Xie Jinyu was enraged and wanted to tear Xingxing to pieces.
If it weren’t for this maid.
How would she have ended up eating pig intestines?!
And how would the Purple Jade Bracelet have gotten broken?!
Even dared to retort when the Empress’s nanny reprimanded her, claiming the Emperor spoke to her first; this maid really thinks she’s sothing.
Xie Jinyu felt her chest tighten with anger.
Yet everyone was looking at her, waiting for her to explain.
Or perhaps waiting for her to gloss it over.
After all, the Purple Jade Bracelet on her wrist would be noticed if it fell no matter what.
Xie Jinyu didn’t speak for a long ti.
Su Jin said, "Is there no explanation for this?"
Xie Jinyu glared at her.
Su Jin looked at the Empress Dowager, "Miss Xie used the Purple Jade Bracelet to tempt my maid, trampling on the Empress Dowager’s sincerity first, yet instead of reflecting on herself, she accuses others first, trying to deceive the Empress Dowager, asking for our punishnt. I ask the Empress Dowager to make decisions for us master and servant!"
The palace maids and eunuchs in the hall were bewildered.
They couldn’t react for a long ti.
What was this situation?
The Empress Dowager summoned the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion into the palace to severely punish her, yet she rendered Miss Xie speechless and then requested the Empress Dowager make decisions for her, asking to punish Miss Xie.
How did she even say it?
Duke Chong is the Empress Dowager’s close nephew.
Marquis Dongxiang broke one of Duke Chong’s ribs and stole five hundred horses from him. The Empress Dowager was furious and took several doses of dicine, troubled with no chance of dealing with her.
Yet she dared ask the Empress Dowager to decide for her.
Are bandits really this naive?
It’s unbelievable how such naivety hasn’t gotten her killed by Princess Nanzhang.
The Empress Dowager’s face turned purple with anger.
The Empress was just about to advise her to calm down when Su Jin interjected, "Empress Dowager, please calm down. Miss Xie is at fault, so punish her without angering yourself and causing harm. This ti, give her a heavier punishnt so she will rember not to repeat the mistake."
The Empress Dowager, "...!!!"
Xie Jinyu, "...!!!"
The Empress Dowager’s lips quivered with rage.
The Empress’s gaze turned cold as she said, "Doesn’t the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion know when to say less?!"
Su Jin appeared innocent, "Anger harms health, and I was worried about the Empress Dowager’s health, that’s why I was advising her."
The Empress’s face froze.
Was she really advising the Empress Dowager?!
She seed to be wishing for the Empress Dowager to faint from rage!
In the palace, a eunuch quietly exited and whispered a few words to the palace maid outside, who then left Yongning Palace.
In the Imperial Study.
The Emperor was sowhat absent-minded.
Although he hadn’t gone to Yongning Palace, he seed a bit uncontrollably worried about what was happening there.
A little eunuch stepped forward, leaning to speak to Eunuch Fu.
The Emperor noticed and said, "Report directly."
The little eunuch responded quickly, "The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion is pressuring the Empress Dowager to punish Miss Xie on her behalf."
The Emperor, "...."
Eunuch Fu, "...."
"Is the Empress Dowager not too upset?" Eunuch Fu quickly asked.
"The Empress Dowager has been speechless for a long ti with anger," the little eunuch replied.
"...."
"Alright, you may leave," the Emperor waved him off.
The little eunuch hurriedly exited.
The Emperor raised his hand to rub his temples.
This reaction left Eunuch Fu sowhat puzzled.
The Emperor seed to be concerned about the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion being reprimanded by the Empress Dowager just now, right?
Now learning she has the upper hand, why is the Emperor not pleased?
"Is the Emperor worried about the Empress Dowager?" Eunuch Fu asked.
"I’m worried about that batch of grain and grass," the Emperor replied irritably.
"...."
The Emperor’s thoughts are difficult to predict!
How did the topic suddenly shift to grain and grass?
If the grain and grass reach Marquis Dongxiang, it could spell disaster, life and death uncertain.
Eunuch Fu thought this way when a guard entered to report, "Emperor, there is news about the grain and grass."
"What about the grain and grass?" The Emperor felt his tension rise.
"Marquis Dongxiang detoured with the grain and grass, we don’t know where he’s taking them," the guard replied.
"...."
"I knew it; he’s after those supplies!" The Emperor was beside himself with anger.
"Please calm down, Emperor. Marquis Dongxiang might have taken a detour fearing ambushes on the road, ensuring safety," Eunuch Fu advised.
The Emperor glared at him, "He dares to rob Duke Chong’s horses; would he fear an ambush?"
Eunuch Fu, "...."
No counterargunt.
If he recalls correctly.
Marquis Dongxiang’s dictionary doesn’t include the word fear.
