The Empress was in a state that could only be described as wretched beyond words.

Even Feng Jiu’er, hiding on the rooftop, could barely stop herself from laughing in a most uncharitable fashion.

Most remarkably of all — after the Empress spat up a mouthful of blood, both her legs buckled, and she nearly dropped to her knees.

Noble Consort Jing stared on with utter disbelief. That kick just now had contained no force at all. She had only reflexively toppled sideways out of fear — an ingrained habit of the body.

In truth, it was genuinely not from being kicked.

What made it almost laughable was that after the Empress delivered that kick, she began spitting blood, and nearly fainted — unable even to stand steadily. What on earth had brought this about?

Qin Mama and the palace maid Qing Ye rushed over at once and steadied the Empress, fussing and scrambling to help her into a chair.

Qin Mama’s face broke out in a sweat of anxiety: “Send for the imperial physician — quickly, send for the imperial physician!”

Qing Ye immediately went out to summon the imperial physician. Qin Mama patted the Empress’s back to help her catch her breath, and urged her in an anxious voice: “Your Majesty, your imperial body is the most important thing — please do not lose your temper! Your wounds are not light!”

Empress Rong glared venomously at Noble Consort Jing. When her breathing at last steadied somewhat, she burst out in fury: “So it really was you, you wicked woman! You are the one who poisoned Heng’er?”

“And what of it?” It seemed the Empress had suffered severe internal injuries. She had heard earlier that Ri’er had wounded the Empress — seeing her now, it appeared to be entirely true.

But why had Ri’er been so rash and impulsive? If Ri’er had not gone to confess, she would not have come to such a complete and total defeat.

So many years of scheming — only to end up being undone by her own child. How unexpected.

In this moment, Noble Consort Jing felt no anger. Only regret. And then a laugh — a hollow one. Even if she were to die, she would die with resentment.

Her Ri’er — why could that child never understand? Everything the mother had done, she had done for her sake.

“You wretched creature!” Empress Rong reached for something to hurl at her — yet she could not even lift a cup.

No — she could not even raise her arms.

Coming down from the imperial palanquin and striding quickly in here had already cost her half her remaining strength.

In truth, the Empress should have been lying in bed recovering right now. Her injuries were so severe that even her internal organs were nearly torn apart.

Yet it must be said — Nanmeng Rong was a woman of fierce, unyielding stubbornness. When she heard that Noble Consort Jing had gone to the Crown Prince to confess, she could not stay still for even a moment.

Now, with the last of her protective true energy exhausted, she sat in the chair — swaying, on the verge of toppling over at any instant.

“You…”

“Mother Empress.” Zhan Yuheng had barely called out those words before he too began to cough.

These two — mother and son — both looked utterly frail and delicate in this moment. Noble Consort Jing broke into clear, ringing laughter.

“So the rumor was true — Nanmeng Rong, your face really was ruined by Feng Jiu’er. Ha! Heaven truly has eyes — at last someone has come to deal with you, you wicked woman!”

“What did you say? You… cough, cough…” The Empress was coughing up blood. She had wanted to command someone to deal with Noble Consort Jing, yet now she could not even get the order out.

Zhan Yuheng’s heart lurched, and only then did he notice that his mother’s face appeared to carry true injuries: “Mother Empress, your face…”

“It was Feng Jiu’er who injured me. She also tried… cough! …tried to kill this palace.” The Empress looked at Zhan Yuheng, and there was actually a flash of grievance and reproach in her gaze.

The words she had meant to say had no chance to leave her lips at all — the injuries were truly severe.

That wretched Noble Consort Jing — vicious herself, and raising a daughter who was just as vicious! Wounding her to such a state!

Qin Mama knew the Empress well, and understanding that she was seething with anger, immediately explained to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, Feng Jiu’er held Her Majesty the Empress hostage at the execution grounds — not only nearly killing Her Majesty, but also… ruining Her Majesty’s face.”

Zhan Yuheng said nothing. He already knew from Qing Yun that Feng Jiu’er had been thrown into the imperial dungeons the day before, that His Majesty the Emperor had ordered her execution, and that the Empress had brought her to the execution grounds ahead of time. He also knew that Jiu’er had been rescued.

Only the detail that the Empress had her face injured by Jiu’er was unknown to Qing Yun. He had known only that the Empress was wounded.

He had awoken not long ago and still found it difficult even to leave his bed. Upon learning that Jiu’er had been rescued, he had finally felt his heart settle.

In this matter, he was in truth also holding a grievance against his Mother Empress. And so now, when she looked at him with that aggrieved expression, he felt only irritation — not the slightest remorse.

Most importantly: Jiu’er had only been forced into it. Yet she had been single-mindedly bent on taking Jiu’er’s life.

If she had not been so set on driving Jiu’er to death, why would Jiu’er have fought back?

If no one had come to save Jiu’er today — would his Jiu’er already have been killed?

The moment that thought took shape, a sharp pain seized his heart, and whatever shred of concern he had harbored for the Empress was instantly buried under disappointment.

“Mother Empress — Jiu’er did not poison me. Why not wait until I had regained consciousness before conducting the inquest? Why did she have to be taken to the execution grounds before I awoke?”

He was genuinely angry. Even though his Mother Empress was now injured, and as her son he truly should not speak so bluntly before her — yet everything she had done was deeply chilling.

“My child, you… what do you mean by this?” The Empress looked utterly incredulous. Feng Jiu’er had done this to her, wounded her this severely — yet her own flesh-and-blood son was still blaming her?

“You… you…” The Empress was too agitated — she could not catch her breath, and with a terrible sound, she vomited another mouthful of fresh blood.

Qin Mama grew frantic. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, Her Majesty was injured by the Seventh Princess and now has damage to all her internal organs! Her Majesty heard that Noble Consort Jing had come to Yuyang Hall, fearing she might do harm to Your Highness — and so dragged herself here despite her severe wounds, wishing only to protect Your Highness.”

Qin Mama spoke through eyes that had gone moist.

“Your Highness — Her Majesty’s heart for you is so true and sincere. How can Your Highness fail to see it?”

It was not that Zhan Yuheng could not see it. But the moment he thought of how close Jiu’er had come to being executed, his heart seized with pain.

Mercifully, Jiu’er had been rescued. Had the Seventh Imperial Sister arrived a step too late, or had those who saved her failed — what then?

Right now, his Jiu’er might very well have already been killed.

At the thought of it, an aching grip closed around his heart. Yet looking at the Empress in her current state, he still found himself unable to bear it entirely.

“Why has the imperial physician not come yet?” he said anxiously.

Qing Yun immediately clasped his hands. “Your Highness, allow me to go and see.”

Qing Yun strode out quickly. Yet at the very moment Qing Yun stepped through the door, Noble Consort Jing suddenly leapt up from the ground, yanked the hairpin from her hair, and flung herself at Empress Rong with wild abandon.

This was her one and only chance — and a chance she had not foreseen.

Every person in the room with martial ability had left. The Crown Prince and the Empress were both severely wounded. All that remained was a single mama and a single palace maid.

If she did not act now, she feared she would never have another opportunity.

From above, Feng Jiu’er watched clearly. Though she herself would have been perfectly glad to see the Empress stabbed to death then and there, the Empress could not die yet — and Noble Consort Jing could not be the one to kill her. Otherwise, both Noble Consort Jing and the Seventh Princess would be finished.

She was just about to act when, unexpectedly, a figure beside the Empress moved with swift, decisive steps and struck Noble Consort Jing with a single palm.

Noble Consort Jing spat blood, and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Jiu’er’s hand clenched tight. She had nearly gone down herself just then. But now that things had come to this — what was to be done?