There are no secrets in the palace. Early the next morning, the Empress Dowager heard about what happened last night and was furious. She immediately summoned Chu Shaoling to Ci'an Palace.

Chu Shaoling had breakfast with the Empress Dowager. Seeing the slight dark circles under Chu Shaoling's eyes, the Empress Dowager's heart ached unbearably. She embraced Chu Shaoling, tears flowing: "You silly child, why were you writing that thing at night? As long as you are safe and healthy, naturally I will be fine too. How can your young body withstand this?"

Chu Shaoling quickly took the handkerchief from Granny Sun and wiped the Empress Dowager's tears, smiling: "How am I that delicate? It's just that I stayed up a bit late last night. Fortunately, the painting of longevity is finished. I had Wang Muhan send it to the embroidery bureau and told them to embroider a tapestry of longevity according to my painting to make a quilt for Imperial Grandmother when it's done."

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager felt even more heartbroken. She said softly: "My good child, Imperial Grandmother knows you suffered grievances last night. Don't worry, today I will definitely give you justice."

Chu Shaoling lowered his eyes and chuckled lightly. The Empress Dowager bestowed many more things and comforted him properly.

After breakfast, Chu Shaoling went to the Huixin Institute. Half an hour later, the consorts came to Ci'an Palace to pay respects. Noble Consort Li also came trembling with fear. The Empress Dowager swept her eyes over the crowd and said lightly: "I heard last night was quite lively?"

Consort Shu had also heard about last night's farce. At this moment, she really couldn't help but kick someone when they're down. She laughed lightly: "Indeed, I heard the eldest prince has been bathing and burning incense daily to pray for the Empress Dowager's birthday. The other day, this concubine even said the eldest prince can be a role model for the princes. It's truly a pity..."

Consort Shu's bright eyes swept over Noble Consort Li as she sighed: "With the ruckus last night, I'm afraid it has hurt the eldest prince's feelings. Originally, he wanted to quietly pray for blessings for the Empress Dowager, discreetly, without any intention of using this to curry favor. Who would have thought it would be misunderstood as witchcraft? Frost flying in June is nothing more than this. It's really hard on the eldest prince."

The Empress Dowager nodded and sneered: "Indeed, I also heard about this novel matter, but didn't personally go so I'm not very clear. Noble Consort Li, tell me about it."

Noble Consort Li had long broken out in a cold sweat. Hearing this, she immediately left her seat and knelt down, her voice trembling: "This concubine... this concubine heard some unspeakable words and was just afraid the eldest prince had gone astray. I only mentioned it briefly to the Emperor, never expecting the Emperor to really..."

"Never expected what?! You mean this is all the Emperor's fault?!" The Empress Dowager naturally knew the Emperor had been rash last night. Even if he heard unspeakable things, he should have just sent someone to take a look. He just had to go personally, making it such a slap in the face.

But as a mother, she was inevitably biased. How could the Emperor be wrong? The Empress Dowager couldn't help but place all the blame on Noble Consort Li. "If it weren't for your instigation, how would the Emperor know about any witchcraft?! Now you still dare to argue!"

Noble Consort Li's face turned purple. She never thought the Empress Dowager would reprimand her like this in front of all the consorts. Now it was wrong to speak and wrong to stay silent. She couldn't help but cry: "Empress Dowager, this concubine truly didn't do it on purpose..."

The Empress Dowager sneered: "Fine, you didn't do it on purpose, so you could instigate the Emperor to visit Bitao Palace at night, frame the prince. Fortunately, Ling'er knows his conduct and can tolerate it. If he was a bit more impulsive, I'm afraid last night he would have smashed his head and died! Letting a lowly woman like you humiliate him! What would you use to compensate me then? The life of the eldest legitimate prince, can you afford it?!"

The more the Empress Dowager thought about it, the angrier she became. She raged: "You still dare to say you didn't do it on purpose?! How do I know you weren't trying to drive a wedge between the Emperor and Ling'er? I've been considerate of you all day long since you've served the Emperor for many years and bore Ruan'er. So in everything I've given you some face. Who knew your heart was so vicious!"

Noble Consort Li kowtowed incessantly, crying: "This concubine doesn't dare. Empress Dowager, you are truly wronging this concubine..."

"I'm wronging you?" The Empress Dowager sneered. "Yes, I must be wronging you. I forgot, you must have known early on that Ling'er was praying for my longevity. Of course you couldn't stand it. You couldn't wait to go ruin my blessings!"

The Empress Dowager piled one huge grievance after another on top of her. Noble Consort Li inwardly cried bitterly. At this moment, there was no way to explain. Last night's matter was truly too shameful. After leaving Bitao Palace, the Emperor didn't pay any more attention to her and went straight back to Chengqian Palace. Noble Consort Li knew the Emperor was also angry with her. At this time, he couldn't save her.

The Empress Dowager said coldly to the crowd in the hall: "The Empress is gone, the affairs of the rear palace cannot be left unattended. So I temporarily entrusted Noble Consort Li to act on behalf of the phoenix seal. It seems I have given some people ideas they shouldn't have. Today, I will make this clear. Not to mention there is no Empress at present, even if one is established in the future, it must be someone with talent and virtue, with magnanimity! If one doesn't even have morality, speech, countenance, and merits, it's best to give up early. I used to think you all came from noble families and knew propriety yourselves. I was reluctant to speak too plainly. It seems I was wrong."

The Empress Dowager looked at Noble Consort Li with disgust and said: "Noble Consort Li Zhen is without virtue or talent, jealous and suspicious, unworthy of heavy responsibility. As of today, strip her of the noble consort title, demote her to Consort Li, take back the phoenix seal. The affairs of the rear palace will be jointly managed by Consort Shu and Consort Xian."

