Physician Liu was a physician whom Murong Qing bribed with a lot of money after she entered the palace. Unexpectedly, he turned out to be one of Consort Li's men.

Then Consort Li laughed and said, "Not only Physician Liu, but many of the palace maids and eunuchs around you are also my people. However, your miscarriage was not caused by me."

"I am not the former Empress Bai Qian; I would never harm the imperial heir. The reason I've placed people around you is simply because I fear you might do something to harm me. This is merely self-preservation."

Murong Qing gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Ha! Self-preservation? What can I, a concubine in Qi who has no power or influence and is not favored by the emperor, do to Consort Li? The one who needs to protect herself now is probably me!"

Consort Li put away her smile and said seriously, "So the reason I came to find you this time is to save you!"

"Ha! Save me?"

"Yes, just as my sister said, you have no power or influence in Qi, and you are not favored by the emperor. Now that you have lost your child, you pose no threat to me whatsoever. I have no reason to make things difficult for you!"

But my dear sister, you are young and beautiful. You don't want to grow old alone in this deep palace, do you?

"If you, my younger sister, agree to do something for me, I will promise to find a way to send you back to Northern Yan. How about it?"

Consort Li's offer to send her back to Northern Yan completely moved Murong Qing.

Murong Qing was unwilling to come for the marriage alliance in the first place.

Now she dreams of returning to Northern Yan.

In the State of Qi, she was no longer a princess, but a puppet who had to rely on Ye Jingchun's favor to live.

She wanted to return to Northern Yan and become the princess who was admired and revered once again!

After a moment of contemplation, Murong Qing's gaze hardened. "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

Upon seeing this, Consort Li laughed again.

After hearing what Consort Li said, Murong Qing was surprised to find that Consort Li, who usually seemed to be indifferent to competition, actually had such great ambition.

This made her suspect once again that her miscarriage was related to Consort Li.

However, Consort Li denied it, and she had no evidence.

Now that things have come to this, she has no choice but to do as Consort Li says.

"I only hope that Consort Li will keep her promise and send me back to Northern Yan after the Third Prince ascends the throne."

Consort Li took Murong Qing's hand and patted it gently, "Don't worry, sister, I will definitely keep my word."

Looking at the dark palace, Murong Qing knew that the area was probably full of imperial guards, just waiting for Ye Zeyu to enter the palace so that Ye Jingchun could capture him.

Thinking of Ye Zeyu, Murong Qing felt complicated.

If she hadn't mistakenly thought Ye Zeyu was ugly, she would probably be the Princess of Yong'an now.

If that's the case, I'd rather be an unfavored concubine now.

If Prince Yong'an is imprisoned for treason, Princess Yong'an will certainly not be able to escape!

Thinking about Su Muxi's future fate, Murong Qing immediately felt relieved.

Ye Jingchun sat on the dragon throne, his mind in turmoil.

Thinking back to what happened nineteen years ago, I feel anger, resentment, and a touch of guilt.

He knew Prince Yu well; they were born of the same mother.

Therefore, he was unwilling to believe that Prince Yu had colluded with the enemy and plotted a rebellion.

However, whether in literature or martial arts, he was no match for his younger brother, Prince Yu. If he hadn't been a few years older than Prince Yu, the throne would probably have belonged to Prince Yu.

The more the civil and military officials and the people praised him for his many military achievements in the northern frontier, the more uncomfortable he felt.

Until he saw the letter that Qiao Xiuyuan had presented to him.

When he finished reading the letter and learned that Prince Yu was colluding with the enemy and had rebellious intentions, his first reaction was not to doubt, but to want to confirm the matter.

In the end, he went with the flow and seized the opportunity to kill Prince Yu.

But the image of Prince Yu's disappointed and sad expression in the main hall that year remained in his mind, lingering for a long time.

But he dared not investigate further.

He feared that the investigation would reveal that he had wronged Prince Yu.

He is the emperor of Qi, and an emperor cannot be wrong!

Therefore, it must be that Prince Yu coveted his throne and was preparing to rebel.

Ye Zeyu is also unwilling to continue being a leisurely prince, so he is preparing to start a rebellion in Ganzhou!

Fortunately, nothing happened, and he remained the emperor of Qi!

Therefore, he has the right to kill those who plot rebellion one by one!

Just as Ye Jingchun was thinking about how to punish his rebellious son Ye Zeyu, the voice of a eunuch sounded outside the door.

"Your Majesty, Consort Li requests an audience."

Upon hearing that Consort Li wanted to see him, Ye Jingchun's heart tightened.

"Announce it immediately!"

He only has two sons left now, so he absolutely cannot let anything happen tomorrow!

Unexpectedly, Consort Li walked in wearing a hat.

"My dear consort, has something happened to Ming'er?"

Consort Li bowed to Ye Jingchun, then said softly, "His Majesty has sent so many people to protect Ming'er, how could anything happen to him!"

However, I have discovered something that I must inform Your Majesty.

Ye Jingchun frowned. "What is it?"

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the person wearing a cap standing next to Consort Li knelt down, raised his hand and took off the cap, revealing a face wearing an iron mask.

"Your Majesty! Please, for the sake of my father saving your life, do justice for Yingying!"

Upon hearing this voice, Ye Jingchun was taken aback.

Hesitantly, he asked, "Are you Bai Mengying?"

"Your Majesty, it's me! I'm Bai Mengying!"

After saying this, Bai Mengying kowtowed to Ye Jingchun while crying. The iron mask she wore made a crisp sound as it hit the ground, which seemed somewhat eerie in the empty hall.

Seeing Bai Mengying like this, Ye Jingchun suddenly remembered the rumors circulating in the streets.

"Tell me, what exactly happened to you!"

Bai Mengying recounted in detail how Qiao Xiuyuan took her away from the Ministry of Justice prison, the torture she suffered at the Marquis of Anyang's mansion, and how she was forced into prostitution and humiliated every day.

By the end, she was already sobbing uncontrollably.

"Bang bang bang!"

Bai Mengying kowtowed three more times, then choked out, "Yingying knows she is guilty, but whether I live or die should be decided by the Emperor, not tortured like Qiao Xiuyuan! Where does Qiao Xiuyuan place imperial authority in this?!"

Previously, after hearing that Bai Mengying was still alive, Ye Jingchun harbored murderous intent towards Qiao Xiuyuan and Zheng Lin. Now, seeing Bai Mengying, his murderous intent has intensified.

If they can pull off such a sleight of hand right under his nose in the capital, then won't it be long before Qiao Xiuyuan and Zheng Lin dare to commit regicide and rebellion?!