After hearing Xi Yu's report, the Empress was first stunned, then she was so angry that she trembled all over. She grabbed a teacup next to her and wanted to smash it, but in the end she managed to hold back.

Her eyes flickered, finally settling into a twisted, ruthless glint: "So...so Xi Lingyuan! Trying to use my people as test subjects for poison? Heh..." She looked at Xi Yu and said coldly, "Since this is a 'gift' from the Princess to Granny Lin, Granny Lin should naturally accept it. Xi Yu, you personally deliver it and watch Granny Lin...eat it!"

At this moment, Xi Yu felt a chill in her heart, but dared not disobey. She could only carry the food box and walk heavily toward the side courtyard where Granny Lin lived.

Lin Mama was Empress Lin's wet nurse, as well as her most trusted confidante and most capable henchman. She held considerable power in the palace, and even some lower-ranking concubines had to be mindful of her.

Looking at the honey-glazed baked buns that Xi Yu had brought as a "gift" from the Eldest Princess, her face first showed surprise and doubt, then turned to smugness and greed. In her eyes, this was undoubtedly the Eldest Princess showing weakness to the Empress, indirectly currying favor with her, the most favored person in Kunning Palace!

"Hmph, she knows what's good for her!" Granny Lin snorted arrogantly. Under Xi Yu's complicated gaze, she unceremoniously picked up a large piece of glistening ham, stuffed it into her mouth, and ate with gusto, praising it endlessly, "Mmm! As expected of the Empress's cooking! It's so delicious!"

Watching Lin Mama devour the hot pot with double the amount of "Hehuan Wine" without any suspicion, Xiyu felt a chill run from her feet to the top of her head, and her back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

The effects of the medicine were rapid and intense. In less than half an hour, while Lin Mama was picking her teeth and savoring the delicious fire soup in her room, she suddenly felt unbearably hot all over, her mouth was dry, and her vision was blurry. An indescribable, unprecedented emptiness and longing rose from her lower abdomen and instantly swept over her aging body!

Her mind began to blur, and she rushed out of the room as if possessed. She stumbled and wandered around the side hall of Kunning Palace, muttering incoherent babbling. Whenever she saw a strong young eunuch passing by, she would pounce on him and tear at him!

"Ah—! Granny, what are you doing!"

"Help! Granny Lin has gone mad!"

"Look, someone's here! Help!!"

Screams and cries shattered the tranquility of Kunning Palace at night!

The incident had escalated to such an extent that it was impossible to cover it up. When the disheveled and seemingly insane Lin Mama and the equally terrified young eunuch whose face she had scratched were forcibly separated by the guards and brought before Xi Linghao, the entire harem was shaken!

Seeing this appalling scene before him and hearing the guards' report, Xi Linghao was so angry that his face turned ashen and the veins on his forehead bulged! The Empress's wet nurse had actually committed such a filthy and immoral act in the palace! She was a disgrace to the royal family!

"You bastard! Drag him away! Beat him to death! Beat him to death immediately!" Xi Linghao was furious.

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! This old servant is innocent! This old servant has been drugged! It was that fire formula! It was the fire formula bestowed by the Princess!" Granny Lin collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face, screaming in despair.

"Shut up!" Empress Lin rushed over upon hearing the commotion, her face deathly pale. Hearing Lin Mama's accusations, she was terrified! She interrupted sharply, "You old scoundrel! You've committed such a shameless act, and you dare to falsely accuse the Princess?! Your Majesty! Such a scoundrel deserves to die! Please punish her severely!" She had to immediately distance herself from the situation! Otherwise, she would be implicated, and the consequences would be unimaginable!

Xi Linghao's icy gaze swept over Empress Lin, then fell upon the seemingly deranged and incoherent Lin Mama, completely disbelieving her mad accusations against the Eldest Princess. He simply believed that Lin Mama was either old and senile, or that Empress Lin had failed in her duties, indulging the wicked servant! In any case, this scandal had utterly disgraced the royal family!

"Empress!" Xi Linghao's voice was like ice in the dead of winter. "Is this the harem you manage? Is this the wet nurse you rely on?! Your mismanagement and indulgence have left me utterly disappointed! This old scoundrel and the eunuch she's involved with are to be expelled from the palace immediately! They shall never set foot in the capital again! The Empress is to be confined to Kunning Palace for one month! Reflect on your actions!"

Lin Mama and the unfortunate eunuch were dragged away like dead dogs. Empress Lin knelt on the ground, her body ice-cold, listening to the punishment of "one month of confinement," as if struck by lightning! Confinement was a minor matter, but this public reprimand cemented her reputation for "mismanagement," severely weakening her authority and dignity! More importantly, she had lost Lin Mama, her most capable right-hand woman who knew her most secrets!

"Your Majesty... I accept the decree... I thank you..." Empress Lin practically spat out these words through clenched teeth, her nails digging deep into her palms until blood seeped out.

She looked up towards the brightly lit Qiwu Palace in the distance, her eyes blazing with venomous hatred! Xi Lingyuan! Xiao Chengkang! This is an irreconcilable feud!