“Your Majesty,” Consort Rou scrambled up in panic and rushed to Li Ming’s side, reaching out to grasp Li Ming’s hand. “I was wrong, Sanlang. I had the wrong idea. I was also thinking of doing it for Cheng’er. I was afraid of offending too many people. I was set up by Li Rong. I…”

“You still dare to speak!” Li Ming pushed her away with a sweep of his hand and sat up. “If you weren’t greedy, would Rong’er be able to set a trap for you?! You’re just a lowborn servant with short-sighted vision and humble origins. If you had even half of Shangguan Yue’s composure, the position of Crown Prince would have long been Cheng’er’s! I’ve kept you in the rear palace for so long, supported you for so long—have you caught even the slightest mistake from Shangguan Yue?”

The more Li Ming thought about it, the angrier he became. He propped himself up, grabbed things from the side, and threw them at her in one go: “I entrusted the Constabulary Bureau to you! I’ve exhausted my scheming for you and Cheng’er, you bastard! The mess you’ve made!”

Memorial tablets and cups struck Consort Rou one after another. Consort Rou knelt on the ground, desperately kowtowing. After Li Ming finished throwing things, he staggered back a step. Fulai hurried to support him. Li Ming breathed lightly, looking at Consort Rou kneeling on the ground in complete disarray. Li Ming finally stopped. Fulai supported him, saying softly: “Your Majesty, the dragon body is important.”

Li Ming had no strength left to speak. After venting his rage, he calmed down slightly. Consort Rou lay prostrate on the ground, sobbing quietly. Li Ming gazed at her silently. After a long while, he waved his hand: “Forget it, go down.”

“Your Majesty,” hearing these words, Consort Rou looked up in surprise. Li Ming stood before her, gazing at her quietly. His eyes held compassion, disappointment, and a few traces of indescribable painful sorrow. Consort Rou suddenly realized something. She hurriedly knelt forward, reaching out to grab Li Ming’s hem. “Your Majesty, I was wrong. From now on, I’ll listen to you in everything. I’ll change. Please save me. I’m still useful.” As Consort Rou spoke, tears fell rapidly. “Your Majesty, I am Cheng’er’s mother…”

“Drag her away!”

Li Ming shouted loudly. Attendants beside him rushed over to pull Consort Rou. Consort Rou clutched him tightly as the attendants forcibly dragged her out. She struggled with all her might, halfway throwing herself back.

She used all the strength in her body. Her garments were torn in disarray, her hairpins had fallen to the ground. She had cried off her makeup, her face covered in tears. Her entire person was like a hound pressed to the ground with a knife and fork, struggling desperately to beg for a sliver of survival.

Li Ming quietly watched this woman who fought desperately to throw herself at him, watching her grasp his garments tightly, then being forcibly dragged outward. She let out mournful cries. Her fingers gripped his golden dragon-embroidered silk shoes. Her nails, usually dyed cinnabar, snapped entirely, and she cried out in pain: “Your Highness…”

This distant form of address made Li Ming momentarily dazed, as if returning to many years ago in the Cold Palace, to the time when he was still an unnoticed imperial prince.

He involuntarily spoke: “Stop.”

Hearing this command, everyone halted their movements. Consort Rou felt as if granted amnesty. She raised her head excitedly: “Your Majesty, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me. Your Majesty…”

Li Ming did not speak. He half-crouched down, quietly looking at the woman before him.

She had actually grown old.

She was no longer in her youthful prime. Her beauty had long lost its vitality. Her eyes had long been filled with desire, as ugly and unbearable as the entire imperial court.

But such ugliness, such complete transformation, only made him feel pity.

Pitiable like himself.

He gazed at Consort Rou silently, slowly raising his hand to place it on Consort Rou’s face.

“Sanlang,” Consort Rou quickly raised her hand, grasping Li Ming’s hand. Tears streamed down rapidly, full of hope. “I only have you left, only you.”

“But apart from myself,” Li Ming’s voice was very soft, “I have nothing left.”

“A Rou,” Li Ming spoke with a trace of hoarseness, “I cannot protect you. Rest assured,” Li Ming’s eyes were full of tenderness, “Cheng’er will be fine. Go.”

Consort Rou stared blankly at Li Ming: “Cannot protect me?”

Consort Rou murmured. Li Ming’s face showed bitterness: “So many people have joined forces to want you dead. You have so many vulnerabilities. You have no foundation in the court. The aristocratic families don’t care for you, the humble clans don’t protect you. Once today’s events spread, the world will certainly condemn you verbally and in writing. I cannot protect you.”

