Unfortunately, Liao Tingyan moved too slowly, while the two gossiping palace maids spoke too quickly. Before she could take two steps, they had already finished saying the key points.

"Who would have thought that His Majesty was not actually born to Empress Duan, and was only recorded under her name because of his mother's special circumstances."

"Special circumstances? What do you mean?"

"Actually, His Majesty's birth mother was not any of the beauties in the late emperor's harem, but rather the early departed Princess Ciyu."

"Princess Ciyu?! Wasn't she the late emperor's own sister? Then His Majesty... His Majesty was born of incest between siblings?!"

Ah--

Liao Tingyan held her forehead and cursed. Damn, what a huge secret! Hearing this kind of secret will definitely lead to trouble, so before anything happens, quickly take the people and leave!

Having made up her mind, she raised her head and saw Sima Jiao standing expressionlessly not far away, clearly having heard those words just now. The palace servants behind him looked as if they were about to be scared to death.

Liao Tingyan: "......"

There it was, the rule that gossiping behind someone's back will definitely be heard by the subject, and the rule that learning a secret will inevitably be found out! So why was the timing so uncanny? It was filled with a sense of unnaturalness, as if it had been arranged by someone.

On the other side of the wall, the two palace maids were still talking. "Back then, Princess Ciyu contracted a mental illness and lived in Shunhua Palace not far from this plum garden. One day, a huge fire broke out, and the entire palace, including Princess Ciyu and dozens of palace servants, were all burned to death."

"Ah?!"

"Not long after that, the incident at Taiyi Palace occurred."

Seeing Sima Jiao's expression growing more and more terrifying, Liao Tingyan really wanted to shout at those two spoiler-spewing palace maids to shut up. Now someone was really going to die. Liao Tingyan looked at Sima Jiao's frightening face, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

It was the first time she had personally witnessed the process of Sima Jiao falling ill while conscious, more terrifying than any of the previous times she had seen.

His eyes were filled with blood, looking strange and frightening at first glance. His expression also turned fierce and irritable, as if suppressing some kind of pain, constantly gasping for breath. He was furiously enraged, his expression devoid of any of the harmlessness he had shown her in the past, only pure anger and murderous intent.

"Go." Sima Jiao squeezed out this single word from between his teeth, raising his hand to point at the flower window beside Liao Tingyan. "Drag those two over here for me."

As soon as he said this, two eunuchs with lowered heads emerged from behind him, quickly running along the corridor, turning to the back and grabbing those two gossiping palace maids. Liao Tingyan only heard two screams of fright before the two terrified palace maids were dragged in front of Sima Jiao.

Sima Jiao stepped on the fingers of the palace maid who had spoken, his voice cruel. "Who told you to deliberately say those words here?"

The palace maid cried out in pain. "Your Majesty... no... no one... this servant... this servant was just... just talking nonsense, ah--"

Sima Jiao, his eyes red, ground his foot down. A teeth-gritting crunch and a distorted scream entered the ears of everyone present.

Liao Tingyan closed her eyes and turned her head away, but the screams became even clearer. At the same time, Sima Jiao's icy voice rang out.

He said, "Recently, I have been too lenient, allowing these dogs to forget who they really are. Take them down and interrogate them thoroughly. If they refuse to speak, skin them alive, and like before, hang them in front of Taiyi Palace."

After a rustling sound, the two were gagged and dragged away. Liao Tingyan only saw a pool of bright red blood left on the snow. Sima Jiao left without even glancing at her.

The plum blossom forest returned to silence. Liao Tingyan didn't know what to do for a moment, but then heard Guiye beside her say in a tearful voice, "Noble Consort, save me, this servant... this servant doesn't want to die!"

Liao Tingyan found that her face was full of fear, her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't help but be surprised. "What's the matter? His Majesty didn't say he was going to kill you?"

Although she had also been scared out of her wits by Sima Jiao just now, she hadn't experienced the extreme terror that Guiye had.

Guiye shook her head and cried, "No, after hearing about these things, His Majesty will definitely deal with us."

