Jiang Biyue looked extremely frightened. When she inadvertently raised her head, purple and blue strangulation marks were visible on her neck.

Consort Hua frowned and instinctively glanced at the Emperor. Her body relaxed slightly as she leaned against the chair back. Observing Concubine Jiang’s appearance, she wondered—could it be coincidence?

Had Concubine Jiang received heavenly punishment before she could act?

“This consort was jealous of Noble Consort Yan’s high position and resented Consort Shen’s good fortune. Thus wanting to frame them and kill two birds with one stone, I caused Consort Xi to vomit blood and die.” Jiang Biyue lowered her head, her voice trembling. “This consort knows I was wrong.”

“This palace has said—this palace receives guidance from immortals and would never do evil.” Shen Hanlu wore an expression of sacred inviolability, sweeping her sleeve. “Framing this palace is seeking your own destruction!”

Shen Guiyan rubbed her forehead. These lines were too exaggerated—she truly feared Shen Hanlu would ascend to heaven in the next moment.

Concubine Jiang cooperated excellently, immediately bursting into loud tears, her body trembling. “Just now this consort was strangled by an immortal being. He told this consort to be loyal to imperial commands and maintain an honest heart. The crimes this consort committed are already unforgivable, so he came specifically to take this consort’s life… Fortunately His Majesty’s dragon aura passed by and saved this consort. This consort doesn’t seek to live, only to speak the truth so Consort Shen can clear her name and the heavenly punishment upon this consort can be lessened.”

“Heavenly punishment…” Scholar Fu was shocked for quite a while before finally recovering. “Ancient texts have no records of heavenly punishment. Your Ladyship, could you tell this old minister what it looked like?”

Jiang Biyue looked at him with terror in her eyes, stammering before saying, “Heavenly punishment is when heavenly soldiers and generals descend from above to take your life. The killer cannot be found, no traces can be seen. No matter how high your official rank or how formidable your martial arts, you cannot escape!”

Her voice carried trembling full of fear, not seeming fake at all. If she hadn’t just returned from death’s door, she couldn’t speak such words.

For a moment everyone in the great hall shuddered. No matter how learned Scholar Fu was, he felt some fear.

First a plaque bestowed from heaven, then heavenly punishment—could it be that the current sage truly had golden dragon protection and was ordained by heaven?

Gu Chaobei said, “Since Concubine Jiang has confessed her crime, send her to the Court of the Imperial Clan first.”

Jiang Biyue’s tears fell continuously as she looked up deeply at Gu Chaobei.

“This guilty consort accepts the command.”

Shen Guiyan saw what flickered in her eyes and sighed softly.

This matter wasn’t done by Jiang Biyue, but only she could bear the blame.

Concubine Jiang was dragged away. Scholar Fu said from the side, “Your Majesty, this old minister shouldn’t interfere in inner palace matters, but regarding this talk of heavenly punishment, this old minister believes…”

It still wasn’t credible.

Before he could finish the latter half of his sentence, a miserable scream came from outside.

Everyone was startled. The Emperor and Yuwen Changqing reacted fastest, running out of the palace hall to look. Scholar Fu followed closely behind.

Concubine Jiang had already collapsed in the open ground outside the palace hall, a long sword pierced through her back, blood flowing everywhere. Zhuiyun and the other guards stood nearby, all looking up at the sky in terror.

“What happened!” The Emperor roared angrily.

Zhuiyun hurriedly came forward. “Reporting to Your Majesty, we were just about to take Lady Jiang to the Court of the Imperial Clan when suddenly a sword flew from the sky, piercing straight through Lady Jiang’s body!”

“That’s right, your subordinate also saw it!” The surrounding guards said fearfully. “It descended from heaven, as if aimed at Lady Jiang!”

“Heavenly punishment—this is heavenly punishment!” The timid guards immediately hid under the palace eaves in fright.

Scholar Fu’s beard trembled, fear growing in his eyes.

The palace consorts once again saw a corpse and exclaimed several times before all turning their backs. As this concerned the imperial household’s shameful favoritism disputes, it naturally couldn’t be spread outside. The Emperor said calmly, “Zhuiyun, take Lady Jiang’s body away for disposal. Also issue an order—in ten days, I will open the altar to worship the ancestors.”

“Yes!” Zhuiyun acknowledged and together with another guard carried Lady Jiang’s body away.

Scholar Fu’s mind was in chaos when the Emperor turned to him. “Recently the court has been quite chaotic. It may be that the Ming family’s ancestors are manifesting. Scholar, you should also arrange matters for ancestor worship. Regarding today’s palace events, everyone should act as if they saw nothing. Don’t spread rumors.”

“…This minister understands.” Scholar Fu could barely stand, his body trembling as he took his leave, not even having time to look at Noble Consort Fu again.

Shen Guiyan looked at the blood on the ground and raised an eyebrow slightly, then said with a serious expression, “The people of the inner palace—Consort Hua should manage them well. In the future there absolutely cannot be anyone else engaging in scheming and plotting. Concubine Jiang’s fate should serve as a warning.”

“This consort understands.” Consort Hua’s expression was uglier than anyone’s, yet she still smiled in acknowledgment.

Shen Hanlu felt proud again. Heavenly punishment—those who offended her would receive heavenly punishment. His Majesty truly protected her so much, giving her such a protective umbrella. Too bad it wasn’t real. If it were real, she’d first let Shen Guiyan have a taste of this.

Empress Dowager Nian, having seen bloodshed, said she felt unwell and returned to recite Buddhist scriptures. People from each palace dispersed. The Emperor also took Yuwen Changqing to the study.

