My Prince said he'd break my legs.

Compared to Liang Zhiyi's "torture," Ning Jingqiu's was a different kind of torment.

At this moment, she was dragging her exhausted body in Pei Yue's old mansion, and Feng Shuyue was kneeling in front of her, crying with tears streaming down her face.

Ning Jingqiu felt her unhealed wounds throbbing as Feng Shuyue cried.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to spare my life, for I am already pregnant."

Ning Jingqiu cursed inwardly. Damn Pei Yue, making her deal with a pregnant woman is just asking for trouble.

Ning Jingqiu felt a pang of pity: "It's not that I want to kill you, it's that His Majesty has decreed that you be given a white silk noose, and I'm just here to carry out the imperial edict."

Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. If you're not satisfied with your death, go find Pei Yue, but whatever you do, don't come looking for her.

"Your Majesty..." Feng Shuyue was stunned for a moment. She felt as if the two nights when His Majesty favored her were just yesterday. How could he suddenly be so cruel to her?

Ning Jingqiu sighed: "I've always understood the concubines vying for the emperor's favor in the harem, but how could you lead the Southern Army to besiege Feiyu Palace? You should have known what your fate would be if His Majesty defeated Prince Chen when you made this move."

His Majesty summoned me here only out of consideration for the child in your womb, to spare your life. Otherwise, once he takes action, it won't be as simple as a white silk ribbon.

Feng Shuyue collapsed to the ground: "I... how could I betray His Majesty? I only wanted Liang Zhiyi dead. Your Majesty, please go and explain to His Majesty that I did not betray him."

Ning Jingqiu didn't want to say much, but seeing Feng Shuyue's condition, she decided to let it go. She was just a dying person; let her die knowing why.

"Consort Xiao is dead." Ning Jingqiu said calmly.

The sudden question left Feng Shuyue stunned: "What?"

Ning Jingqiu said coldly:

"His Majesty knows everything about you having people keep an eye on Liang Zhiyi. You were quite clever back then; instead of directly exposing Liang Zhiyi's purchase of contraceptives in front of His Majesty, you had someone instigate Consort Xiao to report Liang Zhiyi."

"Before going to the banquet, His Majesty had already set a trap to lure the guest in. His Majesty knew that Prince Chen would send troops that night, yet he still took Consort Xiao with him. Can you guess why?"

Feng Shuyue couldn't believe her own thoughts; her heart sank to the bottom: "Why, Your Majesty...?"

"I don't know why His Majesty favors Liang Zhiyi so much, but the facts prove that she is unique in His Majesty's eyes. His Majesty allows you to compete for favor, but he does not allow you to scheme against Liang Zhiyi. Moreover, this time you want her life, and even the imperial heir in her womb cannot save you."

Ning Jingqiu paused, then said something even more cruel: "You know, His Majesty... has never cared about having offspring. Having children with you is merely his duty as an emperor."

After Ning Jingqiu finished speaking, she waved to the guard beside her and then turned and left.

Immediately behind her came the sound of Feng Shuyue's dying struggle, but how could a weak woman like her possibly break free from the guards who had been practicing martial arts for many years?

Stepping out of the courtyard, Ning Jingqiu took a deep breath of the chilly winter air.

The women in the imperial harem often suffer tragic fates. Even though she and Pei Yue were partners, didn't she still become a sharp blade in Pei Yue's hands?

In this patriarchal era, even her fate was in Pei Yue's hands. Her only good fortune was that Pei Yue had no interest in her, and she just happened to be somewhat useful, which allowed her to be used by Pei Yue.

She was just an ordinary woman; she couldn't save anyone.

Ning Jingqiu slowly exhaled and said softly, "Let's go back to the palace."

It wasn't until April that the late emperor and empress dowager were buried together. All the concubines who had no children were forced to commit suicide, a rule that had existed since the founding of the dynasty.

After the funeral, Consort Shu, the birth mother of Prince Chen, was demoted to commoner status and imprisoned in the palace.

All the men, regardless of age, who were close confidants of the late emperor and remnants of Prince Chen's faction were killed. The female relatives of the criminal officials whose homes were confiscated were all demoted to lowly slaves. Those who were not virgins were sent to military camps to work as military prostitutes, while the remaining virgins were sent to the royal brothel, also known as the Red Robe Tower.

Hongwanlou was different from the brothels and theaters in the common people. Since the founding of the Great Yu Dynasty, it was a place specially set up to serve high-ranking officials and nobles. The women inside were all highly educated women who were convicted officials and were proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting.

