A five-year-old goddess, raised to become an emperor for all time through a bronze mirror.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, a tense atmosphere permeated the tranquility.

Suddenly, with a "whoosh"...

Jade splashed a basin of cold water at Niannian. She slowly woke up, feeling cold all over, a chill running from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.

Niannian gasped instinctively, her body trembling involuntarily; in a daze, she slowly opened her eyes, and the scene before her gradually became clear.

Although it was early summer, the basin of ice-cold water instantly dispelled the last bit of heat from her body.

Her teeth chattered from the cold, and she hugged her shivering body tightly.

Once her vision was fully clear, Niannian was horrified to find that the Empress had a gloomy face and a fierce look on her face, staring intently at her.

Behind the screen on the opposite side, Pei Huai-ren's extremely miserable cries could be heard from time to time: "It hurts so much! It hurts so much! It hurts so much!"

Those painful cries were like sharp blades, piercing straight into Niannian's heart.

At this moment, the Empress's thin lips were pressed into a straight line, as if she was trying her best to suppress the raging anger in her heart.

Her gaze was sharp as a knife as she coldly questioned Niannian: "Do you know what terrible mistake you have made?"

Just today, the Queen had just woken up from her sleep and had not yet fully woken up when she heard Jade's panicked and tearful cries.

Her heart tightened, and she hurriedly put on her outer robe and rushed to the outside of the palace.

The scene that greeted her horrified her – Pei Huai-ren, his face ashen, was being carried back in a flurry of activity by a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

Even more shocking was that blood was seeping from his groin, staining his clothes crimson.

The Empress was heartbroken and immediately called for the imperial physician to come and treat her.

After emergency treatment, the imperial physician solemnly informed the Empress that Pei Huai-ren's manhood had been severely damaged and that his life would be in danger if it was not severed in time!

This news struck the Empress like a bolt from the blue, leaving her almost unable to stand.

How could she bear such a heavy blow?

You must understand, that was the very Crown Prince, who was about to get married, but at this crucial moment he became a eunuch!

If this gets out, won't people criticize it and break their backs?

How is she supposed to face Grand Tutor Zhang now...?

My carefully planned scheme had finally progressed to this point, but who could have predicted that it would suddenly fall apart here!

Listening to Pei Huai-ren's intermittent recounting of the events, the Empress suddenly realized that it was Nian Nian's doing that caused him to lose his manhood!

………………

When Niannian was suddenly awakened by a basin of icy cold water, the scene before her eyes instantly pulled her consciousness back to reality.

She looked at the Empress with fear and trepidation, her eyes burning with rage, and a deep sense of dread welled up inside her.

Niannian shook her head frantically, trying her best to sort out the chaotic situation.

"Your Majesty, I...I really don't know what happened. What exactly is going on?"

Her voice trembled uncontrollably; it was clear she was extremely cold.

A cold smile appeared on the Empress's lips as she slowly stood up and walked straight toward Niannian with elegant and dignified steps.

When she stood before Niannian, she looked down at the trembling Niannian with an air of superiority, as if looking down upon all living beings, and said sternly:

"You still dare to say you don't know? Because of you, Crown Prince Huai Ren will be a complete cripple from now on!"

Now that things have come to this, what excuses do you have left to offer?

The scene flashed through Niannian's mind like lightning—the scene of Pei Huai Ren being kicked hard by her.

In an instant, she awoke as if from a dream, finally understanding what the Empress meant by "useless person"—it was referring to Pei Huai-ren's serious injury caused by this accident.

"Your Majesty, please listen to me. It was the Crown Prince who spoke rudely first, which is why I resorted to this tactic..."

Niannian was extremely anxious and tried to explain the whole story to the Empress.

However, when the words were about to come out, she suddenly felt lost and helpless, completely unsure how to begin recounting this complicated experience.

"Ouch!!!! That hurts so much!"

"Could you be a little gentler..."

Just then, an even more miserable and shrill scream suddenly rang out from behind the screen, a sound like a sharp sword piercing straight to the heart.

The empress's face instantly became even more gloomy and terrifying, like a sky filled with dark clouds before a storm.

Without hesitation, she turned around and strode towards the screen. When she gently lifted a corner of the screen, the sight before her was horrifying.

Pei Huai-ren was lying weakly on the large bed. His once handsome face was now bloodless and as pale as a sheet of paper.

Although his crotch was tightly wrapped in thick gauze, there were still streaks of bright red blood seeping out, staining the white sheets a shocking red.

"Ren'er, my child, just focus on recovering. Your mother will definitely avenge you and get justice!"

The Empress gritted her teeth, her eyes burning with fury, and her tone was filled with resentment and determination.

After saying that, she turned around abruptly and walked back to Niannian.

At this moment, the Empress's gaze was like two cold beams of light shooting straight at Niannian, the anger and killing intent contained within almost completely engulfing her.

"Niannian, how dare you! You dare to be so ruthless to the Crown Prince. Since you have committed such a serious crime, you must pay the price!"

"Guards! Take this arrogant brat away immediately and give her eighty strokes of the cane so she can reflect on her actions!"

With a shout from the Empress, several burly guards rushed in, their faces expressionless as they approached Niannian.

Upon hearing the Empress's cold command, Nian Nian's expression instantly changed, and her emotions became even more agitated.

Her lips trembled as she tried to defend herself:

"Serves him right! He provoked me first. As the Empress, you didn't even bother to find out the cause and effect, and you just pinned all the blame on me without distinguishing right from wrong. It's disheartening to hear this out!"

Good heavens! Eighty strokes of the cane! If that's done, my backside will be a bloody mess!

Thinking of this, Niannian felt dizzy, as if the whole world was about to collapse.

However, the Empress had already made up her mind and wouldn't allow her to say another word.