Chapter 163 My hand slipped, I apologize.
Jiang Nan's face was serious, but she was secretly overjoyed.
She realized that this little white flower was deliberately trying to pick a fight with her.
He secretly praised Xiaobaihua for killing two birds with one stone.
First, they were testing her limits and undermining her prestige as Empress.
Secondly, he deliberately highlighted his special status by taking advantage of his cousin relationship with Emperor Kangxi.
If she were to reprimand her harshly at this moment, she would inevitably be accused of mistreating her young and ignorant cousin.
If Emperor Kangxi really comes later, and Xiaobaihua starts crying and complaining, it will make her, the Empress, seem narrow-minded and intolerant.
But if we let her off easily, wouldn't that allow her to succeed in her scheme of using someone else's power to bully others?
In the future, who in this harem will still respect her majesty as Empress?
Jiang Nan silently applauded Tongjia.
Despite his young age, he is quite shrewd.
It's so much fun! With Xiaobaihua's clever nature, it should be a lot of fun to play with!
Before Jiang Nan could speak, Consort Niohuru, who was seated first on the left, suddenly stood up, her face frosty and her voice icy.
"Princess Tongjia! How dare you be so presumptuous! This is the main hall of Kunning Palace, before Her Majesty the Empress. How can you be so disrespectful? Addressing Her Majesty the Empress as your cousin-in-law in this setting is a grave offense!"
Tongjia seemed to be intimidated by Niohuru's imposing presence.
She showed a hint of grievance and confusion on her face at the right moment, and explained in a low voice.
"Sister Niukulu, please calm down. When I was at home, Father said that the Emperor was my cousin, so the Empress would naturally be my cousin's wife. I really didn't know that the rules in the palace were so strict, even the way relatives address each other..."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly, as if she had been frightened.
The hall fell silent instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and the expressions of the concubines were quite varied.
Some people looked at Tongjia's reddened eyes and couldn't help but feel a pang of pity.
Whether it was genuine ignorance or feigned ignorance, this must have angered the Empress. How could they not know the Empress's temper?
Many others lowered their eyelashes, filled with fear of the Queen's impending wrath.
Having angered the Empress Dowager in the main hall of Kunning Palace, this turmoil is unlikely to end well.
Several others secretly glanced up, their eyes filled with shock as they looked at Tongjia.
To dare to be so presumptuous in front of the Empress, and to challenge palace rules by using her kinship as a pretext, this Princess Tongjia is truly audacious.
Jiang Nan sat upright on the phoenix throne, taking in everyone's reactions.
She gently raised her hand, stopping Niohuru, who was about to continue scolding.
His gaze calmly fell on Tongjia's pitiful little face, his eyes bright and eager.
A gentle, indulgent smile spread across his face, his tone soft yet carrying an undeniable authority, as if summoning his very possession.
"Tong Jia, come here."
The smug satisfaction in Tongjia's eyes was almost overflowing.
But she still pretended to be wronged and timid, shuffling step by step toward the phoenix throne, explaining herself with a slight sob in her voice.
"Your Majesty, I truly meant no harm. I was unaware that the palace rules were so strict. I will certainly correct this in the future and will never dare to address you so carelessly again."
She paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and added cautiously.
"But... when I met Your Majesty at Chengqian Palace, I also called you 'Cousin Emperor,' and Your Majesty didn't blame me. He even said it was so intimate... How about I call you 'Sister-in-law Empress' from now on? It's both friendly and not against the rules. Your Majesty is the most benevolent and virtuous ruler of the land. You won't punish me for just one sentence, will you?"
She emphasized the word "benevolence" heavily, with a hint of provocation.
Jiang Nan sneered inwardly upon hearing her words.
Ha, moral blackmail? She never took that kind of thing seriously from the day she transmigrated to the Forbidden City.
"How could I be angry?"
Jiang Nan's smile grew even warmer, but her eyes gleamed with undisguised interest.
"I am overjoyed to have such a clever and lovely cousin as you. Come here quickly so that I can take a good look at our good cousin."
She emphasized the words "cousin" with a heavy, crisp tone, conveying a sense of pressure.
Tongjia was pleased with herself, certain that Jiang Nan was under her control and dared not make a scene in public.
He then took a few more steps forward, and was only three steps away from the phoenix throne.
Jiang Nan carefully examined her up and down, her smug expression barely concealed, her smile unchanged, and her voice still gentle.
"As expected, you're someone who deserves to be loved. You'd better stand properly for me."
Stand still? Tongjia was taken aback, not yet reacting.
"Smack!"
A sharp, resounding slap suddenly rang out in the silent hall, making everyone's eardrums vibrate.
