Phoenix in the Imperial Palace

The next morning, little marquis tells the prince that he's been kicked out of his mansion by the imperial prince. He's crying because he doesn't have any place to go. He wants to prove his innocence, he says, and he needs the prince to bring him to the emperor's mansion. The prince says he'll find a way to get rid of him. Little marquis says he has people to find him, and the prince is worried about the royal consort. He asks the maid to bring out the earrings that the royal couple left behind. The maid says that she brought them out because she was worried that she wouldn't be able to give them back to the royals if they found out. The royals have been using the earrings to trap the royal for years, and they've been waiting for her to fall for it. The smell of the snake reminds the prince of the time when he was searching for the real king.