Chapter 54 Compensation

"Your Majesty! I truly cannot go on living!"

Consort Shen threw herself into the emperor's arms and wept bitterly.

The emperor couldn't help but sigh, "Why did you go and provoke her again?"

Consort Shen sat up abruptly. "Your Majesty, what do you mean by this? As His Highness the Crown Prince's elder, I heard he fell into the water and was unconscious. Was it wrong for me to be worried and want to visit him? How could my sister treat me like this!"

The emperor patted her on the shoulder, "Why are you dragging the empress into this? She hasn't done anything to you."

Consort Shen, with tears in her eyes, cried out, "What do you mean the Empress didn't do anything to me? If Princess Jinzhi hadn't listened to her, how could she have treated me so disrespectfully! I've been respectful to my sister every day and taken good care of the Crown Prince. Am I wrong? I don't want to live anymore!"

The Emperor pulled back Consort Shen, who was threatening suicide, and said, “My dear consort, what are you doing? The Empress is straightforward. If she really wanted to mistreat you, she would have come to your door long ago. Jinzhi is unruly. As her elder, are you really going to argue with her?”

Consort Shen immediately objected.

"Your Majesty! This is blaming someone!"

Princess Jinzhi is already eighteen years old. In ordinary families, she would be a mother by now. She's still a child!

She has never once shown me, her elder, any respect!

Rongfu has been an old servant of mine for a long time, and she actually cut off one of Rongfu's ears right in front of me!

The emperor asked, "What did Rongfu do to offend her?"

Consort Shen said indignantly:

"Your Majesty, I wish to visit the Crown Prince, but my sister had me stopped at the door!"

That little palace maid actually dared to push me!

Rongfu was anxious to save his master, which is why he stopped the young palace maid.

Unexpectedly, the princess made Rongfu kneel down and apologize to the little palace maid. Rongfu was only a fraction of a second too slow, and the princess cut off Rongfu's ear!

How cruel!

Rongfu is an old servant of mine!

The princess acted without warning, showing no respect whatsoever for me, a noble concubine!

How can I expect to command respect in the harem after this?!

"Your Majesty! You must do me justice!"

The emperor patiently explained:

"Jinzhi was raised by me since she was a child. She inherited my personality; she's a bit mischievous and naughty, but she's a good child!"

I'll have her come to apologize to you in person later!

I will definitely give her a good scolding!

You should never go to the Empress's palace again.

If you wish to visit the Crown Prince, wait until he returns to the Eastern Palace.

Consort Shen suddenly stood up. "What does Your Majesty mean by this? Do you think I'm being nosy?"

She has utterly trampled on my dignity. How am I supposed to face the world in the harem now?

"It would be better to hang myself with a white silk ribbon!"

Qin Jinzhi has gone too far in bullying her, and His Majesty thinks he can just let it go with a few words of reprimand!

dream!

The emperor coaxed, "Nonsense! Why go to such lengths, my beloved concubine? Why are you arguing with a child? Here's what I'll do: I'll confine her to her quarters for three days! What do you say?"

Consort Shen's almond-shaped eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in anger. "Three days? Why doesn't Your Majesty just punish her by making her eat less?"

"That's good! Punish her by not letting her eat! Let's vent my anger for my beloved concubine!"

Even Consort Shen could no longer maintain her facade of weakness; her voice became shrill.

"Your Majesty! Do you take me for a three-year-old child?!"

I will still hold this against you today!

Even in the most prestigious palace, Qin Jinzhi is nothing more than a princess from a different royal family. She acts lawlessly in the palace because of your favor!

Today she can humiliate me, tomorrow she won't even respect you!

You must punish her severely today!

The emperor sighed, "What does my beloved concubine wish for?"

Upon hearing that the Emperor had relented, Consort Shen immediately said, "In my opinion, the Princess should be punished with fifty strokes of the cane, made to copy the palace rules one hundred times, and finally confined to her quarters for six months as a warning to others!"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately said, "Isn't fifty strokes of the cane too much? She has been pampered since childhood. Fifty strokes of the cane would ruin her hands. The Prince of Zhenbei has just returned to the capital and has already placed Jinzhi under house arrest. It's inevitable that the Prince of Zhenbei will have some doubts. These palace rules can be copied. Let her copy them properly!"

Qin Jinzhi hates writing the most! Let this brat copy the palace rules!

Consort Shen could hardly believe her ears, "Your Majesty!"

Qin Jinzhi had disrespected her so much, yet His Majesty only punished her by making her copy palace rules!

"I'd rather find a white silk ribbon and die!"

The emperor quickly pulled her aside and said, "My beloved concubine! Why don't you hit me a few times to vent your anger? It's all my fault for disciplining you, but I've upset you."

Upon hearing the Emperor's words, Consort Shen immediately understood that the Emperor would not punish Qin Jinzhi today, no matter what.

Even when Qin Jinzhi caused such a huge disaster, His Majesty only sent her to Baique Temple for three years. How much more so when Qin Jinzhi only injured a servant.

She knew that, given His Majesty's doting affection for her, he would never punish her severely!

Fortunately, she didn't really come so that His Majesty would punish Qin Jinzhi.

Consort Shen threw herself into the Emperor's arms, "What are you saying, Your Majesty! How could I bear to harm Your Majesty's health! Your Majesty knows that I love you the most!"

The emperor smiled and said, "Of course I know my beloved consort's feelings. In the entire palace, my beloved consort is the most understanding. Otherwise, why would I favor you so much?"

Consort Shen said coquettishly, "Your Majesty, I have suffered a great injustice this time. You must make it up to me!"

The emperor immediately replied, "Very well, my beloved consort, whatever you desire, I will grant it to you."

Consort Shen immediately said, "Your Majesty, my younger brother has been reflecting on his mistakes at home for many days. He has realized his wrongdoing. Why not lift his confinement and let him return to his post?"

The emperor's eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained unchanged as he said, "Dereliction of duty in investigation is a serious crime. I only spared her from severe punishment because of you. Now that her confinement has been lifted, what will the officials think? They will think that I have disregarded the Empress's safety. At that time, I will also be unable to explain to the Censorate."

Consort Shen twisted her body and said, "Your Majesty! You just promised to grant me whatever I desire. Are you trying to deceive me? A ruler's word is law!"

The Emperor smiled gently, "Very well, very well. I will lift Shen Cha's confinement. However, Shen Cha is still injured. We will let him return to report after he has recovered. This will also give the Empress and all the civil and military officials an explanation. What do you think, my beloved consort?"

Consort Shen happily hugged the Emperor and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is the best to me! For Your Majesty's sake, I will not hold a grudge against the Princess. I did this all because of Your Majesty."

The emperor put his arm around Consort Shen's shoulder and said, "I knew it. You are the one who understands my heart the most."

He smiled, but a chill flashed in his eyes where Consort Shen couldn't see.

That little bastard said that Shen Cha wouldn't be able to get out of bed for at least three months, probably because he was afraid that Consort Shen would plead for him.

Shen Cha was injured, and even if he agreed to Consort Shen's request, he could not return immediately to report back.

Three months is too long to change many things.