"Summon someone," the Empress commanded. Feng Qihe entered with two eunuchs.
"Mother, what is it?" He had been guarding the outside all night, never leaving her side.
Seeing him now, the Empress felt a measure of comfort.
A husband might not be hers, but a son always would be.
Only a son would truly care for her.
She was determined to see her son stand at the pinnacle of humanity, step by step!
She would never allow Consort Rong's son to step over her son!
"Take these two palace maids away and beat them to death with clubs."
"What?" Chu Qianli, who was packing things, suddenly looked up and stared at her. "What crime did they commit?"
Although the two palace maids trembled, they seemed to already know their fate.
They could only weep, daring not to speak, not even to beg for mercy.
From the moment they entered and saw the mess on the bed, to when they began tidying, their faces had already turned ashen.
"Empress!"
"Li'er, thank you for your trouble tonight. I will escort you back to rest." Feng Qihe stepped forward, blocking her view.
He did not want her to have any more opportunities to argue with the Empress.
"They are innocent!" Chu Qianli said angrily, trying to push him away.
Feng Qihe, however, seized her wrist and said sternly, "I will escort you back."
"Chu Qianli," the Empress's voice from beside the bed was cold, her attitude even more forceful than before.
"I owe you a favor, and I will repay it in the future. But if you insist on meddling in my affairs, I will not spare you."
The two palace maids had already been taken away by the eunuchs. Soon, their screams could be heard from the backyard.
Chu Qianli understood.
They had seen the Empress's most sordid and disgraceful side, and the Empress could not possibly allow them to remain alive.
As for her, she had seen even more from beginning to end.
The reason the Empress still allowed her to live was, firstly, because she owed her a favor, and secondly, the most important reason, because of her noble status, which made the Empress hesitant to act against her for the time being.
If she were merely a commoner, she might not have been able to leave this palace alive tonight!
"Your Highness, Your Highness."
A guard arrived at the door and said softly, "Prince Xuan has been waiting outside for a long time."
... It was said that Feng Yexuan had heard of the Empress's discomfort and had come to offer his condolences.
Although the timing of this visit was indeed rather late.
However, he had been standing outside the sleeping quarters for nearly an hour.
It could be said that he had fulfilled his filial duty completely.
Feng Qihe personally welcomed him in.
"Your humble son pays his respects to Mother Empress." The Empress was the "mother" to every prince and royal, so this salutation was appropriate.
"Xuan'er, coming to console me so late, I am deeply comforted."
The Empress leaned against the bed, looking at his robust physique through the screen.
The more outstanding this child was, the more hatred filled her heart.
That hatred, usually unseen, was particularly clear tonight.
However, the aura of absolute hatred flashed in her eyes and then vanished.
Soon, the Empress regained her composure and looked at Chu Qianli, who was silently packing things nearby.
"With Ah Li attending to my illness, I am almost recovered. Xuan'er, it is late, you should go back and rest early."
Before Feng Yexuan could react, the Empress preempted him, "Ah Li and He'er still have matters to attend to. He'er will be accompanying Ah Li, so he will not be escorting you back."
These words, every sentence, revealed the unusual relationship between Feng Qihe and Chu Qianli.
After speaking, she suddenly changed the subject, "Xuan'er, Princess Feiyan has traveled a thousand miles to be here, solely to fulfill your marriage engagement. You must spend more time with her during this period!"