Just as Noble Consort Liu returned to her palace, she found her usually empty halls filled with people. From the Empress Dowager down to the lowest-ranked consorts in the palace, everyone was present. Sitting beside the Empress Dowager was Lady Li, who, due to her connection to the Tenth Prince, enjoyed the treatment of an empress and was known as Madame Li among palace residents. On the Empress Dowager’s left sat Noble Consort Zheng, mother of the Sixth Prince. As soon as Liu entered the hall, Noble Consort Zheng shot her a vicious glare, her no-longer-young face filled with schadenfreude. Noble Consort Liu frowned slightly, an ominous feeling rising in her heart.

“Empress Dowager, what is the meaning of bringing so many people to my palace?” Noble Consort Liu lifted her chin proudly, staring at the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager laughed coldly: “This grieving one should ask you – the Emperor’s body isn’t even cold, yet you, a consort, instead of mourning in the palace, where did you run off to?”

Beside her, Noble Consort Zheng studied Noble Consort Liu, then suddenly exclaimed with feigned surprise: “Empress Dowager, look – Sister Noble Consort seems to be injured. See… even her clothes are torn.” All eyes immediately focused on Noble Consort Liu, who pulled her cloak tighter, her face darkening. She should have changed clothes before returning, but having broken with the Chancellor’s manor, Noble Consort Liu’s pride wouldn’t allow her to return there, and the Li Prince Manor wouldn’t provide her with clothing. She naturally looked down on clothes worn by commoners and maids, so she had simply returned wearing a cloak to cover the bloodstains. She hadn’t expected to be confronted in the main hall.

A flash of vindictive pleasure crossed the Empress Dowager’s aged face as she said coldly: “Where exactly did you go and what did you do? Confess truthfully at once!”

The assembled women’s expressions grew increasingly strange as they looked at Noble Consort Liu. These women who had spent half their lives in the deep palace had made a habit of trampling others to rise higher. They naturally harbored resentment toward Noble Consort Liu, who had monopolized imperial favor consistently for over a decade. If Mo Jingqi were still alive, they wouldn’t dare say anything about Noble Consort Liu’s favored position. But once she fell from grace, there would be far more people eager to kick her while she was down than usual. For a woman whose husband was still in the mourning period to secretly leave the palace and return covered in blood with torn clothes – everyone’s minds conjured up their own imagined scenarios.

Noble Consort Liu cast a contemptuous glance at these women, knowing full well what they were thinking. She laughed coldly and looked up at the Empress Dowager: “What this consort does is none of the Empress Dowager’s business.”

“Slut!” the Empress Dowager berated her, “This grieving one is the late Emperor’s birth mother and the new Emperor’s grandmother – how dare you say I can’t manage you? It was you, you slut, who drove a wedge between the late Emperor and Li’er’s brotherly relationship, causing the distance between mother and son. Who do you think can protect you now? The late Emperor’s body isn’t even cold and you, you slut, couldn’t bear to be alone, running off to the Ding Prince Manor – truly… truly shameless! You’ve completely disgraced our imperial family!”

The Empress Dowager continued her angry tirade while glaring at Noble Consort Liu with hatred in her eyes. If Mo Jingqi hadn’t favored Noble Consort Liu exclusively back then, even defying her, his mother, how would she have turned to nurturing her younger son? It was only because she feared this slut would bewitch her elder son to the point where she would have no place in the palace. If not for this slut, how could their mother-son relationship have reached this point?

Noble Consort Liu’s lips curved in a cold mockery, “Having failed to teach your sons properly, how can you blame this consort?”

“You slut… if this grieving one doesn’t teach you a lesson today, you won’t know your place!” the Empress Dowager laughed coldly. Noble Consort Liu’s phoenix eyes flickered, “You dare touch me!” The Empress Dowager smiled: “Why don’t you try and see if this grieving one dares! Guards, drag this shameless slut out and give her thirty heavy strokes! Let everyone see what happens to those who know no shame. Furthermore, demote Noble Consort Liu to Honored Lady!”

