
Professors’ dad killed himself while in prison (he’s an apothecary accused of poisoning people in uke’s village). Snake is helping professor in his revenge.
Minister of rites is a bad guy, but the guy who went to get the uke’s approval for a concubine is the crown princes’ right hand man and old tutor, who I think was manipulated into helping (for the greater good of the kingdom).
There was another comment that the professor is lying about uke’s brother being alive to get him to come out and assassinate him.

oh damn i just went and check, seems like i made a mistake. i thought the dude hanged himself, turns out his dad was the one who suicide. my bad.
i realised it was his former grand tutor but i thought it was not an important detail so i chose to simplify it.
it was just my own assumption but i had a guess maybe the brother he was trying to find was the professor himself. that will make it more angsty lol
brief explanation (based on my understanding):
1. the uke's professor is an evil guy and plans to kill/brings seme down. he's actually a dead guy, seme chopped his hand before, then he killed himself. he's alive maybe because of the snake (?) they didn't say anything about how he's alive. but he is supposed to be dead
2. the minister rite is also an evil guy, wants to take the seme down. seme refused to approve him getting concubine, so the minister went to the uke instead. uke said yes, which is why seme and uke were fighting. seme told uke to say no. then uke rambled on how he felt like seme didnt love him or something. lol.
3. minister rite has a grandson that has the blood of the tiger as well, because the minister daughter was one of seme's father concubine. they planned to overthrow the seme and make his grandson as the crowned prince
4. seme said uke's brother is dead, but the professor said his brother is alive. uke told seme he wanted to leave the palace and check. seme refused, and gave the order of house arrest (uke not allowed to leave house). uke sad. seme sad cause uke didnt trust him