"Look at what she has turned Xiao Qi into." The Emperor spoke with disdain, "That mother and son believe they are hiding well. Do they think I am a fool or blind?"
Sun Kui silently thought: Is this the reason you dislike the Seventh Prince, Your Majesty?
"The Empress believes her noble status as the main daughter of the Xie family makes her superior to everyone. And as for Xiao Qi, he thinks being the main son and the Xie family’s legitimate nephew gives him status even higher than the Crown Prince’s, feeling I should establish him as the Crown Prince."
These words from the Emperor were difficult for Sun Kui to respond to.
"This mother and son both believe they have noble lineage and that everyone in the world should revere them."
Sun Kui could only respond with a dry laugh.
"Go and see the Empress, and relay my words to her." The Emperor was truly reluctant to see Empress Xie.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Sun Kui bowed to the Emperor and retreated respectfully.
Sun Doudou, who was guarding the entrance of the Imperial Study, saw Sun Kui coming out with a troubled expression and quickly approached to ask with concern, "Master, what happened to you? Did the Emperor reprimand you?"
Sun Kui knocked Sun Doudou on the head with the horsetail whisk and said irritably, "What would the Emperor reprimand me for when I have done nothing wrong?"
Sun Doudou smiled fawningly, "I just saw your expression seemed off."
"I am going to Zhao Yang Palace. You stay here and guard the door properly." Sun Kui flicked the horsetail whisk and headed towards Zhao Yang Palace.
Inside Zhao Yang Palace, Empress Xie thought Sun Kui was sent by the Emperor to check on Qin Xiulian, but unexpectedly, he came to see her.
"Mr. Sun, what instructions does the Emperor have?" Empress Xie guessed it might relate to Qin Xiulian, feeling displeased; however, she didn’t show it on her face.
"Your Highness, the Emperor instructed this humble servant to show you this." Sun Kui took out an envelope from his robe and handed it to Empress Xie with both hands.
Empress Xie received the envelope, seeing nothing written on it, she was puzzled.
"You’ll know once you see it."
Upon hearing this, Empress Xie opened the envelope to check the letter inside, and her face instantly changed. Her eyes widened as her always dignified face showed an expression of shock.
Seeing Empress Xie in terror, Sun Kui relayed the Emperor’s words to her truthfully.
"Your Highness, the Emperor asks you not to engage in these activities anymore." The Emperor’s original words were something less refined, but Sun Kui couldn’t speak so directly to Empress Xie, so he conveyed it subtly. "The Emperor also said his patience is not great, forgiving you again and again for the things you’ve done."
Empress Xie turned pale, her hands slightly trembling while holding the letter.
"The Emperor said considering Miss Qin is recovering from her injuries in Zhao Yang Palace, he will overlook this matter this time."
Upon hearing this, Empress Xie’s pale face flushed red with both shame and anger.
"Your Highness, the Emperor’s message has been fully conveyed by this humble servant." Seeing Empress Xie’s unpleasant expression, Sun Kui quickly bade farewell. "This servant takes leave."
After Sun Kui left, Empress Xie tore the letter into shreds.
Standing beside her, Jiang Chuan was filled with terror. She didn’t expect the Emperor to investigate so thoroughly the matter of releasing snakes during the spring hunt. They had carried it out flawlessly, how did the Emperor still manage to investigate them?
Thinking about how the Emperor knew everything they had done, Jiang Chuan trembled in fear.
"Your Highness, the Emperor actually knows everything..."
"To think he pardoned me on account of Qin Xiulian..." What most concerned Empress Xie was this point, not the fact that it was discovered she was the mastermind behind releasing snakes during the spring hunt.
On another side, Princess Consort De, upon learning of her release and the lifting of her house arrest in Yishou Palace, understood that the Emperor had identified the true mastermind behind the plot, which cleared her name.
"Your Highness, the Emperor cleared your name, this is such great news." Manqing felt happy for Princess Consort De.
"I knew it wasn’t me." Princess Consort De’s expression turned resentful, "It must be the Empress who did it."
"Your Highness, it could have been Princess Consort Shu and Princess Consort Liang; it doesn’t necessarily have to be the Empress who did it."
"Princess Consort Shu isn’t that foolish, and Princess Consort Liang doesn’t have such schemes. Only the Empress." Princess Consort De said resentfully, "She wanted to kill two birds with one stone."
"Your Highness, if it really was the Empress, shouldn’t she have used a more venomous snake, killing Noble Princess Consort Rong immediately?" Manqing thought it didn’t seem like something Empress Xie would do, "The snakes in the hunting ground were ordinary venomous snakes, not deadly."
"She doesn’t have the audacity." Princess Consort De retorted with a sneer, "The Empress doesn’t dare release the most venomous snakes to kill Noble Princess Consort Rong."
"Because His Majesty cares about Noble Princess Consort Rong." Princess Consort De responded coldly, "If Noble Princess Consort Rong were killed by a venomous snake, His Majesty would not take it lightly, and the Emperor wouldn’t spare the Empress."
"The lady speaks rightly." Manqing added, "The Emperor hasn’t punished the Empress."
"Having a good elder sister is truly fortunate." Princess Consort De harbored extreme hatred towards Empress Xie, "I will certainly settle this account with the Empress."
In Zhao Yang Palace, Noble Princess Consort Rong learned that the Emperor ordered the lifting of Princess Consort De’s house arrest and also realized the Emperor had found out that the previous snake incident mastermind wasn’t Princess Consort De.
Jin Mei said, "It seems to be the Empress then."
"Who else but her." Noble Princess Consort Rong had long suspected Empress Xie.
"But, the Emperor didn’t punish the Empress."
"That vile Xie Yi has done so much; how many times has the Emperor penalized her?" Noble Princess Consort Rong spoke through gritted teeth, "The Emperor turns a blind eye to that vile Xie Yi’s doings out of respect for the late Empress."
"Your Highness, you were bitten by a snake, and it was venomous." Jin Mei felt indignant for Noble Princess Consort Rong, "How could the Emperor treat you this way?"
"Didn’t I come out unharmed?" Noble Princess Consort Rong said, "If something had happened to me, the Emperor would not easily let the Empress get away."
Jin Mei still felt indignant for Noble Princess Consort Rong, "But..."
Noble Princess Consort Rong interrupted Jin Mei, "That vile Empress is not worth fearing, now our greatest opponent is Qin Xiulian."
Although Noble Princess Consort Rong despised Empress Xie, she never took her seriously, knowing the Emperor did not like Empress Xie. The Emperor respects Empress Xie primarily because of the late Empress and the Xie family.
However, Qin Xiulian was different. She closely resembled Si Youying, whom the Emperor always longed for. The Emperor has Qin Xiulian close to his heart.