“You dare! Guards!” Noble Consort Liu called sharply. But her usual trusted palace guards didn’t respond, and the Empress Dowager gave her a triumphant smile. The eunuchs waiting outside had already entered to seize her. Noble Consort Liu struggled: “Old woman! If you dare touch me, I won’t let you get away with this!”

The Empress Dowager paid no attention to her threats, “The Liu family has abandoned you – what will you use to not let this grieving one get away with it? Moreover… do you think this grieving one still fears the Liu family now?” Noble Consort Liu’s heart skipped a beat, seeing how the Empress Dowager appeared completely confident, unlike her anxious state of recent days. She knew the Empress Dowager must have gained some leverage – otherwise, she wouldn’t dare treat her so rudely. “If you dare touch me…”

“Drag her out! Beat her!” the Empress Dowager ordered.

Soon the sound of beating could be heard from outside the hall, particularly clear in the silent great hall. The more timid consorts had already turned pale. The Empress Dowager calmly drank her tea, listening to the sounds of flesh being struck outside, a flash of satisfaction in her eyes.

“Empress Dowager… is it…” Lady Li beside her, face pale, trembled as she hesitantly addressed the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said calmly: “You will be Empress Dowager yourself in the future – watch and learn. Some people need to be taught a lesson before they understand their place and remember their surname.” Lady Li moved her lips but finally just nodded quietly, “Yes, Empress Dowager.”

Only then did the Empress Dowager nod in satisfaction.

Noble Consort Liu was already injured all over, and now before even thirty strokes had fallen, she had already fainted. The Empress Dowager had harbored grudges against Noble Consort Liu for a long time – how could she let her off so easily? Without blinking an eye, she ordered people to splash water to wake her and continue the beating. By the time all thirty strokes were delivered, Noble Consort Liu had fainted several times from the pain, wishing she could just die. After the final stroke fell, Noble Consort Liu finally sank into darkness once again.

In Zhangde Palace, the Empress Dowager dismissed her attendants and entered her bedchamber alone. At this time, in the magnificently decorated chamber sat an ordinary-looking palace maid who would be unrecognizable in a crowd. The maid showed no surprise at the Empress Dowager’s entrance and didn’t rise, simply smiling: “I already know what happened just now – His Highness will surely be very pleased.”

The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes, careful in a way unbefitting a mother of the nation. She asked softly: “Then… about the Ding Prince’s promise?”

The maid smiled: “The Empress Dowager need not worry. Though our prince has some grudges against Mo Jingqi, one must face the consequences of their actions – he definitely won’t make things difficult for the Empress Dowager. As long as the Empress Dowager completes what His Highness has instructed, not only can the matter of burial be resolved, but even the power in the palace that originally belonged to the Empress can be transferred to the Empress Dowager. Then… the Empress Dowager can completely control the entire palace – what would you have to fear then?” Though plain in appearance, the maid’s manner and words were extremely persuasive. Especially since the power that had been in Empress Hua’s hands was something the Empress Dowager had long coveted – naturally it was excellent to be able to obtain it so easily.

“Tell the Ding Prince not to worry – this grieving one will certainly take good care of Noble Consort Liu. Even if Li’er… wants to protect her, this grieving one can make her die without a sound!” At this point, a murderous glint flashed in the Empress Dowager’s eyes. She couldn’t understand – her son wouldn’t save his mother, yet would help an unrelated slut. Could it be that Noble Consort Liu truly was a vixen – not content with bewitching her elder son, now she wanted to bewitch her younger son too?

The maid smiled: “This slave hopes the Empress Dowager can do as promised. Also, about the Empress’s matter…”

“After the new Emperor ascends the throne, this grieving one will have it announced that the Empress died of grief over the Emperor’s passing,” the Empress Dowager promised. The maid’s smile grew more satisfied as she stood up: “In that case, this slave won’t disturb the Empress Dowager further. Also, our prince asked this slave to remind the Empress Dowager: if the Empress Dowager wishes to live peacefully, you must protect the new Emperor. After all… the Li Prince is grown now, and probably like the late Emperor, doesn’t like being ordered around.”

