Everyone turned as the Emperor himself strode into the chamber.
The moment the Emperor entered, the tension in the room froze. His golden robes swayed as he strode forward, his expression unreadable yet terrifying in its calmness. His gaze swept over the body of the maid, the open letter, and finally landed on Imperial Consort Shu, who knelt trembling before him.
"Your Majesty! Please, Your Concubine has been wronged—" Imperial Consort Shu's voice cracked as she bowed deeply, her forehead nearly touching the ground. "This servant acted on her own! Your Concubine had no knowledge of this scheme!"
The Emperor's cold laughter sent a shiver through the room.
"No knowledge?" His voice was dangerously low, yet it rang with undeniable authority. "Your own maid poisoned Our son, and you claim ignorance? How do you expect Us to believe that?"
Imperial Consort Shu's eyes widened in horror. "Your Majesty—"
"You have failed to control your palace," the Emperor cut her off mercilessly. "You are unfit to manage Jing Ci Palace, and even more unfit to raise a prince."
The words struck like a death sentence.
"From this moment forward, Imperial Consort Shu is demoted five ranks down to Noble Concubine and is stripped off her title." The Emperor's voice echoed with finality, and the gathered servants collectively gasped in shock.
(Every Royal Consort has a title and in case of Imperial Consort Shu, Imperial Consort is the rank she holds in the inner palace and Shu is her title. If two women are ranked same, but one of them is titled, the title woman is considered higher ranked.)
Imperial Consort Shu, who is now Noble Concubine Bu, felt her body trembled violently. Five ranks down? That was barely above a First Class Attendant!
(The women who lost their titled will be addressed by their surnames. In this case, Imperial Noble Consort Shu's surname is Bu, so she will be Noble Concubine Bu.)
"Your Majesty, please!" Noble Concubine Bu crawled forward desperately, her hands clutching the hem of his robe. "This is a trap! Someone framed me! First Prince is my life—Your Concubine would never harm him!"
The Emperor shook her off with disgust, his patience completely worn thin.
"We will not entrust a prince's upbringing to an incompetent mother." His voice was harsh, unyielding. "First Prince will be moved to Zhao Lan Palace to be raised by the imperial nannies under Our supervision."
The final blow.
Noble Concubine Bu collapsed. Her mind went blank. First Prince… was being taken away from her?
"Your Majesty, I beg you—" she sobbed, desperation turning to hysteria.
"Enough!"
The Emperor's voice struck like a whip, silencing her instantly.
At that moment, Imperial Consort Chun finally spoke, stepping forward hesitantly. "Your Majesty… Imperial Consort Shu has always been a devoted mother. Perhaps there has been some misunderstanding—"
The Emperor turned his fury on her.
"And yet the son she devoted herself to nearly died under her care!" His voice was ice-cold. "This matter does not concern you, Imperial Consort Chun. Do not overstep your place! And remember, she is not an Imperial Consort anymore."
Imperial Consort Chun lowered her head immediately, swallowing back her words.
The room fell into an oppressive silence.
The Emperor looked at Noble Concubine Bu one last time—his expression devoid of emotion—before he turned and walked away.
His judgment was final.
The moment he was gone, Noble Concubine Bu let out a heart-wrenching cry, collapsing into a heap on the floor. Her palace, her rank, her son—all taken away in a single moment.
Not long after the Emperor's departure, a group of eunuchs and palace maids arrived at Jing Ci Palace. Their footsteps were swift and precise, moving with the silent efficiency that only the inner palace could cultivate. The leader of the Emperor's eunuchs, Li Jin, stepped forward, holding an imperial decree in his hands.
"By the Emperor's decree—" his sharp voice pierced the suffocating silence of the hall. "Imperial Consort Shu is stripped of her status as the Mistress of Jing Ci Palace and title and demoted to Noble Concubine Bu. The First Prince shall be taken to Zhao Lan Palace to be raised under the supervision of the imperial nannies."
Imperial Consort Shu, who was demoted to Noble Concubine Bu, who had been sitting in a daze since the Emperor left, jerked up in panic.
"No—no! You can't take my son away from me!" She lunged forward, clutching the edges of Eunuch Liu's robe. "Please! Please let me see His Majesty again—I need to explain! There must be a mistake!"
But the eunuch remained unmoved, his expression completely indifferent. "Your Highness, the Emperor's decree is absolute. We dare not disobey."