“Go back. When the time is right,” Li Ming pressed his forehead against Consort Rou’s forehead, “leave a confession letter saying the Crown Prince framed you, and you will prove your innocence with death. Once you die, the case will stop. This way, Cheng’er’s reputation won’t be damaged.”

“Your Majesty?”

Consort Rou looked at Li Ming in disbelief, her voice trembling.

Li Ming’s face showed pity: “Don’t resent me. I have no choice.”

“What do you mean no choice!”

Consort Rou seemed to finally be unable to endure, shouting loudly: “You’re just weak and incompetent, unable to even protect a woman!”

“Xiao Rou!”

Li Ming lowered his voice, carrying a trace of warning.

Seeing the two quarreling, Fulai quickly had everyone follow him outside. Only Consort Rou and Li Ming remained in the great hall.

Consort Rou laughed aloud: “Isn’t that so? You’re the Emperor. If you wanted to protect me, how could you fail to protect me? At the root of it, you’re just afraid of those people! You know the Empress Dowager is from the Shangguan family. You know your wife is from the Shangguan family. You know that now, from top to bottom in the palace, they’re all their people. They can depose you whenever they want. If they tell you to crawl, you cannot stand…”

With a slap, before Consort Rou could finish her words, she was struck to the ground.

Li Ming raised his hand, pointing at her, his eyes about to split: “I spare you for Cheng’er’s sake. Do not speak more nonsense.”

“I’m speaking nonsense?” Consort Rou sat on the ground and laughed. “Did I say anything wrong? I merely touched your sore spot.”

Consort Rou covered her face, turning her head to look at him, her eyes full of mockery: “You say you’ll spare me—what can you do to me? In the end, it’s death. Since you cannot protect me and I don’t even have my life left, why should I fear you?”

“Do you believe I’ll depose your son right now!”

“Then depose him!” Consort Rou suddenly raised her voice. “Do you take me for a fool?! Do you truly establish Cheng’er because you love him? You merely want to use him to restrain the Crown Prince. Once you eliminate the Shangguan clan and the rear palace has another imperial prince, will Cheng’er still have a place to stand?!”

“Do you think I don’t know you’ve been favoring women throughout the palace, even specially seeking methods to have more sons? Do you think I don’t know that in your heart, you’ve always felt I was born lowly, that Cheng’er is inadequate for great responsibility? Do you think I don’t know that in your heart I am nothing? I’m just an excuse you use to suppress the aristocratic families. Whether it’s Shangguan Yue or your mother, or everyone up and down in the entire court—they all think you’re so infatuated with me you’ve lost your head. But have you truly ever loved me?”

Without waiting for Li Ming to speak, Consort Rou smiled and said: “You haven’t.”

“In your heart, whether it’s me or Cheng’er, we’re both just a means. Since you want me to die today, do you think I’ll still fear you?”

“Cheng’er is your only choice.” Consort Rou’s smile carried a trace of madness. “If you want the Li clan to escape the Shangguan family’s oppression, Li Ming, Cheng’er is your only choice.”

“What do you mean?”

Li Ming’s expression instantly turned cold. Consort Rou’s face bore a gentle smile: “Your Majesty, you will never have another son.”

Hearing these words, Li Ming’s eyes widened. Consort Rou drew near him, her voice very soft: “All these years, since Cheng’er, you’ve never had another child.” Consort Rou’s gaze was gentle. “Haven’t you wondered why?”

“Xiao Rou,” Li Ming said in disbelief, “what have you done?”

Xiao Rou did not speak. The smile in her eyes carried a kind of long-premeditated madness. This silence confirmed Li Ming’s conjecture. He flew into a rage, suddenly standing up and grabbing Xiao Rou’s throat, pressing her entire person to the ground. He gripped her throat tightly, roaring: “I will kill you! I will kill you, you slut!”

Xiao Rou’s throat was being strangled by Li Ming, yet she laughed aloud. Her laughter echoed in the room. Clearly she was the one near death, she was the vulnerable one, but Li Ming had the illusion that their positions had reversed.

She deceived him, she hated him, she used him—all these years.

Li Ming watched the laughter of the woman before him begin to turn into difficult cries for help, watched her face turn flushed, watched her reach out to struggle desperately against him, gradually losing her life breath beneath his hands bit by bit.

He didn’t know why, but in that moment, his mind suddenly recalled the first time he saw Xiao Rou in his youth in the Cold Palace.

She knelt on the ground, timidly raising her head, gently calling him: “Your Highness.”

