I became the tyrant's only belief.

Chapter 522 Demonic Confusion

"I'll be going now." After finishing her business, Consort Chunzhao stood up, took two steps, then turned back and said, "The day after tomorrow is an auspicious day, suitable for travel."

Chu Liuzheng nodded. "We're leaving the day after tomorrow, I understand!"
Seeing this, Consort Chun Zhao started to walk out again. Chu Liuzheng got up to see her off. When they reached the door, Consort Chun Zhao suddenly turned around, leaned close to Chu Liuzheng's ear, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "He must be blind to choose you over me."

Chu Liuzheng: "..."

No, if you're going to criticize the emperor, just criticize the emperor. Why bring her into it?

After saying this, Consort Chun felt a surge of relief, her long-suppressed emotions instantly lifted. Although it would have been more satisfying to point her finger at the emperor and berate him, she had to settle for second best due to various considerations.

She lifted her skirt, stepped over the threshold, and left with Qingyi.

A bright red sun shines in the sky, its fiery rays illuminating the flowing skirt and making it glow brilliantly.

*
In Lanju Pavilion, Consort Xie collapsed to the ground upon hearing the latest news, muttering, "Even Yan Yunyin can't defeat her, what should I do, what should I do?"

"Your Highness, please get up." The maid Xiaoyue helped her to sit down at the table and poured her a cup of cool tea. "Please calm down. The Empress Dowager is here. She loves you and won't send you away."

"Yes, Aunt, I still have my aunt." Consort Xie seemed to have found her pillar of support, gripping Xiaoyue's arm tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh. "Has Aunt's reply arrived? Does she know that that vile woman Chu has bewitched the Emperor, causing my cousin to dismiss the harem and leave her alone?"

Xiaoyue was pinched so hard it hurt, but she didn't dare to dodge. She stammered, "No, there's no reply."

"No? How could there be no!" Consort Xie's eyes widened in disbelief, bloodshot. She stood up, grabbed Xiaoyue's shoulders, and shook her violently, her face contorted as if she were insane. "You're lying to me, aren't you? Aren't you? Aren't you!"

"No, no, that's not it!" Xiaoyue was so frightened that she closed her eyes and pushed her away.

Caught off guard, Consort Xie was immediately pushed and fell to the ground. Startled, Xiaoyue rushed to help her up, crying out, "Your Majesty!"

"Did you fall anywhere?" Xiaoyue anxiously looked him up and down, then called out, "Someone come here! Summon him—"

Before she could even utter the words "Imperial Physician," Consort Xie yanked her hard, saying, "I'm fine, help me up."

Xiaoyue immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that her expression seemed to have returned to normal, she carefully helped her sit down. "Your Highness, it's time for lunch. I'll go and call someone to serve the meal."

"I'm not hungry, come here." Xie Pin called out to her, her dark eyes looking strangely sinister in their reddened sockets.

Xiaoyue's heart pounded, but she dared not disobey. She cautiously leaned closer and asked, "What...what are your orders?"

"I want..." Consort Xie said almost into her ear, which frightened Xiaoyue so much that her face turned pale. She opened her mouth to try to persuade her, but she didn't dare to do so when she met Consort Xie's sinister eyes. She could only give a few random answers.

"Go quickly!" Consort Xie urged her.

Xiaoyue, who was in a daze, was almost pushed over by her. She quickly responded and ran out the door.

Inside the room, Consort Xie sat for a while, then suddenly laughed, as if she had thought of something happy. "Ha!"

"Ha ha!"

"Ha ha ha ha!!"

She laughed so hard she almost fell onto the table, slapping it so hard she accidentally knocked over the tea.

The cold tea was spilled on the freshly copied Buddhist scriptures, and the ink became blurred, obscuring the original appearance.

*
"Xiaoyue?" By the window, Chu Liuzheng put down his pen, raised his hand to rub his stiff neck, and asked in confusion, "Which palace is she from?"

Chen Xing said, "Lanju Pavilion."

Isn't Lanju Pavilion Xie Consort's territory? What kind of trouble is she up to now?

"Bring him in." Chu Liuzheng stretched and took the tea that Siyue handed him, taking a sip.

