The queen's face was pale, never having been so ruthlessly scolded by Emperor Jing before. For a moment, she felt a bit embarrassed.
Also concerned that the emperor would really take away her palace rights or get her dismissed and so on.
She has no sons, her family is not very powerful, and she is also not favored by the emperor. Initially, her marriage to the emperor was entirely due to the late emperor's favor, who arranged for her to marry the then crown prince, Emperor Jing.
The queen, bearing the injustice in silence, nervously explained, "Your Majesty, please be appeased. Since the move into the Weiyang Palace, Shu has suffered severe torment at the hands of Yu Empress. Her methods are truly appalling and have provoked public outrage. There are even some maids who can attest to her treacheries. I have already issued an edict for Yu Empress to copy the palace rules three hundred times and placed her under house arrest in Guoseji Palace as a form of punishment. However, the suffering endured by Shu cannot be compensated by mere copying of palace rules. That's why I have come to report this matter to you."
Emperor Jing listened to the queen's words and his face grew even more stern, coldly humming, "Oh? Methods that are truly appalling? Go ahead and tell me about it."
He wants to see just what his cousin has done to Shu that is so cruel.
The queen presented the prepared affidavits, which contained the testimonies of Shu's maid, Xiangju, and she had them meticulously recorded in detail.
Of course, the purpose is naturally to give Yu Empress a severe blow.
Emperor Jing received the statement and casually flipped through it. Upon seeing the content, his expression grew even darker.
Then, he heaved the statement down on the desk angrily, roaring, "How dare Yu Empress so bully a palace concubine? She is really lawless. Send the imperial edict. Immediately strip Yu Empress of her title and demote her to the position of a concubine, confine her to Guoseji Palace for half a year, and penalize her with the task of copying palace rules five hundred times. If there is any recurrence, severe punishment will be carried out."
The queen was overjoyed in her heart, wanting to clap and laugh out loud, but she exerted great effort to suppress her emotions.
She lifted her foot forward, showing a worried expression as she said mockingly, "Your Majesty, Yu Empress is the niece of the Empress Dowager, and their relationship is very close. Such punishment might cause the Empress Dowager to have objections."
Emperor Jing humphed coldly, his lips curling into a mocking smile, "I have my own plans. This matter does not concern you."
Then, he remembered Shu, reflecting on how he had deliberately favored her, all to cover up his favoritism towards Yao'er and set up a target.
At the end of the day, Shu's suffering is also his fault.
He may not like Shu, but he is somewhat satisfied with her. After all, she is his woman.
After a moment of thought, Emperor Jing said, "Shu has suffered such hardships due to my negligence. Send my edict to promote Shu to the rank of Concubine Consort, retain her title, and move her immediately to the Yong'an Palace to show my comfort and reconciliation."
However, he was thinking again, whether to switch to another person to be favored. Shu was useless, and it was a waste of his own thoughts.
The queen knew that the emperor was trying to comfort Shu, but she could not help feeling envious in her heart.
She was unsure whether her actions were right or wrong, but she thought that Shu was easier to deal with than Yu Empress, and she had no regrets.
The queen suppressed her thoughts and smiled faintly, "Congratulations, Shu Concubine, on receiving this favor. As a concubine, I will definitely order the preparation of Yong'an Palace well, so that Shu Concubine can live comfortably."
Emperor Jing nodded slightly and did not speak much.
He was aware of the queen's thoughts, but at this moment, he had no time to worry about them.
His gaze fell on the statement, and he grew more and more angry with Zhang's behavior in his heart.
Zhang Fu was actually Yu Empress. Yu was her title, and if the title was stripped away and she was demoted to the position of a concubine, she would be referred to by her surname as Zhang Fu.
In the palace, when everyone heard that Emperor Jing had first imprisoned the conspirator Lu in the cold palace and killed her with a stick, followed by demoting Yu Empress to the position of a concubine and stripping her of her title, there was a commotion.
The news spread like willow catkins in a spring breeze, quickly spreading from every corner of the palace.
The tragic fate of Lu's concubine served as a heavy blow, striking a bell of warning in the hearts of all the concubines in the palace, and prompting those who had previously concealed their sharp edges and harbored ill-intentions to suppress their own sharpness.
Yingyue Palace, once a place of splendor, no longer has its prosperity. It is left in a state of desolation, deserted, with no one coming or going. Even the wind passing through seems to carry a wailing sound.
