A middle-aged emperor, childless, was blessed with a beautiful and pregnant concubine who entered th

The hall was eerily quiet.

Emperor Qianwu closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and remained silent for a long time.

Zhao Yannian guarded the border for twenty years.

He was a loyal and decorated veteran.

He has been dead for three years, and his whole family has died.

The person who killed him was his daughter.

It was an order issued by him personally.

He was also the culprit who caused the death of his entire family!

Wang Hongyi stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the evidence in the Zhao Yannian case is conclusive."

"I believe this case should be reopened to exonerate General Zhao. As for the person behind it all..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Emperor Qianwu opened his eyes, his gaze icy cold.

"By imperial decree, the three judicial departments shall jointly try the case of Zhao Yannian. Not a single person involved shall be spared."

Zhou Mingchong kowtowed: "Your Majesty is wise."

His back was soaked with sweat when he left.

But he doesn't regret it.

The child in her sister's womb will surely become a thorn in Princess Chaoyang's side.

He wanted to clear the obstacles for his nephew.

……

When the news reached the princess's residence, Chaoyang was getting ready.

After hearing the guard's report, she slammed the comb in her hand to the ground.

"What? A retrial?"

The guards lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

Chaoyang stood up, his face deathly pale.

She was the one who committed Zhao Yannian's case.

Back then, she took a fancy to Zhao Yannian's son. Unfortunately, when that old scoundrel found out, he not only failed to clean up his son and send him to the princess's residence, but even sent his son out of the capital overnight.

How ungrateful!

Chaoyang held a grudge and seized an opportunity to frame Zhao Yannian for treason.

They sent the whole family away.

She thought she had done it perfectly, but to her surprise, someone still found out.

"Who is it? Who is investigating?"

The guard's voice trembled: "It's...it's Zhou Mingchong, Consort Zhen's elder brother."

Chaoyang's pupils suddenly contracted.

Zhou Mingchong, Consort Zhen, Consort Zhou!

She gritted her teeth, her fingers clenched until they turned white.

"Good, very good."

Weiyang Palace.

Zhou Mingyi leaned back on the soft couch, holding the secret report handed to her by Lianwu in her hand, and the corners of her lips curved into a smile.

Zhao Yannian's case has finally been reopened.

Chaoyang has killed so many people; let's see how she escapes this time.

……

Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager leaned against the soft couch, her fingers twirling Buddhist prayer beads, and listened with her eyes closed as Consort Lan wept.

Inside the hall, the calming sandalwood incense burned, its delicate fragrance soothing and refreshing.

Kelanfei's cries were like a fine needle, stuck in the tranquility of the room, impossible to pull out.

Consort Lan knelt on the ground and had been crying for half an hour.

She was clever enough to know that she couldn't go to Emperor Qianwu to cry about this.

Men can be foolish, but most of them are ruthless.

Women are different.

The Empress Dowager was her adoptive mother.

Even if she was wrong in this matter, crying more and gaining some sympathy is never a bad thing.

Moreover, Consort Lan was well aware that if she could use this opportunity to bring down Consort Chen and Princess Chaoyang, it would be a great achievement for Consort Zhen.

Having been reborn, Consort Lan no longer harbors any hope of having children.

She failed despite having so many women in her harem in her past life, so there's no reason why she could succeed just because she's reborn.

Consort Zhen was capable; that was due to her abilities.

In fact, even now, Consort Lan still finds it hard to believe that Consort Zhen is really pregnant.

Is the child truly His Majesty's?

Even if it's hard to believe, Consort Zhen became pregnant twice.

Now, Consort Lan has no desire to oppose Consort Zhen.

Her eyes were swollen and her voice was hoarse, but she kept talking and crying, as if she wanted to pour out all the grievances she had accumulated over the years.

"Empress Dowager..."

"I've been in the Cold Palace for over ten years!"

"For the past ten years or so, I have been repenting every day! I shouldn't have harbored evil intentions to harm Consort Chen and Princess Chaoyang."

"That's His Majesty's flesh and blood, how could I be so wicked? I shouldn't have drugged her!"

