Rebirth and Reversal of Fortune

Chapter 438 The Emperor's Wrath, The Court Poetry Gathering

The emperor was furious at the young talent's behavior and punished him severely.

After Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling successfully exposed the new talents' conspiracy, the emperor's anger was completely ignited. He sat on the dragon throne, his face ashen, his eyes flashing with fury.

"These upstarts dare to be so presumptuous in my palace! They are simply lawless!" The emperor slammed his fist on the dragon throne, his voice echoing throughout the court.

Those rising stars who had previously framed Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling were now trembling with fear, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly, begging for mercy.

"Your Majesty, spare us! We know we were wrong!" Miss Lin's voice trembled, tears streaming down her face.

The emperor glared at them and shouted, "Spare my life? You have committed such heinous crimes, and you still dare to dream that I will spare you?"

The ministers standing nearby were also silent, not daring to utter a sound.

The emperor ordered all these promising young talents to be banished to the Cold Palace, never to step out again. "I will make you reflect on your crimes in the Cold Palace!"

The eunuchs and palace maids in the palace were shocked when they heard the news.

"I never expected His Majesty to be so furious this time. These promising young talents are completely finished."

"This is their own fault; they dared to frame Madam Su and General Xiao."

However, the emperor's anger did not subside. He began to investigate whether there were other forces secretly supporting the new talents' actions.

"Investigate for me! Find the mastermind behind this!" The emperor's voice was full of authority.

The officials in charge of the investigation felt immense pressure and worked day and night.

During the investigation, some people who had contact with the rookies were also implicated.

"My lord, I only spoke a few words with them, I really didn't participate in their conspiracy!"

But the emperor was determined and would not let go of any possible clue.

At the same time, the emperor's trust in Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling deepened.

"Su Jinxiu, Xiao Ling, thanks to you both, I was able to see the true colors of these people this time."

Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling quickly knelt down to express their gratitude.

“Your Majesty, this is the duty that I, your wife and husband, should fulfill.”

However, the situation in the court remained complex. Some with ulterior motives, seeing the emperor's severe punishment of the rising stars, began to worry that their own interests were threatened.

"We can't let the emperor continue this investigation, or we'll all suffer the consequences."

They secretly conspired to sabotage the emperor's investigation.

Just then, another bizarre incident occurred in the palace.

A key witness has suddenly disappeared, and all clues related to him have been erased.

"What's going on?" The officials in charge of the investigation were very confused.

The emperor was even more furious when he learned of this.

"I want to see who's behind this!"

Su Jinxiu and Xiao Ling also volunteered to assist in the investigation.

At a poetry gathering held in the palace, Su Jinxiu shone brightly.

As the tense atmosphere in the palace eased slightly, the emperor decided to hold a grand poetry gathering to enhance the cultural atmosphere of the court and also to give everyone in the court a chance to relax.

As soon as news of the poetry gathering spread, the entire palace was abuzz with activity. The palace maids meticulously decorated the venue, arranging flowers and fine wine; the eunuchs busied themselves preparing writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

On the day of the poetry gathering, the palace was bustling with activity. The emperor, along with his concubines and ministers, arrived in droves.

"I hope everyone will fully display their talents at today's poetry gathering," the emperor said with a smile.

Everyone agreed.

The poetry gathering began, and the talented men and women recited their own poems. Some were bold and unrestrained, while others were delicate and subtle.

When it was Su Jinxiu's turn, she slowly stood up, her gaze firm and confident.

"The spring breeze caresses the green willows, and the palaces are reflected in the red glow of the sunset. Time passes leisurely, but our hearts remain filled with lofty aspirations."

Her voice was clear and melodious, and her poems were profound and evocative, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

"What a wonderful poem! What a wonderful poem!" everyone exclaimed.

The emperor smiled approvingly: "Su Jinxiu is indeed exceptionally talented."

The other concubines were both envious and jealous.

"She was just lucky."

However, Su Jinxiu was not affected and continued to showcase her talent at the poetry gathering.

She exchanged ideas with others with ease, demonstrating an extremely high level of skill in both the rhythm and artistic conception of her poems.

As the poetry gathering reached its climax, everyone began to create impromptu works on a particular theme.

Su Jinxiu pondered for a moment, then picked up her pen and wrote.

"The stars shine in the night sky, the bright moon illuminates the deep palace. There is no one to confide in, only poetry can express my deep feelings."

This poem once again won thunderous applause.

However, at this moment, the daughter of a minister stepped forward, who had always harbored resentment towards Su Jinxiu.

"Although Madam Su's poems are good, they are a bit too sorrowful."

Su Jinxiu smiled slightly: "Poetry arises from the heart, and this is my current feeling."

The two began to debate the style and emotions of the poems, and the atmosphere became tense.

The emperor watched with great interest but did not stop them.

With her profound literary skills and quick thinking, Su Jinxiu ultimately left the minister's daughter speechless.

"Madam Su is indeed remarkable; my daughter admires her."

After the poetry gathering, Su Jinxiu became the focus of everyone's attention.

However, her outstanding performance also attracted jealousy and conspiracies from some people.

"We can't let her get so smug."

In the days that followed, Su Jinxiu received a series of anonymous threatening letters, warning her to tone down her sharp edges.

"Who exactly is behind this?"

After learning about this, Xiao Ling decided to investigate secretly.

"Don't worry, Madam, I will definitely find out who's behind this."

During their investigation, a series of strange things happened in the palace.

Some precious paintings and calligraphy have disappeared without a trace, and several palace maids have mysteriously vanished.

"Is there some connection between these two things?"