Empress Qian dragged her tired body back to Kunning Palace. She lied on the couch with her head supported by her hand and her eyes closed.

Sulian brought hot tea and saw her mistress look unwell, so she asked,

"Is Your Grace having another headache? I'll ask the doctor to come over."

Empress Qian shook her head, frowning,

"Jingyang Palace was in chaos the whole night. The doctors were scared half to death. Don’t bother any more. All the things will pass."

"Then allow me to give you a head massage."

Sulian went to the side of the couch and used her delicate hands to dexterously remove the jewelry and let down her hair. The maid's thin fingers rubbed her head gently to help the meridians flow.

Empress Qian closed her eyes in comfort. She slowly became relaxed but could not achieve complete peace of mind. Soon she sighed,

"Sulian, do you think Xu Yuanjiao is responsible for Concubine Yu's miscarriage?"

Sulian's hands stopped for a moment. She frowned and said with a grievance,

"Your Grace knows the truth even if I don't speak it out, right?"

Empress Qian groaned and opened her eyes. She pounded her fist on her thigh as she said indignantly,

"That evil b*tch! She is always greedy even though she has gained the Western Depot's support. As she failed to win over the Eastern Depot, she wronged Concubine Xu and accused her of coveting the crown and conspiring with eunuchs. Alas, Yuanjiao, what a pity..."

Downhearted, Sulian rubbed her mistress's head while commenting,

"The woman is always ruthless. Many more people are harmed this time! Your Grace, just now His Majesty kept Master Leng alone. It was probably because he believed Fang Mo and became suspicious of the Eastern Depot. Hence, Master Leng was reprimanded, right?"

Empress Qian took a long, helpless breath.

Frowning, Sulian continued,

"Now I'm a little worried about the Seventh Prince. With Concubine Xu being taken down, His Highness ought to be raised by other high-ranking consorts, but why did His Majesty send him to Duanben Hall?"

Empress Qian closed her eyes tiredly as if she was dissatisfied with the chief maid's dullness. She enlightened her,

"Think about it, Concubine Xu was found guilty of framing Concubine Yu. That was why she worked with eunuchs to fight for the crown. Which blind concubine would dare to take the prince with his mother in the teeth of the storm?”

“Well, that was the smart part of Wan's plot. You'll see. The Seventh Prince won’t stay long in Duanben Hall. Wan is childless and will make big effort to take him in the future."

Sulian's eyes trembled with shock. She asked urgently,

"What should we do? Your Grace, why don't you take the prince over early."

Empress Qian's face sank,

"Do you think I haven’t thought about it? However, I didn’t take good care of the First Prince and he ended up being retarded. I'm afraid His Majesty won’t feel comfortable to leave the Seventh Prince with me.”

“And our opponent is Wan. If I snatch her reward while she's on the rise, she might secretly hurt the Seventh Prince. And then I'll have no way to explain for myself, so let's just make no trouble."

Sulian nodded hastily,

"Your Grace is right. I didn’t think it through."

Empress Qian beckoned the chief maid to stop with her hands and sat up straight on the couch, looking gloomy,

"I had thought Concubine Yu would give birth to the child successfully and stabilized her position. In that way, the Eastern Palace would have another ally. Unfortunately, when Wan gets the Seventh Prince, we will be weaker."

Sulian thought about it and chuckled,

"There are other young consorts in the harem. In terms of their family background, Jieyu Sun might be of some use."

Empress Qian's eyes brightened as she listened and then she turned to Sulian with a witty smile.

A noise came from outside the Palace. They looked in the same direction and saw the Fourth Princess Huanan Jiyan dashing in together with her maids Jin'er and Yaoer.

"Mother, Mother!"

Lifting the pink skirt that was embroidered with peonies, the princess strode towards her impatiently. Her hair accessories dangled and clung with her steps. Empress Qian frowned at her and pouted as she scolded her,

"Manners! Why are you shouting? You are not behaving like a trueborn princess of the royal family."

"Fine. Greetings to you, Your Grace."

Huanan Jiyan halted impatiently and curtsied casually in an exaggerated way.

Empress Qian grimaced and shook her head with a bitter smile,

"All right, get up."

"Mother, is the child of Concubine Yu really gone?"

The moment Huanan Jiyan stood up, she asked loudly with wide eyes,

"I was awake all night and just returned for a rest. How could it be false?"

"Well..."

Pity showed in Huanan Jiyan's rosy face. She looked directly at the woman on the couch,

"Mother, why did you transfer Lu to Chuxiu Palace. I didn't see him this morning, so I went to Deputy Zhou and was told that you had arranged it."

Empress Qian glanced at Sulian who stepped forward with a smile. The maid folded her hands in front of her body and explained,

"Your Highness might not know it yet. Amidst the chaos last night, Lu Zhu was negligent on his duty and set up a gamble in the dorm. I saw that the mistress of Chuxiu Palace had been grounded for life and guarding there was an idle job, so I instructed the deputy to send him there."