"I was wrong, and I accept the punishment."

"But I didn't know that she sent someone to deliver the medicine to me."

"How could she be so kind? Knowing full well that I was trying to harm her, she still specially brought me medicine! And then pretended not to know anything and went to complain!"

"I have been repenting in the cold palace for so many years, thinking that I deserve my punishment."

"But what about her? She lived in Chang Le Palace, basking in the morning sun, as a noble concubine, enjoying such a glorious life for so many years!"

"Mother! I've been wronged. What have I been for these past ten years?"

Whether she was genuinely wronged or deliberately putting on an act, Consort Lan still used her trump card.

Calling her "Mother Consort" was meant to evoke the Empress Dowager's feelings of guilt towards him.

After all, they were once inseparable "mother and daughter".

Even though they weren't related by blood, the Empress Dowager still had feelings for her.

Consort Lan always knew that although she enjoyed a life of luxury in the Cold Palace, unlike those in the harem, she never lacked food or clothing, which was mostly due to the Empress Dowager's behind-the-scenes maneuvering.

The Empress Dowager's hand paused slightly.

She didn't open her eyes, but just kept fiddling with the prayer beads, one after another.

Consort Lan cried even harder, collapsing to the ground, her shoulders trembling.

"Mother, I know I was wrong."

"I admit it!"

"But she's no cleaner than the concubine. She's harmed far more people than the concubine."

"Why did she want to harm me? Because I was more favored than her at the time, because His Majesty glanced at me a few more times? She couldn't tolerate me anymore!"

The Empress Dowager opened her eyes and looked at Consort Lan.

That gaze made Consort Lan instinctively freeze, and she didn't even dare to cry anymore.

She said, "Okay, stop crying."

The Empress Dowager has lived in this palace for most of her life; what hasn't she seen?

Consort Lan is unclean, and so is Consort Chen.

How many people in this palace are clean?

This girl deliberately came to her crying, just to soften her heart.

Even if Chen deliberately lured Consort Lan into that affair back then, she still deserved what she got.

To plot against the imperial heir is a crime punishable by death!

The emperor spared her life only because of their long-standing relationship and because of her status as his "mother".

But humans aren't plants or trees; how can they be without feelings?

She was just a concubine of her own son, and someone she didn't even particularly like.

The other is the child she raised as her daughter since childhood.

The scales in the Empress Dowager's heart began to tip slightly.

In any case, those more than ten years of life in the cold palace did indeed smooth out Consort Lan's rough edges.

She was indeed punished.

"You come here to cry because you feel wronged, or because you think Consort Chen was also at fault for what happened back then?"

"Do you think that Consort Chen's wrongdoing can outweigh your crime of murdering the imperial heir?"

Consort Lan was so frightened that she dared not cry anymore.

The sobbing stopped abruptly.

She raised her head, her eyes blurred with tears, and looked at the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager sighed, took a handkerchief from her sleeve, and handed it to her.

"Wipe it off."

Consort Lan took the handkerchief, her hands trembling.

She wiped her face, but the tears still wouldn't stop flowing.

The Empress Dowager looked at her and remained silent for a while.

"I know some of what happened back then. I just didn't expect there to be so many twists and turns involved."

Consort Lan's heart leaped into her throat.

The Empress Dowager, twirling her prayer beads, said slowly, "I know Consort Chen well. She's petty and intolerant. You harmed her, and she harmed you; neither of you should accuse the other."

Consort Lan's tears flowed again, but she dared not utter a sound.

The Empress Dowager paused, her gaze falling on her.

"But she's enjoying a life of luxury outside the Cold Palace, while you're suffering inside."

"This is a terrible debt."

"Your mistake was that you shouldn't have wanted to kill the emperor's offspring. She was just using your thoughts to plot against you."

"If you don't have any intention to harm others, she can't harm you."

Although she was soft-hearted, the Empress Dowager was perfectly aware of the situation.

Consort Lan prostrated herself on the ground, her voice trembling: "Empress Dowager, I ask for nothing more."

