Kangxi lowered his head, "Grandmother's advice will be remembered by your grandson."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager looked at Kangxi and said, "Xuanye, it's not that you can't do this or that, but as an emperor, your actions will affect the country and its people."

Xuan Ye, since you ascended the throne, you have never caused me any worry.

This time, I understand your feelings and know the immense pressure the court is under, but this will only happen once. I hope you will not repeat this mistake in the future.

The concluding remarks were a bit too harsh, which inevitably displeased Emperor Kangxi.

Emperor Kangxi had not heard such words in a long time; usually, he was the one reprimanding others, but now the tables had turned.

Although he managed to control his expression well, the Empress Dowager, with her sharp eyes, could easily see through Kangxi's true thoughts.

With a sigh that position determines character, the Empress Dowager shook her head. "As for Lady Guoluo, I will speak on her behalf. She will stay in Cining Palace for a period of time under the pretext of serving the palace. Once the turmoil outside has subsided, she will be sent to the inner palace."

Of course, such a small trick could not be kept secret from everyone. The Empress Dowager's actions were more about giving everyone a way out. In the inner palace, many things were fine as long as they were acceptable on the surface, and there was no need to pursue perfection.

Thus, the arrangements for Guo Luoluo were decided by the grandfather and grandson.

Subsequently, the Empress Dowager issued an edict from the Cining Palace, quietly summoning Lady Guoluo to the palace to serve her.

"They've already entered the palace?"

In the main hall of Qixiang Palace, Xiu Ning coaxed Yin Lu to sleep, and while changing her clothes, she inquired about the situation in the harem.

Chunyu nodded and said, "The person appeared in Cining Palace. Judging from the way they look, they're going to stay there for a while."

Xiuning reached out and touched her temple. "She must be waiting for the rumors in the harem to fade away."

Chunyu asked, puzzled, “But why do I feel that the rumors are getting more and more outrageous?”

Previously, it was just discussed in private, like everyone knew it but didn't say it out loud out of politeness.

However, the topic of discussion is now completely out in the open, and because of Guo Luoluo's entry into the palace, all rumors have a basis for their existence, which has actually amplified their power.

Just like a vague thing suddenly having a reference point, being clearly defined is actually not a good thing.

Xiuning smiled slightly, "Yes, the rumors are spreading even more wildly, so whose fault is it again?"

Against the wishes of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, they allowed such rumors to spread throughout the palace.

Xiu Ning gloated, thinking to herself, "Has the Empress lost her composure or just not improved? How can she not understand the current situation in the harem?"

Chunyu was startled by Xiuning's words, but then she realized what she meant.

Yes, the rumors that should have faded away have taken off again, which is suspicious. Moreover, the Empress Dowager's decree indicates that she intends to suppress the matter. Whether the Empress does this or not, no matter who the culprit is eventually found, she will inevitably be punished for mismanaging the harem.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager hasn't made a move yet. Is she planning to lure the enemy out?"

Drawing out all the monsters and demons in the harem and dealing with them all at once is a good idea.

Xiuning nodded, "That's the idea, but in the end, I still didn't expect the Empress to be so stubborn." It's ridiculous that she couldn't understand the Empress Dowager's underlying intentions.

"This is none of our business. Let's just wait and see what happens next."

Xiuning was eager to see who would ultimately seize the power in the palace that the Empress held.

Harboring some subtle malice, Xiuning resumed her usual routine of watching the show from the sidelines.

Of course, the Empress did not disappoint Xiu Ning's expectations. She was truly stubborn, and perhaps her understanding and ability to maintain balance in the harem were not deep enough. Faced with the current situation, it can only be said that the Empress lacked sensitivity.

...

The rumors in the harem spread far and wide, and it was clear to anyone with discerning eyes that the source of the conflict was Lady Guoluo of Cining Palace.

Instead of the Empress Dowager sending Guo Luoluo out of the palace, she suddenly took action and, on the grounds that the rumors were illogical, quickly took control of a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

Subsequently, the Empress Dowager, without considering the consequences, directly sent these people to the Censorate for imprisonment and interrogation.

There are many spies among these people, and the Department of Torture is a department that is good at interrogation. With just a little effort, they can uncover the secrets hidden among them.

By a twist of fate, everyone in the harem began to feel insecure, including the empress who had let the rumors run rampant.

Because among those arrested this time, Hesheli had the most connections.

"What should we do? Is there still no news being sent out?"

In Kunning Palace, the cold desolation of the night, along with the bleakness in the air, swept through the main hall. Hesheli Fangyi stood beside the eight-immortal table in the center, her expression dazed.

Having remained in this state for several days, Hesheli Fangyi lost her appetite and her mind was constantly preoccupied with those who had been sent to the Shenxing Division.

No wonder she was scared; coincidentally, among these people was evidence of her previous mischief.

When a person's body has problems, their emotions may become vulnerable.

Since being poisoned and vomiting blood, Hesheli Fangyi's health has not improved much. The more she suffers, the more frightened she becomes. As rumors spread throughout the harem, she felt guilty and failed to deal with them quickly, resulting in the scene we see today.

"Your Majesty, although there is no news from the Censorate, it is still beneficial to us. You don't need to be so anxious. There are many people involved this time, and the Empress Dowager can only be more cautious in handling it."

Tan Yun tried to comfort Hesheli Fangyi with words, but of course, these words had no effect. She had been arrested and imprisoned in the Shenxing Division. Even if she didn't die, she would be severely injured. Now, they could only look on the bright side. As the saying goes, the law does not punish the masses. It wasn't just the Empress's problem. Did the Empress Dowager dare to turn all the blame on her own master?

Despite feeling somewhat uncertain, Tan Yun still gave Hesheli Fangyi her affirmation.

Tan Yun knew that if she couldn't stand by her master's side, then given her master's current fragile state of mind, things would definitely collapse.

"That's true, but compared to the Imperial Concubine and Consort Jia, my palace is still the most prominent."

Why did the Empress Dowager and the Emperor insist on bringing Lady Guoluo into the palace? She was a widow, not a virgin; could she be the Emperor's true love? Weren't Consort De and Consort Yi the Emperor's true loves?

Hesheli Fangyi couldn't understand why her memories of her past life had faded as she perfectly integrated into her current life. Now, she had no modern aura at all and was even more feudal than the original owner.

"Tan Yun, we still need to take precautions. Go quickly and send a message outside the palace to ask the family for help."

Clenching her fists, Hesheli Fangyi, in a daze, kicked the ball to her family, thus sending herself into the abyss.