Inside Star Palace.
Consort Zhen knelt weakly in the grand hall, her complexion pale, trembling all over, tears streaming down her face, filled with self-blame and remorse, yet coupled with fear and unease. She hurriedly confessed, revealing the details of the plot against the Imperial Heir as she knew them.
Finally, Consort Zhen slowly bowed her head, trembling as she said, "Your Majesty, your servant knows her sins are grave. But whenever I think about how my cowardice and incompetence, fearing others' power and not daring to identify the real culprit, caused Sister Lian to suffer and allowed Consort De to be wrongly accused without the chance for her name to be cleared, I find myself unable to eat or sleep. But your servant is truly afraid of that person..."
Compared to before, she had lost much weight, dark circles under her eyes, her face haggard, looking as if she hadn't slept well for days.
