Gu Jiangli returned to the Delan Palace and took a hot bath.
After a two-day rest, Lotus brought good news.
"My lady! I've found out that Consort Lan really did go to the Department of Punishment yesterday to receive her punishment. I heard she cried for a long time after she got back!"
Lotus's face beamed with an irrepressible smile that instantly lifted anyone's spirits.
"It seems Lan Hui'er is quite shrewd. She must have asked the other ladies in the palace and confirmed that what I said was true before she went to accept the punishment."
"It seems she not only asked the ladies of the harem, but also Eunuch Liu, who serves His Majesty. Eunuch Liu must have explained His Majesty's decree and the rules of the harem to her. Immediately afterward, Consort Lan went to the Department of Cautious Punishment. In any case, Consort Lan has really suffered a major setback this time!"
Gu Jiangli curled the corners of her lips, "You're so arrogant right after entering the palace; you deserve to suffer a bit."
Lotus laughed heartily, but her expression quickly became serious again.
"Your Highness, this time Consort Lan is probably holding a deep grudge against you. Her uncle is the Prime Minister, and although she and the Empress Dowager are not blood relatives, they are related. If she targets us again, should we make preparations in advance?"
Gu Jiangli shrugged and shook his head with a hint of helplessness, saying, "There's nothing I can do. It's hard to remain unscathed in the harem. If she doesn't come looking for trouble, I'll just consider this matter over. If she still won't give up, I'll have no choice but to retaliate in kind."
Her eyes flickered, and she added:
"However, she has already suffered such a great loss and learned that in the harem, no one benefits from any struggles. She understands this principle and will probably behave herself for a while..."
She had just finished speaking when a woman who looked to be about fifty years old entered through the door.
The old woman was stout, with a high chin and upturned eyes. Even before she spoke, she already had an air of disdain for others.
She approached Gu Jiangli, looked him up and down, then quickly half-squatted and stood up again, saying:
"This old servant greets Your Highness. The Empress Dowager invites you to meet at Cixi Palace. Your Highness, please quickly pack your things and come with this old servant."
Gu Jiangli sighed speechlessly. She knew she had often been proven wrong before, but today's slap in the face came far too quickly!
She gave Lotus a look, quickly changed her clothes, and followed the old woman away.
The old woman's arrogant attitude was quite similar to Lan Hui'er's.
Or is it that everyone who gets involved with Lan Huier has this kind of temper?
In the original owner's memories, there weren't many parts related to the Empress Dowager.
Except for major festivals, the Empress Dowager did not allow the concubines in the palace to pay their respects to her, because she found it troublesome.
The Empress Dowager rarely summons people on her own initiative, so her summons this time must be because of Consort Lan's matter.
The fact that Lan Jieyu was pushed into the water has probably already caused a great uproar and is known to everyone.
Consort Lan couldn't confront her herself, so she had to ask the Empress Dowager to intervene.
So, was this summons actually the Empress Dowager standing up for Consort Lan?
As Gu Jiangli was thinking this, he had already arrived outside Cixi Palace.
Before even entering, I could hear Lan Jieyu sobbing.
Gu Jiangli rolled her eyes. Just as she thought.
She followed the old woman and slowly walked into the house.
"Your Majesty, I greet you. May Your Majesty live a thousand years."
"Get up."
Just like the voice I remembered, the Empress Dowager was not very old, not yet fifty. Her voice was deep and powerful, carrying an air of authority.
The gorgeous decorations made her appear even younger and more radiant.
The moment Gu Jiangli saw the Empress Dowager, a thought popped into her mind: she's not someone to be trifled with.
When Lan Jieyu saw Gu Jiangli, it was as if she had seen her mortal enemy; she wished she could tear Gu Jiangli apart and skin him alive.
But in front of the Empress Dowager, she concealed the hatred in her heart, instead making the injustice even more conspicuous.
She wept bitterly, her voice choked with sobs:
"Your Majesty, Gu Jiangli is ruthless and vicious, she actually wants to kill me! She even ignored His Majesty's decree and treated His Majesty's punishment as nothing. I dare to beg Your Majesty to do me justice, sob sob sob..."
She cried so hard, and every word she uttered was so sincere that if Gu Jiangli hadn't been a witness to the events, he probably would have been biased towards her.
The Empress Dowager's expression remained unchanged, but her gaze towards Gu Jiangli held a newfound scrutiny.
At this moment, facing Lan Jieyu's accusations, she still stood firm as a pine tree. This composure and spirit are not something everyone can possess.
The Empress Dowager asked:
“Consort Lan, putting everything else aside, ‘ignoring the Emperor’s decree’ is no small matter.”
“It really is the Empress Dowager. His Majesty once decreed that we two be punished and that we should go to the Imperial Prison to receive thirty lashes. Yesterday, I obeyed His Majesty's grace and accepted the punishment myself. But after returning, I heard that Consort Gu has not stepped out of the Delan Palace for the past two days. She has not been punished at all!”
At this point, the Empress Dowager already knew the truth.
She naturally knew the rules set by the emperor and understood that the emperor could not punish only one person in the face of palace intrigue. The scars on Lan Jieyu's body were real, so it was true that Gu Jiangli had avoided the whipping.
The Empress Dowager's eyes turned cold, and her tone immediately turned icy:
"Consort Gu, how dare you! Under heaven, no one dares to evade His Majesty's punishment!"
The Empress Dowager's words were filled with anger, and everyone around her knelt down without daring to raise their heads.
"Do you know that your actions are tantamount to disobeying the imperial edict!"
Lotus was so frightened that her face turned pale.
Disobeying an imperial edict is a serious crime, far more serious than ordinary palace intrigues.
She hurriedly opened her mouth, about to tell the truth, but Gu Jiangli beat her to it.
"Your Majesty, the crime of disobeying the imperial edict is far too serious. I am but a lowly concubine, and I fear I cannot bear such a heavy responsibility."
Gu Jiangli remained calm and showed no sign of panic.
The Empress Dowager frowned. "Do you have anything else to say in your defense?"
"Your Majesty, the premise of disobeying the imperial edict is that there is indeed an imperial edict."
"His Majesty only said, 'Those who wish to be punished should go to the Department of Punishments,' without issuing an edict explicitly stating that I was guilty and should be punished."
"Your Majesty's intentions can be inferred by your own judgment. Your Majesty has always been decisive in rewarding and punishing, and clear in distinguishing right from wrong. Your Majesty has no intention of letting innocent people suffer the punishment. That is why you said that those who feel guilty should accept the punishment themselves."
"Since Consort Lan has accepted the whipping punishment, she must have understood His Majesty's unspoken meaning and agreed with His Majesty's intentions. You also know that your words and actions were wrong, so you are willing to go and accept the punishment."
"Since Consort Lan herself admitted her guilt and accepted the punishment, why should she accuse me of evading punishment and disobeying His Majesty's will?"
"Your Majesty is innocent. If I were to go to the Ministry of Punishments and receive a whip, wouldn't that be telling outsiders that Your Majesty cannot distinguish right from wrong, good from bad, and thus give Your Majesty a reputation for being incompetent?"
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