The Enchanting Empress Dowager Is Really Poisonous

Volume 2 Chapter 19 - Proving Innocence, Long Yi Kneels

(I felt so good tling this chapter)

“Uncle Lu?” Yu Xiang looked at the newcomer in surprise. Hadn’t he been missing for many days?

Eunuch Lu glanced at her indifferently and slightly bowed to Long Yue Li. “This servant greets the Prince!”

“Ha!” Long Yue Li raised an eyebrow, knowing that Leng Jiu had likely been prepared for this. He swiftly walked over and took the lead Criminal Department official by the collar, sitting him down in his place.

Inside, Long Yi finally moved due to the external changes, but ultimately did not emerge! Lord De narrowed his eyes at Eunuch Lu. “Weren’t you missing? How did you suddenly appear?”

Eunuch Lu smiled. “It was my fault. I lost contact and made the Empress Dowager worry. Recently, my adoptive father, Eunuch Fu, was unwell, so I went to visit him and ended up staying there for a while. In my anxiety, I forgot to inform the Empress Dowager, which caused her to send someone to look for Manager Lin. It’s all my fault!”

Leng Jiu’s eyelids twitched. This liar was making things up without a script!

“Then what brings you here now, Eunuch Lu?”

Eunuch Lu walked behind Leng Jiu. “I am here to welcome the Empress Dowager back to the palace!”

“The Empress Dowager currently has suspicions of murdering the Crown Prince. How can she return to the palace?” Lord De’s old eyes were deep with concern, sensing something amiss.

Eunuch Lu chuckled lightly. “I’m here to prove the Empress Dowager’s innocence so she can return home with a clear conscience!”

Lord Xiao scoffed, clearly not believing Eunuch Lu. “Then show us some evidence. Words alone are not enough!”

“I naturally have evidence!” Eunuch Lu replied calmly. “I ask Lord De to summon my witnesses!”

Lord De hesitated for a moment, realizing he had no choice. “Summon them!”

The first to come up was a young girl, tied with ropes by two eunuchs. She appeared to be no more than ten years old, looking rather dejected as she knelt. “This servant, Yun Xiang, pays respects to the three lords!”

Lord De raised his hand. “What is the matter?”

Eunuch Lu looked at the girl on the ground. “You tell them!”

Yun Xiang leaned forward. “This servant is a second-rank maid from Huiyang Palace. On the seventeenth of the month, Concubine Hui suddenly called for me and asked me to do something important. If I succeeded, she would reward me with five hundred taels of silver and ensure my family’s prosperity. I was happy to agree, but then she forced me to go to the Crown Prince’s palace. When I refused, she threatened my family’s lives, so I had no choice!”

Gasps filled the hall: “Such a thing happened?”

Long Yi could no longer sit still and prepared to rise, but ultimately sat back down, his gaze toward Leng Jiu filled with more emotion than before.

Lord De was taken aback, surprised to hear such a testimony. “Who can confirm your words?”

“This matter is known only to me and Concubine Hui. She will not testify for me, and I cannot provide proof!” Yun Xiang lowered her head, seeming to remember something. “After I suffocated the Crown Prince, I went to the Weiyang Palace. It was close to the hour of the rabbit(5-7am), and I saw an elderly maid, but I didn’t pay much attention. I entered the outer hall of Weiyang Palace and left after making a turn while everyone was asleep. If anyone can prove it, it would be that maid!”

Everyone looked toward the two recently speaking maids. One of them widened her eyes. “That’s impossible! I clearly saw Ziyu!”

Eunuch Lu slightly raised his hand, and one eunuch helped Ziyu up while another brought Yun Xiang forward. They turned their backs to the crowd, revealing striking similarities.

“This is why they chose Yun Xiang instead of other maids. Yun Xiang and Ziyu are of similar age and height, and their backs look remarkably alike. If they were dressed in the same clothes, in the dim light, no one could distinguish between them!”

“How can this be possible?” Lord Xiao slammed the table, unwilling to believe it.

