Cold-faced Empress

Mo Canglan, mindful of the solemnity of the palace banquet, refrained from using any methods other than chopping off a finger. The interrogation only ended when the close maidservant of Consort De, one of her right-hand women, was implicated.

To become a personal maid, one's family outside the palace is controlled by Consort De. For the sake of her family outside the palace, the personal maid must endure excruciating pain.

Severed fingers littered the ground, blood stained the ground, and the palace servants, unable to stop their bleeding, knelt helplessly on their knees.

In the deathly silence of the hall, Mo Canglan's voice rang out like a cold winter wind: "Empress Dowager, where is the palace maid who led Miss Fu just now?"

The Empress Dowager, shocked, immediately ordered people to go and find them.

No need to look, she was right beside them. She was so scared that her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground, but everyone was too terrified to notice her.

The palace maid who led the way knew perfectly well why Prince Mu had chosen her. She cried pitifully, her head banging against the high platform with a loud thud: "This servant...this servant is Consort De's person. I was ordered to bring Miss Fu to the palace maids' quarters. I know nothing else! This servant is absolutely not lying!"

"Empress Dowager, spare us! Your Majesty, spare us! Prince Mu, spare us!"

This exposure leaves the future uncertain and may even put one's life in danger, but compared to the terror before one's eyes, who can care about the future?

Consort De was shocked and furious. She grabbed a wine pot from the table and smashed it at the maid who was leading the way.

"You lowly servant, whose side are you on, daring to frame me like this!"

The wine jug smashed not only the palace maid's head, but also the silence that filled the hall.

Everyone realized that this was undoubtedly at the behest of Consort De. It wasn't a mere palace maid's malicious intent at all, but a conspiracy targeting Miss Fu.

No wonder, no wonder Prince Mu went to such lengths to interrogate him!

Fortunately, Miss Fu escaped unscathed, leaving only the son of Marquis Wei alive... Hmm? It's understandable that Consort De would plot against Miss Fu because of her younger sister Hu Lingjing, but why would she also plot against the son of Marquis Wei?

Thinking about it this way, the son of the Marquis of Wei might also have problems.

Ning Ruicheng, still touching himself, was completely unaware of the severed fingers and blood all around him, nor did he know that the Marquis of Wei's mansion was about to fall because of him.

Suddenly noticing the envious and jealous looks coming from those around her, Fu Siying suppressed the goosebumps that covered her body.

Yunzhi said in a small voice, "Sister, Prince Mu is standing up for you."

“He’s just trying to save face and show off his power,” Fu Siying said dismissively. “That’s why he’s using me as an example.”

Yunzhi scoffed, "Sister, you may not care, but others would beg for it."

Fu Siying pouted: "That's true."

Her original method of revenge would have damaged the Emperor's reputation, while his method, which targeted Consort De, was more satisfying and cathartic.

The entire hall was filled with fear and unease. Under the Emperor's gloomy gaze, Consort De lost her composure, slowly bowed her head and knelt down, silently admitting her mistake.

The emperor closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"It is late at night. All my beloved ministers, please leave the palace."

Even those who wanted to watch the spectacle dared not be so tactless at this moment. Apart from the terrified Marquis Wei's residence and the still-frightened Prime Minister Fu's residence, everyone else scrambled to escape the main hall.

The once proud and haughty Consort De, her former glory faded, readily confessed: "It was the people from the Marquis of Wei's residence who approached Lingjing. Lingjing has always been at odds with the Fu family's daughter, which is why they sought my help. I doted on my sister and, in a moment of confusion... agreed!"