There must be a reason for his detour.
"Emperor, detouring doesn’t an the supplies won’t reach the border. Marquis Dongxiang vowed to deliver them safely. I believe he won’t divert the supplies for himself," Eunuch Fu continued.
The Emperor glanced at the guard, "Did Marquis Dongxiang move the grain and grass?"
"Moved, three als a day without fail, every al is full, every al has at," the guard said silently.
"...."
Eunuch Fu wanted to die.
How was he supposed to help persuade the Emperor to calm down?
Gathering a bit of grain and grass isn’t easy, why can’t they save so?
The guard didn’t know if he should report that Marquis Dongxiang’s kitchen soldiers would carry grain ahead to cook, and when the main troops caught up, they would imdiately start eating; after resting for a quarter hour, they’d continue on the road.
Those people’s stamina is excellent, at night they sleep at most three hours, and at the break of dawn, they continue on.
On the way, they even hunt wild chickens and fish...
The guard hesitated to speak.
The Emperor noticed and said, "Speak if you have sothing to say!"
The guard braced himself and reported all of Marquis Dongxiang’s and his subordinates’ actions to the Emperor.
The Emperor was so angry he snorted, not knowing what to scold.
They hunted wild chickens and fished along the way, taking the grain delivery lightly, and yet they still moved faster than the court’s grain transport team.
Inside Yongning Palace.
In the main hall, a long silence.
Su Jin’s legs were aching from standing.
At least give a response, scold if necessary, punish if necessary, what’s the point of not speaking?
Su Jin looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "On the way here, I heard the palace maids and eunuchs say that the Empress Dowager handles matters fairly, rewarding and punishing clearly, is the Empress Dowager reluctant to punish Miss Xie?"
The Empress Dowager’s face was dark as ink.
The palace maids and eunuchs were all speechless.
The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion lacked a bit of tact. Doesn’t she know when to stop, knowing that the Empress Dowager isn’t speaking, she should bow and take her leave as if nothing happened, why is she daft enough to press the Empress Dowager to punish Miss Xie?
Su Jin understood in her heart.
But she wasn’t that foolish, when others don’t let go of her, how can she let go of them, is there such a cheap thing?
To rush into the palace once, isn’t it tiring.
"If the Empress Dowager is unwilling, then I’ll go find the Emperor to deal with it justly," Su Jin said indifferently.
The Empress’s face turned frosty, she wanted to argue for Xie Jinyu, but the words went around her mouth and she held back.
Firstly, there was really no way to explain the matter of the Purple Jade Bracelet dropping on the ground without notice.
Secondly, punishing Xie Jinyu was beneficial for her, there was no reason for her to step forward.
The Empress looked at the Empress Dowager, who gritted her teeth and said, "Ten strikes on the palm!"
"Is the punishnt so severe?" Xingxing murmured.
"...."
Severe?
Su Jin glanced at Xingxing.
Ten strikes were already as light as can be.
Xie Jinyu was fuming.
She had never been punished by the Empress Dowager like this!
"You may leave," the Empress waved her hand.
"...."
Once she leaves, can this punishnt still be carried out?
Even if it is executed.
It would definitely be just the board lightly tapping the palm ten tis.
Su Jin looked at Xingxing.
Xingxing caught on and said, "I brought ointnt for bruises with ."
She dug out a dicine bottle from her pouch.
Hmm.
Xingxing didn’t just bring buns.
She also brought two large stead buns, so small pastries, and a bit of braised beef.
Su Jin, "...."
She was amused.
Was this the start of having als in the palace?
Su Jin refused to leave, and no one dared to drive her out.
The nanny stepped forward with the ruler, flogging Xie Jinyu ten tis before Su Jin.
The strikes weren’t heavy.
The board was raised high, but ca down lightly.
Xingxing was stunned, "Why are the strikes so light, when the Marquis hits soone’s palm, in less than three strikes, the ruler breaks, and after one strike, the hand swells like a bun."
Su Jin, "...."
Xie Jinyu, "...."
And the nanny holding the ruler, "...."
"It’s good to be gentle, next ti I accidentally break an Imperial gift, I’ll lightly take ten strikes and still be able to serve my own al," Su Jin laughed.
"...."
"The Madam described palace rules as severe and frightening, didn’t expect it to be this easy, the Miss could withstand thirty strikes, and from now on won’t have to tread cautiously for fear of breaking palace rules," Xingxing said happily.
"...."
Xingxing was eager, looking like she wanted to challenge the palace rules.
Su Jin was both amused and helpless.
Does this maid think her skin is particularly thick?
The palace maids and eunuchs were collectively speechless.
Could they be compared with the eldest young lady of Duke Zhen’s Mansion?
If the nanny hit them, they’d hit with full force and still break the ruler.
Thirty strikes, and their hands would be useless.
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