After Ye Shangzhou left, Qiao Zhen reluctantly climbed into bed again. It wasn't that she wanted to dawdle, but rather that her wounds were really painful and could easily aggravate them.

She lay sprawled on a pillow embroidered with mandarin ducks, exuding an aura of decadence.

Seeing her dejected appearance, Xiao Ling felt immense sympathy for her. "Why don't you try to be nice to him? We can be flexible and adaptable."

Qiao Zhen sneered: [Heh, go yourself if you want, you piece of trash Ye Shangzhou. If he hadn't locked me up in that dark room, how would I have fallen into the gold mine!]

Xiao Ling wiped away cold sweat: [Didn't I give you 24 5v5 Black Cards? How did you drop to Gold rank?]

Qiao felt a pang of sadness and didn't want to answer it, so she simply cut off the system's communication channel with her. She looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, a bright sadness reflected in her eyes.

She absolutely would never admit that her skills were too bad. If Ye Shangzhou hadn't punished her with a cane and locked her in a dark room, why would she have gone to play King of Glory? In short, it was all Ye Shangzhou's fault!

Qiao Zhen stayed in the room for more than half a month, with a low-grade fever on and off. She never stopped taking bitter medicine, but she didn't dare to touch Ye Shangzhou's brow. Each time, she could only keep a blank face and then swallow the medicine in one gulp.

Since that night when Shangzhou left Qiaozhen's bedroom, he has never set foot there again.

"Little Xunzi, what has Baolin been doing lately?" Ye Shangzhou held a military book in his hand. Although the book looked brand new, there were many creases in the pages.

Xiao Xunzi leaned down and replied, "Baolin has been waking up only when the sun is high in the sky these past few days. She'll be dazed for a while, then call a palace maid to help her wash and change."

Ye Shangzhou frowned; this was not the outcome he wanted. "Anything else?"

Xiao Xunzi sensed the impatience in Ye Shangzhou's tone. He knelt down and said, "The rest are similar to the previous days. They did nothing else. Baolin still looks calm and composed."

A wave of irritation washed over Ye Shangzhou. He placed the military treatise on the table and said, "Issue my imperial decree: Baolin is to be promoted to the rank of Consort, and all rewards shall be given in accordance with those for a Consort."

A new undercurrent surged in the harem. Qiao Zhen leaped from Baolin to Meiren, skipping eight ranks, something unprecedented in history. Some said it was because the emperor had tasted the sweetness of love and thus Qiao Zhen received such favor.

Some people are starting to get restless.

Consort Rong was one of them.

Consort Rong was Ye Huaijin's biological mother and should have been the Empress Dowager of the Great Ye Dynasty, but Ye Shangzhou appeared out of nowhere, and she has always held a grudge about it.

The palace maid invited Qiao Zhen to the Crimson Palace. Consort Rong was ambitious but lacked the courage. She couldn't control Ye Shangzhou, but she wanted to let Qiao Zhen do as she pleased.

Qiao Zhen sent a palace maid to inquire about Ye Shangzhou's opinion, but Ye Shangzhou told the maid to reply, "The Empress Dowager has invited you, so whether you go or not is naturally up to you."

Nightfall Boat's meaning was clear: he wouldn't get involved in this matter.

Qiao Zhen felt somewhat miserable, wondering why she had ended up in such a lonely and helpless state.

The maid sent by Consort Rong to fetch Qiao Zhen relayed Ye Shangzhou's attitude to Consort Rong. Consort Rong understood Ye Shangzhou's attitude and was not polite to Qiao Zhen either.

"You offended the Emperor earlier, surely because of your improper behavior. As the mistress of the harem, if I do not punish you severely, I fear no one will respect me in the future. Therefore, I will trouble you to kneel in the Crimson Palace for a few hours."

"Your concubine obeys." Qiao Zhen did not refute. She understood imperial power too well. There was no emperor who favored her here, nor did she have a family background to rely on. And so many people were waiting to see her make a fool of herself. She dared not be presumptuous again.

She knelt on the ground, holding up her skirt. Her fever from a few days ago hadn't subsided, and she felt somewhat dizzy.

Consort Rong did not let her off the hook. "The late Emperor once bestowed upon me a painting because of my propriety and careful conduct. Today, I will also teach you how to be proper. Bring a bowl of water and place it on the beauty's head. Also, bring the painting of propriety and place it in front of her. She can see it as long as she lowers her head."

Qiao Zhen's fingers, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly together. The Empress Dowager Rong's meaning was clear: she wanted Qiao Zhen to bow her head, and then she wouldn't have to kneel anymore. But if Qiao Zhen bowed her head, the bowl would fall and the water would spill, and the painting bestowed by the late Emperor would be destroyed. In that case, Qiao Zhen would lose not just face, but her life.

Life is really tough.

Qiao Zhen shakily balanced the bowl of water on her head.

Half an hour later.

Qiao Zhen felt dizzy, and in just a moment, she collapsed to the ground. The bowl also fell to the ground with a "clatter," the water was spilled, the painting was ruined, and she was doomed.

Consort Rong walked out of the room with a leisurely air. "How dare you, beauty, disrespect the late Emperor! Guards, take her to the prison."

The prison cell was a small, dark room where executions were carried out.

Qiao Zhen's fingers were pinched by the bamboo sticks strung together, and she felt like her joints were about to break, but Consort Rong was clearly still not satisfied. "Continue."

"Ah—" Qiao Zhen finally couldn't hold back and let out a series of screams, sobbing.

Xiao Ling forcefully broke through Qiao Zhen's defenses. "I'll block out pain for you, otherwise you won't be able to take it!" it said before Qiao Zhen could retort. "Your mission isn't finished yet. Are you willing to ruin your body?"

No... I'm not reconciled.

Qiao Zhen: [Stop babbling, block out my pain. It really hurts so much, waaaaah...]

Xiao Ling blocked Qiao Zhen's pain.

Qiao Zhen also lost consciousness as a result. She collapsed to the ground in a daze, and then fainted.

It wasn't until the second day that Consort Rong sent the battered and bruised Qiao Zhen back. Ye Shangzhou didn't say a word in Qiao Zhen's defense either. Everyone knew that although Qiao Zhen was a beauty, she was of low status and couldn't be considered a high-ranking official.

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