The Grand Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and casually fidgeted with the scattered melon seeds on the table.

Finding another woman as beautiful as Consort Yun who was equally easy to manipulate to bring into the palace would not be such an easy task.

Li Helan had already begun speaking mockingly: “Imperial sister-in-law, how interesting. The incident happened in your Kunning Palace, where everyone around is your people. Sister Consort Yun is isolated and helpless—isn’t she at the mercy of whatever you dozen or so mouths want to say? Sister Consort Yun isn’t a fool. How could she possibly harm the First Prince in front of so many people? If you’re going to fabricate lies, at least make up something believable to convince Mother Empress. You’re really half-hearted even when slandering people.”

After her mockery, Li Helan grabbed more melon seeds to crack. The crisp cracking sounds of the shells made even the Grand Empress Dowager laugh.

“That’s exactly right. Harming an imperial heir is a grave crime. Even if someone were bold enough to attempt it, they would have to do it secretly behind people’s backs. Where’s the logic in doing such a thing openly? Empress, this dowager knows you’ve never liked Consort Yun, but you shouldn’t treat everyone like fools to be deceived.”

The Empress’s face flushed red with urgency. “Grand Empress Dowager, if there’s even half a lie in what this subject’s wife says, may this subject’s wife die a terrible death! Consort Yun indeed attempted to scratch Prince Hao’s face with her sharp fingernail guards when this subject’s wife was off guard!

“How old is Prince Hao? What if his face was injured and became infected with fever? Even if it couldn’t threaten Prince Hao’s life, if the wound left scars, it would ruin Prince Hao’s future prospects. Consort Yun dared to act so brazenly precisely because she knew everyone would think as you and the Princess Imperial do!

“This matter wasn’t only witnessed by this subject’s wife. Princess Consort Zhongshun was also present, as was Nanny Gong. They and all the palace attendants present at the time can testify!”

The Grand Empress Dowager frowned as she looked at Qin Yining. “Zhixi’s wife’s words are still reliable. You tell us?”

Having listened for so long, Qin Yining had actually already discovered that the Grand Empress Dowager was merely deliberately toying with the Empress.

The Grand Empress Dowager was currently the one in power in the inner palace. The Empress lacked her depth of scheming and ambition, was lazy about managing affairs, and had long since lost sufficient connections. To consolidate her own power, the Grand Empress Dowager naturally had to fully support the Consort Yun she had elevated.

Therefore, regarding today’s incident, regardless of whether Consort Yun was truly innocent, in the Grand Empress Dowager’s eyes, Consort Yun could only be innocent.

Qin Yining had known this outcome before coming. It was just that she was merely a court lady and not a decision-maker. She couldn’t overly guide the Empress lest it backfire. So she could only watch as the Empress anxiously did something that would inevitably result in losing face.

Indeed, Qin Yining had actually foreseen that the Empress’s actions today would inevitably result in losing face. Because the First Prince hadn’t actually been truly injured, even though so many people had witnessed it, the other side had grounds to argue.

The only benefit this incident brought to the Empress was to make her understand how unwise it was to hastily move against opponents before having ironclad evidence that left no room for rebuttal.

As these thoughts flashed through Qin Yining’s mind, she bowed and said: “This subject’s wife has only one position, which is loyalty to His Majesty and devotion to Great Zhou. Therefore, this subject’s wife’s words contain no bias whatsoever. What the Empress said earlier is indeed true.”

The Grand Empress Dowager was momentarily speechless. She had just wanted to scold Qin Yining for deliberately slandering Consort Yun to curry favor with the Empress, but her seemingly “prophetic” words blocked that response.

Li Helan, however, paid no attention to such matters. She laughed mockingly: “Stop putting gold on your own face. Even if you wanted to be loyal, there’s no place that needs you yet. A mere woman trying to learn from men about loyalty and duty? What do you think you are!”

Qin Yining smiled at Li Helan: “Princess Imperial is probably judging others by herself. This subject’s wife, though lacking in talent, did contribute modest efforts during the palace upheaval.”

The Princess Imperial glared at Qin Yining without speaking.

When Li Qitian had been able to return to the palace and regain control of the situation, the Azure Sky Alliance had indeed played an indispensable role. She had forgotten that Qin Yining was some damned alliance leader…

Qin Yining turned to the Grand Empress Dowager: “The Grand Empress Dowager should understand that this subject’s wife has no position to favor anyone. When this subject’s wife caught Consort Yun’s hand as she prepared to commit violence, it was purely out of love and pity for the child, unable to bear seeing a small infant suffer, nothing more.”

The Grand Empress Dowager actually already believed her.

As Qin Yining said, His Majesty intended to target Pang Xiao—outsiders didn’t know this, but all those present knew the inside story. As an external court lady, Qin Yining had little daily interaction with the palace. She truly had no need to lie to curry favor with the Empress. Even if she tried to please the Empress, if His Majesty took action in the future, the Empress wouldn’t be able to help her.

Moreover, the Grand Empress Dowager understood Consort Yun’s temperament and knew the Empress was an upright person.

But what did it matter even if she believed it?

The Grand Empress Dowager said with composure: “Enough. It’s such a small matter. As long as the prince’s face is unharmed, that’s sufficient. Besides, Consort Yun may not have actually acted, and even if she did, it’s possible someone else framed her.

“This dowager, as Grand Empress Dowager, must handle palace matters impartially. We cannot reach conclusions based solely on the Empress’s one-sided words. Moreover, you had many people there at the time—with everyone saying something, how could Consort Yun distinguish? The charges would just be randomly compiled by you all. How about this: this dowager will have Consort Yun come apologize to you, and that will be the end of it.”

