You take on two husbands, I'll turn around and marry the tyrant and rule the world.

The pretty lady trembled, recalling her accusations just now, and her face turned completely white.

She crawled on her knees a few steps, kowtowing repeatedly: "Your Majesty, I... I only wish to uphold palace rules and purify the palace..."

Upon hearing this, everyone present changed their expressions.

Purge the palace?

Is this something a minor noblewoman like her can say? She's utterly ignorant and arrogant.

A look of disgust and revulsion appeared on Duanmu Qingyu's handsome face.

"Oh?" Chu Nianci raised her eyes, her voice low but laced with sarcasm. "His Majesty and the Empress are both here. Is it necessary for you to take charge and purge the palace?"

The beautiful concubine stammered, her legs going weak: "Your Majesty, that's really not what I meant!"

She dared not be stubborn any longer, her voice trembling with tears, "Your Majesty, please see the truth!"

Consort Shu scoffed from the side, adding fuel to the fire as if she were watching a good show: "Nonsense! Your Majesty the Empress holds the Phoenix Seal, and I would like to ask, what is the punishment for falsely accusing a palace concubine and slandering the Emperor's reputation?"

She felt incredibly happy...

Just a few days ago, the Empress rewarded Consort Qiao with many gifts to win her over, but now this fool has shot herself in the foot.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please understand!" The pretty concubine's voice trembled with panic. "Please forgive me this time, considering that I am the first offender... Waaah!"

Chu Nianci coldly replied, "If everyone were like you, blaming the ringleader for every mistake, what rules would be left in the harem?"

These words put the Empress in a very difficult position as well.

If we do not punish them severely today, it will be blatant favoritism, and how will we gain the support of the people in the future?

"Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager have come to deliver the pearl flowers today by imperial decree, but I have been framed for no reason. I beg Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager to do justice for me," Chu Nianci said again.

Consort Qiao panicked completely, stammering in her defense: "Since she came by imperial decree, why didn't she reveal her identity earlier? I truly didn't know! She deliberately concealed it, leading me to make a mistake!"

"Enough," Empress Lin interrupted coldly, her eyes filled with disappointment.

This reason is completely untenable.

When Chu Nianci reveals his identity is none of her business.

The Empress glanced at Duanmu Qingyu, whose expression was inscrutable, and knew that no matter what the truth was, Consort Qiao had walked right into a trap today.

"Your Majesty," she turned to the emperor, her voice steady, "what do you think... should be done about this?"

Duanmu Qingyu's bright eyes swept over the slumped noblewoman on the ground, and he said in a flat tone, "Just deal with her according to palace rules."

According to palace rules... there is no room for sentimentality.

The Empress understood and said loudly, "Consort Qiao falsely accused the palace concubines and framed them. Afterwards, she showed no remorse and even tried to deny it. She is hereby demoted to a low-ranking concubine, given forty strokes of the cane in public, and moved to the Leisurely Moon Pavilion for solitary confinement to reflect on her mistakes."

Suddenly, he went from being a nobleman to a mere servant.

The punishment was astonishing, considering the usual practice of promoting concubines and those below the rank of concubine after serving the emperor.

A pretty concubine can be promoted to a concubine simply by serving the emperor; in the palace, the concubine rank is the only proper master.

Now that he's been demoted two ranks and has to take off his pants in public to be caned, how can he possibly live with himself?

The beautiful concubine, her face ashen, prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly: "Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, have mercy!"

The Empress, with a stern face, didn't even look at her. Instead, she turned her gaze to Consort Yu, who was already kneeling trembling with fear, and addressed Duanmu Qingyu, "Consort Yu is not the ringleader; she's just following the crowd and is ignorant and confused. What do you think?"

She didn't want to offend the Grand Commandant's mansion.

Duanmu Qingyu glanced at the Empress with a cold and sharp look in his eyes, pursed his lips, and slightly furrowed his long, dark eyebrows.

Duanmu Qingyu said, "The inner palace should be like the imperial court, with strict discipline and order, so that there are laws to follow and the practice of framing must not be allowed to spread."

Consort Yu shuddered and glanced sideways at Chu Nianci and Consort Lan.

A look of hatred shot from his eyes.

The gaze was filled with resentment, jealousy, and boundless hatred and malice, as if it wanted to devour the other person alive.

Seeing that His Majesty was showing no mercy, the Empress had no choice but to say, "Those who frame concubines... according to palace rules, shall be stripped of their titles and confined to their quarters for one month."

With a cry of "Ouch!", Consort Yu's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, her eyes rolling back as she fainted.

Being confined for a month meant that she would completely lose her qualification to serve the emperor for the first time. Moreover, having her title stripped was a great insult to a palace concubine. Her title represented the emperor's recognition of her character, and losing it meant that His Majesty no longer recognized her character.

Although she is still a concubine, she can only be called "Consort Bai" from now on.

This is truly heart-wrenching pain.

Upon hearing this, the concubines in the palace each had their own plans, but secretly they were delighted.

The fewer people vying for favor, the more opportunities one has.

Chu Nianci raised her eyebrows in satisfaction as she watched the palace servants come up and carry her out.

Consort Yu, do you think this is the end of it?

This feud is now set in stone; you just wait and see.

When the pretty concubine saw the palace servants coming to drag her away, she frantically rushed over and grabbed the leg of the Consort Shu: "Your Highness, please say a word for me, save me..."

The ring on her hand grazed Consort Shu's leg. Consort Shu frowned in disgust and kicked her away, saying, "Get out of here!"

The head maid in charge of punishments immediately stepped forward, covered the pretty lady's mouth, and swiftly dragged her away.

Soon, the dull thuds of clubs striking flesh could be heard from outside the hall.

