Deep Palace Pet Peach Blossom Flawless

Li Zhong continued, "So I think this has nothing to do with Concubine Qi. I just kindly reminded her."

Emperor Shenwu's thoughts shifted slightly, as if he was puzzled. "Do you think it's normal for a palace to be so clean and spotless, with no butterflies at all, in this season of flowers and grass and butterflies fluttering?"

Of course it's not normal! Li Zhong suddenly broke out in a cold sweat. Unless someone was afraid of butterflies and made preparations in advance, the butterflies there would disappear without a trace! He almost capsized in the ditch and got himself involved.

"Your Majesty?" Li Zhong bowed and asked for instructions. If the investigation continued...

Emperor Shenwu waved his hand and said: "Send Concubine Zhao to the cold palace and strip her of her title. Since someone doesn't even dare to keep a butterfly, there is no need to investigate further." He was afraid that nothing would be found.

"All the close associates of Lady Zhao will be beaten to death! The rest will be sent to the Palace of Slavery!" the emperor gave the cold order.

When Emperor Shenwu stepped into the Langhuan Palace for the first time, when the singing and chorus came, Concubine Qi in the palace could not believe her ears. She was overjoyed and hurriedly adjusted her light red palace dress. She also quickly asked the palace maid Han to adjust her hair accessories, worried that her hairstyle would be messy and make the emperor uncomfortable.

But Emperor Shenwu did not have the leisure to check whether Concubine Qi's hair and palace dress were messy or not. He sat in the main seat in the hall and did not call out to Concubine Qi who was kneeling in the hall. He just looked at this unfamiliar woman with indifference.

The enthusiasm in Concubine Qi's heart gradually cooled down as she knelt for longer and longer periods of time. Her heart was once again surrounded by ice and snow, and she could only wait numbly and passively for the emperor's will.

Emperor Shenwu finally spoke coldly, "Princess Qi, the backyard of your palace is so clean that there's not even a single butterfly. Is it because the flowers in the yard aren't blooming well and their fragrance isn't strong enough?"

Concubine Qi's heart sank slightly. She raised her eyes, tinged with resentment, and looked at the emperor. "Your Majesty, my palace is deserted. I have never received Your Majesty's favor, so why would I care about the number of butterflies that fly into the courtyard? Now I just spend my days guarding the quiet and peaceful Langhuan Palace."

"Didn't you ask for it yourself? I remember it changed your brother's future. Weren't you very happy at that time?" Why do these women always ask for things that they are destined not to get? Even if they are given honorable positions, they still want more!

Concubine Qi was slightly excited, with tears in her eyes: "This is not what I am asking for! I just want Your Majesty to have a little bit of heart for me. Can I ask Your Majesty why you treat me like this? What did I do wrong?"

"Please ask for my heart! Do you know that among all the people who followed me back then, only Qi Zhinan used his merits to buy you into the palace! After so many merits, only you entered the palace! If all their clansmen entered the palace, would I have enough of my heart for them?"

"When they followed me, they promised me that they would only stay by my side based on their own true abilities! Qi Zhinan's actions are tantamount to betraying me and his own promise. And you! Qi Zhinan's own sister, you used the little bit of merit that your own brother had earned after risking his life several times, without any regard for your brother's broken path to success, and you couldn't wait to enter the palace happily. You are so selfish and cold-hearted, and you still ask me why!"

"You ask what you did wrong? I tell you, your mistake is that you shouldn't have entered the palace! This Langhuan Palace and the position of concubine are just rewards I give to Qi Zhinan for his merit in following me, that's all!" Nothing else!

Concubine Qi had collapsed to the ground, cold tears streaming down her cheeks. "Selfish and cold sincerity? So my sincerity is so worthless and cheap in Your Majesty's eyes! Then why did Your Majesty come here today? Did you come to remind me not to indulge in such wishful thinking?"

Emperor Shenwu was ready to get up and leave: "This is because of your brother's past merits in following me, and it also allows him to understand why his sister has become what she is today! You have been avoiding the palace on the pretext of being weak, so from now on, stay in Langhuan Palace and don't go out again!"

Concubine Qi straightened her back and looked at the expressionless emperor in disbelief: "Your Majesty, why? I have done nothing wrong, why are you confining me?"

The Shenwu Emperor had already stood up, his expression as cold as ice. "You want a reason? The Broken Jade Palace closest to you is teeming with butterflies, while your Langhuan Palace has no butterflies at all. Is that a reason?"

Concubine Qi was horrified. She had thought the emperor would leave her alone without evidence, but she hadn't expected him to tolerate Concubine Yi being harmed. She gritted her teeth and replied, "I refuse to accept! Your Majesty, what exactly do you mean? Please explain!"

The Emperor twirled the ring on his finger, a cold glint in his phoenix eyes. "Explicit? It's just the confinement of a mere concubine. I don't need evidence, nor do I need explicit instructions. I am the ruler of the world, and this is my harem! Also, I don't care whether you acknowledge it or not."

The emperor walked out of the palace, his words as sharp as ice and frost: "This is the last time you will use Qi Zhinan's merits, and you can be confined to the Langhuan Palace. There will be no next time!"

Concubine Qi watched helplessly as the emperor left coldly. Her body slowly slid down and she collapsed to the ground. Tears kept falling from her eyes, soaking the cold floor of the hall. Concubine Qi suddenly laughed miserably: "Was it wrong from the beginning? Was it wrong from the beginning? No, it shouldn't be like this!"

Her brother used his merits to allow her to enter the palace, so that she could be happy and gain the emperor's favor! She was not selfish, not heartless! It was not like that!

Concubine Qi slowly raised her head, tear marks covering her thin cheeks. "Since you have no intention, you should always have no intention! No one should be an exception! You promoted her to the rank of concubine so quickly, celebrated her birthday for her, gave her a glass jar, and favored her exclusively in Qiling Mountain. Your Majesty, do you really think that I am the only one who is jealous?"

Emperor Shenwu had already walked out of Langhuan Palace. Concubine Qi seemed to be talking to herself, or trying to convince herself.

Another incident occurred within the six palaces. Bloody corpses were carried out of the Broken Ring Palace, and eunuchs escorted the remaining eunuchs and maids from the palace to the Court of Slaves. Concubine Zhao was accused of possessing poison from outside the palace and was banished to the Cold Palace. It was rumored that her hidden poison had already caused the deaths of several maids in her palace.

All the concubines in the six palaces were saddened and terrified. They heard that Concubine Qi from Langhuan Palace, who was closest to Suihuan Palace and was already weak, had fallen seriously ill due to fright. His Majesty specially ordered the Langhuan Palace to be confined so that Concubine Qi could recuperate.

The three concubines were even more alert. They were in charge of the harem on paper, but they were unaware of this matter. The emperor ended the matter quickly with thundering means, and did not give the three concubines any room to comment or know about it.

Doesn't that mean the emperor knows everything about his harem? For the three concubines who manage the harem, they can only be more diligent in their duties and dare not play any other games.

Only Zi Han was left by Concubine Qi's side; the rest of the palace servants had vanished without a trace. She realized belatedly that the emperor wasn't just trying to confine her. A chill ran down her spine, "Your Majesty, so you don't want to give me a chance to live."

A fierce look gradually emerged in Qipin's eyes: "Since that's the case, I will destroy the thing you care about most!"

After a while, Concubine Qi calmed down again. She called Zi Han, who was busy, and said, "Zi Han, we can't get out. You go to the gate and wait for a guard named Lu Ping. Concubine Wen will definitely send her people to check the situation. You have to pay attention too..."