In the past, the Empress Dowager might have wavered, but after experiencing her son’s cold-heartedness, she deeply understood that Mo Xiuyao was right. She nodded: “This grieving one knows what to do.”

“Then, this slave takes her leave.” The maid properly curtsied to the Empress Dowager and left.

In the bedchamber, the Empress Dowager stared blankly at the exquisitely carved pure incense burner on the table. After a while, she gave a cold laugh – so what if she cooperated with Mo Xiuyao? She just wanted to live, to live nobly and comfortably! For this, she was willing to do anything!

In the cold palace, Noble Consort Liu woke from her unconsciousness. The pain throughout her body made her groan involuntarily. She was still wearing the blood-stained, tattered clothes she had returned in, and there were none of the usual attentive palace maids and eunuchs around her. Fighting through the pain to sit up, she realized she wasn’t in her original elegant and quiet palace, but lying in a dusty, old, and desolate small room. The half-open door kept the room from being too stuffy, but the slightly cool wind also made her shiver – she had been awakened by the cold.

It was already the third watch of the night, and the cold wind made her tremble as it blew in. She tried to move to get out of bed but fell back onto the bed due to the pain in her back. The hem of her clothes could no longer be described as merely blood-stained. Most of the garment was covered in blood, turning the original snow-white to a dark red, a chilling sight to behold. Remembering the humiliation she had suffered in front of everyone during the day, Noble Consort Liu’s fingers gripped the bedding so tightly they broke, not even feeling the blood drawn from her palms. Her beautiful face twisted grotesquely – how dare she! How dare that old woman treat her like this!

And those sluts! Those sluts who kicked her while she was down! She would make them all die terrible deaths!

Creak… the old, poorly maintained door made a soft sound, and Noble Consort Liu looked up to see a teenage girl staring at her in panic. Seeing her miserable state lying on the bed, tears immediately fell from the girl’s eyes, “Mother… Mother, how are you?” The girl quickly entered the room, approaching Noble Consort Liu’s side but not daring to touch her upon seeing her blood-covered state.

Looking at her panicked daughter before her, Noble Consort Liu’s eyes narrowed slightly as she asked flatly: “Where is this place? Why are you here?”

Princess Zhenning sobbed: “This is Qiuliang Palace. Grandmother wouldn’t let Zhenning and my brothers visit Mother, so Zhenning only came now… Mother, you must be hungry…” Princess Zhenning carefully took out a silk-wrapped package from her sleeve and opened it, revealing several exquisite pastries that she offered to Noble Consort Liu.

“Slap!” Noble Consort Liu struck the pastries to the ground with one hand, coldly looking at Princess Zhenning: “Fool! What use are these worthless things? Go immediately and tell your grandfather and brother to come rescue me from the palace! And don’t call that old witch grandmother!”

Princess Zhenning froze, a flash of hurt crossing her eyes. She slowly lowered her head and said softly: “Grandfather… Grandfather and brother won’t come to the palace. Grandfather said… Mother has offended those who shouldn’t be offended, and the Liu family… the Liu family can’t risk destruction for Mother’s sake. Brother… brother won’t come see Mother, and won’t let Second Brother come either…” She had stayed in the palace, not knowing what exactly had happened to her mother, why her grandfather and brother would no longer acknowledge her. But she couldn’t persuade either of them, so she came alone in the middle of the night, crossing half the palace secretly to see her. But Mother…

Noble Consort Liu’s face turned ashen, twisting grotesquely in the dim candlelight of the deep night like a vengeful ghost, making Princess Zhenning step back in terror.

“Mother… Mother, who exactly did you offend? Tell daughter, and I’ll beg Grandfather and Uncle Li Prince, I’ll beg Grandmother…”

Noble Consort Liu lay on the bed and closed her eyes. Who had she offended? A name flashed through her mind – in this capital now, besides Mo Jingli, only one person would dare treat her like this. For now, Mo Jingli wouldn’t move against her, so it could only be… Thinking of the possibility she had guessed, Noble Consort Liu felt her chest constrict in pain. Just because she had insulted Ye Li once, he would treat her like this. He even supported the Empress Dowager – if someone wasn’t backing her, that old witch who had almost openly broken with the Li Prince would never dare treat her like this!