Several maids exchanged terrified looks in private, discussing the tragic end of Lu's concubine.
"Did you hear? Concubine Lu was dragged out last night, and the sound of her screams still gives me the chills."
"Yes, it's truly a fate she deserves. Who knows what she was thinking when she harmed the fetus of Empress Qinzhao?"
"I heard that Sister Cuimi was also implicated, and though she seemed kind-hearted enough, I never imagined her to be so heartless."
An elderly woman, upon hearing this, shook her head and sighed, "In the palace, there is no such thing as true kindness. Everyone is just doing their duty to their master and submitting to their fate."
These people were all relieved that they had not been involved in this particular incident.
And those who had once been friends with Concubine Lu were even more hesitant to step out, fearing that they might be implicated as well and become the next sacrifice.
Xinghua Palace, with light gauze dancing in the breeze and the scent of flowers filling the air.
Yu Yao leaned against the embroidery cushion, gently caressing her bulging belly with one hand. Her eyes reflected a mix of maternal tenderness and a hint of severity.
Occasionally, a few clear bird songs are heard outside the window, contrasting sharply with the turbulent waves in her heart.
"Liuli, have you heard about the fate of Lu Concubine?"
She lightly opened her red lips, breaking the tranquility of the room.
"Your Majesty, I have learned the truth. Concubine Lu was demoted to commoner status, exiled to the cold palace, and executed by being beaten to death with sticks. Even her maid Cuimi was spared."
Liuli replied respectfully, with a hint of satisfaction in her tone.
Yu Yao heard this and smiled even more faintly.
She sighed lightly, as if in regret or warning herself: "In the palace, every step must be taken with great care. Any disregard for life will inevitably lead to self-retribution."
As she spoke, Xiao Qingzi hurriedly entered the palace hall, fell to his knees, and gasped out, "Your Majesty, there is new news in the palace. Yu Empress has been stripped of her title and demoted to the rank of concubine due to her mistreatment of Shu Concubine. She has been confined to Guanjiu Palace for half a year and is being punished by copying the palace rules five hundred times."
Yu Yao's eyes sparked with a flash of insight, and a faint smile curved her lips. "Yu Empress? Now she should be known as Zhang Fu, right? How is Shu Concubine? Any other orders? Or is she still staying in Guanjiu Palace?"
Given the circumstances, the "dog emperor" has no reason to keep her there.
Xiao Qingzi bowed slightly and hurriedly said, "The emperor has promoted Shu Concubine to the rank of Consort, retaining her title, and moved her to Yong'an Palace as a form of compensation."
He spoke with great care, as if he was afraid that the empress would not be pleased.
"Shu Guikun is indeed fortunate, but this fortune is earned at a great cost."
Yu Yao's tone was flat, and it was impossible to discern any sign of joy or anger.
Liuli whispered from the side, "Your Majesty, Shu Guikun's promotion may cause envy among the other concubines in the palace."
Yu Yao smiled faintly and said, "In the palace, favor has always been as fleeting as clouds. Today's grace may turn into tomorrow's fall. Let's see, the intrigue in the palace is far from over."
In the other palaces of the harem, the concubines were also discussing the tragic fate of Lu Concubine, Yu Empress's demotion, and the sudden promotion of Shu Guikun.
Some envied Shu Guikun's good fortune, while others were calculating how to secure their own interests in this turbulent situation.
Yong'an Palace, although situated to the south of the eastern six palaces, boasts an excellent location, being adjacent to the Imperial Garden. It is luxurious and spacious, far superior to the extremely remote Xinghua Palace.
The concubines in the harem became increasingly jealous of Shu Guikun. Having been in the palace for only two months, she had already become the primary concubine of a palace, a promotion speed that can only be compared to Empress Qinzhao.
Consort Qin, at least, has carried the imperial heir. Though everyone is envious, they can accept it.
However, Shu Guikun was promoted solely through favor, which is of course different from Consort Qin's situation.
Shu Guikun, regardless of the jealousy of the others, happily moved to Yong'an Palace at the earliest opportunity upon receiving the imperial edict.
Yong'an Palace.
Shu Guikun, surrounded by a group of attendants, carefully tended to her new home.
