This was the first time the emperor came to Taoyu Pavilion but there was no fight. I don't know if it was because he felt sorry for her injured knee or because the iron pestle was dysfunctional due to excessive use. Zhuang Yuyan personally tended to the latter. After all, men are more beastly than beasts at certain times, and this small injury on the knee is not enough to turn a beast into a gentleman. Of course, there is also a man called Liuxia Hui in the world, but the emperor is obviously not included in this range.

The bruise that looked hideous under the candlelight last night was no longer so serious when Zhuang Yuyan got up in the morning. However, it was not beautiful to have such a large blue patch on her fair skin.

Zhuang Yuyan herself felt that it was not pretty, and the emperor, who had personally opened her trouser legs, would probably find it even uglier if he knocked on her. She carefully glanced at the emperor, and seeing that there was no disgust in his eyes, she let him look.

"I have some blood stasis removing ointment. I'll ask Gao Dezhong to bring it to you later," Feng Jin lowered his trouser legs and stood up, saying, "It's getting late. I should go to court."

"I respectfully send off Your Majesty."

Feng Jin walked to the door and turned around, but he saw the affection in Zhaopin's eyes that he could not hide in time, but it was only for a moment. When he looked closely, he only saw Zhaopin bowing her head and seeing him off respectfully. Feng Jin's expression changed slightly, "After a few days, I will be promoted..." Thinking of the look just now, Feng Jin paused and said in a calm tone: "Remember to take the medicine on time. If there is anything wrong, let the palace know and take care of it."

After leaving Taoyu Pavilion, Feng Jin looked at Gao Dezhong, and although his tone was flat, "Who punished Zhaopin for being on her knees?" His attitude was very firm, as if he knew that Gao Dezhong definitely knew it.

As the chief eunuch of Qianzheng Palace, he should know everything he should know. Since the emperor asked, he, as the emperor's servant, naturally had to speak up: "Your Majesty, I heard that Concubine Yuan and Concubine Zhao met in the garden the other day. I don't know why Concubine Yuan punished Concubine Zhao to kneel for a long time, but after meeting Concubine Rou, she let Concubine Zhao go back."

"When did this happen?" Feng Jin sat on the carriage and let the powerful eunuch lift him up, his tone still unhurried.

"It happened ten days ago." Gao Dezhong answered carefully.

Feng Jin sneered when he heard this, "After ten days, Zhaopin's knee still hasn't recovered?"

Gao Dezhong hesitated for a moment and said, "It should be fine, but the Empress Yuanfei and the Empress Zhaobin met again two days ago. I don't know what happened."

He shouldn't know what happened in Concubine Yuan's palace, but he should know what happened in Yu Garden. Even if he knew what happened in the Concubine's palace, he had to pretend he didn't know.

Feng Jin remained silent after hearing this and did not ask any more questions. However, Gao Dezhong knew very well in his heart that the emperor was not in a good mood.

Zhuang Yuyan watched Feng Jin leave, then leaned over the bed and glanced at the servants in the room, "You all can leave, Yunxi and Tingzhu will serve you."

On the day of the Yu Garden, Concubine Yuan made her kneel in the Yu Garden. Her knee was not seriously injured, but she did not expect Concubine Yuan to be brave enough to summon her to her palace.

She watched Concubine Yuan throw a jade hairpin to the ground and break it into two pieces, and then she was punished to kneel for two full hours. She had been holding back her anger, and sooner or later she would calm down.

She got out of bed and let Yunxi and Tingzhu wash her face and hands. She opened a box of lip balm, drew a little and applied it on the corners of her lips, looking beautiful and charming.

Curling her lips and closing the lipstick box, Zhuang Luoyan said lazily, "Let's get dressed."

The Empress went to Jingyang Palace to pay her respects in a proper manner. She was still as graceful and elegant as ever, and the way she looked at Zhuang Luoyan was still like that of a close sister. However, Concubine Yan smiled a little too brightly at Zhuang Luoyan.

Although Concubine Yuan said she didn’t like Zhuang Yuyan, she thought about the fact that the Emperor was resting in Taoyu Pavilion yesterday. She didn’t know if the Emperor saw the bruises on Concubine Zhao’s knees. If the Emperor knew…

Even though the two eunuchs had died and all the palaces had been investigated, the women present at the moment seemed to have forgotten about it. They just chatted idly and no one mentioned the matter of the eunuchs.

The empress was also calm. Knowing that all the concubines had gotten up and left, she did not bring up the matter, leaving people confused as to her intentions.