A slender palace maid in blue followed Chen Xing into the Yangxin Hall. She knelt respectfully before Chu Liuzheng and said, "This servant Xiaoyue greets you, Miss. May you be blessed."

"Get up." Chu Liuzheng looked up and saw that the person who came had regular features and a handsome appearance, but there was a hint of panic between his brows.

She subconsciously softened her tone and asked, "What important matter do you have to report?" Xiaoyue glanced at the palace servants in the hall, her hands clenched tightly together in front of her, her knuckles turning white from the force. She suddenly regretted running over like that.

Seeing this, Chu Liuzheng waved his hand to signal the palace servants to leave, Chenxing guarded the door, and Siyue stood by Chu Liuzheng's side.

Chu Liuzheng said gently, "Can you tell me now?"

Xiaoyue nodded subconsciously, glanced up at her, then quickly lowered her head, pinched her palm hard before saying, "It seems that Consort Xie has gone mad."

"Seems like?" Chu Liuzheng frowned. How could he say something like "going crazy" so casually?
She asked, "Has the imperial physician been summoned?"

"No," Xiaoyue shook her head. "Her Majesty forbade it."

Upon hearing this, Chu Liuzheng wanted to summon the imperial physician to examine Consort Xie, but Xiaoyue stopped him. Chu Liuzheng's gentle manner eased some of her panic, and she said, "Consort Xie instructed me to find her a knife and to dab her with black dog's blood, she...she..."

She hesitated for a long time before continuing, "She said she wanted to kill a demon."

When she said the word "demon," she quickly glanced at Chu Liuzheng.

Chu Liuzheng's eye twitched. "Is this demon me?"

Xiaoyue nodded, then quickly shook her head, then nodded again, making Chu Liuzheng's eyes dazzled. He quickly stopped her and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Xiaoyue shook her head.

Chu Liuzheng rested his chin on his hand, pondering deeply in his heart.

[Isn't copying Buddhist scriptures supposed to calm the mind? Why is Consort Xie becoming more and more mentally unstable the more she copies them? Could it be that the Empress Dowager is putting too much pressure on her, making her feel too oppressed?]

They're even trying to use black dog blood on me now. Are they really possessed, thinking I'm a vixen?

[If it's just an act, that's fine, but what if he really goes crazy?]

After thinking for a moment, she turned to Siyue and instructed, "Go with her to Lanju Pavilion to check on Consort Xie's condition. Then summon two imperial physicians and tell them that His Majesty ordered them to take her pulse."

Siyue responded, "Yes."

Chu Liuzheng then said to Xiaoyue, "I appreciate your kindness in coming to tell me. After you've inquired about Consort Xie's situation, you don't need to go back to Lanju Pavilion to work. Go to the Imperial Household Department and find Chief Steward Wang, and have him arrange a job for you."

Xiaoyue was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you, young lady."

She kowtowed three times before getting up, her worries gone and her whole body relaxed.

Seeing that Chu Liuzheng had no further instructions, Siyue led her away.

As soon as the two left, Chu Liuzheng got off the couch and called Chen Xing to go to the Wenhua Hall.

Consort Xie's status is somewhat special, so no matter what, she has to consult with the Emperor first to see how to handle the situation.

"Crazy?" Xiao Jingfan was taken aback and looked up. "Has the imperial physician been summoned?"

"She's probably watching right now." Chu Liuzheng walked around the imperial desk and sat down beside him, sighing. "She even wants to use a knife splattered with black dog blood to get rid of me, this demon. Even if she hasn't gone mad yet, she's probably not far from it."

Xiao Jingfan was unaware of this detail and immediately felt that Consort Xie's mind was somewhat unstable. He ordered Zhou Yuande to also go to Lanju Pavilion to take a look, and then said to Chu Liuzheng, "We will make a final judgment after the imperial physician reports back."

Chu Liuzheng nodded.

Whether Consort Xie is insane or not, the tyrant should deal with her. I definitely can't get involved, or the Empress Dowager will eat me alive when she returns from her summer retreat!

【Ew~ Just thinking about it is terrifying.】

Xiao Jingfan: "..."

(End of this chapter)