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Before Wen Yunmian left the abandoned palace chambers, she said only, "Father, I'll give you just five days."

The flooding would not begin until five days later. At that point, the waters would not yet have run rampant; there would only be warning signs.

If he set out fully prepared then, he would arrive here in exactly ten days. Everything had been calculated.

All that remained was to see whether this father of hers was mud that could be made to stick to a wall.

That morning, Jun Chenyu rose in Chanyang Palace. In a rare occurrence, Consort Xian had attended him the previous night. She knelt to straighten his Dragon Robe, her features graceful and dignified, a gentle smile on her face.

Jun Chenyu's handsome face and superb physique both filled Consort Xian with admiration.

She often wondered what she could do to monopolize the emperor's affection completely.

In the palace, Consort Xian was not as favored as Consort Shu, but neither did she receive as little affection as Consort Rong and Consort Hui.

Before the newcomers entered the palace, she and Consort Shu had divided the spring splendor more or less equally.

Now that she had attended him again, she tenderly accommodated every one of Jun Chenyu's habits.

Once everything was in order, Eunuch Lu happened to hurry inside. "Your Majesty."

Seeing that he hesitated to speak, Consort Xian tactfully lowered her head. "Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."

Jun Chenyu gave a hum of assent. Only after she left did he sit down. "What is it?"

Eunuch Lu hurried to report, "Your Majesty, I received word that after Qiukui was beaten and sent out of the palace last night, someone killed her shortly afterward. Before long, her entire family was also murdered. Not one survived."

Jun Chenyu's brow darkened. "Who ordered it?"

Eunuch Lu lowered his head. "The person who returned to report said they saw Zhang Fuhai, who serves Consort Shu, leave the palace. Moreover, before going to Fengyi Palace last night, Zhang Fuhai secretly left the palace to bribe Qiukui's family."

At those words, Jun Chenyu's expression immediately turned cold, his phoenix eyes filled with a cutting sharpness.

He had thought there might be more to yesterday's events than met the eye and had retained a measure of compassion. He had never expected Consort Shu to take such actions!

Did this not prove her guilty conscience?

Jun Chenyu reached up and pressed his brow. "I never imagined she would become so ruthless."

Eunuch Lu also bowed his head. "I feel Noble Lady Yan must have suffered a great injustice in this matter, yet she never uttered a single word of complaint."

Eunuch Lu's words reminded Jun Chenyu. His phoenix eyes turned cold and stern, and he made up his mind to punish Consort Shu.

Yet with every word he spoke, the disappointment in his eyes deepened. "Draft an edict. Consort Shu has conducted herself improperly. Effective immediately, she is stripped of her authority to assist in managing the six palaces and confined to the Palace of Prolonged Happiness. She is to copy the Tao Te Ching ten times each day as punishment and may not leave without an imperial summons."

Consort Xian heard the news before leaving.

She curved her lips faintly and gave the palace maid beside her a few instructions.

When she finished, she added, "Do as I said."

The maid smiled knowingly. "Understood."

When Consort Shu learned of the emperor's decree, she was frightened out of her wits. She also urgently summoned Noble Lady Yu to the Palace of Prolonged Happiness.

Consort Shu's eyes brimmed with tears. "His Majesty clearly did not punish me last night. He merely told me to return and calmly reflect on my faults. Why did he issue an edict first thing this morning? He even stripped me of my authority to assist in managing the six palaces. His Majesty has never treated me like this."

Noble Lady Yu sighed helplessly. "Your Highness, how could you kill Qiukui, and her entire family along with her? That was rather rash."

"It was all because that wretch Qiukui betrayed me last night! If she hadn't changed her story at the last moment, why would His Majesty have punished me?"

"If I didn't kill her, I could never quell the hatred in my heart!" Consort Shu's gaze was vicious, her face ashen with fury.

Noble Lady Yu's brows drew together slightly. "But His Majesty did not punish you last night. Surely that meant he valued you and left you some room. Yet you turned around and killed Qiukui. I fear word of it reached His Majesty."

Only after Noble Lady Yu's reminder did Consort Shu suddenly see the truth. Her legs weakened, and she hurriedly sat down.

She looked anxiously at Noble Lady Yu. "Then tell me, what should I do now? Does His Majesty think I'm ruthless, and is that why he's angry with me? And that incident with the Peach Blossom Song last time-I truly did harm His Majesty's health..."

Consort Shu was overwhelmed with guilt. As soon as she finished speaking, she rose to head outside. "No, I must explain it to His Majesty in person. I didn't mean it. I truly didn't mean it."

Noble Lady Yu hurriedly caught hold of Consort Shu. "Your Highness, please don't be hasty."

Just then, Zhang Fuhai ran in from outside. "Your Highness, I just heard outside that it was Eunuch Lu who reported this matter to His Majesty this morning."

"Not only did he tell His Majesty the truth about the killings carried out by our Palace of Prolonged Happiness, he also told him that I had bribed Qiukui's family. Afterward, he spoke at length in Noble Lady Yan's favor. His Majesty has just bestowed many gifts upon Peony Pavilion to console her."

Consort Shu's pupils contracted, and she staggered back several steps. "It was Wen Yunmian. That wretch Wen Yunmian must have deliberately sent Eunuch Lu to speak ill of me before His Majesty! And she took the opportunity to make him pity her and feel guilty toward her! Even Qiukui's betrayal must have been her doing."

At that moment, she longed to kill Wen Yunmian with her own hands to vent her fury.

Noble Lady Yu's gaze darkened. "You're right, Your Highness. I was just thinking that if Noble Lady Yan truly suspected Qiukui last night, why wouldn't she have kept her under close watch? Why would she let someone escape to send a warning?"

"Perhaps all of this was Noble Lady Yan's scheme to lure you into a trap. Only then would you bribe Qiukui's family in order to buy Qiukui's betrayal."

"That way, she would have something to hold over you. Wouldn't bribing Qiukui's family be proof of a guilty conscience?"

Consort Shu took her words to heart. "Then tell me, what should I do now?"

Noble Lady Yu thought for a moment. "Consort Chun is now confined, and I am not favored either. Among the newcomers in the palace, Noble Lady Wei belongs to the Empress, so we cannot use her."

"As for Attendant Hui and Answering Lady Su, we could win them over, but neither bears any hostility toward Wen Yunmian. There is only one person we can use."

Consort Shu frowned. "You want me to promote a newcomer to attend His Majesty?"

"I know you are unwilling to let other women compete for His Majesty's affection, Your Highness. But unless we do this, that fox-spirit temptress in Peony Pavilion may claim all the spring splendor for herself while you are confined."

"If we let her establish a firm foothold, getting rid of her afterward will not be easy."

Consort Shu was despondent, but in the end she swallowed her sorrow. "Tell me. Whom do you want me to promote?"

"Noble Lady Yan's younger sister, Joyous Promise, who has yet to attend His Majesty."

"Her?" Consort Shu's expression turned ugly. "Last time, that little hussy offered a foolish suggestion that not only harmed Consort Chun but nearly dragged me down as well. And now you still dare to mention her? She is clearly of one mind with Wen Yunmian."

Noble Lady Yu soothed her. "I thought the same thing last time, Your Highness. But two days ago, I happened to hear Joyous Promise cursing Noble Lady Yan."

"I sent someone outside the palace to make inquiries, and only then learned that the two had been at odds long before they left home. That means we can use her."

At this, Consort Shu became interested. "If that is true, then once I promote this Joyous Promise, I won't have to worry about having no one to trip up Noble Lady Yan."

"Your Highness is wise." Noble Lady Yu curved her lips.

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