Women who had lived in the deep Palace for a long time were strange to such a bloody scene and immediately held their heads and shouted in shock.

Gu Yunxi stared blankly at the breathless woman who was carried out of the hall. She gasped for breath as her eyes were as clear as mirrors. Her blood in the body was raging, emitting heat like never before.

Her heart, as if clutched by ghostly hands, stopped beating at the moment when the maid hit the pillar.

She knew that Fang Mo's death was undoubtedly the same thing to push Concubine Xu into the hopeless abyss.

As expected, Emperor Jingxiao slowly stood up from the dragon chair with his tense body. The blades-like glare shot from his twitchy eyes and stayed on the stunned face of Concubine Xu.

After a while, he asked with a trembling weak voice,

"Concubine Xu, did you see? Fang Mo knew that she could not escape from the crime and killed herself on the spot. And you, do you admit your guilt?"

Concubine Xu smiled coldly and her expression was peaceful,

"I am wronged and I won’t admit it. I did make Jieyu Jin lose her face before Your Majesty but I never hurt my sister and her child, let alone cast the blame onto the Imperial Noble Concubine..."

"Enough!"

Emperor interrupted her with an angry shout.

"Stop calling Concubine Yu 'sister'. You are not worthy of it!"

"..."

Concubine Xu said no more. Her astonished look became indifferent as their eyes met. Smiling miserably, she lowered her eyes and no longer looked at the roaring Emperor.

Feeling anger boiling up inside him, Emperor Jingxiao shut his eyes and suddenly announced,

"Heed my order. Xu of Chuxiu Palace, evil and immoral, conspires to gain power and harms the consorts and royal children. I exempt her from death for the sake of the Seventh Prince. From now on she shall be demoted and sent to the Cold Palace. Royal Guards shall immediately raid the Minister Residency and imprison Xu Langxuan along with his family in the central prison, who will be executed."

Shocked, Concubine Xu crawled on the red carpet but was stopped soon by eunuchs. Indignant, she struggled and shouted,

"Your Majesty, I really did not hurt Concubine Yu. I was framed! This has nothing to do with my family. I beg you to spare my father and the Xus, Your Majesty!"

"Drag her down!"

Emperor waved his hand impatiently as he frowned in annoyance.

Concubine Xu suddenly went frantic. She pushed away the eunuchs surrounding her and stood up in the hall. Her stern yet delicate face quietly radiated with coldness and independence.

A draft blew, and Concubine Xu's skirt and sleeves fluttered in the air.

She was like a proud snow plum flower blooming in the wind, emitting a calm and frosty aura.

Crashes of thunder exploded in the boundless sky like firecrackers. It seemed that the verdict of the heavens was trying to shatter all kinds of intrigue and evil on earth.

Concubine Xu's calm voice resonated with the thunder and echoed in the empty hall.

"Your Majesty, I have been wronged! If I am forced to go to the cold palace, I would rather bite my tongue and kill myself than be humiliated. I would like to wait for the day when Your Majesty will distinguish right from wrong and clear my name and that of my family."

"..."

A muffled thunder made Qinming Hall shiver.

All were on edge.

Emperor woke from the dumbfounded state and blinked his dry eyes. Solemnly, he said,

"Good. As you wish, from now on you will stay in Chuxiu Palace in seclusion for life, and we will ... not see each other again."

Crying, Concubine Xu gave Emperor a cold smile, but trembling lips made no voice. She turned around and walked out with her arms hanging.

Leng Qingtang remained silent. Her eyes were deep and sophisticated, shining with rampant emotions.

He sighed at the vagaries of the world.

Xu Yuanjiao, such an aloof and legendary woman, who had the sole possession of the imperial favor, had now unexpectedly fallen victim to the harem. The glorious Minister family collapsed like a tall building, never to recover.

Leng Qingtang knew Concubine Xu's innocence better than anyone else, and the person who had framed her must be Wan Yuyao.

The treacherous concubine's plan of killing three birds with one stone was really impressive! She easily took Concubine Yu's child and pulled down Concubine Xu with one move.

In addition, according to what Fang Mo had just said, the suspicious Emperor would be angry with the Eastern Depot soon.

However, Wan Yuyao had overlooked one thing while making this plan. She expected that Wan Li had got rid of Wu Yong in Nanyuan, so that she could set the demon fetus conspiracy on Concubine Xu.

As long as the Eastern Depot brought Wu Yong to Emperor, the truth of the past would come out, and Concubine Xu could prove her innocence.

But then Wan Yuyao would certainly burn her boats and bring the identity of Yunxi onto the table.

Fake Yunxi would lose her value with Concubine Yu gone, and Wan Yuyao could give her up to the mercy of Emperor.

In the end, the fake Yunxi would expose the identity of Leng Qingtang and his twin brother in order to save herself.

Leng Qingtang realized he had never faced such a messy situation before.

So many things were intertwined together like the mechanical gears inside a Western clock, biting each other as they rotated.

If he was not careful and made a wrong move, he would reach a stalemate!

Leng Qingtang gritted his teeth and decided that he could not hand over Wu Yong at this time, absolutely not!

The night had passed, and it was dawn outside. The sky was still overcast, and dark clouds were pressing down, indicating a coming rainstorm.