Lord De remained silent for a long while, his gaze heavy on Yun Xiang. “No one can corroborate your story. Your testimony alone is insufficient. Furthermore, if Concubine Hui truly instructed you, why would she let you appear here?”

Yun Xiang raised her head, her face ashen but with a cold smile. “On the eighteenth, just past the hour of the rabbit, Concubine Hui sent someone to take me away. I rushed home and hadn’t even spoken to my family when a group of assassins arrived. Now my entire family has been slaughtered; everyone is dead. Do you think I would appear here if I hadn’t escaped by jumping into the river to avoid being killed?”

Lord De gripped the table. “How did Eunuch Lu find you then?”

Leng Jiu narrowed her eyes, sensing Lord De’s question was somewhat inappropriate.

“I brought her here!” A proud, cold voice echoed as a tall figure entered, dressed in deep black, his expression devoid of emotion—none other than Hua Jinzhi.

Lord De was startled. “Jinzhi! What are you doing here?”

Hua Jinzhi looked at Lord De. “I naturally came to testify. This girl was found by me just yesterday morning. I’ve already sent people to transport her family’s bodies back; they’re currently outside the hall. I’ve also just sent the coroner out, so we should have results soon!”

Lord De clearly hadn’t expected Hua Jinzhi to involve himself, and his face darkened. Just as he picked up the table, Long Yue Li’s seemingly amused voice floated in, “Lord De wouldn’t doubt his own son, would he?”

Lord De paused, unable to continue. He gently set down the wooden tablet and said solemnly, “Even if it was Jin who saved this person, it cannot prove that what she said is true!”

Leng Jiu smiled lightly, “Lord De, don’t be anxious. I still have many witnesses here. You can listen carefully and then make your decision!”

A guard entered, wearing official robes, a second-rank guard, followed by a woman dressed not as a consort or palace maid, but as a selected yet unserviced beauty.

“Second-rank guard Feng Shao greets the three lords!”

“Beauty Wei Siyuan greets the three lords!”

Lord De no longer wished to speak; the situation had spiraled too far out of his control! Seeing him silent, Lord Xiao asked, “What do you two wish to say?”

“Replying to the Lord! Siyuan is here to testify that Concubine Hui has had an affair with Commander Lin Feng!”

The delicate voice was like a thunderclap, startling not only everyone in the hall but also the person behind the beaded curtain; Long Yi stepped out with a gloomy expression, looking fearsome: “What did you say?”

“Your Majesty! She is talking nonsense; I am wronged!” Lin Feng came out, kneeling with an expression of ‘I am innocent.’

Siyuan looked up at Long Yi, feeling a bit scared, but still spoke clearly: “Siyuan was taking a walk outside the Shu Xiu Palace on the evening of the first day of last month and inadvertently walked into the Western Garden. It was dark, and feeling afraid, she was about to turn back, but unexpectedly saw a palace maid and a guard come together. Shocked, she hid and saw them embrace behind a tree, then undress; Siyuan was stunned and didn’t immediately recognize them. After they left, Siyuan noticed something shining on the grass and nervously went over to pick it up—a small pearl flower!”

As she spoke, she took out a pearl flower and presented it: “Please examine it, Your Majesty!”

Lin Feng was shocked but forced himself to remain calm, angrily retorting, “It’s just a pearl flower, and she didn’t clearly see who they were; how can her words be trusted?”

Having said that, Siyuan was no longer surprised, still maintaining her kneeling position, and said slowly: “Siyuan wouldn’t dare deceive Your Majesty! Knowing this matter is serious, I couldn’t speak to anyone else, but I wanted to confirm who they were, so I spent several nights waiting in that place at different times. They both went there to meet, and I couldn’t see their faces well, so on the thirteenth of this month, I hid in a corridor they must pass through and finally saw that one person was Concubine Hui and the other was Commander Lin!”

“You, a mere beauty, how dare you slander Concubine Hui?” The Minister of War could no longer sit still, standing up in anger. How could he not be furious? If Zhao Yan truly did such a thing, not only would Zhao Yan die, but the Zhao family would also be finished.