"Nonsense!"

Huanan Jiyan cursed angrily with wide eyes and her face red. She argued,

"That's not true! I know him very well. He only loves martial arts and never gambles. Mother must have been displeased when she saw him stay with me and secretly disposed of him!"

"What are you talking about?"

Empress Qian had never been so unconfident in front of her daughter. She was already exhausted from the game with Jingyang Palace and Qinming Hall last night. Now challenged by her daughter in public, she was furious. Her face darkened and her eyes were red with anger. She stood up and questioned sternly,

"Do you know who you are talking to?"

"Of course, it's you. It was you who drove Lu away, so I have to ask you!"

"Reckless child! You..."

Empress Qian's face was lit with irritation. The finger with which she pointed at her daughter slightly twisted,

"Do you want me to die with anger?!"

"Your Grace, please calm down. Princess, you go too far! How can you treat your own mother like this for a guard...? Your Grace, please sit down. You haven’t slept since last night yet"

Sulian hastily assisted the queen to sit down and rubbed her chest and back. Maids and eunuchs were busy carrying the tea and a spittoon.

Huanan Jiyan didn’t back up. Instead, her head tilted up as she yelled with her hands on her waist,

"I don't care. I want Lu Zhu. I want him back now!"

"Stop her!"

Seeing her daughter turn around with determination, Empress Qian waved her long sleeves and issued an order.

The eunuchs stepped forward and blocked the rebellious princess at the door.

"Lock her into Princess' House. No one shall be allowed to let her out without my order."

"Mother!"

Huanan Jiyan stomped her feet in anger, struggling but to no avail.

"Your Grace, don't be angry!"

The princess's maids dared not to come forward to help their master. They could only beg for mercy on the floor.

"Get out. All of you!"

"Mother, I will tell Father how you treated me!"

Huanan Jiyan screamed while she was pulled out of the hall by the eunuchs, followed by her maids.

Empress Qian snuggled into the couch and sighed. It was a turbulent year in the harem.

...

In Jingyang Palace…

Zhao An and the others returned to the Palace from the interrogation site. After wrapping his wounds simply, he put on a new robe despite the pain and then came back to the Palace.

The woman lying on the bed was horribly pale. Her eyes were sunken and dark, fixed at the curtain. Zhao An failed to restrain his emotions at that moment and hot tears rolled down his smooth jaw, wetting the surface of his boots drop by drop.

Gu Yunyao was waiting for him to return. When she heard his footsteps, she turned her head strenuously and tried to focus her empty eyes on the man.

"My Master!"

Zhao An ran to the bed with tears and bent his knees.

Gu Yunyao was also in tears. She slowly stretched her pale hands from under the brocade quilt to Zhao An, choking,

"I've also dragged you down. Don't blame me."

"No, I won't!"

Zhao An held her hands. Her hands were freezing, so he gripped them hard, pressed them into his chest, and tried to warm them. He said intermittently,

"My Master, what... what happened? What did you say to the Imperial Noble Concubine in Yongning Palace? What exactly did she do to you? Why did Liu Xia... How could it be Liu Xia?"

"Was it Liu Xia? Did she admit that she had poisoned my son?"

Gu Yunyao faintly repeated the words. Her pale, thin lips curled and presented a cold smile. Her sunken face only showed the slightest surprise.

Zhao An noticed Gu Yunyao's unusual calmness and was more perplexed.

"My Master, just tell me exactly what happened to you in Yongning Palace."

With a frozen smile, Gu Yunyao spoke feebly,

"The child is gone and the culprit has already been brought to justice. Why must you dwell on the past?"

Morose, Zhao An hesitantly stammered,

"She... she has indeed been brought to justice, but she had also confessed to the mastermind behind her, which really confuse me now!"

Shocked, Gu Yunyao asked,

"Who did she tell in her confession? Who was it?"

Zhao An looked bleak and his voice trembled for a moment,

"It's... Concubine Xu."

"What!"

Astonished, Gu Yunyao struggled to get up from the bed as she chattered,

"How... How... It's not her... Not her..."

Zhao An cried and pinned her on the bed,

"My Master, you need to rest in peace. You can't get out of bed..."

Gu Yunyao grasped Zhao An's forearm with all her strength. Her eyes were wide with rage and her voice was suppressed and muffled,

"Zhao An, Zhao An! Tell me quickly, where is she now?"

Zhao An turned his head. His thin voice was piercing as he wailed,

"She has been deprived of the title of Concubine and grounded for life in Chuxiu Palace. The little prince has been sent to Duanben Hall in the nannies' care."

"..."

Abruptly, Gu Yunyao rolled her eyes and fell unconscious on the bed.