The Emperor was too lazy to even raise his eyes, and simply waved his hand, signaling Xiao Shu'er to leave.

Xiao Shu'er was unhappy, but she could only pretend to be aggrieved. She took the wooden box from Bai Mei's hand, placed it on the table, and left.

Just as Xiao Shu'er stepped out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Empress arrived and bumped into her.

Although the two had never had any direct conflict, they secretly regarded each other as thorns in their side. Xiao Shuer knew what had happened before. If the Empress hadn't interfered, Chang Lili's crime would probably have been confirmed.

She had just had a bad day with the Emperor, and now seeing the Empress made her feel even more upset. She didn't even look at the Empress properly before leaving.

The Empress was older than her and naturally more composed. She was prepared to greet her, but seeing that the woman didn't reciprocate, she looked innocent and puzzled.

With this innocence and confusion, he stepped into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After the Duke of Guangde relayed the Emperor's instructions, he returned to find the Empress in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. He hurriedly informed the Emperor, who then gave his approval without expression.

Compared to the Emperor's tired face and gray hair, the Empress was radiant and beautiful. Dressed elegantly and gracefully, she gave the Emperor a graceful bow.

The Emperor refused to look at her and said indifferently, "Get up and sit down."

The Empress smiled radiantly as she sat gracefully in the chair where Xiao Shu'er had just been sitting. She beckoned to the maid behind her, who brought over a plate of exquisite pastries.

"Your Majesty, this is your favorite hibiscus pastry. I just went to the Imperial Kitchen and instructed the chefs to make it. It's still warm. Please try it." The Empress said, picking up a piece with her bright red nail polish and offering it to the Emperor's lips.

The emperor frowned slightly, glancing at the pastry without showing any interest.

"So many years have passed, I haven't eaten hibiscus cakes for a long time, didn't you know?" he said coldly.

The Empress's hand froze for a moment, her smile froze on her face, and for some reason, a faint chill arose in the air of the hall.

The discord between the Empress and the Emperor has a long history and was once a topic of gossip among the servants. However, times have changed and everyone is used to it. But when they witness such a thing, no one dares to breathe loudly, for if either of them is angered, they could lose their lives.

Just when the servants thought the Queen was about to fly into a rage and storm off, a smile returned to her face. But her smile gradually turned bitter and forlorn, and she slowly put the pastry down.

"So, Your Majesty has long since stopped liking hibiscus pastries. It was my oversight that I didn't even know that." Her voice was filled with shame and grievance.

The Emperor was already somewhat annoyed, and for so many years he had always been tolerant of the Empress. Seeing her like this now, he felt she was being pretentious.

The affairs of the inner palace were all under the Empress's jurisdiction. Although the Emperor was busy with state affairs, it did not mean that he was unaware of the affairs of the inner palace. He always kept track of the things she had done.

Now that Consort Lan has entered the Cold Palace, the Empress, who never visits the palace unless she has something to ask, has come to fawn over her. Everyone can understand what her intentions are. Thinking about it this way, the Emperor felt that Consort Lan's suffering in the Cold Palace was probably due to her.

The Emperor snorted coldly and said, "The Empress manages the harem so well, how could she possibly have the time or energy to care about me?"

The Empress was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, her eyes reddened, and her voice trembled with tears: "Your Majesty, are you blaming me? I admit that I haven't served you well for so long, but please give me a chance to make it up to you, okay?"

The Emperor waved his hand: "You may all leave."

Upon hearing this, the palace maids and eunuchs hurriedly withdrew, for knowing too much was not a good thing.

Once only the Emperor and Empress remained in the hall, the Emperor removed his mask and said coldly, "No need for pretense. What brings you to me this time?"

The Empress looked pitiful as she knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I really just wanted to come and see you."

"I have been lenient enough with you. I don't want to see you. Get out of here." The emperor's face was as cold as ice.

The Empress, on the verge of tears, asked, "Your Majesty, do you hate me that much? What have I done wrong?"

The emperor's face flushed with anger: "What have you done? Do you want me to tell you everything?"

The empress slumped to the ground in despair. She knew that the world belonged to him, let alone a small harem.

Suddenly, a light ignited in her eyes again. She grabbed the emperor's sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, I am the most guilty, but Ling'er is innocent. He is your only prince. He has been observing mourning at the imperial mausoleum for three years, and all he has been thinking about is your safety. You cannot treat him like this. Besides, you are busy with state affairs, and he can help you!"

The Emperor flung the Empress aside, his eyes flashing with cold light, and said sternly, "You still dare to mention him to me? You two are birds of a feather, how good can he be? Even if he is good, he has already been ruined by you, his mother!"

The empress was stunned and lay on the ground for a long time, her ten nail polishes scratching the ground.

She resorted to any means necessary for her only son's future, believing she had done everything she could. But now, her son is ungrateful, and his father speaks ill of her. She is unwilling to accept this; she feels they have no right to say such things. She doesn't believe any other mother could have gone to such lengths.

She stood up, her face gradually turning cold. With a bleak smile, she said, "I did all this for his own good. I've done so much for him. And what about you? When have you ever thought about him? He's your only son. Without him, who will inherit the empire you've built?"

The Emperor glared at her angrily: "My only son? That's right, for the sake of this only prince, all my other princes and even princesses have become the bones beneath his feet!"

"These things weren't caused by me! Some of them brought it on themselves!" the Queen said righteously.

Suddenly, the emperor reached out his withered hand and grabbed the empress by the neck. Her snow-white neck was completely strangled, and her face and neck turned shockingly red in an instant.

She stared at the emperor, her eyes filled with resentment: "What good will it do you to kill me?"

At first she could still speak, but later even breathing became difficult. The emperor's hand tightened, his arms began to tremble, his eyes flashed with a fierce light, and his face became ferocious. He actually had the intention to kill her.

Realizing this, the empress panicked, but she was already dizzy and had no strength left to resist; she seemed on the verge of dying at any moment.

Just when she thought she was really going to die here, and was worried about Xiao Lingshou's future, the emperor suddenly threw her hard to the ground.

She collapsed to the ground, unable to move for a long time, only breathing heavily and rapidly.

The emperor sat back down on the soft couch, his face expressionless, as if he had become a mindless puppet.

The empress struggled to her feet, her body still somewhat weak and swaying a few times, looking disheveled.