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

Two days later.

The Empress suddenly ordered all the concubines of the six palaces to gather at Fengyi Palace without any reason; the news came hastily.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, the concubines sat upright in their chairs, waiting quietly for events to unfold.

Song Shuangning arrived late, and even though she was wrapped in a cloak, her protruding belly was still quite noticeable.

She walked slowly to the center of the hall and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

"Rise."

As Song Shuangning sat down, she glanced sideways at Shen Jieyu.

The Empress sat on her phoenix throne, her gaze sweeping over the concubines: "I have summoned you all here today because there is something I need to ask you publicly."

As soon as she finished speaking, her gaze landed precisely on Song Shuangning, and her tone became more serious.

"Consort Yuan, just now Consort Shen knelt before me and accused you of abusing Consort Rong. Is this true?"

The concubines looked at each other, all somewhat surprised.

A subtle commotion arose inside the hall.

The Empress raised her hand to signal for silence in the hall. "Whether this matter is true or false, I must handle it properly in front of the entire palace today. Even though Rong Lian has lost her status and become a commoner, her life is not insignificant. She is, after all, a citizen of Yun Shuo Kingdom. Therefore, this matter must be dealt with publicly to uphold palace rules and maintain diplomatic relations."

Upon hearing this, Song Shuangning swayed slightly, covered her mouth in surprise, and said, "Of course this is fake. How could I possibly do something to mistreat a commoner?"

"Although I have a bad relationship with Consort Ru, no matter how much we disagree, I am still aware of palace rules and etiquette, and I understand that human life is at stake."

She slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on Shen Jieyu.

Her almond-shaped eyes were clear and bright, but filled with confusion, she asked, "Consort Shen, why are you fabricating this charge to frame me?"

Looking at Song Shuangning's innocent and naive appearance, Shen Jieyu felt a tightness in her chest and gritted her teeth, saying:

"Your Majesty, I have not wronged you. Two days ago, I went to Consort Rong's palace and saw with my own eyes that her hands and feet had been crippled, her mouth had been sealed, and she was suffering terribly. And she said that you were the one who did it."

"Your Majesty, you wouldn't dare to do something and then deny it, would you?"

A gasp filled the hall as the concubines whispered amongst themselves, their expressions varied. To cripple their hands and feet, to silence them—such ruthless and vicious methods were truly beyond the norm in the harem.

Song Shuangning showed no anger whatsoever; she tilted her head slightly and frowned gently.

"I have always acted uprightly and honestly, and I will naturally not admit to doing things I have not done."

Consort Shen was so angry at her frank and helpless appearance that she trembled all over. She turned around and knelt down to kowtow to the Empress.

"Your Majesty is wise. Consort Rong is the best witness. I beg Your Majesty to summon her to the palace immediately so that she can confront Consort Xian in court and prove that what I said is true."

"Someone, go to Jingren Palace and bring Consort Rong here."

The Empress's instructions were swift and decisive.

Song Shuangning remained calm and composed, slowly raising her hand to lift the lid of the honey water cup, then taking a sip of the honey water. Her series of actions were unhurried and showed no sign of panic.

The concubines exchanged glances.

Consort Yuan's frankness suggests she has a clear conscience, so Consort Shen's words are probably unreliable.

Shen Jieyu glanced at everyone's expressions but didn't care at all. Instead, she slightly curled the corners of her lips, full of confidence that she was determined to win.

After a cup of tea, Qingdai led her entourage inside in a hurry:

"Your Majesty, I, Rong, am...gone."

Shen Jieyu turned around abruptly, her eyes filled with shock.

Qingdai continued, "Consort Rong committed suicide by drinking poison."

Consort Shao pressed, "Why would you suddenly commit suicide?"

"Replying to Consort Shao, the palace maids who serve Consort Rong are always afraid of her. The maids say that Consort Rong has a strange temper. She will smash things and make a scene if things don't go her way. Except for delivering meals, she almost never enters the palace to disturb people. Today, I was ordered to take people to knock on the door, but there was no response. When we forced our way in, we found that Consort Rong had already passed away, and there was an empty cup of poisoned wine beside her."

Song Shuangning's almond-shaped eyes turned cold. "Although Consort Rong's suicide was sudden, it may not have been without reason. Consort Shen visited her a couple of days ago, and it was precisely after Consort Shen's visit that Consort Rong took her own life."

"Consort Shen insists that Consort Rong accused me. If Consort Rong were truly innocent, why wouldn't he wait to go to court to confront her and prove his innocence, instead choosing to seek death?"

Consort Shen kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, you are wise. Consort Yuan is just turning the tables. She was afraid that Consort Rong would testify against her in court, so she secretly sent someone to poison Consort Rong and then pretended it was suicide."

"Consort Yuan knew that Consort Rong was the only one who could testify against her. Fearing that Consort Rong would reveal the truth, she preemptively killed her to silence her. After all, Consort Rong's crippling and the torture she suffered were all her doing."

Song Shuangning simply smiled after hearing this.