Long Yue Li lazily raised his hand, and without needing to exert force, the tall Minister of War was pulled back down into his seat, his face turning green and purple: “With the Emperor and Lord De present, if Concubine Hui is innocent, she will naturally be exonerated. Why is Minister Zhao in such a hurry?”

Long Yi’s forehead bulged with veins; there’s no smoke without fire. He didn’t believe this was baseless. His gaze swept over Lin Feng, who was sweating profusely at his feet, then turned to Wei Siyuan and asked Feng Shao beside him: “What about you? What do you want to say?”

Feng Shao, who often followed Long Yi, was not afraid and respectfully replied: “Replying to Your Majesty! Since three months ago, Commander Lin occasionally leaves at the hour of Xu(7-9pm) and returns around the hour of Hai(9-11pm). I am responsible for cleaning Commander Lin’s room and preparing his bathing water, so I know very well! Furthermore, before the incident with Lady Yang, the eunuch Yu from Concubine Hui’s side appeared several times in the garden. Just two days before the incident with the First Prince, I personally saw Commander Lin talking to Concubine Hui in the imperial garden. At that time, Commander Lin looked troubled, but in the end, Concubine Hui held his arm and pleaded with him, and Commander Lin nodded in agreement. I was behind two flowerbeds, so I didn’t hear what they were saying!”

“Who instigated you to frame me?” Lin Feng unsheathed his sword, furiously lunging forward: “Today, I will kill this treacherous scoundrel!”

“Stop!” Long Yi shouted, but Lin Feng had no intention of listening, only wanting to kill the person before him.

Hua Jinzhi pulled the guard back and flicked Lin Feng’s sword away with a hand, then struck his abdomen, sending him flying under the table. The sword he held flew from his hand, and Hua Jinzhi’s internal force redirected it mid-air, plunging it straight into Lin Feng’s groin, making all the men present break into a cold sweat.

Hua Jinzhi coldly laughed: “Those who don’t do evil have nothing to fear; it seems that Commander Lin is guilty!”

“No! You’re talking nonsense!” Lin Feng clutched his abdomen, his face turning purple and red, glaring furiously, but his actions made everyone believe he was guilty. At this moment, this matter overshadowed even the Empress Dowager’s plot to harm the Crown Prince.

Just then, an elderly man in gray robes, around fifty, walked in. Seeing the situation in the hall, he was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted, kneeling and greeting: “I pay my respects to Your Majesty!”

Long Yi’s dark gaze swept over: “What is it?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, I am the coroner here, come to report on the autopsy results of the five family members outside!”

“Speak!”

“Reporting to Your Majesty! The seven individuals had a total of eleven wounds; the couple in their forties had five wounds on the man and two on the woman. The elderly man and woman each had one wound, resulting in immediate death. The seventeen-year-old boy had two wounds—one in the chest and one in the back, with all his organs exposed.”

Hearing this, Yunxiang bowed her head, tears streaming down.

The coroner continued: “All five victims’ wounds were made by the same weapon, specifically the three-foot-seven swords used by the Imperial Guard. Moreover, the force and angle of each strike indicate that the assailants were indeed from the Imperial Guard!”

Everyone in the hall turned pale; the situation had clearly spiraled out of control!

Leng Jiu shook her robe: “I wonder if my name has been cleared now?”

Lord Xiao replied discontentedly: “We’re currently discussing Concubine Hui’s affair; this matter regarding the Empress Dowager is unrelated. The charges against her remain!”

Leng Jiu sneered: “Lord Xiao truly observes everything; it seems you won’t rest until my guilt is confirmed?”

“I am merely stating the facts; the Empress Dowager should not slander me!”

“Is that so?” Leng Jiu raised her gaze to Long Yue Li: “I see Lord Xiao is unpleasant; I wonder if the Prince could do me a favor and throw him down?”

Long Yue Li looked up, a wicked smile on his face: “That’s easy to do!”

Lord Xiao widened his eyes: “Long Yue Li! You dare?”

Long Yue Li ignored him, directly using his internal force to lift Lord Xiao, who flew out, landing on the ground before Leng Jiu, looking like a dog in distress!