"I only want the Empress Dowager to know that I have made mistakes and I accept the punishment, but Chen has also done many wrong things."

"We cannot make an exception for her just because she is the princess's birth mother."

"As the saying goes, even a prince who breaks the law is subject to the same punishment as a commoner."

"Besides, she's just a concubine."

"Will her ability to give birth be her eternal lifeline?"

That hits the nail on the head.

The Empress Dowager did not respond directly, but stared at her for a long while. "You may go back now. I am aware of this matter."

"The Emperor and I will make our own decision. You need not say anything more."

Consort Lan raised her head, wanting to say something, but when she met the Empress Dowager's gaze, she swallowed her words.

She kowtowed, staggered to her feet, and left.

……

As soon as Consort Lan left, the Empress Dowager seemed to suddenly lose her support. She leaned against the soft couch and looked out the window.

This imperial harem has never been a clean place.

But she never expected that Consort Chen had already achieved this level of success back then.

Over the years, we've underestimated her.

"Zhulan, go and check if the little eunuch who received the medicine back then is still around."

Aunt Zhulan responded and left.

Even after Zhu Lan left, the Empress Dowager remained in the same posture.

She thought that Consort Chen had been the sole favorite in the harem all these years, and there must have been more than just this one thing she had done behind the scenes.

But why hasn't anyone come forward to expose her all these years?

Is it because no one has found any evidence?

Or is it because they dare not?

The Empress Dowager was not a stupid person.

She sighed.

Most likely—they dare not.

Consort Chen was the birth mother of Chaoyang and the only concubine in the harem to give birth to a child.

As long as Princess Chaoyang is around, she can be guaranteed a lifetime of wealth and honor.

In this light, it seems that Chaoyang and her daughter committed evil deeds because they had the emperor and her support.

If Consort Chen truly committed countless sins, how could she and her son be innocent?

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes tightly, looking exhausted.

When Zhu Lan returned, it was already dark.

She entered the hall with a very somber expression.

The Empress Dowager slightly raised her eyelids, her expression calm. "You've found out?"

Zhu Lan knelt down, her voice low: "Your Majesty, that little eunuch... is dead."

"Not long after he received the medicine, he was transferred to the laundry department and died in less than six months. They said he died of illness, but when I checked the old files, I found that before he died, a sum of money suddenly appeared in the house."

The Empress Dowager paused. "How much?"

"One hundred taels."

The Empress Dowager pursed her lips tightly and remained silent.

One hundred taels of silver to buy a life, what a bargain!

Consort Chen, you are doing very well!

Zhu Lan paused, then whispered, "Your Majesty, I've also discovered some other things."

The Empress Dowager raised her eyes.

Zhu Lan took out an old account book from her sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"This was found in the old archives of the Eastern Palace. When the deposed Crown Prince Xie Jing was in power, he had many secret dealings with Consort Chen. Consort Chen, through her personal maid Chen Mama, passed a lot of information to the Eastern Palace. In exchange, Xie Jing helped her with many things in the court."

The Empress Dowager opened the account books and read through them page by page.

The text clearly records that in a certain year and month, Consort Chen revealed the dirt on Consort Min's father in the local area. Xie Jing instructed the censor to impeach him, and Consort Min lost her support in the palace. She died soon after, depressed.

In a certain month of a certain year, Consort Chen wanted to promote her nephew from her maternal family. Xie Jing arranged for someone to recommend him, and he was admitted to the Imperial Academy.

In a certain month of a certain year, Consort Rou and Consort Chen vied for the emperor's favor. Xie Jing ordered his men to search Consort Rou's palace and find witchcraft items. Consort Rou was banished to the Cold Palace and has not been released since.

Each and every one of these incidents is shocking.

Consort Min and Consort Rou were both concubines who competed for the emperor's favor with Consort Chen.

One died, and the other went mad.

The Empress Dowager always believed that they deserved their punishment.

Only now do I realize how many twists and turns there were behind it all.

The Empress Dowager's hand trembled slightly.

"Were these things found in the Crown Prince's Palace?"