SBCEJM -Chapter 196 Watching Drama by the Lake? Lord Fang Became Her Midnight Serial?

【To be precise, it was a four-story pavilion on the center of the lake.】

The system corrected her.

【A pavilion built in the middle of a lake? Won’t the wooden piles rot?】

Zhen Xueyao asked curiously.

【Host, that’s made of thousand-year nanmu wood. It won’t decay for centuries.】

the system replied.

【Impressive!】

Zhen Xueyao silently marveled.

In the Minister of Rites’ mind, a thought suddenly flashed.

Bibo Lake… outside the capital…

Wasn’t that the private estate the Eldest Princess had moved into recently?

He had heard colleagues mention it before—that the princess, to avoid gossip, had taken residence in Lanyue Pavilion outside the city.

Emperor Xiao Juechen’s expression darkened slightly as his fingers lightly tapped the dragon throne’s armrest.

Lanyue Pavilion at Bibo Lake…

He had personally ordered it built twelve years ago for Mingxi.

Back when his eldest daughter was still young, she had once looked up at him and asked:

“Father Emperor, can you build me a place to watch the stars?”

So he ordered skilled artisans to construct that four-story pavilion in the middle of the lake.

Zhen Xueyao felt a strange itch of curiosity.

【So… the owner of that building saw it?】

【More accurately, the owner of that land.】

the system paused.

【Host, that entire Bibo Lake outside the capital belongs to the Eldest Princess, Xiao Mingxi…】

【What?!】

Zhen Xueyao almost jumped up.

【So the one who saw Fang Ziqin running naked was the Eldest Princess?!】

【That “unlucky princess with eighteen male consorts in her harem”?】

【That’s the one!】

Zhen Xueyao nearly laughed out loud.

【Oh my god… what are the odds? This is too ridiculous.】

【Fang Ziqin just randomly chose a lake to run naked in—and it just so happened to be the princess’s private estate?】

【This probability…】

【Is lower than winning the lottery!】

The entire court fell silent.

Fang Ziqin’s face instantly drained of color.

Just moments ago, he had been praying—please, as long as it wasn’t a woman, anything was fine.

Even if it was a colleague, it would just be awkward in the future.

But now…

Not only a woman—but the Emperor’s most beloved Eldest Princess!

A roaring sound filled his mind.

The world spun.

He had no face left to live.

Emperor Xiao Juechen narrowed his eyes, his expression even darker.

The Eldest Princess wasn’t supposed to be at her residence.

Why was she there?

That scandal from before had finally started fading from public memory.

And now this again?

Zhen Xueyao, however, didn’t seem concerned.

Sympathy aside… the gossip was still worth enjoying.

【Princess Anning, right?】

【So her name is Xiao Mingxi!】

【That’s a nice name. Feels cool and elegant.】

【Fits her vibe quite well.】

Officials: “……”

Lord Zhen!

Is that really the point right now?!

The point is she saw Fang Ziqin naked!

Zhen Xueyao suddenly remembered the earlier gossip.

She couldn’t help asking.

【By the way, are those fifteen male consorts still in the princess’s residence?】

The system’s tone turned amused.

【Long gone!】

【After returning to the estate, the princess used “household reform and staff reduction” as an excuse and sold them all to the Southern Pleasure House.】

【Not a single one left!】

【It’s said that when they heard they were being sent there, their faces turned green. They begged for mercy, but it was useless.】

【Hahaha, serves them right!】

Zhen Xueyao laughed coldly.

【They were originally the late prince consort’s harem anyway.】

【The prince consort is dead. What right do they have to stay?】

【Sending them to the pleasure house is perfect.】

【Putting them to proper use!】

The court officials silently lit candles for those men in their hearts.

But… that probably was indeed their best outcome.

Emperor Xiao Juechen’s gaze turned cold.

Still too merciful.

If it were him…

He would have executed them outright.

Zhen Xueyao returned to the main topic.

