Changxin Palace.
Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, having understood the entirety of the situation, stared fixedly at the concubine Wen Birong kneeling below. Her expression was extremely displeased, her narrow phoenix-like eyes narrowed, flashing with fierce light. In her life, she most detested it when people did not take her words seriously.
"Speak, why did you kill the Empress?"
Wen Birong had recovered from her initial shock. Her face was pale, knowing that she could not escape death. Thus, she wore a look of one resigned to her fate.
"I hate her. She ruined our Wen family. I did nothing. Prince Yun wanted to seize my father and elder brother's official posts, so I wanted to kill her."
"You?"
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow, looking down at Wen Birong with a chilling gaze. Instead of anger, she smiled faintly and said, "Good, very good. Originally, your Wen family was merely stripped of their official titles and dismissed from their posts. Now, you are all certain to die. You are truly a filial daughter."
As her voice fell, she roared towards the palace doors, "Guards, immediately imprison the entire Wen family and await execution."
Guards entered from outside the doors, respectfully receiving the order. "Yes, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Wen Birong had never dreamed such a thing would happen. Panic flashed across her eyes. Even if she were to die, she could not have her father and brother's lives forfeit! Frightened, she immediately kowtowed repeatedly.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, spare us! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, spare us! This concubine is willing to die. I beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to release the Wen family."
"Speak, who ordered you to do this?"
The chilling words rang out. Wen Birong was startled, not expecting the Empress Dowager to see through her intentions at a glance.
But could this matter be spoken of? If it were, she might fare even worse. Yet, thinking of the peril to her father and brother's lives, she dared not conceal anything and quickly spoke.
"Reporting to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, it was Consort De's idea. Consort De did not intend to kill the Empress. She suspected the Empress was feigning madness, so she asked me to test her. Who knew the Empress did not evade. I made a mistake."
Wen Birong's voice grew softer. She had made a mistake. If she had killed that foolish woman, she would have died content. But who knew she had only injured her, and it was in the thigh? This person would be fine after a few days of rest.
"Guards! Concubine Wen Birong, for her audacity and attempt to assassinate the Empress, shall be punished with thirty strokes of the cane, demoted to a palace servant, and sent to the Laundry Bureau."
The cold, murderous words from above rained down. Immediately, eunuchs from Changxin Palace rushed in.
Wen Birong collapsed. This was more painful than death. A concubine demoted to a palace servant and assigned to the Laundry Bureau meant her future life was worse than death. But she could not die! She wanted to see her father and brother live, only then would she be content.
"Your Majesty, this servant's life is worthless. Please spare the Wen family, Your Majesty?"
Wen Birong's tragic cries echoed in the hall, lingering for a long time.
The eunuchs had already dragged her away to the punishment hall to receive her beating.
Here, the Empress Dowager's expression was not good, still extremely displeased. The deep pools of her eyes were covered with a layer of ice, thick and unfathomable.
Ye Suxue, truly too disrespectful of her superiors. It seemed that without a lesson, she would not remember that she depended on her aunt, and in this palace, only she held authority.
"Guards, immediately summon Consort De."
"Yes." Lin An dared not delay. While the Empress Dowager was angry about the Empress being stabbed, she was even more angered by Consort De's underhanded tactics. The Empress Dowager had warned her repeatedly, yet Consort De still did not understand the situation. In this palace, no matter how powerful the Emperor was, he could not escape the Empress Dowager's grasp.
Thinking of this, the consistently quiet Consort Xian seemed even more impressive.
Lin An swiftly dispatched eunuchs to summon Consort De.
The news of the Empress being stabbed had reached Zhaoyang Palace. When Wen Birong was brought before the Empress Dowager, Ye Suxue's inner unease grew.
She knew her aunt was a shrewd person and feared she could not escape this time. However, there was still a sliver of hope in her heart. She was, after all, a member of the Ye family. No matter how angry her aunt was, she wouldn't make things difficult for her, right?
Therefore, she remained composed. Upon hearing the summons from the young eunuch, she immediately tidied her appearance, leading the eunuchs and maids of Zhaoyang Palace towards Changxin Palace...
This time, the Empress Dowager showed Ye Suxue no mercy. With a cold and stern face, she issued her command.
"Ye Suxue, how dare you instigate Concubine Wen Birong to assassinate the Empress? Do you still have me in your eyes? I have already given you one chance. Since you do not cherish it, then do not blame me."
As the Empress Dowager spoke, she ignored Ye Suxue kneeling in the center of the hall and looked up at Lin An at the side of the hall.
"Pass down my decree: Consort De, one of the four consorts, is demoted to the second rank of Shu Yuan and confined to her palace to reflect. Should she err again, she will be expelled from the palace."
A deathly silence fell upon the hall. Ye Suxue was stunned. The eunuchs and maids were stunned.
A light breeze blew, and Ye Suxue came back to her senses. Her face was ashen. She never dreamed her aunt would act on her word and demote her from her consort position to the second rank Shu Yuan.
This time, she fully realized the seriousness of the situation. Filled with panic, cold sweat poured down her back. She kowtowed repeatedly, begging.
"Mother Empress, spare Xue'er this once! Xue'er will never dare again."
"Guards, escort Shu Yuan back to her palace to await further observation."
The Empress Dowager did not look at her at all, issuing her cold command. Lin An, the eunuch of Changxin Palace, led people to escort the Shu Yuan back.
Ye Suxue gritted her teeth, blood trickling from her lips. She raised her eyes, despair in her gaze. This aunt of hers was truly ruthless. She had always thought that since she was a member of the Ye family, her aunt treated her differently.
It seemed she had overestimated the familial affection in her heart. With a desolate laugh, she rose and walked out.
The Empress Dowager, seated on her high throne, watched the stumbling figure depart, her gaze dark. She sighed inwardly.
Suxue, although you are a member of the Ye family, with your current disposition, can you truly bear the heavy responsibility of being the mother of a nation?
I am doing this to help you. This is the only time. If you can glean some wisdom from this, I will eventually restore your position. If not, occupying such a high position would only lead to a wasted life.
Consort De was demoted to Shu Yuan. Among the four consorts, only Consort Xian remained, with three positions vacant. Half in the palace rejoiced, and half were worried.
The Empress Dowager issued an imperial edict forbidding the news of the Empress being stabbed from spreading. In the vast palace, who dared to mention this matter?
Her Majesty the Empress Dowager had punished her own niece so severely, let alone others. The entire harem was like startled cicadas, each person protecting themselves, behaving themselves, and not daring to make any mistakes.
Many gifts were sent from Changxin Palace.
Yun Xiao's injury quickly healed. Although the stab was deep, the thigh was not a vital spot, so after only a few days of recuperation, she could walk.
She was aware of the recent events in the palace.
Although Wanwan was a palace maid in Jinhua Palace, this girl had the knack for mingling with the palace maids and eunuchs in the palace, thus learning about the movements of the entire harem and then reporting everything to her mistress.
For instance, near Jingfu Palace, in the Qingfeng Pavilion, lived a mysterious person, said to be the Emperor's honored guest.
And Consort De, Ye Suxue, was demoted to Shu Yuan and confined to her palace to reflect, never to be seen again.
Yun Xiao rested and tended to her injuries, listening to these interesting anecdotes, which brought her some leisure. However, after staying for too long, she felt as if she was about to go moldy.