The imperial edict from Cixi Palace swept through the entire harem like a swift autumn wind.
All the concubines who received the summons, whether genuinely interested in watching the drama or forced to take sides, immediately changed into their palace attire, mustered their spirits, and followed the Empress Dowager's imperial carriage in a grand procession towards Kunning Palace.
For a moment, the palace path leading to Kunning Palace was filled with fragrant breezes and the tinkling of jade pendants, as the colorful and magnificent palace attire formed a dazzling river. However, beneath this beauty, a chilling and ominous atmosphere permeated the air.
Everyone knew perfectly well that this was no ordinary greeting.
Your Majesty, it seems you're about to issue a proclamation!
The target of the investigation is none other than the Empress, who is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor and is in the limelight!
A spectacular drama is about to unfold in Kunning Palace. Everyone's hearts are filled with excitement, anticipation, and a touch of fear.
When the Empress Dowager's magnificent palanquin, adorned with a nine-tailed golden phoenix, slowly came to a stop in front of the Kunning Palace, surrounded by a host of concubines, like a dark cloud pressing down on the city, the air in the entire Kunning Palace seemed to freeze at that moment.
Su Jinxiu followed closely beside the Empress Dowager, her face bearing just the right amount of worry, but deep within her beautiful eyes gleamed a venomous, excited light.
It's here! It's finally here!
Lin Wanwan, your death is near!
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
As the eunuch's shrill, high-pitched announcement rang out, the Empress Dowager, surrounded by a group of palace servants, entered the main hall of Kunning Palace.
Instead of taking her seat in the main seat as usual, she stood directly in the center of the hall. Her well-maintained phoenix eyes, like two sharp ice blades, instantly locked onto Lin Wanwan, who was already kneeling in the hall to "respectfully welcome" her.
Behind her stood a group of concubines, each silent and in a different posture. Their gazes, like searchlights, were all focused on the empress, who knelt on the ground and whose figure appeared particularly slender.
Today, Lin Wanwan still looked as lost and dejected as ever.
She wore no makeup, her face was pale, her long hair was loose, and she was dressed in only a simple everyday dress. She looked so fragile that a gust of wind could blow her away.
She knelt on the cold, gold-brick floor, her body trembling slightly, her head bowed low, her voice hoarse and helpless:
"Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome you. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless happiness and peace."
The Empress Dowager looked at her "miserable" appearance, but there was no pity in her eyes, only cold pleasure.
She completely ignored Lin Wanwan's greetings and went straight to questioning her sharply, her voice like a whip chilled to the bone, striking everyone's heart:
"Your Majesty! I ask you, where is the 'Golden Phoenix Hairpin with Seven Treasures' that I personally bestowed upon you on your wedding day?!"
Her words were like thunderous fury! Her powerful aura and oppressive force seemed to cause the temperature in the entire hall to drop several degrees.
The surrounding concubines were so frightened that they held their breath and dared not even breathe loudly.
Lin Wanwan's body trembled violently at the Empress Dowager's stern shout. She lowered her head even further, as if utterly ashamed, her voice filled with heavy sobs and despair:
"Reporting to...Reporting to Your Majesty...The phoenix hairpin...I...lost the phoenix hairpin..."
She didn't offer any explanation or evasion; she simply repeated, in a broken voice, one sentence over and over again:
"I am guilty...I deserve to die..."
As she spoke, she slammed her forehead heavily against the cold ground, making a dull thud that sent shivers down everyone's spines. Her utterly repentant and despondent appearance stirred a pang of pity in many of those present.
However, in the eyes of the Empress Dowager, her "confession" was irrefutable evidence confirming her guilt!
"Fine! What a 'deserving of death'!" The Empress Dowager laughed in fury. She slowly walked up to Lin Wanwan, looking down at her with eyes as if she were an ant that could be crushed at will. "You do have some self-awareness! Empress, do you know where your crime lies?"
Lin Wanwan remained prostrate on the ground, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty and failed to properly supervise, resulting in the loss of the gifts bestowed upon me by the Empress Dowager. This is my first crime. Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I have not been strict in managing the palace, allowing treacherous individuals to emerge and damaging the royal family's reputation. This is my second crime. Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I have failed to live up to your kindness and expectations, causing you shame. This is my third crime..."
She took all the blame upon herself, and her heartbroken expression was incredibly convincing.
Just then, Su Jinxiu stepped forward at the opportune moment.
She stepped forward gracefully, bowed deeply to the Empress Dowager, her face full of reluctance, and pleaded in a soft voice:
“Aunt, please calm down. My sister probably didn’t mean it. She must be extremely anxious and confused right now. Please, Aunt, consider that this is her first offense and be lenient with her.”
These words sounded like they were pleading for Lin Wanwan, but in reality, they were adding fuel to the fire!
Her words only highlighted Lin Wanwan's "heinous crimes."
She paused, then sighed softly with a tone full of regret:
"It's just... it's just a pity about that phoenix hairpin. Jinxiu remembers that you mentioned to her last time that the phoenix hairpin was a rare treasure from the previous dynasty. Not only was it priceless, but more importantly, it symbolized the supreme glory and grace of the Empress of our dynasty."
Her words struck right where it hurt the Empress Dowager's heart.
She emphasized the "preciousness" of the phoenix hairpin and the "grace" it represented, which was to contrast Lin Wanwan's "contempt" and "disrespect"!
“Sister,” Su Jinxiu turned around, seemingly to help Lin Wanwan with heartache, but actually to force her to face the gaze of everyone, “How could you be so careless? The Empress Dowager has high hopes for you and entrusted you with such an important token. How could you... how could you betray your aunt’s good intentions like this?”
These words are even more vicious!
She directly characterized the "lost item" incident as "disrespecting the Empress Dowager's painstaking efforts," completely confirming Lin Wanwan's crime of "great disrespect"!
The concubines present were all secretly astonished upon hearing Consort Xian's "pleading" words.
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
This wasn't pleading for mercy; it was practically handing over a knife! And the knife was gleaming bright, and the Empress Dowager was personally handed it to her!
As expected, the Empress Dowager's face grew even more gloomy after hearing Su Jinxiu's words, and her gaze toward Lin Wanwan became even colder.
The entire main hall of Kunning Palace has now been transformed into a trial court.
The Empress Dowager is the high and mighty judge, the Consort Xian is the indirect "witness," and Empress Lin Wanwan is the seemingly powerless "lamb to the slaughter" who can only kneel on the ground trembling.
The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.
Everyone thought that the Empress was doomed this time.
They had even begun to calculate in their minds what kind of earth-shattering changes would occur in the power structure of the harem after the empress's downfall.
In the midst of this extreme tension before the storm, the Empress Dowager, who had always been high above everyone else, finally slowly uttered her final words of judgment.
She looked at Lin Wanwan, who was kneeling motionless on the ground, a cold and cruel smile curling at the corner of her lips, her voice filled with the arrogance of a victor:
"Since the Empress also knows her crime and has said that she deserves to die."
She paused deliberately, watching with satisfaction as Lin Wanwan's body trembled again.
"Then speak for yourself," the Empress Dowager's voice was like a guillotine falling to earth, cold and merciless. "Such a grave crime, dereliction of duty, negligence, and utter disrespect! In your opinion, how should it be punished?"
After he finished speaking, the entire hall fell silent.
Everyone's heart was in their throat!
Everyone could understand the true meaning behind the Empress Dowager's words!
She's forcing Lin Wanwan to say she's giving up her power!
She was trying to force her to hand over the Phoenix Seal, which symbolized the highest power in the harem!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com