[The Shadow Prince's Fury]
In a dimly lit secret chamber, Si Moheng sat behind his desk, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the surface. His mind drifted back to the ceremony at Heaven's Ridge. He had stood in the crowd, hidden by a straw hat, watching Gu Xingyu on the high platform. She was radiant, her voice calm yet piercing the hearts of thousands. He had felt a surge of pride and love so intense it nearly choked him. That's my woman, he had thought.
But now, staring at a secret report, his expression turned murderous. He slammed the paper onto the desk, his voice a low growl that shook the room. "Who dared to spread such filth in the capital!?"
The report detailed the scandalous rumors: The Saintess sharing beds with the Five Yao... seducing them with her body... corrupting the honor of the realm.
Moheng unsheathed his blade, the cold moonlight reflecting in the steel. He wasn't just angry because of the political fallout; he was livid because they had dared to drag her through the mud. "I will find the first person who opened their mouth to start this rumor," he hissed, "and I will personally cut out their tongue."
"You still can't let her go?" his aide, Xiao You, asked from the shadows.
"I never did," Moheng replied, his eyes cold yet burning with a fierce, protective fire.
[The Confrontation in the Hall of Ten Thousand Scales]
Inside the main palace, Preceptor Feng Mian stood before the Emperor. With a calm, sharp voice, he laid out the truth: "The rumors regarding the Saintess and the Five Yao are not accidental. They were orchestrated by the followers of Princess Si Yirou."
Emperor Si Chengjing slammed his fist on the throne. "She dared!?"
"She strikes not just at the Saintess's reputation," Feng Mian added, "but at the very foundation of the people's trust in your reign. If the Saintess is seen as impure, the mandate of heaven becomes a joke."
The Emperor's face was a mask of cold fury. "Summon Princess Si Yirou to the hall immediately!"
[The Princess's Defiance]
Si Yirou entered the hall in robes of defiant crimson. Even when accused, she didn't flinch.
"Is the Saintess's reputation so fragile that a few whispers break it?" Yirou challenged, looking her father in the eye. "Have you ever asked if she has the wisdom to stay away from the Five Yao? They kneel before her, and the officials watch in silence. Who is the true ruler of the Yao-world—you, or this outsider?"
"She is the Saintess by Heaven's decree!" the Emperor roared.
"But she is also a woman!" Yirou screamed back, her voice trembling with years of suppressed resentment. "Why is there always a 'Her' who is more sacred, more worthy, more perfect than me? I tarnished her name to see if she is truly divine. If she falls, it proves she never belonged on that pedestal!"
The hall fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.
Finally, the Emperor spoke, his voice like iron. "Confine the Princess to the Palace of Eternal Joy for ten days. Investigate her followers. Anyone found spreading these lies shall be flogged and exiled for three years."
As Yirou was led away, her eyes remained cold and unyielding. Feng Mian watched her from the shadows, whispering to himself, "You losing once doesn't mean you've lost the game... but I am the one who will win the end."