"My son's words are absolutely right." A hint of warmth flashed across Emperor Qian Yuan's face. He turned back to Yun Yirou. "Consort Xian, you heard the crown prince. Starting today, you will stay in Gathered Essence Palace until I prove your innocence."
Yun Yirou's face lost all color, her expression collapsing. "Your Majesty…"
Gathered Essence Palace was the cold palace of the Great Zhou royal court. Emperor Qian Yuan waved his hand, and two imposing palace maids stepped up beside Yun Yirou. These two were imperial attendants personally assigned by the emperor.
Yun Yirou looked like she wanted to shout. But when she saw these two, she shivered and fell silent. The appearance of the imperial attendants meant Emperor Qian Yuan was ready to kill. If she dared resist, they would drag her out by force, leaving her completely humiliated.
The attendant on the left said, "Consort Xian, please."
Yun Yirou staggered as the two attendants supported her out of the hall.
Ding!
[The host, together with the former emperor Yang Yuan, has successfully forced Empress Dowager Yun Yirou into the cold palace.]
[Yang Xiu's most trusted supporter in the harem has been cut off, granting the host a massive victory in the struggle against Yang Xiu.]
[With Yun Yirou's imprisonment, she has suffered great trauma. The host's achievement in this mission is rated as excellent.]
[Reward: one tael of high-grade Earth Spirit Divine Milk. Will the host claim the reward or continue the mission?]
Yang Cheng was delighted. This mission had been too easy. He had barely done anything but speak, yet he'd achieved an excellent rating.
A moment later, a dark gleam flashed in Yang Cheng's eyes. "Continue the mission."
Perhaps Father only planned to imprison Yun Yirou, but from Mother's aura, he sensed killing intent. Yun Yirou's fate might not end with just being thrown into the cold palace.
[Host has chosen to continue the mission. Reward will not yet be granted.]
At the same time, Emperor Qian Yuan said, "Empress, Consort Xian is your sister as well as a concubine. The investigation of her crimes will be entrusted to you."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Yun Liyue answered.
Emperor Qian Yuan stood up immediately. He had state affairs to attend to and couldn't remain in the harem. Once he left, Yun Liyue knelt down to meet Yang Cheng's eyes. "Cheng'er, you are the crown prince, but I never intended for you to bear any burdens. You don't need to feel pressured or force yourself to live up to your father's or my expectations."
Yang Cheng smiled faintly. "Mother, I want to face the storms of life—not because of any crown prince's duty or anyone's expectations, but simply because I want to. For me, fighting the heavens, the earth, and people is the greatest joy."
Yun Liyue looked shocked. "Cheng'er, do you really feel that way?"
"Of course," Yang Cheng replied. "For a lamb, staying in the pen is comfortable. But for a tiger cub, it's unbearable."
Hu Po chuckled nearby. "Your Majesty, the crown prince didn't just inherit your and His Majesty's outstanding bloodline. In this servant's eyes, he's not a tiger cub but a young dragon. Ordinary creatures fear the storm and suffer in it. But for a young dragon, the storm itself is where joy begins."
Yun Liyue shook her head with a laugh. "It seems I underestimated my son. But know this: Mother won't shackle you or force you. I only want you to live your life as you wish. If you want a peaceful life, I'll do everything to make it so. But if you wish to soar, I will help you fly."
"Mother, having you is the best," Yang Cheng said softly.
Yun Liyue couldn't resist pinching Yang Cheng's little nose. Then she grew serious. "Cheng'er, if you truly want to face the storm, come with me to Gathered Essence Palace. But if you find it too much, you must tell me right away so we can withdraw."
Yang Cheng firmly placed his tiny hand in Yun Liyue's palm. But before they could set off, a maid came rushing in. "Your Majesty, Madam is here to pay her respects."
"Mother has come?" Yun Liyue's expression shifted slightly. Then she said, "Let her in."
A moment later, an old woman with silver hair walked in slowly. Her hair was meticulously arranged into a neat bun at the back of her head, secured with a jade hairpin. She held a string of sandalwood prayer beads in her hand, and every move she made carried the air of a grand noble family.
This old woman was none other than Yun Liyue's mother and Yang Cheng's grandmother—the Madam of Duke Wei.
No one noticed the darkness that flashed through Yang Cheng's eyes at that moment. In his past life, after his crown prince title was stripped and his mother thrown into the cold palace, the Marquis Loyal and Brave's household should have fallen into ruin. But the truth was just the opposite—the Marquis's family continued to thrive. Especially after Yun Yirou was later elevated to "Empress Dowager of the Western Palace" by Yang Xiu, how could Yang Cheng not suspect something?
"Mother, what brings you here?" Yun Liyue asked.
The Madam of Duke Wei looked stern. "With something this big happening in the palace, how could I not come?" She held Yang Heng's hand tightly. When her eyes landed on Yang Heng, they were full of doting affection, but when they swept over Yang Cheng, they were cold and indifferent, without a hint of warmth.
"So Mother already knows what happened?" Yun Liyue said calmly.
"The emperor's shadow guards came to our mansion looking for the Yin-Yang Resurrection Pill. How could I not know?" the Madam said. "Liyue, your sister did something wrong, but you're family. Why let this blow up into such a scandal? Now that things have come to this, how will it end?"
Yun Liyue's gaze grew dark. "Mother, do you even know what my sister did?"
"Of course I know," the Madam said bluntly. "That foolish girl must have lost her mind to actually try and assassinate Cheng'er." She looked at Yang Cheng. "Cheng'er, what happened today wronged you. But don't worry, your grandmother will give your aunt a stern scolding to make things right."
Yang Cheng blinked, pretending he didn't understand. But inside, he nearly laughed. This grandmother really was hopelessly biased. Yun Yirou had tried to hire the Seven Kill Society to murder him. If he hadn't had innate divine strength, he'd already be dead. And the Madam's idea of making it up to him was just to scold Yun Yirou?
Yun Liyue's expression stiffened slightly. "Mother, then how do you think I should handle her?"
"Find a way to turn a big matter into a small one, and a small matter into nothing," the Madam said seriously. "I know you're angry, but if you want to punish her, do it privately. Publicly, don't let it blow up or threaten Yirou's status as a consort. Since the emperor has left the investigation to you, just tell him afterward that it was the fault of Yirou's palace maids, and that she herself was completely unaware."
Yun Liyue didn't lose her temper. She only asked quietly, "Mother, did you and Father know that my sister took the Yin-Yang Resurrection Pill?"
"Of course we did," the Madam said with a straight face. "I gave it to her myself. So you can't blame her for this. If I hadn't given her the pill, she wouldn't have been able to hire the Seven Kill Society or cause such a disaster."
Hearing this, Yun Liyue couldn't help but smile faintly. "Mother, I understand now. Don't worry, I'll handle this properly."
"That's good," the Madam said with a sigh of relief. "You're the empress, and Yirou is your sister. You should be generous and magnanimous."
"Fourth Brother," Yang Cheng suddenly called out.
Everything the Madam had said today had irritated him, and he could only imagine how much worse it was for his mother. After all, Yun Liyue was the Madam's own daughter. How could these words not chill her heart?
Yang Cheng wasn't going to let this go. If the Madam could upset him and his mother, then he'd make sure she felt the same. He knew punishing the Madam herself was pointless. But since she doted on Yang Heng so much, he'd start with Yang Heng to hit her where it hurt.