As he finished speaking, two palace maids stepped forward and forcibly pried Noble Concubine Bu's hands away, making her fall to the cold floor.
"No! Rui'er (Nick name of First Prince Dongfang Jinrui)"
At that moment, a soft cry echoed from the side.
A group of eunuchs had already carried the First Prince, a frail and sickly child, out of his chambers. The little boy, barely ten years old, was clutching onto his robe, his tiny body shaking in fear.
"Mother… mother…" his voice was weak, confused, as he struggled against the eunuchs grip.
Noble Concubine Bu crawled toward him, her hands shaking as she reached out. "My son… My son, don't be afraid! Mother is here!"
But the moment she tried to approach, two eunuchs grabbed her arms, holding her back.
"No—No! Let me go! Don't take my son away from me!" Noble Concubine Bu screamed, struggling desperately, but she was completely overpowered.
The First Prince's face was streaked with tears, his little body writhing in the eunuch's arms.
"Mother! Mother, I don't want to go! Mother!"
His cries grew louder, more terrified, but the wet nurse held him firmly and quickly followed the procession of eunuchs and palace attendants out of Jingci Palace.
Noble Concubine Bu watched helplessly as her son disappeared through the grand doors.
Her heart shattered.
And just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, a trembling maidservant rushed in. "Noble Concubine Bu… the servants from the Department of Internal Affairs have arrived… they say they must take away your robes and accessories immediately, as per the decree."
The moment the words were spoken, a wave of humiliation crashed over Noble Concubine Bu. The ritual stripping of rank was not just a punishment—it was a public disgrace. She gritted her teeth, suppressing the urge to cry out in frustration.
The palace servants entered, their expressions indifferent as they collected her imperial robes, jade hairpins, and delicate embroidery, replacing them with the plain garments befitting a Noble Concubine.
Each piece taken felt like a piece of her dignity being stripped away.
By the time they were finished, Noble Concubine Bu was left wearing simple, unadorned palace robes, no different from a lowly concubine.
She sat frozen on the cold floor, her face blank, her body trembling.
Everything was gone.
Her son.
Her status.
Her future.
The once proud and favored Imperial Consort Shu had been reduced to nothing.
And as the palace attendants finished their task and left, silence settled over Jing Ci Palace.
A silence that felt like the end.
Noble Concubine Bu clenched her fists. She had been reduced to this state, yet she still did not know who had orchestrated it.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yunyao lay in bed, her fingers tracing the edge of her silk quilt as she listened to Shiyi, whispering about what had happened to Noble Concubine Bu.
"A mere letter appeared, and just like that, Imperial Consort Shu was demoted to a Noble Concubine," Shiyi murmured. "It seems too convenient."
Yuheng, who was standing near the window, scoffed lightly. "It's not a coincidence. Someone planned this."
Jiang Yunyao's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. "The Empress?"
Shiyi hesitated. "But why would the Empress take such a risk? If she wanted to push the blame onto Noble Concubine Bu, wouldn't it have been safer to let Noble Concubine Bu remain in her position, tormented by suspicion? Instead, she has now been rendered powerless."
Yuheng chuckled softly. "Shiyi, you think the Empress took a risk? No, this was a perfectly calculated move. Noble Concubine Bu was growing desperate after the First Prince's poisoning. Her grief made her unpredictable, and an unstable person is dangerous. By cutting off her power now, the Empress not only prevents Noble Concubine Bu from taking action but also diverts the Emperor's attention away from herself."
Shiyi gasped. "Then… does that mean the Empress is still going to continue?"
Jiang Yunyao's gaze flickered. "Of course. And now, Noble Concubine Bu has been thoroughly silenced. Even if she suspected someone, what power does she have left to fight them?"
Yuheng nodded in approval. "Then who is the next target?"
Jiang Yunyao closed her eyes, feigning exhaustion, but her voice was soft yet deliberate.
"Who else… but the Third Prince?"
The room fell into an eerie silence.
"But before that, the Empress has another matter to worry about."
Shiyi revealed a confused expression as she asked, "What matter, Your Highness?"
"The marriage proposal from the Crown Prince of Chang Qing." Jiang Yunyao turned onto her side, her fingers pressing against her still-weak stomach. She was still recovering. She had no strength to fight them directly yet. But this game had only just begun.
And she would play weak for as long as needed—until the time was right to strike.