After my whole family overheard my thoughts, they went berserk.

"I heard that the Empress investigated the case last night and investigated your whereabouts yesterday, but you concealed the truth and slandered Physician Zheng, saying that you went to the Imperial Hospital for treatment?"

Consort Jing was frightened and quickly kowtowed to admit her mistake, saying, "Your Majesty, I was wrong. Yesterday, I only spoke unintentionally and did not mean to implicate Imperial Physician Zheng..."

"Since you've implicated Imperial Physician Zheng, you must tell the truth," Emperor Tianqi said.

He wanted to know what shameful things Consort Jing had done last night to frame Imperial Physician Zheng.

"If you have a reason for your distress, tell the Emperor. I believe he will not be heartless," the Empress said softly.

Consort Jing knew perfectly well that the Empress was stirring up trouble.

Knowing full well that she couldn't say, he still insisted on pressing her for an answer.

"Is there a reason?" Emperor Tianqi had lost his patience. He had already guessed that Consort Jing had a secret she was hiding.

The fact that he asked her that question was already giving her face. If Consort Jing didn't answer, he wouldn't ask her so politely anymore.

"Your Majesty, I..." Consort Jing cried, but shook her head desperately.

Seeing that Consort Jing was crying, the Empress said with an understanding expression, "Why are you crying? Is there anything you can't say to the Emperor?"

"Your Majesty..." Consort Jing shook her head desperately; she couldn't speak.

Emperor Tianqi had truly lost his patience. Seeing Consort Jing crying only made him more annoyed, and he roared, "Tell me the truth!"

Seeing Consort Jing trembling, Emperor Tianqi stood up and said, "It's better not to talk about it. Execute her."

He had neither the mood nor the time to listen to her crying. The most important thing right now was to find out about Princess Sangnan's death.

As for these concubines, they meant nothing to him.

"Your Majesty..." Consort Jing was terrified and clung tightly to Emperor Tianqi's leg, saying, "Your Majesty, I'll tell you, I'll tell you..."

Whether she speaks or not, she will be executed. Perhaps if she speaks, the emperor will spare her life out of consideration for their past relationship.

When Emperor Tianqi was about to leave, not wanting to hear her anymore, the Empress pleaded for Consort Jing, saying, "Your Majesty, why not give Consort Jing a chance?"

Hearing the Empress plead for him, he sighed impatiently and turned to sit back down.

"Very well, I'll give you a chance. Tell the truth. If you utter even the slightest lie, you'll still be executed!"

Consort Jing wept, her face streaked with tears, and said in a trembling voice, "Last night, I went out to find a maid in the laundry department to deliver something to an old friend on my behalf."

"What kind of old friend, and what kind of gift?" Emperor Tianqi's face turned green upon hearing this.

As an emperor, he was naturally suspicious, and what he feared most was that his concubines were not of one mind with him. Now it seems that his fears have come true.

“Yes…” Consort Jing said with trembling lips, “It was an old friend of mine before I entered the palace.”

"I am asking you, what kind of old friend, male or female?!" Emperor Tianqi asked coldly.

Consort Jing trembled with fear and said, "It's...it's a man!"

"Your Majesty, I truly believe he and I are just old acquaintances. He was kind to me, and now that he is seriously ill and has given away all his wealth, I only helped him out of consideration for our past relationship. Every word I say is true!"

"Past relationships?" Emperor Tianqi asked, "As my concubine, what relationships did you have with other men?!"

Upon realizing she had misspoke, Consort Jing quickly explained, "Your Majesty, the affection I spoke of was merely ordinary affection..."

"Execute him," Emperor Tianqi sighed, not wanting to say any more.

Consort Jing was not favored by the emperor, and now she was disloyal to him, causing the imperial physician to resign. He would no longer be soft-hearted towards her.

"Your Majesty!" Consort Jing grabbed Emperor Tianqi's robe and clung tightly to his leg, saying, "Your Majesty, I did not lie. I am loyal to you!"