【So why was the princess wandering around that lake in the middle of the night?】

【Was she going there to clear her mind?】

【Host, this is related to the scandal you just heard.】

the system said, sounding even more gossipy.

【After the Eldest Princess’s scandal spread, the Second Princess couldn’t hold herself back.】

The system’s tone was full of disdain.

【She gathered all the noble ladies in the capital for a tea party. On the surface, it was concern for her elder sister—actually, every word was a stab.】

【“Sister truly has good judgment, not even noticing the prince consort’s habits.”】

【“Three years of widow-like marriage must have been hard on you.”】

【The noble ladies spread it even further afterward.】

【The Eldest Princess felt utterly humiliated.】

【After that, she moved to her private estate outside the city.】

【Out of sight, out of mind.】

Only then did everyone understand.

So that’s why they hadn’t seen her lately.

Zhen Huainan rubbed his temple.

The Eldest Princess was also a pitiful person.

Clearly the victim—yet she became the subject of ridicule.

Zhen Zekai lowered his gaze.

The Second Princess… was too cruel.

【It’s clearly the prince consort’s fault. Why blame the princess instead?】

【Ridiculous!】

Zhen Xueyao cursed inwardly.

Emperor Xiao Juechen’s expression turned colder.

His fingers tapped the armrest again.

It seemed the Second Princess was not someone to behave herself.

She would need to be “reminded.”

【On the night Fang Ziqin ran naked for the first time, the Eldest Princess happened to be drunk by the lake.】

the system said teasingly.

【She vaguely opened her eyes… and saw a naked figure running past her. Heh.】

【Why was she in a bad mood?】

【Because she had just overheard the Second Princess and her ladies mocking her again.】

【She got furious, brought a few jars of wine, and went to the lake alone to drink.】

【She dismissed all her maids. Said she wanted to be alone.】

【When she sobered up in the middle of the night… she got up…】

The system paused.

【And saw that beautiful sight.】

Zhen Xueyao immediately asked:

【Was it close? Could she see clearly in the moonlight?】

【Extremely close!】

the system said gleefully.

【The stone path circles the lake.】

【She was sitting in the reeds by the shore! The moon that night was bright—illuminating the entire path!】

【The hidden guards were in the trees far away. They never expected someone to run naked at night, and by the time they noticed, he had already run off…】

【Hahaha, this is killing me!】

Fang Ziqin’s mind roared.

Close distance…

Moonlight…

Hidden guards…

He could even imagine the princess’s expression—shock? disgust? contempt?

It was over.

Completely over.

If this got out, he would never be able to hold his head up again!

【Was it uncomfortable sitting in the grass?】

Zhen Xueyao suddenly asked.

【And weren’t there mosquitoes?】

【Lakeside in summer has tons of mosquitoes!】

【The princess had a thick blanket underneath her, and mosquito-repelling incense lit around her. She was quite comfortable!】

the system laughed.

【After she realized what she saw, she even rubbed her eyes.】

【Thought she was hallucinating from drinking too much.】

【She even thought: How much did I drink…?】

【Am I seeing things?】

Officials silently thought—

The princess really was delicate.

They had assumed she was sitting directly on the grass.

But thinking about it…

Of course a princess wouldn’t sit on bare ground.

【Only after hearing the desperate shouting did she realize—it wasn’t a dream!】

the system continued.

【She stared at the naked figure, completely confused.】

【Absurd. Too absurd.】

【First betrayed by her husband for three years, and now she sees… this?!】

Fang Ziqin’s memory replayed the scene.

“I don’t want to live anymore!”

“What a damn job! What a damn boss!”

“I’m quitting!”

He had shouted at the top of his lungs.

And now…

The princess heard it all.

He even cursed in front of her!

He could perfectly imagine his own disgrace—running naked, yelling like a madman.

Fang Ziqin covered his face in despair.

Zhen Xueyao asked curiously:

【Why didn’t the princess have him dragged away?】

【Normally, in such a situation…】

【She should feel offended, right?】