Chapter 750 Phoenix Seal
Eunuch Chang was indeed a man who had experienced many ups and downs. Facing the questioning of the Empress Dowager, he remained calm and responded calmly.
"In reply to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor personally gave me these instructions, and I did not say a single word wrong."
The Empress Dowager looked at the phoenix seal in his hand, then looked at the imperial concubine kneeling beside him, and felt her temples throbbing.
What the hell is this?!
As soon as she punished the imperial concubine, the emperor had the phoenix seal delivered to her.
Isn't this a slap in the face by the emperor? !
Sensing that the Empress Dowager looked unhappy, Ms. Kong hurried to comfort her: "Calm down. The Emperor did this out of filial piety. He doesn't want you to worry about trivial matters at your age. You must understand the Emperor's painstaking efforts!"
No matter what the Empress Dowager thought, she could not express her opinion to the Emperor in front of so many people.
The Empress Dowager naturally knew this as well.
She took a deep breath and tried very hard to suppress the anger in her chest.
"Okay, since the emperor has said so, what can I do? You guys can make as much noise as you want, I won't care."
Ms. Kong helped her walk back.
But Xiao Xixi called them at this moment.
"Grand Empress Dowager, please stay!"
The Empress Dowager stopped and looked at her coldly: "What else do you want?"
The tone was very impatient.
Xiao Xixi: "Do I still need to kneel down?"
The Empress Dowager said: "You have broken the palace rules, so you must kneel for the entire hour."
Xiao Xixi was in a hurry to go back for dinner and didn't want to kneel here anymore, so she said immediately.
"I did not inform the Grand Empress Dowager in advance before I did it. It was my negligence. I accept the punishment. However, there is a problem with the account that Concubine Lao is responsible for. Should Concubine Lao also be punished?"
The face of Concubine Lao, who was suddenly named, changed.
She endured the pain and said, "When was there any problem with the accounts I was responsible for? Your Highness, please don't accuse me of something just to find fault."
Xiao Xixi ignored her and just looked at the Empress Dowager. She spoke quickly, but every word she said was clear.
“If the Empress Dowager doesn’t believe it, you can summon Concubine Li.
Concubine Lao has been recuperating in the Yanyu Palace during this period, and the accounts originally managed by Concubine Lao have been transferred to Concubine Li.
After checking, Princess Li found more than ten errors and omissions in the accounts.
I don't know whether Concubine Tuberculosis herself was corrupt, or whether Concubine Tuberculosis failed to supervise properly, allowing her subordinates to take advantage of the opportunity.
In short, Concubine Lao must be held responsible for this matter.
It is precisely because of this incident that I will hand over the management of accounts to other concubines.
Please ask the Empress Dowager to look into this matter carefully!"
The Grand Empress Dowager saw that she was very confident and did not seem to be lying, and all the accounts were kept by Concubine Li, so it would be easy to find out if there was any mistake. There was really no need for her to lie about such an obvious matter.
"Since you knew there was something wrong with the accounts, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Xiao Xixi: "The consort has been with the emperor for many years. She has made no contributions but has worked hard. The emperor is also a man who cherishes old times. I don't want to embarrass the consort, so I didn't expose this matter in public."
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "So you are actually a person who values friendship and loyalty. Did I misunderstand you?"
Xiao Xixi: "My feelings are all for the emperor. Everything I do is for the emperor's sake."
She had said everything she wanted to say, what else could the Empress Dowager say?
I can only say.
"Since you said that there are problems with the accounts managed by Concubine Lao, then you can have someone check it out. Anyway, the Phoenix Seal has been handed over to you, so do whatever you want. I will no longer care."
Xiao Xixi: "Do I have to continue kneeling as punishment?"
The Grand Empress Dowager didn't want to pay attention, but she also knew that there was no need to be rude to the Imperial Concubine at this moment. It was not a smart thing to do just to make herself feel good for a moment.
She slowed down her voice and said, "Since I have wronged you, then you can go back. From now on, the affairs of the harem will be handed over to you. I hope you will not let the emperor down."
When Xiao Xixi learned that she didn't have to kneel as punishment, she was very happy and hurried to express her gratitude.
"Thank you for your teachings, Empress Dowager!"
The Empress Dowager held Ms. Kong's hand and walked away.
As for whether Concubine Lao would be retaliated against after offending Imperial Concubine, the Empress Dowager didn't want to care. Neither side is easy to deal with, so let them fight each other!
The others were also dispersed.
Seeing this, Liu Xu wanted to help Concubine Lao and sneak away quietly.
However, they had just taken two steps when they were discovered by the sharp-eyed Baoqin.
"Where are you going, Madam Concubine?"
Concubine Lao and Liu Xu had to stop.
Xiao Xixi stood up with Baoqin's help.
Baoqin bent down and gently brushed off the dust on her skirt.
Xiao Xixi: "Concubine Lao, please go back and recuperate first. Tomorrow, the palace will ask Concubine Li and Concubine Min to check the accounts with you. If there are indeed problems with the accounts, I hope Concubine Lao can give a reasonable explanation."
The face of the tuberculosis concubine was extremely pale, and it was unclear whether it was because of the pain or something else.
She bit her lip and said, "I have not committed corruption."
Xiao Xixi: "I naturally hope that you are not corrupt. After all, your father is the emperor's teacher. If you are found to be corrupt, both your father and the emperor will lose face."
The face of the tuberculosis concubine turned even paler.
She stiffened her neck and spoke again.
"I really didn't commit corruption!"
Although she disliked the imperial concubine and often felt resentful, she would not commit corruption for the sake of a little profit.
Even though her mother's family was not a large family with a deep heritage, it was a family with a long tradition of scholarship. What they despised most was such petty theft.
She would never do such a corrupt thing!
Xiao Xixi: "We'll know the truth if we investigate."
She was now extremely hungry and had no mood to waste any more words with Concubine Tuberculosis. She quickly took the brocade box containing the phoenix seal from Eunuch Chang and went back to Yunxiu Palace with Baoqin and Qingsong.
Eunuch Chang bowed to Concubine Lao, then turned and left.
In the huge courtyard, only Concubine Lao and Liu Xu were left.
The consumptive concubine was still mumbling.
“I really didn’t embezzle.”
Liu Xu gritted her teeth and said, "It must be that those people down there are dishonest! They are good at pretending to be good and fooling people. Your Majesty is kind and generous, so it's easy for you to be deceived by them."
The tuberculosis concubine's right arm was still injured and in great pain, so she had to rush back to see the imperial physician, but she passed away soon.
After returning to Yunxiu Palace, Xiao Xixi threw the Phoenix Seal on the table and called out affectionately.
"I'm so hungry! Give me something to eat!"
Baoqin and Qingsong were both frightened by her rough actions.
Baoqin rushed over and carefully picked up the brocade box containing the phoenix seal.
"This is the Phoenix Seal, Your Majesty, how can you just throw it away? What if it gets broken?"
Qingsong also came over and checked the Phoenix Seal with Baoqin. After confirming that it was intact, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Xixi was still urging.
"Go get some food, go, go!"
Baoqin said helplessly: "Have some fruit first, I will ask Xiyu to prepare dinner for you."
(End of this chapter)
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