In addition, after the morning court session, Yan Qing also uncovered the details of Consort De's death. Consort Xian colluded with Consort Yang, using the eldest princess to poison Consort De. The eldest princess was taken to Consort Yang's residence by Consort Xian's people, and the poison was found at Consort Xian's (Consort Sun's) residence.

The eldest princess confessed that Yang Baolin had given her the poison and instructed her to administer it. Yang Baolin also admitted to these matters. Last night, Consort Xian (Consort Sun) sent people to kill her to silence her, but they were caught on the spot. Because of Consort Xian's actions, Yang Baolin directly implicated her. Later, Yan Qing had people search Consort Xian's palace and actually found the poison.

Yu Jingchen remained silent for a long time while looking at the evidence before finally glancing at Yan Qing, who was standing silently below.

"I understand your resentment. I know perfectly well how much of this document is genuine and how much is fake. However, considering your relationship with Consort De, I will not pursue this matter with you this time. I will also leave Consort Yang and Consort Xian to you to deal with. As for the eldest princess... open her princess residence, give her a drug to make her mute, imprison her there forever, eat vegetarian food, chant Buddhist scriptures, and repent." In the end, Yu Jingchen did not order the eldest princess to be executed.

"Your Majesty, I thank you!" Yan Qing knew that these things could not be hidden from Yu Jingchen, so she never intended to deliberately conceal them from the beginning. The current result was enough.

"I have given you enough face, so you should remember what you said. Yun'er is young, and moreover, she is innocent. The harem is not suitable for her, so I do not want her to be bothered by those things." Yu Jingchen never does anything that doesn't benefit him.

"I understand." Although Yan Qing felt a little sad, she could only accept it.

"After Yun'er's eighteenth birthday, I will issue an edict to make her Empress. She knows nothing about these palace affairs, and I have no intention of having her learn them, so I will still leave them to you. However... she is the Empress, my only wife." Yu Jingchen said very clearly and plainly.

The Empress? Although it was all expected, Yan Qing still felt a pang of sorrow when she heard it. It was just a pity that it was already destined. It wasn't that she didn't want to compete, nor that she was unwilling to compete, nor did she think she was inferior to Nan Zhiyun. She just knew very well that what she lost was Yu Jingchen's heart for Nan Zhiyun.

If it had been earlier, perhaps she would have gotten what she wanted. But unfortunately, Yu Jingchen now completely belongs to Nan Zhiyun; he is no longer the emperor of the world, but Nan Zhiyun's husband.

"Your Majesty, I will wholeheartedly assist you and always remember my place," Yan Qing kowtowed.

Yu Jingchen was barely satisfied upon seeing this. He casually waved his hand and said, "Good that you understood. If there's nothing else, you may leave."

“Yes…” Yan Qing got up and left.

After leaving the palace gates, Yan Qing suddenly felt her eyes were becoming uncontrollable. How could she be so fragile? Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. From this day forward, she would truly be all alone. Consort De was gone, and the person in her heart had completely disappeared. That obsession had also been completely let go… From this moment on… she would truly be all alone.

Yan Qing looked up at the sky. From now on, she would live for herself, live well... Others no longer mattered; she was only living for herself.

"Yingyue... I can't find out who's behind this... so I can't avenge you. Will you blame me?" As Yan Qing spoke, tears slid down her cheeks and into her hair.

Is it that they can't find out, or that they don't want to find out...? Yan Qing smiled self-deprecatingly. In the end, she lost to these powers and to reality.