SBCEJM -Chapter 49 The Crown Prince Is “Grabbed,” and the Entire Court Turns to Stone

The moment Emperor Xiao Juechen’s “Enough!” left his mouth, he regretted it.

But his expression didn’t change at all. Instead, he calmly tried to cover it up.

His gaze landed on a memorial laid open on the dragon desk. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it downward.

“Minister Zhang! The treasury is empty, the border defenses are strained, and yet you come before me over a mere case of stolen property?!”

The memorial struck Minister of Revenue Zhang Deguang’s official hat dead-center before sliding off lightly.

Zhang Deguang jolted.

His legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees with a thud.

He was already mentally exhausted from his daughter drugging the family and running off with all their assets. Now, being singled out by the emperor felt like the sky was spinning.

“This… this subject deserves ten thousand deaths! Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”

The “Great Compassion Mantra” that Feng Zexuan was mentally chanting was abruptly cut off, leaving her very displeased.

【What the heck is going on? Did the emperor wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Why’s he so explosive today?】

The system, suddenly energized at the chance to gossip instead of acting as a music player, immediately perked up.

【Host, big news! Do you remember Candidate No. 1 for Crown Princess—the Zhang family’s daughter, Zhang Wan’er?】

【Of course. The one who poisoned her whole family to prevent heirs. That ruthless wolf girl—what about her?】

【After the Zhang family discovered her actions, they sent people to capture her—but she had already vanished without a trace.】

【And it gets even crazier! Yesterday Minister Zhang went to Hui River Bank to withdraw emergency funds…】

【The bank manager just shrugged and told him: the entire family fortune—plus all deposits from relatives—had been completely emptied by a mysterious account under the name “Wan’er.”】

Feng Zexuan froze.

【Wait… what? That’s related to Zhang Wan’er? She ran away and somehow emptied an entire bank?】

【Host, you’re still too naive!】 the system said excitedly.

【That Hui River Bank… was secretly established by Zhang Wan’er herself!】

【She advertised higher interest rates than the official banks, sucked in deposits from her entire family and relatives… and then cleaned them out in one go!】

【What the hell… financial genius?!】

【Exactly! She had already set her escape plan. If she wasn’t chosen as Crown Princess, she’d just run off with all the money and become a rich woman.】

【Right now, she’s already on a luxury ship heading to the Kingdom of Nanzhao—drinking Western grape wine, enjoying the sea breeze, surrounded by piles of silver notes!】

【That life is way too carefree!】

Emperor Xiao Juechen’s eye twitched violently.

This Zhang Wan’er… truly deep scheming, ruthless methods!

Last night, he had been furious with that useless Crown Prince and had forgotten to restrain her—allowing such a huge loophole!

The system continued gleefully:

【The whole capital is in chaos now. They’re saying the Zhang family’s favoritism toward sons brought divine punishment. Not only are all the male heirs “finished,” but they were also hollowed out by their own daughter. They’ve become the biggest joke in the capital!】

【Hahaha! Serves them right!】

Feng Zexuan clapped internally.

【Good run! She’s basically a living textbook for anti-feudal, anti–son-preference rebellion!】

【Let those old fossils keep treating daughters like livestock—push people far enough and they’ll pull a Zhang Wan’er on you and flip the whole table!】

The entire court shuddered.

Especially officials with daughters—they felt a chill crawling up their backs.

Minister Feng, as always, had thoughts that were… refreshingly unorthodox and dangerously sharp.

Feng Huain’an straightened his chest proudly.

As expected of my daughter.

Emperor Xiao Juechen let out a cold snort.

Fine.

Although Zhang Wan’er was vicious, she hadn’t caused direct harm to the royal family.

Let her legend stand as a warning to stubborn old fools.

Minister Zhang knelt on the ground, nearly in tears.

Your Majesty… our family didn’t deserve this level of destruction…

Just then—

【Host, there’s another freshly cooked hot melon involving the Crown Prince. Still steaming. Want it?】

【Eat it! Bring it on!】

【The Crown Prince is resting at home. Empress Liu’s niece, Liu Siying, just stormed straight into the Eastern Palace under the excuse of visiting her aunt!】

Feng Zexuan’s eyes lit up.

【And then? What did she do?】

【She walked in, said nothing, pulled up a stool, sat by the Crown Prince’s bed, and stared at him intensely right after he woke up.】

【Like a wolf staring at meat.】

The officials in the hall leaned in so hard their ears seemed ready to detach.

Feng Zexuan urged:

【Go on! What happened next?!】

【She decided to verify something before leaving the capital…】

【Whether the Crown Prince is truly male.】

Feng Zexuan’s mind immediately produced several absurd possibilities.

The system chuckled darkly.

【And so she struck—fast as lightning, steady as a veteran—reaching straight for the Crown Prince’s… lower region…】

“Clack.”

A court elder’s jade tablet fell to the ground.

The entire Golden Luan Hall froze.

Every single person’s brain stalled.

【OH MY GOD?! SHE JUST WENT STRAIGHT FOR IT?!】

【Did the Crown Prince scream?!】

The system replied:

【He froze for three full seconds.】

【Then let out a scream that nearly lifted the roof, jumping three feet into the air like a cat whose tail had been stepped on!】

【The whole palace heard it!】

【HAHAHAHAHAHA! Total social death!】

Feng Zexuan was already shaking with laughter.

【And Liu Siying? Did her “white moonlight filter” shatter?】

【Not just shattered—it exploded.】

【She felt something heavy and very… definite…】

【For a moment, she almost felt moved.】

【But the moment she saw his face twisted in shock, humiliation, and rage… her fantasy shattered into dust.】

Feng Zexuan was laughing so hard she was trembling.

Emperor Xiao Juechen’s face twitched violently as he tried to maintain dignity.

Preposterous! Utterly indecent!

…But—

My son… does seem to have some respectable assets.

The newly appointed Duke of the Nation, Liu Yancheng, went from red to white to green to purple.

He swayed and nearly fainted on the spot.

That damned girl—he had clearly promised to take her back to the border after the banquet!

Now she had dragged their entire Duke household through the mud!

Feng Zexuan sighed.

【Too bad there’s no live broadcast function… that would’ve been legendary.】

The system replied cheerfully:

【Host, live broadcast unlocks at 500,000 melon points! Keep working hard!】

【Sigh… long road ahead.】

—

Meanwhile, in Feng Zexuan’s modern apartment.

Feng Zexuan’s brother Feng Zekai sat on the sofa.

A giant LCD TV in front of him was broadcasting the Golden Luan Hall scene in real time.

…Perfectly synchronized.

That Liu girl… so bold and unrestrained?

His gaze drifted to the corner of the screen.

For a split second, a semi-transparent pop-up appeared:

“Eastern Palace Live Feed” with a red play button.

His throat moved.

As a gentleman raised on classical teachings, he knew full well—

“Do not look at what is improper.”

Peeking at the Crown Prince’s private affairs was truly unbecoming.

And yet…

He was really curious.

Curious about how loud that scream truly was.

Curious about what Liu Siying looked like after her “dream shattered.”

His finger slowly lifted, against his better judgment.

Just one look.

Just one—

…It should be fine, right?