The royal court was thick with tension, a hush settling over the assembly. The events of the previous day still hung in the air like a dark cloud. The unexpected punishment and demotion of Minister Qin and his eldest son had sent shockwaves through the court. No one had foreseen the gravity of the situation.
The Qin family's descent from grace became a cautionary tale within the court. Due to the reckless actions of their impulsive youngest son, they lost their prestige overnight. It served as a stark reminder to all about the weight and respect the position of the Crown Princess commanded.
Initially, there were rumors circulating about the less-than-ideal relationship between His Highness and the Crown Princess. They had been sleeping in separate chambers during His Highness's recovery, Zheng Liang had been preoccupied with his duties, and it had been almost a year since their marriage with no news of the Crown Princess conceiving the future heir of the empire.
