Following closely behind, under the astonished gazes of everyone present, Mu Beichen, dressed in a moon-colored robe and with his hair tied up in a magnificent crown, appeared as if a god had descended to earth, walking directly from the outside to the center of the crowd and stopping there.

The concubines present immediately rose and walked quickly toward him. They all stood in an orderly line and bowed to Mu Beichen in unison.

Mu Beichen did not respond. Unexpectedly, he turned to face Li Wanrou. He stood there silently, his brows and eyes cold and his face slightly gloomy. He stood there, making others wait for a long time, but he refused to speak.

At this very moment, Li Wanrou was completely at a loss. She lowered her head and saw a pair of shiny leather boots fall into her eyes, but she didn't dare to raise her head. The man in front of her was the radiant light in the hearts of countless women, a god-like existence. As long as she could win his favor, she would never have to worry about not having anyone to support her in the future.

For a long time, the others remained kneeling on the ground, their faces pale and silent. However, almost everyone was thinking the same thing: judging from the Emperor's demeanor, he must have overheard Li Wanrou's conversation with the Empress. The only possible outcome was likely death or serious injury.

Although Mu Beichen remained motionless in place for most of the day without making a sound, it did not stop Li Wanrou from daydreaming. Seeing that he did not react, she raised her head slightly and mustered up her courage to take a closer look. When she met Mu Beichen's gloomy face, her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and a bad premonition inexplicably welled up in her heart.

At this moment, Mu Beichen's face was expressionless, but his cold and stern brows exuded an invisible murderous aura that sent chills down one's spine.

After hesitating for a long time, Li Wanrou finally couldn't help but ask him cautiously, "Today is the last day of the year, and all the ladies are looking forward to dining with the Emperor. Why are you only arriving now?"

Everyone stood there stunned, completely ignored by the two of them. Now that Li Wanrou had spoken, Mu Beichen gradually came back to his senses. With a cold and handsome face, he looked Li Wanrou up and down with sharp eyes, and instead of answering, he asked, "You are Li Chunfeng's niece, Li Wanrou?"

Li Wanrou immediately replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, I only entered the palace gates a few days ago. It is a great honor that Your Majesty still remembers me."

From an angle unseen by everyone, Mu Beichen's face grew increasingly dark, his deep peach blossom eyes narrowed into narrow slits, and his gaze fixed on Li Wanrou was boiling with anger: "Hmph! Li Wanrou, relying on the Prime Minister's Mansion to back you up, you dare to speak disrespectfully to the Empress. If I had arrived a step later today, wouldn't my Empress have already been publicly humiliated by you, you poisonous woman?"

Startled by his shout, Li Wanrou paused, staring blankly at Mu Beichen. Seeing his terrifying expression, she was so shocked and frightened that her soul almost left her body.

However, what worries her more right now is that if her only backer, the Prime Minister's Mansion, is also implicated, that would be the worst thing. Ye Xiyan exposed Yu Qianqian's scandal in public. If the two of them really quarreled, she could just do a favor in the middle. But the result was exactly the opposite. Due to a moment of impulsiveness, she offended someone she shouldn't have offended, and everything would be in vain.