“How dare you treat me this way?”

Leng Jiu smiled coldly: “Lord Xiao dared to yell at me, yet I shouldn’t dare to do anything to you?”

“You’re just a palace woman; you have no right to teach me a lesson!” Lord Xiao grumbled as he got up from the ground, clearly unhappy.

Leng Jiu stepped closer, lightly placing her foot on Lord Xiao’s back. Without much effort, he found himself pressed back down to the ground, grimacing in pain. Leng Jiu turned to Gong Yuwei: “Minister Gong! This duke has shown disrespect to the Empress Dowager; how should he be punished?”

Gong Yuwei stepped down from his position and glanced at the prostrate Lord Xiao, saying flatly, “The crime of great disrespect carries fifty strokes, even for a duke. However, since Lord Xiao is an elder, thirty strokes will suffice as a warning!”

“Gong Yuwei! You dare?” Lord Xiao glared at him from the ground, utterly humiliated, his dignity stripped away.

Leng Jiu surveyed the two sides of guards holding rods: “Didn’t you hear? Is it that this Empress Dowager can’t move you?”

The two teams exchanged glances, then looked towards the high platform. Seeing that Long Yi had not spoken, they felt anxious but reluctantly approached, dragging Lord Xiao toward the door to carry out the punishment!

“Do you dare? I am a duke!” Lord Xiao yelled, then turned to Long Yi: “Your Majesty! Save me! Your Majesty!”

At this moment, Long Yi had no mood to concern himself with him, coldly glancing at the prostrate Lin Feng, and turned away: “Return to the palace!”

“Smack!” A rod struck down, and Lord Xiao struggled desperately: “Get off me! Are you seeking death?”

Long Yue Li flashed a charming smile: “The people from the Ministry of Punishment are so useless they can’t even respond with a rod. Come, let’s treat Lord Xiao well—remember, thirty strokes, and not one less!”

“Yes!” Two guards stepped forward; one held Lord Xiao down while the other began to strike with the rod, the sound much crisper than before.

“Long Yue Li! You scoundrel! You really dare to hit me! Ah… ah…” Lord Xiao screamed and cursed, his flailing figure both ridiculous and comical. However, after a dozen strokes, he had lost the energy to curse, unable even to cry out in pain.

Lord De looked at Long Yue Li with concern: “Stop! Lord Xiao is still a duke; a small punishment is enough. We can’t really give him thirty strokes!”

Long Yue Li raised an eyebrow with a smile: “Are you saying the Empress Dowager’s punishment is unjust? Or do you not respect her? Oh, I forgot—besides Lord Xiao, you are also seated above the Empress Dowager right now. So, in that case, you don’t regard her highly either, no wonder you speak up for Lord Xiao!”

“Prince Xuan!” Lord De’s expression hardened, far better at pretense than Lord Xiao. He immediately stepped down: “This old minister offers his apologies to the Empress Dowager!”

Leng Jiu didn’t look at him, instead glancing at the panting Lord Xiao, and slightly raised her hand: “Lu Chang! Don’t you support this Empress Dowager back to the palace?”

Lu Chang stepped forward and extended his arm: “I have already prepared the phoenix sedan, and the palace has also prepared fragrant herbal water. The Empress Dowager should wash away this bad luck upon returning!”

Leng Jiu raised an eyebrow: “Indeed, it is bad luck! Ziyu, why haven’t you moved?”

Ziyu stepped forward, though still in pain, her face lit up with a smile: “This servant is fine! I can walk back!”

Leng Jiu firmly grasped her hand and pulled her up: “This is an order; defying me will earn you a beating!”

Ziyu smiled, feeling warmth in her heart, as she was pulled onto the sedan. They both sat inside, and as the sedan started moving, Long Yue Li intended to tag along. However, with Leng Jiu taking a palace maid with her and ordering the guards to block both sides, he had no choice but to ride his own carriage behind them, feeling somewhat desolate compared to the luxurious procession in front.

