"Tell me, what exactly happened!"

Consort Hui coldly questioned Chengxin beside her, while at the same time she felt a heavy weight in her heart, unwilling to let it fall.

Chengxin's expression seemed off when she returned. She had asked Chengxin to check on the Thirteenth Prince. Could it be that the Thirteenth Prince's condition was somewhat serious?

That shouldn't be the case. If it were serious, Chengxin's expression would never be like this.

Consort Hui was pondering what was going on repeatedly, unaware that her complexion had changed rapidly.

Chengxin smiled slightly and glanced at Consort Hui. "Your Majesty, the Thirteenth Prince bumped his head, but it's only slightly red and nothing serious."

"What?"

Before Consort Hui could speak, Consort Ling, who had been eavesdropping, couldn't help but chime in.

Consort Ling looked surprised, her face showing a complete disbelief in Cheng Xin's words.

She instinctively looked at the maid beside her, and both the mistress and the maid were greatly surprised.

This doesn't match the information they received. Who is spreading these rumors?

"Tell me in detail what happened."

Consort Hui was quite disgusted by Consort Ling's overreaction, but she also realized the problem that Chengxin had pointed out.

The thirteenth prince was injured, but not as seriously as she had imagined.

She had only come over to make a few sarcastic remarks about Consort Ping, but the other party seized the opportunity to frame her. Consort Ping had Tong Jia Rongyue to help her, while she herself was isolated and helpless due to lack of evidence. The situation was clearly unfavorable to her.

what to do? !

Chengxin was unaware that her mistress had already thought so much. When she heard her mistress asking her a question, she quickly told her everything about her past visit to the Thirteenth Prince.

As the scene depicted by Orange Heart became clearer, the stone in Consort Hui's heart fell to the ground.

Oh no, they've been entrapped!

Turning her head to look at Consort Ping, who had a smug look on her face, Consort Hui gritted her teeth and said, "Consort Ping, what a clever trick."

Consort Ping smiled without saying a word, but judging from her appearance and demeanor, it was clear that she was in a good mood, which was completely opposite to her initial state of being pressured by Consort Hui.

No one else around said anything; the matter was already laid bare, and further discussion was pointless.

"Consort Hui, do you know your mistake?"

Tong Jiarongyue spoke, her eyes casually sweeping over the people around her.

"You know you're wrong? I don't know, what wrong have I done?"

After Consort Hui finished speaking, she once again dragged Xiu Ning into the matter. There was no other way; besides Tong Jia Rong Yue, only Xiu Ning, a high-ranking concubine, remained.

Furthermore, the power in the palace has been divided and reunited many times. Now, Tong Jia Rongyue and Xiu Ning are in power. If Consort Hui doesn't seek help from Xiu Ning, who else can she turn to?

Xiu Ning paused slightly, "Consort Hui, I have said before that I am unaware of what happened between you two."

So if she's asked to make a judgment, she'll at least have to provide strong evidence; otherwise, she'll be powerless to do so.

'Willing but unable? The host clearly has a way to help Consort Hui resolve this crisis.'

The system in my mind couldn't help but pop up.

The system's presence has been ridiculously high lately, and Xiu Ning couldn't understand why. In the end, she could only attribute it to the system's inherent love of watching the excitement.

Moreover, as time goes on, their mission is nearing its end. The system may have other purposes, but as for Xiuning, the host, she can ignore it as long as it doesn't affect her.

'Why should I help Consort Hui? What benefit would I gain? It would only offend Consort Ping and Tongjia Rongyue for no reason. I'm not asking for trouble.'

Their relationship was already tense enough. Now, if she were to jump in and clear Consort Hui's name, wouldn't that be arrogant enough to think she could take on everyone in the harem? She's not like she has nothing better to do.

Xiu Ning's refusal was within the system's expectations, and the system did not continue to harass her.

Seeing Xiu Ning like this, Consort Hui felt even more helpless.

In the end, even though Consort Hui stubbornly denied it, Consort Ping's side had the advantage of numbers, so Consort Hui was still punished by Tong Jia Rongyue for three months with a reduction in her monthly allowance on the grounds of violating palace rules.

Of course, this is not the end. The subsequent punishment of Consort Hui will require Emperor Kangxi's approval. Tong Jia Rongyue will relay today's events, including Consort Ping's situation, to Emperor Kangxi. Consort Hui can only wait for Emperor Kangxi's decree in Chuxiu Palace, just like a prisoner facing punishment, without any autonomy.

"Consort Jing, what do you think will happen to Consort Hui?"

Consort Rong ran to Xiu Ning's side, her eyes never forgetting to look back at Consort Hui and the others behind her.

Xiuning sat in the sedan chair, which was gently lifted with a sound of spring rain. "Who knows? Everything depends on the Emperor's will."

"Consort Rong, Consort Hui was outmatched in today's matter, but Consort Ping and Consort Tong's methods were still rather crude."

The "boy who cried wolf" strategy can be used, but if it's overused and others don't take it seriously, how will we deal with it when the real wolf finally comes?

This time, Consort Ping used the Thirteenth Prince's injury as a pretext to set up a trap. Because the other concubines were not on guard, Consort Hui was the first to fall into it.

But what about next time?

With Consort Hui serving as a cautionary tale, will others fall for the same trick? What methods will Consort Ping use next to deal with the enemies who covet Yinxiang or her own unborn child?

Xiuning previously thought that Consort Ping might survive, but now, well, it's up to fate.

Upon hearing this, Consort Rong looked up at the sky, which was cloudless and a clear blue.

"Yes, it was too crude. If we had been on guard, it would have been difficult for something like this to happen again."

Consort Rong's tone was ambiguous. She smiled, gave a curtsy, and watched Xiu Ning leave before turning around and taking her maid's hand to walk back.

...

Back and forth, Xiuning spent a good half a day on the matter of Consort Ping.

"Your Majesty, His Majesty just sent a decree to Chuxiu Palace, saying that Consort Hui has acted improperly and cannot distinguish right from wrong. Effective immediately, she will be confined to the palace for three months, and her monthly allowance will be increased to half a year."

At the entrance, Chunyu brought in the latest ruling issued by the Qianqing Palace.

Xiuning sat on the tatami mat, with a bowl of iced drink made with crushed ice and some jam beside her.

Since the weather got hot, she has to eat every day and occasionally drink some iced drinks.

This is the method she uses most often to cool down in the summer; it's practical and convenient.

"His Majesty has increased the punishment for Consort Hui. Has something happened in the previous dynasty?"

Xiuning pondered for a moment, then asked again.

"I only heard that today in the Qianqing Palace, the Crown Prince and the First Prince had a significant disagreement over the matter of waging war against the Dzungars."

Perhaps influenced by this incident, Chunyu simply recounted everything she had heard.

Xiuning nodded, "Perhaps it's related. The Emperor's actions are clearly a warning."

As for who is being reprimanded, it is obvious that it is Consort Hui, Consort Ping, and Tong Jia Rongyue.