The concubines held their breath. At first, Consort Qiao cried out in a shrill voice, but gradually her voice became hoarse and eventually she fell silent.

Silence returned to the hall.

After a long while, Consort Shu suddenly chuckled, looking quite pleased with herself.

These little vixens vying for attention are an eyesore; it's good to have one less of them.

She covered her mouth and laughed, "Your Majesty the Empress is fair and just in handling matters; I truly admire you."

Empress Lin's fingers tightened slightly within her sleeve, but she turned to Duanmu Qingyu: "Your Majesty, do you think my handling of this matter is appropriate?"

Duanmu Qingyu raised her eyes.

His eyes held a cool, icy luster, as clear and cold as winter snow.

"The Empress handled the situation well," he said gently, but there was no smile in his eyes. "However, it was also inappropriate for Imperial Physician Lin to enter the inner garden without permission."

Upon hearing this, the Empress immediately knelt down, her beautiful face filled with fear: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Imperial Physician Lin is currently kneeling outside the palace gates, pleading guilty. He wishes to clarify things for Your Majesty..."

"Make him kneel," Duanmu Qingyu interrupted her coldly, "I don't want to see him."

"Your Majesty, I have already had people investigate," the Empress hurriedly explained, "It is true that Imperial Physician Lin was framed and lured to the rear garden by someone who drugged him. The one who delivered the message was his apprentice, Xiao Dongzi... When I found him, he had already drowned in Taiye Pond. But I can guarantee that my brother had no intention of overstepping his bounds; he is innocent!"

A sharp glint flashed across Duanmu Qingyu's handsome face, and a glint of light flickered in his eyes as he looked directly at the Empress.

Empress Lin hurriedly knelt down, her face deathly pale.

"There's no way to verify the truth since he's dead, and no evidence to prove it," Duanmu Qingyu said calmly. "Indeed, a good method. Even if he was framed, there's still something wrong with him. He shouldn't have listened to others and trespassed into the palace. Drag him away and give him twenty strokes of the cane as a warning to others."

The empress's face paled. She wanted to plead again, but the emperor had already turned slightly away, clearly unwilling to say more.

She had no choice but to swallow her words and whisper, "...Your Majesty, I obey."

Outside the hall, Lin Jingrui, kneeling under the corridor, looked ashen-faced.

He was filled with remorse...

They initially thought Nianci had asked someone to find him, but it turned out to be a trap.

If it weren't for Chu Nianci's reasoned argument, His Majesty would have seemed inclined to protect her.

He would be branded as guilty of defiling the harem, dragging the entire Earl's mansion into the abyss.

Thanks to you, Nianci.

I will remember this kindness shown to me.

Shunqing was inside, and from the moment she entered until now, she hadn't pleaded for herself.

Whether it was fear or unwillingness, he dared not think any further.

Hearing that he was only sentenced to twenty strokes of the cane and not stripped of his official position, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He did not resist when the palace eunuchs pinned him to the ground.

The stick struck his back repeatedly, the pain almost making him faint, but he bit his lip tightly to keep himself from crying out.

Throughout the entire execution, only the dull thud of the cane striking the ground could be heard inside the hall; not a single scream could be heard.

Upon hearing His Majesty's decree, Chu Shunqing was already terrified, shrinking into the crowd like a quail, not daring to move.

She only hoped the execution would end quickly so that she wouldn't be implicated, and she was secretly anxious.

Why this life?

Everything is going against the course of the previous life; something big is clearly about to happen...

Duanmu Qingyu stood up, intending to leave in a huff, but then heard Consort Shu stand up and say sweetly, "Your Majesty must be thirsty after saying so much. My small kitchen has prepared bird's nest and white fungus soup; would you like to try some?"

The emperor paused slightly, then finally smiled and said, "My beloved concubine, don't spend all day picking out bird's nest and hurting your eyes. Empress, please get up too."

The Empress lowered her head and slowly stood up, her face regaining its gentle and composed demeanor: "I forgot to take care of Consort Shu's health. You should also take good care of yourself and prepare well for serving the Emperor."

His words were tinged with bitterness, almost overflowing.

A hint of smugness flashed in Consort Shu's eyes, but her smile grew even more radiant: "Your Majesty the Empress should also take good care of your health, so that you may watch me serve Your Majesty for a long time."

So what if she's the legal wife?

He has no family background, and His Majesty does not like him.

It's just a decoration occupying the position of phoenix.

Her grandfather and father had long said that as long as she could give birth to a prince, she could immediately bring down the Empress!

Empress Lin's chest heaved slightly, but she ultimately remained silent.

Just as Consort Shu stood up...

The head palace maid, Lü Qiao, who was supporting her, suddenly changed her expression and cried out in a low voice, "Blood... Mistress, your... your skirt..."

Although the sound was low, it was exceptionally clear in the silent hall.

Everyone looked over at the sound and saw a small patch of dark red printed on the brocade cushion where Consort Shu had just sat.

And a glaring bloodstain had appeared on the hem of her apricot-colored palace dress.

Duanmu Qingyu had already reached the vicinity of the palace gate when she heard the exclamation, so she stopped in her tracks and turned around to look.

Chu Nianci had already quietly turned to the side, subtly covering her nose with her sleeve.

The palace maids quickly stepped forward and used a screen to block the view.

Consort Shu stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the stain, her face flushing red and then turning pale.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and all eyes were fixed on her.

"This... how could this be..." Her voice trembled, her legs went weak, and she almost fell.

Empress Lin seemed taken aback, then asked with concern, "Consort Shu, could it be that you've started your period? Really, how come you can't even remember your own period? Quickly, summon the imperial physician to take a look."

The color drained from Consort Shu's face, then suddenly flushed red.

Her period? Her period isn't in the last few days, what's going on...?