[1]The Consort is Both Charming and Scheming, Rising Through Palace Intrigue

When the Empress entered the main hall, Ning Shuyan stood properly off to the side.

Xiao Yu, meanwhile, appeared as cold and composed as ever, sipping tea with an air of calm—but the faint joy lingering between his brows and eyes was still visible.

The Empress suppressed the sourness in her heart and raised a dignified yet gentle smile as she saluted Xiao Yu.

Ning Shuyan also knelt and saluted. "This consort greets the Empress."

The Empress smiled warmly. "Zhao Xiuyi, no need for formalities. Is your health improving?"

Ning Shuyan stood and responded with a soft smile. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. This consort is in good health."

The Empress nodded and took her seat, while Ning Shuyan naturally sat in the lower position.

"The sun outside is harsh. Apologies for troubling Your Majesty to come all this way. It's just that His Majesty and I discovered the culprit left behind footprints. Eunuch Yang is currently leading a search across the palace."

Upon hearing this, the Empress felt a bit of relief. She had been fretting over the lack of clues, not knowing where to even start.

After all, His Majesty's words yesterday had been stern. If no one was found to be behind this attack, the Emperor might really allow another consort to manage palace affairs. That would mean the Empress—though still in position—would lose half her power. How could she maintain face?

Most importantly, the culprit must not be Ning Shuyan or Consort Zhuang.

She took the freshly brewed tea from a maid, gently skimming off the foam with the lid, the aroma of the tea curling upward. She looked at Ning Shuyan with a gentle expression. "Hopefully, we can uncover the person behind this. No matter who it is, His Majesty and I will see justice done and not let you suffer even a hint of injustice."

Ning Shuyan looked genuinely grateful and smiled. "Yes. With Your Majesty and His Majesty supporting me, this consort is truly blessed."

The Empress nodded, her smile serene. She took a sip of the tea—it was refreshingly fragrant, leaving a lingering sweetness on her tongue.

But her smile slightly stiffened. This tea was the top-grade "Little Dragon Ball" tea of the year. Even in her own palace, she had only a small amount. Yet this mere Xiuyi-ranked consort was drinking it?

Still, it must have been granted by the Emperor...

After a while, Eunuch Yang and the imperial guards entered, bringing in a man.

This man was clearly no eunuch. He was a beast tamer from the royal zoo—Zhou Cheng.

Eunuch Yang bowed. "Your Majesty, this man is the owner of the shoes we found. Lord Shen is now questioning others in the zoo."

He presented Zhou Cheng's shoes for inspection. Xiao Yu glanced at the soles, then gestured for Yang to step back.

Yang then showed the shoes to the Empress and Ning Shuyan.

Xiao Yu stared coldly at the man kneeling before them, his voice calm but intimidating. "Speak. Who ordered you to harm Zhao Xiuyi?"

Zhou Cheng was already drenched in cold sweat from fear. Now, kneeling before the Emperor and two consorts, sweat dripped down his face onto his neck.

"Humble servant... humble servant did not try to harm Xiuyi-niangniang!"

Ning Shuyan's eyes turned sharp. Her voice was chilling. "Then where were you at the end of the Hai hour last night?" (around 10–11 PM)

Zhou Cheng trembled. "Humble servant... humble servant was at the animal yard."

Ning Shuyan's eyes shimmered with icy intent. "That hour is well into the night. Why weren't you sleeping? What were you doing in the yard? Do you have any witnesses?"

"Humble servant... couldn't sleep and stayed at the yard for a while..."

The Empress snapped, "Nonsense! The culprit wore the same shoes as you. Of everyone in the palace, only your shoes match the prints exactly, and you still deny it?!"

Zhou Cheng hurriedly kowtowed. "These are indeed my shoes, but I did not harm Xiuyi-niangniang! I never went near Liuyin Hall!"

Ning Shuyan sneered. "When did I say the culprit came near Liuyin Hall? Seems you've admitted more than you intended."

Zhou Cheng froze, sweat rolling down his cheeks and neck. He felt like ice and muttered fearfully, "Servant... was just guessing..."

Xiao Yu glared at him. "Nonsense! You dare speak lies before me?"

He turned to Yang An. "Search Zhou Cheng's home. I want to see what rewards the one behind this gave him to make him so bold as to attempt to murder a consort!"

Ning Shuyan's lips curved in a cold smile, her tone light. "If this is proven to be related to you, just the charge of endangering the imperial body is enough to implicate your entire family."

At those words—"implicate your entire family"—Zhou Cheng shook uncontrollably. He hadn't expected the Emperor himself to be injured!

At this moment, Shen Changzhi arrived with another beast tamer. The man trembled as he knelt.

Shen said, "Don't be afraid. Just tell His Majesty everything you told me."

The man nodded, took a deep breath, and said hoarsely, "Your Majesty, lately Zhou Cheng has often gone out. One day I saw him sneaking around with a big burlap sack—but I never saw what was inside. Yesterday, I don't know where he went, but when he came back, he didn't sleep all night, tossing and turning."

When Xiao Yu heard "a big burlap sack," he immediately guessed what it had held.

His voice dropped to a frosty chill: "The evidence is clear. Drag him out and beat him to death! Execute his entire household!"

Zhou Cheng's body collapsed. Everything he had done was just to secure a better life for himself and his family. But now, it was all over.

He slammed his head to the floor. "Spare me, Your Majesty! Spare me! I confess! But my family knew nothing of this!"

Xiao Yu snorted. "Speak clearly!"

Zhou Cheng said, "This servant once learned some witchcraft. Not long ago, a woman came to me. She asked me to find some snakes and bring them into the palace, hidden during the zoo's visit. She claimed the guards had been bribed, so no one would check. She told me to find a way to release the snakes inside Liuyin Hall and make sure... make sure to kill Xiuyi-niangniang."

He glanced fearfully at Ning Shuyan, but she remained expressionless.

He continued, "I used a type of gu (poison spell) on the snakes—it drives them into a frenzy, making them crave human blood, especially from beautiful people."

Ning Shuyan looked sorrowfully at Xiao Yu. "No wonder the snake came straight at me that day. If His Majesty hadn't shielded me, I would have died. Such cruelty..."

Just recalling it made her tremble. She bit her lip tightly.

Xiao Yu also felt a chill remembering that horrifying moment. His gaze burned with fury. "Who gave you the order?"

Zhou Cheng said, "Servant never saw her face. She always wore a veil. I only knew she was a palace maid acting on her mistress's orders. She once mentioned that in her country, there is a kind of gu that makes snakes go mad. She asked if I could do the same. I believe... she's not from Yifeng."

Not from Yifeng!

In this palace, everyone—even the maids—was from Yifeng... except...

The Empress was shocked. "Could it be one of Lady Mi's maids?"

Ning Shuyan's brows tightened. She too was surprised. She had known Lady Mi hated her—but never thought she was behind it.

Xiao Yu's voice was ice-cold and void of warmth. "Bring Mi Chongyi here."

"And send Shen Changzhi to investigate who was guarding the palace gate when the zoo entered, and under whose orders they slacked off!"