The princess regretted it.

When Concubine Zhang heard Jiaoyu's words, her face instantly turned pale. She glanced back in horror at the room, then quickly looked at the Emperor. The Emperor's expression was now gloomy to the extreme, his eyes blazing with rage, his gaze piercing directly at Concubine Zhang like a physical object. Concubine Zhang's legs softened, and she too fell to her knees with a plop. "Your Majesty?" She looked at the Emperor with a pleading expression.

The Second Prince, kneeling on the ground, closed his eyes in despair. He knew that Jiaoyu's words were undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire, making his already furious father even more intolerable. He secretly groaned inwardly, but he was powerless to do anything. He could only pray to the heavens, hoping that his father would, in consideration of their past relationship, show leniency to his mother and sister.

The Third Prince raised his lips slightly, a glint of gloating in his eyes. He had long disliked this mother and daughter, and had often suffered from their wrath. Now that they were digging their own graves, it was truly gratifying.

Jin An stood aside, watching this scene coldly, his disgust for Jiao Yu and Concubine Zhang growing even stronger. Isn't this what they call "man's evil deeds will be punished by heaven"?

Jiaoyu didn't hear her mother's reply, and she couldn't help feeling confused and irritated. She waited in the room for a moment, but then she heard some unusual noises coming from outside. Although the noise was not loud, it was particularly clear in the oppressive silence of the Jiaoyu Palace.

She grew increasingly curious. What had happened that caused her mother to be so inconsiderate as to not even bother responding to her? With this in mind, she gritted her teeth, resisted the discomfort, and struggled to get out of bed.

She slowly moved her feet to the door, and with trembling hands she lifted the curtain that blocked her view. The moment the curtain was opened, the scene outside came into her sight without reservation.

She saw her father standing not far away with a gloomy face and looking at her coldly. His eyes were filled with endless coldness and anger, like the biting cold wind in the cold winter, blowing straight towards her, making her feel as if she was frozen in place in an instant.

The sight of her mother and second brother kneeling on the ground made her eyes widen in shock. Her mother was usually noble and elegant, with a graceful demeanor. When had she ever seen her kneeling on the ground in such a humble manner?

The second brother also had a look of despair and helplessness on his face, with his head lowered, not daring to look directly into his father's eyes.

This sudden scene left Jiaoyu completely stunned, her mind blank. For a moment, she didn't know how to react. She stood there in a daze, her lips trembling slightly, unable to utter a single word. It was as if the entire world had stopped turning at that moment, leaving only the suffocating silence and her father's icy gaze that seemed to devour her.

"Good! Very good! You truly are my good concubine, my good daughter!" The Emperor's eldest grandson, Hongze, spoke these words through gritted teeth, each word laced with anger and disappointment. The sound echoed through the silent Jade Palace like a hammer, hammering down on everyone's heart.

Only then did Changsun Jiaoyu recover from her initial shock. She seemed to have suddenly lost all her strength, her body limp, and she slowly knelt against the doorframe. A trace of disbelief still lingered in her eyes, her lips trembling slightly. She wanted to say something, but the emperor's piercing gaze forced her back.

Concubine Zhang was already tearful, her makeup smudged by tears, looking utterly disheveled. She stared at the emperor with tear-stained eyes, shaking her head repeatedly, as if trying to deny what she was seeing, yet also begging for mercy. Her lips trembled, but she was too frightened to utter a single complete word, only uttering broken syllables.

Changsun Yunji saw his father's expression and knew he was determined to punish his mother and sister. Furious, he leaned forward and banged his forehead against the ground, repeatedly. The "bang, bang, bang" sound was particularly clear in the oppressive atmosphere. He kowtowed while shouting, "Father, please calm down! Father, please calm down! Mother and sister must have been confused for a moment. I hope you will show some mercy on us, for the sake of our past friendship!" His forehead quickly bled, but he ignored it, hoping to change his father's decision.

Changsun Hongze looked at his second son kneeling beside him, a complex expression flashing in his eyes, a mixture of satisfaction at his son's filial piety and dissatisfaction with his plea. He closed his eyes, as if suppressing the surging emotions within him, and after a moment, slowly opened them.

"Fuquan, draft an edict. Imperial Concubine Zhang has a flawed moral character, uses foul language, slanders the princess, and causes chaos in the harem. From today on, you will be stripped of your title of Imperial Concubine and your power to manage the six palaces. You will be demoted to the rank of concubine and forced to reflect on your mistakes in the palace. Without my permission, you are not allowed to leave the palace. Princess Jiaoyu has a vicious heart and acts recklessly. From today on, you will be confined to the Jiaoyu Palace and reflect on your mistakes in the palace. You are not allowed to meet anyone without my permission." The emperor said coldly, every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth. The cold voice echoed in the silent palace like the verdict of the god of death.

Eunuch Fuquan responded hurriedly, his hands trembling slightly, and he sighed in his heart. Concubine Zhang and Princess Jiaoyu really touched the emperor's bottom line this time. I'm afraid that things are going to change in the harem.