Li Xiu couldn’t help but think back to fifteen years ago. At that time, the previous emperor had still been alive, and he was still the crown prince.

One day, he had brought back to the palace a seven- or eight-year-old boy, whom he announced as a son of his who had been living with common folk. He was to be reinstated with his rightful title: the fourth prince of the Li kingdom, Li Mo.

Originally, Li Xiu had believed his father’s words, but as time progressed, he became more and more suspicious. This child was nothing like him or any of his siblings, and was unsurpassed in both looks and talent.

Li Mo’s personality was eccentric and reclusive: during the first three years of his stay at the palace, he spoke not a single word to anyone. Despite his age, he was already as cold as a block of ice. Although he never reprimanded any of his servants, both the palace maids and court eunuchs were fearful of him. Even Li Xiu’s children, who were barely younger than Li Mo, didn’t dare provoke their uncle.

The emperor’s attitude toward Li Mo was also quite curious. Although he would present him with all sorts of curios and treasures, he never expressed any measure of fatherly love. Instead, he even seemed to be revering his supposed son.

It was under a shroud of mystery that Li Mo entered the army at the age of ten, became a general at fifteen, and slaughtered the beastkin at seventeen.

There was a long period in which Li Xiu had been especially frightened of Li Mo, afraid that he’d take over his position as crown prince. After a while, however, that fear dissipated, replaced by the certainty that the reason Li Mo hadn’t taken over his position was because he didn’t care for it.

Li Xiu was led to this rather outrageous conclusion by Li Mo’s eyes. In those dark orbs were only disdain, disdain for him, for his father, and even for the entire kingdom of Li.

When his father finally passed away, Li Mo didn’t usurp the throne. Instead, he handed Li Xiu the authority to command tens of thousands of soldiers and even helped him ascend to the throne smoothly.

Even now, Li Xiu could remember the words his late father said to him at his deathbed: “Xiu’er, as long as you don’t offend Li Mo and treat him with respect, the Li kingdom will prosper for millennia.”

“Emperor, do you think Mei’er’s dancing has improved?” The empress’ voice suddenly filled his ears, interrupting Li Xiu’s reverie. He looked toward one of the beautiful girls dancing in the garden, his eldest daughter, Li Mei’er.

“Yes, Mei’er’s dancing gets better by the day!” he praised effusively before looking at his heirs sitting by his side.

Except for the second prince Li Qianyuan, who was out on official business, the fourth prince Li Qianyue, who was often away from the palace, and a few other princesses who had been betrothed and were waiting to be married, the rest of his heirs seemed to be present.

No, one was missing!

Li Xiu’s smile shrunk. “Where’s the crown prince?”

The empress coughed. “Probably some urgent matters. I’ve already sent some servants for him.”

“Urgent matters? Horse racing, perhaps, or playing with eagles?” Li Xiu’s smile vanished entirely.

The empress had sent people in search of the crown prince as soon as she noticed his absence. Her servants had scoured the eastern wing of the palace, as well as the vast center, to no avail.

Seeing that her consort’s face was turning worse and worse, she bade her servants search once more.

It was little wonder that the maids and eunuchs couldn’t find Li Qianxiao: after all, he was busy toiling away in a greenhouse in the back gardens.

“Brother Ziao, help me, help me! Oh, I feel so uncomfortable!” The aphrodisiac had fully assailed Yi Qianying’s senses. Unable to control herself, she writhed and twisted her body as she lay with the man next to her in a twisted heap.

The man began to move faster. With one final thrust and a satisfied grunt, he turned over and lay down amidst a bed of fresh flowers.

Having finally relieved herself of the aphrodisiac, Yi Qianying fainted, her vitality drained.

The man rested for a moment before donning his gold and purple robes again. He looked at the girl on the ground with a rather disdainful expression.

This man was none other than the crown prince, Li Qianxiao.

Actually, he had been the first to arrive at the inner gardens. Because no one was there yet, however, he simply strolled around and enjoyed the flowers.

But suddenly, he heard a voice that haunted his dreams. Craning his head forward, he received a big scare: the ugly girl from the Yun family was here, dressed to the nines! Was she planning on frightening everyone once more?! How was she here, at any rate? He certainly didn’t invite her!

She was even laughing and chatting with his third brother, Li Qianhan. Clearly, his foolish brother was tricked by her outwardly beautiful appearance, just as he had been.

He wanted to jump out and expose her. Once he thought back to how ridiculous he must have appeared that day when he turned tail and ran, however, he decided not to do so. To expose Yun Ruoyan would have made him out to be a fool as well. In addition, he was interested in seeing how his carefree, uninhibited third brother would react when he found that the beauty right next to him was actually an ugly witch.

