Chapter 42 Go to the inner hall, don't make any noise
Jiang Shuyi's scalp felt numb.
She finally understood why Miao Wangshu had to deal with Wen Yao before her that day, and she also understood why, despite the Queen Mother's reckless temper, she was only confined to the house without even a reduction in rank after beating her niece.
No matter in past or present life, she was not as close to Miao Wangshu as she was to Feng Yiyue. They had never even had a heart-to-heart talk, slept in the same bed, or had a conversation as intimately as close friends. However, Miao Wangshu gave his life for her more than once.
Jiang Shuyi followed Feng Yiyue and knelt down, knowing that only the emperor could save Miao Wangshu now. She looked at Pei Yan with tears in her eyes and pleaded earnestly: "Your Majesty, please save Miao Wangshu. It's my fault and I will take the responsibility myself. I will accept any punishment the Empress Dowager wants to give me..."
Pei Yan placed his fingers on the imperial desk and repeated her words in an ambiguous tone: "You bear the consequences yourself."
Jiang Shuyi folded her hands, knelt on the ground, and said in a choked voice: "Yes, when your majesty taught me to read the Analects, he said "Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you". I cannot let Miao Yingda take the punishment for me just because I am afraid of being punished."
Pei Yan only wanted her to understand literature and had no intention of letting her learn to be a gentleman.
He still asked calmly: "Being demoted to a concubine, being forced to kneel and be beaten every day, can you bear it?"
Jiang Shuyi's back trembled slightly. Before she could answer, Feng Yiyue cried and said, "If you don't want to punish one person, then Your Majesty, please punish me! Sister Miao can't bear it anymore. Empress Jiang is delicate and will die if she can't bear it in two days. I am of humble origin and have thick skin. I hope I can be punished for a few more days to make the Empress Dowager calm down!"
"You're the one who can die so easily!"
Jiang Shuyi also cried. She couldn't help but stood up and taught her a lesson: "It was my fault in the first place. I was angry at the time. No, I will punish Wen Yao even if it happens again! Otherwise, I will be mad to death. As for the consequences, I am the one who got angry, and I should bear the consequences. If you continue like this, you are deliberately trying to make me feel guilty!"
Feng Yiyue really wanted to say that they had done many unscrupulous things and there was no need to talk about conscience, but since His Majesty was here, she didn't dare to say it. She could only hug the Empress and cry loudly.
Cheng Shou noticed that His Majesty's face looked a little bad.
He couldn't tell what was wrong with her. She was as gentle as jade, calm and indifferent, but Cheng Shou felt an indescribable fear just looking at her.
Why is he on duty today? If he had known, he would have bled his godfather brother yesterday!
"Jiang Shuyi."
The lukewarm call made Jiang Shuyi stop crying. She turned her head to look at Pei Yan. Just as she was about to continue begging, she heard him say indifferently: "Since you want to suffer it yourself, kneel down. The Palace of Heavenly Purity is not a place for you to cry and make noise."
Jiang Shuyi didn't care about the sadness in Pei Yan's tone at the moment. When she heard that Miao Wangshu could be saved, she quickly said "yes", pushed Feng Yiyue away, wiped her tears with her sleeve, and knelt down.
Feng Yiyue also realized that she had lost her composure, so she held back her tears and knelt properly behind the Empress.
Pei Yan said to Cheng Shou, "Tell Cheng Shouzhong to go to Kunning Palace and tell Concubine Qing that she has gone too far today. Tell the Queen not to stand aside when it is time to take charge. Miao promised to let her take care of it."
Cheng Shou knew that the emperor was dissatisfied with his inability to convey his message clearly and control the situation, so he quickly responded and did it.
Jiang Shuyi's heartstrings suddenly relaxed, and Feng Yiyue was so happy that she cried. She choked up and asked, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, can I go back to take care of Sister Miao?"