Mo Xiuyao! How cruel…

“Mother…”

Noble Consort Liu took a breath and said flatly with lowered eyes: “Mother is in a bad mood. Pick up the pastries for me.”

Princess Zhenning hesitated, then hurriedly picked up the still-clean pastries and brought them to Noble Consort Liu, also taking an apple from her sleeve to offer, saying: “Mother, please eat slowly. I’ll bring more tomorrow. I’ll try to find Grandfather and Brother again, definitely get them to rescue you quickly.”

“Mother knows you’re a good child,” Noble Consort Liu said flatly.

Hearing praise from her mother for the first time in her life, Princess Zhenning’s delicate face showed a shy smile. “Then… I’ll go now, Mother please rest well. Zhenning will come to see you tomorrow.”

“Bring some medicine for injuries,” Noble Consort Liu reminded her, displeased with her daughter’s stupidity – knowing she was injured yet only bringing some useless pastries.

“Yes! Daughter understands.” Princess Zhenning looked regretfully at Noble Consort Liu’s injuries. She had been so nervous, never having snuck out alone at night before, that she had forgotten to bring medicine for Mother. Better hurry back and come again – Mother seemed severely injured.

In the silent, dark depths of the palace, the thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl carefully navigated the small paths. The magnificent pavilions and beautiful, strange rockeries and exotic flowers that were so grand during the day had become as frightening as ghosts in the night. Finally, reaching her palace chambers, the girl quietly sighed in relief. But suddenly a hand reached out from behind and touched her shoulder, nearly making her cry out in shock.

“It’s me!” The deep male voice still carried the clarity unique to youth, yet was as steady as an adult’s.

Hearing the familiar voice, Princess Zhenning quickly covered her mouth and patted her racing heart before turning to look at her brother: “Xiao’er, why are you here?” The visitor was Noble Consort Liu’s eldest son, Mo Xiaoyun, who had been demoted from Crown Prince to Qin Prince. The Qin Prince frowned at his sister and said gravely: “You went to see her!”

Princess Zhenning was somewhat afraid of this brother she had raised, and twisted her clothes anxiously: “Xiao’er, she is our birth mother.”

Mo Xiaoyun snorted: “Birth mother? When has she ever treated us like her own children? Do you even know your current situation in the palace? If you get yourself and Little Brother implicated because of her…” The Qin Prince still cared deeply for this sister who had looked after him since childhood. Noble Consort Liu had always been cold toward her children, and most of the time it was Princess Zhenning, two years his senior, who had cared for the brothers. Now that he had been made Qin Prince and had to live outside the palace, their eight-year-old brother still needed Zhenning’s care.

“Really… really can’t we save her?” Princess Zhenning asked carefully.

Mo Xiaoyun laughed coldly, “Do you know what she did?”

“What?” Princess Zhenning was stunned – subconsciously, she hadn’t believed Mother could have done anything unforgivable.

Mo Xiaoyun said coldly: “She ran to the Ding Prince Manor to threaten the Ding Prince to take her as consort, and insulted the Princess Consort. If she married the Ding Prince, whether as equal consort or secondary consort, what would happen to us siblings? Has sister thought about that?” Raised under Chancellor Liu’s guidance, Mo Xiaoyun wasn’t foolish. Thinking of how Mother had hurried to leave the palace right after the Ding Prince returned to the capital, after which Father had continuously promoted several princes and consorts, he knew that Noble Consort Liu likely had these intentions even before Father’s death.

Originally he hadn’t believed it, but when he saw his beautiful, proud mother being thrown out of the Ding Prince Manor in such a sorry state yet still unwilling to give up, his heart turned completely cold. Grandfather was right – Mother had never truly cared about them, siblings. For his own sake and his sister’s and brother’s sake, he couldn’t maintain any connection with her anymore.

