Chapter 357
The next moment, Xiaoju led two burly old women forward and forced Shenman to kneel on the ground.
Shen Man was somewhat dazed. The red marks on her face from the slap Shen Zheng had given her still remained, and she looked utterly disheveled.
Shen Qingnian looked at Shen Man and sneered, "Consort Shen has committed insubordination and offended the late Empress. Take action."
As soon as she finished speaking, the old woman took out the thin wooden board from her bosom and slapped it hard across Chen Man's face.
The slapping of the face during castration is different from the ordinary slapping. Castration involves the use of a wooden board, and the thin board hitting the face is several times more painful than being slapped by hand.
With a 'papa' sound, Shen Man felt a burning pain on her face. After just a few slaps, blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. She couldn't help but scream repeatedly, feeling as if her face was about to be smashed to pieces.
Shen Qingnian coldly watched Shen Man's screams, her anger not only not subsided but intensified. She knew that the person behind this was Shen Zheng, and that teaching Shen Man a lesson would not achieve any results.
"After the beating, Shen is confined to her quarters and is not allowed to step out of the tent before returning to the palace," she said before turning and leaving the tent, leaving Shen to continue her punishment.
Wang Jiarong, who was outside the tent, breathed a heavy sigh of relief when she saw her come out, but hearing the incessant screams inside, she couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, this matter is of great importance. Please calm down."
Prime Minister Shen and General Shen are from the same family, with a powerful and deeply entrenched influence. Consort Shen should be kept alive.
Shen Qingnian glanced at Wang Jiarong, pulled her away from the tent, and then said, "I understand. Thank you for tonight. It's getting late, and you're pregnant. You should go back and rest early. I'll send someone to take you back."
After saying that, she waved to Xiaoju, asking Xiaoju to personally take Wang Jiarong back.
On her way back, Wang Jiarong felt increasingly uneasy, feeling that the maidservant beside the Imperial Concubine looked very familiar.
The maid escorted her to the tent and bowed to her, saying, "Madam, this servant will take her leave now."
This short sentence reminded Wang Jiarong that the maid was Xiaoju, who had served the late Empress!
Didn't Xiaoju die in the laundry department?
She looked at Xiaoju, opened her mouth but didn't know where to start. Just then, the tent flap was lifted and Ye Lingzhou, looking anxious, came out.
Ye Lingzhou breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Wang Jiarong. He nodded to Xiaoju and said, "Thank you, Miss Xiaoju, for bringing Madam back."
Xiaoju bowed and said, "Young Master Ye, you are too kind. Our Lady is very grateful for your help tonight." After saying that, she turned and left.
Wang Jiarong was stunned as Ye Lingzhou pulled her into the tent.
Only after Ye Lingzhou helped Wang Jiarong sit down did Wang Jiarong seem to come back to her senses. She grabbed Ye Lingzhou's sleeve and stammered, "That maid just now, the late Empress, the Imperial Concubine..."
Her mind was a jumbled mess, impossible to sort out, but an incredible idea was becoming clearer and clearer in her head.
"Jiarong, don't get agitated. Have some tea to calm down," Ye Lingzhou said, handing Wang Jiarong a cup of tea.
After taking the tea, Wang Jiarong gulped it down, then stared intently at her husband beside her: "Wasn't that Xiaoju the late Empress's maid? Three years ago you clearly told me that Xiaoju had died in the laundry department, so why has she suddenly reappeared?!"
When the late empress died of a hemorrhage, she was saddened for a long time. She wanted to do something, but the other party was far away in the deep palace and she had no way to help.
Then she thought of Ye Lingzhou. At that time, she knew that Ye Lingzhou had feelings for the late Empress in private. He was also the only non-royal prince in the dynasty and of noble status. She could use this relationship to borrow the maidservant by the late Empress's side out of the palace, which would be a way to comfort the late Empress's spirit in heaven.
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