Her mental state was beyond salvaging

She was so paralyzed with fear that she couldn't even mutter a word, not to mention greeting the emperor on his arrival.

Did Jinghua scheme against her again? Was her baby alright? Her hand reflexively moved to touch her stomach.

Emperor Jingli, with a few menacing steps, got to her bed and roughly grabbed Yunqing's jaws before she could even have time to react.

Clenching it hard so she would be in pain. He was only satisfied when she hissed out in agony.

"YOU DARE TO COMMIT SUCH CRIME AGAIN AND AGAIN! YOU MUST BE QUITE BRAZEN NOW FOR YOU TO MAKE SUCH BOLD MOVES, RIGHT?! ANSWER ME NOW EMPRESS?!" Emperor Jingli thundered in rage.

"If you intend on joining your family, I will gladly oblige you, but troubles last for a thousand years! So you need to live for as long as possible and pay for your sins; only then can you grasp the true meaning of being lonely and helpless. You cannot end your life without my permission," Emperor Jingli said in rage as his hand clenched onto the empress's jaw moved to clutch her neck. He held onto her neck as tight as his hand could allow, choking her, and even lightly lifting her off the bed in the process.

Yunqing's eyes and cheeks became red from suffocating, and the tears that welled up in her eyes had slowly begun rolling down her cheeks like rivulets. She grasps onto the emperor's hand that was holding her neck in a bid to loosen his grip.

She could feel his strength crushing her breathing pipe, preventing any form of air from going in. She tried to plead for him to release her but could only use her weak and feeble hands to attempt a futile struggle.

Her despairing cries seemed to be of no end recently. Maybe she should just give up. After all, she was up against a strong contender… a very cunning and deceitful one at that.

She was becoming tired of everything… the cries… the schemes… the pain…. Most especially the pains she felt from every hurtful accusation.

She really let down her guard, thinking Jinghua will not dare to act now that she was under the watchful eyes of the emperor due to her pregnancy, but she must have been daydreaming.

"Not long ago, you caused the death of my son, and now you also want to end the life of a child who had barely seen the light of the day. Your viciousness astounds me every time!" Emperor Jingli said, wondering how someone can be so cruel and heartless to even poison herself to get rid of her own child.

Though he furiously wanted to throw this 'filthy trash of a woman' away. He needed her to feel the pain he felt when he found out that she tried to harm the child. When Noble Consort Jinghua brought a palace maid to him, who had confessed to everything. How she was told to mix the herb into the medicine when it was being prepared to gradually kill the child. The maid told him she worked on the instructions of Concubine Shu and the empress. And the evidence of remnants of the herbs was found in Concubine Shu's Palace, due to which fact she was sent to the Cold Palace earlier on.

But then, knowing that she was still pregnant with his child, he decided against it. Instead, he only lightly shoved her off back onto the bed before saying, "If you must leave this world, you must first give birth to my child. At least pay for the life you took; only then can you have my permission to die. Since your wicked ways know no bound, then so does my wrath!"

Those were the last words Emperor Jingli left with Empress Yunqing. When he said 'pay for the life you took,' he was talking about the life of his first son, Crown Prince Yuan Kei (whom she was previously accused of poisoning).

Cough… Cough… Cough… she started a fit of cough as soon as he released her from his tight grip. Her hands were on her neck, and her hair and dress now looked like a total mess. Her chest heaving up and down as she gasped for air as she watched his disappearing back while he left her chambers.

As she watched on, the gleam of light gradually faded out of her eyes until they looked lifeless. She remained in the same position that he tossed her in earlier, not moving as much as an inch.

Muffled voices could be heard from outside as the emperor gave orders for the empress to be watched closely at all times.

Nui had never seen or heard the emperor so furious before. She couldn't fathom what her mistress would have gone through while she was alone with him.

Nui was so scared earlier, she thought she would be sentenced to death for trying to speak up for the empress earlier.

As soon as she saw the emperor leaving, she rushed back into the room only to find the empress lying down in the same position she was when the emperor had shoved her off.

She just remained listless and motionless. Her previously beautiful eyes that were the envy of many had lost their spark and appeared dull. It broke Nui's heart to see Empress Yunqing in such a dispirited state. They had always been together right from the General's household.

Yunqing appeared inanimate, unmoving, and also not willing to be moved. If not for the fact that she could still move on her own, she could have been mistaken for a doll.

She expended so much effort as she tried to bring back Empress Yunqing's spirit, but nothing seemed to work. It was as if the empress was lost in limbo, and she did not even want to return.

Days went by…. Months went by, gradually approaching her delivery day, and there was still no improvement. Nui tried as much as possible, but she still could not brighten up the void in Yunqing's heart that was already filled with melancholy and despondency.

Yunqing spent the rest of her pregnancy days in her downhearted state. Though it was not good for her baby, but every attempt to make her feel better seemed abortive. Like she had finally given up on everything… even on life itself.

Her mental state was beyond salvaging. The final arrow was when she was accused by the emperor of trying to kill the only blood-related kin she had left in the world. All the allegations and accusations summed up had finally wrecked lasting damage to her mind. To the extent of being nicknamed 'the crazy empress.'

Throughout this whole time, only one person was saturated with happiness at the unfolding events, the mastermind behind all atrocities.