Xue Lan continued to cater to the ladies’ random questions and praises. When the refreshment was delivered he didn’t miss the glances they exchanged.

Their maids readily moved to serve them. It was then Qing Meilin and the others noticed that Xue Lan’s attendant wasn’t with him.

“Honorable Consort Xue, it is rare for you not to be accompanied by your attendant,” Qing Meilin said.

She was actually quite curious as to how handsome he was after hearing her handmaid’s description.

“He went to get us some fruits. He should be back shortly,” Xue Lan replied.

“Honorable Consort Xue must not be familiar with how to properly appreciate the last day of spring though we certainly cannot blame you for your inelegance since you are raised as a man,” Huang Xieli commented.

“Your Majesty is truly wide-hearted,” one of the consorts praised.

“Men who don’t value themselves and chose the way of women to live a comfortable life indeed cannot disguise their lack of education with rouge,” another one added.

The last consort who had an unhealthy complexion only nodded.

Qing Meilin gestured at the delicate refreshments, “To appreciate the last day of spring, the visual of the refreshments is as important as its taste. Each of us contributed one type of refreshment for everyone to enjoy their beauty with our eyes and palate. Even Her Majesty’s pastries are made by the Imperial Chef.”

“Is that so?” Xue Lan picked up the pot to serve himself the tea. “I shall note it down for future reference.” 

Qin Meilin gave the consort next to him a look. In response, she moved her elbow to bump Xue Lan’s hand which was holding the pot.

The tea was still boiling hot. It would undoubtedly scald the skin if got spilt on.

But just a few milliseconds before their elbow bumped, a hand appeared from behind and interjected in between them. Like an iron wall, it didn’t move in the slightest from the impact.

The consort was stunned and everybody looked behind Xue Lan except for the man himself.

“My Lord, the fruits you requested,” Mo Shen slid the apple in his hand to Xue Lan with a smile.

Xue Lan calmly placed down the pot, “Cut them nicely for everyone.”

“Certainly,” Mo Shen took out a wide blue plate from the basket he brought and placed it on the table.

Under everyone’s widened eyes, Mo Shen pulled out a large watermelon from the basket and swiftly started carving it with a fruit knife. His hands didn’t show any hesitance in his movement and every cut was done eerily precise.

In less than 10 minutes, a life-sized bright red lotus bloomed on the centre of the plate.

Everyone was already jaw-slacked but he didn’t stop there. He made little frogs with melons, fishes with apples, small flowers and petals with strawberries, and butterflies with peaches.

A perfect miniature garden was presented to them. Mo Shen could even still make various little rabbits and cats from the leftovers.

“They may only be fruits, but I hope they are now visually pleasing,” Xue Lan was the only one unfazed amidst the blank consorts and empress. “I believe fresh fruits are also proper tributes to welcome summer.”

Compared to the soft-coloured pastries, the vibrant colours of the fruits made them look very refreshing. The people around the tables unconsciously salivated.

At the same time, they couldn’t bring themselves to destroy the delicate miniature or eat the cute little rabbits and cats.

Once they came back to their senses, they immediately felt embarrassed.

“Then, let us start from Her Majesty’s pastries, shall we?” Nie Hui quickly spoke up.

The rest nodded.

The pastries totalled the same as their number each with a different colour. Huang Xieli chose one first and the plate was passed around the table reaching Xue Lan last.

They all looked at Xue Lan when he took a bite of his portion. Seeing that nothing happened, Qing Meilin hesitantly looked at Huang Xieli.

Did the chef forget to put the powder they gave him?

The pale-faced consort didn’t have any appetite but forced herself to eat her portion to not get into any trouble. She then noticed Xue Lan’s attendant was looking at her.

When he smiled meaningfully at her, she immediately shuddered.

It was him.

He was the devil who massacred the assassins and carved their body.

But it was too late for her. The pastry was already swallowed and the taste of iron soon rose from her throat.

The people at the table were stunned when she suddenly coughed out blood. Her handmaid couldn’t react at first but then hurriedly went to her side in panic.

“Consort Lady! Consort Lady!” She called out, not knowing what to do.

