Yiren was persuaded by Qingyun and Qingfeng, and her desire to move against Consort Nian was suppressed. However, she was still angry. After discussing with Granny Qiu, she decided to conduct a private test on the three maids, four servants, and two gatekeepers in order to prevent similar incidents from happening.

In the courtyard of the Nian family, the little maid knelt before Nian, kowtowing and begging for help. Nian was so angry that she almost had a miscarriage.

After smashing the teacup in her hand, she calmed down. Tong's maid had openly run to her courtyard to ask for help. This matter was probably known to everyone in the backyard. It couldn't be hidden anymore; the only thing to do was to salvage the situation.

She beckoned to the maid beside her and whispered, "Here's what you need to do. Quickly find a way to leak the news she mentioned to the people in the main courtyard. I don't believe that the Fujin (princess) doesn't have her own thoughts on it. Remember, it's best if this news is spread by servants from other courtyards."

Xiangxiu nodded, "This servant understands."

Lady Nian added, "Take her away and tell her what to do, otherwise, I can't protect her life."

"yes."

The two maids busied themselves, while Madam Nian spread the handkerchief in her hand on her lap and smoothed out the wrinkles with her hands.

A smile played on her lips. She loathed Tong Shi, who was vying for the emperor's favor, and the primary consort felt the same way. They shared a common enemy: the knife had been handed to Nara Shi, and it was up to her to decide whether to seize it.

Upon receiving the news, Lady Nara said nothing, but ordered Granny Liu to come to Wanyue Pavilion to deliver a message, summoning Lady Tong to the main courtyard for a reprimand.

Nan Yi lay on the couch, coldly looking at Liu Mama, "What if I refuse?"

Granny Liu remained indifferent, but a sharp glint flashed across her somewhat mean face. "I have delivered my message. If the concubine refuses, I believe the virtuous lady of the palace will make a fair judgment."

Heh, Nan Yi was so angry she almost fell backward. Consort De had become Nara's golden command token, hanging firmly over her head.

Empress Nara was quite something, always bringing up Consort De.

Upon hearing the reprimand, it became clear that the girl who ran away must have said something to Lady Nara, and she had been exposed.

Yinzhen has entered the palace, and it's unknown when he will return. If she really doesn't go, Lady Nara will have even more to say.

Who told me I was a concubine?

The matter of Kangxi possibly summoning her to the palace had not been resolved, and now Empress Nara was causing trouble. She was spoiled by the emperor's favor, and if Consort De whispered in her ear, how could she possibly keep her head in check?

She touched the wound on her side, hoping that Fourth Uncle would arrive in time, otherwise she feared she might lose the half of her life that she had finally managed to recover from.

"Please tell the Fujin that I'll make some preparations," Nan Yi said, yielding.

Granny Liu left arrogantly.

Qingyun Yiren was extremely anxious, "Master is not in the manor, what should we do?"

"There's no other way, let's just go. Huan'er, come with me. You all stay in the courtyard and guard the gate."

"No, Huan'er is too naive. I'll go with you," Yiren said hastily.

Qingyun said, "Let me do it. I have experience with this."

Nan Yi smiled wryly, "It's not a good thing anyway, so don't join in the commotion. I have my own ideas."

Granny Qiu didn't say anything, but found two dresses with cotton linings in the inner room for her mistress to change into, and then helped her tie a layer of knee pads on her knees.

After wearing both sets of clothes, Nan Yi felt incredibly heavy. But was it really okay to cheat so blatantly?

Refusing the maids and nannies who wanted to share joys and sorrows.

Huan'er helped Nan Yi head towards the main courtyard.

A mistress and her servant stood before the steps. Lady Nara and Granny Liu stood on the steps, looking down at her. The servants around them had been cleared away, perhaps because she also felt that this matter should not be publicized.

"Kneel down," said Nara.

Nan Yi complied and obediently knelt down. She planned to behave herself until Kangxi punished her.