Consort Shu and Consort Xian hurriedly knelt to receive the imperial decree. The Empress Dowager said lightly: "I'm letting you manage the six palaces because I trust you to be fair and impartial in handling matters. I don't want to see what happened today again."

Consort Shu and Consort Xian bowed their heads and accepted the teachings.

The Empress Dowager felt much better after venting her anger. Looking at Consort Li kneeling on the ground trembling, she said lightly: "For Ruan'er's sake, I'm giving you a light punishment as a warning. You'd best behave yourself."

Having climbed to the noble consort position with great difficulty only to be stripped of it in a day, with the phoenix seal also taken back, Consort Li had long gone limp. She kowtowed and muttered: "This concubine will definitely reflect on my mistakes behind closed doors and will no longer act foolishly."

The Empress Dowager nodded and said coldly: "Yes, Consort Li should reflect well in Linzhi Palace these days. If there's nothing important, no need to go out and stir up trouble. You are all dismissed."

The consorts hurriedly got up and withdrew.

The Empress Dowager felt quite happy in her heart. Her anger was real, but today she was indeed taking advantage of the situation to some extent. Back when Consort Li was promoted to noble consort, she had disapproved. But the Emperor liked her and was determined to elevate her. The Zhen family was in the Emperor's good graces. The Empress Dowager couldn't say anything.

Now that Consort Li had misbehaved and even angered the Emperor, the Empress Dowager naturally had to take this opportunity to give this woman a good dressing-down.

Empress Dowager believed that Consort Li should not become too powerful. If she did, it would give Chu Shaoruan and those around him ideas they shouldn't have. It would also make the Zhen family more influential. By then, the Empress Dowager's maternal family, the Jing'guo Duke Manor, and Chu Shaoling's maternal family, the Zijun Marquis Manor, would inevitably be restrained. If the Empress Dowager and the previous Empress's maternal families were overshadowed by a mere consort's family, people would not say the Zhen family was domineering, but rather that Empress Dowager Wei was incompetent.

Although the Empress Dowager was devoted to Buddhism, her mind was still as clear as a mirror. For more than a dozen generations since the founding of the Chu State, the empresses had always come from the Wei family of the Jing'guo Duke Manor, the Ling family of the Zijun Marquis Manor, and the Jing family of the Su'guo Duke Manor. These surnames had intricate ties with the Chu family, complementing and prospering or declining together. Whether for the sake of her maternal family, for Chu Shaoling, or for the glory of the aristocratic clans, the Empress Dowager would not allow a woman surnamed Zhen to become Empress.

Once power shifted outside, it would be difficult to regain. If Consort Li became Empress, the position of the imperial harem would likely be held by those surnamed Zhen for the next few generations.

The Empress Dowager sent Granny Sun to invite the Emperor to Ci'an Palace for lunch. She had severely reprimanded Consort Li in the morning, so the Emperor must also have something to say to her.

The Emperor arrived as promised at lunchtime. He paid respects as usual, and the Empress Dowager maintained her loving maternal demeanor. There was no conversation during the meal.

After the palace servants cleared the bowls, plates, and cups, and served tea, the Empress Dowager ordered them to withdraw, and the mother and son began to talk intimately.

"I stripped Consort Li of her noble consort title this morning. I suppose the Emperor already knows," the Empress Dowager said after taking a sip of tea. "Do you blame me for acting on my own authority?"

"I wouldn't dare," the Emperor replied. If it were any other time, he would indeed be displeased, but thinking of last night's vexing incident, he nodded. "Consort Li acted in a panic and indeed deserved punishment."

The Empress Dowager set down her teacup, her voice softening. "It's not that I'm blaming you. From the beginning, I disapproved of your promotion of Consort Li, but you didn't listen. Now, do you see that Consort Li is too selfish and narrow-minded? Is she suitable to be established as Empress? With her biased actions and impetuous temperament, can she be a model for the world?"

"I know you have always favored her, so you repeatedly promoted her and her maternal family. I didn't say anything. But there should be limits to everything. Consort Li's moral character is unworthy of heavy responsibility. If the Emperor insists on having his way, I'm afraid it will harm her even more."

The Emperor listened silently for a long time before saying, "I understand. Let Consort Li reflect on her mistakes for now."

The Empress Dowager nodded slowly. "In recent years, my energy has waned, and there are many areas I can no longer attend to. Fortunately, the Empress has been here to handle everything properly without any scandals. It's a pity about the position of Empress. The Emperor will have to consider it himself."

Even though the Emperor favored Consort Li, he knew that since the phoenix seal was handed to her, the management of the harem had become far inferior to before. The Emperor did not love the previous Empress, but in terms of managing the harem, Empress Ling indeed put his mind at ease.

"There's one more thing," the Empress Dowager smiled. "Ling'er is an extremely filial child, just not one to express it verbally, so he doesn't often gain your favor. Yesterday's incident was truly a grievance for him. Do comfort him properly. The bond between father and son is natural. There's nothing that can't be resolved."

The Emperor nodded. "This morning, I already sent someone to deliver many treasures to Bitao Palace to commend the Crown Prince for his unfailing filial piety."

The Empress Dowager smiled. "As it should be."

The Emperor accompanied the Empress Dowager in conversation for another half day. When he returned to the Imperial Study to discuss government affairs, the vacant position of the Cavalry Battalion Commander was brought up. Marquis Zijun nominated Wei Zhan of the Mounted Escort Battalion, while Consort Li's father, the Minister of Personnel Zhen Jiaxin, nominated Feng De of the Forest Guards. The Emperor hesitated slightly before appointing Wei Zhan.