Five years after her death, she awoke on the dragon bed.

Chapter 471 Testifying Against Lord Xie

Consort Ning's hands and feet were ice cold.

She wanted to refute Lou Suyi, but she had personally witnessed how intimate Murong and Lou Suyi were, and she had also seen how focused His Majesty's gaze was towards Lou Suyi.

It seems that Murong would give Lou Suyi anything she wanted without any conditions.

She has been imprisoned in the North Third Prison. If Lou Suyi wants her dead, she will surely die.

“Consort Ning, you know what you’ve done. If you had confessed the truth, I could have advised His Majesty to be lenient with the General’s Mansion. But you were ungrateful and refused to admit your guilt. So there’s nothing I can do but deal with it my way. I don’t know what kind of shady dealings you and Lord Xie have done, but just in case, I have no choice but to have several hundred people from the General’s Mansion die with you,” Lou Suyi said slowly.

Consort Ning was startled.

No, there are so many people in the General's Mansion. Their crimes don't warrant death. How could Lou Suying be so cruel?

"Lou Suying, you can't do this! I'll take responsibility for my actions. My father knows nothing. You can't kill them..."

At this moment, Consort Ning panicked completely. She stumbled and tried to get closer to Lou Suyi, but was intercepted by Yun Zhong.

Lou Suying chuckled lightly: "Why can't I?! Look at the charges I have in my hand, you've already signed them. So many lives in the General's Mansion have been lost because of you. If you have someone to blame, blame yourself."

She was about to leave after saying that.

Consort Ning's pupils constricted. She knew this was Lou Suyi's way of forcing her to confess, but she also knew that Lou Suyi was capable of annihilating the entire General's family.

She couldn't afford the gamble.

Even though she hated Lou Suyi, and even though she had thought of dying rather than admitting her guilt, Lou Suyi had her weakness.

She closed her eyes and opened them again, saying in a hoarse voice, "Fine, I confess."

Lou Suyi scoffed: "Whether you admit your guilt or not, I already have evidence of your crimes here. Why waste any more time?"

"Don't you want to know who hypnotized Consort Wan?" Consort Ning looked at Lou Suyi, her eyes gleaming.

Lou Suyi returned to Consort Ning's side and saw Consort Ning's strange smile. She smiled as well: "You don't think you can negotiate with me like this, do you? I already know about the hypnotist. I also know that the Empress Dowager fell into the water that year, and that was also her doing."

The smile on Consort Ning's face froze instantly.

Impossible, how could Lou Suyi possibly know?

This woman is definitely trying to scam her.

Seeing the change in Consort Ning's expression, Lou Suying slowly revealed the answer: "That person is the one from just now."

Consort Ning's pupils constricted. She hadn't expected Lou Suying to actually know. She thought Lou Suying was trying to extort her...

"You think you've gotten away with it without leaving a trace, but there were already clues. In your statements that day, you and the person from before covered for each other. Once we locked onto you, we could lock onto the person from before. It's such an obvious loophole, yet you still think you've gotten away with it so easily?" Lou Suyi said calmly.

Consort Ning slumped her shoulders in dejection: "When did you find out?"

"It's been some time. But without concrete evidence, we haven't taken action. This trip to the Mulan Hunting Grounds just happened to provide you and Lord Xie with the opportunity for a secret rendezvous. His Majesty seized this opportunity, instantly making things much simpler." After a pause, Lou Suying began listing Consort Ning's crimes, "Plotting against the imperial heir, plotting against the Empress Dowager, colluding with court officials—don't these crimes alone warrant the extermination of your entire clan?!"

Consort Ning knelt dejectedly before Lou Suyi: "This is a crime committed by this sinful woman alone, and has nothing to do with the General's Mansion. Please forgive me, Your Majesty the Empress..."

"You beg me for forgiveness, but did you ever think of forgiving my child back then? If I hadn't been lucky, we would have both died. Consort Ning, you have no right to ask me for forgiveness." Lou Suying sneered.

Consort Ning's lips moved slightly.

She thought for a moment, then said in a hoarse voice, "I am willing to testify against Lord Xie. In that case, could Your Majesty show leniency and punish me lightly?!" Lou Suyi smiled slightly; Consort Ning had finally gotten to the point.

Judging from Lou Suyi's expression, Consort Ning knew that there was room for negotiation.

She kowtowed to the tower in plain clothes, each kowtow resounding firmly.

After Consort Ning kowtowed dozens of times, her head bleeding, Lou Suyi finally took pity and spoke up: "Jinshu, please ask His Majesty to come to the Northern Three Palaces."

Since this involves an official of the imperial court and is related to the case of impeaching her last year, this matter must be decided by Murong.

After Murong arrived, Consort Ning recounted everything she knew, and only then did the Emperor and Empress leave the Northern Three Palaces together.

Murong looked at Lou Suyi: "You really do have a way."

“I am a woman, and I understand women better. As long as we find Ning Fei’s weakness, it will be much easier to get her to confess,” Lou Suyi replied.

With Consort Ning's confession, convicting Xie Zhijie will be a piece of cake, and Xie Zhijie's accomplices can be rounded up in one fell swoop.

“You are still better than me.” Murong held Lou Suyi’s hand and insisted on personally escorting her back to Xianfu Palace.

Lou Suyi simply let him be.

"I may not be able to come to Xianfu Palace in the next few days. If you miss me, go to Qianqing Palace to find me." When he arrived at Xianfu Palace, Murong passed by without entering.

"Your Majesty is busy with important matters," Lou Suyi replied with a smile.

Murong stared at Lou Suyi for a long while, hesitating to speak.

"Your Majesty, please speak plainly."

What are some things that a husband and wife can't say to each other?
"What do you think is the best way to deal with Xie Zhijie? I would like to hear your opinion."

Murong's question left Lou Suyi both amused and exasperated.

He's the emperor; why should he ask her about such an important matter?
"Your Majesty may deal with him however you wish. I cannot offer any advice. Your Majesty may act as you please," Lou Suyi replied with a smile.

"You won't... feel reluctant?" Murong had just finished asking when he saw Lou Suying's face darken.

He immediately realized he had misspoke and quickly added, "I was just asking casually."

Lou Suyi ignored him and went into Xianfu Palace.

Watching her departing figure, Murong chuckled to himself. He was always afraid that she still held a place in Xie Zhijie's heart, after all, he had personally witnessed her fawning over Xie Zhijie back then.

Even after all these years, he still remembers that scene clearly.

Perhaps he was wrong. With her clear-cut likes and dislikes, how could she possibly still have any lingering feelings for Xie Zhijie, that scumbag?

Lou Suyi was truly speechless.

She thought she had made herself clear last time, but Murong was still worried that she still had feelings for Xie Zhijie. The only person she had ever truly loved in her life was Murong; what was Xie Zhijie anyway?
Is a scumbag who abandoned her for power really worth her remembering?
"His Majesty is only so anxious because he cares about Your Highness. Please don't be angry, Your Highness," Jinshu quickly reassured her, knowing that her mistress was upset.

Lou Suying shook her head: "I just find it ridiculous. His Majesty is too petty."

Fortunately, Xie Zhijie will soon disappear from her world, and there will be no need for conflicts with Murong because of such a person in the future.