Ning Chen narrowed his eyes at Noble Consort De. If she had not been His Majesty's woman, he would have had a hand across her face long ago.

He still had not worked out whether Noble Consort De was aiming at him or at Consort Zhen and her daughter.

"His Majesty is here!"

Ning Chen was still thinking it over when Eunuch Quan's thin, shrill voice went up.

The people there knelt in a hurry to receive him.

The Xuan Emperor came into the great hall at a slow, square-set pace, with Eunuch Quan and the crown prince behind him.

"Your subjects and this humble consort greet His Majesty. Ten thousand blessings and golden peace to Your Majesty!"

The Xuan Emperor raised a hand as he walked on in. "Get up, all of you. Today is a family dinner. There is no need for anyone to stand on ceremony."

Then the Xuan Emperor stopped short and said, smiling, "Ning Chen. What are you doing kneeling over there? Your place is at the front. Come along with this emperor."

"Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject is making his bow to Her Ladyship Consort Zhen, and has written a poem for Noble Consort De while he was at it."

The Xuan Emperor was brought up short.

Making his bow to Consort Zhen, and writing a poem for Noble Consort De? What kind of move was that?

"Ning Chen. What song for the ages have you turned out this time? Speak it out and let everybody enjoy it."

Ning Chen bowed his head. "Your subject obeys the command."

When he had said it Ning Chen pointed suddenly at Noble Consort De and said loudly, "This woman is not a human being...!"

The whole hall was appalled.

Every one of them broke into a cold sweat at this rank treason of Ning Chen's.

Even the Xuan Emperor's expression froze.

Ning Chen was cursing an Imperial Noble Consort, His Majesty's own woman, the crown prince's mother... it turned heaven and earth upside down.

Prince or not, court-tipping power or not, Ning Chen could not curse…