Chapter 163 The Imperial Garden
Just as they reached the vicinity of Tingyu Pavilion by the water, they encountered Consort Qing, who was surrounded by palace maids admiring the flowers.
Consort Qing entered the palace a few years earlier than Xie Nu'er. They held the same rank and came from good families; her father was a Grand Master of the Palace, a third-rank official.
She was naturally arrogant and spoiled, and with her good looks and family background, she was considered to have some dignity in the harem.
But ever since Xie Nuer entered the palace, especially in recent months when His Majesty has been favoring Yuntang Palace, her dignity as a concubine has been trampled into the mud, and she has a bellyful of resentment with nowhere to vent it.
Now that they had met on a narrow path, looking at Xie Nu'er's elegant and refined appearance, as if she were untouched by worldly affairs, and recalling the news that His Majesty had stayed at Yuntang Palace again last night, Consort Qing felt a surge of anger rush to her head.
She deliberately stopped, blocking Xie Nuer's path, and looked Xie Nuer up and down, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt and jealousy.
"Oh, isn't this Consort Ru? You look radiant! It must be some serious trouble that you've finally left your comfort zone to enjoy the scenery of the Imperial Garden?"
Consort Qing's voice was raised high, filled with sarcasm, as if she were afraid that those around her wouldn't hear her.
Xie Nu'er stopped in her tracks, seemingly oblivious to the barb in the other's words: "Sister Qing is joking. No matter how comfortable Yuntang Palace is, it can't compare to the splendor of the Imperial Garden in spring. You look quite well today, Sister."
Consort Qing was taken aback by her soft attitude, which only fueled her anger. She decided to tear off the mask of politeness and blurted out sarcastic remarks: "Good complexion? Of course! Unlike you, sister, who spends your days and nights studying those low-class seductive skills, bewitching His Majesty so much that he has forgotten all the ancestral rules! All you do is pester His Majesty all day long. What's the difference between you and those girls in brothels who use tricks to keep customers? I think your Yuntang Palace is almost turning into that filthy place!"
These words were extremely malicious, directly calling Xie Nu'er a prostitute and also implying that the emperor was involved.
The surrounding air froze instantly!
The low-ranking concubines, maids, and eunuchs who were attending to them turned pale with fright and wished they could disappear immediately.
The smile on Xie Nuer's face disappeared.
She didn't fly into a rage, but her once watery eyes instantly turned cold.
She stared at Consort Qing for a few moments, and the look in her eyes sent a chill down Consort Qing's spine.
"Consort Qing, what did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly. Say it again?"
Consort Qing was momentarily intimidated by her icy gaze, but relying on her equal rank, her earlier entry into the palace, and her belief that the other was nothing more than a vixen who had risen to power, she stubbornly retorted, "What did I say? I said you, Xie Nu'er, are just a vixen who only knows how to seduce His Majesty with filthy means! Like those brothels..."
"Smack—!"
A crisp, loud slap interrupted Consort Qing's rant!
Everyone was stunned!
Xie Nuer even took out a silk handkerchief and slowly wiped her hands, as if they were dirty.
Consort Qing covered her face, which had instantly swelled up, and stared wide-eyed in disbelief, completely stunned!
A searing pain shot through her, and she could hardly believe it!
Xie Nu'er!
This Xie Nu'er, who has only been in the palace for a short time and usually seems so docile and easily bullied, actually dared to slap her in public?
"You...you dare hit me?!" Consort Qing's voice changed tone!
Xie Nu'er casually tossed the silk handkerchief she had used to wipe her hands to Zhi Xia, then raised her eyes and said, "Hit you? I'm going to hit your arrogant and foul-mouthed mouth!"
"I entered the palace to serve His Majesty and received His Majesty's favor, which is a great blessing from the Emperor! My actions are subject to His Majesty's holy decision, and it is not your place to interfere."
"You keep talking about brothels and vulgar methods, using foul language and insults to verbally abuse me. It's one thing, but how dare you compare His Majesty to those dissolute men who frequent brothels?! Consort Qing, how dare you! This is utter disrespect to His Majesty! It's a veiled attack on his heart! It's a contempt for imperial authority!"
"I slapped you today on behalf of His Majesty to teach you a lesson for your lack of respect and your unrestrained speech! To make you wake up and understand your place! This harem belongs to His Majesty! It is not a place where you can act recklessly and slander His Majesty's reputation!"
Xie Nu'er's words were like knives, each sentence piercing the heart!
She instantly escalated Consort Qing's personal insults to the level of slandering the Emperor and showing contempt for imperial authority!
Moreover, her logic was clear and her manner imposing; she cleverly twisted Consort Qing's insults into an insult to the Emperor himself! This accusation was enough to crush someone!
Consort Qing's face turned from red to white, then from white to green, as she was scolded. Her finger trembled as she pointed at Xie Nu'er: "You...you're slandering me! I...I didn't defame His Majesty! You're talking nonsense! Xie Nu'er, you wait! I'm going to find His Majesty right now! I'm going to sue you! I'm going to sue you for insubordination and assaulting a concubine! I'll make you regret it!"
She covered her face, filled with shame and indignation, tears streaming down her face, and turned to leave.
"Heh," Xie Nu'er scoffed, "You want to complain? If you dare, then go ahead! I'll be right here in Yuntang Palace, awaiting Your Majesty's judgment."
She slightly raised her chin, her posture exuding absolute confidence and arrogance. "I'd like to see whether His Majesty will believe a foolish woman like you who spouts wild words and slanders His Majesty's reputation, or a concubine like me who 'studies the art of seduction day and night' and is solely dedicated to relieving His Majesty's worries!"
Her last words, laced with sarcasm, were like an invisible slap across Consort Qing's face.
Seeing her arrogant and fearless demeanor, Consort Qing was so angry that she almost fainted. Forgetting all about her composure, she shouted at the maid beside her with a sob in her voice, "Hurry up and leave!"
The farce ended with Consort Qing covering her face and running away crying.
The Imperial Garden was deathly silent.
Those concubines who originally wanted to watch the spectacle or were somewhat jealous of Xie Nuer now looked at her differently.
This Consort Ru, who usually appears gentle and harmless, is surprisingly ruthless when she takes action, and her ability to distort the truth and frame others is unparalleled!
Moreover, she is genuinely unafraid!
Xie Nu'er glanced around, and those who met her gaze unconsciously lowered their heads. Her face regained its gentle and harmless smile, as if the woman who had slapped the concubine and spoken so sharply had never existed.
"I apologize for disturbing the ladies' enjoyment of the flowers. I shall take my leave now."
She nodded slightly and, amidst the complex gazes of the crowd, gracefully departed the Imperial Garden.
Inside Yuntang Palace, Xie Nu'er leisurely sipped her fragrant tea, as if the turmoil in the Imperial Garden had never happened.
As evening approached, Pei Yan stepped into Yuntang Palace.
Inside the hall, there was no gentle and attentive figure who would immediately come to greet them as usual.
The warm fragrance remained, yet an unusual tranquility permeated the air.
Pei Yan frowned slightly, walked around the screen, and saw Xie Nu'er sitting alone on the soft couch by the window, with her back to him.
Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, outlining her slender and frail back; her shoulders seemed to be trembling slightly.
"Nu'er?" Pei Yan called out.
The figure froze, but did not turn around immediately.
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