Chapter 137 Rules in the Palace

Consort Wu was furious.

Today, she sent some things to her family home via her personal maid.

On the one hand, she wanted to appease her family members, because Ye Yunshu's investigation had implicated many members of the Wu family, and several members of the Wu and Ruan families were still detained in the Ministry of Justice prison.

Coincidentally, it was the engagement day of one of her nieces in two days, so Consort Wu thought she would give this niece some honor and bestowed two items from her own palace upon her.

By the way, tell my family to be patient.

The Prince of Zhao is the only prince His Majesty has brought to the northern lands.

There will definitely be rewards when we return to the capital in triumph. King Zhao has already said that he has military merits and will definitely plead for his maternal grandfather's family.

This was originally an ordinary matter, but something happened when the palace servants were leaving the palace gates.

Everything that comes out of the Imperial Household Department must have a destination.

Even if it's a gift from the ladies of the palace, it still needs to be registered in the Imperial Household Department.

To avoid causing any inappropriate trouble if it is discovered outside the palace later.

Coincidentally, among the gifts Consort Wu bestowed upon her family was one from the Imperial Household Department, and the bottom of that "May All Your Wishes Come True" vase even bears the Imperial Household Department's emblem!

The guards at the palace gates were the original Imperial Guards plus two women from the Imperial Guards who were later transferred into the palace.

When the two temporary female guards inspected the porcelain vase, they immediately sent someone to the Imperial Household Department to check if it had been registered.

The Imperial Household Department replied that there were no registrations at the moment.

Upon hearing this, the two female guards detained the palace maid from Ronghua Palace without saying a word.

Although someone from Ronghua Palace later said it was the Consort's idea, the two female guards still insisted on their principles.

You can either return the way you came, or hurry to the Imperial Household Department to complete the formalities.

The people in Ronghua Palace are used to acting arrogantly and domineeringly in the palace.

They always go out whenever they want, no matter what they send out, they can just go out directly. Even if they need to complete the formalities, they do it after the items are delivered.

He was suddenly stopped at the palace gate and immediately became unhappy.

Then the two sides started arguing...

It's a pity that the female guards are not like the original imperial guards.

The guards, used to the attitudes of the nobles in the palace, turned a blind eye...

They were expected to strictly follow the rules, and being women, they had no intention of showing any chivalry or tenderness...

The two noisy palace servants were immediately grabbed by the female guards, their arms twisted and tied behind their backs, and sent to the inner palace...

This really stirred up a hornet's nest.

Consort Wu believed that the female guards dared to arrest people from her palace, which was a great disrespect, and she wanted to punish the two female guards.

The commander of the female guards, however, said that his people had done nothing wrong, as they were strictly following the rules of the inner palace.

Not only should they not be punished, they should also be rewarded...

How could Consort Wu, who had held sway in the palace for many years, possibly tolerate this?

They immediately summoned the female commander of the imperial guards and ordered her to be punished.

Unfortunately, she didn't fall for it.

He stated bluntly that Consort Wu had no right to punish her...

"If Your Highness feels this is unfair, then submit a memorial to His Majesty."

If I have done anything wrong, His Majesty will punish me; there is no need for Your Highness to do so!

"I have many affairs to attend to at the palace; this humble general shall take his leave!"

After saying these words, the female imperial guard commander didn't even glance at Consort Wu before turning and leaving!

This further angered Consort Wu.

...

As the palace servants and eunuchs swept away the broken porcelain shards from Ronghua Palace, Consort Ruan... no, it should be Consort Ruan Ronghua gently persuaded Consort Wu.

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry. Those female guards don't look like girls at all!"

They're all big, burly guys, and they have absolutely no sense of humanity!

Consort Wu was still sulking.

She just couldn't understand those female guards...

"Have you sent anyone out recently?" Consort Wu asked Ruan Ronghua.

Ruan Ronghua shook her head.

"Since those female guards entered the palace, I haven't sent anyone out."

Fortunately, the fifth brother is filial. He would send a memorial card to pay his respects every few days, so I know a little about what's going on outside.

Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince said that he frequently visits the Ministry of Justice now, and he will still take care of those who need it.

"Let's not worry!" Ruan Ronghua said softly.

Consort Wu breathed a sigh of relief.

She looked at Ruan Ronghua.

"Thank you for your hard work, Fifth Brother! If it weren't for the fact that you're still in the capital, we would have been completely blind to what's happening right now!"

Ruan Ronghua quickly smiled.

"Your Highness, what are you saying? There's nothing hard about it. You watched the Fifth Prince grow up."

In his eyes, you are the person he respects the most!

The other day, Lao Wu told me to come and talk to you more often.

The Prince of Zhao and the Twelfth Prince are not in the capital, and Princess Shou Kang is currently observing a vegetarian diet and chanting Buddhist scriptures. You don't even have anyone to talk to.

He said if there's anything you can't handle here, just tell me.

Let me tell him he took care of it for you!

After hearing Ruan Ronghua's words, Consort Wu's mood finally improved a bit.

"Fortunately, the Fifth Prince is still in the capital, which makes me feel a little more at ease."

Ruan Ronghua then chimed in with a couple of things that Consort Wu would like to hear.

The Prince of Zhao has been following His Majesty all along, and he will surely be rewarded when he returns. Even the Twelfth Prince, who is so young, went to the southwest with him. This is because His Majesty dotes on Consort Wu…

Consort Wu's mood improved the more she listened.

"By the way, Your Majesty, what is the background of those female guards?"

"I've never seen you before!" Ruan Ronghua suddenly asked.

"What else could it be? As for the origins, it all happened a hundred years ago."

During the reign of Emperor Wu, the emperor favored Empress Huangfu above all others and even established a special women's personal army for her.

Later, Empress Huangfu divided the women's personal guard into two groups, one of which followed Princess Xining to the north.

The other branch remained in the capital.

The emperor's original intention was to protect the imperial family and also to provide a guarantee for the Huangfu family, who had relinquished military power.

Later, these female soldiers gradually became more and more capable.

The one in the north goes without saying; it has repeatedly achieved great feats and is now renamed the Ling Family Army.

"The women's imperial guards in the capital are those people inside," Consort Wu explained to Ruan Ronghua.

Ruan Ronghua said "Oh," and then asked curiously.

"Who could possibly lead such a formidable team!"

Could it be that His Majesty left behind some secret edict or something before he left?

Consort Wu smiled.

"What secret edict? When I served by the late Empress's side, I knew a little about these things."

The female imperial guards only obey orders, not imperial edicts!

That order was the Phoenix Order, which could command the women's personal guard.

It's called the Phoenix Token, and I've heard it's a phoenix pendant, serving the same purpose as His Majesty's dragon pendant.

The dragon pendant can command the imperial guards, while the phoenix pendant is the phoenix command, which can command the female personal guards.

The female elite troops are very capable fighters!

Ruan Ronghua understood.

"Who could possibly obtain the Phoenix Token?" Ruan Ronghua continued to ask.