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

Empress Lin's face remained gentle, but her voice was cold and piercing, carrying an undeniable air of authority: "Kneel down."

Chu Nianci's shoulders trembled, and she slowly knelt down.

She stood ramrod straight, biting her lips in a wronged manner, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Consort Jia looked at her, her eyes filled with worry.

Shen Lanbing was anxiously about to speak when Jiafei gently tugged at her sleeve, signaling her not to act rashly for the time being.

The news that the Emperor had granted Chu Nianci a bath had already spread throughout the palace. If they were to forcibly stop him now, it would probably provoke Consort Shu's anger even more, and give the Empress a reason to lash out.

If this matter escalates, it might cause a stir in the previous dynasty, which would be even more detrimental to Chu Nianci. It would be better to let them say a few words first. Even if Chu Nianci suffers some blame, it is still better than letting it escalate to the previous dynasty.

Chu Nianci raised her eyes, her expression calm and unwavering: "May I ask, Consort Yue, how did I manage to bewitch His Majesty?"

A cold glint flashed in Consort Yue's eyes. Her voice was not loud, but it carried a chilling intent: "You've just been promoted to Noble Lady, yet instead of being grateful, you dared to seduce His Majesty into granting you a bath at the Tangquan Palace, and have stayed by his side for two days straight. Do you have any respect for palace rules? In my opinion, you should be severely punished as a warning to others! Otherwise, if everyone follows suit, won't the harem descend into chaos?"

She looked at Consort Jia as she spoke, hoping the other would speak up for her. Consort Jia, however, only lowered her head and remained silent.

Consort Shu's face turned pale, her voice filled with suppressed anger: "Consort Hui's actions are extremely disrespectful! She should be demoted, no, in my opinion, she should be banished to the Cold Palace!"

As Consort Shu listened to Consort Yue's accusations against Chu Nianci, a glint of malice flashed in her eyes... This vile woman dared to steal the glory that belonged to her, so naturally she had to seize every opportunity to completely crush her.

"Consort Hui, what else do you have to say?" Empress Lin was secretly delighted.

Chu Nianci calmly replied, "Your Majesty the Empress and Consort Shu, you are wise. I did indeed go to Tangquan Palace on His Majesty's orders. Serving the Emperor is the duty of a concubine. If even this is considered a mistake, wouldn't that contradict Your Majesty's teachings of 'carrying offspring for the royal family'? Your Majesty can check the records. I was only serving according to the rules and did not overstep my bounds."

She paused slightly, then said, "On the contrary, I believe that allowing Your Majesty some relief from your heavy workload is truly for the sake of Your Majesty's health."

Empress Lin scoffed lightly, thinking to herself that this person had quite the sharp tongue.

But she was in no hurry to speak, waiting for Consort Shu and Consort Yue to make their moves first.

Consort Shu was about to lash out when Green Bridge served her a cup of tea.

Consort Jia, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, Consort Hui was summoned to go there; this matter was not something she could control."

Chu Nianci felt a slight sense of relief. At least Consort Jia was grateful and spoke up for her.

Consort Yue, however, persisted: "Even if His Majesty summoned you, you should have offered advice. What kind of place is the Tangquan Palace? It was the bathing place where Consort Wan of the previous dynasty was exclusively favored. You knowingly violated this rule, inducing His Majesty to indulge in pleasure and harming his health. Your crime is unforgivable. Such blatant violation of palace rules is despicable!"

Chu Nianci saw that Consort Yue was being so aggressive.

Her face immediately adopted a look of fear and grievance: "Your Majesty, I have not violated the palace rules. Although Consort Wan used the Tangquan Palace in the previous dynasty, she and twelve other concubines, including Consort Xian, also bathed here. If it is taboo just because Consort Wan used it, then the late Empress also bathed here. Wouldn't that be defaming the late Empress...?"

When she saw that she had brought up the late empress, Empress Lin immediately fell silent.

Consort Shu also glared at Consort Yue, thinking to herself, "She's another one who speaks without thinking, generalizing and condemning everyone."

Shen Lanbing hurriedly said, "That's exactly right. Tangquan Palace is where imperial concubines of all dynasties bathed in the emperor's grace. How can it be desecrated?"

Consort Yue then realized her slip of the tongue and said guiltily, "It was my slip of the tongue... But how can she be compared to the late Empress? She stayed with His Majesty at the Hot Spring Palace for two days and two nights. Such lack of restraint must have been detrimental to His Majesty's health!"

Chu Nianci tried hard to suppress her laughter, finally finding the woman's biggest weakness.

This was also the thing the Empress feared most to mention.

So she became even more terrified: "But... I only served you once, and I was sent back that very night. If you ladies don't believe me, you can check the records."

The hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

There were rumors in the palace that the emperor and empress spent two days together, so how could it have only happened once?

Many people wore expressions of disbelief.

Consort Yue turned deathly pale, her legs went weak... She then realized that if the records were true, the accusations were not only a frame-up of Chu Nianci, but also a slander against His Majesty...

"How...how could this be..." Her voice trembled. "Please, Your Majesty...check the records..."

Although Consort Shu was unaware of the situation, she went along with it and said, "Your Majesty, why don't we take a look at the records?"

The Empress's hands suddenly clenched the hem of her skirt, and her face turned slightly pale.

She was well aware that the record only mentioned it once, so checking the record now would be a slap in the face, handing the knife handle to Chu Nianci.

The concubines noticed that the Empress's expression was unpleasant.

Is there anything else you don't understand?

Shen Lanbing knelt down at the opportune moment and earnestly said, "If it really was only once, then it does not count as violating palace rules. Your Majesty the Empress is the mother of the nation, please investigate."

