Chapter 83 I'll hit you, you're not happy about it?
However, Jiang Nan's reaction surprised everyone.
She did not panic, did not burst into tears, and did not even immediately try to defend herself.
She walked step by step to Suo'etu, who was kneeling on the ground, seemingly terrified but actually hiding a smug look in his eyes.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, she crouched down slightly.
He calmly surveyed the powerful Vice Minister of Personnel.
Suo'etu felt uneasy under her gaze and couldn't help but raise his head to meet her unfathomable eyes.
In that very instant.
"Smack!"
A crisp, resounding slap echoed like a thunderclap in the silent hall.
Without hesitation, Jiang Nan used all her strength to slap Suo'etu hard across the face.
Soetu's head was knocked to the side, and a clear red mark of five fingers instantly appeared on his face.
He was completely stunned, covering his face and staring at Jiang Nan in disbelief.
He was Sony's son, the Empress's uncle, and the current Vice Minister of Rites.
This woman... how dare she?
Did the emperor, the empress dowager, and all the princes and ministers slap him directly?
The princes and ministers gasped in shock, speechless with astonishment.
The arrogance of this Consort Jin was beyond their wildest imagination.
This isn't just being arrogant, this is madness!
Even the Emperor has to give the Hesheli family some face.
Jiang Nan shook her slightly numb hand, chuckled, and spoke with utter contempt.
"What's wrong, Lord Suo'etu? You were beaten, and you look like you're not happy about it?"
The humiliation and anger in Songgotu's heart almost burned him to ashes.
He clenched his fists tightly, barely managing to restrain the urge to pounce on her and tear her to pieces.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he forced out the words through clenched teeth.
"you…"
"I'm really not convinced."
Jiang Nan interrupted him, her voice suddenly turning stern, carrying an undeniable air of authority.
"If you're not convinced, you'll have to keep it to yourself."
She stood up, straightened her back, and looked down at him like a queen looking down at ants.
"I am the master, and you are the servant. Do I need a reason to hit you? I hit you, so what? What can you do about it?"
She paused, looking at Suo'etu's expression of almost exploding with anger but not daring to retaliate, and said as if bestowing a favor.
"However, judging from your stupid face, you probably don't understand. I'll be kind and teach you why I hit you."
"You're saying I might be being used?"
Jiang Nan's voice suddenly rose, filled with extreme sarcasm.
"Do you think the Emperor is a fool? Or do you think all the officials in the court are fools? Aren't you just trying to imply that I was the one who ordered this? Aren't you tired of going through all that trouble?"
"To say that I am of bondservant origin and of unknown background? Ha!"
"My family is currently being cared for by my uncle, the loyal Lord Tuhai. If I were to rebel, they would be the first to be implicated. Am I crazy or stupid to do something that would wipe out my entire family?"
"The reasons you gave, Suo'etu, are laughable."
Jiang Nan pressed on relentlessly.
"According to your bullshit logic that those with great power are easily manipulated, your Hesheli family, with its disciples and former associates all over the court and numerous cronies, wouldn't it be even easier for rebels to infiltrate and riddle you with holes? Should I ask the Emperor to also thoroughly investigate your Hesheli family and find out exactly how many of them are spies of the White Lotus Sect?"
Soetu's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he broke out in a cold sweat after being refuted by Jiang Nan.
Jiang Nan gave him no chance to catch his breath and turned to Zhao Deyi to give him instructions.
"Zhao Deyi, tell our patriotic and concerned Lord Suo'etu, according to the palace rules, how many eunuchs and maids serve in my Yongshou Palace?"
Zhao Deyi immediately stepped forward and straightened his back.
He first spat at Suo'etu with a smug look, and then replied loudly.
"Your Majesty, according to regulations, the number of eunuchs, maids, and menial servants serving Your Majesty in Yongshou Palace is a total of ten."
"Ten people?"
Jiang Nan feigned surprise, then looked at Suo'etu with a tone full of disdain.
"Song'etu, did you hear that? I'm going to rebel with just these ten servants? Are you overestimating me, or underestimating the power of the Emperor and the imperial army?"
Zhao Deyi chimed in with a sarcastic tone.
Having served the Empress for so long, he's learned a thing or two about how to infuriate people.
"Lord Suo'etu, we servants have no connections or background, and the few palace maids are too weak to even kill a chicken. Tell me, how are we supposed to rebel? Are we going to storm the Golden Palace with brooms, or are we going to prick the Imperial Guards with embroidery needles?"
This beating and humiliation was extreme, especially the sarcastic remarks from a eunuch.
This made Suo'etu so angry that he trembled all over, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
Jiang Nan is deliberately confusing the issue and making things up, yet every sentence she utters hits the flaws in his argument.
Jiang Nan snorted coldly, her gaze piercing towards Suo'etu like a knife.
"Are you trying to argue again, that you didn't say I rebelled, but was just being used? Songgotu, put away your cunning tricks. Look at everyone here, who can't tell that you're accusing me of being a traitor's accomplice? Are you trying to play word games with me? Do you even deserve to?"
She crouched down again and slapped Suo'etu's already swollen cheeks with her hand in an insulting manner.
The sound was icy and chilling.
"How many people are in your Hesheli family? How many people are in your niece Empress's palace? How many officials in the court follow your Hesheli family's lead? Do you dare to tell the Emperor all of this? You're covered in shit, yet you dare to spout nonsense?"
She leaned closer and said with utter sarcasm.
"Song'etu, next time you want to smear me, be smarter. Make up a charge of rebellion. Who are you trying to scare? If you're going to do something, do something small. Find a reason that everyone can believe, understand? Doing it like this will only make you look like a jumping clown."
Soetu was so enraged by these blatant insults and hurtful words that he almost vomited blood.
He felt the contempt, mockery, and pity in the gazes directed at him from all around.
It was as if the Hesheli family was truly on its last legs, unable to even compete with a mere concubine in the harem.
Their methods were so clumsy and laughable, and they were beaten so badly they couldn't fight back at all.
As Kangxi watched this scene, although he felt that Jiang Nan had gone a bit too far, he felt inexplicably pleased.
Jiang Nan looked at Suo'etu, who was filled with shame and indignation, wishing he could devour her alive but having no choice but to endure it.
Her inward sneer intensified. Was Suo'etu dreaming of killing her?
Oh dear, that's quite a dream, but would she really give Suo'etu a chance?
"Song'etu, I bet you... hate me to the core right now? Have you already torn me to pieces countless times in your heart? Are you desperately looking for an opportunity, without anyone noticing, to...
She made a throat-slitting motion.
"Killed?"
With Jiang Nan blocking the Emperor's view, Suo'etu looked at Jiang Nan, his eyes radiating murderous intent that was almost bursting forth.
But he clenched his teeth and refused to admit it, only managing to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth.
"Your humble servant... dares not."
"You dare not?"
Jiang Nan scoffed, straightened up, and stopped looking at him.
Instead, he suddenly turned to Emperor Kangxi and Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang on the throne.
Her face instantly changed to a tearful, terrified expression, and her voice became weak and anxious.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, I am afraid."
Her sudden change of expression stunned everyone. Could acting be so blatant? So fake?
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