Mu Tianxiang was struck as if by lightning, immediately prostrating herself on the ground. “Your Majesty, this subject is ignorant. Your Majesty is greatly merciful and compassionate—please spare this subject this once! Your Majesty, this subject begs Your Majesty!”

The faces of Lianpin and Imperial Consort De also changed drastically, becoming as gray and withered as dead grass.

They suddenly remembered that Emperor Delong had reigned for over thirty years, and many consorts had disappeared before Imperial Consort De entered the palace. The current Imperial Consort De, Lianpin, and the former Kangpin had all entered the palace only after Emperor Delong had reigned for over ten years.

Imperial Consort De and Lianpin immediately knelt on the ground. “Your Majesty the Empress, please show mercy! This subject did not mean it intentionally. Your Majesty, please spare this subject this once…”

Only Qin Shuying sat properly, as if bewildered by everything before her.

Empress Wen smiled charmingly and asked Qin Shuying: “Madam Liang, aren’t you afraid? Why don’t you beg me to spare your life?”

This clearly indicated that Qin Shuying had also questioned Empress Wen’s identity.

Qin Shuying replied: “Your Majesty has a benevolent heart, wisdom, and intelligence. Your Majesty naturally has your own judgment.”

A smile bloomed on Empress Wen’s ethereally beautiful face. She said to Emperor Delong: “This child has come to the palace to chat with me a few times, so there’s some affection between us. Why don’t we give her this face and spare the Sixth Prince’s consort?”

Emperor Delong still smiled indulgently: “All as you wish.”

Empress Wen then said to Mu Tianxiang: “Sixth Prince’s consort, I conduct myself righteously and sit upright. How could you, a daughter of a family that collaborated with enemies and betrayed the country, question me and use me to harm others? Today, I spare your life for Madam Liang’s sake. However, you harbor malicious intentions and attempted to disturb the inner palace. Your crime is unforgivable. You cannot bear the responsibility of being a prince’s consort. From now on, you are demoted to a concubine beside the Sixth Prince, and you may not bear children.”

Mu Tianxiang was immediately stunned.

Besides the prince’s consort, the princes also had several madams and then numerous concubines. The nobility of the prince’s consort goes without saying, and the madams were also mistresses with considerable status.

Only the concubines had lowly status, and whether they could bear children after being favored by the prince was decided by the prince or the prince’s consort.

Since Empress Wen had spoken these words, neither the Sixth Prince nor any future Sixth Prince’s consort would dare allow Mu Tianxiang to bear children.

Having lost her status as prince’s consort and unable to bear children, what future did Mu Tianxiang have left?

But, but…

Shouldn’t the target of Empress Wen’s anger be Imperial Consort De, who failed to manage the inner palace strictly? Shouldn’t it be Lianpin, who had deliberately exiled her to the Cold Palace area?

Why was it herself instead?

But Mu Tianxiang dared not voice any of these questions.

She understood now that although Empress Wen appeared smiling, gentle, and harmless, she was actually ruthless and decisively resolute. Otherwise, how could she have held Emperor Delong’s heart for so many years?

That she could keep her life was already an unexpected mercy, though Mu Tianxiang still couldn’t understand why Empress Wen was specifically targeting her.

“Thank Your Majesty the Empress for your great mercy and compassion! Thank Your Majesty for your imperial grace!”

Mu Tianxiang prostrated herself completely, her whole body trembling, swaying like a leaf in autumn wind. She was truly terrified.

When she entered the palace, she had been full of ambition and plans, but now she had nearly lost her life…

Empress Wen sighed slowly and said indifferently: “Mu Tianxiang, you must think I’m confused—not punishing Imperial Consort De and Lianpin, not reproaching Madam Liang, but picking on you, the soft persimmon, right?”

Mu Tianxiang repeatedly said: “I dare not, Your Majesty, I dare not…”

But in reality, except for Emperor Delong, everyone had such thoughts.

“Listen well to why I’m doing this, so you’ll be completely convinced. First, I am the Empress—what are you? Not to mention you’re a prince’s consort, even if you were a noble consort, it would be perfectly justified for me to punish you. Second, the Mu family’s collaboration with enemies and betrayal of the country caused how many common people of our Great Zhou to have their families destroyed and be separated from their loved ones—an unforgivable crime. As a daughter of the Mu family, His Majesty has already shown extraordinary mercy by not pursuing your guilt further and allowing you to marry the Sixth Prince as his consort. Do you have even half a bit of gratitude? Instead of reflecting on your family’s sins and cultivating virtue, you scheme and plot. Do you think I don’t know? Third, Lianpin dislikes you, but you detest Lianpin even more. You wanted to use today’s incident to bring down Lianpin, so that without a mother-in-law constantly finding fault, the Sixth Prince would become a puppet in your hands from then on. Do you think you can hide such petty schemes from others?”

Mu Tianxiang was dumbfounded. Her affairs and thoughts had been completely exposed by Empress Wen, with nothing hidden.

She, she couldn’t be a monster, could she?

Wasn’t she supposed to be deep in the palace, knowing nothing about outside affairs?

Why was she so clear about everything?

She, she wasn’t human…

She was a monster…

Yes, she must be a monster. Otherwise, why would someone nearly sixty years old look about the same age as herself?

In her extreme shock, Mu Tianxiang couldn’t help but mumble a few sounds: “Mon… monster…”

Imperial Consort De and the others were close to her and heard Mu Tianxiang’s words very clearly. Lianpin rushed forward to cover her mouth: “You, what nonsense are you spouting!”

Imperial Consort De also rushed forward, though not as quickly as Lianpin.

Despite her shock, Mu Tianxiang’s mind was clear as a mirror.

Not only herself, but Imperial Consort De and Lianpin probably had the same thoughts. Otherwise, when she spoke so softly, they actually heard her and reacted so intensely.

Empress Wen and Emperor Delong exchanged glances and suddenly both laughed.

Emperor Delong even said: “Xiaoqing, it seems you were right. Your unwillingness to let others see you is really… I really have nothing to say. I’m convinced.”

Empress Wen smiled like a flower, pointing at Mu Tianxiang: “You think I’m a monster? Ah, Lianpin, how exactly did the Sixth Prince grow up under your care? Why would he choose such a woman as his consort?”

Lianpin stared blankly, not knowing how to respond.

Empress Wen rose, walked with graceful steps to the three kneeling people, and sighed: “I suffered from an illness years ago, and my appearance became frozen at that time. This isn’t even the most frightening part. What’s frightening is that my mind alternates between clarity and madness. When mad, I have tremendous strength—I’ve even injured His Majesty, and those who serve me have suffered even more. Fearing I would frighten people and hurt others, I simply avoid meeting anyone. Each time before an episode, I have people lock me up in advance. Look…”

As Empress Wen spoke, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing her wrists.

Only then did Imperial Consort De and the others see that Empress Wen’s wrists were covered with scars of varying depths, along with deep marks. Clearly, these were caused by long-term confinement with shackles or chains.

“My ankles have them too. Do you want to see those as well?”

Imperial Consort De and Lianpin hastily shook their heads. Just seeing the scars on her wrists was enough to understand how much suffering Empress Wen had endured. They were, after all, just concubines—how could they dare to look at the Empress’s ankle injuries?

Moreover, couldn’t they see that Emperor Delong’s eyes had turned cold as solid ice, almost forming icicles ready to pierce through them?

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