Little Qin was terrified out of her wits, her knees giving way as she collapsed to the ground in a trembling heap.
"Beat her to death!"
The nightmare had descended too suddenly. She kowtowed frantically, her forehead striking the floor in desperate pleas. "Your Majesty, this servant is wronged! I did not stir up trouble—I saw it with my own eyes! Noble Consort Chen and Doctor Mo, in broad daylight—"
The rest of her words were smothered.
The guards had already clamped a hand over Little Qin's mouth, dragging her out of Changxin Palace like discarded refuse. The room plunged into silence, the steam from the evening meal on the table curling in the air. Through the haze, Lu Xuan's face twisted into something monstrous.