Liao Tingyan looked at the other palace maids and servants who had accompanied her. They all had looks of despair on their faces. She saw the two palace maids who had intentionally or unintentionally led her over here, also trembling with fear. She frowned and said, "Let's go back first."

As soon as they returned to Furong Palace, Liao Tingyan saw a green-robed eunuch leading a group of palace servants standing at the palace gate waiting for her.

"Noble Consort, this servant is here on His Majesty's orders to take people away," the green-robed eunuch stepped forward and said.

Liao Tingyan asked, "Including me?"

The green-robed eunuch hurriedly smiled apologetically. "Noble Consort, you jest. Of course it's only these palace servants behind you. Rest assured, a new batch of palace servants has been selected to serve you. These new people will only be more obedient and more to your liking." He bowed, his attitude extremely respectful.

Liao Tingyan was silent for a moment, hearing the desperate sobs behind her. She pinched her fingers and pointed to the two flower-holding palace maids. "Just take them away. I want to keep the others."

The green-robed eunuch hesitated. "But this... it has always been like this, there is no such rule..."

Liao Tingyan: "Keep them. I will personally speak to His Majesty about it."

No one in the palace had ever disobeyed Sima Jiao's decisions. If it were anyone else, the green-robed eunuch wouldn't have to think twice and would directly ignore them and forcibly take the people away.

But Liao Tingyan was different. These past few days, her interactions with His Majesty had been seen by all those who served them. They couldn't be sure if His Majesty would pardon this Noble Consort because of this and agree to her request, so he was very hesitant.

In the end, the green-robed eunuch gritted his teeth and still chose to follow Liao Tingyan's orders, only allowing the eunuchs behind him who had come to take people to take away the two flower-holding palace maids.

As soon as they left, Guiye and the others felt as if they had escaped with their lives and immediately knelt down in gratitude. "Thank you, Noble Consort! Thank you, Noble Consort!"

Liao Tingyan waved her hand and silently passed through the pearl curtain into the palace. The pearl curtain parted and fell again, the beads colliding with a light tapping sound.

The green-robed eunuch returned to Taiyi Palace to report back. At this time, the rear hall of Taiyi Palace was in a state of disarray. Sima Jiao sat in the center, his hair loose, his pale knuckles forcefully pressed against his protruding temple veins.

Upon hearing the response from the eunuch in green, Sima Jiao looked up. "Oh, so you only brought two people back?"

"Yes," the green-robed eunuch replied nervously, not daring to look him in the eye.

Sima Jiao curled his lip. "Since the Noble Consort is unwilling, then forget it..."

Hearing this, the eunuch finally relaxed. However, in the next moment, he heard Sima Jiao say: "But I feel that so many people must die. Since those people escaped disaster, the ones who should die will be chosen from the people you brought over. After all, you failed to handle the matter, so you must take responsibility for it."

After the pale-faced eunuch left, the Grand Protector Gao entered. Seeing Sima Jiao's appearance, he showed some concern. "Your Majesty, do you need to take some medicine?"

"Medicine...medicine? The kind that will make me like a dead man after taking it?" Sima Jiao suddenly exploded, kicking over the only intact table and lamp stand in front of him.

Grand Protector Gao was used to it and didn't even bat an eyelid, waiting for him to vent before sitting back down and continuing, "If Your Majesty doesn't want to take medicine, why not go see the Noble Consort?"

Sima Jiao's expression was gloomy. "No need, I scared her. Let her calm down for a bit."

"Did you find out who deliberately sent me such a special 'gift'?"

Grand Protector Gao replied, "Although it's not certain yet, it can't be unrelated to the Duan family."

"Haha, the Duan family." Sima Jiao's face twisted. "I guessed it was the Duan family. They still remember their Empress who died many years ago, and that prince who didn't live to adulthood. How could they be content to see me have an heir...They deliberately reminded me and warned those around me...Ha, the Duan family."

"I've really tolerated them for too long." Sima Jiao was full of murderous intent, not hiding it at all.