She wore a smile of relief on her face, and she was quite satisfied with the emperor's promotion and comfort, as well as the punishment meted out to Yu Empress.
"This is just the beginning. Yu Empress, no, Zhang Fu, for all the pain she has inflicted upon me, I will repay it little by little, and even double it."
Shu Guikun's eyes flashed with a fierce look, and she whispered to herself in her heart.
"Your Majesty, your recent promotion and move to a new palace, as well as the emperor's punishment of Yu Empress, have surely brought great satisfaction to everyone!"
Maidservant Xiangju had been released by the queen, speaking softly with joy shining in her eyes.
However, Shu Guikun slightly shook her head and said, "Just demotion and the stripping of her title. She remains a high-ranking concubine, while what does His Majesty see me as?"
Xiangju hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please do not belittle yourself. You are now a Guikun, and the emperor favors you greatly. In the future, you will certainly take another step forward. The Y…Zhang Fu is currently under house arrest and has lost her title. She has become a fallen figure. Your Majesty need not fear her."
Shu Guikun sighed softly, a hint of worry flickering in her eyes: "It's only temporary. She has the protection of the empress dowager. It won't be long before she reappears. By then, I'm sure I'll have trouble."
She must seize the emperor's favor firmly, for only by retaining his favor can she ensure her own safety.
Xiangju, upon recalling that Zhou Fu is the empress dowager's niece, fell silent as well, with a touch of worry in her eyes.
On the other hand, in Guanjiu Palace.
"Queen, you are a poisonous woman."
Yu Empress sat on the cold stone steps, her hair disheveled, the former splendor gone, replaced by despair and unwillingness.
"Think you can bring me down with this? Foolish dreams. She's just an out-of-favor old woman, using her position as queen to act however she wants. She thinks demoting me to the rank of a concubine will let her rest easy? Pish!"
Yu Empress's eyes flashed with madness, as if she were about to turn the anger within her into a tangible force, devouring everything.
"And that Shu Guikun, nothing more than a lowly concubine. I will watch her and see how long she can keep the emperor's favor. Once this house arrest is lifted, I will ensure that she and her allies are neither able to live nor die."
At this moment, a night breeze swept through, stirring up the fallen leaves on the ground, as if bringing with it an ominous portent.
Yu Empress' personal maid, Furong, came in and seeing her mistress in such a state, felt compassion in her heart.
However, she dared not say much more, merely softly advising, "Your Majesty, it is late at night. It is best to rest early. The empress dowager will certainly save you from confinement."
Yu Empress's eyes lit up, "Yes, my aunt will certainly save me from here. I will watch those two wretches see how long they can enjoy their fleeting favor."
She pondered for a moment.
She focused her gaze on Furong, gritting her teeth and said, "Go, come up with a plan to send someone to the Chenyuning Palace to seek help from the empress dowager. I cannot just sit here and wait for death."
Furong, aware of her mistress's precarious situation, quickly complied and turned to make arrangements.
Chenying Palace.
The palace, shrouded in night, exuded an aura of solemnity and tranquility. The high walls rose above, the gated entrance painted a deep red and tightly shut, as if shielding the world from the clamor and chaos beyond.
The trees surrounding the palace were lush and green, casting patches of mottled shadows under the moonlight.
The night breeze gently blows, the leaves rustle softly, as if they were telling the story of the passing years.
At this moment, the empress dowager was seated in the main position, her expression solemn.
She closed her eyes slightly, twirling a string of prayer beads in her hand, her mind brimming with thoughts.
The empress dowager had long heard of the news about Yu Empress, her expression complex.
This niece, spoiled from a young age, had a domineering personality. The empress dowager hadn't expected her to continue acting up after entering the palace, causing such great trouble in the harem now.
While thinking this, a matron hurried in to report, "Empress Dowager, someone from Empress Yu has come to beg for help."
The empress dowager sighed lightly, slightly opening her eyes, and a hint of helplessness flashed across them.
Even though she felt that this niece was not up to par, it was still part of the family, and she couldn't just ignore her.
After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Go and call the emperor."
In the imperial study.
Emperor Jing was buried in handling official matters when he heard his mother's summons. He had already guessed that it was due to the matter involving Yu Empress.
His brow furrowed, and a hint of impatience appeared on his face. Yet, he couldn't defy his mother's command, so he put down the scrolls in his hand and rose to go to Chenying Palace.
