Chapter 19: Unexpected Disaster
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, may your Majesty be blessed with good health."
The Queen Mother, who was sitting at the head with her Buddhist beads in her hand, did not ask the concubines to stand up, but said leisurely:
"May I be blessed with good health? If you really wanted me to be blessed with good health, you shouldn't have been making a fuss at the gate of Baohua Palace so early in the morning!"
The concubines all felt the Queen Mother's dissatisfaction, and became anxious and silent.
The Queen Mother looked at Concubine Song in the front with a cold face.
"Song Zhaoyi, what do you think?"
"Someone has been provocative with words and is committing an offense against superiors. As the highest-ranking concubine, isn't it my duty to teach him a lesson? But I am diligently following the Empress Dowager's instructions." Song Zhaoyi acted very respectfully.
The concubines gasped. Wasn't this the rhetoric the Empress Dowager used yesterday to protect Su Xiuyi?
He actually asked Concubine Song to come up and pay tribute to the Empress Dowager.
When the Queen Mother heard this, her face fell apart for a moment.
Looking at Song Zhaoyi, who appeared respectful but was actually rebellious, she felt angry.
Unfortunately, the Song family and the Xue family are equally powerful, and she really can't do anything to the Song girl for the time being.
The Queen Mother felt as disgusted as if she had eaten a fly. The more anger she suppressed in her heart, the more she wanted to punish someone.
So, the Queen Mother's gaze naturally fell on Jiang Yingli in the crowd.
It just so happened that she hadn’t yet settled the score with Concubine Jia for Su Xiuyi’s house arrest!
"Jia Jieyu." The Queen Mother called out in a deep voice.
Jiang Yingli's legs were trembling a little as she half-squatted. She was caught off guard by her name and quickly steadied herself, but she was extremely confused.
"The Empress Dowager?"
"You were present when Concubine Song and Concubine Liang had a conflict today," said the Queen Mother.
More than just being there, I was practically sandwiched in the middle, watching it up close.
"Yes, I am here." Jiang Yingli replied.
The Queen Mother snorted coldly, "You answered so confidently, lacking the self-awareness of a veteran! The new concubines started quarreling, and as a veteran, you didn't even know how to comfort them. You actually let them fight. Isn't this a dereliction of duty for you, a senior?"
All the concubines were shocked.
How did this happen to Concubine Jia?
The most surprised one was Jiang Yingli.
She finally understood what unexpected misfortune meant.
She is an old friend, but she only entered the palace half a month earlier. How old can she be?
On one side is Concubine Liang who is backed by the Empress Dowager, and on the other side is Concubine Song who is backed by the Song family and has just gained favor. How can she persuade them?
She was thankful that Hanlu didn't slap her as well.
"I am...terrified." Jiang Yingli really didn't want to admit the crime, so she gave an ambiguous answer.
"Hmph, it seems that not only are you unaware of your mistakes, you're also refusing to admit them, right? I saw you looked quite obedient, but you're actually such a disrespectful person. Do you really think that just because we've been friends for a few years, you can disregard all the rules of etiquette and filial piety?"
He scolded Jiang Yingli angrily and cursed her to death.
It has been four years since Jiang Yingli heard such harsh words.
Thinking of the insults she had received in the past, her face turned pale for a moment.
"I know I was wrong. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
Song Zhaoyi frowned and looked at Jiang Yingli who admitted her mistake, feeling unhappy.
Really, why are you so timid in admitting your mistakes?
The Queen Mother said to Jiang Yingli in a cold voice, "Since you know you are wrong, then you will be punished by kneeling outside the Wanshou Palace for three full hours. You can only return to the palace after sunset!"
All the concubines looked at Concubine Jia with sympathy.
Three hours! My knees must be swollen.
Zheng Baolin was at the end of the crowd, looking at Jiang Yingli with a hint of worry in his eyes, but also mixed with something else, like the pleasure of watching a fire from the other side of the river.
She didn't know where this pleasure came from, and she felt conflicted and entangled.
As Lady Liang sat having her face applied, she couldn't hide the joy in her eyes.
Although the Queen Mother did not punish Song Zhaoyi directly, which was a bit unsatisfying, she also knew that people in the Song family could not be dealt with easily, and she had to deal with it slowly.
Anyway, she was happy to see Concubine Jia being punished.
Who told her not to speak up for her when she was asked a question just now? She deserved it!
Moreover, it is time to dampen the arrogance of Concubine Jia and let her know that even if she had served His Majesty for four years, she would be punished at will and was not as good as a newcomer like her.
Jiang Yingli was about to accept the punishment when she suddenly heard Song Zhaoyi say:
"I don't understand what the Empress Dowager means."
The Queen Mother looked at Song Zhaoyi unhappily: "What do you think?"
"It was Concubine Liang and Concubine Liang who had a conflict. Concubine Liang was the one who started talking, and Concubine Jia was the one who started fighting. But the Queen Mother punished Concubine Jia. This is too..."
Song Zhaoyi hadn't finished her words, but all the concubines automatically added the word "ridiculous" in their minds.
Yes, it was Concubine Liang who spoke, it was Concubine Song who took action, but it was Concubine Jia who was punished. Isn't that ridiculous?
Isn't it obvious that they are picking on the weak?
But Jia Jieyu can only blame herself for her bad luck. It's because she was born in a humble family and has no one to rely on, so she can only let others manipulate her.
"Hmph, I've made it clear why I want to punish Concubine Jia. She hasn't done her job teaching her well. Making her kneel for three hours is a light punishment!"
Song Zhaoyi smiled and said, "That's fine. Why don't you punish me as well, Your Majesty the Queen Mother? Otherwise, I'll always feel that Concubine Jia is taking the blame on my behalf, and I won't be able to rest easy."
The Queen Mother was stunned.
Although she had the right to punish concubines, it was still a bit unreasonable to punish two at once.
It won’t sound good if it gets out.
Moreover, among them was a daughter of the Song family. If the Song faction could use this as evidence to make a big fuss in the court and accuse the Xue family, that would be disastrous.
"I won't punish you, but you're the one who's asking for punishment? Song Zhaoyi, you're actually disobeying me!"
"How can this be considered disobedience? This is clearly a case of knowing one's mistakes and making amends. Of course, it's not enough for only the concubine and Concubine Jia to receive the punishment. You have to come too!"
After she finished speaking, Song Zhaoyi suddenly turned towards Concubine Liang, strode forward, grabbed Concubine Liang's wrist and pulled her up from her seat.
This was not enough. Song Zhaoyi pulled the stunned Concubine Liang and strode to Jiang Yingli. In Jiang Yingli's terrified eyes, she pulled her up from the ground.
After Jiang Yingli was pulled up by the powerful Song Zhaoyi, she was dragged forward by her. Her steps were unstable and she almost fell.
Lady Liang, who was screaming and struggling all the way, almost fell down.
So, all the concubines in the hall stared in amazement as Song Zhaoyi, Jia Jieyushi and Liang Meiren were punished to kneel hand in hand.
The situation was extremely weird.
The Queen Mother stared at the backs of the three people, her expression completely unable to hold back.
She was so angry that she had trouble breathing, and Nanny Xia quickly patted her back to help her calm down.
If she punished three people at once, it would be known that she, the Queen Mother, was cruel and harsh in her punishment!
What a good girl from the Song family, she deliberately goes against the Xue family!
The Queen Mother took a deep breath and straightened her body which had been tilted by anger.
Well, kneel if you want to!
She would never withdraw the order to kneel.
Did Song think that this could threaten her?
Still a little too tender.
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