The Empress Dowager's face was filled with displeasure.
She knew exactly how to punish him and who to punish him; this Consort Gu was just too noisy.
"Why is Consort Gu in such a hurry? Consort Gu is a quiet and polite person, and she would never hit someone without reason. Since she hit you, something must have happened beforehand."
"I haven't even investigated this matter thoroughly, yet Consort Gu is already in a hurry to punish your sister?"
Gu Jiangru's face turned pale and then flushed.
"Empress Dowager..." Gu Jiangru choked out, her teeth itching with anger.
Ignoring her grievances, the Empress Dowager turned to Gu Jiangli and asked, "Consort Gu, I know you are a good girl and would not act rashly in the palace without reason. Tell me, what is the reason?"
Gu Jiangli pretended to have been thinking for a long time, then pulled the lotus flower in front of the Empress Dowager and said to her:
"Your Majesty, this is my personal maid, Lotus. She was originally a maid in Lanfang Palace, but His Majesty felt that I got along well with her, so he sent her to serve me personally."
"Please look at Hehua's face, Your Majesty. The slap marks on her face were all from Consort Gu."
The Empress Dowager examined her carefully for a while and indeed saw red and swollen marks on Lotus's face.
Gu Jiangli then said, "Lotus, tell the Empress Dowager what happened today. She is fair and just and will not wrong you."
Lotus's eyes were brimming with tears, and her master kept encouraging her with his eyes to tell her everything.
She also knew that her master was doing all this so that he could avenge her.
Since her mistress had already gone to such lengths, she couldn't let her down, so she told the Empress Dowager in detail what had happened that day.
The Empress Dowager frowned frequently as she listened, her displeasure becoming increasingly apparent.
After hearing what Lotus said, the Empress Dowager shook her head and said:
"Consort Gu, I never knew you were so arrogant and domineering. You can accuse someone of theft without any evidence."
Gu Jiangru shook her head like a rattle-drum, "No, Your Majesty! I punished her because she, a mere servant, broke my jade pendant! It was a gift from His Majesty, and I only acted out of anger!"
"Moreover, I am a fourth-rank Zhaoyi, while Hehua is just a palace maid. It is only reasonable for me to punish her! For you to lay a hand on me for the sake of a palace maid, isn't that against etiquette?"
Gu Jiangru cried as she argued her case.
Unexpectedly, these few words completely darkened the Empress Dowager's face.
"Oh? You mean, as a fourth-rank concubine, you're powerful enough to dispose of a lowly palace maid at will?"
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