Chapter 556: A Fallen Phoenix Is Worse Than a Chicken

Kunning Palace.

"Ling'er, Ling'er..."

"My Ling'er!"

"My Ling'er!"

Over these past few days, Zheng Fu has become a shadow of her former self.

Ever since the news of Xie Ling's death arrived, she, the Empress of the current dynasty, immediately went from being someone who once held the court in the palm of her hand to someone no one cares about.

Retribution, it comes so quickly.

Although the official report stated that Xie Ling died unfortunately while trying to save Liu Zheng, in reality? Who in the Longyan Dynasty doesn't know what really happened? Very soon, under the heavy pressure of Dong Guifei, the entire inner palace's momentum was seized by her, and all sorts of female officials and ladies-in-waiting stood on Dong Guifei's side without hesitation.

Very soon.

Even many of Zheng Fu's personal maids found various excuses to be transferred away.

Desolate.

Kunning Palace, which once had many people breaking their necks to get into, became desolate in just a few days.

This is the final outcome that an Empress whose maternal family is not strong enough must face.

Ever since Zheng Yuxing died, Zheng Fu's status in the Longyan Dynasty was already precarious. Scholar-officials like Zhu Zhen supported her on the surface, but when she lost her final trump card, Xie Ling, what else could a woman like her have left?

These days.

People like Zhu Zhen have begun to surround Dong Guifei once again!

Zheng Fu is now acting like a madwoman!

She is the Empress!

She is the Empress who serves as the mother of the world!

She shouldn't be like this!

She should be the person with the greatest say, second only to the Emperor!

Yet now.

She has fallen into this state.

"Ling'er, give my Ling'er back to me, give him back to me!"

Zheng Fu still held a whip in her hand, lashing out fiercely at the old maid who had followed her for ten years.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

The entire Kunning Palace was filled with endless wailing.

"What do I do? Hmm?"

"Who will tell me what I should do!"

Zheng Fu's hair was disheveled; she, who had always been imposing and refined, had not groomed herself for several days.

How would the weeping maids in Kunning Palace know what to do?

Their fates had actually been sealed these past few days. When the Empress falls, they naturally fall with her. Those with connections had long since run away; now, only these old servants remained, waiting here to die.

Desolation.

The struggle of the inner palace, in the end, is nothing but desolation.

One's status as a mother depends on one's son. Zheng Fu only had this one son, Xie Ling, and he is dead. Given Xie Tianyao's current physical condition, it is impossible for her to give birth to another.

Conversely, looking at Dong Guifei's Eleventh Prince, he is in the prime of his youth.

Comparing the two, who would still support her, the Empress?

A consort without a son must follow the Emperor to the grave when he passes away.

Therefore.

Her being treated coldly is also a historical inevitability.

"What do I do..."

"Who will tell me what to do?"

"What do I do!"

The higher one stands, the harder one falls.

It has been so since ancient times.

"Oh my, what has happened to Empress Sister today?"

Just then, a group of brightly dressed women walked in from outside with smiles on their faces. Zheng Fu looked over with a cold, gloomy expression, and sure enough, the person in the lead was none other than Dong Guifei, who had been riding high in the inner palace these past few days!

Dong Guifei is a few years younger than Zheng Fu.

Having held great power these days, she was beaming with joy and naturally appeared even younger and more beautiful; the other consorts around her also followed her lead.

"What are you here for?"

Zheng Fu, acting like a madwoman, almost lashed out with her whip.

But she was immediately disarmed by the maids and eunuchs around Dong Guifen, and in the ensuing scuffle, Zheng Fu was actually pushed to the ground, causing quite a few people to burst into laughter on the spot.

Sorrowful!

A fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken!

Although the few maids around Zheng Fu were filled with grief and indignation, who dared to act rashly at this moment?

Dong Guifei sat down on Zheng Fu's phoenix throne without any hesitation and laughed loudly: "Empress Sister, why be like this? We all understand the pain of losing a son, but there is no need to debase yourself like this. You are the mistress of the inner palace! How can you be so disheveled?"

"Someone!"

"Your Majesty!"

Several maids and eunuchs scrambled over.

Dong Guifei glared fiercely at Zheng Fu and said coldly: "Groom and dress our Empress!"

"Yes!"

A group of eunuchs and palace maids, wearing smirks, pulled Zheng Fu up and, without a word of explanation, began to scribble and smear all over her.

Zheng Fu let out a miserable shriek, but no one paid her any mind.

This Kunning Palace, which represented the mistress of the inner palace, had now become a place anyone could trample upon.

Unrestrained, wanton laughter filled the entire inner palace.

Dong Guifei was even more arrogant and tyrannical. The more miserably she had been suppressed by Zheng Fu over these past few years, the more ruthless she was now!

"You bunch of bastards!"

"No!"

"I am the Empress, I am the Empress!"

"I want you all to die!"

"Every one of you is going to die!"

Zheng Fu's clothes were soon torn to shreds by this group of palace maids and eunuchs, while all sorts of cinnabar, rouge, and even ink of unknown origin were smeared relentlessly onto her face...

The dignified mistress of the inner palace had been turned into an ugly monster by these lowly slaves.

Humiliation!

Naked, unsparing humiliation!

"Hahahaha, how beautiful!"

Dong Guifei laughed until she was doubled over, completely unable to stop.

Letting the people she brought with her wreak havoc here for a while, she finally squatted down, looked at the dejected and nearly insane Zheng Fu on the ground, and smiled faintly: "Empress sister, your son's remains will be back soon. Oh my, the weather is so hot; do you think they will be rotten by the time they return? Will you still be able to see a complete son?"

"You..."

Zheng Fu was so angry that she spat out a mouthful of black blood.

Only then did the crowd feel truly satisfied; they laughed heartily and left together.

"Pfft..."

Zheng Fu felt dizzy and lightheaded.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty!"

Several old palace maids, shedding tears, helped her up.

At this moment, Zheng Fu's eyes had become hollow and desperate.

She seemed unable to see where her future lay.

The several old palace maids also wept together in a huddle.

Just at this moment.

Suddenly, a sneaky little eunuch ran over from somewhere.

"Empress, there is a secret letter!"

Zheng Fu's eyes lit up.

A secret letter?

At a time like this, who would still send her a secret letter? Could it be Zhu Zhen? Was it him wanting to support her again?

She sat up excitedly, completely disregarding the disheveled state she was in.

"Quick, quick, quick, open it for me!"

The little eunuch had already left after delivering the letter.

The several old palace maids opened the secret letter.

Then they read: "Empress, if you wish to make a comeback, there is only one way..."

A comeback...

Hearing this, Zheng Fu instantly held her breath, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.

"Hahahaha! Satisfying!"

After finishing the humiliation of Zheng Fu, Dong Guifei and her party had already returned to their own palace.

"Sister Dong, the way I see it, in just a few days, this position of Empress will be yours!"

Immediately, a concubine nearby began to flatter her.

"That's right, that's right!"

"If I were this Zheng Fu, I would have voluntarily abdicated long ago. In this inner palace now, who can compare to our Sister Dong?"

Dong Guifei smiled proudly: "Time and fate, no need to rush, no need to rush. We shouldn't be too high-profile; after all, the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace is still watching us."

Someone immediately said: "That straw bag of a Crown Prince, how can he compare to the Eleventh Prince? I actually think that our Prince's greatest enemy right now is still that Longyang Princess, Prefect Liu!"

As soon as these words were spoken.

The atmosphere among the group instantly went quiet.

Prefect Liu?

A fierce look flashed in Dong Guifei's eyes.