The harem is too complicated; the empress, a lazy bum, wins by doing nothing.

Chapter 287 Beating someone
After Xiao Qiu finished speaking, she still glanced at Xia Fuchuan's back with some worry. Unfortunately, Xia Fuchuan was kneeling in front of her, completely unaware of what was behind him. On the contrary, Emperor Yuanwu, the Empress, and everyone around were all looking at her without missing a beat. This made Xiao Qiu even more afraid, not knowing how to answer so as not to be punished.

No one could give her a hint, not even a glance.

At that moment, all she could do was answer truthfully.

"I took the food box from Eunuch Xia's hand, opened the lid and took a look. I was very surprised. Eunuch Xia actually told me to throw away the cured meat that I could never eat on a regular basis. I even asked Eunuch Xia if there was something wrong with the meat."

As Xiao Qiu spoke, she raised her head and looked at Shen Qingwan.

"What did Eunuch Xia say at the time?"

Xiao Qiu pursed her lips deeply. "Eunuch Xia said to just throw it away, why all the fuss? Does he have something to tell me? He said... Her Majesty said that the smell makes her nauseous, so she wants to throw it away."

Upon hearing Xiao Qiu's words, Consort Xian's already pale face turned even paler.

What Xiaoqiu said is probably true; such a tone and such words are indeed something Xia Fuchuan could say.

But her words also dragged her into the mess.

She rejected and threw away gifts sent by concubines in the palace as a sign of goodwill, which was undoubtedly a major taboo in the palace.

"Your Majesty," Consort Xian said, her heart pounding, "please let me explain."

Shen Qingwan didn't speak, but turned her head to look at Emperor Yuanwu.

Emperor Yuanwu's face was gloomy, his already somewhat irritated expression now filled with anger. "Consort Xian, you have truly disappointed me. I trusted you so much and bestowed upon you the honor of a consort, yet you do not know how to maintain harmony in the palace, and have allowed the good intentions of the concubines in the palace to be so easily discarded?"

Consort Xian felt her mind was in a complete mess, like a tangled mess. The issue wasn't about who poisoned Consort Wen, but how did it turn into her being reprimanded by Emperor Yuanwu?

"No, Your Majesty..." Consort Xian knelt on the ground, looking around helplessly. But at this moment, everyone was on edge, so naturally no one would speak up for her when Emperor Yuanwu was in a fit of anger.

Emperor Yuanwu sat up straight, propped one elbow on his leg, and leaned his head toward the kneeling Consort Xian. "Consort Xian, you have truly disappointed me!"

Consort Xian raised her head, and large tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Consort Xian is to be confined to her quarters for three months, copying Buddhist scriptures and reflecting on her mistakes behind closed doors. If she continues to cause trouble in the harem, she will lose her title as consort. As for the poisoning of Consort Wen, the Empress will be tasked with investigating the truth."

"Yes!" Shen Qingwan stood up and bowed. "Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty."

Emperor Yuanwu stood up, flicked his sleeves, and left.

Taking advantage of this moment, Shen Qingwan had Zhen'er bring in several basins of water from outside.

She summoned everyone in Jingyang Palace and gave the imperial physician a few instructions. One by one, all the servants in Jingyang Palace put their hands into the basin.

Each time a needle was inserted, the imperial physician would place it in and then shake his head at the Empress.

Consort Xian rolled her eyes at the sight. She really couldn't understand why Shen Qingwan was still pretending when the Emperor had already left.

Just as Consort Xian was struggling with her inner turmoil, Zhen'er carried a basin of water and walked up to her.

Consort Xian was taken aback, raising her head in confusion. "Your Majesty, what is this all about?" Facing her question, Shen Qingwan showed no displeasure. She simply replied calmly, "Since His Majesty has ordered me to investigate the truth behind the poisoning, I will naturally do my utmost. If Consort Xian has a clear conscience, why should she be afraid to cooperate with the investigation? Perhaps…"

Before Shen Qingwan could finish speaking, Xian Gui interrupted her, "Empress, what do you mean by this? Are you implying that I poisoned Consort Wen?"

Consort Xian had just been punished by Emperor Yuanwu with three months of confinement, and she was already seething with anger.

She only threw away a piece of rotten meat, yet the Emperor punished her by banishing her from the palace for three months and forcing her to copy Buddhist scriptures. She clearly did nothing wrong, yet everything seems to be directed at her. Why is it that every time she ascends to the position of Imperial Concubine, someone always tries to trip her up behind her back?

This Consort Wen usually doesn't have much contact with her, so why did she come to deliver a piece of meat tonight when the Emperor is coming to her palace?

Now they've brought a basin of water...

Could it be that she and the Empress conspired to set a trap for her?

Consort Xian stared at the basin of water, her eyes trembling, and she directly raised her hand and knocked over the water that Zhen'er was carrying.

Zhen'er's dress was instantly soaked, and she stumbled back several steps. Luckily, Green Pine was behind her and helped her up.

The water splashed everywhere, wetting not only Zhen'er's clothes but also Consort Xian's shoes and socks.

Consort Xian's eyes darkened, and she raised her hand to slap Zhen'er. The slap was hard and heavy, and Zhen'er's vision went black, and she heard a ringing in her ears.

She had been holding back her anger all night and had nowhere to vent it, and Zhen'er just happened to walk right into her trap.

Shen Qingwan frowned slightly, walked up to Zhen'er, and said with some concern, "Go downstairs and change your clothes first, don't catch a cold."

"Yes." Zhen'er curtsied and withdrew. She was still stunned from the beating and only now realized what had happened. She covered her swollen cheek with one hand and ran out crying.

Consort Xian sneered, gritting her teeth as she said, word by word, "Her Majesty the Empress really knows how to pity her servants."

Shen Qingwan twitched the corner of her mouth, as if she were smiling, but upon closer inspection, it revealed a sharp edge. "Since the Noble Consort is unwilling to cooperate with the investigation, then I can only give His Majesty the truth."

Consort Xian raised her head, a hint of provocation in her eyes, "Then I hope Her Majesty the Empress can keep her word."

"nature."

Shen Qingwan raised an eyebrow and smiled, then slapped Consort Xian across the face.

This slap came without warning, fast and loud, more than ten times heavier than the slap she had just given Zhen'er. It not only stunned Consort Xian and silenced the entire palace, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, but also made Consort Xian stagger and fall to the ground.

Shen Qingwan walked up to her, grabbed her collar with one hand, and pulled her up from the ground. "Do you think you can just hit the people around me like that?"

She spoke each word clearly and deliberately.

The usually docile Empress had an undisguised fierceness in her eyes, which startled Su Tianhe. Looking at the Empress's eyes, he was really afraid that she would strangle Consort Xian to death in the next second.

Although he was even angrier than the Empress at this moment, furious that Consort Xian had struck someone without asking any questions, if the Empress had actually done something to Consort Xian, and the Emperor was still in a fit of anger, what would happen if the matter were investigated…

He absolutely could not allow the Empress to act rashly and fall into the trap set by this Consort Xian...