Heartless decision

Emperor who finally was able to snatch that ray of hope and chance was delighted to extreme so were his people. Thanking profusely he stands on his feet and appearing humble requests for all the people to take their seats.

The empress was awakened by the maid and made to kneel below the jade stairs while Leiran was forced herbal drink down her throats to dispel her intoxication from wine in a side room.

The empress was fully aware that the situation was out of hand and her life itself was at stake. Not to mention worry for her daughter was making her anxious and full of regret. Her mind running miles to snatch their lives from the jaws of death.

The personal eunuch being clever acts swiftly having the tables cleared only to be replaced by warm tea for the moment. While the royal kitchen was ordered to make some new dishes with speed.

Emperor had become calm and composed and after taking few long breathes he speaks with authority and solemnity "Zhen...first ask for forgiveness to all the friends for being such a bad host on your first day...for you all to have seen and heard such disgusting thing after your long and tiring journey...by no means would be pleasing...Zhen is also but a man..and adding all the matters at hand as a ruler have failed to pay more attention towards ones wife and child...

Though not trying to gloss over the matter or by no means stepping back...It also is a shocking matter for Zhen to learn that Zhen's empress was of this little mind and nature...For all these years she had been together with Zhen she was proper even helping Zhen with raising family and helping in lightening several burdens of Zhen...

But today to have presented in such unseemly manner in front of the entire world...not only she has shamed herself as the mother of huajin but also implicated the entirety of huajin by for behaviour and thoughtlessness...

Despite the strict warnings Zhen had given to the entire harem and to empress who rules over all six palaces..it seems Zhen was being lied and made into a fool as the result was by no means proper...

and even managing to fall more for depravity...

Zhen is also thoroughly disappointed from ones empress and daughter...but with the peace as the stake at hand and even offending the esteem lord of valley...Zhen cannot and will not be light handed..for this matter occurred in Zhen's soil...

It is the right of Nanling and medicine valley to demand for the justice and answer after having faced such humiliation...but Zhen honestly hopes for Nanling to understand that it is not the intention of the huajin to slight Nanling...for Zhen thinks of Nanling as a dear old friend...one or two rotten egg in a basket cannot and shouldn't be defined for the rest that remains...thus after Zhen's answer..Zhen seriously hopes and prays for all the friends of huajin to be magnanimous and let this incident be buried behind us..as not to effect our bright future and peace which we all maintained after spilling blood and sweat...similarly hopes for lord of the valley and medicine valley that Zhen is able to appease and sooth your hearts..."

After this long speech many with clever heads knew that the emperor has decided to abandon his empress and daughter as a sacrifice to appease Nanling. But having cornered at the edge of the cliff it was also the only and wisest decision he could make.

The empress was filling immense fear and chills all over her body though she could more or less surmise her husband. Having been together for so long she still clinged to that bit of emotion as a piece of her liberation. Soon Leiran was also brought appearing more proper but binded by ropes like a prisoner.

Her drukenness had flew out in wind after forced fed herbal soups and being submerged in ice matter. The memory's of what she had done danced in her eyes and so did her fear. She dare not look at any people only when near her mother did she desperately pleads for help with her eyes full of tears as her mouth was gagged and covered by a cloth...she was roughly pulled back when too near to the empress and held on her shoulders with great force..

With all the pieces in place emperor once again proceeds to talk to the crowd "As the empress not only she failed to welcome our guest from afar...

rather implicating the entire huajin by her atrocious behavior...failing to manage the harem and educating princess Leiran time and again by no means she is the same wise and gentle women who Zhen once held high expectations...

hence Empress Shi from this very moment her title is to be rescinded to a commoner...for having birthed crown prince though her life is to be remained..but she is no longer eligible to remain in harem or mother the crown prince...thus to repent for her sins and pray for the good future of huajin

she is to be exiled in green temple till her end...

Shi Yao is not allowed to meet with any people from outside be it her paternal or maternal family including crown prince...she is to be confined in a particular room where she will devote herself to pray...Duke Shi Hongjun for not having educating his daughter properly and hiding her true nature for all these years from Zhen is also to be demoted to baron...his sons Shi Shen and Shi Shouxin bearing official titles are to be removed of their respective posts until deemed worthy depending on their and the empress behaviour...

If found not repenting and rather falling more into darkness then Zhen no longer considering the past service and connection to crown prince will have the entire lives of Shi clan reaped as the remedy..."