Chapter 93: Imperial Power

Chu Yunzheng slowly rises, his dark dragon robe draping, the jade tassels of his crown flickering slightly, obscuring the sharpness in his eyes.

"This matter, Shei has any objections?"

The Emperor's voice is not loud, yet like cold iron striking the ground, it shakes the hall into dead silence.

The Empress Dowager's fingertip trembles, the tea cup in her hand makes a light "crack", and she ultimately says nothing more.

Though she is honored as Empress Dowager, the man before her is ultimately the Emperor, the true master of the realm.

"Since the Emperor has deemed this matter a matter of the Imperial harem, how can I, the grieving one, have any other excuse?"

The Empress Dowager slowly lifts her eyes, her tone cold, "Then we shall handle it according to the Imperial harem's rules."

Her gaze sweeps over Wan Tang, hidden meaning in her eyes.

The Empress may be lightly punished, but the Xiao Family's status must never be shaken!

Originally it was only to select the least powerful, the least able to affect the Xiao Family, to lightly punish Xiao Mingshu with a stern warning.

But at this moment, the Empress Dowager's heart harbors a subtle unease.

"Attendants." The Empress Dowager says coldly, "Go summon the Empress."

"Not necessary." Chu Yunzheng interrupts calmly, "Now the Imperial harem affairs are handled by Consort Wan; this matter shall be left to her."

The Empress Dowager's eyes turn suddenly cold, her knuckles whitening.

Is the Emperor using this as a chance to elevate Consort Wan and suppress the Xiao Family?!

The atmosphere in the hall tightens, like a fully drawn bowstring.

Seizing the throne is not easy; to have today, it was their mother‑son unity back then that allowed them to sit steadily on the phoenix throne.

In fact, the Empress Dowager is not Chu Yunzheng's biological mother; after he turned three, he was raised under her name, becoming her legitimate son, which brings him to today's situation.

Calling the Xiao Family "uncle" is already a favor.

Ultimately, the Emperor is not truly a member of the Xiao Family.

The Empress Dowager takes a deep breath, then slowly returns to the phoenix seat, "Fine, then I, the grieving one, will watch silently."

Imperial Power, in the end, outweighs the harem's authority.

Moreover, Chu Yunzheng now is a ruler beloved by the people, with formidable means.

Wan Tang lowers her gaze, the corner of her lips lifting faintly, almost imperceptibly.

She steps forward slowly, her posture respectful yet not servile, "I, your servant, obey the decree."

Xu Luoyan suddenly lifts her head, her eyes full of disbelief.

How could it be Wan Tang who handles this?!

Shouldn't she be punished?!

She hurriedly says, "Emperor! Consort Wan cannot even protect herself, let alone being in a vortex; how can she preside over justice?"

"Originally, it was her fault!"

"Consort Jing." Wan Tang softly interrupts, her gaze gentle yet each word like a knife, "During your confinement you left the palace without permission, defamed this palace, and despite insufficient evidence you caused a great disturbance at Cining."

"You say, how should I punish you?"

Xu Luoyan's face turns deathly pale; the woman once easily manipulated by the Xu Family now seems increasingly different.

This makes Xu Luoyan's heart flutter with anxiety, and her gaze at Wan Tang carries a hint of fear.

The Empress Dowager watches with cold eyes, secretly annoyed by Xu Luoyan's reckless impulse, yet cannot deny that the Emperor and Consort Wan have long set the trap.

And now, with Imperial Power above, she can only remain silent.

Speaking too much risks loss, especially since among those presenting gifts are not only members of the Xu Family.

Xu Luoyan tries to shout again, but Chu Yunzheng's cold stare pins her to the spot.

The Emperor's gaze is like a blade; with a light sweep it makes her whole body tremble, all her cries stuck in her throat, leaving only a pair of tear‑filled eyes staring fiercely at Consort Wan, hatred nearly spilling over.

The woman in purple sees this, her complexion completely changed.

【5】 She lowers her head, her eyes darting rapidly, mentally calculating, "The Emperor's attitude… something's off!"

