But Suzhen wouldn’t get up, pushing away his hands. His heart ached as he forcibly lifted her head from her hands, seeing her face covered with tears and mucus. He couldn’t help but sigh quietly, reaching into his robes, then remembering these weren’t ordinary clothes – imperial robes carried no handkerchiefs. So he used his sleeve to wipe her face.

This scene left everyone speechless.

Even ordinary consorts couldn’t make the Emperor act this way, let alone favored consorts in such a public setting… especially with the other person so filthy.

But between the two of them, it was as if no one else existed.

This shocked and angered many people with jealousy. This seemed no longer about mere kindness, but rather…

Among them, only Xiao Si, who had followed Li Zhaoting over, showed no particular surprise. He might not like Suzhen, but he clearly remembered they had always been this way before. When this dead girl encountered trouble, she was best at throwing tantrums to make his young master coax her, and each time the young master, pestered beyond endurance, would indeed coax her.

But Princess Consort Jin finally couldn’t bear it and stepped forward, saying through gritted teeth: “Your Majesty, you cannot be soft-hearted! This girl is not a virgin. You…”

“Mother!” Li Zhaoting’s voice was heavy as he used even stronger force to half-drag, half-embrace Suzhen up. “I don’t know where Mother heard such rumors, but I believe she didn’t. Moreover, whether she’s a virgin or not, if there’s to be examination or determination, it’s for me to decide!”

“She made mistakes before, but this punishment should now be sufficient.”

“You mean not only to spare her but actually take her back?” Princess Consort Jin pointed at Suzhen, shocked and urgent, anger filling her expression.

But this anger was once again firmly suppressed by the Emperor. His face was covered with frost, his features showing filial respect but filled with ruthless determination: “Mother, I know you have my best interests at heart, but she is a consort I personally enfeoffed. I will not allow anyone to harm her. My mind is made up!”

“Your Majesty…” Princess Consort Jin managed one sentence before stopping involuntarily. This son of hers was extremely decisive – once he made up his mind, no one could change it, especially since he was now the current Son of Heaven.

Li Zhaoting seemed eager to take the person away. Seeing Suzhen glaring at him hatefully, his heart felt blocked. His brow furrowed as he simply lifted her by the waist, while directing his anger elsewhere.

“Lanfeng, the palace maids here shall each receive thirty strokes, have half a year’s salary deducted, double their work, be given only half a bowl of thin porridge daily from the kitchen, and sleep on wet, cold bedding nightly for one year. The Laundry Bureau female officials receive the same punishment.”

“Yes!”

Si Lanfeng had just answered when palace maids filled the courtyard again on their knees, all showing unbearable suffering in their eyes. Many looked harshly at Supervisor Qi, Ji Er, and several palace maids who shared quarters with Suzhen! But despite feeling wronged by this collective punishment, none dared speak out for mercy.

Supervisor Qi’s eyes were downcast, Ji Er’s face was pale as she trembled slightly, looking at Suzhen.

“Your Majesty!”

Seeing a matter of life and death thus reversed, as Li Zhaoting prepared to leave with the person in his arms, A Luo’s heart felt as if eaten by thousands of insects.

“We’ll discuss whatever it is later.” Li Zhaoting didn’t look back.

Mei Er panicked: “Your Majesty, don’t be deceived by that wretch!”

“What are you that you dare speak here? Wretch? You’re the wretch!”

Li Zhaoting’s sharp gaze made Mei Er immediately fall silent, and seeing the punished palace servants on the ground, she couldn’t help but tremble all over.

A Luo and the others could clearly see that Suzhen in Li Zhaoting’s arms, her face toward his back, showed a trace of extremely deep coldness in her eyes.

A Luo’s heart sank heavily. Wei Wu Lei suddenly said: “Noble Consort Miao, it was you who notified His Majesty, wasn’t it? Now you should taste the bitter fruit you’ve sown.”

Hearing this, Miao Yin laughed coldly: “I didn’t. You just saw clearly that when I sent my maid out, the Empress Dowager stopped her.”

“Hmph, you had already sent someone before coming here. Why deny it now?” Wei Wu Lei retorted mockingly.

Miao Yin said coldly: “I didn’t even understand the situation then. How could I rashly send someone to the Golden Luan Hall to disturb His Majesty?”

“Moreover,” she paused, “if it was truly my prior doing, could His Majesty have arrived so quickly?”

Both Wei Wu Lei and A Luo were stunned. Princess Consort Jin glanced at the destroyed qin on the ground and smiled coldly: “This girl has methods. First she sent the rebels out of the palace, now she’s escaped death. The person was probably sent by her, and the qin was deliberately played for His Majesty to hear. She knew His Majesty would come. Requesting the qin served two purposes: first, to delay time; second, to make His Majesty feel pity again.”

“But Empress, if what you heard is true, her life won’t last much longer. When His Majesty learns he was deceived, his methods will only be more severe. I will also watch her constantly.” Her eyes filled with fierce intent, and finally she added: “You must also spend more effort on His Majesty.”