Even Grand Protector Gao, who watched him grow up, felt alarmed. He cautiously advised, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Duan is wholeheartedly devoted to the prosperity of the family. He doesn't seem like someone who would do such an impulsive thing. Moreover, this matter is full of flaws, unlike Grand Tutor Duan's usual style."

Sima Jiao clutched the wooden beads on his wrist. "I know it's not him, but for the foolish things done by his Duan family members, if the responsible person can't be found, then he'll have to bear it."

As he said this, he yanked hard, instantly breaking the bead string. The beads scattered and rolled away, bouncing on the ground.

"Someone from the Duan family must die."

......

At the Duan family's main residence, Grand Tutor Duan slapped his second son to the ground. "You good-for-nothing!"

Duan Songfeng got up from the ground and knelt before his father, looking indifferent.

Grand Tutor Duan was usually calm, but seeing his son like this, he couldn't suppress his anger. He demanded, "Was it you who did it?"

"Father already knows, so why ask me?" Duan Songfeng replied mockingly. "I don't think I did anything extraordinary, just reminding our Emperor how dirty the bloodline in his body is."

As he spoke, his expression grew more resentful. "Such an incestuous son, and we still have to bow and scrape before him! If the previous Emperor hadn't gone mad and killed the other princes, leaving only this thing, how could it be his turn to sit on the throne! The previous Emperor, that madman! He killed my sister, killed the prince that belonged to our Duan family, all for this little beast. Now this little beast is complacent, and he still wants to continue his bloodline? Bah!"

Seeing his son's crazed appearance, Grand Tutor Duan was so angry that he kicked him again. "You're only capable of ruining things! The emperors of the Sima family are all madmen. The current Emperor is even crazier than the previous one. Since you know that, you still provoke him. Do you think our Duan family is living too peacefully?!"

Duan Songfeng sat on the ground, pressing his chest with one hand, not taking his father's anger seriously. "He's crazy, not stupid. Would he really make a move against our Duan family? Hah, does he dare? He only dares to kill a few palace servants to vent his anger, that useless little beast. I just want to see him without descendants. He favors a woman, right? I want to see, knowing his secret, which woman would dare to bear a child for him. He deserves to have no descendants, hahahaha!"

Shaking his head, Grand Tutor Duan looked at this son with disappointment. "You've really made too many mistakes over the years."

Duan Songfeng looked at his father with the same disappointed gaze. "I don't think I did anything wrong. On the contrary, Father and Big Brother are the ones who were wrong. I can't understand, after Sima Yu killed my sister and her child, how could you continue to loyally serve him without any qualms, and even now continue to support such a bastard as emperor, tolerating him in every way. Isn't this too ridiculous?!"

Grand Tutor Duan just looked at him and shook his head calmly. "Songfeng, you're not fit to be a member of the Duan family." With that, he turned and walked out.

A middle-aged man with a long beard stood outside the door. Seeing Grand Tutor Duan come out, he said, "Father, there's no need to be so angry. Second Brother has always been willful like this. The most important thing now is how to resolve this matter."

Grand Tutor Duan's expression was cold. "How else can it be resolved? Sima Jiao has that loyal dog Gao by his side. It's only a matter of time before they come to investigate."

"Then what is Father's intention?"

"Songfeng has really disappointed me too much. I've already given him countless chances over the years, but he's always been immersed in personal hatred, unable to see the current turbulent situation. If he continues to cause trouble, one day he will stir up even bigger problems. Our Duan family doesn't need such an existence. He should also take responsibility for his own stupidity."

"I understand, Father." Sacrificing the rook to save the king was imperative.

The father and son stood under the corridor. Grand Tutor Duan raised his hand to catch a falling leaf and said softly, "The cold wind in Luoyang is bone-chilling, but who knows if the spring breeze from the south can cross over?"

In the south, the restless Lord of Southern Qin.

......

Liao Tingyan did not go to Sima Jiao's bedchamber that night. She slept in her own Furong Palace. No one came to summon her from Sima Jiao's side. The palace was unusually quiet tonight.

In the middle of the night, Liao Tingyan was startled awake by the sound of wind and rain. She suddenly opened her eyes and saw a dark figure sitting by the bed.