Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

She could tolerate everything else, but when she heard the words "asking for anything" and "His Majesty cherishes the past," Wei Rong felt a wave of nausea rise in her chest.

How can a person say such a paradoxical thing in such a grand and respectable way?

Looking around the entire hall, apart from the Prime Minister who remained completely uninvolved from beginning to end, still focused on weaving his butterfly, it was as if he hadn't heard a thing.

The rest of them all cast gloating glances their way towards themselves.

Wei Rong went to see Xiao Heng.

To her disappointment, the heartless emperor seemed to gain support from these attacks on her, and sat up even straighter with his arm around Shen Mingxiu.

Not only that, he seemed to be waiting for Wei Rong to give in and beg him for mercy so that he would speak up for her.

Feng Zuyi, unconcerned, finished his cup of tea.

Shen Mingxiu still covered her face with a handkerchief, looking as if she was injured.

Wei Rong couldn't help but recall that last year's New Year's banquet was also held here, and even the people sitting in the hall were almost all the same.

But my father is gone.

Last year on New Year's Eve, he made a rare trip back to Beijing.

Those who are now criticizing her were once bowing and scraping as they toasted her father.

They mostly flattered her, the empress.

Wei Rong was used to people leaving and people becoming cold and fickle.

Therefore, I just watched coldly without much feeling.

Xiao Heng seemed to have an obsession with making her bow down, submit, and beg for favor by crying. At this moment, she raised her chin slightly and looked at her arrogantly.

But Wei Rong could never do this.

The official who had just told Wei Rong to reflect on her actions, seeing that the wind was blowing in his favor, couldn't help but say smugly, "Why doesn't Your Highness soften her stance with the Imperial Concubine? On this joyous occasion, you shouldn't anger His Majesty."

Having said all that, even Feng Zuyi felt that, given Wei Rong's personality, she would either overturn the table or back down.

Throughout history, and having spent over twenty years in the palace herself, she had seen it all before.

From now on, as long as Wei Rong remains in the palace, she will have to learn to bow to the emperor and recognize that she is no longer the daughter of a military family with the Wei family backing her up.

No one will speak up for her.

In everyone's eyes, Wei Rong was in a truly embarrassing situation.

But she showed no embarrassment whatsoever, and even picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.

The Empress was relaxed and at ease. She wore light makeup today, and her face was graceful. The phoenix crown on her head shimmered under the luminous pearl. If one stared at her closely, one would be deterred by her aloof temperament and dare not utter any rash words.

Meanwhile, hundreds of eyes watched as she slowly swallowed the piece of fish, put down her chopsticks, and took the handkerchief from Qiaoyu to wipe her mouth.

He remained oblivious to everyone else throughout the entire process, only raising an eyebrow at the very end, his dark eyes fixed on the official who had spoken the most: "Has Lord Yan finished speaking?"

"..."

She was savoring the food so slowly, was she waiting for them to finish speaking?

Moreover, Yan Zhengming was even more shocked to be named.

He was just a minor official of the fifth rank, yet Wei Rong recognized him?

For a moment, a bead of cold sweat appeared on Lord Yan's forehead, and he said somewhat guiltily, "I...I'm done talking."

"Last year, His Majesty was undecided about some of the officials he was assigning and asked me for advice. You asked me how many cases you had completed this year, since you only completed one-third of the cases you had when you took office last year."

After Wei Rong finished speaking, all was quiet.

To everyone's surprise, the Empress blurted out that she asked about his achievements!

Yan Zhengming broke out in a cold sweat, but forced himself to remain composed and said, "The harem must not interfere in politics—"

"I have not interfered in politics; everything is decided by His Majesty. However, as the Empress, it is more reasonable for me to care about the merits of officials than for officials to care about His Majesty's harem. Isn't that the truth?"

These words sounded like a warning, yet also like a suggestion.

Yan Zhengming was no longer just sweating; his legs trembled, and he knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please forgive me! This humble subject had no intention of interfering in Your Majesty's harem affairs! Absolutely not!"

The brilliance of Wei Rong's words lies in the fact that she pointed out that Yan Zhengming had accomplished nothing during his tenure last year, yet Xiao Heng had not made a ruling on his official position.

Since he failed to fulfill his responsibilities, these comments about her are purely inciting trouble and showing that he has poor character.

There are plenty of people like this in the government.

Yan Zhengming just happened to run into Wei Rong's blade, so she can't be blamed for making a fuss.

Now it was Xiao Heng's turn to react.

As an emperor, whether to punish idle officials or continue targeting the innocent empress is a decision any person could make.

If this is indulged, it will inevitably lead people to label him as muddleheaded.

Unsurprisingly, Wei Rong received a sharp glare from Xiao Heng.

He probably never imagined that Wei Rong would remember such an ordinary inquiry for so long.

Wei Rong looked back and smiled at him.

That smile was light and cheerful, yet Xiao Heng always felt that something was missing.

Wei Rong had laughed like that before. She wasn't a melancholy person, nor had she ever acted coquettishly towards him like Shen Mingxiu. Her laughter made people feel that this beauty was sincere.

But now, Xiao Heng doesn't like this smile, which means he still can't tame Wei Rong.

Unfortunately, no one offered Xiao Heng a way out at this moment.

No one knew whether the Empress's hidden arrow would turn and strike them instead.

Yan Zhengming, who was kneeling on the ground, was still trembling.

--boom.

A muffled thud.

Wei Rong looked in the direction of the sound and saw the Prime Minister, who had been indifferent to the matter for half the night, with the wine cup on the table falling to the ground.

He slowly stood up and solemnly bowed to Xiao Heng: "Your Majesty, please forgive me."

He apologized, but there was no remorse on his face.

Wei Rong looked at him, then at Shen Mingxiu.

The latter stared intently at the butterfly on his desk.

Xiao Heng gestured for him to drop the formalities and asked, "My dear minister, may I speak frankly?"

"Today is a day to celebrate the New Year, and I was delighted to attend the banquet, but I was overwhelmed with the affairs of the inner palace and the court. My hand trembled, and I startled everyone present."

Wei Rong admired his skill in playing dumb to deceive others; he offered the opportunity so smoothly, truly befitting Xiao Heng's most trusted and powerful minister.

Shen Mingxiu followed up, saying, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is right. My original intention was only to apologize to the Empress. Since I have been involved in this matter, it is my fault. I beg Your Majesty not to pursue the matter. If you must punish someone, then punish me."

If one were to look closely, one might think that the two were working together, putting on a charade.

Wei Rong had no objection to letting things slide, because she didn't expect Xiao Heng to speak up for her at all.

Xiao Heng looked pleased: "Xiuxiu is still the most sensible one."

He added, "Since you've spoken, I'll let it go today. What a mess this is!"

"What a chaotic and noisy scene!" Suddenly, a loud voice came from outside the palace gate, growing louder as it approached: "Your Majesty, I rushed here as fast as I could, and thankfully I made it in time to wish you a Happy New Year!"

A figure approached from afar, covered in dust.

Ling Weirong's eyes welled up with tears.