Chu Yixuan listened to what Empress Yan said, then waved his hand for all the palace staff to withdraw after which he stood up and looked at her saying: "Empress, there are some things that I do not want to bring up, but it does not mean that I am unaware of them. Have you done anything to betray me? You know best in your heart."

  Empress Yan was startled. She pretended not to understand and said: "Your Majesty, what are you talking about? I don't understand."

  Did he already know about her shameful secrets?

  "Hmph, I don't understand. You're still pretending to me." Chu Yixuan sneered coldly and said indifferently: "At this point, anyway, the fate between you and me has come to an end. I might as well just clarify things for you, so that you won't still have any lingering hopes."

  Empress Yan said: "Your Majesty, what exactly do you know? Don't listen to others' nonsense. Those rumors are not believable."

  "Empress, don't think that no one knows what you're doing. You secretly have an affair with a man outside the palace. You've made me wear such a big green hat. I haven't punished you yet."

  Chu Yixuan sneered coldly by her ear, "Do you know why I've been tolerating this? After the truth comes out, where would my face be? That's why I never exposed you. Now, you're no longer of any value and won't have a chance to appear in front of everyone again. You'd better reflect on your mistakes in the Cold Palace."

  "Your Majesty, how did you know about this?" Empress Yan was exposed by him for the most secretive and embarrassing thing. She was very unwilling to be known so easily by him.

  "Hmph. The entire harem is mine. Every move here cannot escape my eyes. There are some things that I do not want to bother with. Turn a blind eye. I am too lazy to bother."

  "It must be someone who reported my affairs to you." Empress Yan muttered: "Is it Jun'er who told you?" It must be Jun'er who told him. Only Jun'er knew about this matter. She was the one who witnessed that incident. I really didn't expect her to be such a 'sly' person. She dared to stab me in the back. In vain, I took care of her before.

  The regret in Empress Yan's heart now. She thought it was her fourth sister who betrayed her, which made the Emperor dislike her so much.

  "Really." Chu Yixuan tilted his head in confusion and said: "You're saying that Jun'er also knows about this matter."

  "Didn't you tell him?" Empress Yan looked at him in astonishment, observing his expression, seemingly genuinely unaware that Jun'er also knew about this matter. Had she misjudged her earlier?

  "Hmph, you really don't know shame. You even dare to secretly meet with someone without avoiding others. Empress, in the future, you'd better obediently stay in the Cold Palace." Chu Yixuan coldly snorted and angrily swept his sleeve away. Although he didn't like her and had no feelings for her, she had still betrayed him, which was also a shameful thing.

  Three days later, the shocking event that shook the capital finally occurred. The illustrious Yan family was completely exterminated by imperial decree. Empress Yan, who had once been revered as a mother figure to the nation, was also implicated and stripped of her title, forcibly imprisoned in the Cold Palace.

  At that time, the officials in the capital were all nervous and afraid of such a disaster befalling themselves. As a result, attending court became especially cautious, carefully fulfilling their duties with great care. In this way, every official was very serious about handling affairs and loyal to the emperor with all their heart.

  The queen is gone. The harem will be in disarray. Chu Yixuan had no choice but to make Yang Qishuang the Snow Empress, temporarily taking charge of the six palaces. He would choose a new empress another day.

  The imperial harem, only Snow Concubine has the highest status and is also the most favored by the Emperor. She always regarded herself as the Empress, with a proud personality, often showing off her power in the palace, making all the other concubines not dare to offend her.

  The capital has had a big event in the past few days. A part of the palace guards have been transferred to other places. Wen Han felt something was wrong as soon as he entered his own room. Not to mention the whole room was filled with the smell of wine, and there was also a faint candlelight burning inside the inner chamber.

  He's been on night shift for most of the night and has never returned home. How can there be candlelight here now? Someone must be inside.

  With caution, he drew his treasured sword and proceeded with care to the inner chamber. When he saw the handsome man sitting at the table drinking wine, he relaxed and sheathed his sword, walking towards him.

  "Old man, how did you come again? The palace is dangerous. The emperor has people everywhere to capture you. You'd better leave here early."

  He picked up the few jars of wine on the table and kindly advised: "Master, don't drink anymore, you've had enough."

  "Give me wine." Chu Cheng Ming snatched a jar of wine and slowly drank it, looking at Wen Han and saying: "Come on, you're back just in time. Keep me company for a few cups."

  "Master... I..." He looked at his master with a mixture of warmth and difficulty. Every time he came here, he had to drink wine, and not only that, but also get drunk as if he were mud. Not only did he have to drink so much, but others also had to accompany him.

  "Chu Cheng Ming pointed at him and said: 'You are not allowed to disobey my orders. I am your master.'"

  "Alright, I'll keep you company for a few drinks. But don't drink too much either, it's bad for your health." Wen Han reluctantly sat down. Every time he was bullied by him using his master's identity.

  "No problem, you're being too cautious." Chu Cheng Ming poured a mouthful of wine into his mouth and swallowed it before speaking after a long while: "It's cold. I went to Gan Quan Palace again just now. It's still the same there, pitch black and very quiet."

  "Old man, I advise you to stay away from that place. It's been two months since Yan Cai and the others left. Why can't you let go?"

  Wen Han advised, "The matter between Master and Yan Cairen has been known to him for a long time. He also knows that they are in love with each other. It's just that their fate is still shallow."

  Chu Cheng Ming waved his hand. Stubbornly, he said: "Jun Er didn't die. I always believed she didn't die. She was such a good girl. How could she die so easily?"

  He sighed in the cold wind. How could he not know that his master's words were just self-consolation? The fire that day was so fierce, and he had seen it with his own eyes. In the main hall of Ganquan Palace, no one dared to go in and rescue people. It can be said that he watched with his own eyes as Yan Cai died in the fire.

  "Master. What I saw with my own eyes is that Yan Cai died in the sea of flames that night. Such a huge fire, how could she possibly survive?" Wen Han shook his head and said. He would never believe she was still alive.

  "You don't understand. She won't die so easily. She still has unfinished business with me."

  "It's all my fault for not making up my mind to take her away back then. Otherwise, she wouldn't have suffered this hardship." Chu Chengmo said: "I've always believed that she is still alive. She must have already left the palace. She will definitely come find me sooner or later. My faith in her has never wavered."

  Wen Han just thought he was drunk and talking nonsense about wine. But Chu Cheng Ming really was drunk. He would say one thing, then another, his words were incoherent. Or he would repeat the same sentence multiple times.

  Finally, he fell asleep with his head on the table.

  Gazing at this decadent master with a cold and painful head, after Yan Cairen left, he would often run to the imperial palace, knowing that it was dangerous here, but still coming frequently, just to see the palace where she once lived.

  At this time, a man and a woman slipped in through the window. The woman frowned as soon as she entered, saying discontentedly: "Drinking again? Is the master here?"

  "This isn't right." Wen Han pointed at the person lying on the table and said to the newcomers, "Qing, Lan, you've arrived just in time. Hurry up and take the master out of the palace."