Without warning, Jiang Nan leaned forward and slapped Tong Jia Shi hard across the face.
The force was so great that it knocked Tongjia's head to the side, and half of her cheek instantly became red and swollen.
The slap made her vision go black, she felt dizzy and her legs went numb, and she almost fell over.
"Hold on tight!"
Jiang Nan gave a cold rebuke, carrying an unquestionable air of authority.
"I'm telling you to stand properly, and you can't disobey!"
When Tongjia realized what had happened, she covered her face, both shocked and furious, and could hardly believe it.
The Empress actually dared to slap her in public.
She was a princess of the Tongjia clan, and the emperor's own cousin!
Humiliation and anger surged to her head. She bit her lip hard to hold back her tears, and only one thought remained in her mind.
When my cousin arrives, I'll make sure he sees the true face of this wicked woman.
Jiang Nan looked at her, who was trying to hold back her tears and whose eyes were full of resentment, and the smile in his eyes deepened.
Very well, she guessed right. It is indeed very fun to play and has a certain resilience.
Before Tong Jia could regain her footing, Jiang Nan slapped her hard across the other cheek with an even heavier slap.
"ah!"
Tongjia cried out in pain as she was slammed to the ground, her hair disheveled and her hairpins falling to the ground.
His cheeks were swollen, and blood was even seeping from the corners of his mouth, making him look extremely disheveled.
The main hall of Kunning Palace was completely silent.
All the concubines held their breath and froze.
Consort Niohuru subconsciously raised her hand and patted her forehead.
A hint of helplessness, as if to say "I knew it," flashed in his eyes.
She knew that the Empress was never one to swallow her anger, and that Lady Tongjia had walked right into a trap.
But then she thought, when the emperor arrives and sees his own cousin beaten like this, he will inevitably be angry.
What if the Empress and the Emperor have a falling out?
The concubines were terrified by the two slaps, their heads bowed low and their faces deathly pale.
How many years? Seven years!
The last time the Empress personally took action was when she attacked the former Empress Hesheli.
In the years since, the palace has been peaceful, and those in the know have almost forgotten the empress's ruthless methods.
These two slaps reminded them that their master had never been one to have any taboos.
Whether it's intentional or not, do you think you'll have a good ending if you provoke her?
Guo Luoshi sat quietly, her pupils suddenly contracting in shock, and cold sweat poured down her back.
After entering the palace, she made a point of inquiring about the Empress's past.
I thought those ruthless rumors were just exaggerations, but seeing them with my own eyes today, I know they are absolutely true.
The emperor's own cousin, she hit him without warning; one second she was kind and gentle, the next she was slapping him.
This Empress is indeed unfathomable.
Jiang Nan looked down at Tong Jia, who had fallen to the ground and was covering her face.
She wore an apologetic yet gentle smile, and her voice was so soft it could melt your heart.
His words sent chills down everyone's spines.
"Ouch, Tong Jia, how did you lose your balance and fall to the ground?"
She leaned slightly forward, feigning confusion.
"I was thinking of letting you come closer, holding your little face in my hands, and taking a good look at your delicate beauty. But I didn't get a good night's rest last night, and my hands slipped because I was nervous. I didn't control my strength properly either."
She waved her hand, her tone full of regret.
"Little sister, are you hurt?"
She changed the subject, her concern evident, and then spoke seriously.
"This time it was indeed my carelessness, and I apologize to you."
She paused, then slowly returned the moral blackmail verbatim, her tone carrying a hint of mockery and coercion.
"Look, I've personally apologized to you, so you can't be angry anymore. Didn't you just say that I, the Empress, am the most benevolent person in the world? I've been so accommodating to you, accepted you as my cousin, and even apologized to you. You're not going to hold a grudge against me for my unintentional mistake, are you?"
"It's always better to be more generous."
Jiang Nan had a bright smile, but her eyes were sharp as knives.
"Since you called me your cousin-in-law, I gladly accepted and didn't blame you for overstepping your bounds. Now that I accidentally bumped into you, I sincerely apologize. If you still hold a grudge, wouldn't that make you seem petty and betray my kindness? If word gets out, people will only say that you, Princess Tongjia, are ungrateful and deliberately make things difficult for the Empress just because you're the Emperor's cousin. In that case, it will be the Tongjia clan and the Emperor who lose face. Don't you think so, my dear cousin!"
——————
Try not to raise any more pets, you'll just ruin them. It'll be the same whether you watch them sooner or later. If you all watch them more, maybe I can keep watching for a while longer.
The more you raise, the worse the book will be, and the more likely it is to be left unfinished.
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