The young palace maid looked up at her in disbelief.

The eunuch was also shocked by Gu Jiangli's actions. How could a palace maid he didn't even know be worth Gu Jiangli personally coming out to rescue?

"It's not that I'm disrespecting Consort Gu, but that glass cup is Her Majesty the Empress's favorite item, and it would be hard to find one that would satisfy Her Majesty so much."

"Since Consort Gu enjoys the Emperor's favor, she naturally has the opportunity to obtain many rare and precious items from His Majesty."

"But this glass cup... was brought into the palace by Her Majesty the Empress from the General's Mansion. Such a precious item, you may not be able to compensate for it."

The eunuch's face showed no attempt to hide his mockery.

His words were full of pride about the Empress's family background.

The Empress comes from a good family and can possess all the world's precious things on her own, unlike Gu Jiangli, who has to rely on His Majesty's bestowal for everything.

Gu Jiangli understood his implied meaning, but her face showed no anger; instead, her gentle smile was like a spring breeze in April.

"It seems that you, as a servant by the Empress's side, are indeed arrogant and disrespectful."

The eunuch was taken aback, but quickly recovered.

"Consort Gu's words are biased. This servant naturally has the Empress, His Majesty, and the Empress Dowager in his eyes. How could he be so arrogant?"

In short, they simply don't take Gu Jiangli seriously.

Gu Jiangli realized that even though the Empress had never openly clashed with her, her servants had brought the conflict to the forefront.

She wasn't angry; on the contrary, she felt it suited her perfectly.

Gu Jiangli turned his head and said to the lotus flowers behind him:

"Lotus, as a servant, you have shown disrespect to the concubines in the harem. What punishment should you receive?"

Lotus said cheerfully, "Your Highness, she should be slapped twenty times!"

"Then don't just stand there, let's get started."

Lotus smiled radiantly, "Alright!"

After saying that, he rolled up his sleeves and walked toward the terrified eunuch.

The eunuch unconsciously took several steps back. "Hey! Consort Gu, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to use torture? I am the chief eunuch by the Empress's side!"

Lotus grabbed him by the collar.

Gu Jiangli sneered from behind: "I don't care whose eunuch you are. I am a Zhaoyi, and you are a servant. When you see me, you should kneel and bow. If you don't know etiquette, according to palace rules, you should be slapped!"

"If you're not satisfied, go and complain to the Empress about me."

She was even afraid that he wouldn't report her.

"You!" The eunuch had barely uttered a word when Lotus knocked him shut.

Lotus was well-trained, delivering slaps one after another, front and back.

Before the eunuch had even finished receiving the twenty slaps, his face was already bruised and swollen.

Gu Jiangli didn't look at his miserable state, but instead squatted down next to the little palace maid.

"What's your name? How old are you?"

The young palace maid struggled to stop sobbing and choked out:

“Looking back at Consort Zhao, this servant Xiao Lian is thirteen years old this year.”

She's only thirteen! She's so young.

She sighed inwardly.

"Don't be afraid. Her Majesty the Empress is a generous and gentle person. She won't blame you for something as trivial as a glass cup. The eunuch only scolded and beat you because he wanted to vent his anger on you."

Xiao Lian glanced at the eunuch who had just been slapped, and said timidly:

“I didn’t break the glass cup. It was Eunuch Li who was carrying the food and was in a hurry to leave. He didn’t see me because I’m short, and he tripped over me and broke the glass cup.”

Gu Jiangli chuckled: "So, it was just that Eunuch Li was careless and then pinned the blame on you? Tsk tsk tsk, it's astonishing that Her Majesty the Empress, such a kind and benevolent person, would have a servant like Eunuch Li by her side."

"Is it that Her Majesty the Empress is not strict in managing her subordinates, or is it that you, Eunuch Li, have two different faces when you are facing the Empress and when you are not facing her?"

Eunuch Li covered his face with his hands, swayed as he steadied himself, and appeared to be a loyal protector of his master.

"Consort Gu! Stop trying to smear Her Majesty the Empress!"

Gu Jiangli smiled faintly: "Oh, so it seems you have two faces?"

Eunuch Li was so angry he gritted his teeth. "Consort Gu, you have insulted me so much today. The Empress will certainly not let you off easily in the future!"

Gu Jiangli waved his hand dismissively, "I already said it's fine. If you want to complain to the Empress, you don't have to inform me. Do as you please."

After saying that, he turned and left with the lotus flowers.

What's the point of the empress hiding in the shadows?

Why not just openly oppose her and fight her if you want to?

On the way back to Yunguang Palace, Lotus was in a great mood, almost humming a song behind her.

"My lady, that's so satisfying! I thought you would have swallowed your anger in the face of Eunuch Li's mockery!"

Gu Jiangli smiled calmly: "If he were any other eunuch from another palace, I might choose not to clash with him. But he is from the Empress's palace, so of course I have to do something."

Lotus's delighted expression suddenly turned to confusion. "What makes you say that, Your Highness? I remember that Her Majesty the Empress had no conflict with you. She's actually a very nice person."

Gu Jiangli remained silent.

yes.

The Empress and she never had any conflict, so why would she do such a harmful thing behind people's backs?

Gu Jiangli keenly sensed a strange atmosphere.

"Lotus, we can talk about that later. Right now, I have something I need you to do."

"Please give your orders, my lord!"

"I need you to keep an eye on Eunuch Li. Where does he go on weekdays? Who does he meet? What does he do? Try your best to find out for me."

At this moment, she remembered what Xiaolian had said earlier: that Eunuch Li was in a hurry to get somewhere with the food, which was why he didn't see the short Xiaolian bump into her.

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