Once their homes are raided, the misery of these women, no matter where they are sent, is unimaginable.

Compared to those who went to brothels, the women who were sent to military camps to work as prostitutes suffered even worse fates.

As a woman, she could better understand the hardships women faced. It wasn't them who were plotting rebellion. If those men succeeded in their rebellion, they might not necessarily enjoy wealth and glory with them, but if they failed, they would have to bear the same consequences.

To put it bluntly, they were nothing more than victims in the power struggles of those men.

While Pei Yue was reviewing the memorials, Liang Zhiyi sat beside him, propping her head up with one hand and watching him.

"Since those women have been reduced to lowly slaves, why doesn't Your Majesty make them more valuable?"

Meeting Pei Yue's gaze, she forced herself to speak:

"In recent years, Beiliang has been probing the borders, causing constant disturbances of all sizes. Their ambition to annex Dayu is stirring, and a major war is inevitable in the future."

Moreover, given Pei Yue's temperament, he would certainly not tolerate Bei Liang, and it was only a matter of time before he sent troops to fight. Now that Pei Yue had quelled the internal strife, his next target would definitely be Bei Liang.

"In the event of war, soldiers charge into battle on the front lines, and supplies and uniforms for the soldiers are essential. These women of the imperial family are all skilled in embroidery. Why doesn't Your Majesty set up a separate place for them to make uniforms for the soldiers? Even if there is no war, they can still be listed as imperial embroiderers."

"Moreover, the servants of these noble families can be spared. Let them cultivate the land. Sufficient food is the foundation of a country. Regardless of whether there is a war in the future, food is the most practical thing. Developing agriculture is more beneficial to the Great Yu than killing them."

Pei Yue gave her a deep look and praised, "Zhizhi has a very clever mind and is quite intelligent."

His eyes were unfathomable: "As far as I know, Zhizhi grew up under the care of the Gao family and has never traveled far from home. How could she possibly know these principles?"

Liang Zhiyi's heart jumped into her throat. Had this guy discovered something?

impossible!

She dismissed this concern, but her remarks did not delve into the question of whether agricultural development could boost the current economy.

She gave a dry laugh: "After all, I've read the Four Books and Five Classics, so I can figure some things out with a little thought."

Pei Yue withdrew his gaze and sneered, "Zhizhi is indeed clever; otherwise, she wouldn't have thought of secretly obtaining contraceptives from me."

She didn't understand why he suddenly brought up the past again. Hadn't he been cooperating with the contraception issue all along?

I told her not to continue taking birth control pills, since we always had sex outside the home. Since we're already willing to cooperate with her on contraception, why are we still holding a grudge about what happened before?

The saying "Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger" is indeed not without merit.

She didn't want to respond to him, and was thinking about Liang Qingwan's matter in her mind. Last time she messed things up, Pei Yue didn't let her sleep that night, and she hadn't found a chance to talk to him about it since.

Liang Qingwan absolutely cannot stay in the palace. She holds a high position and enjoys the emperor's favor. In the future, someone will inevitably make trouble for her. If she falls out of favor, both of their lives will be in danger.

Thinking of this, Liang Zhiyi felt exhausted. In the deep palace, she had to live cautiously every day.

For more than two months since entering the palace, she has accompanied the emperor every day. The concubines in the harem have long been full of resentment. Now, her Yaoguang Palace is full of Pei Yue's people, and no one else can get in. But Liang Qingwan can't stay in Yaoguang Palace forever, can she?

After a long while, she looked at Pei Yue, who was reviewing memorials, and tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, may my elder sister leave?"

She originally thought she would have to use a lot of persuasion to convince him, since he hadn't agreed to her last time.

Pei Yue's hands didn't stop grading the memorials: "Good."

"Then His Majesty will grant her the status of a commoner and some silver. She's all alone out there; with silver by her side, she can surely survive."

That bastard Pei Yue hasn't let her touch a single copper coin until now, and he even forfeited the silver notes she used to pawn her jewelry. She's such a pathetic concubine.

Pei Yue didn't even look up: "Okay."

Liang Zhiyi pressed her advantage: "How about Your Majesty gives me some silver as well?"

Pei Yue finally looked up at her and smiled, "Give me a child, and I'll give you anything you want."

Liang Zhiyi immediately became discouraged and stopped talking.

Having a baby? What a load of rubbish!