When Leng Jiu returned to the Weiyang Palace, Qing Ling, Du Heng, and others were already there. Xiang Ming had sustained injuries and returned to her own quarters to rest; the other palace maids had also come back, as they were not deeply involved in the incident and were simply detained without abuse.

“Welcome back to the palace, Empress Dowager!”

Leng Jiu glanced at them as they entered: “Du Heng! Go summon a physician to check on Ziyu, and find another maid to take care of her!”

“Yes, your servant obeys!”

Ziyu wanted to refuse, but knowing that Leng Jiu’s words rarely changed, she decided not to speak and simply kept her gratitude in her heart, planning to repay it later.

Leng Jiu soaked in a large tub filled with herbal water for a while, then washed thoroughly in the bathing pool before emerging. Qing Ling carefully applied medicine to her neck and wrapped it with cloth, then found a set of black phoenix robes for Leng Jiu to wear. Her hair was styled in a slightly more intricate fashion, adorned with a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin. This attire was more formal than usual, a clear statement that the Empress Dowager remained the master of the harem.

After meticulously applying her makeup and adjusting her robes, it took over half an hour. The effect was remarkable; the black robe with gold thread exuded elegance and grandeur. The elaborate headpiece, combined with Leng Jiu’s natural grace, gave her an imposing presence. Despite her youthful features, her makeup and demeanor commanded respect, making it hard for anyone to focus solely on her looks.

Leng Jiu stood up and looked outside the palace, raising her gaze slightly, her eyes cold and sharp: “It’s time for everyone to know who truly rules the harem!”

“Yes!” Lu Chang stepped beside Leng Jiu, maintaining his usual composure as if her recent imprisonment never happened. Du Heng and Qing Ling took a step back and followed them out of Weiyang Palace.

At this moment, Huijing Palace was bustling with activity. Long Yi returned to the palace and went straight to Huijing Palace. Knowing that Leng Jiu didn’t welcome him, Long Yue Li decided to join the crowd. Soon after, Gong Yuwei and Hua Jinzhi brought in the witnesses, and Lord De also arrived, worried about Zhao Yan’s situation. Naturally, Hua Yuxuan and the other concubines didn’t miss the opportunity to join the excitement, making Huijing Palace lively and crowded!

“The Empress Dowager has arrived!”

Lu Chang’s voice rang out, louder and more penetrating than ever.

“Greetings, Empress Dowager!”

The crowd hurriedly knelt down. They all knew that after Leng Jiu’s return to the palace, she had cleared her name. Who would dare to be disrespectful to someone who had escaped such a serious charge?

As Leng Jiu entered, her gaze fell on Long Yi, who sat high on the platform. Huijing was in disarray, with the disheveled Concubine Hui on the ground and Lin Feng tied up like a dumpling(hahahaha) beside her. The witnesses, palace maids, were lined up neatly before them.

At this moment, the lower-ranking officials knelt, while the higher-ranking ones bowed respectfully, except for Long Yue Li and Long Yi.

Leng Jiu didn’t call for them to rise, and they dared not move. She stood in the center, fixing her cold, penetrating gaze on Long Yi, a hint of an ambiguous smile on her lips: “What? Does the Empress Dowager not deserve to be greeted by the Emperor? Or should I be the one to bow to you?”

The crowd buzzed in surprise. Was the Empress Dowager demanding a bow from the Emperor? They regarded her as too young and without heirs, so no one had ever thought much about the Emperor bowing to her. Previously, she had clung to the Emperor without the demeanor of an Empress Dowager, so they saw no issue with him not bowing. But now, she dared to ask for such respect in front of so many people, leaving them astonished yet unable to voice their objections.

Long Yi narrowed his eyes, staring deeply at Leng Jiu: “You want me to bow?”

Leng Jiu placed a hand on Lu Chang’s arm, slightly raising her head to look at Long Yi, a proud smile on her face: “What? Has the Emperor not learned the etiquette of royal hierarchy? I may be the former Empress, but I was also appointed by the late Emperor, recognized by the world and recorded in the royal genealogy. Am I not worthy of a bow from the Emperor?”

