That Imperial Concubine is both wicked and cunning! Your Majesty, wake up!

Consort Shao eventually sent an imperial physician to the laundry department and agreed to transfer Tinglan back to serve Song Luowei.

Tingyu hurried back to Yaohua Palace, her face full of indignation.

"Your Majesty, you don't know, Consort Song was not behaving herself on the road. She even dared to belittle you and make sarcastic remarks in front of me."

"So how did you do it?"

Tingyu replied, "This servant swallowed all her anger and reported every word of her insubordination to Consort Shao. Consort Shao has already given Consort Song a verbal reprimand."

Song Shuangning nodded, satisfied, and said, "Very good."

"If I were to become angry and punish her, or if you were to act rashly in a fit of anger, then we would have truly fallen into her trap."

"they?"

Tingyu paused for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Your Majesty, do you mean that Consort Qing, Consort Liu, and Consort Song are all in cahoots?"

Song Shuangning couldn't help but laugh, then turned to Tinglu and teased, "Tingyu's little brain has finally come to its senses."

Tingyu was a little embarrassed and stamped her foot. "Your Majesty, please stop teasing me."

Song Shuangning picked up the teacup on the table, but did not drink it. Instead, she gently turned the rim of the cup with her fingertips, as if she was thinking about something. After a while, she spoke casually:

"Consort Liu was originally Consort Qing's person; these three are birds of a feather. Think about it, why would someone as strong-willed as Song Luowei go to such lengths as to seek help from me, bypassing the Empress and Consort Shao? And look at the Song family's current predicament; they are already in a precarious situation, and Consort Song's days in the palace will only become more difficult. Even if she is impulsive, she would never dare to be so reckless as to commit such an act of insubordination. Their purpose is to provoke me and then use this matter to tarnish my reputation."

"If I fall into their trap, they will exaggerate and slander me after they leave Yaohua Palace."

Tinglu immediately chimed in, "They'll say you're selfish, mistreat your sisters, ambitious, and have unrealistic expectations..."

Song Shuangning nodded. "That's right."

"And that's not all."

After listening to their analysis, Tingyu clutched her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, "Fortunately, I managed to suppress my anger."

Song Shuangning and Tinglu exchanged a smile.

"Since they have provoked me, I cannot sit idly by any longer. Tinglu, go and summon Shuhua to see me immediately, tonight, the sooner the better."

Song Luowei's deliberate provocation also reminded her.

It instantly pulled her back to a few years ago, to how difficult her and her aunt's situation was in the Song family. Gong Yerong and her brothers and sisters born of the main wife never gave them a single day of peace.

If that's the case, then the Song family should all die.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking.

A piercing scream rang out from the east side hall of the Summer Palace, completely shattering the tranquility of the early morning.

The Empress issued an edict exempting people from paying their respects today.

Inside the palace, palace servants hurried to and fro, whispering amongst themselves, their expressions filled with panic.

"Have you heard? Consort Song committed suicide."

"Yes, I heard she cut her wrists and bled out..."

"He even left behind a suicide note."

The Empress, Consort Shao, Consort De, and others hurriedly went to the East Side Hall.

The hall was in a mess. Song Luowei lay on the couch, her wrists wrapped in thick strips of cloth. Her face was as pale as paper. On the table next to her was a suicide note, the handwriting messy, but it was Song Luowei's handwriting.

Qingdai picked up the suicide note, glanced at it, and reported to the Empress: "The suicide note says that Consort Song chose to commit suicide because she could not bear the humiliation."

The empress was about to speak to make a decision.

Tinglan stumbled in, knelt on the ground, and cried out in despair, "Your Majesty, the young mistress would never commit suicide."

"Isn't the injury on Consort Song's wrist obvious enough? Besides, I've already had someone verify Consort Song's suicide note; was it written by her own hand?"

The Empress rubbed her temples, no longer wanting to waste her breath.

Consort Shao said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I still remember what happened yesterday. Consort Zhao brought Consort Song to my palace, saying that her trusted maid had been slapped fifty times by Consort Liu and was suffering from a persistent high fever. She begged me to do justice for her. After inquiring further, I learned that Consort Song did indeed have a dispute with Consort Liu recently. It seems that Consort Song's suicide note refers to Consort Liu."

Tinglan's eyes darted around anxiously.

She knew that the young mistress would never commit suicide; everything was too strange. How could she explain it?

Should we tell the truth that the young lady and Consort Liu were just acting, and that the injury on her face was something she willingly endured?

But Consort Liu is backed by Consort Qing.

Can her skinny arms twist a thigh?

Just then, the Empress concluded, "For a concubine to commit suicide is a grave crime; let her be dealt with according to palace rules."

Tinglan trembled. According to palace rules, if a concubine committed suicide, she would be removed from the royal family, demoted to a criminal, and her body would be sent back to her residence so that her parents could take care of themselves.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to investigate thoroughly. My lady would never have committed suicide. Someone must have deliberately murdered her..."

"It's Consort Yuan, it must be Consort Yuan..."

Consort Shao frowned and rebuked, "Even now, you still want to drag others into this?"

"That day, Consort Song spoke rudely to Consort Yuan. Not only did Consort Yuan not hold it against her, she also sent Consort Song to my palace so that I could take charge of things for her. Consort Yuan has already done more than enough."

The personal maids of the concubines who committed suicide could not be kept alive either. The Empress raised her chin, and Tinglan was taken away.

"Your Majesty, we beg you to investigate this matter thoroughly—"

Tinglan's hoarse cry broke the silence.

*

Jingren Palace.

Upon hearing the rumors circulating in the palace, Consort Qing's voice trembled slightly with shock, "Consort Song... committed suicide?"

Consort Liu was already deathly pale with fright. She grabbed Consort Qing's sleeve and pleaded, "Your Majesty, you must help me! The reason why Consort Song committed suicide is now linked to me. If Her Majesty the Empress investigates, I might..."

Consort Qing, feeling flustered, shook off Consort Liu's hand. Her mind was in turmoil, and she had no time to care about Consort Liu's life or death.

She was puzzled and confused. "Why is Song Meiren's art written like this? Wasn't it all supposed to be to drag Yuan Zhaoyi down with her?"

Consort Liu's voice trembled with tears, "I heard that Her Majesty the Empress has had the will authenticated, and it is indeed Consort Song's handwriting. Your Majesty, you must help me!"

Consort Qing paced back and forth, her mind filled with doubt, muttering to herself, "This matter is too strange."

According to the original plan, Consort Song's suicide was to happen the day after tomorrow. They had already laid out their scheme, and when the time came, they only needed to shift all the blame for this tragedy onto Consort Yuan.

Why did Consort Song commit suicide at this crucial juncture?

Qingdai arrived with her entourage, saying, "This servant greets Consort Qing."

"Why is Aunt Qingdai here?"

"Her Majesty the Empress decrees that the suicide of Consort Song was indeed caused by Consort Liu. As a concubine, Consort Liu failed to show compassion for her subordinates, causing Consort Song to suffer unbearable humiliation. If she is not severely punished, it may cause trouble. In order to uphold palace rules and serve as a warning to others, Her Majesty the Empress hereby issues an edict to demote Consort Liu to the rank of Baolin and confine her to her quarters for one year to reflect on her mistakes."

Consort Liu collapsed to the ground, her body limp.

Consort Qing glared at the useless Consort Liu. At least she survived; what more could she ask for?