In the Changle Palace.

  Mu Qing watched as the imperial physician took Wu Guifei's pulse, then stepped forward and replied.

  She glanced at Mu Zhi beside her, signaling her to send the imperial physician out, then looked at Wu Guifei and smiled: "Your Highness, you also heard it, the imperial physician said you're not ill, your body is as good as it can be."

  Empress Wu smoothed out her sleeves, her face filled with anger, but still forced herself to calm down and hummed: "Hasn't Consort Mu ever heard that some illnesses are acute, they come quickly and go quickly? I was ill yesterday, but today I'm fine."

  Mu Qing said: "Since the noble consort was still able to attend the theater performance yesterday, it seems that even if her body is not well, it won't affect her attendance at court meetings and banquets. The empress told me that if a palace lady is really ill, she can report to the empress and take a leave of absence. The empress will understand as we are all sisters serving the emperor together. However, if this is just an excuse, then today the noble consort sets a precedent, tomorrow other palace ladies will follow suit, and it will be impossible for the empress to manage them. Therefore, today, I'm afraid the noble consort must be inconvenienced."

  "Which of you dares to kill me? I am a first-rank imperial concubine, and I have given birth to two princes. Who gave you the audacity to humiliate me like this? Have you asked the emperor?"

  Mu Qing's face was respectful as she said, "I wouldn't dare!" She smiled slightly and looked at Wu Guifei, her voice still calm and composed. "Just like Your Highness said, you are a first-rank imperial concubine who has served the Emperor for over ten years and given birth to two princes. You can't be wrong. Even if there is a mistake, it must be the fault of the palace maids who have been persuading or advising you poorly. If they can't even serve Your Highness properly, then they are useless and should be sent back to the Palace of Concubines to learn their rules again. As for Your Highness, the Empress has given orders that not a single hair on your head can be harmed. Otherwise, when the Emperor asks about it, she will have no way to explain."

  As she spoke, her eyes turned stern and she ordered the eunuchs beside her: "Bring in all the palace maids and eunuchs of the fourth rank and above from the Shao Yang Palace and tie them up."

  The palace maids and inner attendants of Chao Yang Palace exchanged a flustered glance before shifting their gaze to Imperial Consort Wu.

  The Empress Wu stood up from her chair, glaring at her with a stern voice: "How dare you!" Then, dragging her long palace dress, she rushed over and slapped Mu Qing's face with a loud "slap".

  "This is the Zhao Yang Palace, and it's not your turn yet, you dog slave, to be barking wildly here. You dare to touch my people? Try it, unless you can step over my corpse."

  If she allows the people in her palace to be taken away by the people of Changkun Palace today, tomorrow this noble consort will not even need to step out of the harem.

  Mu Qing's face was burning with pain, Wu Guifei had long fingernails, and when her palm came down, she could even feel her own face being scratched by her.

  But Mu Qing didn't care, turning her head back, with the same resolute and unyielding gaze at the bright red palm print, looking at Wu Guifei: "Your Highness, do you want me to bring out the Phoenix Seal again?"

  "Good empress, is this taking me as an example to kill a chicken and scare the monkeys?"

  Mu Qing knelt down on one knee to her, then ordered the palace maid beside him: "What are you still dawdling for? Don't invite the noble consort to sit in her seat, and then take out the palace maids of Zhao Yang Palace."

  Then there were palace people who came out and knelt down in front of Wu Guifei to confess their crimes, then they stretched out their hands and pushed Wu Guifei onto the seat.

  Empress Wu was so angry that she wanted to kill someone, and while struggling, she angrily said: "Rebellion, rebellion, you are all rebellious!" Saying that, she also angrily ordered the palace staff beside her: "Are you all dead? The palace is being humiliated by others, why don't you quickly avenge for me?"

  Mu Qing held up the Phoenix Seal again, and sternly shouted at the restless palace maids: "The Phoenix Seal is here. If anyone dares to resist, they will be beaten to death without exception!"

  Then some of the eunuchs who were about to step forward again withdrew their legs and knelt on the ground, shouting: "Please forgive us, Your Majesty."

  In the Zhao Yang Palace, all the palace maids of the fourth rank and above were taken out one by one. Wu Guifei sat on a chair, scolding and cursing loudly, saying "You wait for me" and then again "I will kill you, this dog slave."

  Mu Qing looked at the empty half of the main hall of Zhao Yang Palace, and the remaining palace people also knelt on the ground with a humble attitude. Mu Qing then turned her eyes to He Bao Lin, who was holding the fourth prince and had not made a sound, standing quietly to one side, trying to make everyone ignore her, and said with deep meaning: "He Bao Lin, I think it's time for you to change the palace people around you too."

  She looked at the fourth prince in her hand again and said, "If Bao Lin still doesn't understand the rules of the harem, next time the empress will have to invite a wet nurse to re-teach Bao Lin the rules. I'm sure by then Bao Lin will be busy and won't have time to take care of the fourth prince, so the empress can only choose another palace concubine to take care of the fourth prince."

  He Baolin was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he hastily hugged the fourth prince tightly and knelt down on the ground, his voice trembling as he said: "The concubine listens to the teachings of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, and will definitely study hard and learn the rules."

  Mu Qing nodded slightly and gestured to the people beside her, then curtsied to Wu Guifei before leading the remaining palace staff away.

  After Wu Guifei was released, she sat paralyzed on the ground, hardly daring to believe it was true. That little scoundrel actually dared to operate on her.

  She was so angry that she became somewhat absent-minded, muttering in a low voice: "Rebelled, rebelled, really rebelled!"

  Her personal attendants had been taken away and bound, leaving only lower-ranking palace maids who did not dare to come forward.

  He Baolin knelt on the ground, still tightly hugging the fourth prince. After a long time, he gently wiped the sweat from his forehead and face, then gently handed the fourth prince over to the palace maid. He stood up, walked forward, and then knelt down to help Wu Guifei up, saying: "Your Majesty, please get up first!"

  Empress Wu pushed her away and angrily said: "I'm going to find the Emperor, I'm going to find the Emperor. I don't believe the Emperor will indulge her in bullying the first-rank imperial noble consort of the harem. Who gave her the guts, I'll go ask the Emperor, who gave her the guts..."

  She got up from the ground and staggered towards the door. The palace maid behind her stood up, hastily calling out "Your Highness" as she followed.

  Mu Qing handed over the bound palace maid to the Yīng Tián Palace, and after handing her over to the female official in charge of the Yīng Tián Palace, he then took Mù Zhī back to the Cháng Kūn Palace.

  She held up the box with the phoenix seal over her head, knelt down in front of Lin Daiyu and said solemnly: "Your Ladyship, I'm glad to have not failed your orders!"

  Lin Xiao opened the lid and took a look at the intact Feng Yin, then made eye contact with Mu Lan to have her put it back in its original place.

  Lin Yan said: "Thank you for your hard work." She glanced at the wound on her face and continued: "First, let the palace maid apply medicine to your wounds, then I have something else to discuss with you."