In a short while, the green bamboo appeared to be ants on a pot moving into the hall. Anyone who didn't know better would think that the sky was about to collapse.
Because of Song Yin's loss of power, she has lost her former charm. Her once full breasts have now shrunk, and she no longer looks like a wet nurse.
She looked around and saw that Jun Si was not in the hall. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly. She thought to herself: Great! With that shrew not here, given Nian Yuyao's soft-hearted nature, he will surely get what he wants.
Nian Yuyao gave her a disdainful look; how could she not know what she was thinking?
"Greetings to Your Majesty." Cuizhu didn't even squat down, only bowed slightly. She thought Nian Yuyao wouldn't mind such a small matter.
Seeing this, Nian Yuyao felt very pleased: Anyway, Jun Si won't be back for a while, so I'll keep you company while I'm bored. This time, I'll show you what it means to be arrogant and domineering.
Nian Yuyao slightly raised her eyes and sneered, "Cuizhu still doesn't know any manners, she can't even bow properly. Considering that you were once a person in my palace, I will teach you properly! So that you won't be like this in front of the Emperor in the future, and you won't even know how you died."
Cuizhu's expression changed drastically. In the past, Nian Yuyao had always turned a blind eye to her behavior, but today's words made her feel very angry.
It is clear that people cannot give in, because if you yield an inch, they will want to advance ten feet.
"Your Majesty, this servant..." Cuizhu was about to say something when Nian Yuyao interrupted her.
She sneered, "This is an opportunity to promote you, so don't be in a hurry to refuse. Besides, disobeying your master's orders is punishable."
“You…” Cuizhu frowned, unable to say no, yet unable to say no either.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Nian Yuyao took it as her consent and immediately summoned the palace etiquette instructors to teach her.
"This servant greets Your Highness." After bowing, the nanny respectfully asked, "What are Your Highness's instructions?"
Nian Yuyao glanced at her, then pointed to Cuizhu beside her: "This wet nurse takes advantage of her age and has never properly bowed to me. Today, I will have the nanny teach her proper manners so that she won't make the same mistake again. Jun Si already taught her last time, but it seems she has forgotten it again."
Upon hearing this, the old woman looked at Cuizhu with a hint of contempt. She then dragged Cuizhu into the courtyard and made her kneel repeatedly under the scorching sun.
Ever since Songyin asked for the maids and eunuchs of Yikun Palace to leave, Nian Gengyao sent many people from his residence to the palace to serve Nian Yuyao without saying a word. Naturally, this nanny also came from the Nian residence, so how could she not understand Nian Yuyao's intentions?
That was to torture Cuizhu to death. Actually, Cuizhu knew the rules. When she did it the second time, she was already behaving properly. But the old woman was just nitpicking and deliberately finding fault. She even took a stick and beat her hard.
Cui Zhu dared not speak out in anger, because Nian Yuyao had made a harsh statement: if she did not obey his discipline, it would be disobeying his orders and she would be severely punished with twenty lashes.
Compared to twenty strokes of the cane, the nanny's whipping was insignificant, so she chose the former.
But the old woman didn't hold back; she specifically targeted the most painful spots. Before long, Cuizhu's face turned deathly pale, her clothes were soaked with sweat, and her body trembled uncontrollably. Her hands clenched into fists, veins bulging, showing just how much force the old woman had used.
Nian Yuyao sat in the chair, watching with great interest.
Cui Zhu endured the humiliation for half an incense stick's time, until Nian Yuyao told her to stop, and only then did she regain some of her rosy complexion.
It wasn't that Nian Yuyao had softened her heart, but rather that it was already noon and the sweltering air made her uncomfortable.
"Come in!" Nian Yuyao said leisurely.
"Yes!" Cuizhu replied respectfully, not daring to be presumptuous again; she really wouldn't dare.
Upon entering the hall, Nian Yuyao said with a faint smile, "Your manners are passable, but not very good. I hope you will practice more!"
Cuizhu hurriedly knelt down: "This servant understands!"
Nian Yuyao was very satisfied with her performance.
"Alright, get up!" Nian Yuyao waved her away.
Cuizhu stood up, but still did not get up; instead, she kowtowed to her.
"Is there anything else?" Nian Yuyao frowned slightly, though she already knew the answer.
"Your Highness, please save Consort Yin!" Cuizhu looked up at her, her eyes filled with pleading.
Now we're finally getting to the main topic.
Upon hearing this, Nian Yuyao's eyes turned slightly cold: "Why should I save her? She has tried to harm me time and time again."
"She...was just confused for a moment, and she won't dare to do it again. Your Majesty, please have mercy on her and save her this time, considering how many years she has served you!" Cui Zhu's tears and snot flowed down her face at the same time, and anyone who didn't know the situation would think that she was really heartbroken for Song Yin.
Nian Yuyao pretended to recall past events, but then her expression softened. "What exactly happened to L?"
Upon hearing that Nian Yuyao had relented, Cuizhu immediately stopped crying and smiled, "Thank you, Your Majesty." She raised her head and said, "Because of the hot weather, Consort Yin's wound on her back has become infected and is bleeding profusely. Those heartless people in the Imperial Hospital refuse to bandage her, saying that she is just a concubine and should be left to fend for herself!" She spoke as if it were the truth.
"Then... what should we do?" Nian Yuyao looked troubled, as if she was in a dilemma.
"It's very simple. As long as Your Majesty gives me a valuable personal item, I can take it to the Imperial Hospital. Out of respect for Your Majesty, they will naturally not dare to neglect Consort Yin," Cuizhu said confidently.
However, Nian Yuyao was well aware of her intentions; she simply wanted to steal her personal belongings and trick Li Wei into entering the palace.
She couldn't help but find it somewhat ridiculous that she had gone through all this trouble just for this.
So she pretended to touch the pearl hairpin on her head to tease Cuizhu.
Just as Cuizhu was overjoyed and ready to accept the hairpin, Nian Yuyao lowered her hand again.
"Your Majesty, this is just a small favor. Don't you even agree?" Cuizhu asked anxiously, her tone tinged with reproach.
She had heard from Consort Li that after Songyin was given a severe beating, Nian Yuyao shed tears, which showed that Nian Yuyao still had feelings, which was why she came.
“No…” Nian Yuyao shook her head. “I want to go see Songyin. After all, it was my order, so I can’t help but feel guilty.”
“This…” Cuizhu hesitated. Songyin had already stopped the bleeding. If Nian Yuyao went there now, wouldn’t that expose a flaw?
"Don't worry, after you've seen it, I will definitely give you this hairpin to protect yourselves," Nian Yuyao said gently.
"Alright, I'll take you there right away."
Helpless, Cuizhu had no choice but to let Nian Yuyao go, no matter how unwilling she was. Along the way, she kept thinking about how to make Songyin bleed so that the lie would be covered up.
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