Long Yi’s already fearsome expression grew colder, the atmosphere in the hall turning icy as if swept by a blizzard. She actually wanted him to kneel! His fists tightened, emotions roiling within him—anger, shock, and humiliation.

Long Yue Li understood Leng Jiu’s intent to assert her authority. He felt that he shouldn’t have to kneel to anyone, but since this was the woman he admired, kneeling to her wasn’t a loss. Realizing this, he stepped forward, his vibrant red robes flowing as he knelt on one knee, bowing his head: “I, Long Yue Li, pay my respects to the Empress Dowager!”

Long Yi’s expression shifted, and after a moment of hesitation, he slowly stood up, taking two laborious steps forward. His gaze was locked on Leng Jiu, as if he wanted to see through her, but she maintained her graceful smile, unaffected by his pressure. Reluctantly, he approached and knelt on one knee: “I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager!”

Since the day he became Emperor, Long Yi had never knelt to anyone. Now, after four years of pride, his knees finally bowed before Leng Jiu. He had always looked down on others, but now Leng Jiu taught him a lesson in respect in front of everyone.

With the Emperor kneeling, who else would dare stand? Lord De and others quickly knelt, unsure if their aging knees could handle the hard floor. The concubines, who typically performed a half-squat, all knelt down, finally aligning in uniformity.

Leng Jiu didn’t relish the moment of being worshipped; she only sought Long Yi’s submission, the status and respect that belonged to her.

As she moved, her elegant robes brushed past Long Yi, and she took her seat where he had just been: “You may rise.”

No one dared to be the first to stand, all eyes on Long Yi. It was only when he composed himself that the others followed suit: “Thank you, Empress Dowager!”

Long Yi moved to another seat, and Leng Jiu seemed to ignore his expression, picking up a cup of tea that had just been served. Her delicate fingers brushed the lid of the cup as her gaze fell on Concubine Hui, who was crying on the ground like a withered flower. She smiled lightly: “Isn’t this Concubine Hui? You don’t look very beautiful in this state!”

Concubine Hui shrank back, too afraid to respond. She had framed Leng Jiu but now could not ask for her help. Realizing her likely fate, her face turned ashen, her heart as bleak as her appearance.

Seeing her silence, Leng Jiu turned to Hua Yuxuan with a smile: “Aren’t you and Concubine Hui the best of friends? Since she’s in such a miserable state, you won’t plead for her?”

Hua Yuxuan kept her head down, obscuring her expression: “I treat all the sisters in the harem equally. Concubine Hui has committed an unforgivable act, and even if I pity her, I can only suppress that feeling.”

Leng Jiu smirked internally but kept her expression neutral: “Indeed, you are worthy of being the noble consort, a model for the harem!”

Hua Yuxuan recognized the sarcasm but had no room to retort.

Leng Jiu no longer engaged her and turned her attention back to Long Yi: “How is the Emperor’s judgment? Do I still need to spend a day or two in the Ministry of Punishment’s prison?”

Long Yi’s face darkened as he ignored her, his gaze landing on Concubine Hui and Lin Feng: “Take these two and execute them!”

“Your Majesty!” The Minister of War knelt, his face filled with sorrow, yet he dared not plead for mercy; such matters left no room for appeal.

Four guards stepped forward to apprehend the person, but Leng Jiu slightly raised her eyes, “Wait!”

The Minister of War looked at Leng Jiu with hope, but her words plunged him into despair.

“Conspiring to harm a prince is a crime, having an affair is a crime, framing the Empress Dowager is a crime—three crimes compounded; is simple execution too lenient?”

Long Yi finally turned to her, his gaze piercing as if he wanted to stab her: “What does the Empress Dowager intend?”

Leng Jiu traced the rim of her teacup with her beautifully manicured finger, exuding both beauty and a hint of poison: “While it may not be the extermination of nine clans, a full family execution seems quite justified, doesn’t it?”

