Chapter 24 Beating the Dog
"But, I'm afraid...if the Royal Concubine finds out, it will implicate you, my master..."
"I'm not afraid, let her come and find me."
Jiang Xinyue said fearlessly: "You will have to pay the price if you beat my people. Do you think you are easy to bully?"
Although her position is low, the emperor dotes on her!
Favor is the best golden ticket to avoid death, otherwise how could the Royal Concubine Li dare to provoke the Empress again and again?
There were struggles and tears in Shuangjiang's eyes, which finally turned into determination under the encouraging eyes of Jiang Xinyue and Xi Que.
When they arrived at Yu Garden, Jiang Xinyue nodded to Xi Que and stood behind the pillar to hide her figure.
"This crabapple is so beautiful."
Xi Que pulled Frost and trotted to the bottom of the weeping crabapple. Before Frost could stop her, she had already picked two branches and said happily, "Tomorrow we will use these flowers as hairpins for the master. The master will definitely like these crabapples for the hairpins."
"How dare you!"
An angry shout rang out, scaring Xi Que, but when she turned around and saw that it was La Yue and another little palace maid from Changxin Palace, she did not move.
She was too calm and didn't seem afraid at all. Layue's face became even gloomier and she said, "It seems that Empress Zhenji hasn't learned her lesson after being scolded by our Imperial Concubine once. This weeping crabapple was planted by the Emperor specially for our Imperial Concubine. She, a mere concubine of the sixth rank, dared to pick this crabapple without the Imperial Concubine's consent. If I don't teach you a lesson today, you will never learn the rules of this palace."
She walked over and raised her hand to slap Magpie, but Magpie, who was prepared, grabbed her wrist and pushed her. She stepped back and almost fell to the ground.
"We are all personal maids of the masters, but sister Layue is so arrogant. You can beat us whenever we say
so. Is this a privilege given to you by the noble concubine?" It was the first time that Layue was confronted by a maid. The maids and eunuchs walking around slowed down their pace and tilted their ears to listen to what was happening over here.
Feeling ashamed, she blushed with anger: "You bold slave, I'm teaching you a lesson on behalf of the Royal Concubine, how dare you fight back? Someone, hold her down for me."
"Who else dares?"
With an angry look on her face, Royal Concubine Zhenji came running down the corridor. Without saying a word, she slapped Layue on the face and raised her head proudly: "Even if I'm just a small sixth-rank Zhenji, you, a servant who looks down on others, are not qualified to comment. You're so arrogant, if you don't know, you'd think it's the Royal Concubine in person!"
Layue covered her face and glared at Jiang Xinyue. Although she didn't say anything, the dissatisfaction and anger in her eyes showed that she must have scolded her in her heart.
"Empress Zhenji, even if I am a dog, I am the dog of Empress Guifei. You have to look at the owner before beating a dog, right?"
"Puchi~"
Jiang Xinyue covered her mouth and laughed: "This is the first time I see someone willing to be a dog. You have to look at the owner before beating a dog, but the owner forgot to put the leash on the beast and it bit me. I hit it back. Can the owner kill me?"
"You..."
"What do you mean by you?"
Jiang Xinyue kicked Layue on the knee, and she knelt down in pain: "You don't even kneel down to salute when you see me. I think you are the one who hasn't learned the rules well. Shuangjiang, beat you up."
"Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa..."
Crisp slaps rang in the Yu Garden. Layue didn't react at first. She was stunned.
By the time she reacted, she had already received ten slaps. Her face flushed and she screamed, grabbing Shuangjiang's hand and trying to fight back.
Seeing this, Jiang Xinyue quickly pulled Shuangjiang back, then grabbed Layue's hand and slapped herself in the face.
She screamed "Ah", and the whole person flew out, her nose hit the ground, and two lines of blood flowed out of her nose.
"Empress Zhenji!"
"Empress!"
Xi Que and Shuangjiang rushed over, crying and shouting: "Empress is bleeding from the nose! Layue, how dare you hit Empress Zhenji?"
Jiang Xinyue smeared the pigeon blood prepared in advance under her nose, climbed up from the ground with the help of the palace maids, gave a gloomy look to the dumbfounded Layue, turned around and left.
Layue was frightened. Although she often scolded and beat the maids and eunuchs, she had never hit her mistress.
The mistress of the other palaces was tolerant of her because she was the maid of Concubine Li Guifei. Those maids and eunuchs who were beaten could only swallow their anger and never think about seeking justice.
Why is it different in Hexi Palace?
Yangxin Palace -
After sending away the last minister who came to discuss matters, Wang Dequan handed Emperor Xuanwu a cup of hot tea: "Your Majesty, Hexi Palace has summoned the imperial physician."
Emperor Xuanwu did not even raise his head: "Is Zhenji not feeling well?"
Wang Dequan pondered for a long time, not knowing what to say so as not to offend both sides.
The emperor lost his patience and looked at him with a frown: "Speak."
"Alas..."
Wang Dequan said helplessly: "Empress Zhenji was beaten, and I heard... there was blood."
"What?"
Emperor Xuanwu found it unbelievable: "How could such a thing happen in the palace? Among the concubines in the palace, only the Empress can be punished. The Empress has a harmonious relationship with Zhenji, so it is impossible for her to punish Zhenji. Could it be..."
"It was Layue beside Empress Guifei..."
What?
Ridiculous!
Outrageous!
Bold!
He thought it was Concubine Li Guifei who punished Zhenji again, but it turned out that she was not even a high-ranking concubine, a lowly palace maid, who dared to lay hands on his beloved concubine. Who gave her the courage?
Yesterday, this Layue just beat Zhenji's palace maid, and today she beat Zhenji herself. Who is targeting Zhenji herself?
The emperor was clear in his mind.
Apart from Concubine Li, who else could control the maid of Changxin Palace, Layue?
"Get ready, go to Changxin Palace."
The news that Emperor Xuanwu went to Changxin Palace angrily and had a big quarrel with Concubine Li had spread throughout the harem in the evening.
Layue, the maid of Concubine Li's side, had been domineering in the harem for ten years and bullied the servants of other palaces. She was severely beaten with fifty boards by the Jingshifang, and her buttocks were broken.
It was said that it was because Layue injured Concubine Zhenji of Hexi Palace.
The maids and eunuchs all applauded, and their favorable impression of the fearless Empress Zhenji increased sharply, and they were full of admiration.
Empress Zhu smiled and shook her head: "I was afraid that she would not fight, but I didn't expect that she would break Concubine Li's arm. I underestimated her."
The Empress was in a good mood, and Fenyun also laughed: "It's worth it that you treat her so well, this time Concubine Li will suffer."
Empress Zhu seemed to have thought of something, and her smile disappeared instantly: "But she is the only one in the harem who dares to quarrel with the emperor, but the emperor doesn't punish her. Zhenji... is still far from it."
Hexi Palace--
Jiang Xinyue's small and straight nose was stuffed with a ball of cotton wool, and there was a light pink nosebleed on the other side.
Fingerprints were clearly visible on half of her face, and like a child who had made a mistake, she coquettishly tugged at Emperor Xuanwu's dragon robe: "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, please be magnanimous, please don't be angry~"