The empress is both charming and seductive, rising through the ranks of palace intrigue.

The Empress, both angry and sighing, shook her head and said, "You are truly foolish, Consort Rong. What more could you possibly be dissatisfied with? Do you know the enormity of harming a royal heir?"

Consort Rong collapsed to the ground, her face ashen, her former beauty gone. She crawled two steps to Xiao Yu, weeping, "Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with me! Please believe me!" She turned to Pei'er behind her and said sternly, "Pei'er, I have treated you well; why would you try to harm me?"

Pei'er cried, "Your Majesty, Consort Rong was unaware of this; it was all my idea."

Everyone present was startled, but this startle was replaced by a sense of unease.

Consort Rong stared blankly at Pei'er, but her expression quickly turned to one of deep anguish. Enraged, she stood up and slapped Pei'er across the face.

She was panting heavily, and said angrily, "Why did you do this? Do you know that this will only implicate me!"

Pei'er, her face streaked with tears, said, "Consort Xi has repeatedly provoked and disrespected you, Your Highness. I really couldn't stand it anymore. I felt so sorry for you! I wanted to avenge you, but I never imagined it would implicate you."

She kowtowed to Xiao Yu, her head bleeding profusely, leaving bright red bloodstains on the floor—a truly horrifying sight. "Your Majesty," she pleaded, "I beg you to see the truth. This matter has nothing to do with Consort Rong. It was all my own doing. I am willing to bear all the blame, I only ask that Your Majesty spare my family."

Xiao Yu's expression remained unreadable, his suspicions still lingering: "If you did this alone, why did you and Consort Rong both frame Consort Ning?"

Pei'er was slightly taken aback, then her eyes filled with intense hatred. She glanced at Ning Shuyan and said, "Last time, because of Consort Ning, I was beaten thirty times and was practically crippled. I harbor hatred for Consort Ning, which is why I framed her."

"Then why was Your Highness so certain just now that it was I who pushed Consort Xi?" Ning Shuyan asked sharply, looking at Your Highness.

Consort Rong ignored Ning Shuyan and looked at Xiao Yu softly, saying, "I was flustered at the time and that's why I misjudged him."

She picked up her handkerchief and sobbed, her face filled with grief and anger: "Your Majesty, I never imagined that this lowly servant would commit such a heinous crime. It is my fault for not disciplining her properly. I beg Your Majesty to punish her."

At this moment, Consort Rong's mind was working very fast, her face full of sorrow and desolation as if she were the one who had been wronged.

Consort Xi naturally didn't believe that a palace maid would plot such a thing behind her mistress's back. Her face turned pale, and her eyes revealed deep hatred: "I don't believe it. If it weren't for your instruction, mistress, this lowly servant would dare to plot against you."

Pei'er gritted her teeth, as if gathering all her strength. She raised her voice and said, "This servant is willing to die to prove that Consort Rong knew nothing about this matter." With that, she resolutely stood up and rammed her head against a pillar in the hall.

With a loud thud, Pei'er slid softly to the ground, leaving bright red bloodstains on the pillar and the ground, dazzling and piercing.

The Empress's face was filled with displeasure, and she roared, "Drag her away at once!"

Immediately, eunuchs came and dragged Pei'er out.

Consort Rong stared blankly at the spot where Pei'er had just lain. Pei'er had been by her side for over ten years, like family. The pain, sorrow, and hatred in her heart seemed to permeate her entire body, causing her to tremble slightly, but she could only try her best to suppress it.

The Empress turned to look at Xiao Yu and said gently, "Since this matter has nothing to do with Consort Rong, then..." The Empress did not finish her sentence, but instead studied Xiao Yu's expression.

Seeing that things were going badly, Consort Xi looked at Xiao Yu's stern face and asked, "Your Majesty, do you really believe that it was that palace maid who did it?"

Xiao Yu's gaze seemed to wander, a chilling glint in his eyes.

In an instant, the atmosphere inside the hall became oppressive and stagnant, as if glue had solidified.

Ning Shuyan felt a severe discomfort in her throat, her face flushed, and she couldn't help but cough, breaking the silence.

Xiao Yu looked up and saw Ning Shuyan's face was full of pain. Even though her face was flushed, her paleness and weakness were still obvious.

"Is Consort Ning feeling unwell?"

Hearing Xiao Yu's voice, Ning Shuyan slowly stood up and said softly, "I'm fine, but I'm a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

As soon as Xiao Yu finished speaking, he understood. How could she not be afraid after suffering such a great injustice today? He felt a slight pang of heartache. Just a few days ago, she was as charming as a flower in front of him, but now she was timid and uneasy, and her face was devoid of any luster.

Ning Shuyan's long nails dug fiercely into her palms, the almost piercing pain causing her eyes to redden slightly, and a glimmer of tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall, making her all the more pitiful.

She looked at him with a wronged expression and said sadly, "Since I entered the palace, I have always followed the rules and never offended anyone. Is it because I am kind-hearted that they think I am easy to bully and then frame me? Last time, Consort Tang was like that, and now even a palace maid doesn't respect me."

She paused, then continued, "If I weren't a good swimmer, I'm afraid I would have already drowned. I'm truly terrified that if I'm wronged again... I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to die, like that palace maid, to prove my innocence."

With each word he spoke, Xiao Yu's face grew increasingly grim, and his heart tightened inexplicably. He said in a deep voice, "Don't talk nonsense!"

"I will not let you suffer injustice." His words were extremely calm and understated, but they struck the Empress as somewhat unexpected.

Xiao Yu's cold gaze swept over Consort Rong, his voice as icy as ice: "Consort Rong has failed to properly discipline her palace servants; she is confined to Qiulan Palace. Her maid, Pei'er, who had close contact with her, shall be beaten to death!"

Those he had close contact with were none other than his personal maids and eunuchs, but Xiao Yu did not specify the duration of his confinement.

Consort Rong stared blankly at Xiao Yu, knowing that once the Emperor made a decision, there was no going back.

The Empress said gently, "Then what are Your Majesty's plans for the eldest prince?"

Xiao Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Although Consort Rong is confined to her quarters, it doesn't prevent her from taking care of the eldest prince. Besides, aren't there wet nurses and nannies?"

A hint of sadness flashed in the Empress's eyes, and she slowly nodded: "Indeed."

Xi Jieyu clenched her fists tightly, the veins on the back of her fair hands bulging, revealing a deep-seated hatred in her bones.

They knew perfectly well who the murderer was, but there was nothing they could do! No one expected a palace maid to take the blame.

As she was thinking, Xi Jieyu felt a sudden discomfort in her lower abdomen and let out a soft groan.

The Empress quickly stepped forward and said with concern, "This matter has been settled. Consort Xi, please take good care of yourself."

Xi Jieyu gritted her teeth and nodded, her face pale.