Demoted from wife to concubine? Reborn, the mistress of a noble family plots another high-status mar

Chapter 620

"Who is that man?"

Zhou Zhilan was unwilling to speak, but instead kowtowed and begged the Empress Dowager for forgiveness.

Murong Yu ordered his men to take him away. If he revealed the man behind the concubine's name, he would be spared the death penalty, but would be demoted to a useless concubine, banished to the Cold Palace, and imprisoned for life. If he did not reveal the man behind the concubine's name, he would be executed in three days.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty..." Zhou Zhilan pleaded for mercy again and again, her heart filled with panic and fear.

But Murong Yu wouldn't listen at all.

Have it towed away immediately.

The Empress Dowager's face was extremely pale. "Such a thing happened in the inner palace, and the Empress is the first to be punished! She should be punished!"

Yun Xiyue rose and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, I am guilty."

"Your Majesty, please rise! This matter cannot be entirely blamed on you, but what the Empress Dowager said also makes sense. You are guilty of mismanagement and dereliction of duty. According to palace rules, you will be fined three months' salary."

After saying that, Murong Yu reached out and helped her up.

"Your Majesty, such licentious acts in the harem are all due to the Empress's incompetence and dereliction of duty. How can we let it go with such a minor punishment?" Zeng Rou said indignantly, glaring at Yun Xiyue with eyes that were practically spitting fire.

"What you've done since entering the palace is enough to warrant your death! Now you still dare to shout like this, showing no respect for the rules. Shouldn't I remove you from the palace?" Murong Yu's cold face suddenly turned icy as he stared at the woman and angrily rebuked her.

Zeng Rou's expression changed slightly, and she knelt down in fear, "Your Majesty, I know... I was wrong. And I have been punished..."

"Hmph, let alone Zhou Shi, just the fact that you slandered the Empress last time while you yourself had an ambiguous relationship with Bai Jian, I can summon Bai Jian to the palace right now to investigate thoroughly."

A look of disgust flashed in Murong Yu's eyes. This was her final warning: if she dared to harm A Yue again, she would be dead.

Zeng Rou felt a chill run down her spine; last time, it was the Empress Dowager who protected her.

Her relationship with Bai Jian was indeed somewhat ambiguous, though it was better than Zhou Zhilan's; she simply hadn't given herself to him.

"Your Majesty, I am innocent. I am willing to undergo a medical examination to prove my innocence."

Murong Yu scoffed, "If you are truly innocent, there is no need for a test."

Zeng Rou's face turned pale as she suddenly remembered that she had been captured and publicly humiliated by Sikong Xuanche. At that time, she was no longer innocent.

Is he unwilling to touch her because he thinks he's unclean? But Yun Xiyue has been married to another man for five years, doesn't that make her unclean too?

"All right."

The Empress Dowager remained dissatisfied with the Emperor's favoritism towards Yun Xiyue, saying, "The past is past, there's no need to bring it up. Besides, what Consort Shu said makes sense; the Emperor's actions are indeed unfair."

"If that's what the Empress Dowager is saying, then your punishment of Consort Pei and Consort Shu was just as lenient and unfair."

"If you want me to be fair and just, then the Empress Dowager should demonstrate that first."

Murong Yu's tone was stern.

The Empress Dowager's face darkened. "Fine, if Your Majesty truly wants to be fair and just, then from now on you must treat every concubine in the harem equally."

Murong Yu said, "None of the previous emperors and ancestors could do this. Every emperor had his own beloved concubine whom he favored exclusively."

"When have we ever managed to be impartial?"

Seeing that the two were about to quarrel again.

Yun Xiyue quickly pulled the man back, "Your Majesty, what the Empress Dowager said makes sense. A three-month salary penalty is too lenient."

“Then punish him with a year’s salary,” Murong Yu said.

The Empress Dowager was suffering from internal injuries from holding it in, but she knew that she couldn't push him any further at this point. If she did, no one could stop him once he lost his temper.

"I see that the Empress's abilities are limited, so from today onwards, the affairs of the inner palace will be managed by the Noble Consort, the Virtuous Consort, and the Gentle Consort."

Upon learning the news, the Zhou family immediately went to the palace.

Murong Yu was too angry to see him.

"Send them all back."

The Empress Dowager did not see Madam Zhou.