The emperor lowered his eyes slightly, his cold gaze silently fixed on Song Tangli, his eyes filled with overwhelming pressure.

Song Tangli knelt down with a thud. The emperor, being the supreme ruler, had an imposing gaze that commanded respect without anger. His large knuckles tapped lightly on the stone tabletop, one tap after another. Song Tangli's heart pounded in her chest, and her breathing quickened.

The sound of the button being pressed sent Song Tangli's heart plummeting. She was filled with regret, regretting her impulsive actions and hating that Song Tangxue had once again escaped unscathed.

But now is not the time to dwell on these things. How to quell the emperor's rage? Li Zhaoxian's expression changed drastically, and he pointed at Song Tangxue as if he had seen a ghost: "You..."

He never doubted Song Tangli's words from beginning to end.

The emperor raised his gaze and it fell lightly on him. Li Zhaoxian dared not speak, lowered his head and knelt on the ground, his mind in turmoil.

“Li Zhaoxian.” The emperor gently turned the ring on his finger, his eyes dark and unfathomable.

These three words struck Li Zhaoxian's heart like a small hammer, making him tremble violently. He swallowed hard and respectfully replied, "Your subject is here."

"You've been acting too irrationally lately." The emperor's eyes were filled with obvious disappointment, and he let out a soft sigh: "Now you're even more easily swayed by the slander of others, forgetting even the most basic evidence gathering."

Sweating profusely, Song Tangli stammered, unable to utter a word of defense under the emperor's gaze. The facts were undeniable: Song Tangxue emerged from the house unharmed.

Facts speak louder than words. This matter has landed on her, leaving her speechless. But this is completely different from what she expected. It should be Song Tangxue standing here accepting everyone's accusations!

"The memorials impeaching you in the court are piling up like mountains, yet you still show no remorse!" The emperor raised his voice, slamming his hand heavily on the stone table, his eyes blazing with anger.

Lee So-hyeon buried his head even deeper.

Xie Qianzhong stood beside the emperor, his gaze shifting away from the others, but silently meeting Song Tangxue's.

Song Tangxue smiled gently, like a seductive fox.

"Song Tangli, as the Crown Princess, you spend your days not thinking about how to be a good wife and assist the Crown Prince, but rather focusing your attention on other things. It really makes one suspect that you have ulterior motives." The Emperor looked at Song Tangli with disgust.

Li Zhaoxian is his successor and the future guiding light of the court. The people around him are all carefully selected, except for Song Tangli, who is an exception.

Even a single rotten apple can spoil a pot of good soup, let alone a living, breathing human being.

"Your Majesty, please understand! I'm innocent! Last night, when the servant came to report, I was so worried that I lost my composure and was concerned about my sister's and His Highness the Crown Prince's reputation. That's how they got the opportunity to take advantage of me!" Song Tangli kowtowed, placing all the blame on the servants: "It was all those palace servants who lied and spread rumors, which led to today's trouble!"

Yu'er, who was already trembling behind him, suddenly collapsed to her knees, her legs giving way. "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me..."

The sound of kowtowing echoed loudly. Yu'er cried with snot and tears streaming down her face. Her heart was filled with sorrow, and she feared that she could not escape today.

The palace servants immediately knelt down, especially the few trusted guards who said, "It was all Yu'er who said it; she brought back the intelligence. It has nothing to do with us!"

Yu'er was already heartbroken. She knew that she had been used as a shield, and that was a fact that she could not change. Today was probably her death day.

Song Tangli glared at Yu'er in her heart. It was all that little slut's fault for ruining her plans and making a big fuss without even figuring things out.

"Crown Princess, if you admit your mistake today, I will still consider you a person with backbone." The Emperor lowered his eyes. He had seen too many of these tricks of crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide. Finding someone to take the blame was a common occurrence in the palace.

He knew all too well what kind of despicable tactics Song Tangli used: "When something goes wrong, you just send a servant to take the blame. You are incompetent and irresponsible. Today you are only the Crown Princess. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne and becomes Empress, how will you set a good example as the mother of the nation?"

"How to win over the masses?" Every word was a warning, leaving Song Tangli speechless.

Song Tangli gritted her teeth, feeling indignant. It was this little maid who had lied and spread false information, which led to today's ugly situation. Why should she be blamed?

"Your Majesty, it is my fault for failing to discipline you properly. I am willing to accept the punishment." Song Tangli said, admitting her punishment, but the implication was that Yu'er was the culprit.

I was just an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire.

The emperor shook his head, looking down on Song Tangli even more: "Aren't you right? The Crown Princess is under house arrest, how did your maid happen to be near Chang Le Palace in the middle of the night and spread this baseless rumor?"

Song Tangli looked up cautiously at the emperor, who coldly commented, "Unfit for such a great responsibility."

This was the emperor's evaluation of Song Tangli, unintentionally a veiled criticism of Li Zhaoxian. Li Zhaoxian had originally intended to say a few words in Song Tangli's defense, but now he had given up.

When Song Tangli's pleading gaze fell on him, Li Zhaoxian chose to avoid it, pursing his lips and averting his eyes.

Song Tangli was somewhat bewildered and at a loss. At this moment, all her schemes were laid bare, making her look like a clown being watched by everyone.

In particular, Song Tangxue's gaze made her feel like she was being pricked by needles. Song Tangxue stood to the side, somewhat frightened, seemingly bewildered by what was happening before her eyes.

Even though Song Tangxue's eyes still held worry when she looked at her, she still felt that she was being mocked.

"This is..." Song Tangxue began lightly, her face full of doubt: "What terrible mistake has my sister made to anger His Majesty so much?"

The emperor felt sorry for her, seeing her suffering unjustly. Most importantly, the Empress Dowager favored her, and he also gave her some face.

"This matter has nothing to do with you." The emperor's expression softened slightly: "I will definitely give you an explanation for this matter."

Most importantly, this incident serves as a warning to the Crown Prince and dampens Song Tangli's influence; otherwise, she might use the Crown Princess title as an excuse to do something drastic.

"Father, there must be something fishy about this. You can send someone to investigate Xie Qianzhong's whereabouts last night!" Li Zhaoxian gritted his teeth. This matter had already angered his father, and if he couldn't quell his anger, the next period of time would be difficult to endure.

He figured he might as well turn the tables and go all the way; he didn't believe this was just a baseless rumor.

Seeing that he wouldn't let it go, the emperor was also furious. He gave him a way out and blamed the Crown Princess for everything. The foolish boy was still unaware of his mistake: "Then tell me, Lord Xie, where were you last night?"