She lowered her head, her eyes flicking rapidly, her mind racing with calculations, the Emperor's attitude… isn't right!

Could it be…

Li Defu's thin voice came from outside the hall: "Li Chongyi, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, bring him in!"

Everyone looks toward the voice, seeing Li Chongyi bow and enter, his steps cautious, a fine sweat on his forehead.

He lowers his head, daring not to meet the eyes of those in the hall, and kneels properly to pay his respects.

A flash of wild joy instantly flickers in Xu Luoyan's eyes!

Li Chongyi has arrived! He will surely point out Consort Wan!

Now, how can Consort Wan still argue?

She bursts out, "Lord Li! Speak quickly! Did Consort Wan take your silver and promise to help you obtain a high position in the Ministry of War?!"

The woman in purple hurriedly adds, "Yes, Lord Li! You must not conceal! The Emperor and Empress Dowager are present, so speak the truth!"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly tightens.

The Empress Dowager's gaze deepens slightly, and she slowly says, "Li Chongyi, I, the grieving one, want to hear the truth."

Her tone is light, yet it carries intimidation, clearly hinting to him how to answer—you know what to say in your heart.

Li Chongyi's forehead beads with cold sweat, and he instinctively looks at Consort Wan.

But Consort Wan remains calm, even giving him a faint smile, "Lord Li, the Emperor and Empress Dowager are present; just speak the truth."

"I, this palace, guarantee that no one dares to trouble you."

"Today's aim is the truth."

Li Chongyi is startled, his heart filled with doubt: Consort Wan is so composed? Even… letting me "speak the truth"?

His previously uneasy heart suddenly steadies.

It seems… she was prepared all along!

Li Chongyi knelt on the ground, his voice trembling: "Subject… indeed took bribes, and also sent silver taels to Consort Wan."

"Those two beauties were also placed into the palace by me…"

As soon as the words fell, the hall erupted in uproar!

Xu Luoyan's eyes suddenly burst with ecstatic joy; she sprang to her feet, pointed at Wan Tang and shouted: "Emperor! Empress Dowager! Did you hear that?! Even her own people have admitted it!"

Her face twisted, almost laughing out loud, "Wan Tang! You bitch, what else is there to say?!"

The Empress Dowager's eyes darkened slightly, her fingertips lightly tapped the Phoenix Throne's armrest, and she thought inwardly:

If Wan Tang's crime were truly proven, the Emperor would surely protect her, and the Xiao family would then be on the defensive. If this matter were dug deeper, who knows how many more things would surface.

She gave the Emperor a brief glance, saw his expression cold and his eyes without a hint of panic, and felt a sudden chill in her heart.

Something's off… this matter is suspicious!

Yet Xu Luoyan, already smug, shouted loudly: "Emperor! My Xu family has been loyal for generations. When my father quelled the rebel prince's uprising, he returned to the capital carrying the rebel king's head!"

"Later, in the great war of Bei Mo, my whole family also earned outstanding battle merits."

"When I governed the Imperial harem, have I ever been involved in such a disgraceful affair?!"

She grew more agitated, unaware that Chu Yunzheng's gaze had turned completely cold.

The Empress Dowager furrowed her brows, annoyed inwardly: Fool! Bringing up the Xu family's military merits now—are you threatening the Emperor?

Xu Luoyan remained oblivious, still holding her head high and clamoring: "Wan Tang is just an orphan; her death is of no consequence! Emperor, you need not worry about collateral damage—just execute her outright!"

"And that Li Chongyi," she snapped, eyes poisonous, "dared to bribe palace consorts; he deserves death!"

The hall fell into dead silence.

Chu Yunzheng slowly lifted his eyes and said, voice as cold as ice: "Is that all?"

Xu Luoyan was startled, not yet able to react.

The crowd's expressions wavered between light and dark.

Wan Tang rose slowly, her skirt trailing like water, bowed respectfully toward the Emperor and Empress Dowager, her bearing dignified and reverent.

