Mo Chou and Bing Xiao stood at her side, their hearts filled with worry as they called out, "Your Majesty," stating that the current situation was quite disadvantageous for her.
"It's nothing. We'll deal with any threat as it comes. Since they've put forth their intentions, shouldn't I fulfill them?"
To protect a faction of ministers in court, she had to risk everything. If all the blame fell upon her alone, what reason would he have to harm others?
The young eunuchs of Feng Luan Palace quickly summoned the imperial physicians, and the Emperor himself rushed over in extreme haste, his face etched with anxiety. He swept up Consort Shu, Xi Men Xin Yue, and anxiously asked, "Imperial Physician, what has happened?"
The imperial physician had already examined Consort Shu's pulse and spoke slowly and with profound meaning, "The Consort's fetus has miscarried. It is feared she will have difficulty conceiving again in the future."
The moment the imperial physician finished speaking, Xi Men Xin Yue felt as if struck by lightning. Her complexion shifted between red and white, and despair washed over her entire being.
In this inner palace, what right did a woman have to live if she had lost the ability to bear children? Hatred surged from the depths of her eyes, and she glared fiercely at Shang Guan Hao.
This man was a demon. A demon! He had personally destroyed her. She longed to tear off his mask and reveal to the world that he was a hypocrite who deceived the public, a devil who killed without blinking.
But her last shred of reason told her she could not. She still had the Xi Men family to consider.
Father had done nothing wrong; he knew nothing of all this from beginning to end. Tears of despair streamed from Xi Men Xin Yue's ashen eyes as she abruptly closed them.
"What is going on? Xin Yue, how could this have happened when you were doing so well?"
As his words fell, Xi Men Xin Yue weakly lifted a finger and pointed at Qing Yao, her voice soft and faint, "It was Sister. I drank Sister's tea?"
Upon hearing this, many in the great hall of Feng Luan Palace turned to look at the Empress. It seemed the Empress could not tolerate the Emperor's other children. Shang Guan Hao's expression darkened, and he spoke with chilling menace.
"Empress, how heartless you are! Why did you harm my child? He was my own flesh and blood?"
Qing Yao remained silent, gazing at the man before her, her eyes filled with disdain and contempt.
This man was truly skilled at acting. It seemed he had been a master of disguise since his appearance, blurring the lines between his true self and his roles, perhaps even he couldn't distinguish them anymore.
Did he truly believe he was the Emperor of Xian Yue? It was truly laughable. Thinking of the absurdity, Qing Yao actually let out a laugh.
Shang Guan Hao was furious. Looking at her laughter made him feel like a jester. It seemed everything was clear to her, and his anger intensified. He yelled at Qing Yao.
"Speak, did you harm Consort Shu? You jealous shrew! Do you think that because you helped me conquer the lands of seven kingdoms, you can do as you please, even poisoning my child?"
Qing Yao spoke coolly.
"Your Majesty, can my guilt be determined based solely on Consort Shu's one-sided words? Could it not be that Consort Shu took medicine first and then came to frame me?"
Qing Yao's words were as precise as pearls, and her argument was not without merit. The eunuchs, palace maids, and imperial physician in the hall all agreed with the Empress's statement. Moreover, the Empress did not seem like a treacherous person.
However, Shang Guan Hao would not let her off so easily. He roared furiously towards the hall doors, "Guards!"
A squad of guards charged in. Qing Yao watched everything with a cold demeanor.
So, all of this was instigated by Shang Guan Hao. Xi Men Xin Yue was merely his pawn. And she had also lost her child, rendering her unable to conceive henceforth.
It served this woman right to be in such a predicament. It was karma from heaven.
"Your Majesty."
"Arrest all the palace maids and eunuchs in Feng Luan Palace and interrogate them rigorously. Anyone who dares to conceal the truth will be executed without mercy."
With Shang Guan Hao's command, the squad of guards, having received the imperial decree, swarmed in like wolves and tigers, apprehending all the palace maids and eunuchs in Feng Luan Palace, a total of twenty people.
At this moment, the hall was filled with people kneeling in the dark. Many were terrified and weeping, not understanding what was happening. From beginning to end, Qing Yao watched everything with a cold gaze.
She wanted to see how Shang Guan Hao would continue this charade.
Shang Guan Hao picked up Xi Men Xin Yue, settled her onto a soft couch, and ordered the imperial physician, "Prescribe medicine immediately and let Consort Shu take it. Ensure she is alright."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The imperial physician took his leave to prepare the medicine. Xi Men Xin Yue leaned against the soft couch, tears streaming down her face, her heart consumed by regret. She knew she and Shang Guan Hao still had some use, otherwise, he wouldn't treat her this way.
After instructing the imperial physician, Shang Guan Hao turned and paced the great hall of Feng Luan Palace, his expression cold and his eyes sharp, exuding an aura of chill that enveloped the entire hall. Suddenly, he roared, "Speak! Which of you did the Empress instigate to drug Consort Shu?"
At these words, the palace maids and eunuchs of Feng Luan Palace were thrown into a panic. They quickly begged, "Your Majesty, spare us! We did not do this. Your Highness did not instruct us to administer the drug."
A chorus of wails erupted, and Shang Guan Hao's expression grew increasingly grim.
At this moment, Yi Yun, a female official of Feng Luan Palace, shifted her position slightly, stepped forward, and repeatedly kowtowed.
"Your Majesty, spare this servant. This servant confesses. Please spare everyone. It was the Empress who instructed this servant to do it. This servant deserves death. Please spare us."
Upon these words, the entire hall fell into a profound silence. Everyone stopped crying and exchanged glances, looking up at the Empress. Many had disbelief in their eyes; the Empress seemed like a person of integrity, so how could she do such a thing?
Qing Yao's sharp gaze fell upon Yi Yun's face. Her eyes flickered, and she dared not meet Qing Yao's gaze at all. She had suspected that some people in the palace were Shang Guan Hao's people, but she hadn't expected Yi Yun to be one of them. It was truly amusing.
"Yi Yun, you are truly remarkable."
Qing Yao spoke indifferently. Her words were neither praise nor criticism, but her tone was as cold as ice. Shang Guan Hao suddenly turned his head, his menacing gaze shooting towards Qing Yao. "Empress, do you have anything else to say?"
"Since there is testimony, what else can I say?"
"Your Majesty?" Mo Chou and Bing Xiao cried out, as did the eunuchs and palace maids in the hall of Feng Luan Palace. They wondered how the Emperor would deal with the Empress next.
Shang Guan Hao's expression was impassive as he spoke with chilling coldness, "The Empress is without virtue, relying on her achievements, covetous, and has harmed the royal bloodline. Her Empress title is stripped, and she is to be imprisoned."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As Shang Guan Hao's words concluded, a squad of guards rushed forward, forming a neat circle around Qing Yao, Mo Chou, and the others, yet they dared not be careless.
This was because they knew the Empress possessed formidable martial arts skills, and if she resisted, they might not be her match.
Qing Yao looked past the crowd, her expression calm as she gazed at Shang Guan Hao. A smile as cold and thin as ice curved her lips. She then turned and walked out fearlessly.