Chapter 164 Demotion
Pei Yan's heart tightened, and he quickly walked over.
Upon getting closer, one could see that Xie Nuer was looking down, covering her mouth with a silk handkerchief, her shoulders shaking, and making suppressed sobs.
Crystalline tears slid down her fair cheeks and clung to her pointed chin.
Pei Yan's heart clenched instantly!
"Nu'er! What's wrong? Who bullied you?" Pei Yan reached out to hug her.
"His Majesty!"
Xie Nu'er, however, was like a startled fawn, suddenly shrinking back to avoid his embrace. She raised her tear-filled face, and there was even a hint of resistance in her eyes!
This dodge was like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, leaving Pei Yan's outstretched arm frozen in mid-air.
A feeling of displeasure instantly replaced the heartache.
He gave her unparalleled favor and dependence, yet she dared to refuse his intimacy?
Could it be that we've been too good to her these past few days, making her arrogant and forgetting her place?
Pei Yan's face instantly darkened, and his voice turned cold: "Consort Ru, what are you doing?"
The cold tone and change in address caused Xie Nu'er to visibly tremble, and her tears flowed even more fiercely.
She looked up through her tear-filled eyes at Pei Yan's gloomy face. Instead of calming down, she seemed frightened by his coldness, crying even more bitterly, her sobs choked as she spoke haltingly:
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, please calm your anger...This servant...This servant dares not...It's just...It's just that this servant is no longer worthy of Your Majesty's favor..."
Her words were incoherent, yet they were filled with immense grievance and despair.
Pei Yan's brows furrowed even more: "Explain yourself!"
Xie Nu'er sobbed, raising her tear-filled face, her eyes filled with helplessness and pain: "Today in the Imperial Garden... I met Consort Qing..."
She began to complain, recounting the events that had occurred in the Imperial Garden. The focus wasn't on Consort Qing accusing her of being a vixen and using vulgar methods, but rather on Consort Qing comparing the Emperor to a man frequenting a brothel!
"When I heard her dare to slander His Majesty like that, comparing him to... to such a despicable man, I was so enraged that I felt my blood rush to my head... His Majesty is my heaven... my god... How could I tolerate someone defaming His Majesty's reputation like this?! I was so furious that... I accidentally slapped her..."
She cried so hard she could barely breathe, her body swaying precariously, as if that slap had used up all her strength and courage.
"But after I hit her... I was terrified..."
She raised her tearful eyes, looking at Pei Yan timidly and fearfully, "Sister Qingfei has the same rank as me, and she entered the palace much earlier. She said she's going to complain to His Majesty, and I'll be in deep trouble..."
"Your Majesty, I'm so afraid... afraid that Your Majesty will believe her and think that I'm arrogant and unworthy to serve Your Majesty!"
"At the time, I was only thinking of protecting Your Majesty, but now that I think about it, I was too impulsive... Your Majesty... please punish me..."
While weeping and recounting her story, she portrayed herself as a little woman who impulsively made a mistake in order to uphold the emperor's dignity, deeply loved the emperor, and was extremely fearful.
Tears streamed down his face, each drop landing on Pei Yan's heart.
Pei Yan was completely stunned after hearing this!
So that's how it is!
It turns out that her crying and avoidance were not because she was spoiled and arrogant, but because she was afraid!
She was afraid that hitting Consort Qing would anger him, and she was afraid of losing his favor!
The root of all this was that foolish Consort Qing, who not only insulted Nu'er, but also dared to compare him, the emperor of a country, to a john!
I just misunderstood her and spoke coldly to her!
The guilt made Pei Yan feel as if her heart was being violently torn apart.
He actually thought she was being arrogant because she was favored? He even gave her the cold shoulder? He's such a jerk!
Looking at the little woman in front of him, crying her eyes out and trembling, all her impulses and fears stemmed from her love and admiration for him!
This sincere sentiment, this courage to protect his reputation regardless of his own safety, is more precious than any treasure!