“Begin the operation tonight.” Gu Chaobei looked at Yuwen Changqing. “Which ones should be moved against and which shouldn’t—you know them all.”

“This minister understands.” Yuwen Changqing smiled. Finally there was a chance to act decisively.

The palace path was empty of people—only Consort Hua and her servants remained.

“Where is he?” As Consort Hua walked toward Huaqing Palace, she asked Hongzhi.

Hongzhi shook her head. “Fang Deling hasn’t returned since going out.”

Consort Hua had sent Fang Deling to strangle Concubine Jiang to death, then after His Majesty convicted Consort Shen, she would find a way to frame Consort Shen for Concubine Jiang’s death as well.

Who knew that in the end Concubine Jiang did indeed die, but not by her hand. And Fang Deling had also disappeared.

What exactly was going on? Who had disrupted her carefully planned arrangements? This talk of heavenly punishment that appeared out of nowhere—she didn’t believe it. But Concubine Jiang had indeed died right before her eyes, killed by a sword that fell from the sky.

Actually, those who saw the sword fall from the sky were only that group of guards beside His Majesty, plus His Majesty and General Yuwen.

She wasn’t doubting anything—it was just that all of this was too convenient. What was more infuriating was that Shen Hanlu had escaped death again.

Detestable Shen Guiyan didn’t care about anything, throwing everything to her. She wouldn’t fall for provocation either, making her position quite passive, forcing her to fight this group of women alone.

She had killed Consort Xi. Concubine Jiang took the blame and died. Now no one in the palace knew her secret—actually that was good too. She was quite clever, able to make so many small moves under Gu Chaobei’s very nose without him discovering. She’d always thought emperors were formidable, but having succeeded several times, Consort Hua felt somewhat confident.

She too could manipulate men in the palm of her hand, just like Hu Chang back then. After visiting Zuihuayin a few times, didn’t he obediently surrender and leave the secret letter written by the late Empress Dowager Wen in her hands? It was precisely because of this that Gu Chaobei was later able to secure his position as Vice Minister and receive the Emperor’s special attention.

Gu Chaobei wasn’t as difficult to deal with as she’d imagined.

Taking a deep breath, Consort Hua smiled and relaxed. Nothing to worry about. With determination, what couldn’t be accomplished?

As darkness gradually fell, no one in the palace dared sleep. The matter of heavenly punishment had frightened everyone, all fearing a sword from the sky might fall on them at any moment. Although His Majesty said not to spread rumors, it still spread throughout the palace until everyone knew. Probably quite a few people outside the palace knew as well.

However, Concubine Jiang who had been “heavenly punished” was now wearing a dark black cloak, being personally escorted out of the palace city by the Emperor.

“Travel safely. As long as you don’t return to the capital, you can live worry-free your whole life.”

Tears in her eyes, Concubine Jiang accepted the bundle and stammered, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

If Gu Chaobei hadn’t saved her, she would have died too. Now just leaving the imperial palace was already very good.

Even so, she was extremely reluctant to leave, tears falling continuously.

The Emperor didn’t say much more. He waved his hand, turned, and disappeared within the palace gates. Jiang Biyue took a deep breath, put on the cloak’s hood, boarded the carriage, and finally left without looking back.

Shen Guiyan lit a lamp waiting for someone to come. When darkness completely fell, Gu Chaobei didn’t make her wait in vain.

“How did Yan’er know I would come tonight?” The Emperor asked her with a smile.

Shen Guiyan pursed her lips. “Casting lines and spreading nets—whatever fish is caught, you’d come say something. This consort thought so, so I waited to try.”

Gu Chaobei laughed softly and reached out to embrace her. “The fish are still those fish, only this time the net is fine with blades on it. If my hands are covered in fresh blood, will Yan’er find me distasteful?”

Shen Guiyan raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t Your Majesty’s hands have fresh blood before?”

Slightly stunned, Gu Chaobei coughed lightly. “Can’t you cooperate with me and say some affectionate words? Like: ‘Even if Your Majesty’s hands are covered in blood, this consort will follow through life and death’—how happy I would be to hear that.”

Laughing lightly, Shen Guiyan shook her head. “No matter what Your Majesty is like, whether your hands have fresh blood or not, from the moment this consort married you, you became the person this consort would accompany for life. Henceforth I will never leave.”

The surroundings suddenly warmed. Gu Chaobei coughed lightly and turned his head away uncomfortably. “I came to tell you a secret. How did it become flirting?”

Shen Guiyan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Perfectly good romance—he had to call it flirting so shamelessly.

“What secret?”

“Tonight, some people will die.” The Emperor lifted her up and placed her on the bed, simultaneously touching her already high and protruding belly. “That is my sin, but also something that must be eliminated. They all say I have dragon aura on me. I thought I’d use it to protect you. Even if there’s any karmic retribution, I alone will bear it.”

Shen Guiyan was slightly stunned.

Today’s heavenly punishment matter was indeed just a ruse—a ruse the Emperor used to slaughter rebellious elements in the court, which could also logically cover up all wrongdoing.

Lady Jiang was innocent. Consort Xi’s death also hadn’t been investigated clearly at all. But looking at Gu Chaobei’s manner, he had no intention of investigating those things. What he cared about was how many dissidents he could eliminate this time.

Lowering her eyes, Shen Guiyan reached out to embrace him.

“What’s wrong?” Gu Chaobei raised an eyebrow.

“This consort is sleepy.” She said.

The child was already five months along. Her drowsiness hadn’t changed one bit. Gu Chaobei laughed softly. “Then you sleep. I’ll watch over you.”