Consort Jia slowly knelt down and calmly said, "Slandering a concubine is a minor matter, but what crime should be punished for defaming His Majesty's reputation?"

Empress Lin was so angry that she couldn't speak, and could only say coldly, "I have checked the records, and Consort Hui's service to the emperor was in accordance with the law."

"This...how could this happen?" Consort Yue panicked completely. "Your Majesty, I didn't know the truth. I didn't mean it..."

"Your Majesty, if everyone makes a mistake and then claims 'I don't know,' wouldn't the harem be in chaos?" Chu Nianci said, rubbing her eyes with a wronged expression.

She said one sentence.

This puts the Empress in the spotlight. If Consort Yue is not severely punished, it would be blatant favoritism, and how could she gain the respect of the people in the future?

Consort Yue glared fiercely at Chu Nianci, but was speechless. In the end, she could only argue, "You, you deliberately set a trap for me. Why didn't you explain the record earlier? You were clearly trying to mislead and confuse the public..."

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

Today, I finally managed to set up a plan, but this self-righteous fool has ruined it all.

Consort Shu gritted her teeth inwardly. If she had known that Liu Shan was such an incompetent ruler, she should not have sent someone to recruit her into her ranks.

"Consort Yue's words and actions have been inappropriate and have disrespectful to the Emperor. Effective immediately, she is demoted to the rank of Noble Lady and her salary is reduced by six months!"

Consort Yue, no, Noble Lady Yue's face turned deathly pale instantly... She had finally managed to rely on her family background.

He had just been promoted to the position of a palace mistress, but he did not receive the emperor's favor upon entering the palace. In the blink of an eye, he was demoted to a low-ranking concubine. Where would he find a place in the palace from now on?

"Your Majesty the Empress..." she still wanted to plead.

"Step back!" Empress Lin was already impatient, and turned to look at Chu Nianci, "Consort Hui, rise."

Consort Yue collapsed to the ground. Upon seeing this, the head maidservant serving her hurriedly stepped forward, trembling, to help her to the side. Consort Yue's expression was ashen, like autumn leaves.

Upon seeing this, Chu Nianci prepared to stand up.

"Who gave you permission to get up?" Consort Shu suddenly spoke, still seething with anger. She decided to take matters into her own hands. "I haven't finished speaking yet..."

Before the words were finished, a young eunuch bowed and hurried inside with a box in his hand, kneeling and reporting, "Your Highness, the Hall of Mental Cultivation just sent someone to deliver this item, saying it is a gift specially bestowed upon you by His Majesty."

Consort Shu paused for a moment, her anger subsiding slightly.

As I took the carved wooden box and opened it, my fingertips trembled slightly.

In the instant it unfolds, a plum tree stands proudly against the snow, its branches slender and strong as iron, its red stamens scattered, as if one can smell its cool fragrance.

The brushstrokes are elegant yet retain a strong character; one glance reveals it to be His Majesty's own work.

Consort Shu was completely stunned, as if she had been freed from a spell.

In a daze, her gaze suddenly fell on the lower right corner, where she saw a line of poetry.

"May your heart be like mine, then I will never betray your love."

Consort Shu shuddered, as if she had been instantly drenched in snow water and frozen in place.

Your Majesty's poem... is full of comfort and longing.

His feelings for himself are incomparable to those few bitches.

She stared blankly at the plum blossoms in the painting, her fingertips, painted with bright red cinnabar, trembling as she slowly brushed across the ink, her heart churning with turmoil...

He... actually still remembered... their first meeting in Merlin.

Jealousy, anger, and resentment all vanished... A trace of grievance was precisely soothed and touched.

Consort Shu bit her lip, and tears rolled down her cheeks without warning, one after another, dripping onto the edge of the drawing paper and blurring a small patch.

She sobbed silently, like a child. After crying a few times, she hurriedly wiped her eyes with her sleeve, as if afraid that her tears would be ruined in the slightest.

Consort Shu's eyes were full of tears, but her gaze was so bright it could burn anyone's eyes.

She gripped the scroll tightly, her knuckles turning white, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Chu Nianci knelt to the side with her head down, sighing inwardly that even if her imitation of Duanmu Qingyu's paintings and calligraphy was 90% similar, she was still a good match.

If you examine it carefully, you can find the loopholes.

Consort Shu is usually very shrewd, and such a little trick should not be able to be hidden. But she is prone to making fools of herself when the Emperor is involved, as easily fooled as those young girls in the capital who stay at home and never leave their homes.

"How could this be?" Chu Nianci looked up in shock at just the right moment.

"Why does Your Majesty always think of you?" Her face showed envy, pain, and despondency, with a hint of jealousy in her words. "I have figured it out. Your Majesty still loves you the most. I dare not have the slightest thought of overstepping my bounds."

"Yes, whoever he is, who can match Consort Shu's favor..." Several palace servants nearby chimed in.

"Get up." Consort Shu wiped away her tears, the fierce look in her eyes slowly melting away like ice and snow meeting fire.

Her scrutinizing gaze swept over Chu Nianci, then returned to her condescending posture, her eyes even carrying a hint of pity... This woman is nothing more than His Majesty's plaything; Qingyu-gege was merely acting on a whim.

How can it compare to the friendship we've built over the years?

Everyone stepped forward to flatter and praise the "Imperial Brush," marveling at the deep affection between the couple.

Chu Nianci also stood up, pretending to admire the painting, and slowly approached Consort Shu's side.

Suddenly, she let out a soft "Eh," a voice low enough for those around her to hear: "Your Highness, there's... a scent of oleander and safflower on you?"

The words, spoken lightly, fell like a thunderclap, and the hall fell silent instantly…