The general's eldest daughter has a spatial ability

The palace maids behind Consort Bai were taken aback by her words. Then, a senior maid stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, this is the Flower Goddess! You mustn't hit her!"

The thought of those two vixens trying to seduce the Emperor had already clouded Consort Bai's judgment with rage, rendering her completely irrational. She slapped the palace maid across the face, saying, "You can't hit me? Today I'm going to hit you anyway!"

Upon hearing this, the female official stepped forward to block Nangong Li and Li Liuyun: "Your Highness, the Flower Goddess selection takes place once every three years. The selected Flower Goddess is of noble status, equivalent to a Holy Maiden of the Holy Palace. Apart from sacrificial rites, she does not need to bow to anyone! Please forgive her!"

Upon hearing the female official's words, Consort Bai kicked her in the stomach: "You dog servant, a nobody like you, how dare you act so arrogantly in front of me! I think you're tired of living! Today I'm going to beat these two vixens! I am a Consort personally appointed by the Emperor! Let's see who dares to stop me!"

No sooner had the Imperial Concubine finished speaking than a woman's voice drifted over: "Imperial Concubine, you are truly quite imposing! You actually intend to slap two Flower Goddesses in public?! I wonder if I, the Empress personally appointed by His Majesty, am qualified to stand in your way?"

Or has it been too long since I left this Phoenix Palace? How could a mere Consort be so arrogant?! Does she really think she can slap the Flower Goddess, who is on par with a saint, at will?!

Or is it that the Imperial Concubine is now in charge of the harem? Perhaps I should go and petition His Majesty to allow the Imperial Concubine to take over my position as Empress?

Everyone looked up and saw a woman wearing a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin and a bright yellow palace dress, surrounded by palace servants, heading towards the direction where Nangong Li and the others were.

Li Liuyun asked softly, "Is that the Empress?"

The lady-in-waiting nodded: "It is indeed Her Majesty the Empress!"

Consort Bai turned her head and saw the Empress leading palace servants toward her. She frowned and asked, "Why is Empress here today?"

The Empress smiled and said, "The sun is shining so brightly today. I had just finished my meal and was thinking of coming out for some fresh air when I unexpectedly saw my sister's majestic side!"

Consort Bai looked at the Empress and said with a forced smile, "Sister, you misunderstand. It was these two who were disrespectful to me, so I thought of giving them a small punishment to teach them a lesson so that they would remember that there are rules in the palace!"

"I'd like to know, how did these two flower goddesses disrespect my sister?"

After the Empress finished speaking, she turned to the female official in front of Li Liuyun's palace and asked, "Tell me how these two flower goddesses disrespected the Imperial Concubine?"

Upon hearing the Empress's words, the female official glanced at the Imperial Concubine and said, "Your Majesty, it was the Imperial Concubine who said that the two Flower Goddesses did not bow to her upon seeing her, so she ordered someone to step forward and teach the two Flower Goddesses a lesson!"

After hearing the lady-in-waiting's words, the Empress turned to look at Consort Bai: "These past years, I have been unwell, and Consort Bai has been managing the inner palace on my behalf. Does Consort Bai not know that the Flower Goddess is equivalent to the Holy Maiden of the Holy Palace and is regarded as the Divine Envoy of the Southern Frontier?"

Aside from sacrifices and kneeling to Heaven and Earth, there's no need to bow to anyone, including His Majesty and myself! Or is it that the Noble Consort's rank has risen above mine and His Majesty's?

Consort Bai, still seething with anger after being publicly humiliated by the Empress, exploded: "So what if you're the Empress? For all these years, since giving birth to the Crown Prince, His Majesty has never set foot in your palace! You have the title of Empress but no power!"

All matters of the harem, big and small, are still firmly in my hands. These days, whoever His Majesty favors, who can truly be considered the mistress of the harem! You and your useless crown prince are just like that, lacking favor! Sooner or later, you'll be deposed!

"You still dare to talk back to me like this? You're truly courting death! I'm giving you face by calling you 'Empress Sister,' and you really think you're the mistress of this harem?!"

"Oh! I see! Then why don't you tell me, Your Highness, who is the true mistress of this harem!"

Everyone was startled by the voice and looked up to see Zuo Lu leading Chu Lingtian's imperial carriage toward them!

Nangong Li and Li Liuyun were watching Chu Lingtian with expressions of anticipation, seeing what a spectacle it was—a real drama of women vying for the emperor's favor in the harem. They had initially watched the Empress and the Imperial Concubine tearing each other apart...

If this imperial concubine's words were spoken in modern times, it would be a clear statement that only the unloved are the mistresses! And who would have thought that the male lead, Chu Lingtian, would appear so soon!

As Chu Lingtian approached, everyone except Empress Nangong Li and Li Liuyun knelt down and bowed, shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The Empress merely curtsied slightly: "Greetings, Your Majesty! May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings!"

Chu Lingtian looked at Nangong Li and Li Liuyun, and seeing the two fellow villagers with expressions of watching a show, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

Everyone saw Chu Lingtian walk straight to the Empress. He raised his hand to help her up, saying, "Your Majesty, you are not well, there is no need for formalities!"

The Empress stood up and looked calmly at Chu Lingtian: "I also wanted to live a quiet life in this palace, enjoying the sunshine and warding off disasters in my spare time. I never expected that I would hear such a lively scene outside my palace right after I finished my meal today!"

Thinking that the Phoenix Palace had been quiet for a long time, and that it was rare for it to be lively today, I decided to come out and see what was going on. I never expected to hear something unbelievable.

It turns out that the Imperial Concubine was about to slap the two Flower Goddesses. I thought that the two Flower Goddesses were chosen goddesses, and the Imperial Concubine's actions might offend the Emperor and bring disaster to the Southern Frontier! That's why I thought of coming out to stop her!

I don't know what I said that displeased my sister, the Imperial Concubine, but she dared to speak so arrogantly to me, saying..."

The Empress paused here, glancing at Consort Bai with a hint of hesitation, before continuing.

Li Liuyun reached out and tugged at Nangong Li's sleeve, whispering, "My goodness, we've really seen something amazing today! I never imagined the Empress was such a master of manipulation! This accusation is quite something, isn't this what they call the status of the Empress and the behavior of a mistress?"

Nangong Li smiled and grasped Li Liuyun's hand: "None of the women in the harem are simple! The skills of palace intrigue are the ultimate weapon for women in the harem! This Empress truly deserves to be the head of the harem!"

Upon hearing this, Consort Bai hurriedly stood up: "Your Majesty, don't listen to the Empress's nonsense, I didn't..."

Before the Imperial Concubine could finish speaking, the Empress asked in confusion, "Nothing? Did my sister not order someone to slap the two Flower Goddesses?"

Or did my sister not say that I am merely an empress in name only? Is my sister the true mistress of this harem?

Upon hearing the Empress's words, Consort Bai was momentarily at a loss for words to answer the Empress's question. She could only angrily point her finger at the Empress's nose and say, "You..."

The next moment, Chu Lingtian looked at Consort Bai and coldly said, "Did I tell you to get up? And Consort Bai has not yet answered my question. Consort Bai, tell me, who is the true mistress of the harem?!"