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

Consort Shen's heart tightened, and her voice trembled: "This concubine does not know, what have I done to anger Your Majesty?"

Song Shuangning slowly walked up to her, grabbed her cheek, and pinched her hard with her fingertips, making Shen Jieyu wince in pain.

"Wasn't it your own idea that His Majesty was intoxicated by the incense last time?"

Shen Jieyu's eyes widened slightly, her mind a jumbled mess.

How did Consort Yuan find out?

Was it her aunt who told Consort Yuan Xian?

Her aunt is no longer protecting her? And is even going to hand her over to Consort Yuan for punishment.

She was, after all, a concubine in the imperial harem. Was Consort Yuan going to torture her?

Seeing that she was speechless, Song Shuangning said calmly, "I was furious when I heard about this. Then you will copy the Jingxin Sutra one hundred times to calm me down. You can go back whenever you finish copying it."

Shen Jieyu bit her lip, feeling both angry and humiliated.

It takes at least three days to copy it a hundred times!

Consort Yuan is deliberately humiliating her!

Consort Shen, filled with trepidation, retorted in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty's treatment of this concubine is unauthorized torture! It goes beyond the Empress's authority and violates palace rules!"

Song Shuangning chuckled softly.

"I am now Consort Yuanxian in the palace, assisting the Empress in managing the six palaces. Since you have done something wrong, I am handling this impartially. How can you say I acted on my own? If we really calculate according to the palace rules, this punishment is already considered lenient."

Song Shuangning didn't want to waste any more words and waved her hand.

Two palace maids immediately stepped forward and pressed Consort Shen down in front of the table, one on each side. There was neither a cushion to support her knees nor a chair for her to sit on.

The ground was bitterly cold in early autumn. Shen Jieyu gritted her teeth, feeling humiliated but helpless, and could only accept her fate.

Before she could even pick up the pen, a palace maid held down her body and head, while another brought over a bowl of medicine and forced it into her mouth.

Shen Jieyu struggled fiercely, crying out, "Let me go!"

"How dare you! What is this thing?"

Song Shuangning leaned back on the chaise lounge, lifted her eyelids and glanced at her.

Shen Jieyu tried to induce vomiting, but nothing came out.

"What are you afraid of?"

"It's just something that makes you feel uncomfortable."

Something uncomfortable?

At first, Shen Jieyu didn't understand, but gradually she came to her senses.

It felt as if a million ants were crawling all over her body, gnawing at her, causing an unbearable itch and a burning heat.

It feels exactly like being under the influence of an aphrodisiac.

"Consort Yuan, you've gone too far!"

Shen Jieyu bit her lower lip hard, until it bled, but she couldn't suppress the pain.

How could Consort Yuan humiliate her in this way!

Song Shuangning said calmly, "There's no need to make such a fuss. It's not an aphrodisiac; it's just to let you experience the feeling of being under the influence of the Love Fragrance."

She specifically sought out Pinellia ternata to make it.

"If you want to go back sooner, then hurry up and write."

Shen Jieyu sobbed softly, her handwriting crooked and uneven.

These past few days, Shen Jieyu has been locked in the attic copying the "Meditation Sutra." Although she has no worries about food and lodging, she is forced to drink that bowl of medicine that makes her feel extremely uncomfortable every day.

Humiliation followed him like a shadow.

By the fourth day, I had finally finished copying the Jingxin Sutra one hundred times.

She didn't bother to tidy herself up and rushed to Shou Kang Palace in a disheveled state, hoping to find the Empress Dowager to support her and make decisions for her.

However, the Empress Dowager was already seriously ill and unable to get out of bed, so the nanny took it upon herself to refuse to see her.

Consort Shen knelt before the Shou Kang Palace and wept silently for a long time.

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.

Night fell on the palace steps, the stars and moon were obscured by thick clouds, the blue brick floor gleamed with a damp, cold light, and the only sound was the soft rustling of leaves falling in the wind.

A person, cloaked and hidden in the shadows, strode into Jingren Palace.

Rong Lian was stunned for a long time after seeing who it was.

Shen Jieyu curled her lips into a smile.

"After being confined for many months, when I came out, the palace had undergone earth-shattering changes. Do you still remember who I am?"

Rong Lian nodded.

Before Shen Jieyu could speak, Rong Lian's eyes turned red, as if she had finally found hope.

Rong Lian struggled to roll off the bed and then crawled toward her with difficulty.

Shen Jieyu was startled and involuntarily took a few steps back.

"What's wrong with you?"

What happened to your foot?

Rong Lian stopped, looked up at her, and opened her mouth, "Ahhhhh."

Shen Jieyu was startled and her fingertips trembled slightly.

"You...you...you can't speak?!"

Rong Lian nodded vigorously.

Consort Shen suppressed her emotions, her expression gradually calming: "Who did this?"

"emperor?"

Rong Lian shook her head.

"The Empress?"

Rong Lian shook her head again.

"Consort Yuan Xian?"

Rong Lian looked up, nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with hatred.

Shen Jieyu was extremely surprised.

Consort Yuan is so ruthless!

Disable their hands and feet, and silence their mouths.

This vicious act is completely different from her gentle and modest demeanor in the past!

It's all an act; they're extremely malicious at heart!

Shen Jieyu helped Rong Lian to sit down by the bed.

"I can help you."

A glint of light flashed in Rong Lian's dim eyes. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask how she could help her, but she couldn't speak, only her face full of urgency.

Consort Shen said, "I can help you get justice, make Consort Yuan pay the price, and let everyone see her true colors. I can also make her personally experience the pain of being unable to speak or move."

Rong Lian nodded excitedly.

Shen Jieyu added, "But you must listen to me and cooperate with me fully."

Rong Lian nodded even more urgently, her eyes burning with hatred.

She was willing to do anything to get revenge on Consort Yuan!

Shen Jieyu curled her lips into a smile.

Consort Yuan is so vicious and has done such a thing. If the Emperor sees through her true colors, will he still favor her as before?

*

Yaohua Palace.

Xiao Yan was personally applying essential oil to Song Shuangning.

Tinglu entered quietly and gave Song Shuangning a subtle look.

Seeing this, Song Shuangning said, "It's alright, just tell me."

Xiao Yan paused upon hearing this, a smile playing on his lips.

Tinglu curtsied and replied, "Your Majesty, someone from Jingren Palace came to say that Consort Shen visited late at night and stayed in the palace for a long time. We didn't hear what she said clearly."

Song Shuangning clicked her tongue.

These two are still up to no good.

As soon as the essential oil was applied, Xiao Yan helped her put on her nightgown, fastened the buttons at the collar, and said in a low voice, "You don't need to get involved in this matter, I'll handle it."

Then, he instructed Tinglu: "Your consort is pregnant, so you don't need to report to her on everything from now on. If anything happens, just have someone come and tell me."

Song Shuangning slowly sat up, gently kissed Xiao Yan's cheek, her eyes crinkling, and her voice soft: "Then I'll trouble Your Majesty."