Empress Mo spoke subtly, without giving the Emperor a chance to speak. She feared that if the Emperor uttered stern words such as "severe punishment", Zhao Yang would undoubtedly forfeit his own life to keep her out of danger. That was something she could not accept under any circumstances.
Jin Guifei replied with a cold smile, "Why is the Empress so agitated? Whether the Empress has done it or not, she knows better than anyone else. Moreover, even if the Empress didn't do it, she just committed the crime of defying the imperial edict and leaving the palace without permission. It's certainly not a false accusation from me, right? The Empress cannot possibly think that the Emperor would let it go, could she?"
"Whether the Emperor punishes me or not, that's the Emperor's business. How could it be your place, a mere concubine, to intervene?"