“How… how could this be?” Princess Zhenning’s eyes widened in shock. She had grown up in the deep palace, learning only the rules and etiquette for women taught by palace matrons. The principles of proper feminine behavior were deeply ingrained in her mind, and by any standard, Mother’s actions were undoubtedly deserving of public contempt.

Mo Xiaoyun looked at her: “Do you understand now? If you understand, don’t go see her again.”

“But… if no one goes, she’ll…” She’ll die… Even though Princess Zhenning was unworldly, she had still grown up in the palace’s corrupting environment. She naturally knew what fate awaited women banished to the Cold Palace, especially when severely injured.

Under her brother’s firm gaze, Princess Zhenning finally lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s: “I understand…”

Seeing her agree, Mo Xiaoyun’s expression softened slightly. Knowing his sister was hurting, he said gravely: “Sister, I’m doing this for our good. Rather than letting her cause endless trouble outside, it’s better to keep her in the Cold Palace. Or do you want others to know we have a… mother?”

Mo Xiaoyun didn’t finish his sentence, but Princess Zhenning understood what he meant to say. She nodded: “I understand.”

“That’s good then, sister should rest early. I need to leave the palace now,” Mo Xiaoyun said softly. “Take good care of Little Brother, don’t let him cause trouble everywhere.”

“I understand.” Princess Zhenning nodded, then worriedly held Mo Xiaoyun back to ask: “At this hour, how will you leave the palace?” It was already the fourth watch, and the palace gates had long been locked. Mo Xiaoyun smiled: “If I could get in, I can naturally get out. Don’t worry. Sister, take care.”

Watching her brother leave, Princess Zhenning turned and entered the palace. Along the way, she didn’t encounter a single palace maid. Because they weren’t favored by their birth mother, they had never had many maids and eunuchs, to begin with, and now that Noble Consort Liu had fallen from grace, these servants openly slacked off. This was why Princess Zhenning’s long absence hadn’t been discovered.

Back in her room, finding the spare medicine she kept, Princess Zhenning bit her lip and still turned to leave.

She also didn’t want people to know she had a mother without shame or virtue. She wasn’t an ignorant girl who understood nothing – she naturally knew what would become of her and her siblings if Noble Consort Liu had succeeded in entering the Ding Prince Manor, especially herself… a princess approaching her coming-of-age ceremony. Mother couldn’t possibly take them to the Ding Prince Manor, and as imperial prince and princess, they couldn’t go to the Ding Prince Manor. But even so… she couldn’t let Mother die from untreated injuries.

After delivering the medicine… I’ll go back, Princess Zhenning thought silently to herself.

“…probably won’t survive…” A faint voice reached Princess Zhenning’s ears, startling her into quickly hiding behind some flowering trees. It was the end of the month, and the crescent moon was dim, leaving no trace of light in the tree shadows. A pair of night patrol eunuchs slowly approached from not far away. Perhaps because it was late and they were sleepy, the two eunuchs chatted as they walked.

“That’s for sure. Never mind how favored she was in the past. Now the Emperor has passed away, and she’s offended the Empress Dowager. I heard orders came down from Zhangde Palace to make sure that one dies…”

“Tsk tsk… don’t speak carelessly, if word gets out…”

“My godfather is Public Feng from Zhangde Palace – could his words be false?”

“That’s true… Public Feng is indeed a powerful favorite of the Empress Dowager. I heard Zhangde Palace is about to rise again.”

“Indeed… I heard she offended the Ding Prince. Ah… did you hear about that matter?”

The companion beside him showed a knowing smile, “How could I not have heard? The whole palace inside and out probably knows by now. They just don’t dare spread it freely out of concern for the imperial family’s face. Who doesn’t know the Ding Prince is devoted to his Princess Consort, hasn’t even taken a concubine in all these years, this matter…”

“She always seemed so cold and proud before, who would have thought…” The rest of their words became too vulgar to hear. Fortunately, the two eunuchs gradually moved away.

In the dim moonlight, the delicate young girl’s face turned pale as she trembled, staring at the now-empty path.