The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

After tidying up, Ning Shuyan had breakfast and then went to admire the lotus flowers nearby.

The delicate pink lotus flowers in the pond are in full bloom, displaying a thousand different shapes and forms, while the lotus leaves densely cover the pond. The dewdrops on the lotus leaves are crystal clear and lustrous.

Ning Shuyan watched for a while, and just as she was about to go back, she ran into Consort Rong coming towards her.

Ning Shuyan was slightly taken aback, wondering how she had run into her. She still wore a faint smile and curtsied, saying, "Greetings to Consort Rong."

Consort Rong wore a deep purple gauze dress today, which made her look noble and elegant.

"What are you doing here?" Her brows furrowed slightly, and her tone revealed a hint of annoyance.

Consort Rong did not allow Ning Shuyan to get up, so she remained crouched and said, "After having breakfast, I thought the air was nice, so I came to take a stroll."

Consort Rong then remembered that Ning Shuyan's palace was right next door. Looking down at Ning Shuyan's delicate and pretty face, she felt even more annoyed and said coldly, "Last night, when Consort Zhuang asked the Emperor to leave, why didn't you stop him, sister?"

She thought that if the Emperor were in Liuyin Palace, he would definitely come to visit the eldest prince.

Ning Shuyan lowered her eyes and said softly, "Consort Zhuang is ill, and His Majesty must go. How can I possibly stop His Majesty?"

Consort Rong sneered, mocking, "You can win the Emperor's favor, yet you lack the ability to keep him. Truly useless!"

Ning Shuyan clenched her fists slightly, thinking to herself: Aren't you just as useless, so you're taking it out on me?

She suppressed her dissatisfaction and maintained a calm and composed expression.

Consort Rong, finding the situation uninteresting, deliberately bumped into Ning Shuyan as she passed by.

Fortunately, Ziying was there to support her, preventing Ning Shuyan from losing her composure. However, she accidentally knocked a handkerchief to the ground.

Consort Rong turned her head and saw Ning Shuyan hurriedly get up and pick up the handkerchief. She reached out and snatched the handkerchief from Ning Shuyan's hand when she wasn't paying attention.

"My handkerchief!" Ning Shuyan said nervously.

Consort Rong looked at Ning Shuyan with clear, cold eyes, then lowered her gaze to the handkerchief in her hand: "It's just a handkerchief, yet it's made Consort Ning lose her manners? All etiquette is abandoned, and she doesn't even need to address herself?"

Ning Shuyan was also momentarily excited and forgot to refer to herself as "your concubine." She curtsied and said, "Your concubine knows her mistake. This handkerchief is your concubine's beloved possession. Please, Your Highness Consort Rong, return it to me."

Consort Rong leisurely examined the handkerchief, then sneered, "Consort Ning must be joking. It's just a handkerchief, with a small plum blossom embroidered on it. Nothing special about it. How did it become Consort Ning's prized possession?"

Consort Rong thought, Consort Zhuang is bullying her, how could she not do anything to a mere concubine? If that were the case, then she would be unworthy of her position as one of the four consorts.

Ning Shu's tone remained gentle as she pleaded, "This handkerchief is extremely precious to me and holds sentimental value. Please, Consort Rong, return it to me."

Consort Rong raised the corners of her mouth, a sinister smile playing on her lips: "Commemorate? Commemorate whom? Perhaps Consort Ning has some unspeakable secret outside the palace."

As she was about to turn and leave with the handkerchief, Ning Shuyan suddenly stood up, grabbed Consort Rong's wrist, and stared at her intently, saying, "Please return it to me, Consort Rong." Her tone was filled with suppressed and restrained anger.

Consort Rong frowned slightly, seeing her so flustered and nervous. Could it be that this silk handkerchief truly contained something shameful?

Consort Rong forcefully pulled her hand away, the gold and red pearl bracelet on her wrist gleaming slightly, containing a sharp and cold luster. Just like her expression at this moment, her voice was as cold as ice: "Consort Ning has committed insubordination and is unbecoming of her status. I hereby punish you to kneel here for one hour."

Consort Rong raised her chin, gave a wink, and left with her handkerchief. The maid Pei'er remained standing before Ning Shuyan. Pei'er rolled her eyes and said lazily, "Miss Ning, accept your punishment. I'm waiting to go back and report."

Seeing that she was abusing her power, Ziying quickly said, "You're just a servant girl, how dare you speak to our master like that?"

Pei'er raised her chin and curtsied, saying, "This servant is only acting under orders, please forgive me, Consort Ning." Her words still carried a hint of firmness.

Before Ziying could say anything more, Ning Shuyan grabbed her hand to stop her.

Ning Shuyan glanced coldly at Pei'er, then slowly knelt down. She clenched her fists tightly, the pain of her fingertips digging into her palms reminding herself to endure. It was just kneeling for an hour, wasn't it? But how could she possibly kneel for that long?

Ning Shuyan stood ramrod straight, her posture unchanged even as she was being punished. She stared blankly at the smiling lotus flowers standing in the pond, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

Although the morning sun wasn't harsh, it was still enough to make you sweat profusely after a while. The water droplets on the lotus leaves, glistening in the sunlight, were gradually shrinking.

Upon hearing the news, Qiu Le came over from Liuyin Palace with an umbrella and quickly held it over Ning Shuyan's head.

Seeing this, Pei'er said, "Even when Miss Ning is being punished, she has to hold an umbrella. Isn't this a bit insincere?"

Ziying quickly said, "Consort Rong didn't say we can't use umbrellas. If our mistress gets sunburned and something happens to her, can you take responsibility?"

Pei'er opened her mouth, gritted her teeth, and said nothing more.

Ning Shuyan, however, said coldly, "Put the umbrella away."

"Master..." Qiu Yue said to Ning Shuyan with concern.

"Keep it!"

Seeing Ning Shuyan's stiff attitude, Qiu Le had no choice but to put the umbrella away.

Ning Shuyan knelt on the stone road. It was inevitable that her knees would hurt after kneeling for a long time, but she didn't even frown.

Until that person appeared...

Everyone was startled. Pei'er quickly knelt on the ground and nervously performed the ceremony.

As Ning Shuyan saw Xiao Yu approach, she stared at him blankly, her eyes instantly filling with tears, and whispered, "Your Majesty..."

Xiao Yu had never seen her like this before. Usually, she was always beautiful and charming, but now her eyes, filled with tears and a hint of sadness, looked incredibly pitiful. Xiao Yu's heart softened, and he quickly stepped forward.

Ning Shuyan moved her legs, but unexpectedly, her knees landed squarely on a pebble. The sharp pebble stung painfully even through her skirt, causing her to gasp in pain.

Whether it was from the pain or from being exposed to the sun for too long, Ning Shuyan swayed and nearly fell to the ground, but fortunately Xiao Yu caught her tightly.

"Shuyan..."

Ning Shuyan only vaguely saw a trace of worry and tension on his face before she fainted.

Xiao Yu called out loudly, "Summon the imperial physician!"