The Empress was surprised and retreated repeatedly. The anger she had felt earlier had vanished, and she stared blankly at Linghu Ning.
"Your Majesty, I was merely giving him a taste of his own medicine. This is the retribution for the Marquis of Zhenbei."
Linghu Ning's smile grew even brighter.
Enraged, the Empress stepped forward and slapped Linghu Ning hard across the face: "You wretch! I'm going to kill you!"
Linghu Ning remained completely calm, letting the other woman choke her: "If I die, has Your Majesty considered the plight of the two princes and the princess?"
One sentence brought the Empress back to her senses. She released her grip, took a few steps back, and stared blankly at Linghu Ning: "Noble Consort, the matter is over. The Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion has learned its lesson. If you are not satisfied, you can come at me anytime! You are only seventeen years old, with a bright future ahead of you. There is really no need for you to suffer so much. The Emperor may favor you for a while, but once the novelty wears off, your fate is predictable. I will protect you out of consideration for the past. What do you say?"
Linghu Ning smiled and raised her head arrogantly.
"Your Highness, what will it take for you to stop? Do you know the consequences once the Emperor discovers your true colors?" the Empress pressed.
Linghu Ning grew impatient with these words, but pretending not to see the ruthlessness in the Empress's eyes, she sighed, "I can consider it."
The Empress nodded, said a few words of comfort, and then left with her entourage.
Watching the Empress's departing figure, Linghu Ning's lips curled up. Hearing footsteps approaching, she looked at the person coming.
Chan'er stood trembling at the door. Seeing the slap mark on her face, she was both scared and angry. Clearly, she had heard everything that had just been said.
"Chan'er".
"Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine..."
"From the day you began serving me, there has only been one fate for you: only the dead will not reveal secrets."
Chan'er's legs went weak.
Linghu Ning continued, "I have never made things difficult for you. As long as you do as I say, I promise you will be safe and sound. How about it?"
Chan'er's eyes widened, her resolve wavering slightly. She gritted her teeth and went for it: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
Linghu Ning pointed to her cheek: "Destroy this face."
"Your Highness, Imperial Concubine!" Chan'er exclaimed.
"Let's do it!"
After confirming it several times, Chan'er could only tremble as she stepped forward and slapped Linghu Ning across the face.
Half an hour later
Linghu Ning's face was swollen so badly that her original appearance was no longer recognizable. She looked at Chan'er and said, "When the Emperor comes later, you must follow my lead."
"His Majesty is very busy with official duties..."
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Before he could finish speaking, the Emperor of Japan arrived in haste with his entourage.
Linghu Ning got up and hid on the couch.
The Empress also arrived with him. She whispered something anxiously in the Emperor's ear, and the Emperor's expression grew increasingly impatient.
Upon entering, the Emperor of Japan scanned the room with his gaze and frowned: "Where is the Imperial Concubine?"
Chan'er glanced inside the screen.
"The Imperial Concubine is becoming more and more unruly. She doesn't even come out to pay her respects when the Emperor arrives!" the Empress reprimanded coldly.
The Emperor of Japan held his breath and walked behind the screen. He immediately saw a raised corner on the couch and whispered, "Imperial Consort."
Linghu Ning's body trembled.
The Emperor of Dongying gently pulled the blanket over his face, revealing Linghu Ning's face. Upon seeing her swollen face, the Emperor of Dongying gasped, "What happened?"
The Empress followed, and upon seeing Linghu Ning clearly, she immediately explained, "Your Majesty, I did not do anything."
Linghu Ning stubbornly held back her tears, keeping her head down.
"Ning'er?" The Emperor of Dongying supported Linghu Ning: "Tell me, what happened?"
Linghu Ning looked at the Emperor of Dongying and choked up, saying, "Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince was not born to me, was he? My father and brothers died at the hands of the Dongying people, and my child was also killed by the imperial physicians on Your Majesty's orders, wasn't it?"
The three consecutive questions made the Japanese emperor's face turn as black as the bottom of a pot.
The Empress was furious: "Noble Consort, what nonsense are you spouting!"
"Shut up!" The Emperor of Dongying glared at the Empress, then turned back to stare at Linghu Ning: "Who told you all this?"
Linghu Ning brushed away the Emperor of Dongying's hand: "Your Majesty need not ask any more questions, just tell me whether it is true or not!"
The Emperor of Japan clenched his fists so tightly they cracked, adjusted his breathing, and shook his head in denial: "You've misunderstood."
Linghu Ning was half-believing and half-doubting, and subconsciously looked up at the Empress. The Empress's eyelids twitched when she saw her, and she wished she could reach out and strangle Linghu Ning. This bitch!
"Your Majesty, the Consort is faking it. She has no amnesia at all. She remembers everything clearly. She hates Dongying and deliberately framed me and the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion. I beg Your Majesty to grant the Consort death for the sake of Dongying's territory!" The Empress bowed and knelt down.
The Emperor of Dongying looked down at the Empress, then his gaze fell on Chan'er: "You tell me!"
Chan'er quickly replied, "Today, Her Majesty the Empress came to Jingyang Palace with a group of people, and as soon as they met, she slapped the Imperial Concubine."
"Nonsense!" the Empress hurriedly denied, claiming she had only acted this way because she was momentarily blinded by anger.
Chan'er kowtowed: "Your Majesty, this servant witnessed you hitting someone with your own eyes, and your words and actions also provoked the Imperial Concubine."
Seeing the Emperor of Dongying's face growing increasingly gloomy, the Empress hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I only slapped her in a moment of accident. I didn't do that to the Consort's face. She's lying. She deliberately provoked me, and I couldn't help but hit her."
The Emperor of Japan narrowed his eyes: "Is that so? The Empress didn't say that just now."
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