At this point, the Grand Empress Dowager immediately ordered someone to go to the Court of Imperial Clan’s prison: “Release Consort Yun. If anyone asks, say it’s this dowager’s intention—this dowager has questions for her.”

“Yes.” Palace attendants outside immediately acknowledged and hurried to the Court of Imperial Clan to fetch her.

At this moment, seeing the smug expressions on the Grand Empress Dowager’s and Princess Imperial’s faces, the Empress’s heart had already turned completely cold.

This was her mother-in-law.

For her own selfish interests, she could disregard her own grandson. To elevate her grand-niece to compete with her daughter-in-law, she could ignore everything—not caring about her face, much less her own.

When they had lived in the countryside before, she hadn’t seen that the Grand Empress Dowager was such a person!

Who could have known that some people could share hardships but not prosperity.

The Empress’s nose stung repeatedly, tears spinning in her eyes, nearly falling on the spot. If she hadn’t clenched her fists tightly, using her nails to dig into her palm flesh to remind herself not to lose face in front of others, she truly couldn’t have held back.

Before long, the palace attendants from the Palace of Benevolent Peace brought Consort Yun back.

In fact, when Consort Yun arrived at the Court of Imperial Clan, she hadn’t even been imprisoned yet before being urgently summoned back. She had originally been full of fear inside, thinking that after impulsively doing such a thing, if the Grand Empress Dowager found out, she probably wouldn’t let her off lightly.

Who would have thought that before she could even suffer, she was retrieved by the Grand Empress Dowager.

After all, they were family relatives. Even if she poked a hole in the sky, the Grand Empress Dowager could support her.

With such thoughts, Consort Yun’s expression appeared quite smug as she stepped into the Palace of Benevolent Peace.

Seeing the Empress standing there with a pale complexion, Consort Yun swayed her waist and hips as she gracefully approached: “This subject pays respects to the Grand Empress Dowager, pays respects to the Empress.”

“You’re excused.” The Grand Empress Dowager waved her hand. Seeing that Consort Yun had clearly done something stupid yet still carried herself with an air of pride rather than shame, she could guess what she was thinking without trying. Suppressing her anger, she said, “Consort Yun, you tell us what happened at that time. Did you really dare to harm an imperial heir?”

“Grand Empress Dowager, you must not listen to slander. How could this subject harm an imperial heir? The First Prince is the Grand Empress Dowager’s own grandson, His Majesty’s legitimate son. Even with a hundred times the courage, this subject wouldn’t dare do such a thing. Moreover, this subject isn’t stupid—with so many people present, would this subject dare to act? If this subject wanted to act, wouldn’t this subject choose a time when no one was around?”

Consort Yun glared at the Empress and said pitifully: “The Empress has never looked favorably upon this subject. During these days of learning etiquette, she has made things difficult for this subject in every way. This subject has been enduring it all along, but who knew that in the end, she would still bite back at this subject. This subject is truly wronged.”

Consort Yun knelt on the ground and began crying delicately, as if she had truly suffered a great injustice.

The Empress was so enraged by Consort Yun’s shameless behavior that her entire body trembled. Her eyes red, she glared at Consort Yun: “Consort Yun, people are watching, heaven is watching. Whether you deliberately intended to scratch Prince Hao’s face, you know in your heart, those present saw it, and heaven knows it too! Speaking such nonsense and claiming this palace is falsely accusing you—don’t you feel guilty in your conscience!”

Consort Yun fearlessly twisted her waist and shook her head: “Grand Empress Dowager, look how the Empress threatens this subject. If this subject didn’t have the Grand Empress Dowager’s protection, this subject would probably have been flayed and had her tendons pulled long ago, eaten until not even bone fragments remained.”

Consort Yun turned direction and began kowtowing repeatedly toward the Empress: “Empress, please spare this subject! This subject is merely a small concubine. Although His Majesty favors this subject somewhat, ultimately you are the Empress, the legitimate wife. You are the one blessed with a prince. This subject has nothing. What does this subject have that’s worth the Empress’s jealousy, that you must frame this subject and seek to destroy this subject!”

As Consort Yun reached the end, she pressed her forehead tightly to the ground and began wailing loudly.

The Empress trembled all over with rage and turned to look at the Grand Empress Dowager: “Grand Empress Dowager, please see clearly—this subject’s wife truly has no need to tell such a lie. If Consort Yun hadn’t done such a foolish thing, why would this subject’s wife use such a matter to accuse Consort Yun? All those present are witnesses—please investigate thoroughly, Grand Empress Dowager!”

The Grand Empress Dowager shook her head: “As Consort Yun said, everyone in Kunning Palace belongs to you—wouldn’t they all speak in your favor? Empress, this dowager usually sees you as an honest person. Who would have thought you would also do such jealous deeds.”

The Empress bit her lower lip tightly, feeling utterly wronged. Tears finally slid silently down her cheeks.

Qin Yining, watching from behind, couldn’t help but shake her head.

The Empress was simply too emotional, still harboring hope for the Grand Empress Dowager and others. That’s why she had trapped herself in such an unbearable situation. She simply couldn’t accept reality, so from the very beginning of the conversation, she hadn’t been able to grasp the key points and had fallen into a disadvantageous position.

Seeing the Empress rendered speechless, the Grand Empress Dowager raised her eyebrows smugly and smiled: “Enough. This dowager knows you were just momentarily bewitched. This time we won’t punish you severely—just go back to your Kunning Palace and reflect on your mistakes. As for Prince Hao, this dowager thinks it would be better to bring him to the Palace of Benevolent Peace for this dowager to personally raise.”