"Your Highness..." Consort Xiang forced a smile, grasping Qian Shengyan's hand in return, "This servant doesn't want to... be a Consort... This servant, this servant, may I serve Your Highness?"

"We'll talk about it after you've recovered. Just focus on getting better." Qian Shengyan touched her forehead and sighed. "The back hall of Yongshou Palace is reserved for you."

Xiang Changzai smiled again, but perhaps because of the pain, the smile was somewhat distorted, yet it was exceptionally sincere.

Upon hearing the news, Guo and Geng rushed over, only to find Yinzhen angrily rebuking Li. The two were at a loss and stood at the door to pay their respects before daring not to move.

Ulanara covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and after listening to the Emperor's reprimand for a while, she stepped forward and pretended to advise, "Your Majesty, please take care of your health and don't be angry. Consort Qi must already know she was wrong..."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." Consort Qi was speechless. The incident happened in her palace, and the murder weapon was indeed in her hands. She finally understood what it meant to be unable to explain herself no matter how hard she tried.

But she was truly wronged! It was her fault; seeing that the weather was nice, she thought she would go outside to do some sewing and make a dress for Hongshi. Who knew that as she was gesturing with the scissors, Xiang Changzai, as if she had gone mad, staggered back from outside. When she saw the scissors in her hand, her eyes lit up, and she rushed over without saying a word.

Li was caught off guard, and the scissors pierced Xiang Changzai's chest. Warm blood gushed out and splattered onto her hands, startling her so much that she screamed and dropped the scissors. But Xiang Changzai, seemingly oblivious to the pain, lunged forward, picked up the scissors, and began slashing her own face—

I can't think about it anymore, it'll terrify me.

Mr. Li patted his chest, still unaware of the seriousness of the problem.

The incident happened in her palace, but she was just a palace maid, and besides, she didn't die, so what could happen to her?

Let him scold her a bit; Yinzhen loves to yell at people, and she's been serving him for years, so she's used to it.

Li thought it was simple, but she didn't think it through. Ulanara was pinning the blame for Xiang Changzai's suicide on her. Would she really leave her any good things to do?

As Qian Shengyan walked out of the side hall, she heard Ulanara's calm voice: "Is Consort Qi so intolerant of Consort Xiang because of her face? But Consort Qi, it was you who transferred Consort Xiang into Zhongcui Palace in the first place, and it was you who sent her to curry favor with the emperor. Now that Consort Xiang has gained favor, do you no longer tolerate her?"

"Your Majesty's words are strange. Since I hope Consort Xiang is doing well, why would I harm her?" Lady Li forced a smile.

Even if she looked down on Xiang Changzai, she would only curse a few times and pinch her a few times. How could she possibly cause such a commotion?

"Then I'll have to ask you." Ulanara's face remained calm, but she was actually quite agitated inside.

According to her plan, it would take some time before Consort Xiang got into trouble, preferably after the Emperor had favored her, or ideally when Li Shi and Qian Shengyan had a conflict.

But there's nothing I can do, that idiot! She messes everything up and nothing goes her way!

There was no other way but to force a charge against them.

Before Ulanara could say anything, Yinzhen interrupted her, asking, "How did it go?"

"Your Majesty." Qian Shengyan walked over, bowed, and then looked at Madam Geng and Madam Guo standing at the door, nodding slightly.

The two women curtsied to Qian Shengyan. Madam Guo looked at Qian Shengyan with some urgency, but dared not say anything, only staring at her expectantly.

Qian Shengyan nodded subtly to her, then said to Yinzhen, "Xiang Changzai's life is not in danger, but..."

She pursed her lips: "The scars on my face are too deep, I'm afraid..."

Before the words were fully spoken, everyone understood the meaning, but their reactions varied.

Both Lady Guo and Lady Li breathed a sigh of relief. Yinzhen didn't react much, only nodding. However, Lady Ulanara frowned, clearly not happy with the outcome.

Li thought that was the end of it; the person wasn't dead, was alive and well, but had a face injury—besides, she had injured her own face!

She had barely begun to show her true colors when Ulanara said in a cold voice, "Consort Qi, do you know your crime?"

Li was taken aback: "Huh?"

"You are jealous of Consort Xi. You used to be jealous of Consort Xiang, who looks somewhat like Consort Xi, and you also used her. But you see that Consort Xiang is not favored, so you have developed a desire to harm her. Isn't that right?!" Ulanara suddenly attacked, and no one reacted for a moment.

Even Guo, who already knew that Ulanara wanted to use Xiang Changzai's life to frame Li, was stunned for a moment, let alone Li, who knew nothing at all.

"Ever since Consort Xiang came to your palace, you have repeatedly spoken of her appearance to me. Consort Qi, I know you are jealous of Consort Xi, but what has Consort Xiang done wrong? Even if she does resemble Consort Xi somewhat, why are you so ruthless?"

Ulanara's face was filled with heartache and indignation. She shook her head and said, "Consort Xiang is now a concubine. Her face belongs to the Emperor! How could you... how could you..."

After saying that, he turned his head and sighed, his disappointment evident on his face.

Lady Li remained bewildered: "Your Majesty, no..."

Yanruo, who was beside Empress Ulanara, whispered, "This servant has been serving Her Majesty the Empress and has heard Consort Qi complain about Consort Xi several times..."

"If I had known you would do such a thing, I would have moved Consort Xiang to another palace no matter what!" Ulanara continued her tirade, her mind racing as she tried to pin the blame on Consort Li. "Jealous by nature, harming concubines, Consort Qi, how can I plead for you after what you've done!"

Li: "Huh?"

"Your Majesty," Ulanara turned and curtsied to Yinzhen, "such a thing happening in the harem is also my fault. I failed to perceive Consort Qi's intentions in time and failed to stop her in time, which led to Consort Xiang suffering this calamity and almost losing her life..."

"Then tell me, what do you want?" Yinzhen looked at Ulanara quietly, without saying anything else, only asking Ulanara what she wanted.

Ulanara's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know if the Emperor believed her or not, but since things had come to this point, she had to shift the blame onto Li: "I think that since Consort Qi is a first-time offender, she doesn't need to be severely punished. Perhaps she should be confined to her quarters."

"How long will you be confined?" Yinzhen continued to ask.

These words made Ulanara even more uneasy. She tentatively said, "Harming a concubine is no small matter; she should be confined to her quarters for at least six months."

"Oh? That's not appropriate," Qian Shengyan suddenly interjected, her brows slightly furrowed, seemingly genuinely troubled. "After all, Consort Qi is the Third Prince's birth mother. If she's been confined for so long, I'm afraid others will gossip about the Third Prince."