This girl has methods… Hearing this, Ji Er on the ground broke out in cold sweat.

But she was wrong. Suzhen wouldn’t be merciful enough to plead for the palace servants, but she simply didn’t take her seriously. Since Li Zhaoting had already spoken the punishment, she didn’t intend to turn back to deal with people.

Her gaze now fell on several people waiting outside the courtyard.

Li Zhaoting, holding her, was walking in that direction.

There were countless Imperial Guards there, and also two men and one woman guarded by the Imperial Guards. The men were Wu Qing and Quan Feitong, the woman was a Laundry Bureau palace maid, Chen Jiao.

The night she met with Quan Feitong, she had found Chen Jiao.

At the same time, she had entrusted Chen Jiao with something.

If she got into trouble, don’t look for Quan Feitong, but directly find the Emperor as Wu Qing’s informant.

Li Zhaoting wouldn’t be pleased with Quan Feitong paying too much attention to harem matters. If he forcibly interfered, it would only anger the Dragon, and once real trouble arose, only Li Zhaoting had the great power to change life and death.

Before Princess Consort Jin entered the room and Supervisor Qi led people to kneel, she had pushed to the front row, kneeling behind Chen Jiao. Though she didn’t yet know what would happen, she sensed dangerous atmosphere. As a mother, her instinct for her child’s safety couldn’t afford any mistakes.

Quan Feitong was clever – he had anticipated that if a thorny situation arose, she might be unable to send word to Chen Jiao, so he taught her the whistle signal in advance – indeed, Ji Er was watching from the side then. If she spoke openly, Chen Jiao couldn’t have left at all. The girl he had bought was indeed quite sharp. After the kneeling and bowing, when Princess Consort Jin’s attention focused on her, she quickly glanced over. Chen Jiao immediately understood and took the opportunity to leave. If she had waited until Princess Consort Jin struck, when Miao Yin wanted to send her maid to report, it would have been too late.

But she hadn’t expected Princess Consort Jin to actually want her life! Though reinforcements were called, they couldn’t arrive instantly. At the moment between life and death, with one plan failing and unable to capture Princess Consort Jin, she could only find ways to delay time.

But Princess Consort Jin was such a shrewd person, and with A Luo and Wei Wu Lei speaking from the side, other delaying tactics definitely wouldn’t work.

So she played the Li Zhaoting card.

And requested the qin.

Actually, facing death, how could she have the mood to play qin and fiddle with strings – originally, she most hated these things in her life.

But the qin wasn’t available in the Laundry Bureau. The time taken to fetch the qin gave her the opportunity to delay.

She never felt Li Zhaoting liked her. What Quan Feitong said that day about him being moved – she felt it impossible. But if Li Zhaoting could arrive in time and hear the music, it might somewhat evoke his past memories. Perhaps he would spare her.

She was gambling with her life. Using all her effort.

Finally, she won the gamble.

Li Zhaoting arrived in time, and she told him about the past. But in truth, how much of those so-called heartfelt words were still genuine now?

She knew that when Chen Jiao went to find Li Zhaoting, Wu Qing and Quan Feitong must have been alerted and followed, but Li Zhaoting wouldn’t allow them too much interference, ordering the Imperial Guards to detain them here.

As they passed by, Li Zhaoting said lightly: “You may return. The person is fine now. With me here, there will be no problems.”

Wu Qing cast a worried and puzzled look, while Quan Feitong was different. His fox-like narrow eyes showed some understanding and a hint of hidden mockery – whether directed at her or himself, she didn’t know.

Suzhen glanced aside, this time with genuine gloom.

But she had no choice and could only continue forward.

Imperial Guards and palace servants followed behind. The two were close, Li Zhaoting’s warm breath falling on her body. This intimacy made Suzhen extremely uncomfortable. Seeing they had completely left Princess Consort Jin and the others’ sight, she finally spoke: “Thank you for giving me face. I can come down and walk myself.”

“No, you’re injured.”

Li Zhaoting refused quite decisively and instructed Xiao Si, who was following behind and dared not speak, to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau for wound medicine. After walking further, he finally took her directly to the Emperor’s chambers.

He seemed not to notice the filth on her body, placing her on his own bed. The room had his washing implements. He went to fetch a basin and cloth, speaking gently: “Clean yourself up.”

He actually bent down to wring out his own face towel for her. This moment of déjà vu made Suzhen think of Lian Yu. Because Li Zhaoting never did such things. But she immediately understood, her lowered eyes flashing with disgust.

“I’m dirty. I can return to the side palace to clean up. Your Majesty, please consider it – still let me leave the palace. Your kindness – Feng Suzhen appreciates it, but you should have seen clearly today that I cannot survive in this palace.”

She spoke while rising, bowing to him, then wanted to leave. Behind her, his expression darkened as he gripped her arm tightly and pulled her back.