81

  Inside the Hanyang Palace, Concubine Liu knelt on the ground, her forehead already bleeding from kowtowing. The Emperor's face still wore an angry expression. Sima Qiang, who had rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, was momentarily at a loss as to what had happened. Hongyu, the palace maid, was in severe pain and had to go to Concubine Li's quarters to fetch Xiao Wu to apply medicine. Just as they were halfway done, a servant from the Empress's side rushed over to report that the Emperor was in Hanyang Palace and intended to depose Concubine Liu immediately.

  What happened? What made Father Emperor like this?

  "Get out of my sight and go to the Snow Garden immediately," The Emperor's eyes were filled with rage as he glared at Liu Fei, his voice cold and menacing. "You will go and apologize to Xue Er right now. If she forgives you, I might spare your life. Otherwise, I will have you tortured to death! Only then can I avenge the hatred in my heart!"

  "Your Majesty——" Sima Qiang didn't know what was going on and had just shouted out.

  "Get out! High-ranking official, pass on my decree: strip Liu Fei of her title. When she returns from Xueyuan, immediately drive her out of Heyang Palace and abolish the title of Second Prince. Confine them both to Si Gu Yuan, not allowing them to take a single step out." The Emperor said with hatred, turned around and left.

  Liu Fei almost fainted, but didn't dare to faint. She was supported by her maids and hurriedly brought to Xue Yuan by Sima Qiang. Along the way, she felt as if it were all a dream. How could she have fallen into the hands of a little girl like Murong Xue? Why had she become so vulnerable?!

  "Daughter." Sima Qiang still didn't know what had happened.

  "Strong son, it's your mother who has wronged you." Liu Fei had a thousand regrets and ten thousand hatreds in her heart, but they only turned into two lines of clear tears, her lips biting out blood without feeling the pain.

  The news of the emperor's arrival had already been passed on, and Empress Dowager was in the front hall, accompanied by Murong Feng and Sima Rui. Inside, Li Fei and Murong Xuan were helping Xue Yuan clean up. When they heard that the emperor had arrived, Li Fei immediately ordered Chun Xi to take out the basin of blood water. She had previously ordered Chun Xi to prepare several buckets of clear water in the room, and mixed Murong Xue's flowing blood with the water under the candlelight. The blood water that was taken out repeatedly was indeed shocking. Liu Fei saw it and felt a blackness before her eyes, she really couldn't hold on anymore, and fainted into the arms of her maid.

  Simazheng was stunned. What had happened to Murong Xue? Was it related to his mother? Why would the Emperor be so furious? To the point of stripping his mother and himself of their titles?

  "How is Xue Er?" The emperor looked at Murong Feng and asked.

  Murong Feng's face sank, his head twisted to the side, not even looking at the Emperor, and he said coldly: "Father, your question is interesting. What else can Xiaoxue do? What more do you expect from her?"

  The emperor's face turned red, and he didn't know what to say for the better.

  "How can you do such a thing without asking for the reason?" The empress dowager looked at her son, and Murong Feng's reaction seemed too normal to her. This was not enough, Murong Xue was her sister, now she had lost half of her life, how could she not be angry? Even the emperor couldn't make her give in, so she sat on one side and couldn't help but speak up, saying: "This Snow Consort is someone you wanted to establish yourself, if you've established her then that's it. The Prime Minister has acknowledged her, so let it go! You've done such a thing, how are you going to explain it to the Prime Minister and his late wife?"

  "Mother, emperor, I...I..." The emperor hastily wanted to explain but didn't know how to explain, and could only glare at Liu Fei, gritting his teeth and saying, "It's all because of this ruthless woman!"

  Murong Xue walked out of the inner chamber, her voice cold as she said: "Father Emperor favors Xiaoxue and made her a concubine. You should be careful to take care of her. This imperial palace is not comparable to the Murong royal manor where they treated her like a treasure. Xiaoxue is an innocent young girl who doesn't know the ways of the world, how can she distinguish right from wrong in this imperial palace? It's a pity that the first child in her womb was originally Father Emperor's, but now it has become blood water. How do you want Xiaoxue to face this?"

  Inside, Li Fei also spoke out: "Your Majesty, you really are capable of this. Even if you're angry, you shouldn't have hit her so heavily. Snow Fei's body is so frail, how can she withstand your slap? Now it's all well and good that there are divine medicines and wonderful prescriptions, but how can they cure her heart disease? She only wants to die, not live. You'd better think of a solution."

  The emperor's heart was anxious, and he rushed into the inner chamber. On the bed, Murong Xue was as pale as a sheet of paper, her breathing weak. The quilt and clothes were stained with blood, shocking to behold. The emperor was frightened for half a day, unable to react. With so much blood, could she still be saved?

  Then returned to the front hall and said loudly: "Liu Fei, you've done a good job!"

  Liu Fei was suddenly awakened and looked at the emperor with a terrified face.

  "You, how dare you! You actually dared to deceive me, saying that you were pregnant. You even falsely accused Xue Er of pushing you down and causing you to miscarry. I believed your words and punished Xue Er, causing her to lose the child she was carrying for me. How do you explain yourself?"

  "I was wrong! I beg Your Majesty to forgive me!" Consort Liu only kowtowed, and didn't dare do anything else. The blood on her forehead dripped down drop by drop, but she didn't feel any pain.

  Simarong stood stupidly to one side, his mother had actually committed such an unforgivable mistake. He knew that his mother was meticulous and calculating, which is why she could stand firm in the harem. But how could she be so foolish as to get caught? Subconsciously, he looked towards Murong Feng, but saw that Murong Feng's face bore a mixture of anger and helplessness. Looking back at his mother, he suddenly felt very tired.

  "Pardon?! Hmph - how can I pardon you?! You are so vicious, it's truly opened my eyes. I knew your mind was more cunning than the Empress and Wu Fei, but I never thought you would use that mind for this. I truly hate to personally end your life. Guards, take her and Sima Qiang to the Reflection Garden, strictly guard them, do not let them take a single step!" The Emperor said expressionlessly.

  Simazhuang suddenly rushed to the side of Taohou's body, grabbed Mu Rongfeng's arm and said: "Why did you want to replace Mu Rongxue with Sima Rui? If it wasn't for you, where would Snow Concubine come from?"

  "Maple!" Sima Rui wanted to make a move, but hesitated for half a beat.

  Murong Feng's arm was firmly grasped by Sima Qiang, and she only felt a wave of pain that furrowed her brow. She also felt a chill on the back of her neck, and suddenly thought of the scene she saw on TV - the hostage-taker always held a knife to the hostage's throat. This Sima Qiang didn't seem to have come up with anything new either, probably just carrying a single blade on him. But this move seemed to be quite effective, like now, she couldn't move at all.

  "Simarui is just a rascal, what's good about him? She actually agreed to marry him. If you hadn't married her, Murong Xue would be in your position now, and Father Emperor wouldn't have taken that so-called Snow Concubine. Mother Empress also wouldn't have gone to great lengths to prevent Father Emperor from indulging in women!" Sima Qiang said with hatred.

  Simarui did not dare to move, fearing that Sima Qiang would take action and hurt Murong Feng. Although his martial arts were higher than Sima Qiang's, Murong Feng was in his hands, so he didn't dare to make a move.

  The empress dowager was so angry that she almost spat blood. This Sima Qiang, he did such a thing, and he should have known what kind of person he is, yet he still indulged him. Now he has put Murong Feng in his hands. "Qiang'er, what do you want to do?"