Boom! A thunderous shock echoed, and the Minister of War nearly collapsed. Lin Feng glared fiercely at Leng Jiu: “Is the Empress Dowager really so venomous? Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

“Am I so venomous?” Leng Jiu raised an eyebrow in confusion. “You killed a prince; that alone is enough to warrant the extermination of your family. You framed me and nearly caused my death, and furthermore, to cover the truth, you slaughtered the innocent maid’s entire family. Who is truly venomous here—me or your group’s greatest evil? If such crimes aren’t enough for annihilation, then the laws of our Phoenix Court might as well be used as toilet paper!”

“Empress Dowager!” Zhao Yan’s deadpan eyes finally showed some emotion. “All of this is my fault; I am willing to die in atonement. I plead for the Empress Dowager to spare my innocent family!”

“There are no innocents in this world!” Leng Jiu turned to Duke De: “Do you think my proposed punishment is too severe?”

Duke De remained silent for a moment, bowing his head. “Three crimes compounded indeed deserve the extermination of their family.”

“Duke De!” Zhao Yan’s eyes widened, and she turned sharply to Hua Yuxuan: “Noble Concubine Hua! You clearly promised that if I took the fall, my Zhao family would be spared. Why are you breaking your word?”

The crowd gasped, glancing at Hua Yuxuan, realizing her involvement.

Hua Yuxuan remained expressionless, coldly staring at Zhao Yan. “I do not understand what you are saying.”

“Your Majesty!” Zhao Yan crawled to Long Yi, tears streaming down her face. “Your Majesty! All of this was instigated by Noble Concubine Hua. She discovered my affair with Guard Lin and threatened me, making me act on her orders!”

“Your Majesty, do not listen to this madwoman’s nonsense! She is simply angry at the thought of her family being exterminated!” Duke  De quickly interjected.

Hua Yuxuan stepped forward and graciously bowed to Long Yi. “I had no part in this matter and was unaware of it. I ask Your Majesty to discern the truth! As for the affair involving Noble Consort Hui, I have heard whispers and have advised her on several occasions. Perhaps that has made her resentful!”

“I didn’t! I am speaking the truth, Your Majesty. I have told no lies; it was all her doing!” Zhao Yan clutched Long Yi’s robes, crying pitifully.

Lin Feng, also panicked, hurriedly added, “Your Majesty! It was indeed Noble Concubine who threatened us; we beg Your Majesty to investigate!”

Long Yi kicked Zhao Yan away and stood up abruptly. “Summon someone! Draft an edict: Noble Consort Zhao Yan and Guard Lin Feng had an affair, damaging the royal family’s reputation. Noble Consort Zhao Yan is to be stripped of her title and demoted to a slave, facing execution! Lin Feng is to be stripped of his position and subjected to dismemberment!”

“Yes!”

The crowd sighed in relief upon hearing this, but Long Yi continued, “Additionally, draft another edict: Slave Zhao Yan conspired with commoner Lin Feng to murder the Crown Prince and attempted to frame the Empress Dowager, committing heinous crimes. The Zhao and Lin families share culpability, to be exterminated without exception, with Lord De personally overseeing the house arrest and executions!”

Lord De trembled but could only accept the edict. “This old minister obeys!”

At this moment, Zhao Yan and Lin Feng were utterly hopeless. The Minister of War fainted on the spot, and before Zhao Yan could speak again, several guards took them away. The other witnesses were also escorted out, leaving the atmosphere in the room tense, with everyone silently watching the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Long Yi turned to Leng Jiu, his expression icy. “Is the Empress Dowager satisfied with this handling?”

Leng Jiu took a sip of her now lukewarm tea and raised her eyes. “This is your Majesty’s decision; it has nothing to do with me! By the way, where is the Concubine De?”

Leng Jiu suddenly changed the topic. Lu Chang reacted quickly, saying, “Replying to the Empress Dowager! The Concubine De is unwell and is still resting.”

“Oh!” Leng Jiu feigned understanding, then set down her teacup casually. “I recall visiting the Concubine De’s quarters last time; it was dark and dreary—not a good place. Moreover, the Crown Prince died there. The Concubine might feel nostalgic and it wouldn’t benefit her recovery! I remember there is a nice palace called Qinghe Palace in the west; it is very quiet. Please take my order to bestow that palace upon Concubine De, and seal her original palace!”