Empress Qian thought of something and turned to gently ask Emperor,

"Your Majesty, Concubine Xu has been sentenced. Now, which concubine should raise the Seventh Prince?"

Emperor gazed at the concubines for a moment.

Anxious, they dropped their heads, looking evasive.

Emperor sighed and replied,

"Fine, take the prince to the nannies in Duanben Hall."

Empress Qian turned her eyes and agreed, "Yes."

Exhausted and depressed, Emperor rubbed the spot between his eyes and spoke slowly,

"I am tired. All but the Eastern Depot Master are dismissed. I have something to say to you."

Leng Qingtang's heart sank, but his face was calm. He nodded and said,

"As Your Majesty commands."

And then he turned to instruct Gu Yunxi,

"Retreat and wait for me outside."

Stunned, Gu Yunxi looked at the Master without any retort. She stumbled and followed the crowd slowly to the outside of the palace.

Only Emperor Jingxiao and Leng Qingtang were left in the large hall. One dressed in yellow and the other one in blue, the mighty Emperor sat with such regal dignity as Master stood obediently.

Emperor had Lord Zhang take a pot of hot tea and then sent him outside.

The air was frozen for a while. Only thunder remained above their heads in the silence.

Emperor took a sip of the hot tea and savored the taste. The click of the lid hitting the rim of the cup was strangely sharp in the empty hall.

Facing the sharp glare that was scalp-numbing, Leng Qingtang lowered his eyes.

It happened as he expected!

Emperor Jingxiao abruptly straightened his arm, and Leng Qingtang quickly walked closer and put the teacup respectfully on the table.

"Master of the Eastern Depot, how do you think of the matter of Concubine Xu?"

Emperor squinted. His eyes followed Leng Qingtang closely without slacking. His pursed lips looked treacherous.

Leng Qingtang walked back after putting down the cup. He bowed and praised,

"Your Majesty's sentence was fair and wise. All officials, including me, obey to Your Majesty’s judgment."

"Huh..."

Emperor Jingxiao suddenly sneered; his serpent eyebrows lifted.

"Smart thing to say. You are obedient before me but calculating behind my back. Don't take it that I don't know what you are planning!"

Leng Qingtang's heart trembled. He hastily lifted his python robe and fell to the ground, begging,

"Forgive me, Your Majesty, if I have made any mistakes."

"Humph, tell me, were you in private alliance with Concubine Yu and wanted to promote the Seventh Prince as the crown prince?"

Leng Qingtang's face suddenly turned pale as he explained on the floor,

"Your Majesty knows that I dare not to think of it."

"Dared not?"

Emperor Jingxiao's eyes were bloodshot, and he raised his voice in anger,

"You dared not? When I took the Duke and Duchess to the garden, Tu Muxue fell into the river. Was that not to help Concubine Xu iframe Jieyu Jin? Tu Muxue works for you. As the Eastern Depot Master, you know that the court and the harem should be in harmony. Yet you assisted a concubine to compete for my favor and brought chaos in the harem. Why?"

The more Emperor said, the angrier he became. In the end, his deep roar poured out in the incessant accompaniment of thunder,

"Do you think I don't know what people are talking about? Do you think I'm deaf and blind so that you can replace me as the "Emperor" out of the Palace?"

"Your Majesty, I am terrified. I have never been disloyal."

Leng Qingtang kowtowed. Under his humble and frightened appearance was hidden hatred.

Emperor was as suspicious and unpredictable as a tiger. Wan Yuyao's poisonous scheme had easily erased all his trust in Leng Qingtang and the Eastern Depot.

Today's patience was for vengeance in the future. He would get everything back from him with his own hands one day!

Listen to the sound of the head banging on the floor, Emperor glared at Leng with burning eyes and a disdainful smile.

"If you are so popular outside, just stay out of the Palace. Don't show up here without my order before the Spring Banquet. Get out!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Leng Qingtang stood up. When he turned around, his face darkened instantly.

When he walked out of Qinming Hall and saw Gu Yunxi, Leng Qingtang blandly said,

"It's dawn. Let's go back to the Eastern Depot."

Gu Yunxi was still abstracted and dumbfounded, following the Master.

Not even a hundred meters out, they met Bingbi Liu leading two of his men. They all knew that something had happened in the Palace last night.

Leng Qingtang instructed him to send a carriage from the Imperial Ceremony Office and then rode with Gu Yunxi back to the Eastern Depot.

When they entered the main hall, Chiliarch Cheng and the captains were all there with the news that Concubine Yu had lost her child.

Qinger was startled by distracted Gu Yunxi. She shook her and called her name.

Restraining his grief, Leng Qingtang walked over with red eyes and whispered,

"Girl, I know you are sad. We have already been out of the Palace. You can cry out in the Eastern Depot."

Gu Yunxi's eyebrows quivered as she stared at the ground with tears. Sorrowfully, she asked,

"Master, why did they blame Concubine Xu for the miscarriage of my sister's child? Why are good people never rewarded?"

Tears sprung out of her eyes. Gu Yunxi sobbed, complained, and touched everyone present.

Leng Qingtang eyes were filled with tears. He couldn’t care about much. Immediately he spread his arms and embraced her, murmuring,

"Cry as much as you want. Cry out and you will feel much better."

The girl buried her head deep into the Master's chest and burst into tears.