Chapter 54 The Empress: Drink the medicine.

The Queen's eyes suddenly lit up.

The old nanny continued speaking.

"Your Majesty, you can bring Wanyan back to Kunning Palace and appease her properly. Tell her that Consort Jin acted rashly and wronged her. Tomorrow morning, during the audience, you should bring Wanyan to appear in front of all the concubines in the harem and clearly tell everyone who is in charge in this harem. Consort Jin can't touch anyone she wants without Your Majesty's decree."

"At that time, you can not only slap that vile woman's face, but also grant Wanyan a grace to clear her name. After this ordeal, Wanyan will surely hate Consort Jin to the bone and be grateful to Your Majesty. From now on, she will be a ready-made, incomparably sharp knife in Your Majesty's hands, specifically used to deal with Consort Jin."

The Empress grew more and more excited as she listened, her tear stains still wet, but she had already put on a fierce and expectant expression.

"Good, good plan, Granny, your idea is excellent. It will not only save my face, but also annoy that vile woman and give her a powerful weapon to deal with her."

She sat up abruptly, stroking her slightly protruding belly, her eyes rekindling with fighting spirit and ruthlessness.

"That's settled then, Granny. Take my token immediately, along with a few capable men, and go to the Censorate to bring that Wanyan woman back to me."

"Yes, Your Majesty! This old servant will take care of it immediately and will handle it perfectly."

An excited glint flashed in the old woman's eyes. She immediately got up and hurriedly left.

Inside Kunning Palace, Empress Hesheli watched the departing figure of the old nanny, a twisted and gleeful smile appearing on her face.

——————

In the cold, damp prison cells of the Shenxing Division.

Wanyan Shi huddled on a pile of hay in the corner.

My clothes, soaked to the bone, clung stickily to my body. I was cold and scared, and my teeth were chattering.

Her mind was in a mess, one moment filled with the image of Consort Jin's sharp eyes that seemed to see right through people.

One moment it's the empress's angry and powerless face, but more often it's filled with fear of the unknown punishment.

Being sent here, you'll be lucky to escape with your life, if not dead...

Despair, like a tide, gradually engulfed her.

Just as she was about to break down, she heard hurried footsteps outside the cell.

The cell door was opened, and blinding light streamed in.

Wanyan raised her head in alarm, against the light.

She saw the old nanny with a serious face and shrewd eyes standing at the door with two eunuchs beside the Empress.

"Wanyan, come with this old servant."

The old woman's voice was flat and emotionless, yet it carried an unquestionable tone.

Wanyan was stunned and didn't react for a moment.

Leave? Where to? Is...are you going to execute me?

The old nanny seemed to see through her fear.

He unusually offered an extra explanation, his tone carrying a hint of bestowing favor.

"Her Majesty the Empress is kind and compassionate. Considering your youth and ignorance, and perhaps there are other hidden reasons, she specially ordered this old servant to come and take you away. Your life has been saved by Her Majesty the Empress. You must know what to do from now on."

These words are like heavenly music.

Wanyan was instantly transported from hell back to the human world.

She practically scrambled to her feet, ignoring her disheveled state, and kowtowed to the old nanny.

"Thank you, Granny Xie. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. This servant...this servant understands. This servant will always remember Your Majesty's kindness and follow Your Majesty's lead."

The old woman nodded in satisfaction as she watched the girl's tearful gratitude and eagerness to show her loyalty.

He's pragmatic and ruthless.

To eliminate a competitor, she's willing to push someone into the water; this ruthlessness is exactly the kind of knife the Empress needs now.

She waved.

"Get up. Come back to Kunning Palace with this old servant. Her Majesty wants to see you."

"Yes, sir."

Wanyan hurriedly agreed, and with her legs trembling, she followed the old nanny out of the despairing prison.

Fortunately, the old nanny acted quickly enough that the people from the Censorate didn't have time to torture her.

She was just a little frightened and cold, but her health was fine.

They returned to Kunning Palace in silence.

——————

A sense of oppression permeated the hall.

Empress Hesheli had already redone her makeup and changed into a casual outfit.

He sat upright on the phoenix throne in the main hall, his face revealing neither joy nor anger, only a profound and dignified air.

As soon as Wanyan entered the hall, she immediately knelt down with a thud and performed a grand salute.

"Your humble servant, Wanyan, kowtows to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"

The Empress did not immediately tell her to get up, but instead looked down at her, scrutinizing her as if assessing the quality of a tool.

The hall was eerily quiet, with only the occasional soft popping of candlelight.

After a long silence, the Empress finally spoke, her voice carrying a sense of oppression.

"Wanyan, I saved your life. If I hadn't spoken up, you would still be suffering in the Censorate, your life or death uncertain. Do you understand?"

Wanyan lay prostrate on the ground, her voice trembling with relief and utter respect.

"This servant understands. This servant thanks Your Majesty the Empress for saving my life. This servant will never forget Your Majesty's kindness."

The Empress nodded slightly and continued.

"Although I am the Empress, as you have seen, Consort Jin is arrogant and domineering, and has repeatedly disregarded me. Today, she even publicly humiliated me, saying that I cannot protect people?"

She gave a cold laugh, her tone suddenly turning sharp.

"I will protect her and show everyone in the harem that the person I want to protect is someone that Consort Jin cannot touch."

Her gaze calmly fell upon Wanyan.

"Your life was given to you by me. I need you now. Fight for me and go find trouble with Consort Jin. With me protecting you, are you... afraid of her?"

Wanyan's heart pounded; she knew this was her only chance.

It was an olive branch extended by the Queen, and also a lifeline she had to grasp.

She suddenly raised her head, her eyes flashing with a desperate ruthlessness and loyalty.

"This servant is not afraid. Your Majesty saved this servant's life. Whatever Your Majesty asks this servant to do, this servant will do it without hesitation, even if it means going through fire and water. This servant is willing to give his life for Your Majesty."

"good!"

A satisfied smile finally appeared on the Empress's face.

"I am currently pregnant with the emperor's child and it is inconvenient for me to serve the emperor. This is a good opportunity to elevate you. I will find a way to let you serve the emperor as soon as possible and promote you to the rank of concubine."

A look of wild joy flashed in Wanyan's eyes.

This is practically instant success.

However, the Queen's next words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head.

"However, before you become a concubine, you must drink a bowl of medicine first."

Wanyan's body stiffened abruptly, and her heart sank to the bottom.

Herbal decoction?

She was a smart woman and guessed what it was almost instantly.

The herbal decoction for sterilization.

The empress would not allow her, this tool, to have her own offspring, as that would mean she would be out of her control.

Did she have a choice? Absolutely not.

reject?

Refusal is a dead end.

The empress can replace someone else as the wielder at any time.

Her only value was to cause trouble for Consort Jin.

To be a pawn who will always depend on the empress and will never have a foundation of his own.

The Empress's gaze was piercing, fixed intently on her.

"What? You don't want to?"

Wanyan suddenly came to her senses, suppressing the fear and sorrow that surged in her heart.

He forced a submissive, even grateful smile onto his face and kowtowed deeply.

"This servant is willing, this servant will drink, thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

As long as you're alive, there's a chance.

So what if she doesn't have children? As long as she climbs the social ladder and gains power, she can eventually have other people's children as hers.