"Emperor, Empress Dowager," she said calmly, "I did indeed have contact with Lord Li earlier, but what I received was not a bribe."

She lifted her gaze, eyes clear as a mirror, "It was… a plea for help."

Li Defu immediately stepped forward, took the letter Wan Tang handed him, and respectfully presented it to the Emperor.

Chu Yunzheng unfolded the paper, his eyes scanning it, a chill deepening in his gaze.

He said nothing, merely passing the letter to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager took it, lowered her eyes and examined it carefully.

The handwriting on the letter was sloppy, yet each character cut like a knife:

"I, Li Chongyi, weep blood as I report:

The Xu family forced me to use a skinny horse from Yangzhou as a suitable bride to send into the palace, intending to confuse the holy hearing!

They also ordered me to bribe Consort Wan, framing her for selling official positions; should I refuse, they would annihilate my entire clan!

My rank is low, I have no audience with the saint, so I risked my life to plead to Consort Wan…

May the merciful Mother Goddess have compassion, and save my family's lives!"

Slap!

The Empress Dowager snapped the letter shut, her finger joints turning white, her chest heaving violently.

After the Emperor read it, he remained remarkably calm; it seemed he had known of this matter long ago.

"Well… what a Xu family!"

She laughed bitterly, and with the aid of a senior palace maid she rose slowly, phoenix eyes burning, and stepped toward the collapsed Xu Luoyan on the ground.

Xu Luoyan's face turned ashen, her whole body trembling: "Em‑Empress Dowager… I am wronged…"

"Wronged?!"

The Empress Dowager thrust her hand up sharply.

Slap!

A hard slap cracked across Xu Luoyan's face, scattering her hair in disarray!

"Yangzhou skinny horse?! Confusing the holy hearing?! Your Xu family has such nerve!"

Li Chongyi fell to the ground, crying: "Subject… I truly had no choice!"

He struck the ground heavily, blood seeping from his forehead, "The Xu family threatened my young son's life; I… could not refuse!"

Wan Tang watched all this silently, her eyes neither sad nor joyful.

【It was exactly the expected reversal, yet Wan Tang may not have anticipated that more than just the Xu family were involved.】

【Indeed, if one investigates further, one will find that among those who sent gifts earlier, there were also members of the Xiao family.】

【The Empress Dowager, for the sake of her family's glory, would risk her life. Nothing inside this palace can escape her eyes; she already knows who sent the gifts. Now that the investigation begins, she is probably already thinking of how to keep Wan Tang from speaking out!】

Wan Tang felt a sudden shock in her heart; her calculations had missed this point.

A corner of her eye glanced at the Empress Dowager, and she was secretly startled.

"It's not like that!"

Xu Luoyan jerked her head up, blood vessels darkening her eyes, her voice so sharp it nearly pierced the hall's silence.

"It was Wan Tang and Li Chongyi who colluded! They worked together to frame the Xu family!"

She crawled a few steps, her hair bun disheveled, golden hairpin crooked, yet she persisted, pointing at Wan Tang, "Emperor! Do not be deceived by her!"

"She has unjustly accused a loyal minister!"

"She is merely an orphan."

Chu Yunzheng calmly interrupted, his gaze beneath the crown as deep and cold as an icy pool.

Xu Luoyan shivered all over, the words that had almost slipped out stuck hard in her throat.

She is also Xu Chengyuan's daughter!

But how should this be said.

If spoken, it would only truly pull the Xu Family into an irredeemable abyss.

Wan Tang sneered coldly, stepped forward slowly, her embroidered shoes stepped on the mirror‑bright gold bricks, producing a faint sound.

"What about me?"

She leaned slightly, her gaze as sharp as a blade, piercing straight into Xu Luoyan's eyes.

Xu Luoyan bit her lip hard, her nails digging deep into her palm, seeping out threads of blood.

She glared at Wan Tang with hatred; once that sentence was spoken, it would be a cataclysm.

"You…" her voice hoarse, she could only collapse and slump, "You're so cruel…"