“Pearl”.
With just a glance from Shen Mingzhuang, Zhu'er immediately understood. She stepped forward and slapped the old woman across the face, saying, "Your Highness, how dare you, a lowly old woman from the Imperial Palace, be so disrespectful!"
"Your Highness... Consort Ming?!" The old woman, who had just been slapped by Zhu'er, chewed on these words, her face turning pale instantly. She hurriedly knelt on the ground, "Your Highness, please forgive me, this servant deserves to die."
Not long after entering the palace, she was directly granted the title of Consort Ming, and she was pregnant at the time. Who in the harem hadn't heard of this Consort Ming? It was just unexpected that His Majesty's favorite concubine would dress so modestly and come to the Yeting Palace in person.
In this harem, who dares to be so unrestrained? Where does this old woman get the audacity to hit people so easily? She must have hitched a ride on someone's ship and thinks she has a powerful backer!
Having just arrived at the Yeting Palace, I encountered such a thing, which shows that the palace is a mixed bag, with all sorts of people, including those who try to curry favor with Empress Dowager Yin and think they can do whatever they want in the palace, even daring to be disrespectful to the Emperor's women. I'm afraid that most of the people in the harem are Empress Dowager Yin's people.
Thinking about it, Shen Mingzhuang's expression became even more solemn. She coldly instructed Tan'er, "Hit back the way she hit you."
Tan'er listened with a hint of surprise in her eyes. She slowly stood up and saw that Shen Mingzhuang looked serious. She then mustered up her courage and slapped the old woman, making her see stars, but she did not dare to do anything rash.
Would she dare to fight back? Who is the most honored person in the harem? Apart from Empress Dowager Yin of Cixi Palace, it would naturally be Consort Ming of Hehuan Palace. She would be practically courting death if she didn't want to live.
At this moment, Shen Mingzhuang only wanted to know about Man Huan's situation. Seeing the arrogance of these people, she began to worry. No matter how clever and insightful Man Huan was, could she possibly stand up to the powerful figures in the palace?
She walked quickly over, and immediately a perceptive palace maid stepped forward to lead the way.
After walking around for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the palace maid finally stopped. Shen Mingzhuang then saw a group of palace maids dressed in the lowest-ranking palace maid skirts squatting on the ground washing clothes in the large courtyard. And those clothes were all the clothes of eunuchs and palace maids.
Shouldn't this be work for the Laundry Bureau? Why is it being sent to the Inner Palace?
Shen Mingzhuang looked around and saw Man Huan at the very back. The little girl had her head down and looked very disheveled. Shen Mingzhuang's heart tightened slightly at the sight of her. She said, "Man Huan, come here."
Man Huan thought she had misheard. She looked at Su Zhenzhen with a hopeful look in her eyes, and her face lit up with joy. A smile immediately appeared on her dirty little face, which made Shen Mingzhuang feel a pang of sadness.
"Miss!"
Overjoyed, she immediately stood up, but then seemed to have other concerns and looked at the old woman holding the pointer. Shen Mingzhuang understood what was going on. Her maid was supposed to be there to learn manners, but she was being arbitrarily abused by a group of servants who were used to fawning over the powerful.
It's been almost a month, and she hasn't heard a single word from her side. It's clear that these people are restricting Manhuan's freedom; otherwise, they should at least have sent her a message.
"From today onwards, you shall serve in the Hall of Joy and Harmony."
Upon hearing this, the nanny holding the pointer sized up Shen Mingzhuang, seemingly disregarding her entirely. "My lady," she said, "there are rules in the palace. All servants who have committed offenses must learn the rules here. No matter how noble you are, you must still follow the rules."
Should we use the rules?
Shen Mingzhuang completely ignored her. "Manhuan, come here."
"Hmm!" Man Huan nodded and immediately ran towards Shen Mingzhuang. But as soon as she got there, she was whipped on the back. The old woman's surname was Cui. She was a senior old woman who had been in the palace for decades. All the young ladies who entered the palace in the previous dynasty had to work under her and learn the rules. She looked down on ordinary people.
Granny Cui lashed out at Manhuan with her whip and said sternly, "Have you forgotten all the rules you learned? It seems you'll have to study for another month."
Shen Mingzhuang stepped forward and slapped Cui Mama across the face. Cui Mama hadn't expected that Consort Ming would hit her directly. These ladies cherished their reputations and would never do the work themselves if they could give orders to their servants. Such vulgar things as hitting people were done by the palace maids around them.
At this moment, Granny Cui was also stunned by the beating. Shen Mingzhuang glanced at Manhuan's injuries, turned to Granny Cui and said, "The rules of the palace are that unruly servants bully their masters? Today I will teach you what the rules are. Granny, remember them well."
Shen Mingzhuang slowly said, "First, no matter what, you are just a servant in the Imperial Household Department who receives a monthly allowance. If you behave yourself, you will naturally have a good life. Second, no matter how capable you are, you are still just a servant who serves the master. You should keep your tail between your legs in front of the master. Third, no matter whose people you are, you must behave properly when you see me. Otherwise, I will not care who you are and will beat you without hesitation!"
Every word he spoke resonated deeply, leaving Granny Cui deeply shaken.
Is she really a young lady from the Shen family? How can she be so arrogant and unruly? She has absolutely no manners!
Granny Cui thought to herself that she had seen many noble ladies in her life, but none of them were as shrewish as Consort Ming. And what did her last sentence mean? They all obeyed the Empress Dowager. Was Consort Ming giving the Empress Dowager a veiled warning?
"Wenxin is still doing embroidery over there, working day and night, her eyes are about to be ruined."
Man Huan's voice was somewhat hollow, but she still bravely held back her tears and told Shen Mingzhuang where Wenxin was. Shen Mingzhuang immediately instructed Tan'er, "Go."
Presumably, the news had already reached them, and those unruly servants dared not defy the wind at this time. In less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, Wenxin came over with Tan'er.
Seeing that the two had lost weight, Shen Mingzhuang said nothing more and simply led his men away from Yeting in a swaggering manner.
"On our first day there, all our belongings were taken away. They seemed to have heard from an aunt named Shuangxi that they would take good care of us this month. From the second day onwards, we were kept under surveillance and not allowed to leave the Yeting Palace. We were fed leftovers and spoiled food. I was mainly assigned to do laundry, while Wenxin did needlework. We only got to sleep for one hour each day..."
After Manhuan finished her rambling, she suddenly knelt on the ground and said, "Miss, you are now the noble Consort Ming, but I have disgraced you."
Shen Mingzhuang didn't care about that at all. What was shameful about it? Was his life more important?
Shen Mingzhuang told her to get up first, and then instructed Tan'er and Zhu'er, "Go and bring over the little maid who led us to the Yeting Palace earlier. Have her pack her things. If anyone asks, just say that the Hehuan Palace wants her."
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