Forcing me to become a concubine? Remarrying the Ninth Prince, she'll be pregnant all over the

This seemingly ordinary futon is filled with countless fine needles.

It pierced through the skin and flesh, causing severe pain.

Besides the excruciating pain, there must have been some kind of medicine applied to these needles, because in just a moment, Lin Wantang felt weak all over and couldn't even struggle to stand up.

She realized she had been tricked and glared angrily at Granny Ma, but before she could even speak, Granny Ma slapped her hard across the face!

"Her Majesty the Empress is kind and magnanimous, able to forgive all things..." Granny Ma flexed her wrists, her expression turning fierce and menacing in the candlelight, "But this old servant is narrow-minded and holds a grudge against you for harming His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"What are you talking about? How could I...?"

Before Lin Wantang could finish her rebuttal, she was slapped again by Granny Ma!

"Shut up and listen." Granny Ma paced around the area with her hands behind her back. "If there were evidence, would Miss Lin still be suffering here? To put it bluntly, in this world, nothing is more important than not doing something in the first place if you don't want others to know."

"Why did His Highness the Crown Prince suddenly lose his mind and act so drastically a few days ago? Miss Lin, what did you say and do to the Crown Prince when you visited the Eastern Palace late that night? Hmm?"

Granny Ma, like a judge from hell, interrogated him in a sinister tone: "There is no evidence, and hearsay from servants is not enough to prove anything, but this old servant has inquired and found that Miss Lin has studied medicine since childhood and is extremely skilled in using poison!"

Lin Wantang's cheeks were red and swollen, and faint five-finger marks were visible on her fair skin.

She gritted her teeth and took a deep breath, her gaze fixed coldly on Granny Ma: "I don't know what you're talking about! If Her Majesty the Empress suspects me of poisoning His Highness the Crown Prince, then she can be frank and confront me directly for questioning!"

"Since when did it become your place, a mere lackey, to give orders and issue accountability?"

As Lin Wantang angrily rebuked him, she also focused her mind and tried to break free from the unknown toxin that had invaded her body. Just as she was about to regain her strength, she tried to stand up again, but was maliciously pressed down on her shoulders by Granny Ma.

"How dare you! You're being so insolent!"

Lin Wantang was completely enraged. She struggled and shoved Granny Ma away forcefully: "I am the daughter of a high-ranking official, the Grand Tutor. How dare you to arbitrarily torment and torture me?"

Without wasting words, Granny Ma steadied herself and shouted, "Someone come here!"

Lin Wantang had barely managed to stand up when two servants burst in and forcefully pressed down on her shoulders, forcing her to kneel once more on the futon where the poisoned needles were hidden.

She was in excruciating pain, and her face turned deathly pale in an instant.

But those eyes, filled with suppressed resentment, stared at Granny Ma with unwavering, cold ruthlessness: "You used torture without authorization, a crime deserving of death! You just wait!"

Granny Ma sneered and, without saying a word, stepped forward and swung her arm to slap Lin Wantang hard across the face.

He struck her with both hands, and in an instant, his blows split her lip, causing blood to gush out.

Despite the excruciating pain, Lin Wantang didn't utter a single sound.

"This old servant has dared to defy his superior, what can you do about it? Go complain to the Ninth Prince, or go to your father to seek justice and revenge? Heh! What are you without these men!"

Granny Ma spoke with undisguised contempt, mocking, "You'd better kneel here and reflect on your actions! Today you're just suffering a little, but tomorrow... you might lose your head."

"Oh, by the way, do you know who knelt here last time to repent and reflect on their actions? It was your Lin family's fine daughter, your dear sister! Even the Crown Princess couldn't do that, let alone a filthy wretch like you!"

After Mama finished speaking arrogantly, she left two attendants to keep a close watch on Lin Wantang, and then had the palace servants drag Chunhen away.

Having heard no screams or unusual noises, Lin Wantang didn't know what Granny Ma would do to Chunhen, but judging from her arrogant demeanor just now, she was afraid...

We can't let anything happen to Chunhen!

Lin Wantang never dreamed that the Empress would dare to openly torture her. Moreover, judging from what Granny Ma said, the last person to be privately abused and tormented by the Empress in this way was Lin Qinglian.

It seems the Empress is a repeat offender.

This is outrageous! What's wrong with the Empress? She can't be this lawless!

Lin Wantang struggled again in anger to get up, but two of his followers suddenly drew their swords and pressed them against his shoulders.

One of the attendants said, "Miss Lin, please don't make things difficult for your subordinates."

Another said, "Think more about Grand Tutor Lin. You wouldn't want your actions to implicate the entire clan, would you?"

Father, the whole family...

This was like a deadly blade hanging over Lin Wantang's head, forcing her to suppress her anger and be wary. After all, the Empress dared to treat her like this without any evidence or a legitimate reason to provoke or poison her. If she were to resist, what high-sounding pretext would the Empress use to attack the entire Lin family?

Today, during the family banquet to celebrate New Year's Eve, Lin Wantang almost understood that Liu Yuniang, who appeared as a Taoist priest, not only improved the emperor's condition but also coaxed him into obeying her every word.

With Liu Yuniang and the Empress as his two adversaries, one flattering him and the other whispering in his ear, no matter how much Wei Wujiu planned and schemed, he couldn't stop the Emperor from acting as his accomplice!

A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan... She endured it.

I'll figure out a way to vent my anger another day.

Furthermore, the emperor is incompetent and terminally ill, and his death is only a matter of time. A change of dynasty would not allow Shen Huai'an to ascend the throne. So how can this seemingly stable and stagnant situation be stirred up and further propelled into chaos?

We need to push Shen Huai'an to the brink of rebellion. Otherwise, regardless of whether Shen Huai'an is removed from his position as crown prince, he is the eldest son and legitimate heir. Once the emperor passes away, at least half of the court officials will support Shen Huai'an to succeed to the throne.

Only rebellion, this colossal crime, could not be atoned by the appearance of all the gods and Buddhas, and it would also completely extinguish his path and ambition to become emperor.

If they force Shen Huai'an... Liu Yuniang and the Empress, then they must die.

Lin Wantang pondered, her brows furrowed, and she neither struggled nor made any further moves.

Meanwhile, in Chentingxuan.

Wei Wujiu helped Jiang Fulu down from the sedan chair and into the palace, only to see Qiu Ying and her maids kneeling and paying their respects. He frowned slightly: "Where is Madam?"

As he spoke, he strode toward the bedchamber, assuming Lin Wantang was still washing up. He was about to wave everyone away when he heard Qiu Ying, who was following closely behind, say, "Reporting to my lord, the madam has not returned yet."

Wei Wujiu paused, glancing at the hourglass on his desk. It was nearly five in the morning. "She hasn't returned?"

He looked at Jiang Fulou with suspicion: "How are you handling this? You can't even keep an eye on people?"

Jiang Fulu was taken aback and quickly bowed to apologize. Then he pondered and said, "Logically, that shouldn't be the case. This old servant personally witnessed Princess Yong'an's sedan chair leaving. Madam and the princess are close friends and always went together... Could something have gone wrong?"