Do you know why I summoned you here?

Nan Yi shook his head calmly, "I don't know. I'm the kind of person who always stays out of the world and hides in my bedroom to reflect on my actions. But I'm just unlucky; trouble always seems to find me."

A blatant act of satire, done without batting an eye.

Nara narrowed her eyes. She had thought a lot about how to deal with the stubborn Tong Shi and decided to change her strategy. Her approach was more direct: she would use her status to exert pressure.

Believe it or not, it's very effective.

Tong Shi was the most unruly person in the inner courtyard. As the primary consort, she could justifiably use the rules to justify her lack of discipline.

She ordered Granny Liu to bring the girl up. "You know her, right? She's a lowly maid in your courtyard, Tong Shi. I'll explain this to the master properly. Good luck to you."

Nara felt she had Nan Yi's Achilles' heel, so she left Nan Yi kneeling at the bottom of the steps and was helped into the house by Liu Mama.

In the dead of winter, the weather in the north is so cold that the wind feels like a knife cutting your face, and the snow stopped several days ago.

As evening approached, a biting wind swept through the area. Although my body could still bear it through two layers of cotton clothing and knee pads, my exposed hands and face were freezing.

Kneeling on the other side of the steps, the maid who exposed Nan Yi huddled up in a ball, her head hanging low, kneeling next to Master Tong, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Wanyue Pavilion treated her well, giving her double her monthly allowance and occasional tips. She didn't know what got into her, but she was bewitched and agreed to the bribe from the maidservant of Master Nian.

It was too late to regret it. She was terrified. Now that things had come to this, she had no other requests but to save her life.

Nan didn't even look at the girl who had harmed her, and softly asked Huan'er behind her, "Can you handle it?"

Huan'er smiled innocently, "This servant is not afraid of the cold, so please don't worry, mistress. Mother always says that Huan'er has thick skin and a tough body, and this servant thinks it makes a lot of sense. Unlike her, she deserves to freeze to death. She dared to harm you, mistress."

"Oh, who said our Huan'er is simple-minded? She's actually very clever." Nan Yi was quite surprised. Huan'er was someone she had called in on short notice. Half of the people in Wanyue Pavilion didn't know that the maids in the courtyard had conspired with outsiders to harm her. Huan'er had only heard about it from somewhere.

"Sister Yiren said that Huan'er should protect her master well," Huan'er continued.

I thought to myself, "I see. Yiren didn't trust her, so she entrusted the important task of taking care of her to Huan'er, regardless of whether the little girl was capable of it."

Nan Yi was very touched by the group of kind and loyal girls. "Then I'll have to trouble Huan'er."

The master and servant chatted quietly. Since Lady Nara hadn't sent anyone to monitor them, the time passed quickly as they talked.

When Yinzhen entered the palace, he gave Kangxi a detailed report on the whole affair. The Thirteenth Prince gestured excitedly beside him, saying, "You don't know, Father Emperor! Sister Tong swept away the assassins with just a few moves, like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. Those assassins were like they had met their nemesis. They were captured in no time. It's a pity that I missed the second time."

He looked regretful, but Yinzhen felt only relief for this.

Emperor Kangxi saw the expressions on their faces and was also filled with lingering fear.

Then he became furious, realizing that he, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, had been tricked and almost lost his two sons.

This is intolerable. "It's good that you've returned safely. I will order people to investigate this matter thoroughly. You must be tired. You may leave. Take a rest tomorrow. Bring Lady Tong to pay your respects to the Imperial Concubine the day after tomorrow."

So they really want to summon me?

Yinzhen wanted to plead for mercy, after all, without Tong Shi's unexpected turn of events, he wouldn't have survived.

"Father, your son..."

Kangxi understood what he wanted to say, "I know what I'm doing, there's no need to say more."

Yinzhen said no more and withdrew with the thirteenth prince.