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

Chapter 362 Commoner
"I..." Consort Xian's hands and feet were ice-cold and trembling, and her forehead was covered with a layer of cold sweat. "No."

"But I have carefully compared these letters with the handwriting you used to copy Buddhist scriptures in the palace. Even the writing habits you just mentioned are exactly the same. Does Consort Xian have anything else to say in your defense?"

impossible.

This is absolutely impossible. How could the Empress possibly have these letters written by her own hand?

But... not only the content, but also the handwriting, doesn't seem to be fake.

"Consort Xian," Consort Yan gritted her teeth, glancing sideways at her, "now that things have come to this, what else do you have to say?"

Consort Xian knew in her heart that the matter was already settled, the evidence was conclusive, and no matter how she argued, it would be of no use.

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time, for the sake of all the years I have served you." Consort Xian knelt on the ground, crying her heart out.

Emperor Yuanwu frowned, and with great annoyance, he raised his hand and shook off Consort Xian's hand that was gripping his clothes.

"Your Majesty." Consort Yan also came over at this time. "Your Majesty, can you believe me now? I was framed by Consort Xian. Ever since Consort Xian came to my palace last time, I have been feeling unwell. It must be that Consort Xian drugged me when she came to the palace, which is why I am like this."

"Consort Yan, how can you make false accusations? You have a sexually transmitted disease. How could I have gotten it from just sitting in your palace? Could it be that you contracted it from improper behavior before you entered the palace?" Consort Xian said coldly.

"What did you say?"

Enraged, Consort Yan scrambled to her feet and lunged at Consort Xian. "Don't you know how I entered the palace? If it weren't for you, how could I have ended up like this? Consort Xian, everything I am today is your fault. Since you don't want me to live, then let's all die together."

Before Consort Yan could finish speaking, she raised her hand and ripped the hairpin off Consort Xian's head.

Consort Xian's hair fell loose, and Consort Yan pulled out a lot of her hair, and the two started fighting.

"You're despicable yourself, yet you blame others. You don't even know where you got this disease from, and you still want to make excuses."

"How did you know I had a disease of the genitals? You weren't here when the imperial physician took my pulse. How did you know? And you still say that you didn't harm me."

"You're really sick, let go of me..."

Emperor Yuanwu frowned and gave a cold snort.

Shen Qingwan gave Xia Fuchuan a wink, "Pull those two apart."

After the hall became completely quiet.

Emperor Yuanwu slowly spoke, “Consort Yan has lost her virtue and is demoted to a low-ranking concubine and banished to the Cold Palace. Consort Xian colluded with officials of the previous dynasty, forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices, and is demoted to a commoner. All officials who corresponded with Pang in her letters are to be dismissed and investigated.”

Wu Jixiang was taken aback. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty, I am innocent! I am clear-headed! Please believe me..."

When Consort Yan was dragged away, her cries echoed throughout the entire Zhongcui Palace.

After Consort Yan was dragged away, Lady Pang remained kneeling on the ground. Emperor Yuanwu glanced at her calmly, a complex expression flashing across his face.

Shen Qingwan looked at him quietly, unsure of what to say.

Although Consort Yan's letter exposing Consort Xian was fake, the contents of the letter were real. If she didn't produce those letters, even if Emperor Yuanwu wanted to investigate the remnants of the Pang clan, it would be difficult to find a suitable excuse. She had contracted a sexually transmitted disease, but at least when she entered the palace, she should have been clean. After entering the palace, Emperor Yuanwu stayed in her palace every night. What favored concubine would risk the extermination of her entire clan to have an affair with someone else in the harem?

Although her merits and demerits could have been balanced, Emperor Yuanwu showed no mercy and instead banished her to the cold palace.

Shen Qingwan had never seen a concubine who had been banished to the Cold Palace emerge from it unharmed.

Consort Kexian's crimes were far more serious than Consort Yan's, yet Emperor Yuanwu only demoted her to a commoner...

Just as Shen Qingwan was distracted, Consort Xian pounced on her like a madwoman.

Shen Qingwan: ...

What are they all thinking?
All they do in a fight is grab hair?
Shen Qingwan dodged to the side, and Consort Xian fell right onto the armrest of the chair she was sitting on. Her lip was cut open, and bright red blood seeped out. Against her sinister expression, she looked rather creepy.

"Empress, I know that from the day you entered the palace, you hated me. You resented the Emperor's favor towards me and tried every means to make trouble for me. Now that I have fallen out of favor, you still won't let me go. You really deserve to die. You should have died last year from that illness..."

Shen Qingwan stared at her blankly.

"Insolence, Lady Pang!" Consort Rou, who had remained silent until now, rebuked, "You, a commoner, dare to curse the Empress! Do you know that this is a capital offense?"

"Death penalty?" Madam Pang sneered. "Then you sentence me to death! Come on, send someone to kill me right now! Come on, come on..."

Consort Rou trembled at her outburst, "You...you're not crazy?"

She seemed somewhat frightened and took a step back, but Pang Shi, undeterred, took a step towards her.

Roupin's panicked gaze swept over everyone around her. "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and drag her out!"

Unlike Consort Yan, who was banished to the Cold Palace and easily removed by the guards, Consort Pang was merely demoted to a commoner. Emperor Yuanwu did not punish her in any way, so they naturally dared not do anything to her in front of him.

As Consort Rou finished speaking, no one dared to step forward and pull Pang Shi out. She panicked completely.

Consort Rou glanced at Emperor Yuanwu, moved her lips but before she could speak, Lady Pang grabbed her arm. "Continue! Didn't you want me punished? Come on!"

Consort Rou has truly gone mad; she's now like a vicious dog, biting anyone she sees.

Consort Rou had no desire to have anything to do with such a madwoman, and she used almost all her strength to push her away.

For some reason, even though Pang used all her strength when she lunged forward to grab Rou Pin's arm, she lost her balance when Rou Pin pushed her away.

Half of her body crashed onto Shen Qingwan, and her hand, in the instant she fell, landed on Shen Qingwan's stomach.

Shen Qingwan was stunned by the impact, and instantly felt a warm current in her lower body.

She felt a sense of foreboding, and then she heard someone shout, "Blood! Your Majesty the Empress!"

Blood?

Shen Qingwan lowered her eyes to look at the spot where she had just been sitting. When Pang Shi threw the chair at her, her body slid down the force of the impact, but she didn't expect that the exposed part of the chair was stained with blood...