She mistakenly got into the bridal sedan chair and married a sickly but powerful minister, becoming

Chapter 504 Today's Cause, Tomorrow's Effect

Every word Consort Shu uttered had a tremendous impact on the Emperor of Northern Qi.

"You schemed and plotted, but you didn't foresee that your empire would have no successor." Consort Shu felt increasingly pleased as she looked at the Northern Qi Emperor's mentally broken state, and her words became increasingly sharp: "It's laughable that you think you have everyone in your grasp, but little do you know, you are the pitiful wretch who has been kept in the dark by everyone."

"Impossible." The Emperor of Northern Qi refused to believe a word of it and retorted emotionally, "The Imperial Tutor has been loyal to me and has never been afraid of the powerful families or court officials. In order to help me consolidate my power and stabilize the people's livelihood, every decree he has implemented has infringed on the interests of the major powerful families and court officials, offending them all. Who would support him? Not to mention, he doesn't have a single soldier at his disposal. How could he overthrow my regime?"

"If you claim that Yizhen had an affair with him and gave birth to an illegitimate child, which was then passed off as my own, then everything the Imperial Tutor did was to pave the way for his son and quietly usurp my throne. But you—"

"From the very first day Yizhen entered the Crown Prince's residence, you have been stirring up trouble in front of me, wishing I would punish her immediately. If you had drugged her, and she hadn't returned home all night, and your maid had caught her returning to the Crown Prince's residence with the Imperial Tutor, you would have had this easy evidence in your hands. With your narrow-mindedness, how could you have let her go? Why did you endure until now to tell me the truth?"

"It's nothing more than you spreading rumors and causing trouble because you're about to die and want to make me live in pain and torment every day."

Although the Northern Qi emperor no longer loved Yizhen, as an emperor, he could not tolerate Consort Shu sending his woman to another man's bed.

This was a disgrace to him as a man.

The Northern Qi emperor was about to order the execution of Consort Shu.

"Believe it or not," Consort Shu said sarcastically, her hatred for the Northern Qi Emperor running deep. "Anyway, your empire was won by the Imperial Tutor, and who inherits your throne is also up to the Imperial Tutor. It doesn't matter whose son the Prince of Guangling is..."

"Ouch——"

A deep, resounding tiger's roar came from the next palace, echoing in Consort Shu's ears. It was as if a huge beast was roaring behind her, which frightened her so much that her face turned pale and she involuntarily shut her mouth.

"Rumble--"

The tiger, trapped in the underground well, became restless, repeatedly banging against the wall.

The powerful impact caused the entire ground to shake.

Consort Shu lay prostrate on the ground in a panic, her body trembling uncontrollably.

She wasn't afraid of death, but deep down she was filled with fear of raging beasts.

It was probably because the mention of Yizhen's death today, coupled with the tiger's rage, that stirred up the bloody image of wild beasts tearing at Yizhen in her mind.

Even someone as stoic as Yizhen would let out a piercing scream when torn apart by wild beasts.

This shows how much pain she was in at the time.

Therefore, when Consort Shu heard the tiger rampaging in the underground well, she was afraid that the tiger would escape from the well and tear her to pieces.

The Emperor of Northern Qi knew perfectly well that Consort Shu had come prepared to die; there was nothing in this world that she could cherish or fear. Yet, the commotion caused by the tiger instilled fear in her heart.

Consort Shu's words just now challenged his bottom line and shattered his dignity as an emperor and his manhood. Naturally, he would not show her any mercy.

After all, in the eyes of the Northern Qi emperor, he was diligent in governing, loved the people, had outstanding political achievements, and knew how to use people well, thus bestowing upon the imperial tutor the supreme status.

In Consort Shu's words, he became a puppet emperor who accomplished nothing, negating everything about him. How could he not hate her?

"You ignorant fool, I'll grant you death, which will be a relief for you." The Northern Qi Emperor said coldly and ruthlessly, "More than twenty years ago, you put Yizhen in a cage with wild beasts, making her tame them. I didn't make things difficult for you; you escaped from the tiger's jaws, so I'll spare your life. If you had died in the tiger's jaws, you could have kept Heng'er company in the underworld."

"No...I don't want to..."

Consort Shu panicked and became frightened. Like a headless fly, she crawled around on the ground, found a hairpin knife, and was about to kill herself.

Two bodyguards restrained her.

The Northern Qi emperor ordered, "Throw this wicked woman into the tiger's den."