The mad princess forces love upon him, and the aloof imperial advisor trembles every night.

Chu Qingyue stood there, quietly watching Si Chen. After a long while, she suddenly smiled softly. It wasn't the venomous, barbed smile from before, but a more alluring, almost bewitching, and exquisitely beautiful smile.

"The Imperial Advisor's words are law." Her clear voice resonated throughout the palace. "Then, is there anyone who... still questions my innocence?"

No one dared to respond. Even the Empress froze on her seat, her nails digging deeply into the armrests of her throne, her face a mixture of pale and ashen. She never imagined that Si Chen would speak up for Chu Qingyue in public! For four hundred years, the Imperial Advisor had never inquired into the private affairs of the royal family, but today he had broken that rule!

Pei Jiaojiao collapsed to the ground, trembling violently. She was finished.

Chu Qingyue walked slowly toward Pei Jiaojiao, her crimson skirt trailing across the smooth ground like a winding bloodstain.

"Miss Pei." She stopped in front of Pei Jiaojiao, bent down, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"Guess... now that the evidence is irrefutable and the decree is final, how will I... treat this 'generous gift' to you?"

Pei Jiaojiao was in tears, wanting to beg for mercy, but fear choked her throat, and she could only make a "hoarse" sound.

Chu Qingyue straightened up, her gaze sweeping like a cold blade over the unconscious Prime Minister's wife and the ashen-faced Prime Minister Pei, finally settling on the throne. Her voice was clear and resonant, devoid of any emotion:

"Father, Mother. Pei's daughter, Jiaojiao, publicly slandered the royal family. Her words were vicious and shook the foundation of the nation. Furthermore, she questioned the Imperial Preceptor's words and disrespected the Mandate of Heaven. According to the laws of the Great Chu, she should be punished with the death penalty. In addition, her relatives should be executed, and her entire family should be exterminated as a warning to others."

"No—! Your Majesty, have mercy! Your Majesty, have mercy!" Prime Minister Pei cried, tears streaming down his face, banging his head against the ground repeatedly until his forehead was covered in bruises and blood.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to offer all my wealth in exchange for my daughter's life! I beg Your Majesty to remember my years of diligent service, and to remember Her Majesty the Empress... please have mercy!"

The Chu Emperor's face was ashen, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the Prime Minister who was kowtowing and weeping below, his daughter who was expressionless yet firm in her demeanor, and the Grand Preceptor who was standing there with his eyes downcast and silent, seemingly detached once again.

The art of rulership lies in weighing the pros and cons.

He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a unique, cold authority: "Grand Preceptor, now that you have spoken and revealed the truth, do you have any suggestions regarding this matter?"

He gently passed the buck to Si Chen. He wanted to use the Grand Tutor's authority to completely suppress the matter, but also wanted to test Si Chen's limits regarding this unusual act.

"Your Majesty is wise. My duty is merely to observe celestial phenomena, predict the fate of the nation, and divine good and bad fortune. What I said just now was only to clarify the facts and set the record straight. As for the handling of state affairs, laws, and punishments... these are matters of Your Majesty's sole discretion, and I dare not overstep my bounds."

He cleanly detached himself and retreated to that detached position.

The last glimmer of light in Pei Jiaojiao's eyes was completely extinguished with Si Chen's words.

A glint flashed in the Chu Emperor's eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice carrying the cold, calculating quality unique to an emperor.

"In that case... Pei Jiaojiao has slandered the royal family, disrespected meritorious officials, and questioned the Mandate of Heaven. Her crimes are obvious and she should be severely punished to uphold the law of the land."

He paused deliberately, looking at Prime Minister Pei's face, which was filled with despair and hope.

"However, considering his youth and ignorance, his outrageous words may not be of his true nature. Furthermore, considering Prime Minister Pei Min's many years of service in governing and his great contributions, his situation is worthy of pity—"

Prime Minister Pei's heart was in his throat.

