Chapter 648 Willing to be Punished
By the time they returned to the palace, it was already dark.
Xiao Xixi spent the whole afternoon running back and forth.
She was tired and hungry and just wanted to have a big meal and then have a good sleep.
However, as soon as she returned to Qingge Palace, she found that there were many more guards in the palace, and the leader was Gan Fu.
As soon as you see the posture, you can tell that the person is up to no good.
Gan Fu bowed to her and said, "Your servant greets the Concubine."
Xiao Xixi had no choice but to cheer up and deal with it.
"Why is Eunuch Gan here?"
Gan Fu smiled and said, "This morning, when the Imperial Guards searched the Eastern Palace, they unexpectedly discovered that you actually grew a lot of vegetables and raised a lot of poultry. When the Emperor learned about this, he was unhappy and felt that your actions had damaged the image of the Eastern Palace."
Xiao Xixi: "I have asked people to clean up all the vegetables and poultry."
Gan Fu: "Well, I just went to the backyard and checked. It was indeed cleaned up. It is a great honor to know your mistakes and make improvements. It is a good thing that your Majesty repented in time, but the Emperor still needs you to give an explanation, so please go with me."
Baoqin looked at Concubine Xiao with extremely worried eyes, fearing that Concubine Xiao would suffer a loss on this trip.
Xiao Xixi wasn't really afraid.
She just felt hungry.
"Eunuch Gan, can you wait for a moment? I just came back from outside and my clothes are covered with dust. It's not decent to be in front of the emperor like this. I want to change into clean clothes."
Gan Fu didn't want to push people too hard, so he spoke gently.
"Please make yourself at your leisure, but be quick and don't keep His Majesty waiting too long."
Xiao Xixi and Baoqin went to the bedroom.
Baoqin closed the door and asked anxiously, "Madam, the emperor specially called you over. Could it be that he wants to punish you?"
Xiao Xixi opened the box on the bedside, which contained many pastries.
She picked up a piece of peach cake and ate it while saying, "It's okay. The emperor won't do anything to me. At most, he will just give me a warning."
Baoqin saw her wolfing down the food and couldn't help but persuade her.
"Eat slowly and be careful not to choke."
Baoqin poured a cup of tea and handed it over.
Xiao Xixi drank the tea and continued to stuff food into her mouth.
The emperor certainly doesn't provide any food, so she has to eat more now to avoid going hungry.
She ate most of the box of cakes.
Baoqin took out a plain dress, gave it to Xiao Xixi to wear, and then touched up her makeup.
Gan Fu's urging voice came from outside the door.
"My lady, are you still not done packing? It's getting late, we can't delay any longer."
Xiao Xixi: “Alright, alright!”
She stood up, brushed off the cake crumbs on her dress, then took the handkerchief from Baoqin and wiped her hands.
Baoqin squatted down and helped her straighten the hem of her skirt.
Xiao Xixi opened the wardrobe and took out the small bag with blue background and floral patterns.
She pulled out a pill bottle.
Open the medicine bottle and pour out a milky white pill.
She stuffed the pills into the sachet she carried with her.
After doing all this, Xiao Xixi opened the door and walked out slowly.
She said something to Gan Fu who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.
"Let's go."
The group walked out of Qingge Hall.
Xiao Xixi got into the sedan chair and Baoqin followed beside her on foot.
Gan Fu walked in front, surrounded by a dozen guards.
They left the Eastern Palace and headed straight for the Weiyang Palace.
By this time it was completely dark.
Palace lanterns were lit, emitting warm light in the vast night, like scattered stars.
Xiao Xixi gently pinched the sachet, looking ahead with unfocused eyes, not knowing what she was thinking.
When the sedan chair stopped, Gan Fu's voice sounded again.
"My lady, we're here."
Xiao Xixi held Baoqin's hand and slowly walked down from the sedan chair.
Looking up, in front of you is the majestic and solemn Weiyang Palace.
This is the largest palace in the entire imperial palace. It represents supreme power and is a holy place that countless people yearn for.
But in Xiao Xixi's eyes at this moment, it looked more like a ferocious beast with its bloody mouth wide open.
It seems like it can devour people at any time.
The autumn nights are a bit cold.
Baoqin shook out her cloak and put it on Xiao Xixi.
Gan Fu led the way holding a lantern, while Xiao Xixi and Bao Qin followed behind.
After walking two steps, Gan Fu stopped again and turned back to remind him.
"The Emperor only said he wanted to see Concubine Xiao, so I hope Miss Baoqin will stay."
Baoqin had no choice but to stop and watch Concubine Xiao gradually disappear into the distance, her slender figure completely swallowed up by the Weiyang Palace.
It was very quiet in the Weiyang Palace.
Occasionally, palace maids and eunuchs passed by, but their footsteps were so light that they were almost inaudible.
When they saw Concubine Xiao, they just bowed slightly and didn't say anything.
This is Xiao Xixi's first time coming to Weiyang Palace.
She felt that this place had a very similar feeling to the Pepper Room, with a bone-chilling coldness.
It's like a coffin. If you stay there for too long, you'll suffocate.
Gan Fu knocked gently on the door of the bedroom.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Xiao is here."
After a while, the door was opened and a palace maid bowed to Concubine Xiao.
"Your Majesty, please come in."
Xiao Xixi walked into the bedroom and saw the emperor leaning on the couch.
The emperor had his hair loose, most of which had turned white. He looked haggard, with slightly sunken cheeks and a pale face.
He looked older than the last time we met.
Xiao Xixi knelt down and said, "I shouldn't have raised chickens and grown vegetables in the palace. I have ruined the image of the East Palace. I am willing to be punished."
The emperor spoke hoarsely, "You were indeed wrong in this matter. How can the imperial palace allow you to act so recklessly in such an important place?"
"I have already cleaned up the vegetable garden and poultry, and I promise I won't do it again."
Emperor: "Since you have admitted your mistakes, I will give you a lighter punishment this time."
He coughed twice before continuing.
"In the past two years, the Great Sheng Dynasty has been plagued by turmoil.
First, Qin Chong and the King of Xiling staged a palace coup and rebelled. Then King You raised an army in Xiling County, and the Liao Kingdom also intervened.
Countless people unfortunately died.
Since you have the leisure time to raise chickens and grow vegetables in the palace, why not help copy some Buddhist scriptures?
You should copy it eight hundred times first.
After copying is completed, I will have someone send the copied Buddhist scriptures to Shengguang Temple.
Burn it for those innocent people who died in vain, so as to help their souls to rest in peace. "
Xiao Xixi felt her scalp tingling when she heard that she had to copy Buddhist scriptures.
Copying books is so tiring!
She doesn't want to copy books!
But she had no right to refuse, so she could only agree.
"I obey your command."
The emperor asked someone to bring a set of "The Sutra of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva".
"You just copy in Weiyang Palace. You can leave when you finish copying."
After saying this, he closed his eyes.
Seeing this, Gan Fu said, "Your Majesty is tired, Concubine, please follow me."
Xiao Xixi walked out of the bedroom holding a heavy Buddhist book.
Gan Fu led her into a guest room.
Xiao Xixi put down the Buddhist scriptures, rubbed his arm, and asked, "Where is Baoqin?"
Gan Fu: "Your Majesty, don't worry. I will send someone to take Miss Baoqin back to Qingge Palace."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
