Chen Zhaoyuan knew this principle, but she wouldn't keep holding back her temper for so long.

"Although it was a gift from the Empress Dowager, it is still Consort Nan's fault for not managing her subordinates properly." Consort Chen was really going to cause trouble. The lower-ranking concubines beside her were just watching the show, and none of them were willing to come out and plead for her.

"Consort Nan is ignorant of rank and disregards palace rules. She is arrogant and deliberately offends me. How should she be punished?" Consort Chen asked the concubines around her.

"Speaking so rudely, she deserves to be slapped," Yang Meiren sneered.

"He is not strict with his subordinates and does not abide by palace rules. He should be punished by kneeling and reflecting on his actions," said Consort Lin.

"I am merciful and consider that you have just recovered from a serious illness, so I will not punish you too much. Then, I will slap you ten times and make you kneel for an hour." Consort Chen walked to Nan Zhiyun's side and whispered in her ear, "Nan Zhiyun, His Majesty gave you a few kind words the other day, and you thought you had turned the tables? That was only because the Empress Dowager was coming back."

“Look, has he visited you these past few days? He only visited because he was afraid you would die there. His Majesty only favors me. Even when he is angry with me, he has never punished me in any real way except for saying a few words. I only need to act cute to His Majesty, and he will forgive me. You see, his favor has not diminished at all these days.”

"I'm punishing you today on purpose because I can't stand you, and I also want you to see clearly that even if I punish you today, His Majesty won't do anything to me. Do you remember when you were first demoted to a lowly concubine, you were punished by His Majesty with twenty slaps for offending me?" Consort Chen said.

Seeing that Nan Zhiyun's face had paled a bit, she smiled with satisfaction. She knew what Nan Zhiyun's sore spot was, but she was determined to step on it!

"Guards, slap him!" Chen Zhaoyuan shouted.

Then servants came and held Nan Zhiyun down, and one of them slapped her across the face without any mercy. Nan Zhiyun's head was turned to one side, and a conspicuous handprint was imprinted on her face.

In just those two moments, blood was already trickling from the corner of Nan Zhiyun's mouth. Chen Zhaoyuan's words had just been like a sharp blade piercing her heart.

Previously, when she was first demoted to the rank of Cai Ren, she offended Chen Zhaoyuan, who was still Xiu Rong at the time. Yu Jingchen ordered her to be slapped twenty times with a wooden board. Her entire face looked like it had been smashed, and she couldn't speak for a long time.

Perhaps she was numb; Nan Zhiyun no longer wanted to struggle. Yu Jingchen had punished her because of Chen Zhaoyuan before, so naturally he wouldn't punish Chen Zhaoyuan now just because she was punished by her. No wonder Chen Zhaoyuan dared to be so brazen.

After ten slaps, Nan Zhiyun's ears were ringing, and the burning pain on her face prevented her from opening her mouth. This group of people in front of her were just treating her as a joke...

"Now that the ten slaps have been delivered, you shall kneel here for an hour before you can rise. I am doing this for your own good, Consort Nan. I hope you can understand my good intentions, remember this lesson, and reflect deeply on your actions." Consort Chen's face was smug.

She then waved her hand and said, "Your Majesty's morning court session is almost over. I need to attend to Your Majesty in a little while, so I'll be leaving now."

Then he left with a group of concubines.