"—Death may be spared, but punishment is inevitable."

The Emperor's voice turned stern, carrying a metallic chill: "Immediately, cut off his tongue, severing the source of his falsehoods; shave his head, stripping away his arrogance. Send him to the Jingxin Nunnery on the outskirts of the capital to spend the rest of his life in solitude, never to step outside its gates again! Prime Minister Pei Min, for failing to manage his household properly and failing to educate his daughter, is hereby fined three years' salary and ordered to confine himself to his residence for a month to reflect on his mistakes!"

Tongue cut out! Hair shaved! Imprisoned in a nunnery forever!

For a noblewoman in the prime of her life, with ambitions soaring to the heavens, this was far more cruel and ruthless than killing her outright. The punishment of withholding her salary and confining her to her quarters, while seemingly a disciplinary measure, actually preserved the foundation and dignity of the Prime Minister's residence.

Prime Minister Pei felt as if all his spine had been ripped out in an instant, and he collapsed. But before he completely collapsed, he managed to maintain a sliver of reason and kowtowed heavily, his voice hoarse and broken like a broken bellows: "This old minister... receives the decree... thanks... Your Majesty for your great grace..." Every word was soaked with blood, tears and humiliation.

The Empress's hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched into a fist, her nails digging deep into her palm, almost drawing blood. She stared intently at Chu Qingyue, then abruptly turned to Si Chen, the hatred and shock in her eyes almost bursting forth like a tangible flame—Si Chen! You helped this bastard today, I'll remember that! There will be other opportunities!

Chu Qingyue watched all this quietly, unmoved by the outcome. She had long since seen through the art of rulership and the principles of checks and balances in the life-or-death arena of Beiming. Her father would not truly sever ties with the Prime Minister's mansion, which controlled half the court, for her sake.

However, cutting out her tongue and shaving her head, imprisoning her in the nunnery forever... for Pei Jiaojiao, this was already an agonizing hell.

The Pei family's reputation plummeted after this setback, and the Emperor's suspicions were sown—that was enough.

"Father is wise, Mother is merciful." She bowed gracefully, her posture respectful and her tone gentle. But deep in her eyes, which she looked up at the Emperor and Empress, lay a desolate, icy wasteland, barren of everything.

The guards rushed forward like wolves and tigers, dragging up Pei Jiaojiao, who was already in a daze.

Only when the pain of her body being roughly torn apart brought her back to her senses, did she burst into a final, piercing, desperate, inhuman scream:

"No—!!! I don't want to! I don't want to be a nun! I don't want to go bald! Aunt! Aunt, save me! Cousin! Cousin! Father—! Mother—! Save me—!!!"

The sound stopped abruptly when her mouth was covered as she was dragged out of the hall.

The women at the banquet were all deathly pale and silent. This commotion shattered the atmosphere of the banquet, leaving it completely frozen. When the music resumed, it carried a trembling, hesitant tone.

Chu Qingyue sat back down, picked up the freshly poured wine, and gently swirled it. She looked up at Si Chen across from her through the swirling wine.

Si Chen was also looking at her.

Their eyes met, and in the icy lake of glazed gray in his eyes, her reflection was now clearly visible—red dress, black hair, blood-stained lips, and a bewitching smile with poison in her eyes.

She silently parted her lips and mouthed two words: "Si-Chen".

Si Chen's eyelashes trembled slightly as he looked away, lowering his gaze to drink. His wide, white sleeves brushed against the table, revealing a section of his wrist, as cold as jade—on which was a very faint red mark, as if it had been gripped forcefully.

Chu Qingyue's gaze sharpened. Was it just at the Star-Picking Tower... that she caught him? She actually managed to leave more than one mark on his immortal, indestructible body.

This realization suddenly ignited a fiercer fire within her, bringing with it a twisted sense of pleasure.

Look, Si Chen. You are not truly heartless and without desire. You can get hurt, you can leave marks, and you can... make an exception for me.