"Yes." The Queen Mother agreed after taking a sip of tea.
"Everyone in the palace knows the Empress Dowager's compassionate heart. I deeply believe in her instructions not to allow masters to bully servants. I keep them in mind and never forget them." I said word by word, "However, servants also have different statuses. What should be done if a servant bullies another?"
Ajian beside me looked at me in horror and huddled on the ground without moving.
"What's going on?" The Queen Mother frowned.
"My maid Xiao Cui may have offended the Empress. She was slapped by A Jian and then by the Empress. I am in the wrong and will not say anything more."
"But in the harem, there are so many maids with bruises from being pushed around, scars from being whipped and festering, and skin from being burned and ulcerated. Could it be that they have offended the Empress?" The scars were vivid in front of my eyes, and I became more and more angry as I spoke, my voice trembling but excited.
"Mu Chenshuang... stop slandering me!" The Queen beside her was already seething with rage: "You actually want to frame me?"
"Today, some maidservants would like to accompany me. I beg the Queen Mother to allow them to come forward."
"Please come up." The Queen Mother's face darkened, her majesty evident.
I saw Xiaotao and a nanny carefully helping Xiaofeng and Ah Zhu up. Having considered it over and over again, to prevent retaliation and to protect their pride, I found sacks to cover their heads and had them change into the most basic of palace servants' clothing. Neither of them was particularly tall, so seeing them come up this time, it was impossible to guess who they were. I felt the effect was quite good and was very relieved.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I concealed their identities out of selfish motives. After the injuries are examined, if Your Majesty wants to confirm their identities, I am willing to bring them to see you in person." I explained respectfully.
"That's all right. You've been very thoughtful." The Queen Mother clearly understood why I did this. "Let me see what's going on."
The two of them followed my instructions without saying a word. Xiao Tao carefully lifted Xiao Feng's skirt to reveal a large bruise on her knee joint, and then lifted Ah Zhu's shirt from behind to reveal the bright red whipping marks. Looking at it again, it was still shocking.
A maidservant standing nearby in the Cining Palace gasped. The Empress' eyes were reddened. "Frame-up! It's a frame-up! You just randomly picked two people and claimed they were maids, and you're accusing me of this!"
"Whether she is a maid or not, I will prove it to the Queen Mother later." I turned to look at the Queen: "As for whether it is a frame-up, why don't you ask your good maid?"
Ah Jian, standing by, had long since lost her initial arrogance and was now kneeling on the ground, trembling all over. I was worried she might recognize Xiao Feng Ah Zhu by her wounds, but then I learned she did this to many of the maids, so I was afraid she wouldn't even remember which one it was.
Suddenly, I heard the loud sound of slapping, "Pa-pa-pa-pa". I turned around quickly and saw Ajian kneeling on the ground and slapping himself hard with both hands: "Empress Dowager, spare me, Empress Dowager, spare me..." After slapping himself, he began to kowtow on the ground, "dong dong dong".
If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have done it in the first place.
The Queen Mother said with a gloomy face: "I have been fooled by you!"
The Queen quickly knelt on the ground and said, "Queen Dowager, it was my fault for being so careless that I didn't realize my maidservant was behaving so absurdly!"
She denied it completely. Without your instigation, would she dare to be an accomplice to the evil?
"Azhi, go take stock of the injured maids in the harem first and prepare ointments and money to distribute." The Queen Mother ignored the two people kneeling on the ground and looked at Ah Zhu and Xiao Feng. "Please go down and take good care of these two girls as well."
This time, Xiao Cui, Xiao Tao, Xiao Feng and Ah Zhu all left, and the hall became spacious and quiet again. I felt really uncomfortable kneeling between them.
"Lady Mu, please get up first." The Queen Mother asked me to sit aside considerately, as if she could see through me.
"The maidservant Ajian will be expelled from the palace today." The Queen Mother turned to look at Song Heng: "Heng'er, the affairs of the harem are ultimately decided by you. Although the Queen has neglected to discipline her, she is still unaware of it..."
"I understand," Song Heng said respectfully. "I was also negligent in this matter. Thank you, Queen Mother, for your help and guidance in matters concerning the harem."
"Thank you, Queen Mother, thank you, Your Majesty!" Ajian kowtowed as he was pulled down by the nanny. The Queen was still kneeling on the ground with a pale face.
As long as the Hua family does not fall, Queen Hua will naturally not fall easily.
"Well, there's actually another reason why I called Concubine Mu here today..." The Queen Mother's voice was a little tired: "I heard that the Emperor only stayed at Concubine Mu's place when he stayed in the harem..."
I had already pulled myself out of my previous state, thinking about how to respond this time, but Song Heng said slowly: "Chenxiang Pavilion is closest to my son's Yangxin Palace, so I always stay in Lady Mu's place for convenience."
…
Awesome, awesome, awesome! Only you, the Emperor, could calmly and seriously deliver such a shocking and unpretentious explanation!
Song Yu, who had been silent for a long time, spat out a mouthful of tea back into the porcelain cup and simply handed the cup to the maid beside him: "I don't want to drink it anymore... Take it away..."
"I understand that the emperor is busy with government affairs, but it is better to treat everyone equally." The mother and son sang in unison and cooperated very well.
I naturally understand that Empress Hua has the Hua family, so if the Emperor wants to contain the Hua family, he won't do anything to me because of the Mu family. The Empress Dowager said this matter was just a slap in the face to the Empress and a little candy for show.
"Alright, I'm tired too. You all may leave." The Queen Mother waved her hand and said, "Heng'er, follow me."
After we left the hall, Xiaotao and Xiaocui followed me happily. I was just about to chat with them and say that my legs were shaking just now, when Song Yu suddenly caught up with me and walked side by side.
"Today is truly an eye-opener!" Song Yu exclaimed in admiration, "I never thought that Miss Mu's legs and back pains have stopped, her stomach hasn't flared up, and her brain has become even brighter! I'm impressed, I'm impressed!"
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