"Raise your head!"

Jiang Chen's voice was cold, filled with an irresistible authority.

The woman in the emerald palace dress trembled, terrified to the extreme. Daring not to disobey, she slowly raised her head. "Your...Your Majesty..."

Jiang Chen scrutinized her face, frowning as he questioned, "Who are you? What is your relationship with Mei Ruoying?"

Tears streaked the woman's face, yet she dared not wipe them away, shivering as she said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant's maiden name is Mei Chuyao."

She paused, glancing up to observe Jiang Chen's expression, her tone hesitant. "Noble Consort Mei, she... she is this servant's master."

Jiang Chen was amused by her clumsy acting, his voice turning cold. "Do you know that deceiving the Emperor is a capital crime?"

"I'll give you one more chance to confess. If you're still not honest, you'll be thrown into the imperial prison and subjected to severe torture!"

Mei Chuyao's pretty face turned pale with fright, tears welling up again. "Your...Your Majesty, this servant was wrong! This servant will confess now!"

She choked out, "This servant is a daughter of the Mei family, brought into the palace by my older sister to be responsible for... for serving Your Majesty."

Her voice grew softer and softer, tinged with a hint of shyness at the end.

Jiang Chen noticed her performance and was somewhat astonished, frowning as he asked, "You, serve me? When?"

Mei Chuyao heard the doubt in Jiang Chen's voice, a flash of dimness crossing her beautiful eyes, quickly concealed as she lowered her head.

"Your Majesty, this servant has always lived in a secret chamber built by the Noble Consort. I am only released when it is time to serve you, so you have never known of this servant's existence."

"However, the duty of attending to Your Majesty in bed... has always been borne by this servant."

Seeing her sincere demeanor, Jiang Chen fell into contemplation.

In his memories, Mei Ruoying always extinguished the candles or deliberately created a hazy atmosphere whenever she received his favor.

Could it be...?

Jiang Chen's expression turned cold, a possibility occurring to him!

"So, are you saying that since entering the palace, Mei Ruoying has never received my favor?"

Mei Chuyao was so frightened by Jiang Chen's stern tone that she knelt on the ground, horrified. "Your Majesty, please forgive me! This servant did not intentionally deceive Your Majesty!"

"It's just that when entering the palace, my older sister threatened this servant that if I refused to obey, she would send me to the Jiaofang Division (a brothel) to be trampled upon... This servant was also helpless!"

"Older sister?" Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed.

Mei Chuyao realized that she had let slip in her panic, her eyes filled with fear, and she dared not speak again.

"You and Mei Ruoying, are you biological sisters?"

Jiang Chen's voice was calm, as if merely asking casually.

But those present felt a chill run down their spines, their hairs standing on end.

As the Emperor's close aides, they could feel the towering rage in His Majesty's heart!

Mei Ruoying was truly audacious, daring to deceive even the Emperor, and for so long. How could His Majesty not be angry?

Thinking this, they all held their breaths, reducing their presence, fearing being implicated.

Mei Chuyao, kneeling on the ground, also vaguely sensed the danger, her heart filled with fear, unable to think of a way to cope, only sobbing, "Dare not deceive Your Majesty, this servant is a daughter of the Minister Mei, and Noble Consort is this servant's half-sister."

"It's just that this servant's mother was of humble origin, so this servant's identity was not recognized, and even the family tree does not have this servant's name. Therefore, this servant is not qualified to be called a daughter of the Mei family."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen's expression softened slightly.

The woman before him did not seem to be lying. If so, she was merely a pitiful person being used.

Debts must be paid to their debtors.

As the Emperor, he would not stoop to venting his anger on an innocent woman.

Having made his decision, Jiang Chen gave Jing Yue a look, signaling her to dismiss those around them before saying, "Since you were not involved in the Mei family's conspiracy, but merely used by them, then I can consider dealing with you leniently. As for how you will be punished specifically, it depends on your performance!"

As the words fell, Mei Chuyao's delicate body trembled, and then she suddenly raised her head, her watery phoenix eyes hesitantly looking at Jiang Chen, her face full of confusion, yet not daring to ask.

Her appearance, wanting to speak but holding back, was pitiful and lovable.

But Jiang Chen was not moved, only feeling helpless.

This woman's mind was too slow; it was a waste of her clever face. He had already hinted so clearly, yet she still did not understand?

He had no choice but to put aside his airs and state it plainly:

"What I mean is, when Mei Wenshi arranged for you to enter the palace, did he explain anything? For example, his influence in the palace, or his purpose in having you substitute in bed?"

"As long as you confess these things, it will be considered making amends for your crimes, and I can forgive your previous deception."

Mei Chuyao understood.

She looked at Jiang Chen, bit her lip worriedly, and timidly said, "Your Majesty, this servant does not know."

"When this servant's mother was pregnant, she lost favor and was sent to a villa in the countryside. Later, she died in childbirth, and this servant grew up in the countryside. Only when it was time to accompany my older sister into the palace was I summoned back to the mansion and learned of my background."

"Before that, this servant had never met Minister Mei, nor had I lived in the Mei family... Those things you asked about, this servant really doesn't know."

As Mei Chuyao spoke, tears welled up in her eyes again.

It was unknown whether she was sad about her own background or afraid of being sent to the imperial prison by the ruthless Emperor for being unable to answer the questions.

Jiang Chen was also a little troubled at this time.

He did not understand; they clearly had the same blood flowing through their veins and looked eighty percent alike, so why was the difference between the two sisters so great?

He looked at Mei Chuyao, shivering on the ground like a little white rabbit, and was somewhat speechless.

Half an hour later, Jiang Chen, having finished the interrogation, prepared to deal with Mei Ruoying.

His eyes were cold, his face filled with killing intent. "Someone!"

"Your Majesty, this old servant is here!" Feng Jin immediately stepped forward.

Jiang Chen's gaze was like a knife, his tone sharp. "Transmit my decree: from this moment on, abolish Mei Ruoying's title of Noble Consort!"

"Furthermore, this woman is outrageously bold, first committing the crime of deceiving the Emperor, and then colluding with assassins, attempting to subvert the palace! Her crime is unforgivable; sentence her to be beheaded after the autumn harvest!"

This decree, full of killing intent, made Feng Jin's brow twitch, and a sense of worry rose in his heart.

Executing the current Noble Consort was no small matter, and coupled with Mei Ruoying's complex identity, it would probably shake the court immediately!

However, Feng Jin thought of Jiang Chen's changes in recent days and ultimately did not speak, bowing and saying, "Yes, I respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree!"

Jiang Chen was very satisfied with Feng Jin's attitude. He did not like his subordinates having too many ideas; they would not be easy to use.

Turning his head, he said, "Also, have Xu Changqing and Meng Qi train the troops, then enter the palace!"

"Summon Minister of Rites Shi Ping, Grand Tutor Yuan Buyi, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Su Wen, Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate Song Xun, and the Prime Minister. Bring them all into the palace for me!"

Listening to the names of these powerful figures, Feng Jin's back began to sweat, and even the pass token bestowed by the Emperor in his hand became heavy.

He thought to himself, the sky in the imperial capital was about to change...