Chapter 223 Follow the Rules

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn't mean it." At the gate of Changchun Palace, Zi Su knelt on the ground and begged for mercy.

"Wu Xin? You're charging straight at me. Do you think I'm blind?" Concubine Xie snorted coldly, glancing at her. "Raise your head. I want to see which palace trained this good slave."

Zi Su's shoulders were trembling and she didn't dare to look up.

Concubine Xie winked at the head palace maid Liuli, who stepped forward, grabbed Zisu's chin and lifted her entire face up.

When she first saw this face, Concubine Xie was stunned. This slave girl looked about 60% like Dou Jingwan, especially her eyes which were carefully decorated. The corners of her eyes were upturned, which gave her a charming look.

She looked down and noticed that the palace maid in front of her was actually wearing a concubine's palace dress. Isn't this one of Dou Jingwan's favorite colors?

His Majesty is about to arrive, but this palace maid suddenly appears here...

"Your Majesty, she is Zi Su, the senior palace maid serving Concubine Gao." Liuli recognized Zi Su through her makeup.

Hearing this, Concubine Xie finally understood why this lowly maid appeared in Changchun Palace at this time.

It must be that Concubine Gao wanted to take advantage of the fact that this slave girl had a face somewhat similar to Dou Jingwan's, to help this slave girl climb onto the dragon bed, and then use this slave girl's favor to win over the emperor to Youlanju.

What a great plan!

The corners of her lips curled up in a sneer, and she ordered her attendants: "Drag him away and slap him in the face!"

If you want to use this face to please her, it depends on whether she agrees or not.

"Please spare my life, Concubine Xie!" Zi Su broke free from Liu Li's hand and kowtowed to Concubine Xie, "I will never dare to do that again!"

Two maids stepped forward and were about to drag her aside when they heard a shrill voice: "What are you clamoring for? Can you bear the consequences of disturbing the emperor?"

When everyone heard the sound, they looked and found that the people coming were Zhou Yuande and two young eunuchs.

When Zhou Yuande saw Concubine Xie was there, he hurriedly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Xie Jieyu smiled and said, "No need to be so polite, Eunuch Zhou. Please stand up."

Zhou Yuande stood up and glanced at the palace maid who was caught by the two maids. Because the palace maid had her head down, he couldn't see her appearance.

He said, "Your Majesty heard the commotion here and ordered me to come and see what's going on."

Xie Jieyu glanced at Zi Su and said, "This lowly servant doesn't know the rules. She's running around at the gate of Changchun Palace. I'll teach her some manners on behalf of the Empress."

After saying that, she glared at the two maids and said, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and drag him away and give him a slap in the face."

The two maids were about to move when they heard a loud shout: "His Majesty has arrived!"

"Your Majesty, may you be well." Everyone knelt down in unison to welcome the emperor.

"Everyone get up." Xiao Jingfan got off the sedan chair. Zhou Yuande quickly walked to his side and whispered the reason for the noise.

Xiao Jingfan turned his head to look at Zisu who was being held by two maids. Zisu had already raised her head, and her carefully drawn eyebrows and eyes looked very much like someone, which made Xiao Jingfan frown.

Zhou Yuande on the side was secretly amazed. This face looked too much like Concubine Dou, and the outfit. If she were more wealthy, she would look even more like her.

Thinking of this, he glanced at the emperor.

There was no trace of emotion on Xiao Jingfan's face, and his eyes were even a little colder than before.

Zi Su bit her lip and tried her best to imitate what her master taught her.

Success or failure depends on this one move.

As long as His Majesty still has a little bit of pity, she...

"It's unbecoming to rush around like that. We must follow the rules." Xiao Jingfan said this in a cold voice and walked into Changchun Palace.

Seeing that he was not attracted by a face, Xie Jieyu was happy and did not bother to clean up Zi Su. She hurriedly picked up her skirt and chased after him.

It’s over!

Zi Su lost all her strength and collapsed to the ground. She was dragged to the Ministry of Punishment by two maids.

