"I heard everything Uncle Wang said..."

The voice, like a wisp of smoke, drifted out from behind the screen, carrying boundless grievances and apologies, instantly capturing the hearts of everyone in the Golden Palace.

There was no majesty of a queen mother, no domineering presence of someone wielding the Phoenix Seal, only the fragility and helplessness of a young woman, as if she were bearing immense pressure yet powerless to resist.

Regent Xiao Yuan's heart stirred; he secretly thought, "There's a way!"

Judging from the Empress's tone, she was clearly afraid! Indeed, how could a mere woman withstand the weighty label of "unvirtuous"? If the Empress were to soften her stance even slightly, I could seize the opportunity and completely seal the matter!

Xiao Che, seated on the dragon throne, subtly raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. Here it comes; his Empress's unique "tea ceremony performance" is finally about to begin.

As everyone waited with their own thoughts, the graceful figure reflected on the screen finally emerged slowly from behind it.

Lin Wanwan wore a magnificent phoenix robe, her posture upright and her demeanor elegant. However, the expression on her face, so different from her dignified attire, startled everyone.

Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, her eyes seemed to glisten with tears, and the corners of her mouth were slightly downturned. The expression on her face was as if the word "guilt" was etched on it. She didn't seem like a victor who had just won a political gamble and taken control of the Phoenix Seal, but rather like a young wife who had done something wrong and was anxiously waiting for her elders to punish her.

She stepped out from behind the screen, not looking at the emperor first, but walking straight to the center of the hall. First facing the regent Xiao Yuan, then facing the assembled court officials below, she gracefully performed a perfect Chinese greeting.

"I greet the Prince and all the lords."

Her bow was extremely humble, as if she had already admitted that she was in the wrong.

The Regent felt reassured and forced a "kind" smile. He was about to speak and agree to the matter without further ado when Lin Wanwan straightened up and spoke first in her soft, boneless voice.

"I understand the intentions of my uncle and all the other officials."

She paused, raised her eyes, and her clear eyes were filled with sincerity and helplessness, making people believe what she was about to say.

"However... everything Your Majesty said is true."

"boom!"

If Xiao Che's earlier self-disclosure of being "henpecked" was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, then Lin Wanwan's personal admission at this moment was no different from an eight-magnitude earthquake, shaking the entire Golden Palace to the point of collapse!

The officials were completely dumbfounded.

They had witnessed palace intrigues, and the scenes of empresses and concubines arranging for the emperor to take in more concubines in order to demonstrate their virtue. But had they ever seen an empress so openly admit, in front of an entire court of officials, that—yes, my husband is right, I am a jealous woman!

This...this is completely unconventional!

The Regent's prepared remarks about the Empress's "great understanding, virtue, and wisdom" were stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single word. His expression was one of utter discomfort, as if he had swallowed a fly.

Lin Wanwan's performance was far from over.

She glanced around at the stunned expressions on everyone's faces, her helplessness deepening. With a soft sigh, as if saying, "I don't want this to happen, but I really can't control myself," she continued:

"I am aware that I am morally deficient and narrow-minded."

As she spoke, she lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, as if she felt extremely ashamed of her upcoming "evil deeds".

"I...cannot tolerate any other woman sharing His Majesty's affection with me. The thought of other women serving His Majesty's favor is like a knife twisting in my heart, making me unable to eat or sleep."

She raised her head and looked at the regent, her eyes even carrying a hint of pleading.

"Therefore, if Your Highness's beloved daughter were to enter the palace as a result, only to have to face my cold face every day, suffer my constant harassment, and endure all kinds of grievances for no reason... then... then that would be my greatest sin."

These words were spoken so "frankly" and so "from the bottom of one's heart"!

She flipped the table, stomped the plaque that read "Virtuous" under her feet, and then brazenly admitted—I'm sorry, I am such a petty, jealous, and intolerant woman!

This completely turned the Regent's "good intentions" into an "evil act" of forcing someone to do something against their will!

You know perfectly well that the Empress is jealous, yet you still insist on sending your daughter into the palace so that she can make things difficult for her and suffer grievances. What are you up to? Is this out of love for your daughter, or are you deliberately stirring up trouble in the harem to cause discord between the Emperor and Empress?

In an instant, the balance of power shifted!

Regent Xiao Yuan was completely taken aback by her "frank" remarks. He opened his mouth, feeling that all his knowledge and political acumen were utterly useless at this moment.

You try to reason with her, but she just acts like a scoundrel!

How can we argue this out?

The atmosphere inside the main hall was extremely eerie. The officials who had been suppressing their laughter with their heads down were now practically biting their court tablets to pieces just to maintain the solemnity of the court.

That's...too powerful!

The Empress's move of "retreating to advance and admitting her own shortcomings" was a stroke of genius! Using the softest tone to say the most forceful words, she completely blocked all of the Regent's options!

Xiao Che, sitting on the dragon throne, looked at his empress who was "showing her true feelings" in the palace. He suppressed his laughter, picked up his teacup and took a sip to avoid being impolite.

Well done!

As expected of my Empress!

Lin Wanwan took in everyone's expressions and knew that the time was almost right.

Finally, she turned to the Regent, whose face had turned from liver-colored to purplish-red, and gave him another perfectly standard and sincere curtsy, her posture so humble it was almost groveling.

Her tone was full of considerate and sincere concern, as she said:

"Therefore, to prevent Your Highness's beloved daughter from being implicated by this jealous woman when she enters the palace in the future, and also for the sake of harmony and peace in the harem of our Great Liang, I implore Your Highness... to rescind your order."

After saying this, she knelt down deeply and remained kneeling, perfectly portraying the contradictory character of someone who "understands the greater good but is blinded by jealousy and can only helplessly refuse the kindness."

"puff--"

Regent Xiao Yuan could no longer hold back.

Looking at the empress before him, who so openly admitted to being a jealous woman, and at her sincere expression of "I'm doing this for your own good," he felt a surge of blood rushing to his chest and a sweet taste in his throat.

He almost spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot!

This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!

In his entire life, he had never suffered such a humiliating disgrace!

He felt like a well-prepared, peerless swordsman who had encountered a shameless rogue who, without any martial ethics, immediately grabbed his leg and started throwing a tantrum! He was strong, but had nowhere to use his strength!

The entire Golden Palace was eerily quiet.

Everyone looked at the regent kneeling on the ground, then at the empress kneeling on the ground. One was offering his daughter with "sincere intentions," while the other was refusing with "tears in her eyes."

This political storm, initiated by the regent, ended absurdly in a way that no one could have imagined and that resembled a family drama.