SBCEJM -Chapter 3 Caught in the Act — The Prince Consort Was Throwing a Daytime Party!

Inside the Golden Hall.

Time passed second by second.

On the surface, the emperor and the officials appeared to be discussing matters of state.

But in reality, everyone was waiting.

Waiting for either the truth… or a joke.

Feng Zexuan felt her legs going numb.

【This morning court session is way too long! Ancient civil servants not only had to clock in early, they didn’t even get chairs.】

Xiao Juechen: “…”

Cold sweat poured down Feng Huai’an’s back.
Daughter, please stop thinking already!

About half an hour later—

A chaotic commotion suddenly erupted outside the hall, mixed with shouting and struggling.

“Let go of me! Do you know who I am?!”

The commander of the Imperial Guards had returned.

His face was ashen, as though he had swallowed a fly. Shock—and even disgust—still lingered in his eyes.

He strode into the hall and dropped to his knees with a thud.

“Reporting to Your Majesty… the people have been brought here.”

Behind him, several guards escorted four people into the hall.

Leading them was none other than Qin Zhao, the current Prince Consort of the Princess.

At this moment, Qin Zhao no longer resembled the refined and elegant noble young master he usually appeared to be.

His clothes were disheveled, his outer robe hanging loosely from his body. His hair was a mess, and the scent of cosmetics clung heavily to him.

Most damning of all—

There were obvious lipstick marks on his lips and neck!

Behind him followed three equally miserable-looking young men.

Each was handsome, but all of them wore only thin outer robes. Their faces were pale with terror as they trembled uncontrollably.

The evidence was undeniable.

An ironclad confirmation.

There was no need for interrogation. Just looking at their appearance, even a blind man could tell what they had been doing moments ago.

The court instantly exploded into uproar.

Although they had already heard Scholar Feng’s “spoilers” earlier, witnessing this absurd scene in person was still overwhelmingly shocking.

Broad daylight. Inside the princess’s residence…

Prince Consort, you really know how to have fun.

Everyone’s gaze shifted back and forth between Qin Zhao and Feng Zexuan.

Scholar Feng’s inner thoughts had actually all been true!

Could this really be some immortal descended from heaven?

The moment Princess Anning saw Qin Zhao, the last light in her eyes completely vanished.

She stood frozen for several seconds, as though her soul had been ripped away.

Then, overwhelming humiliation and fury surged through her.

“QIN ZHAO! YOU BEAST!!!”

The Princess let out a shrill scream and charged at him like a madwoman.

She pounced on him, clawing and scratching at his face.

“You lied to me! How dare you lie to me! I’ll kill you!”

Caught off guard, Qin Zhao instantly gained several bloody scratches across his face.

In utter disarray, he tried to block her attacks.

“Princess! Calm down! Listen to my explanation!”

He had never imagined the emperor would launch a sudden raid, leaving his servants no time to warn him.

“I won’t listen! I WON’T LISTEN!”

The Princess completely broke down.

She ripped the jeweled golden hairpin from her head and viciously stabbed its sharp tip toward Qin Zhao’s chest.

Seated upon the dragon throne, Xiao Juechen watched with a dark expression and made no move to stop her.

His daughter had suffered such humiliation—letting her vent her anger was only natural.

Qin Zhao was scared out of his wits and desperately dodged.

The hairpin tore through his robe, leaving a bloody gash across his chest.

The Princess looked utterly deranged, crying and attacking him at the same time.

After causing a scene for quite a while, she finally exhausted herself and collapsed onto the floor, sobbing hysterically.

The beautiful illusion of happiness she had painstakingly woven shattered completely in this moment.

Inside the Golden Hall, only the Princess’s heartbroken cries remained.

Feng Zexuan silently sighed.

【Sigh… being love-brained really is a terrible thing.】

【But this prince consort is an absolute top-tier scumbag too. A gay man who tricked someone into marriage and emotionally manipulated his wife—disgusting.】

The officials nodded deeply in agreement.

After crying her fill, the Princess suddenly lifted her head.

She wiped away her tears, her eyes now filled with determination and hatred.

“Father Emperor!”

She straightened her kneeling posture.

“This daughter requests a divorce! No—I want to cast him aside! I want to divorce this beast!”

A princess divorcing her husband was entirely justified under such circumstances.

Xiao Juechen nodded heavily.

“Granted.”

He coldly stared at Qin Zhao, who lay on the ground like a dead dog. The emperor’s oppressive aura instantly chilled the entire hall.

“Qin Zhao. You deceived the throne and defiled the imperial household. Do you admit your crimes?”

Qin Zhao knew he was finished.

The evidence was overwhelming. There was no defense possible.

He collapsed limply to the floor, pale as death, unable to utter a word.

“Transmit my decree,” Xiao Juechen said coldly.

“Qin Zhao is stripped of his title as Prince Consort and reduced to commoner status. Sentence him to fifty strokes of the rod and throw him into the death cell to await execution after autumn.”

“As for the Qin family head, for failing to govern his household properly, strip him of office. The entire Qin family shall be exiled three thousand li to Lingnan and forbidden from ever returning to the capital.”

