Chapter 360: Weighing Oneself

"Is this what you want?" Chu Yunzheng turned his head and looked at Wan Tang.

Wan Tang's eyes were calm as water: "Emperor, the evidence of the crime is right before us; why do you still ask this?"

"Do you think, in the Emperor's eyes, these were all my careful schemes?"

Wan Tang said, laughing out loud: "Emperor, instead of asking whether this is what I want, perhaps you should first ask the Pear Concubine why she did these things."

In the Golden Throne Hall, the atmosphere was as heavy as iron.

Chu Yunzheng glared fiercely at Wan Tang, his gaze sweeping over the bowed Duke of Ning and Zhao Hai, then gritted his teeth and uttered the command word for word: "The Bai family… colluding for personal gain, disrupting the state, the evidence is conclusive! Convey my decree: the entire Bai Clan… be eradicated!"

He paused briefly, then added: "Zhao Hai, you will personally lead men to handle it!"

After speaking, he turned to Wan Tang, his eyes holding suppressed fury and a barely perceptible fatigue, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Empress, are you satisfied now?" With that, he flicked his sleeve to depart.

"Emperor, please stay." Wan Tang's voice was cool and steady, bearing undeniable authority, and instantly halted his steps.

Chu Yunzheng impatiently turned his head back.

Wan Tang met his gaze and slowly said: "The Pear Concubine also hails from the Bai family."

Chu Yunzheng's face darkened, and he immediately retorted: "Since the Pear Concubine has entered the palace, she is of royal blood and has nothing to do with the Bai family!"

"Is that so?" Wan Tang's tone was indifferent, yet each word cut to the heart: "But she secretly abuses the Tiger-Wolf Medicine, damaging the dragon body; can the Emperor simply treat it as if nothing happened?"

"Or do you say the Emperor believes his own body is healthy enough to endure more?"

Chu Yunzheng clenched his fist.

Upon hearing this, Bai Li wept to the point of fainting, clinging to Chu Yunzheng's leg and pleading desperately: "Emperor, I acknowledge my mistake! Please spare the Bai family, spare Zihua!"

"My mother is already dead, my younger brother cannot endure any more trouble, I beg you, Emperor!" She wept, tears streaming like rain on pear blossoms.

Chu Yunzheng looked at her demeanor, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes.

Wan Tang pierced the fleeting softness that had just risen in Chu Yunzheng: "Spare you? Let you continue using those Forbidden Medicines, harming the Emperor's dragon body?"

Bai Li trembled all over, hurriedly kowtowed: "I won't dare it! I will never dare again! Emperor, please see clearly!"

Chu Yunzheng stared at the pleading Bai Li at his feet, his complexion gradually turning icy.

Wan Tang observed every change in his expression: "Emperor, has your dragon body lately become far weaker? At most now you can only perform the Water Walk once per night, right?"

"Wan Tang!" Chu Yunzheng roared in fury, the veins on his temples bulging, such a private matter being exposed by the court was an unspeakable humiliation!

Wan Tang, however, still wore that indifferent smile, as if merely stating an ordinary fact.

The onlookers, upon hearing this, were each terrified to the point of their souls fleeing.

Chu Yunzheng's complexion shifted between pallor and a bluish hue; the woman before him was so familiar yet terrifyingly unfamiliar.

He remained silent for a long time.

Wan Tang added lightly: "I also know, Emperor, that your state affairs are busy, and the trivial matters of the harem truly should not disturb you."

"I will, for the Emperor, manage the harem well."

"No!" Bai Li shouted, her eyes full of fear.

She looked at Chu Yunzheng, trembling all over.

She stammered, "Emperor, please, don't abandon Pear."

"If Pear falls into her hands, Pear will only die."

The once proud woman now, like all women, was panicked, flattering and behaving obsequiously toward Chu Yunzheng.

Kneeling at Chu Yunzheng's feet, she whispered in pleading: "Emperor, I beg you."

Chu Yunzheng's eyes were filled with disappointment, he said coldly: "Bai Li, your crime is unforgivable; but remembering our youthful friendship, I will spare you from death."