Pei Yan said in a slightly cold voice: "You made a noise outside the Qianqing Palace today. Even if there was a reason, it was really insolent. This time, let it go. If it happens again, I will deal with you according to the palace rules."
In the past, if Feng Yiyue heard His Majesty say this, she would definitely tremble with fear, but now the excitement of Sister Miao's liberation overshadowed all that, and she just excitedly agreed repeatedly.
Pei Yan: "Don't tell anyone about Concubine Jiang's affairs in the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Leave."
Feng Yiyue was worried about Miao Wangshu, so she stood up to leave. Seeing Jiang Shuyi's kneeling figure, she became worried again. Before she could say anything, she met the emperor's cold gaze, and her heart trembled. She quickly took her leave.
Sister Miao warned her not to be pretentious when she couldn't help, as it would cause trouble for those close to her.
Jiang Shuyi was still kneeling in the hall. She had been crying so hard just now that her breathing was still uneventful. She lowered her head and shrugged her shoulders from time to time.
Pei Yan stared at her for a while, glanced at the thick embroidered carpet beneath her knees, then retracted his gaze and continued to review the memorials.
The hall fell silent again. Jiang Shuyi knelt upright at first, but soon she felt sore in her waist and legs and wanted to kneel down on her calves to rest.
She held on, knowing in her heart that Pei Yan must be angry, otherwise he wouldn't have ignored her all the time, but she didn't quite understand why.
Pei Yan was taught by him personally, and now he takes the initiative to take responsibility for his mistakes. Shouldn't he feel relieved?
Jiang Shuyi hadn't knelt for so long in many years. Every moment was extremely painful. She couldn't bear it any longer. She couldn't help but rub her waist with her hand. As soon as she touched it, Pei Yan seemed to have eyes on his head and said indifferently: "Kneel down."
She immediately withdrew her hand.
The approved memorials were piled up one after another on the left side of the imperial desk. Jiang Shuyi felt sad as she looked at them. He had clearly said not long ago that there were not many government affairs to attend to today and he could accompany her after he finished reviewing them. But now... I'm afraid there will never be another chance.
She didn't regret it, but she just felt like crying.
When Pei Yan raised his eyes after hearing the suppressed sobbing, he saw Jiang Shuyi, who had just calmed down, started crying again, biting her lips, her weak back trembling slightly.
He didn't know what she was thinking about, whether she was crying because she knew she was wrong, or crying for others.
At this time, Cheng Shouzhong came in from outside the hall, glanced at Concubine Jiang who was kneeling on the ground with tears in her eyes, and sighed secretly in his heart.
I finally got a day's rest by bleeding, but now I have to rush into this matter.
It seems like I'm not destined to enjoy a good life.
After he finished feeling aggrieved, he respectfully reported to His Majesty, "The Concubine Qing has come with me and wants to see Your Majesty."
Pei Yan said "hmm", looked at Jiang Shuyi and called her: "Princess Jiang."
Jiang Shuyi immediately looked up with tears in her eyes.
Pei Yan ordered: "Go to the inner hall and don't make any noise."
Jiang Shuyi subconsciously obeyed, held back her tears and stood up. Her legs went weak and she staggered a bit. Cheng Shouzhong hurried forward to support her.
"Don't help her, let her walk by herself."
Cheng Shouzhong had no choice but to let go of her hand. Jiang Shuyi looked at Pei Yan with tears in her eyes. After receiving the other party's cold look, her heart ached. Without saying anything, she walked towards the inner hall with tears in her eyes and a resolute look.
Since she has decided to take responsibility for everything, she cannot be timid. It's just kneeling and being beaten. She has died once in her previous life. Can this be more painful than having her neck strangled? If it really needs to be more painful, she might as well seek death first. Maybe she can go back to her previous life.
After Cheng Shouzhong closed the door behind her, Jiang Shuyi began to feel puzzled as she looked at the empty inner hall.
Wasn't she asked to take over Miao Wangshu's punishment? Why is she hiding now?
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