Su Yan returned to the banquet. When the ladies of noble families saw the red mark on Su Yan's face, they exclaimed in surprise. Wasn't the maidservant by Consort De's side inviting the Empress?
Why are you back with such a swollen face? Did the Empress hit you?
"Good heavens, what's going on? The Empress is actually hitting someone! What's going on?!"
"That's right! As the mother of the nation, how can Her Majesty the Empress arbitrarily hit people!"
Consort De frowned as she watched Su Yan walk in from outside and overheard everyone's discussion. She said unhappily, "Su Yan, what's wrong with you? Where is the Empress?"
"Didn't I tell you to invite the Empress? Why couldn't you do it?"
Su Yan was feeling wronged and sobbing. Since she had heard all the ladies' comments, she decided to play along and shift the blame to Guan Zhiyue to get revenge for the slap!
Then the ladies can whisper sweet nothings in the ears of their respective husbands, wouldn't that be wonderful? It's just too clever!
Su Yan just kept crying and refused to speak. When asked questions, she would sob and look at Consort De with a pitiful expression.
What else doesn't Consort De understand? This is the Empress disciplining her! Good!
"This is outrageous! Your Majesty, I have shown her respect, and now she has gone even further."
"Guards! I am going to the Cold Palace to demand an explanation from the Empress. What did my people do wrong to deserve such punishment from the Empress?"
Su Yan was completely dumbfounded. Something was wrong. This should be a matter for the court officials, so how did it become a matter for her own Consort De? This was not right!
"Your Majesty, please don't go! You are Consort De, and she is the Empress... you..."
Other ladies from prominent families also felt that this was inappropriate, and some even thought that Guan Zhiyue was too domineering, especially those ministers who had been suppressed by Guan Zhiyue. After all, there were many things that Guan Zhiyue did that others could not do!
Furthermore, Guan Zhiyue's actions were so egregious that even her master couldn't hold his head up high. Now that they finally had a chance to retaliate, they were definitely going to...
Just as everyone was about to clamor for a mass exodus to the Cold Palace, a haughty and disdainful voice rang out from outside the courtyard.
"What, are the ladies here to see me?"
"I've arrived. What do you want with me?"
Guan Zhiyue, accompanied by Bilian and other eunuchs, strode in with an imposing air.
In an instant, everyone in the courtyard knelt on the ground and sang loudly, "Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress! May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"
Guan Zhiyue ignored them and walked directly past them toward the high seat where Consort De was sitting. She pouted with some disdain. Bilian, being very perceptive, took out a handkerchief and patted off the so-called dust and trash on it.
"Your Majesty, please sit down!"
Guan Zhiyue then gently straightened her clothes and slowly and elegantly sat down. The noblewomen, young ladies, concubines, servants, and maids kneeling on the ground all turned and knelt towards Guan Zhiyue.
"I heard that someone was just now shouting that they wanted an explanation from me. I wonder who it was? I'm right here, come on!"
When Guan Zhiyue spoke, she was languid, as if something was drooping over her, giving off the vibe of a lazy cat that had just woken up, yet she was also so sharp and irresistible.
These words caused an uproar. All the noblewomen were terrified. What had they done? What hadn't they done?
What just happened?! No way! Did they get caught talking badly about someone behind their back?
Good heavens! How unlucky they are!
"Your Majesty, it is I, your concubine!" Chang Shu stepped forward somewhat angrily, walked to Guan Zhiyue, and slightly curtsied.
Guan Zhiyue looked up at the woman in front of her. She was beautiful, dignified and elegant. That was her first impression of her. Guan Zhiyue knew this woman. She was also a girl with a tragic fate. She originally had a childhood sweetheart, but unfortunately, her father forced her to marry into the royal family and offer her to the emperor.
"Oh, Consort De! What explanation do you want from me?"
Consort De was a person of simple tastes and few desires. She only decided to hold this Hundred Flowers Banquet because of the presence of a hundred flowers. She also wanted to take the opportunity to inquire about the situation outside. Otherwise, she would not have agreed to hold this so-called Hundred Flowers Banquet.
She pulled Su Yan in front of Guan Zhiyue and then asked very respectfully and without making a single mistake, "Your Majesty, I am hosting the Hundred Flowers Banquet today so that I can chat with the ladies and young misses of various families and also appreciate the various flowers that Your Majesty has planted and cultivated. I would like to ask my maid to invite Your Majesty to attend our Hundred Flowers Banquet."
"But you beat my maid without even asking what happened. Of course, I have to get justice for my person. That's why I'm going to the Cold Palace to ask the Empress for an explanation."
Chang Shu rattled off a whole bunch of things, but Guan Zhiyue just picked up her hands and looked at them, palms and backs, or maybe she was looking at her nail polish or her nail guards!
He simply ignored the group of people kneeling on the ground and Consort De standing in front of him.
"Oh, has Consort De finished speaking?"
"...Your Majesty, I have finished speaking."
Guan Zhiyue nodded, lowered her hand, and looked up at Su Yan, saying, "You tell me, why did I slap you?"
Su Yan dared not speak, only lowering her head and sobbing. She had no idea why Guan Zhiyue had come; hadn't she just said she couldn't come? And how was she supposed to explain? If she did, wouldn't Consort De be...?
"What? Are you too embarrassed to say it? Or do you think you're not wrong? Or is this just how the rules of your Chonghua Palace are?" Guan Zhiyue jumped up from her seat, her face full of anger, and her voice suddenly rose an octave. Just now she had been lazy and ignored her, but now she was shouting.
The other noblewomen and young ladies had never seen such a scene before. They immediately and obediently prostrated themselves on the ground, almost to the point of falling to their knees.
"Still unwilling to speak? Do I have to tell Consort De myself?" Guan Zhiyue's cold and arrogant voice rang out above Su Yan's head. Su Yan stammered out her account of interrupting in the Cold Palace earlier.
"What? How dare you! Is this the rule in my Chonghua Palace?" Upon hearing this, Consort De was furious. She had thought that Guan Zhiyue had beaten her, but she didn't expect that Su Yan had spoken up here, which caused such a consequence.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my improper discipline. I am sorry for making you laugh. Please allow me to deal with this servant." After scolding Su Yan, Consort De turned around and bowed to Guan Zhiyue.
Guan Zhiyue adjusted her nail guards and then said, "I have already punished you. If Consort De wants to discipline you, she can do so without reporting to me. Everyone, please rise!"
"Today I need to prepare the rose exam papers for the students of the Foreign Languages Institute, so I won't stay here any longer. Ladies and young ladies, please enjoy them. I'll take my leave now."
After Guan Zhiyue finished speaking, she strode down the platform, and the ladies of the court quickly knelt down to see her off.
"Hmph, this is going too far, Your Majesty. Look at how even a servant girl is bullying you. If we hadn't passed by here today, who knows how many officials in the court would have impeached Your Majesty tomorrow."
Guan Zhiyue snorted coldly, "Just because I'm not showing my teeth doesn't mean I'm some kind of Hello Kitty."
"Let's go, let's go find the Emperor to discuss the matter of our overseas friends who are about to arrive," Guan Zhiyue said to Bilian.
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