Crown Prince Mo stared intensely at his father and questioned, "Was she the one competing in that competition? Did she make Guo'an look bad? Did she instigate those officials to invest in Guo'an's victory? Was she the one targeting the Long Clan?"
/None of that!/
/All of this cannot be attributed to her!/
/The Emperor was consumed by anger to the point that his eyes ached. "He merely didn't wish to criticize his own son in public again!/
The Crown Prince, however, only seemed concerned about aiding his wife. He hadn't even reprimanded her yet, but he instinctively shot back a protective glare. It was almost unbearable to witness.
Seated beside his wife and holding her hand, the Crown Prince remained calm, wearing an innocent expression that seemed to ask, "What have we done?"
The Emperor felt a stifling sensation in his chest. He couldn't scold her, nor could he simply let her off the hook. He found himself grinding his teeth in frustration.
"Very well, begin serving the food now."
/After such a lengthy delay, they hadn't even finished serving all the food!/
/It would be more efficient to hurry things along and have them remove it./
The officials were facing financial losses and were feeling the pressure.
Upon hearing the Emperor's command, they silently pledged to themselves that they would consume every last dish to compensate for their losses.
/But could their consumption undo the money they had squandered?/
Minister of the Left, Chen Zhaozhi, was on the brink of despair. He had invested a staggering ten million spirit currency.
His family's annual income didn't even come close to the sum he had poured into this venture. It was as if he had invested his entire stipend accumulated over the years.
The woman beside him was discreetly pinching his arms, leaving them bruised.
This incident had occurred during the palace banquet, preventing her from erupting in anger there. However, she knew that once they returned home, all hell would break loose, and domestic peace would be a distant memory, leading to sobbing sound.
If only he had foreseen this outcome, Gao Boran thought. He would have practiced composure and restraint. Even if he had chosen to invest in the young crown prince consort, he wouldn't have poured in such a substantial amount of money.
/Wouldn't they still be able to carry on with their lives, regardless of the outcome?/
/It's his own fault. Everything is his fault. No, it's Madam Guo'an's fault./
/He had boasted of invincibility, but in the end, he proved to be inadequate, losing everything to the cleverly strategic young crown prince consort./
Chen Zhaozhi's heart felt as though it was bleeding. He found himself clueless and despondent about how to proceed with the rest of his days.
Beside him, Madam Consort Chen's lips curled slightly upward.
Throughout the evening, she had kept a piercing gaze fixed on Chen Zhaozhi, her eyes narrowed in displeasure.
She had repeatedly advised him not to invest so recklessly. She had cautioned him not to put everything on the line. Yet, he had persisted with unwavering enthusiasm, constantly reassuring himself that Madam Guo'an would undoubtedly emerge victorious.
/Look at this outcome!/
Madam Consort Chen felt her sanity slipping. /In a single night, this man squandered years' worth of savings!/
Chen Baojia, too, was in a foul mood.
It would be unusual for her to find solace after witnessing the crown prince consort and young crown prince consort stealing the spotlight.
Moreover, with her parents embroiled in a quarrel, she didn't dare utter a word and could only sit there, sulking.
Similar to the Chen Clan, many officials had undermined their own interests due to their blind faith in Madam Guo'an.
Living like this in the days to come was simply unbearable.
Madam Guo'an had successfully deceived all the civil and military officials present with her cunning plot. The atmosphere was filled with turmoil, leaving many on the verge of tears.
Contrastingly, Censor Wang, Censor Jiang, and the rest were elated.
/Fortunately, they had placed their unwavering trust in the Crown Prince…/
They firmly believed that the conniving couple could not face defeat!
As anticipated, hahahaha! The censors who had managed to secure a modest gain couldn't help but exchange knowing glances, their amusement concealed behind a facade.
Nevertheless, they upheld a stern demeanor outwardly.
The Emperor cleared his throat and led the toast. "In the days ahead, our son and daughter-in-law will be returning to the capital. We will require everyone's support."
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