He suddenly lost his strength.

In just a moment of distraction, Xiao Rou suddenly pushed him away, then lay prostrate on the ground, coughing violently.

After a long while, Xiao Rou propped herself up, rising with a laugh.

She covered her throat, laughing: “What’s wrong? Can’t bring yourself to do it, or can’t kill me after all?”

“Li Ming, do you know why you’ve been so pathetic your whole life?”

“Speaking of ruthlessness, you’re not ruthless enough.” Xiao Rou’s voice was hoarse. “Speaking of goodness, you’re not good enough. As a ruler you are unkind, as a son you are unfilial, as a father you are heartless, as a husband you are without righteousness.”

“You’re clearly utterly selfish, yet you insist on retaining a few traces of conscience. Your aspirations are as high as the sky, but your fate is as thin as paper. If you’d just properly be a useless wretch, the Shangguan clan could have ensured you a lifetime of peace. But you refuse to be content, struggling for half a lifetime. What have you struggled to achieve?”

“Your entire life is both laughable and tragic. Struggling for a lifetime, alienating everyone, gaining nothing. Li Ming,” Xiao Rou smiled as she turned around, full of mockery, “you’ll spend your life alone, dying lonely.”

With that, Xiao Rou walked toward the outside of the great hall.

Li Ming sat quietly on his high seat. After a long while, he slowly raised his head, looking toward the distant Northern Yan Pagoda.

The wind chimes on Northern Yan Pagoda jingled in the wind. He watched for a long time before finally coming to his senses. Fulai carefully walked in. Seeing the mess throughout the room, he bent down to pick up the memorial tablets on the ground, came before Li Ming, and said quietly: “Your Majesty, Consort Rou has already been escorted to the Ministry of Justice. Are you alright?”

Li Ming did not speak. He kept his head lowered. Fulai couldn’t help but call out again: “Your Majesty?”

“Summon Xiao Wen inside,” Li Ming raised his head, exhausted. “I have words to say to him.”

Xiao Wen was Consort Rou’s nephew. Fulai’s movements paused, then he replied respectfully: “Yes.”

After Fulai responded, he couldn’t help but look at Li Ming a few more times: “Your Majesty, are you… physically unwell? Should I summon the imperial physicians?”

Hearing his words, Li Ming raised his head to gaze at him. Under Li Ming’s gaze, Fulai’s palms involuntarily broke out in sweat. Li Ming looked at him for a long while, then suddenly spoke: “When I first met you, were you not eleven years old?”

Fulai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He answered respectfully: “This servant was ten years old.”

“You’ve grown old.” Li Ming smiled. Fulai also smiled along: “After all, it’s been nearly forty years.”

“Fulai,” Li Ming turned his head to look at the distant Northern Yan Pagoda, “if only people didn’t have to grow up.”

Fulai did not speak. Li Ming’s voice was slow: “When I built Northern Yan Pagoda, I was truly quite happy.”

At that time, he had just married Shangguan Yue. He still didn’t know what it meant for aristocratic families to restrain him, what it meant to balance the court, what imperial tactics were.

But forty years was too long.

Long enough for a delicate young girl to become an insatiable treacherous consort, a bright young lady to become a cold and conservative empress, a gentle imperial prince to become a weak and pitiful emperor.

He felt time was like a knife. When he looked back, he could no longer recognize who was who.

When Xiao Rou walked out of the great hall, she could no longer hold herself up.

Her legs instantly went soft. A maid beside her quickly supported her, saying urgently: “Your Highness.”

Guards walked forward, saying respectfully: “Consort Rou, please.”

Xiao Rou forced herself to support herself, nodded, and allowed the maid to help her onto the carriage.

After all, she was still the mother of Prince Su and Huale. Even now in her downfall, her residual authority remained. The guards did not dare make things too difficult for her.

When she arrived at the Ministry of Justice, not long after, she heard hurried footsteps from outside.

Xiao Rou raised her head and saw Huale leading the Xiao family clan members walking over.

“Mother.” The moment Huale saw Xiao Rou, her eyes immediately reddened. Xiao Rou calmed down and became peaceful. She glanced at those who came, seeing Cui Yulang was also there. Her movements paused, then she said lightly: “All of you go down. I want to speak with Huale.”

Cui Yulang respectfully withdrew. Xiao Rou quickly reached out to grasp Huale’s hand, saying urgently: “Are you alright? Has this matter implicated you?”

Huale shook her head with reddened eyes: “Not yet. I just heard you had an incident while still at court today. I immediately went to find Third Uncle, looked everywhere for people, and only now came to see you.”