"Consort Shen's words are far too flimsy to withstand scrutiny. If I wanted to silence someone, why would I wait until today?"

Her words were laced with sarcasm, "How could I have known that Her Majesty the Empress had summoned all the concubines today for this matter? Did I possess the ability to predict the future? And by sheer coincidence, just as Consort Shen was suing me, Consort Rong committed suicide?"

Shen Jieyu: "You..."

Consort Qiu stared at Consort Shen, "In my opinion, some people will inevitably bring about their own downfall if they do many unrighteous deeds."

Just as the dispute raged in the hall, with no clear right or wrong to be determined,

Li Fuquan and the nanny who served the Empress Dowager entered one after the other.

Li Fuquan stepped forward first and bowed to the Empress: "Your Majesty, the Emperor has learned of the matter at Fengyi Palace and has sent people to Jingren Palace to investigate thoroughly. They found that Consort Rong left a suicide note before her death, and every word in it testifies that Consort Shen coerced her."

"His Majesty also instructed me to deliver a message to the Empress—"

"Your Majesty knows in your heart how to handle this."

After saying this, Steward Li bowed again and stood to the side with his hands at his sides.

A suicide note?

Consort Shen chuckled softly. The Emperor truly dotes on Consort Yuan, even going so far as to forge a will for her sake.

She looked at the old woman expectantly.

Immediately afterwards, the nanny beside the Empress Dowager stepped forward to pay her respects.

"This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress. The Empress Dowager has also heard about this matter and knows that Consort Shen has acted inappropriately. She specifically sent this servant to convey a message: Your Majesty should handle the matter fairly according to palace rules and need not worry about the Empress Dowager's feelings."

Shen Jieyu's face was ashen.

Why didn't her aunt defend her?

They even sent a maid to deliver this death warrant.

This is to cut off her last chance of survival.

Shen Jieyu was stunned for a long time.

The Empress's tone was icy, showing no mercy: "Under the rules of the palace, favoritism is not tolerated. Consort Shen, you have framed Consort Yuan, maliciously fabricated a plot, acted inappropriately, and caused the death of Consort Rong due to your actions, which have also greatly damaged relations between the two countries. Your crimes are unforgivable."

"Give me a cup of poisoned wine."

Consort Shen crawled on her knees towards the Empress in fear, "Your Majesty, I truly did not lie, it was Consort Yuan..."

Before she could finish speaking, two palace maids stepped forward, grabbed her arms on either side, and dragged her away despite her struggles and cries.

The shrill voice gradually faded away outside the palace.

Li Fuquan witnessed the whole thing, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "The matter is settled. This servant will report back to His Majesty immediately."

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.

Another month has passed.

Autumn is deep, and the autumn wind, carrying a chill, sweeps through the corridors and halls, causing withered yellow leaves to swirl and fall to the ground.

News has come from Shou Kang Palace that the Empress Dowager's condition is worsening day by day. Despite the efforts of the imperial physicians, they have been unable to save her and she may not survive the next few days.

Upon hearing this, Song Shuangning went to the Hall of Diligent Governance. From afar, she saw Xiao Yan standing alone outside the hall, his black dragon robe fluttering in the autumn wind. He gazed at the yellow leaves falling from the sky, his back view lonely and desolate.

Song Shuangning walked over and took his slightly cool hand. "Go see him. Go see her one last time."

Xiao Yan glanced at her sideways. "Ningning, will you blame me?"

Song Shuangning gently shook her head.

"Won't."

"Don't let her have any regrets, and don't let yourself have any regrets either. Go see her."

Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded and took her hand in his.

"His Majesty has arrived! Consort Xian has arrived!"

Upon hearing this high-pitched announcement, the Empress Dowager, who was drowsy on the bed, mustered her last bit of energy, and a faint smile slowly spread across her withered face, her eyes gleaming with tiny sparks.

"Yan'er is here. Yan'er has finally agreed to come and see her."

Xiao Yan and Song Shuangning walked to the bedside.

When the Empress Dowager saw this, she mustered all her strength to raise her hand to touch him, her withered fingers trembling slightly.

"Yan'er, your mother has finally seen you... To be able to see you one last time before I die, your mother has no regrets..."

"Yan'er, do you still hate your mother...?"

Xiao Yan lowered his eyes and slowly uttered a few words: "I don't hate anymore."

But he couldn't forgive.

Some wounds are so deep that they are etched into the bone marrow and can never be erased from the heart. Every time you think of them, your heart aches deeply.

A glimmer of light appeared in the Empress Dowager's eyes, and she smiled with relief.

Then I leaned back on the pillow.

"It's good that I don't hate my mother...it's good that I don't hate my mother..."

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes.

A royal physician stepped forward to check her breathing, and after a moment knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has passed away..."

Xiao Yan kept his eyes lowered, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath them.

The only thing he could do was to grasp Song Shuangning's hand and tighten his grip little by little.

In the late autumn of the fourth year of the Xihe era, the six palaces were dressed in mourning as the Empress Dowager passed away in the Shou Kang Palace.