"Let go," said the Emperor of Tianqi.

Consort Jing, her eyes red from crying, pleaded desperately, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong. I will never associate with him again. Please, spare me..."

Emperor Tianqi was even more furious upon hearing this.

If she hadn't discovered it, she wouldn't have known she was wrong, right?

Only the dead can keep her promise.

"Drag her away!" Emperor Tianqi kicked Consort Jing aside mercilessly and strode out.

Consort Jing slumped to the ground, and when she inadvertently glanced at the Empress beside her, a smug smile appeared on her lips.

"You're the one who ruined me!" Consort Jing pointed at the Empress, her eyes filled with hatred.

The Empress looked at her coldly, unwilling to respond to her words.

The reason she didn't deal with Consort Jing last night was because she had already come up with a plan; she wouldn't risk her reputation to deal with a mere concubine.

If we want to get rid of her easily, the best way is to use the Emperor's hand.

"You're the one who ruined me!" Consort Jing, resolute in her resolve to die, looked at the Empress with resentment and said, "You're the one who ruined me!"

"Last night, after Physician Zheng arrived, you already knew this would be my fate, didn't you?!"

After saying that, she lunged at the Empress like a madwoman.

Two guards rushed in from outside, grabbed Consort Jing, and immediately dragged her out.

"As the mistress of the harem, you are the most vicious!" Consort Jing shouted. "Who doesn't know that the Empress is a smiling tiger, whose tricks to harm people are hard to guard against, yet she likes to pretend to be a good person!"

"Empress, you will die a horrible death!" Consort Jing shouted before she died, "Just wait and see, you won't have a good end either!"

She spent her whole life scheming against others; one day, she too would be schemed against.

One day, she will also suffer a terrible death!

Soon, news of Consort Jing's execution spread throughout the palace, and her public insults of the Empress also implicated her clan.

Originally, the emperor ordered her execution, which did not harm her clan. However, her final act of assertiveness ultimately brought ruin upon her clan.

This also serves as a warning to the concubines in the harem: offending the empress is more terrible than offending the emperor!

Suddenly, the once quiet Chang Le Palace became even more lively than usual, with concubines flocking into it one after another.

Some tried to improve their relationship with the Empress, while others explained what happened last night to her, hoping to calm things down.

Consort Jing was the only one who did not step into Chang Le Palace.

Upon learning of what had happened in the inner palace, Mu Xiuyan hurriedly went to Chang Le Palace.

"Mother, I heard that Princess Sangnan was murdered. Father Emperor is pressuring you to find the murderer as soon as possible, is that right?"

"As the head of the harem, even if your father doesn't give the order, I will still investigate thoroughly!" the Empress said.

She wants to establish her authority!

At least last night, her attempt to establish her authority worked.

Otherwise, her Chang Le Palace wouldn't be flooded with concubines today.

"Is Mother determined to investigate this thoroughly?" Mu Xiuyan asked.

At this moment, Jin Shu hurriedly entered and reported to the Empress: "Your Majesty, I have carefully questioned the people in Chongyang Palace, and they said that someone saw a man sneaking into Chongyang Palace last night."

"Did you get a good look at what the man looked like?" Mu Xiuyan asked Jin Shu, sounding a little nervous.

Jin Shu shook her head and said, "I asked, and they only said it was a young man, tall and thin, but it was too dark to see his face clearly."

“However, I have already sent people to investigate based on this body shape, and I believe there will be progress today,” Jin Shu said.

Mu Xiuyan breathed a slight sigh of relief and said, "There are so many people in the harem, it will be difficult to investigate this person. If Father insists on an explanation, we can just drag someone out."

"Your Highness, please rest assured that it should not be difficult to identify this person. During the examination, the forensic doctor found that one of the princesses had flesh under her fingernails, which should have been left during the struggle with the murderer."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Xiuyan subconsciously pulled his hand back into his sleeve.