Chapter 272 Punishing Mo Zhirou

The second day.

Su Jingyao woke up slowly, but her eyes were not fully open yet.

Perhaps she had heard Su Jingyao's movements, Miaoyun came to her bedside in an instant, her voice full of attachment, "Master."

"Miaoyun? Why are you here?" Su Jingyao's eyes slowly opened with a hint of surprise in them. Her voice was still a little hoarse, and she raised her body slightly.

"Master, the eldest prince is out on a tour with His Majesty, so there is no need for me to follow him. I have sought His Majesty's opinion and will serve you."

Miaoyun's eyes sparkled as she spoke while reaching out to support Su Jingyao.

"Okay, when I return to the palace, you and Miaoxia should come and serve me. I am not used to it without you."

Su Jingyao raised the corners of her mouth, reached out and held Miaoyun's hand, and stood up with the help of her.

"The servants and the eldest prince have been living in Kunning Palace. As long as you return to the palace, you and the eldest prince will serve you."

Miaoyun nodded vigorously, with tears of excitement in her eyes.

"Are you the only one who came on His Majesty's southern tour this time?" Su Jingyao tilted her head slightly and looked at Miaoyun.

"Yes, this time His Majesty did not allow the masters to bring too many palace maids. Everything was kept simple. There were only servants around the eldest prince." Miaoyun replied with her head slightly lowered.

"Thank you for your hard work over the past few years." Su Jingyao sighed softly with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Miaoyun smiled and said, "Master, it's not hard. It is my blessing to have Meng take care of the eldest prince."

"The weather is nice today, would you like to take a walk in the courtyard? This house has a very Jiangnan style."

"Okay, let's go for a walk then."

Su Jingyao readily agreed, and with Miaoyun's help, she stood up, and the two of them slowly walked towards the back garden of the house.

At this time in the back garden.

Mo Zhirou was wearing a gorgeous purple dress, walking gracefully, with Bai Yingyue in a plain dress beside her.

"I heard that His Majesty brought a woman back, and I also heard that Concubine Bai and her get along well. I wonder if you can give me a hint. Is there going to be a new person in our palace? I wonder what title she will get?"

Mo Zhirou tilted her head slightly, with a hint of curiosity and inquiry on her face. She stared at Bai Yingyue with her beautiful eyes and unconsciously slowed down her pace.

Bai Yingyue had a calm expression and a calm tone.

"Mo Shurong is overthinking. The newcomer is not given any title, but the future empress."

She looked straight ahead, without much expression on her face.

Although he was answering Mo Zhirou's question, he was thinking about His Majesty's words in his heart.

She and the Queen had been on good terms this month, but yesterday His Majesty came to warn her not to mention anything related to this month in front of the Queen. She didn't understand why, but had no choice but to do as he asked.

When Mo Zhirou heard that the newcomer was directly named empress, her face changed drastically and she stopped abruptly.

She quickly turned to look at Bai Yingyue, full of surprise and disbelief, "How is this possible?" Her voice unconsciously rose a few notches.

Your Majesty was so infatuated with the late Empress. Even after the Concubine gave birth to the third prince and took care of the harem for five years, Your Majesty still refused to agree to make the Concubine the Empress. Now, a newcomer in Jiangzhou is directly named Empress as soon as he enters the palace?

Bai Yingyue's expression remained unchanged, she just raised her chin slightly and said, "This is the news I received."

At this moment, a maid came over carefully carrying a tray of clothes, taking cautious steps.

"I pay my respects to Empress Bai Fei and Empress Shu Rong." The maid bent her legs and performed a standard salute.

"Get up." Bai Yingyue raised her hands slightly, her expression calm.

Mo Zhirou's eyes fell on the clothes tray, and when she saw the exquisite phoenix-patterned handkerchief covering it, her face suddenly froze.

Asked: "What is this?"

"Empress Shurong, this is the phoenix robe that His Majesty prepared for the Empress. I am sending it to the Empress for her to try on."

The maid answered respectfully, lowering her head slightly and holding the edge of the tray tightly with both hands.

Mo Zhirou didn't expect that His Majesty had even prepared a phoenix robe, and she subconsciously reached out to lift the veil.