“Your servant obeys!”

Leng Jiu then stood up. “I haven’t slept well for two days and am feeling very fatigued. I’m returning to the palace!”

“The Empress Dowager is departing!”

“Farewell to the Empress Dowager!”

At this moment, the concubines treated Leng Jiu with utmost respect. They finally recognized who truly dominated the harem! The name “Qinghe Palace” was nice, but it was a very remote palace, much like the Cold Palace. With a light word, Leng Jiu had sent the Concubine De there, and even the Emperor didn’t oppose her. Who would dare disrespect her?

Long Yi clenched his fists, watching Leng Jiu’s retreating figure. He was furious, he was filled with hatred, yet at that moment, he could unleash none of it. Especially when she mentioned being the late emperor’s queen, entering the genealogy—it felt like his heart was being flayed. She was his woman, not his stepmother, and yet she had forced him to kneel before her. It was absurd; why should he kneel to her? Compared to Zhao Yan’s humiliation, Leng Jiu was the one truly carving knives into his heart. Yet he forgot that just two days prior, he had wanted Leng Jiu dead!

Filled with rage, Long Yi left, ignoring the beautiful concubines in the room. Even the sight of a stunning beauty couldn’t extinguish his fury! The concubines exchanged glances, then quietly left; none dared to speak of today’s events.

One by one, they departed. The palace attendants naturally did not linger, and Long Yue had long vanished. In the end, only Hua Yuxuan, Lord De, and Hua Jinzhi remained.

Lord De sighed helplessly as he looked at Hua Yuxuan. “You are foolish!”

Hua Yuxuan pressed her lips together in silence; she still didn’t believe she had done anything wrong. She did it for Jinzhi, for Lord De’s residence. One day, they would understand her good intentions!

Lord De then turned to Hua Jinzhi: “Jinzhi! Why did you get involved? Do you know you nearly harmed your sister and our Duke residence?”

Hua Jinzhi sneered. “It seems Father knows about this matter. Since you do, you should realize I did nothing wrong. If you had a sister as malicious as hers, you’d better advise her to tone it down. She may have preserved her status as a noble consort this time, but next time, who knows?”

Lord De glared at him in anger. “Is this how you speak to your father? What do you mean you don’t have such a sister? I tell you, even if she dies, she is still your sister!”

Hua Jinzhi turned away. “Then we’ll speak of it when she’s dead!” With that, he strode out.

Lord De trembled with anger. “Unfilial son!”

Hua Yuxuan patted his back. “Father, don’t be upset. Jinzhi is still young; he will understand our intentions one day!”

“He’s already of age, yet still young? When will he grow up?” Lord De sighed in frustration. Afterward, he glanced at Hua Yuxuan, his anger softening slightly. “You’re not much better!”

“Father, don’t worry. I won’t be reckless again; I’ll be careful!” Hua Yuxuan promised obediently.

Lord De sighed and left. He still had to receive the imperial edict regarding the extermination of families, a burden he would bear alone!

On the way back to Weiyang Palace, Du Heng couldn’t help but ask, “Why doesn’t the Empress Dowager directly hold Noble Concubine Hua accountable, knowing she orchestrated this? Now that Noble Consort Hui has become a scapegoat, it’s terribly unfair!”

Leng Jiu chuckled lightly. “Noble Concubine Hua has Lord De’s residence backing her; do you think it’s that easy to hold her accountable?”

Lu Chang smiled in agreement. “The Emperor may not show it, but he understands that Noble Concubine Hua is involved. That’s why he entrusted the matter of exterminating families to Lord De. Although this is the royal palace, no wall is impermeable, especially with so many concubines representing their families. Soon, officials will know that Lord De’s residence would do anything for self-preservation, and afterward, no one will dare to sincerely befriend them. Noble Concubine Hua will be isolated in the harem!”

Leng Jiu scoffed at him. “I detest your sycophantic nature!”

“I apologize to the Empress Dowager; I will do whatever she commands!” The servile tone resurfaced, leaving Leng Jiu speechless!