Empress Chu was woken from her sleep by soone calling out to her.
When the Palace Attendant told her that Emperor Shengping was coming over, Empress Chu was quite surprised.
After all, Emperor Shengping doted on Imperial Concubine Tian, and he would never visit Changle Palace without a pressing reason.
Empress Chu wondered whether sothing had happened in the palace, or if Imperial Concubine Tian had hard soone again?
While thinking, she dressed and put on makeup.
Emperor Shengping arrived before Empress Chu had finished dressing.
Upon entering Changle Palace and seeing Empress Chu’s wrinkled eyes and significantly aged appearance, for so reason, he felt a piercing sorrow in his heart.
"Aya."
Unable to restrain himself, Emperor Shengping called out Empress Chu’s pet na.
Empress Chu was also stunned upon hearing this.
Emperor Shengping waved his hand to dismiss all the Palace Attendants, and when only he and Empress Chu were left in the room, he finally couldn’t help but hold Empress Chu’s hand: "You have suffered much these years."
Empress Chu was even more at a loss.
"What has happened to Your Majesty?"
Emperor Shengping felt full of remorse: "It is all my fault... I blad myself for believing that vile woman; as a result, she clouded my judgent, leading to commit such foolish acts."
Only then did Empress Chu realize what had happened.
The despicable thods Imperial Concubine Tian had used on Emperor Shengping had been exposed by soone.
For a mont, Empress Chu felt a mix of happiness, bitterness, and pain. Her feelings were so complex that she was at a loss for words.
"I am clear-headed now."
Emperor Shengping pulled Empress Chu to sit down: "All these years, it has been as if I were dreaming, even more uncontrollable than a dream."
As he spoke, Emperor Shengping shed tears: "I will never forgive Ms. Tian, that wretched woman."
Empress Chu also shed tears.
The Emperor and Empress held each other’s hands, looking into each other’s tear-filled eyes.
So many years had passed, finding the other person both unfamiliar and worn, it was truly distressing.
"I, I don’t bla Your Majesty; it’s all Tian’s fault."
Empress Chu wiped away her tears: "Fortunately, the court Ministers protected us, and hence our son preserved his life."
Thinking of the Crown Prince, Emperor Shengping was again anxious: "The Crown Prince has left the palace. Tian wouldn’t harm the Crown Prince, would she?"
Empress Chu shook her head: "It is precisely because I knew Tian was out to harm the Crown Prince that I had no choice but to send him out of the palace. He left with quite a number of guards, and I also had the Chu Family send people to protect him. He should be safe."
Yet Emperor Shengping remained worried.
He could not sit still even for a mont, and stood up, pulling Empress Chu with him to leave: "I am going to summon the Imperial Army; I must capture Tian imdiately."
Empress Chu held onto Emperor Shengping: "Please be careful, Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
Emperor Shengping furrowed his brow.
Empress Chu thought for a mont and said: "Since Tian has been able to control Your Majesty for so many years, she must possess so ans. If we act rashly and fall into her trap again, what should we do then? It would be better for Your Majesty to first invite so virtuous monks and Taoists before capturing Tian."
Empress Chu’s concern was indeed necessary.
Now that Emperor Shengping had cald down, he thought that what Empress Chu said made sense, and he checked his impatience: "That sounds good."
He returned to Zichen Palace and imdiately had his trusted confidants leave the palace to search for high-ranking spiritual masters.
Afterward, Emperor Shengping summoned the Six Ministers to the palace and drafted an edict stating that if anything unforeseen happened to him, the Six Ministers were to imdiately protect the Crown Prince and ensure his ascension to the throne.
A secret imperial decree was issued to the Minister of War, mandating that if he fell ill, the Minister of War was to cooperate with Empress Chu to eliminate Imperial Concubine Tian.
Having arranged all affairs, Emperor Shengping was still unable to sleep.
That night, he sat withered in the hall, waiting for dawn.
Likewise unable to sleep was Imperial Concubine Tian.
Having lost the system, she scread and cursed in rage, then attempted to have her confidants quietly go out and discuss plans with the Tian family.