One sentence determined life and death.

The Qin family was finished.

“As for these few…”

Xiao Juechen glanced at the three trembling male companions with disgust.

“Such filthy creatures—beat them to death.”

His thunderous methods shocked the entire court into silence.

None of the officials dared utter a sound.

Feng Zexuan secretly clicked her tongue.

【Wow, the emperor is ruthless. Punishing the entire family by association.】

【Still, they totally deserved it. Scumbags should die.】

Xiao Juechen heard that.

“Should die”? Although he didn’t fully understand the phrase, it certainly sounded like an insult.

His sharp gaze swept toward Feng Zexuan.

Feeling the emperor’s stare, Feng Zexuan immediately lowered her head and focused on her nose, pretending absolute innocence.

【Can’t see me, can’t see me.】

Xiao Juechen withdrew his gaze, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.

Too much had happened in court today. He needed time to process it all.

A “three-second” secret.

A prince consort’s scandalous affair.

And Feng Zekai—someone seemingly capable of communicating with spirits through that mysterious “system,” who could even produce miraculous medicine to “restore male vigor.”

…

After court was dismissed, inside the Imperial Study.

Xiao Juechen sat behind his desk with a gloomy expression.

Below him stood several Grand Secretaries and the Ministers of the Six Departments. Feng Huai’an was among them.

“Regarding what happened in court today…”

Xiao Juechen slowly spoke, his gaze sweeping over the group.

“You all heard it, correct?”

He was referring to the suddenly appearing inner thoughts.

The ministers exchanged uneasy glances.

How were they supposed to answer?

If they admitted hearing it, wouldn’t that mean they had all heard the emperor’s “three-second” secret?

But denying it would amount to deceiving the emperor.

Under the emperor’s oppressive pressure, the officials finally nodded stiffly.

They had heard it.

Every word, loud and clear.

Xiao Juechen pressed a hand to his forehead.

His lifelong reputation!

Completely ruined!

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the urge to silence everyone permanently.

“What happened today—especially those… voices.”

He carefully chose his words.

“I do not wish to hear even the slightest rumor spread outside this room.”

“Anyone who dares discuss it privately or spread it further will be executed without mercy.”

“And regarding Scholar Feng…”

Xiao Juechen paused.

The fact that everyone could hear Feng Zekai’s inner thoughts was simply too bizarre.

But judging from the Princess’s scandal, everything in those thoughts appeared to be true.

If they truly were all true…

A thought stirred in Xiao Juechen’s mind.

Didn’t this mean Feng Zekai could foresee the future and peer into people’s hearts?

Wasn’t that practically a heaven-sent divine artifact?!

“As for Scholar Feng’s inner thoughts, you are to hear them and nothing more. Do not interfere, nor reveal any unusual behavior in front of him.”

Xiao Juechen decided to observe for now.

“We obey Your Majesty’s command,” the officials answered in unison.

Truthfully, they were also curious about what shocking gossip Scholar Feng would reveal next.

“You are dismissed.”

Xiao Juechen waved his hand before adding:

“Censor Feng stays behind.”

Feng Huai’an’s heart skipped a beat.

What was coming had finally arrived.

The other officials cast sympathetic looks at him before filing out of the room.

Soon, only ruler and minister remained inside the Imperial Study.

Xiao Juechen rose from behind the desk and slowly circled Feng Huai’an.

“Censor Feng.”

“Y-Your servant is here,” Feng Huai’an replied, drenched in cold sweat.

“You truly…”

Xiao Juechen gritted his teeth.

“…raised quite an impressive son.”

With a thud, Feng Huai’an dropped to his knees.

“Your Majesty, please forgive him! My useless son… he…”

What could he even say? He was despairing too! That was his daughter!

“When did you start hearing these voices?” Xiao Juechen asked.

“Replying to Your Majesty… this minister also only began hearing them this morning,” Feng Huai’an answered shakily.

Xiao Juechen nodded.

“Censor Feng, your son’s inner thoughts mentioned a kind of medicine.”

Feng Huai’an’s body stiffened.

Here it comes!

“Something to… restore male vigor…”

Even Xiao Juechen’s old face flushed slightly while saying the words, but he cared far more about the effect.

“I don’t care what method you use. You must obtain this medicine for me!”

“If the medicine truly works…”

A trace of eagerness flashed through Xiao Juechen’s eyes.

“I shall reward you heavily!”

Feng Huai’an felt no joy whatsoever.

Where was he supposed to get such medicine?! It only existed in his daughter’s thoughts!

But he didn’t dare refuse.

“This minister… obeys the decree! I will do everything in my power!”

With his scalp tingling in dread, Feng Huai’an hurriedly retreated from the Imperial Study.

Silence returned to the room.

Xiao Juechen clasped his hands behind his back and paced slowly.

Thinking about “restoring male vigor”…

Thinking about “seven times in one night”…

If everything Feng Zekai had said was true…

The corners of Xiao Juechen’s mouth slowly curled upward despite himself.