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

The atmosphere inside the hall was tense.

The beaded curtain of the side hall was lifted, and the Empress, dressed in a bright yellow phoenix robe, slowly walked out. Her phoenix eyes were filled with anger, and she said in a deep voice, "What are you doing making such a racket all day long?"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the hall bowed in respect.

The Empress raised her hand, her gaze fixed on Consort Shu, her tone cold and hard, "I have said before that His Majesty is busy with affairs of state. There is no need to bother His Majesty with trivial matters of the harem or his health. Consort Shu, it seems you have not taken my words to heart."

Consort Shu's heart skipped a beat, but she couldn't utter a single word of explanation: "Your Majesty..."

The Empress snorted coldly, "I will punish you by making you copy the palace rules twenty times. When you finish copying them, the green plaque will be put back up."

Consort Rongxian watched this scene, took a sip of tea, and gave a sarcastic smile.

These words were spoken decisively; ostensibly a punishment for Consort Shu, they were actually an attempt to establish authority.

That fool, Consort Shu, makes enemies all the time; she should have been taught a lesson long ago.

"Your Majesty..." Consort Shu looked up unwillingly. Why should her green plaque be removed?

The Empress narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly: "What? You're not convinced?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not."

The Empress's words served as a warning, and Consort Shu had no choice but to grit her teeth and swallow her resentment and humiliation.

Song Meiren!

After paying her respects and leaving Fengyi Palace, Consort Shu immediately ordered her men to stop Song Shuangning.

"What is Consort Shu doing?"

Although Consort Song was unwilling to get involved, Song Shuangning was, after all, her sister, and being punished in public like this was a matter of face for her.

Consort Shu raised her chin, ignoring Consort Song, and went straight to Song Shuangning, saying, "You have the Empress's protection in Fengyi Palace, but once you leave Fengyi Palace, I will punish you by making you violate palace rules and etiquette."

Consort Song softened her tone and said gently, "Consort Shu, please calm down. My younger sister is still young and may have acted inappropriately, but she would never dare to offend you. Why are you so angry?"

Consort Shu glanced coldly at Consort Song, her tone laced with sarcasm: "Young? You've schemed against me with such cunning, Consort Song, do you think I'm stupid?"

Song Shuangning feigned innocence, "Your Highness, you misunderstand. How could I dare to scheme against you..."

Consort Shu hated her innocent, naive appearance the most, and raised her hand to slap her, but Que Mei stopped her, "Your Majesty, Consort Song just served the Emperor last night..."

After a moment's thought, Consort Shu lowered her hand and approached Song Shuangning. "You'd better keep a low profile when you see me in the future. I'll let you off this time, but I will never forgive you in the future."

In the end, didn't he just chicken out?

"I understand..." Song Shuangning's eyes glistened with tears, then she hurriedly lowered them.

"Hmph~" Consort Shu turned and left.

Upon hearing the sound, Consort Rong glanced at it from afar and thought, "Fool."

Ye Jieyu said, "She's just from a small place, what great knowledge could she possibly have?"

Consort Rong raised an eyebrow; this was the difference between her and Consort Shu.

This also destined that Consort Shu would only ever be under her feet for the rest of her life.

-

Consort Shu went to the Hall of Diligent Governance, saying, "I wish to see the Emperor."

Li Fuquan said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, the Emperor is nowhere to be seen when he is handling state affairs."

"Your Majesty, I request an audience!" Consort Shu shouted from outside the palace.

Li Fuquan broke out in a cold sweat, but he couldn't drag the lady away. He could only plead with her, "Your Majesty, you're putting this servant in a difficult position..."

"Your Majesty, I request an audience!" Consort Shu continued to shout, ignoring everyone else.

A voice finally came from inside the hall, "Let her in."

Consort Shu lifted her skirt and rushed into the Hall of Diligent Governance. Before she could even finish, her eyes were already red with tears. "Your Majesty, you must do me justice!"

She knelt down abruptly, choking back tears, and said, "Today during my morning greetings, Consort Song publicly defied me... As you know, my health is already weak, and I cannot withstand such treatment..."

Consort Shu also revealed that the Empress had punished her by making her copy palace rules. To make matters worse, she claimed that the Empress had embezzled public funds and that the punishment was for the sake of Consort Song.

The person on the dragon throne slowly raised his eyes, his thin lips parted slightly, and he coldly uttered only two words: "Insolence."

Consort Shu froze, and her crying stopped abruptly.

Xiao Yan tapped his fingertips on the imperial desk, his tone icy: "As the head of the harem, how dare you speak ill of her behind her back? I see you are becoming increasingly unruly. Twenty recitations of the palace rules are still too few; I will add another eighty recitations as punishment."

Consort Shu was struck dumb, her lips trembling as she stammered, "Your Majesty, you..."

Xiao Yan's eyes darkened. Back when the late emperor was critically ill, his two elder brothers coveted the throne and secretly plotted an assassination attempt on him during his tour of Jingzhou.

"Back then, your father took a fatal sword for me, only asking that I treat you kindly. I remember this kindness and have tolerated you for a long time, but you have repeatedly acted improperly. Wanqing, do not push your luck any further and exhaust my guilt towards you."

"Step back."

Consort Shu stood frozen in place, as if all her strength had been drained away. Was the Emperor's treatment of her merely out of guilt?

Father, yes, how long has it been since she thought of him when he took a fatal sword for the Emperor? By doing this, she has betrayed his good intentions.

Xiao Yan: "Li Fuquan."

"Your servant is here."

Xiao Yan didn't look at Consort Shu again. "Send her back."

Consort Shu left with a heartbroken expression.

She used to be very gentle, but after meeting the Emperor and entering the palace, her temperament became increasingly arrogant and unruly. Yes, no one was there to protect her anymore; she only became a laughingstock for others.

---

In Fengyi Palace, Qingdai, seeing the Empress's composed demeanor, couldn't help but remind her with concern, "Your Majesty, Consort Shu went to Qinzheng Hall, but has already returned to Jinyun Palace."

The Empress hummed in response, clearly not taking it seriously.

"Your Majesty, aren't you worried that Consort Shu will distort the truth?"

The Empress chuckled, "Based on my understanding of the Emperor, he will only find Consort Shu annoying. Besides, hasn't Consort Shu already returned to Jinyun Palace?"

Qingdai said, "Your Majesty understands the Emperor best."

The Empress thought to herself: She had never worried about the stability of her position as Empress. Because she could see clearly that the Emperor's favor towards Consort Rong and Consort Shu was only superficial.

It seems that after Wan'er fell into the water, the Emperor never set foot in Consort Rongxian's Zhaoyang Palace again. When Consort Shu went to the Qinzheng Hall to complain, she was instead coldly rebuked and driven out by the Emperor.

It's likely that most men would prefer a gentle, charming woman who knows her limits, rather than someone who's constantly jealous and causing trouble.

Consort Song's gentle nature and beautiful appearance perfectly suited the Emperor's taste.

Not only did the emperor like it, but she liked it too.

The Queen smiled and took a bite of the pastry with a delightful expression.