The concubine is a man, and the illegitimate son of a divine physician has a spatial ability.

Yin Zijing nodded slightly to Granny Zhou, then moved with light, careful steps, his tiny bound feet making soft, cautious sounds on the ground. He followed closely behind Feng Sanxiang, walking slowly towards the Emperor.

The closer one got to the emperor, the denser the guards became. Each guard stood tall and solemn, their weapons gleaming with a cold, sharp light. These guards surrounded the emperor like an impenetrable wall, emanating an invisible, suffocating sense of oppression.

Yin Zijing felt her body involuntarily tense up, as if bound by an invisible force. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, but her heart pounded wildly in her chest like a frightened deer.

After all, in this ancient society where imperial power was supreme, being able to meet the emperor face to face was absolutely a first for Yin Zijing. When she was actually close to the emperor, an indescribable sense of trepidation still surged into her heart like a tide.

Yin Zijin lowered his head slightly, his beautiful eyes drooping like a startled fawn. He knelt on the ground with his hands, respectfully kowtowing, and loudly greeted the Emperor, "Greetings to the Emperor, long live the Emperor!"

However, as time passed, Yin Zijin remained kneeling and kowtowing, beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, but she still couldn't hear the emperor's long-awaited "Rise."

The long wait seemed endless. Finally, after a long time, Yin Zijing heard a cold snort from above. This snort was like a thunderclap that exploded in the silent palace, sending chills down everyone's spine.

The emperor spoke in a chilling tone: "Hmph! The ruler is the guide for his subjects; if the ruler is not upright, the subjects will flee to another country. The state is the guide for its people; if the state is not upright, the people will rise up against it. Well said! Miss Yin, your words are quite brilliant. But it's a pity that you shouldn't have dared to defend your so-called women's rights in such a provocative way."

At this point, the emperor suddenly raised his eyebrows, his already gloomy face turning even more terrifying, like a dark cloud gathering. He stared intently at Yin Zijing kneeling below, and continued, word by word, "Are you... openly challenging me? Challenging the supreme imperial authority? Raise your head and answer me..."

Yin Zijing's heart skipped a beat, and he knew things were going badly; he was unlikely to escape unscathed this time. He took a deep breath and slowly raised his head, but because his face was covered by a veil, his vision was blurred, and he could only vaguely make out the outline of the person opposite him.

At this moment, the emperor slightly turned his head and winked at Feng Sanxiang beside him. Understanding immediately, Feng Sanxiang quickly stepped forward and gently removed the veil from Yin Zijing's head. In an instant, Yin Zijing's stunningly beautiful face was revealed to everyone.

Everyone present was stunned by her unparalleled beauty. Even the emperor, who was used to seeing beautiful women, was taken aback. He stared at Yin Zijin for a moment before coming back to his senses. He smiled slightly and said, "You really have a beautiful face! But since your appearance has already been revealed to outsiders, what's the point of hiding it?"

Furthermore, weren't your words just now a blatant challenge to my authority?

Upon hearing this, Yin Zijin's delicate body trembled violently. He knew that in the face of this supreme imperial power, he must not act impulsively, much less confront it head-on.

He hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, "My daughter is ignorant and foolish. She spoke without thinking and made a grave mistake. Please forgive her and punish her!"

The emperor's lips curled up slightly, revealing a cold smile full of mockery and disdain. His sharp, hawk-like eyes were fixed on the woman in front of him, and he said sternly, "As a respectable woman of noble birth, you should stay at home and abide by the virtues of womanhood. However, you have shamelessly shown your face in public!"

Even worse, they dared to spout such outrageous and treasonous words in front of everyone! This is an unforgivable crime, deserving severe punishment, and it must be punished to the fullest extent of the law!

Legend has it that among common people, there is an extremely cruel punishment for women who are unfaithful: being drowned in a pig cage. However, considering that you will one day be a member of my royal family, I will spare your life for now, but I will not let you off easily.

From this day forward, you will be imprisoned in a pig cage, and then suspended by ropes in front of the Imperial Clan Court for seven whole days! During this period, you must reflect on the sins you have committed.

At the same time, I will take this opportunity to let all my subjects under heaven judge you, especially all the women.

"I'd like to see if all you've done is truly worthwhile. If, by the end of the seven-day period, you still haven't deeply realized your mistakes and sincerely repented, then even harsher punishment awaits you!"

Then, the emperor, high above all others, slammed his hand on the armrest of his dragon throne, stood up abruptly, and shouted in a booming voice, "Where is the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!" This angry shout resounded like thunder in the palace, making everyone present tremble.

Upon hearing the emperor's summons, Liu Jun, who was standing to the side, dared not delay in the slightest. He hurriedly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and respectfully performed a grand salute, saying loudly, "Your subordinate is here!" He lowered his head, and a fine layer of sweat had seeped out from his forehead, but he dared not raise his hand to wipe it away.

The emperor stared sharply at Liu Jun and said in a serious tone, "This matter is now entirely in your hands. From this moment on, you must guard Miss Yin Liu at all times and must not be negligent for even a moment, in order to prevent any unexpected situations from occurring."

"Make sure to bring Miss Yin Liu safely back to your office—the Northern Garrison Command—before nightfall. I want her to learn a lesson she won't forget!" As he said the last few words, the emperor's voice unconsciously rose a few decibels.

Liu Jun nodded repeatedly in agreement and respectfully replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. I will certainly live up to your mission and handle this matter properly."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, then added, "However, I've heard that Miss Yin has been frail since childhood, so you must be careful in your actions and avoid injuring her. Also, the weather is cold, so make sure to keep her warm and prevent her from catching a cold. If anything happens to her because of this, I will hold you responsible!"

Liu Jun kowtowed again to express his gratitude, and solemnly promised, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I understand the implications and will take good care of Miss Yin. I will never let her suffer the slightest harm."

After receiving such a positive reply from Liu Jun, the emperor nodded in satisfaction, sat back on his dragon throne, and waved for Liu Jun to leave.

Only now did Yin Zijing finally understand what Sheng Yixuan had said. The royal family was truly cold-blooded, devoid of any humanity. Yin Zijing felt fortunate that she hadn't argued back loudly; otherwise, she would probably be a cold corpse by now.

Yin Zijin kowtowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty. I will certainly reflect on my actions."