Seeing Yun Ruoyan present had completely dampened his spirits, and he didn’t want to attend the flower-viewing party any longer. After all, the only reason he was doing so was to check out the beauties. With as unappealing a girl as Yun Ruoyan around, he wasn’t in the mood to look at anyone else.

He’d planned on waiting until right before the party began to tell the empress that he wasn’t feeling well, and hence to avoid the party entirely.

The party normally began in the night, when the moonstones shone most brilliantly. At the time, it was only evening, so Li Qianxiao continued wandering around the gardens.

As the crown prince, Li Qianxiao had been quite busy recently. Not only did he have to go to the Yue kingdom to console the Yue emperor, then up the Minghuang mountain to hunt with his father, then to make house visits at each of the high-ranking officials’ manors…

It was only in the last few days that he’d finally had the freedom to race horses and play with eagles, and quite a long time since he’d been back to the gardens.

He saw a particularly beautiful magnolia tree at the far edge of one cottage, shining with a golden glow amidst the evening rays of the sun and compelling him forward.

He was right by the tree when he heard some clandestine whispers from the bushes next to him.

“Brother Ziao, give it to me, quick…!” Yi Qianying begged impatiently.

“I can’t! This is the palace: we can’t do it here!” Pei Ziao refused.

“I can’t stand it anymore, oh, oh…” Yi Qianying was almost about to cry.

Pei Ziao had noticed something amiss with Yi Qianying: back in the inner gardens, when he was duelling with others, Yi Qianying had suddenly called him away, saying that she had something important to tell him.

And so Pei Ziao followed her to this isolated location, only to find Yi Qianying pouncing on him. For quite a while, Pei Ziao was dazed. He knew that Yi Qianying liked him, but it was always he who initiated their intimacy, and always no more than hugs or kisses. They’d never crossed the line before.

“Qianying, what’s the matter?” He secured Yi Qianying’s hands, which were wandering down his robes, and asked.

At the time, Yi Qianying still had a shred of rationality left in her mind. Her clothes were all in disarray as she lay in Pei Ziao’s lap, breathing out in deep, scorching pants. “I, I think… I’ve been drugged with an aphrodisiac. Save me!”

After that, Yi Qianying began pulling off Pei Ziao’s robes.

Pei Ziao’s thoughts were in turmoil.

Li Qianxiao’s face was one of disdain as he looked toward the couple hiding in the bush. He was rather impressed by their daring; even he, the crown prince, had only ever dared to entertain the notion of seeking a thrill in the palace’s back gardens. But they were actually carrying it out!

He was about to call some eunuchs over to arrest the couple when he suddenly realized that they were people he was familiar with.

Pei Ziao, he knew full well. The first time Li Qianxiao had gone to a brothel was with Pei Ziao. He’d been governed too strictly in the palace, so he would find means to sneak out to the Pei household. Waiting for him there was always plenty of alcohol and beautiful girls, almost like paradise.

Li Qianxiao wasn’t stupid: there was only one thing the Peis could want from him. In the years since they’d known each other, he had let slip quite a number of secrets while half-drunk and giving the Peis a reason to continue their lavish treatment.

As for Yi Qianying, Li Qianxiao only knew that she was a daughter from the Yi family who was staying with the Yuns. She had been a cute, petite girl ever since her youth, but he hadn’t known how sex-crazed she was!

Li Qianxiao narrowed his eyes as he looked at Yi Qianying’s pink skin. Not only were they having an illicit gathering here in the palace gardens itself, she had even consumed a stimulant.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a nefarious desire captivated him. As the crown prince, he was naturally familiar with the layout of the palace gardens, and he knew that there was a greenhouse nearby. At the present, it would be empty.

Checking once more that no one else was around, he strode forward and knocked Pei Ziao down with a strike to the back of his head, then carried Yi Qianying into the greenhouse.

Li Qianxiao glanced back at Yi Qianying, who was still slumped over on the ground. He smirked and then turned to leave.

Out of the kindness of his heart, Li Qianxiao had relieved Yi Qianying of the aphrodisiac’s effects. He began to whistle as he strolled, commending himself for the good deed.

“My goodness, Crown Prince, there you are!” Eunuch Chang, a close attendant of the empress, had heard Li Qianxiao’s humming from afar and quickly ran over.

“Eunuch Chang, what’s the matter?” Li Qianxiao smiled, his heart still up in the clouds.

“Crown Prince, the flower-viewing party has already started. The emperor’s very upset that you’re not present!” Eunuch Chang couldn’t help but continue anxiously, “The empress sent everyone out in search of you. We’ve gone through the entire eastern wing of the palace, but were you in the gardens all this time?!”

As soon as he heard that his father was looking for him, Li Qianxiao slumped, and his spirits quickly plummeted into the sea. He feared nothing at all, nothing other than his father’s smile. Luckily, the empress was there to save him.

No longer caring if Yun Ruoyan was present, he quickly followed Eunuch Chang into the inner gardens.