"My darling!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Pei Yan pulled Xie Nu'er into a tight embrace. This time, Xie Nu'er did not refuse. Instead, as if she had found her pillar of support, she nestled against his chest and cried even more aggrievedly, as if she wanted to vent all her fear and grievances.
"I misunderstood you! It was my fault!"
Pei Yan patted her back tenderly, his voice filled with guilt and pity, "Consort Qing! How dare you speak such arrogant words and insults! You did well to hit her! You didn't hit her hard enough!"
He grew angrier as he spoke, his anger and pity for Xie Nuer intertwined. He suddenly raised his head and shouted sharply outside, "Desheng!"
Desheng had been waiting outside the door, listening to the commotion inside, and immediately came in: "This servant is here!"
Pei Yan held Xie Nu'er, who was still sobbing, in his arms, his eyes icy cold:
"By imperial decree: Consort Qing, for her inappropriate words and slander of Your Majesty, is hereby demoted to the rank of Talented Lady and relocated to the Jingsi Garden for solitary reflection! She is forbidden from leaving without an imperial edict! Furthermore, her title of Qing is hereby revoked! Execute immediately!"
Jing Si Yuan is the most remote and desolate palace in the palace, almost equivalent to a cold palace!
Demoted, stripped of his title, and banished to the cold palace!
This punishment was a devastating blow to Consort Qing, who was once considered a favorite! In particular, the accusation of defaming the emperor's reputation sealed her fate, leaving her with no chance of recovery!
Desheng immediately kowtowed and accepted the order: "This servant obeys the decree!"
The decree was passed down. Pei Yan lowered his head, looking at Xie Nu'er in his arms, who had gradually stopped crying but still had red eyes and looked like a frightened little rabbit. His tone instantly became incredibly gentle, filled with doting affection:
"Alright, my child, don't be afraid anymore. Look, I've already punished her. She can no longer bully you just because of her high rank. From now on, I will never let anyone who dares to disrespect you go unpunished!"
He gently wiped away the tears on Xie Nu'er's face, his movements as tender as if he were handling a rare treasure.
Xie Nu'er raised her tearful eyes, looking at Pei Yan's undisguised heartache and doting gaze. She nestled her face against his chest, her voice choked with sobs and deep affection: "Your Majesty... Nu'er just cares about you too much. Nu'er can't tolerate anyone saying anything bad about you. Your Majesty treats me so well, Nu'er... Nu'er is willing to do anything for Your Majesty..."
This heartfelt confession warmed Pei Yan's heart, making him feel that the woman in his arms was the one who understood him and loved him the most in the world.
A storm, with the complete demise of Consort Qing, brought Xie Nu'er an even more unshakeable position in the palace.
The news that Consort Qing had been demoted, stripped of her title, and banished to the Jingsi Garden swept through the entire harem in an instant, leaving everyone who heard it in disbelief.
A concubine who had not been in the palace for long and whose family background was far inferior to that of Consort Qing could, with just a moment of the emperor's favor, bring a concubine of equal rank down to the dust!
This is a sure sign of a wicked concubine!
When the news reached Weiyang Palace, the Empress was looking at a dry palace affairs book by the window.
Lanxin staggered in: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened!"
Xiao Fengyi put down the booklet and said in a deep voice, "What's the panic? Is the sky falling? Explain yourself."
Lanxin knelt down with a thud and quickly recounted the conflict in the Imperial Garden and His Majesty's decree.
"Clang—!"
A crisp, piercing cracking sound rang out.
Xiao Fengyi accidentally knocked over the teacup on the table next to her!
Xiao Fengyi stared blankly at the mess on the ground, the tea still steaming slightly, her hand frozen in mid-air.
She actually lost her composure.
Xie Nuer…
This method, this ability to manipulate emperors at will... is truly terrifying and awe-inspiring!
The Emperor's decree was made without consulting her opinion as Empress, which was a slap in the face to her and a violation of ancestral rules!
The imperial harem is about to undergo a major upheaval.
And how should she, as the empress, uphold palace rules and maintain balance?
She felt like she had aged ten years in an instant.
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