Zhuang Luoyan held Tingzhu's hand and walked out of the harem palace with Concubine Wang, Concubine Jiang Xian and others with a smile on her face. Not far in front of her was Concubine Yuan, but this time Concubine Yuan seemed not to have seen her. After walking out of Jingyang Palace, she left in a sedan chair.

Glancing at the direction where Concubine Yuan's procession was leaving, Zhuang Yuyan looked calm, as if she had never been troubled by Concubine Yuan. Everyone present knew about the conflict between Concubine Yuan and Concubine Zhao, but because Concubine Yuan was in a higher position and Concubine Zhao was more favored, they pretended to know nothing.

However, seeing how Concubine Yuan behaved today, I'm afraid she won't dare to embarrass Concubine Zhao for the time being.

Zhuang Wanqing looked at Zhuang Yuyan's unchanged expression, a hint of sarcasm appeared on his face, and he turned around and left.

Just when everyone thought that Concubine Yuan would be reprimanded by the emperor for deliberately making things difficult for Concubine Zhao, news came out that the emperor had turned over Concubine Yuan's name card, and all of a sudden all the concubines were waiting to see Concubine Zhao make a fool of herself.

After hearing this, Zhuang Yuyan looked exceptionally calm, and was just playing with a jade hairpin in her hand. If someone in Concubine Yuan's palace saw it, they would be surprised to find that this jade hairpin was exactly the same as the one that Concubine Yuan broke.

The night was dark and deep in the palace, which was always terribly and strangely quiet. Just when everyone was half asleep and half awake, candles were lit in Concubine Yuan's palace. The eunuchs on night watch vaguely heard the sound of something breaking in the palace, and soon saw the emperor leaving Concubine Yuan's palace with a cold face.

This matter was known to all the concubines in the harem before the next day. It spread throughout the harem that night. When Zhuang Yuyan heard the news, she was leaning on the bed with Tingzhu massaging her knees.

"What did Concubine Yuan do to make His Majesty so angry?" Yun Xi lit another lamp, a look of surprise and doubt on her face.

"How should I know? I must have done something wrong," Zhuang Yuyan yawned and said sleepily with her eyes squinted. "It's late, it's time to sleep. You should go to bed too." After saying that, she closed her eyes in front of him.

Yunxi and Tingzhu looked at each other, stepped forward to put down the tent for Zhuang Yuyan, extinguished the candles and retreated, but they still felt relieved but uneasy in their hearts.

The next day, an imperial edict came out from Qianzheng Palace and informed the entire harem.

"Concubine Lin has been childless for many years and is petty by nature. She is unworthy of being a concubine. I am very sad. I will deprive her of her position as Concubine, but considering that she has served me for many years, I will confer her the title of Lin Concubine, a fourth-rank official."

A woman who is a concubine is reprimanded by the emperor for not being worthy of a concubine. I am afraid she will never be able to be a concubine in this life.

When the eunuch chief Gao Dezhong announced this decree, all the concubines of a certain rank were in the harem. As soon as the decree came out, Concubine Yuan collapsed to the ground on the spot.

After Gao Dezhong left, the concubines looked at Concubine Yuan and Zhuang Yuyan with deep thought in their eyes.

The harem is like this, always turbulent, and you won't know who is the laughing stock until the last moment. A few days ago, Concubine Yuan could punish Concubine Zhao at will, but today her status is the same as Concubine Zhao. However, Concubine Zhao has a title, so she is more noble than Concubine Lin.

The Queen looked at Concubine Lin who was kneeling on the ground, her eyes devoid of any emotion. The Emperor was already somewhat dissatisfied with the Lin family, and now Concubine Yuan was openly making things difficult for Concubine Zhao, wasn't it because Concubine Zhao's father had reported Lin's father? Concubine Lin was really stupid, and it was not unfair for her to end up like this.

She was demoted from the first-rank concubine to the fourth-rank Zhaopin, which was a demotion of several levels. Moreover, she was at the same rank as Zhaopin but not as noble. The emperor's move was ruthless and cruel.

The queen glanced at the concubines in the room, and then looked at Zhaopin who had a calm expression, "Since the decree has been announced and I have punished you, you can leave now."

All the concubines retreated obediently, even the pale-faced Concubine Lin bowed obediently and retreated.

After leaving the harem, Lin felt surrounded by mocking eyes. When she raised her head slightly, she saw Zhao with a gentle smile on her face. When her eyes swept through Zhao's hair, Lin's originally pale face almost turned blue.

There was a jade hairpin inserted neatly in Zhaobin's hair. On the top of the hairpin was a simple auspicious cloud pattern, which made Zhaobin's face look even more beautiful.

However, Concubine Lin felt that the gentle smile on Concubine Zhao's face chilled her to the core.