"You can't escape today," Nian Yuyao thought to himself.

A short while later, a white-bearded imperial physician hurriedly arrived.

Jun Si didn't say much and simply handed the necklace to the imperial physician.

The imperial physician took it with trembling hands and examined it carefully, but the more he looked, the paler his face became, and even his hands were trembling.

The women in the harem were incredibly shrewd. Even Consort Xin could see through it, so how could they not? They asked knowingly, "What is that?"

The imperial physician wiped the sweat from his brow. "Your Majesties, it is mercury."

"Impossible!" Song Yin shook her head repeatedly, feigning innocence.

“You gave me the collar, how could you not know? Miss Yin, stop pretending.” Jun Si really didn’t want to watch her performance.

"I didn't." Songyin knelt down and pitifully said to Nian Yuyao, "I hope Your Majesty can investigate thoroughly. This concubine knows nothing."

Seeing this, Nian Yuyao couldn't help but admire Song Yin's shamelessness; she really was flexible and adaptable.

"Very well, then I will do as you wish and investigate thoroughly," Nian Yuyao said calmly, determined to convince her.

“Uh…” Song Yin was a little surprised that Nian Yuyao would agree so quickly.

Little did she know that Nian Yuyao had already made arrangements; the palace maid who was often beaten by her side had been bribed by Nian Yuyao.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the guards arrived with a palace maid.

"Isn't this Cai Die, who's by Yin's side?" the sharp-eyed Consort Xin pointed at the palace maid and said.

"I am grateful that Consort Xin still remembers," Cai Die said softly.

Nian Yuyao coughed, interrupting their conversation, and got to the point: "Are you aware that the necklace contains mercury?"

Cai Die glanced at Song Yin in a panic, then replied, "This servant...doesn't know!"

"Absurd!" Nian Yuyao slammed the cup beside her down, making a crisp sound on the ground. "You made the collar from start to finish. How could you not know? You'd better tell me the truth, or don't blame me for being impolite."

This was the first time anyone had seen Nian Yuyao so serious, and they were so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe, only able to look at her with their lips tightly closed.

The air cooled instantly, becoming eerily quiet.

Although Cai Die was prepared, she was still frightened by her aura and stammered, "Your Highness Consort Nian, please spare me! It was... Yin promised to let me do this."

"You bastard, how dare you slander me!" Song Yin quickly stood up and was about to kick Cai Die hard when Jun Si secretly hit her knee with a stone.

Song Yin was in so much pain that she kept clutching her knee. Everyone thought she had a leg cramp and wanted to laugh but didn't dare to.

"My lady, just accept it!" Cai Die cried.

But Song Yin was not willing to give up. "Why should I admit to something I didn't do? You must be jealous of me and deliberately framed me."

Consort Xin scoffed, "Her beauty is less than a tenth of Consort Nian's, and her dignity is less than half that of Consort Jing. Does she really think she's someone special, someone everyone should be jealous of?"

Songyin certainly heard what Consort Xin said, but given the current situation, she was too busy taking care of herself to have time to retort.

Nian Yuyao slapped the table to signal for quiet before speaking slowly: "Although this gold is hollow, it still weighs three taels. Cai Die is just a palace maid; where would she get this much gold? Song Yin, stop making excuses. My patience is limited."

Songyin, ever the resilient one, retorted defiantly, "Perhaps... it was another concubine who ordered her. There are plenty of concubines who possess gold, how could you..."

“But this gold comes from the frontier, and it’s even purer than the gold in the capital. It was bestowed upon you by the Emperor, and you are the only one in the entire harem to receive it,” Nian Yuyao interrupted, not wanting to waste any more words with her.

With witnesses and physical evidence all available, Song Yin had no reason to defend herself and could only sit there blankly.

Seeing her acquiescence, Nian Yuyao frowned and rebuked her sternly, "You, Songyin, how dare you try to harm Fupei! I will not let you off this time!"

Songyin had served Nian Yuyao for many years and knew that the child was her bottom line. In order to give herself a chance to survive, she pointed at Consort Li and said, "I know I am guilty, but all of this was instigated by Consort Li. I was just blinded by greed and led by the nose."

This is true, but unfortunately few people believe her. They all think that Song Yin is looking for an honest man to take the fall for.

Consort Li seemed to have anticipated that Song Yin would implicate her, and was fully prepared. With tears welling in her eyes, she said, "Sister Yin, you...you've really gone too far! I used to give you so many precious things." She wiped her tears. "Besides, what evidence do you have to prove that I instructed you?"

“This…” Songyin was speechless for a moment. Consort Li never did anything herself when she was being tricked, so how could she have any proof?

Seeing this, everyone became even more certain of what they thought.

Nian Yuyao glanced at Consort Li indifferently and said, "I believe you."

Upon hearing this, Consort Li's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, revealing a knowing smile. "Thank you, Consort Nian. I am truly overjoyed."

“Hmm…” Nian Yuyao nodded calmly, her expression looking like she was very angry but trying to suppress it. “Songyin, don’t think that you are a concubine. Even if you are a maid or a noble lady, if you dare to hurt even a hair on Fupei’s head, I will not spare your life.”

She looked at the eunuch outside the room and ordered, "Someone, bestow upon Consort Yin a severe beating."

Although a "one-zhang-red" punishment won't kill a person, it will cripple them, making them no different from a disabled person.

"No, Your Majesty, please forgive me this time. I will never dare to do it again." Song Yin's snot and tears flowed down her face, and her dirty appearance was nauseating.

"dream!"

Seeing that Nian Yuyao showed no mercy, she reverted to her original sharp and sarcastic tone, "Nian Yuyao, you heartless and ruthless person, you have already forgotten the kindness of serving you for so many years."

Nian Yuyao gave her a mocking look and didn't say another word.

As the eunuch was about to drag Songyin away, Songyin spoke up again: "Nian Yuyao, who do you think you are? You are Consort Nian, but you are still just a concubine. The one who truly makes the decisions is Her Majesty the Empress. What right do you have to punish me?"

Nian Yuyao smiled faintly, waved for the eunuch to leave, and then said, "Alright, tell Her Majesty the Empress about this and see how she handles it."

"Yes!" Upon hearing this, the palace maid outside the door quickly left.

Although Song Yin had fought for a chance, her heart was still pounding.

She was gambling that the Empress would deliberately oppose Nian Yuyao, thus freeing her.

After all, the fact that Nian Yuyao and the Empress had been at odds for many years was something that everyone in the world had witnessed.

No wonder that when they were looking for the person behind the scenes, Jun Si's first suspect was the Empress.

In the past, Nian Yuyao would have been really afraid that the Empress would release her, but things are different now.