“What about Cheng’er?” Xiao Rou quickly asked. Huale also rarely became reliable: “Little brother is fine. He’s at the residence now. Mother, what should we do now?”

“Listen to me.” Xiao Rou took out a token from her sleeve and handed it to Huale. “We’ve been schemed against this time. Now, apart from our own Xiao family people, you cannot trust anyone. That Cui Yulang can no longer be used. Don’t believe Su Rongqing’s words either. I’m afraid I cannot be saved. I’m giving you this token.”

Xiao Rou placed the token in Huale’s hands: “I’m entrusting Cheng’er to you.”

“Mother!” Huale grasped Xiao Rou’s hand tightly. “What should I do? Tell me, what must I do to save you?”

As Huale spoke, tears flowed down: “Can I marry someone? I’ll find a powerful man to marry. I…”

“Huale!”

Xiao Rou shouted in a low voice. She gripped Huale’s hand and took a deep breath: “Remember, at this time, don’t rely on anyone. His Majesty is failing. He cannot hold on much longer. Right now you need to do only one thing.”

“Tell me.”

Huale spoke urgently. Xiao Rou raised her hand to tuck Huale’s hair behind her ear: “Kill Li Chuan.”

Huale’s eyes suddenly widened. Xiao Rou’s gaze was cold: “It would be best to kill Li Rong along with him. Once Li Chuan dies, only Cheng’er will remain among the princes. Then you push all responsibility onto me. You’re still a princess. Your father emperor will protect you. After Cheng’er ascends the throne, you’ll be the Princess Imperial.”

Huale’s hand holding the token trembled slightly. Xiao Rou raised her hand to grip her hand, saying steadily: “Don’t be afraid, Huale. You are my daughter. You cannot lose to Shangguan Yue’s daughter. If she can scheme against us, you must scheme against her.”

“Mother…”

“Only this way,” Xiao Rou lowered her voice, “do you and I have a chance to survive. As long as we survive, we win. Then you can trample Li Chuan and Li Rong beneath your feet, tear them to pieces.”

“There’s nothing to fear.” Xiao Rou stared at Huale. “We both have lowly lives. What are you afraid of?”

Hearing Xiao Rou’s words, Huale slowly calmed down.

She raised her eyes to look at Xiao Rou, seeking faith and strength to support herself from Xiao Rou’s steady eyes.

Her mother was born into a humble clan. She might be foolish, greedy, but she had always been like wild grass, recklessly struggling to grow in this palace.

Huale took a deep breath, nodded, and tried hard to calm herself: “I understand.”

Xiao Rou gazed at Huale quietly. After a long while, she squeezed Huale’s hand: “Go. Mother is waiting for you.”

Huale’s tears fell on Xiao Rou’s hand. She stood up somewhat unsteadily, trying to make herself more composed, and walked out.

That evening was somewhat cold. Li Rong draped her clothing in the Princess’s residence, re-examining the Constabulary Bureau’s recent materials.

Shangguan Ya stood to the side, briefly explaining to Li Rong: “The problematic officials from the Shangguan family have long been dealt with. This time Consort Rou cannot catch any vulnerabilities. The evidence was almost all fabricated, the confessions all forced.”

“She has such audacity?”

Li Rong flipped through page after page of prepared confessions. Shangguan Ya laughed lightly: “Consort Rou doesn’t have much experience conducting court affairs. The rear palace is a place where one survives by reading His Majesty’s expression. The court is not like that. She thought leading the Constabulary Bureau would be the same as when she governed the rear palace. These confessions all have flaws. You can overturn the verdicts at any time. However, what does Your Highness plan to do?”

“Delay for now.” Li Rong’s voice was calm. “Consort Rou fell too easily. Wang Houmin and those people will inevitably feel they paid too high a price in their hearts. People like Wang Houwen should die anyway, so first let them stay in prison longer. Wait until they’re half-dead from being dragged through this, then release them.”

The two were speaking when they heard footsteps from outside. Li Rong and Shangguan Ya both raised their heads and saw Pei Wenxuan stepping inside. He glanced at Li Rong, walked forward, leaned down to cover Li Rong’s ear, and said softly: “His Majesty summoned Consort Rou’s nephew Xiao Wen into the palace. After Xiao Wen left, someone departed from Hua Jing.”

Li Rong’s gaze turned cold as she raised her eyes to look at Pei Wenxuan.

Pei Wenxuan understood Li Rong’s meaning. He nodded.

“His Majesty is afraid he can no longer bear it.”