Nie Hui reacted next and urged the maid, “Bring her to the Imperial Physician! Hurry!”

“Let my attendant help,” Xue Lan gestured at Mo Shen.

Mo Shen nodded and easily carried the consort away.

Qing Meilin and Huang Xieli looked at one another, thinking the same thing. The chef must’ve mixed up the colours from the one they instructed.

The table fell into silence.

Xue Lan slowly stood up, “I believe this is not quite the right time to appreciate beauty anymore. I will excuse myself first to report this to Guard Li.”

The plan was a failure but they didn’t want to give up yet.

With a signal from Huang Xieli, the maid standing next to the pavilion’s steps timely stretched out her leg.

Xue Lan noticed it but he didn’t bother avoiding it. He could use the injury as an excuse to skip the hunt.

He braced himself for the pain once he tripped. Unluckily for him, his plan also failed because a certain hateful man caught him first.

With his appearance, everyone in the pavilion hurriedly knelt down and greeted him.

Tian Chen disregarded them and only focused on the man in his arms, “Are you hurt?”

He was told by his spy that Xue Lan was invited to the gathering set up by Qing Meilin and Huang Xieli. When he saw Xue Lan’s attendant rush past with a bleeding consort in his arms, he knew that there was something wrong.

Thankfully, he came here to check.

“Answering Your Majesty, this subject is unhurt,” Xue Lan freed himself and bowed. “Thank you for saving this clumsy one, Your Majesty. This debt will certainly be paid.”

Tian Chen clearly saw that it wasn’t because of himself Xue Lan tripped. How could someone who was cautious about his legs trip on empty air?

He narrowed his eyes at the maid, “Seize them.”

The ladies froze in place. They thought all of them would be held responsible but the guards only restrained the maid and her mistress and forced them to the ground.

Still, they couldn’t relax themselves.

Xue Lan was unmoved. He was already irritated by Tian Chen’s interference. But if he didn’t use it to his advantage, he would be a fool.

“Your Majesty…men should not treat women with violence,” Xue Lan softly touched Tian Chen’s chest. “Please calm your anger.”

Tian Chen felt the feather touch rippled into his still heart. It trembled further when the pair of clear eyes looked at him in gentle reminder.

With a wave of a hand, the guards let the 2 women go. Regardless, they didn’t dare to raise their body and kept their grovelling position.

Seeing how the Emperor listened to Xue Lan and how much his words affected him, the other consorts turned green in jealousy.

Especially Huang Xieli who down-right darkened.

“Explain,” Tian Chen ordered with a dangerously low voice and added, “everything.”

The maid was scared out of her wits and gathered the last of her senses to make a coherent speech. She also mentioned about the poisoned consort, but she wasn’t aware of the details.

Xue Lan very thoughtfully filled in the holes and recounted the complete story without omitting or adding anything. As long as they had a brain, anyone would notice there was foul play there.

As the Empress, Huang Xieli bravely stood up and came forward, “Your Majesty, I believe you are well informed that this morning, a horrible display of threat had terror Consort Wu and the concubines. They–”

“Yes, Empress, We are well informed,” Tian Chen cut her off. “They are assassins who the three of them sent to kill a certain target. One of them was in his last of breath and confirmed everything.”

Huang Xieli wanted to use them as the scapegoat for Consort Wu's poisoning but was taken aback, “I-I see…forgive me for speaking too soon.”

“Empress, this is your first warning,” Tian Chen looked at Huang Xieli meaningfully. “I chose you for your sensibility.”

Don’t think he didn’t know what was going on.

“…Yes, Your Majesty. It will not happen again,” Huang Xieli spoke through gritted teeth.

One would think that she felt humiliated by Tian Chen's words but the fact that Tian Chen sided with Xue Lan infuriated her more.

“Throw these two to the cold palace,” Tian Chen offered his hand to Xue Lan. “Come with Us, Honorable Consort Xue.”

Xue Lan watched the guards drag the consort and her maid away as he left with Tian Chen.

Well, he didn’t get what he wanted but this outcome wasn’t entirely bad.