The maid was startled for a moment, and quickly stepped back a few steps, then said in panic, "Madam Shurong, His Majesty has ordered that the phoenix robe should be the first to be viewed and selected by the Empress."

"Bold!"

Mo Zhirou was rejected by a maid, and her face instantly turned dissatisfied.

"She is a woman who has not yet entered the palace. Even if His Majesty wants to make her the empress, she is not a lady in the palace until the imperial decree is issued. I am just checking the future empress. Why are you making a fuss?"

She pointed at the maid and scolded her.

Faced with the empress's anger, the maid immediately knelt down with a "thump".

"Please forgive me, Madam Shurong, but this phoenix robe cannot be touched by anyone. If His Majesty knew about it, he would definitely blame me."

"Oh, you, a servant girl, are you still using His Majesty to put pressure on me?!" Mo Zhirou snorted coldly, "It's been a long time since His Majesty cared about the affairs of the harem, how could he care about a piece of clothing?"

Bai Yingyue really couldn't bear to see this. When she first entered the palace with a very low status, it was Mo Zhirou who mocked her, insulted her, and instigated the higher-ranking concubines to bully her.

Isn't it because she relies on the support of the Imperial Concubine? Apart from the Imperial Concubine, no one has the right to punish the Palace Concubine.

Because His Majesty does not care about the affairs of the harem, and the Queen Mother also turns a blind eye to the affairs of the harem, as long as things are not made too big, the harem is ruled by the Concubine.

"Mo Shurong, since this maid has received orders from His Majesty, why do you have to make things difficult for her?" Bai Yingyue frowned, with a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone.

"Princess Bai, a new queen who is extremely favored by His Majesty will soon enter the harem. You only got your position as a concubine because of His Majesty's favor. Aren't you afraid that it will all go to waste?"

Seeing that Concubine Bai was still speaking for the maid, Mo Zhirou turned her head and spoke in a mocking tone with a scornful smile on her lips.

She just looked down on Bai Yingyue, a woman of low status who was promoted to the position of concubine just because her face was somewhat similar to the late empress, and whose position was higher than hers.

Bai Yingyue stared at her, feeling angry.

Her family background is indeed low, but she can see the current situation clearly. Mo Zhirou has no idea that His Majesty favors the new queen. If she knew, she would understand that it is not that she does not fight, but that she has self-knowledge.

If Mo Zhirou could curry favor with the imperial concubine, could she not curry favor with the empress?

As long as I can have a place in the harem, it will be fine.

"The Queen is beautiful and gentle, and she and His Majesty are deeply in love. I can only wish them the best."

Bai Yingyue took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in her heart, and spoke in a firm tone.

Su Jingyao, standing quietly in the corner of the corridor, took in the entire farce.

Mo Zhirou had an impression of these two people after hearing Miaoyun's brief introduction. They had met before in the East Palace.

As for Bai Yingyue, I seemed to have some impression of her. It seemed that I had contact with her this month, but the memory was a little vague.

Miaoyun also explained patiently, and Jun Zechen also briefly told her about the situation in the harem yesterday, so she had a general understanding of it.

Su Jingyao raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and walked towards the two of them with a faint smile.

"Isn't this my phoenix robe? What are you doing kneeling on the ground, maid? Get up."

Su Jingyao's voice is lazy and casual, like a spring breeze, gently blowing through people's hearts.

When Mo Zhirou heard the familiar voice, she turned her head immediately. In an instant, her pupils dilated as if she saw the most incredible sight.

Queen!

Isn't she dead?

Mo Zhirou's face turned pale instantly.

Bai Yingyue didn't know why Mo Zhirou was so surprised, but when she saw the queen coming, she bowed respectfully.

"Mo Shurong, don't you recognize me?" Su Jingyao raised her eyebrows slightly, with a hint of majesty in her eyes.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you, Her Majesty."

Mo Zhirou suppressed her fear and greeted Su Jingyao.

She knew how domineering the Queen was in the East Palace. Even though she didn't know why the Queen came back to life, she didn't dare to be presumptuous in front of her.

Bai Yingyue was a little confused about Mo Zhirou's reaction.

In the past month, the Queen has been very gentle and easy-going. Why does Mo Zhirou feel like she has seen a ghost and is very scared of the Queen?