"But remember, that sincere feeling is not a death‑defying talisman; since you do not cherish it, don't blame me for letting it lose its value."

"Issue my decree: the Pear Concubine is immoral, and shall be confined to the Cold Palace until she dies of old age."

In an instant, Bai Li seemed to have drained all the strength from her body.

She fell to sit on the ground, only silently shedding tears.

Chu Yunzheng seemed utterly disgusted with the place; no one dared to look, he turned his head and left.

Zhao Hai's expression was awkward as he bowed and said: "Empress, I still have urgent matters to attend to; if there are no further orders, I request to withdraw."

Wan Tang wanted to smile, but her mouth barely lifted; she said wearily: "Bai Zihua slaughtered innocents indiscriminately; his crime is unforgivable. Remember, he is also of the Bai family."

Zhao Hai's gaze lingered briefly on the Duke of Ning, and he shouted loudly: "Yes!"

The Duke of Ning's body flinched, and with a glance from Wan Tang, a junior attendant hurried forward to carefully support him.

The Duke of Ning instinctively refused the attendant's hand.

Wan Tang, seeing this, whispered a smile: "Duke, I recall you have an eldest legitimate son and a second legitimate son, both of whom are elder sister Hui's own brothers."

"They have been wealthy and learned since childhood, and are, as you requested, both civil and martial talents. Why, out of pity for a weak son, do you overlook those diligent children who strive to shine?"

"You and I are both parents; if we cannot treat everyone equally, should we not discern right from wrong?"

"At the very least, do not sow disaster upon others."

Even though the Duke of Ning's body trembled like a shaking tower in the wind, Wan Tang's words remained cold and unfeeling.

The Duke of Ning kept his head lowered, never gathering the courage to glance at Bai Li again, allowing the junior attendant to support him step by step as he left.

"Father! Father!"

"Don't listen to the scoundrel's provocation!"

"Save my younger brother, save the young master…"

Bai Li knelt on the ground, shouting weakly.

Wan Tang slowly paced forward, looking down from a height, glaring at her.

She lifted her foot and crushed the outstretched hand.

"Ah!" Bai Li cried out in pain, trying to pull back her hand, but Wan Tang held it down firmly.

Bai Li lifted her head, her eyes blazing with a mix of humiliation and fury: "The Emperor still has me in his heart! He loves me!"

"Love you?" Wan Tang's lips curled into a cold sneer, "Bai Li, are you still dreaming of being lavished with endless favor? The Emperor keeps you, not because… you still have a final ounce of usefulness?"

Bai Li's anger froze in an instant, turning into a trace of uncontrollable panic: "You… you are speaking nonsense!"

Wan Tang bent down, close to her ear: "The Emperor protects you now only to steady the situation and cover his own reputation."

Bai Li felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, her whole body trembling violently.

Wan Tang straightened, withdrew her foot, and coldly ordered toward the outside of the hall: "Attendants, take this filthy thing and drag it out of Kunning Palace for me."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Hui Guifei will be sent to the Imperial Mausoleum.

Wan Tang placed Hui Guifei's favorite Red Plum Hairpin into the coffin.

She smiled at the pale‑faced person inside and whispered, "Sister, go in peace; the rest is left to me."

Wan Tang stood alone where she was, watching the coffin fade toward the end of the palace corridor, as if she could still see the woman in bright clothes on a raging horse smiling at her.

"Your Majesty," Xiao Shunzi stepped forward quietly, reporting in a low voice, "The entire Bai family has been dealt with according to the edict. Bai Zijun's head has also, per your command, been fed to the wild dogs."

Wan Tang's gaze still lingered on the distance; she gave a faint "hm" and showed no discernible emotion on her face.

Footsteps hurriedly approached.

Xiao Dongzi jogged over, raising his voice: "Reporting to the Empress, Second Young Master Qi Qi Er has been seized and taken into the palace! The Emperor requests that you proceed to Yangxin Hall at once!"

A cold wind swept in.

Wan Tang turned slowly, and the depths of her eyes were already ice.

"Let's go."

Her voice was calm, yet carried the oppressive weight of an approaching mountain storm.