However, everyone around her had been drugged into a stupor by Anning, leaving not a single useful person at her disposal, which rendered Imperial Concubine Tian deaf and blind, with ans yet unable to be deployed.
When Anning erged from the palace and returned to the Lu Family, her mood was particularly good.
She looked at the sleeping Xiao Yuan, gently lay beside him, and fell asleep with a smile.
The following day, Anning imdiately went to seek the Crown Prince, first using dicine to regulate his health, then gradually detoxifying him.
By noon, as Anning and the Crown Prince sent out inquiries about events, news ca back soon that Emperor Shengping had ordered the seizure of the Tian family’s assets, stripped her brother of his titles, and had the whole family, young and old, locked up in prison.
Moreover, anyone with even the slightest connection to the Tian family beca a target for Emperor Shengping’s investigation.
Hearing this news, both Anning and the Crown Prince knew that Emperor Shengping had broken free from Imperial Concubine Tian’s control, which greatly pleased them both.
The Crown Prince imdiately wanted to enter the palace, but Anning persuaded him otherwise.
Anning suggested that for safety’s sake, and since Ms. Tian was yet to be punished, the Crown Prince should not enter the palace at all.
The Crown Prince, anxious in heart, knew Anning was right and could only pace restlessly in the room.
In the afternoon, Empress Chu sent a ssage to the Crown Prince, urging him by all ans not to return to the palace.
In the palace
Imperial Concubine Tian had not shown herself; she neither sought out Emperor Shengping, nor pinpointed faults with any of the concubines, and even when Emperor Shengping summoned her to join him in the imperial garden, Imperial Concubine Tian declined.
It was not that Imperial Concubine Tian was aware Emperor Shengping had slipped from her grasp, but rather, with the system gone, Imperial Concubine Tian’s appearance had greatly altered.
Originally, Imperial Concubine Tian was not good-looking at all, and could even be described as especially unsightly.
After acquiring the system, she exchanged for many beauty enhancent items, but due to her inherently poor conditions, even after using nurous slimming and skin-beautifying products, she could only be considered passable, far from the beauty of Empress Chu.
Now, with the system destroyed, Imperial Concubine Tian naturally reverted to her original state.
Having aged, with her original appearance reverted, her skin beca slack, face as large as a washbowl, waist thick, legs stout, and pores coarse, looking particularly frightening. Not to ntion the concubines in the palace, even the old nanny by Imperial Concubine Tian’s side seed prettier.
Due to reverting to her original state, Imperial Concubine Tian naturally didn’t dare to show herself.
She feigned illness, hunkering down in bed, covering herself with the quilt, too afraid to rise.
Imperial Concubine Tian thought she could hide away for as long as possible, and should it not work, she could erge later. Relying on Emperor Shengping’s infatuation with her, perhaps he would still favor her even if she changed in appearance.
But Imperial Concubine Tian’s wishful thinking did not match reality.
Soon, the people sent by Emperor Shengping returned, bringing several reputedly enlightened figures.
Among these, there were impostors, but also so who genuinely possessed Taoist knowledge.
Upon seeing these individuals, Emperor Shengping imdiately had them taken to Qifeng Palace and ordered Yu Lin Palace to encircle it.
Imperial Concubine Tian was still sprawled out in bed, sleeping soundly, and before she knew it, she beca like a turtle caught in a jar.
When the Chief Eunuch of Emperor Shengping’s retinue entered Imperial Concubine Tian’s chamber with others, Imperial Concubine Tian trembled with fear.
"How bold, to recklessly intrude into my chambers! Guards, seize them..."
Imperial Concubine Tian shouted with a hoarse throat.
But no response ca, and a middle-aged man dressed as a Taoist approached the bed, reaching out and hoisting up Imperial Concubine Tian: "Audacious demoness, how dare you bewitch the King, now reveal your true form..."
The Taoist hadn’t finished speaking when he saw Imperial Concubine Tian’s appearance and froze.
Everyone froze.
The thought on everyone’s mind scread out, with such looks, Emperor Shengping had favored her for so many years? Emperor Shengping’s tastes were far too indulgent—how could he stomach such a sight?
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