"We'll win!" The prince's confident declaration echoed through the hall. "Leave everything to me. I hope you'll trust me," he requested, and a collective acceptance resonated among the gathered subjects.
In another part of the palace, the second queen marched through the corridors, accompanied by her maid servant, her face etched with anger. She confronted the second princess with a pointed question, "Are you sure?"
"Very sure. With my own two eyes, I saw him," the princess affirmed. They reached an abandoned courtyard, and without hesitation, they moved towards a secluded area. A guard, noticing their approach, attempted to hide. The queen commanded, "Don't hide," and issued an order to break down a door.
"My queen, His Highness, Ma'am..." The guard stammered, caught between fear and confusion.
"Mom, come look at him. He was about to flee," the princess called out, and the queen, undeterred, confronted the fourth prince who stood half-naked, sweating, and attempting to escape.
"Hold him," she ordered the guard, her face radiating anger. As the guard secured the prince, the queen moved closer with an expression of intense displeasure.
"Don't move an inch," she warned him. The door to the room was forced open, revealing a naked lady inside.
"What is this?" the queen demanded an explanation.
"Mom, I h..." Before the fourth prince could explain, he was abruptly slapped by the queen.
"How dare you, son! You know how much I am fighting for a prominent position for you in the imperial court. Here you are, engaging in disgraceful behavior. Look at this thin, ugly thing standing here. I raised you because you refused to be trained. I thought you were on the battlefield, but instead, you are here in this abandoned courtyard, indulging yourself..." The queen cut off the prince's attempt to explain.
"I was on the battlefield, but I came home early to..." The prince's words were interrupted by another resounding slap.
"To do what? To commit adultery? Do you know you are married, and you are aware of our traditions? I didn't give birth to a shameless son like you," the queen scolded angrily. She left the scene immediately, and the prince, torn between embarrassment and anger, initially considered running after her. However, he abruptly changed his mind, ordering his guard to compensate the woman before running after his mother, hastily donning his robe as he sprinted through the palace corridors.