Su Jingyao didn't let Mo Zhirou get up for a long time, her expression was indifferent and arrogant.

Mo Zhirou ignored the greeting and walked to the maid holding the phoenix robe. She stretched out her jade hand and lifted the scarf covering it.

Then, she put her fingers on the phoenix robe, carefully feeling the soft and smooth texture.

"Not bad, the texture is soft and smooth, and the embroidery is also exquisite. You can send it over first, and I will go back to try it on later." Su Jingyao's voice was unhurried.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The maid replied quickly and left with the phoenix robe in her hands.

Because Mo Zhirou was half squatting, she could no longer bear it. She gritted her teeth and her face turned ugly.

"Your Majesty, I didn't know you were still alive. I thought it was some new person..."

At that time, the Queen still had prestige in the Eastern Palace. In addition, His Majesty had shown a deep love for the Queen in the past five years, so Mo Zhirou was naturally afraid of the Queen's revenge.

The Queen would not tolerate any grain of sand in her eyes at the beginning. No matter what she did, His Majesty would always favor her. She even felt that the death of the Crown Princess was related to the Queen.

"Mo Shurong is bolder now than when she was in the East Palace. She even dares to touch the phoenix robe. Does she have any idea about the phoenix position?"

Su Jingyao's voice was light, but her calm tone contained extremely powerful intimidation.

Mo Zhirou was panicked and knelt down directly: "I dare not overstep the boundaries, nor do I dare to have such delusions."

"Since Mo Shurong coveted my phoenix robe today, I will punish you by making you kneel here for half an hour."

Su Jingyao lowered her eyes and looked at Mo Zhirou coldly.

Mo Zhirou immediately raised her head and met the queen's cold eyes. She wanted to refute, but under the shock of her gaze, all the words were choked in her throat.

"Yes." Mo Zhirou lowered her head.

Bai Yingyue, who was watching from the side, was completely stunned, like a wooden sculpture or clay figurine, not knowing how to react.

How come the empress, who was so amiable just two days ago, suddenly became so stern and intimidating?

And the new queen she always thought was the previous queen? !

On the first day, she said she was His Majesty's ex-lover. Was it true?!

Su Jingyao slowly shifted her gaze to Bai Yingyue, her eyes cold and sharp, "Are you His Majesty's new favorite?"

Bai Yingyue's heart skipped a beat. Did the Queen not recognize her?

What did your majesty do?

Is this why His Majesty warned her not to talk to the Queen about anything related to this month?

For a moment, Bai Yingyue was in a state of confusion, with countless thoughts flashing through her mind.

"Your Majesty, I am just an ordinary concubine in the harem. Your Majesty cares about you the most, and everyone in the palace knows that."

Bai Yingyue suppressed the panic in her heart and tried to keep her voice steady.

"Now that the Empress can return to the palace, His Majesty must be very happy." She forced a flattering smile on her face.

Su Jingyao's expression softened a lot when she saw that Bai Yingyue did not seem to have any ill will towards her, but she was used to being wary of people, so she just nodded slightly.

Then he took Miaoyun back to the room to try on the phoenix robe. She had a graceful figure and elegant gait.

After Su Jingyao left, Bai Yingyue looked at Mo Zhirou and couldn't help but mock her.

"Mo Shurong, it turns out that the new empress I thought was the former empress, so all your efforts to curry favor with the imperial concubine for so many years were in vain? After returning to the palace, I don't know whether the imperial concubine can still keep her power."

Bai Yingyue crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin slightly.

"If you offend the Empress, who will be able to protect you?" There was a hint of schadenfreude in her voice.

Mo Zhirou gnashed her teeth in hatred and looked up at Bai Yingyue, the daughter of a minor official, who also sneered at her.

"You knew that the new queen was the previous queen, so you made me say those words in front of the queen just now!"

"Mo Shurong, please don't frame me. I have been in the palace for a short time and have never met the Queen." Bai Yingyue sneered, looking smug.

"Forget it, just kneel here. I'm going to go back and rest."

Bai Yingyue smiled after she finished speaking.

She twisted her waist and walked away gracefully, leaving Mo Zhirou standing there angry and helpless.