasionally saying a few words to comfort him.

In a side hall of Qinghe Palace, Princess Dunsu looked at the wailing palace maid on the ground with a solemn face and said coldly, "Stuff her mouth. It's the new year, there can be no crying in the palace."

Seeing this, the girl hurriedly cried out, "Princess... this servant has been wronged. Just now someone told me to come get something. I... I didn't know there was anyone in this room. As soon as I entered, the Second Prince embraced me. I... I really..."

Princess Dunsu frowned and looked at the palace servant beside her, shouting sternly, "Did you not hear my words?!"

Several eunuchs quickly tied up the girl and stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth. Princess Dunsu turned to look at the pale-faced Empress Feng and said, "Empress, if I remember correctly, this maid was the one you prepared for the Emperor, right?"

Empress Feng bit her lip and nodded, then suddenly turned to glare at Qi Hua who was still sitting drunk on the ground, and said harshly, "You wicked child! You..."

"Empress..." Princess Dunsu sighed. "What's done is done. Making a scene will only let more people know. Be quiet and think about how to deal with this."

Empress Feng was so angry her eyes turned red. She wished she could tear that maid to pieces. She said viciously, "This shameless lowly maid, daring to seduce a prince, send her directly to be tortured to death..."

Princess Dunsu frowned, "Empress, calm your anger. The new year is not yet over, the palace cannot see bloodshed. No matter how guilty this maid is, she can only be dealt with after the new year."

Although Princess Dunsu was secretly gloating over Qi Hua's misfortune, she was still somewhat upset. If it were any other time it would be fine, but Qi Hua just had to stir up this kind of trouble today of all days. If word of this were to leak out, where would the imperial family's face be?

After thinking for a bit, Princess Dunsu said in a low voice, "Empress... in my opinion, let's not make this public for now. Let Qi Hua continue lying there. As for this maid... just say she suddenly fell ill and lock her up for now. After the new year, it will be up to the Empress to deal with her."

Empress Feng was completely at a loss. She had been afraid Princess Dunsu would deliberately spread the news. Seeing that she also wanted to cover it up, Empress Feng finally put her heart at ease a little.

Looking at Princess Dunsu without the usual disdain, she grabbed her hand as tears streamed down, "Princess... you saw it yourself. I kindly promoted this lowly maid, wanting her to serve the Emperor. Who knew she harbored ill intentions and took the opportunity to seduce Hao'er. Poor Hao'er is so drunk, he was implicated by her..."

Princess Dunsu sneered inwardly. Anyone with eyes could see it was Qi Hua who forced himself on the girl, but in Empress Feng's telling, the case was reversed. Princess Dunsu pursed her lips and nodded, "The Empress' kind intentions are clear to all."

Empress Feng had originally wanted to take down Bairen and these two maids tonight. Who knew she would now summon this demon into her own home. For a moment she was at her wit's end.

Pulling Princess Dunsu's hand, she said miserably, "Then... why don't we just cover up the matter like this? Fortunately, the Emperor has not yet favored this wretched woman. We can just say..."

"Empress." Princess Dunsu withdrew her hand that Empress Feng was holding, smiling faintly. "Although I witnessed today's events, rest assured I naturally will not spread it. But if the Emperor asks... I dare not deceive him."

Empress Feng had originally thought Princess Dunsu intended to cover it up and wanted to say a few nice words to entice her to help suppress the matter. She didn't expect Princess Dunsu to suddenly change her words. She couldn't help saying, "Princess... do you really have the heart to push Hao'er into the fire pit?"

Princess Dunsu was instantly angered upon hearing this. She laughed coldly, "From what Empress is saying, was it I who made the Second Prince go rape this maid? Hehe... I dare not bear such a serious accusation."

Empress Feng quickly said, "I was so angered by this wretched woman that I misspoke. There's a saying that a broken arm should be hidden in the sleeve. I just wanted to..."

Princess Dunsu completely dropped her pretense and said coldly, "With something like this happening, I'm also upset. I also know the principle of swallowing a broken tooth. That's why I said I won't spread the news. But what about the Emperor? Even if I don't say anything, if the Emperor asks others, can Empress guarantee they won't say anything? Don't tell me everyone has to bear the crime of deceiving the Emperor in order to cover up for the Empress?!"

The more Princess Dunsu thought about it, the angrier she got. She continued coldly, "Empress has her own ideas, so I won't say more. Otherwise, the more said and heard, the more wrongs I'll have to bear. I just hope that when the Emperor deals with Qi Hua in the future, Empress won't push the blame onto me."

With that, Princess Dunsu turned to leave. Empress Feng tried to make her stay but couldn't. Her heart was filled with anger, fear and hate. The few emotions converged, making her so anxious that tears kept falling. Empress Feng's personal palace maid hurriedly consoled her, "Empress, be mindful of your health..."

Seeing Empress Feng so flustered, the personal maid couldn't help advising, "Just now Empress really shouldn't have said those words... The Emperor has eyes and ears throughout the palace, how can it be covered up? I'm afraid it has already reached the Emperor's ears. Empress should first suppress things here and not let outsiders know, that's the main thing."

Hearing this, Empress Feng froze for a moment and grabbed the maid's hand, asking in a daze, "You mean... the Emperor may already know?"

The maid nodded carefully. Empress Feng felt the world go dark before her eyes. The people in the room hurried to support her. After a long while, Empress Feng finally steadied herself. She sat dejectedly on the embroidered stool, sobbing...

In the main warm chamber on the second floor of Qinghe Palace, Fu Hailu hurried to the Emperor's side and whispered in his ear for a while. The Emperor's expression never changed. In the end, he nodded and even smiled a little. The others just thought it was some ordinary small matter and paid no attention.

Qi Xiao stood at the entrance of the warm chamber, holding a hand warmer and smiling as he watched inside. He watched Fu Hailu hurry in and out, watched the Emperor chat and laugh with the princes beside him, watched the Emperor's fist half-hidden in his sleeve clench tightly, the veins bulging.

Jiang Deqing slowly walked up to Qi Xiao's side and said softly, "Your Highness..."

Qi Xiao slightly frowned, "Didn't I say not to come out?"

"Forgive this old servant, Your Highness. I had those youngsters keep watch, I'll go back right away." Jiang Deqing followed Qi Xiao's gaze and smiled faintly. Lowering his voice, he said, "This old servant just told the young prince everything, specifically mentioning that Your Highness didn't want the young prince to know. After hearing it, the young prince didn't say anything, but judging from his expression... he was very moved."

Qi Xiao smiled contentedly and nodded. With that, the matter was finally concluded, much to Qi Xiao's satisfaction.