*

"Master, something bad has happened!" The eunuch in charge of gathering information rushed in and reported to Concubine Gao, "Miss Zisu has offended the emperor and has been punished by His Majesty to be sent to the Ministry of Punishment!"

Gaopin was shocked, "How could we offend the emperor?"

"It wasn't a violation of the Emperor's will." The young eunuch slapped his lips. "I was wrong. It was Miss Zisu who violated Concubine Xie. His Majesty happened to be visiting and learned that Miss Zisu was running amok at the gate of Changchun Palace. In a rage, he sent Miss Zisu to the Ministry of Punishment."

Gaopin frowned: "Did His Majesty really order this personally?"

The young eunuch nodded: "Your Majesty said to follow the rules."

Follow the rules.

Gaopin savored these four words carefully, and after a while, she sighed softly: "I was wrong."

The emperor was even more cold-hearted and frightening than she had imagined.

The young eunuch didn't understand and looked at her in confusion.

Gaopin thought for a while and ordered, "Go to the Ministry of Punishment and make some arrangements. Tell Zisu that I will find a way to rescue her and reassure her."

"I obey your command." The young eunuch turned and went out.

At the same time, Changchun Palace.

Xiao Jingfan looked at Concubine Xie who was sitting there and refused to leave: "I have something to say to the Queen, if you have nothing else to do, please go back first."

Xie Jieyu's smile froze. Although she was unwilling, she did not dare to disobey the emperor's order, so she stood up and bowed to take her leave.

Xiao Jingfan slowly peeled an orange and put a slice into his mouth. It was so sour that he almost spit it out.

Seeing this, Empress Zhong smiled and handed over a sweet one, "I've been craving sour food lately, Your Majesty, please have this."

"I'm not eating anymore." Xiao Jingfan wiped his hands with a handkerchief, picked up the teacup and took a sip.

Empress Zhong withdrew her hand, put the sweet orange back into the fruit bowl, picked up a sour one and peeled it. As she peeled it, she asked, "Your Majesty, what do you want to say to me?"

"This tea isn't brewed well." Xiao Jingfan put down the teacup and looked at Queen Zhong. "New Year's Eve is tomorrow. Don't put off the necessary actions until next year."

Queen Zhong paused while peeling the orange and looked up at him.

Xiao Jingfan stood up and said, "I'm going to pay my respects to the Queen Mother. Please take good care of yourself. I'm leaving."

"Farewell to Your Majesty."

After the imperial carriage left, Empress Zhong waved her hand and asked all the palace servants to leave, leaving only Qiu Sui and Gao Yongfu.

Gao Yongfu whispered that Zi Su had just bumped into Concubine Xie and was punished by the emperor to be sent to the Ministry of Punishment.

He said, "Miss Zisu is dressed very well today. From a distance, I thought she was Concubine Dou."

Upon hearing this, Queen Zhong's expression turned a little colder.

Qiu Sui, standing aside, curled her lips and said, "Your Majesty, that Concubine Gao is so ungrateful. You didn't bother with her about the previous matter, but she's actually taking advantage of you and plotting against you..."

Queen Zhong looked at her, and Qiu Sui immediately shut up and dared not say anything more.

Queen Zhong sat quietly for a moment, waved to her, and whispered a few words in her ear.

Qiusui opened her mouth in surprise.

Queen Zhong reached out and pushed her: "Go."

"Yes." Qiu Sui smiled and went to do her work.

Gao Yongfu was a little curious and was wondering what the Queen had asked Qiu Sui to do when he suddenly heard Queen Zhong calling him.

He quickly responded, "I am here, please give your orders, Madam."

Queen Zhong pointed to the teacup placed opposite her and asked, "Who is making the tea?"

Gao Yongfu glanced at the teacup and said, "To answer your Majesty, this tea was brewed by Miss Linlang."

"It's her." Queen Zhong put down the peeled orange and looked out the window. "Let her go to the laundry."