They arrived at Shou Kang Palace to find Eunuch Gao already waiting outside the hall, escorting the culprits.
The Empress Dowager, who had retired for the night, rose upon hearing the news. Her eyes flickered slightly as she saw Feng Yinwan and Ye Tinglan present.
"Your servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager," Eunuch Gao said, bowing as he approached. The Empress Dowager glanced at him, then turned her gaze to Su Xi, who was being held on the ground, and frowned.
"What exactly is going on?"
The servant's hasty report had only given her a general understanding. Seeing the current situation, she could not help but feel perplexed.
Eunuch Gao immediately began to explain. As the Empress Dowager listened, her brow furrowed deeper.
After a long moment, her stern face shifted slightly, her expression growing even graver.
"Su Xi is an old servant of the palace, yet she disregarded palace rules and illicitly stole the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros. First, have her escorted to the Department of Punishment and interrogated thoroughly. We must uncover her accomplices and find out if anyone was directing her from behind the scenes!"
Once in the Department of Punishment, even the dead would be flayed. No matter how resolute Su Xi's will, she would succumb to the varied tortures.
The Empress Dowager cast a cold glance, then continued, "The Empress, residing in the central palace, has someone close to her commit such a heinous act. Her neglect in management is so severe that she can no longer be entrusted with overseeing the six palaces for the Emperor. Let her remain in Chang Le Palace to reflect. For now, the affairs of the inner palace will be jointly managed by Consort Li and Consort Rong."
Although the Empress had been under house arrest before, she had firmly held the authority to manage the inner palace. The Empress Dowager's words now aimed to completely strip her of power.
Su Xi's face turned pale upon hearing this. She immediately choked out, her voice hoarse, "This matter was all my doing, and it has nothing to do with the Empress!"
When her actions were exposed, she should have committed suicide to prevent further consequences. Who knew she would be discovered first by Feng Yinwan, thus inadvertently leaving an excuse for the Empress to be implicated.
With the Qin family's affairs still unresolved, this new blunder in the palace would undoubtedly worsen their predicament.
Once stripped of the authority over the six palaces, the Empress would be like a figurehead in the inner court. At a critical juncture in the succession struggle, this would cause the court officials who supported the First Prince to defect en masse.
At that point, the First Prince would likely be even less able to contend.
She twisted her body, attempting to speak further, but the Empress Dowager had no intention of listening. With a frown, Eunuch Gao immediately waved his hand.
"Take her away!"
Su Xi was practically dragged out of the hall. To prevent her from taking her own life, the Imperial Guards severed her wrist and ankle tendons on the spot.
The palace doors remained ajar, and a corner of the windbreak curtain was lifted. As the sounds reached them, the Empress Dowager immediately frowned and closed her eyes, a soft "Amitabha" escaping her lips.
Feng Yinwan glanced over, seeing Su Xi's back as she was dragged out of the palace gate like a dead pig. When her gaze returned, the Empress Dowager's expression had returned to normal.
Her eyes swept over Feng Yinwan and Ye Tinglan, and she spoke in a gentle voice.
"Are you two staying at Yang Xin Hall tonight to attend to the Emperor?"
This question was directed at Ye Tinglan, but his gaze shifted to Feng Yinwan.
His stare was so direct that the Empress Dowager also looked over. Feng Yinwan's ears grew warm under his gaze, and she felt an awkward urge to flee immediately.
Ultimately, under pressure, she nodded.
There were two reasons.
Firstly, at this hour, the palace gates were already locked, and it was not permissible by regulations to open them again. Secondly, with the significant commotion tonight, Chang Le Palace was bound to react, and she was waiting to see what would happen.
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager advised, "Since Imperial Physician Jiang's new medicine has shown results, you need not stay vigilantly. Let Gao Yingru and his men watch over Yang Xin Hall."
Feng Yinwan froze.
Was she being asked to leave the palace?
As her brow furrowed, she heard the Empress Dowager continue, "Lan'er, tonight you and Consort Wan will go and sleep at Jiu Zhou Xiang Xie."