Chapter 316

Chapter 316 Chief Steward Jiang and the others were utterly stunned. They looked up at Xie Run's retreating figure, their panic reaching unprecedented heights. They wanted to continue crying and pleading for mercy, but Chunjuan mercilessly "escorted" them out of Zhaohua Palace. Back in the side chamber, Xie Run was soothing Taotao, and took the opportunity to say, "Send the honeyed osmanthus soup to Fengyi Palace, and explain the full story to Her Majesty the Empress." Dantao acknowledged the order and said softly, "This servant saw Chief Steward Jiang crying so pitifully and thought that perhaps Your Ladyship would go easy on him since his mistake wasn't a grave one." Xie Run glanced at Dantao and Xiaoshu. "Do you think I was too heartless today?" Xiaoshu and Dantao shook their heads repeatedly. "This servant wishes Your Ladyship would be more firm in attitude, so that people won't think Zhaohua Palace can be bullied at will." "If Your Ladyship had shown such authority before as you did today, that Talented Lady Wu wouldn't have dared to come to Zhaohua Palace to demand soup. If today's matter had involved Xiurong Gong or Consort Jing, she probably wouldn't have dared to let out even a single fart!" The disparity in their statuses was immense, yet Talented Lady Wu dared to come knocking over a bowl of soup. This was because she truly believed Xie Run had a gentle temperament and wouldn't blame her even if she didn't help. In the end, it all came down to Xie Run being too good-natured on ordinary days. Dantao smiled. "It's rare to see Your Ladyship make such a decisive move. This servant is happy for Your Ladyship." Xiaoshu also nodded. "This servant is just surprised. Not only did Your Ladyship turn a blind eye to Chief Steward Jiang's pleas today, but you also had this servant send the honeyed osmanthus soup to Fengyi Palace... Has Your Ladyship long held a grudge against Chief Steward Jiang?" Xie Run's actions weren't just a lack of mercy—she was also cutting off Chief Steward Jiang's future prospects. Given Xie Run's relationship with the Empress, the Empress would absolutely dismiss Chief Steward Jiang from his post. Taotao had just woken up and cried for a bit, and now he was in Xie Run's arms, staring at the cloth doll above his head with wide, round black eyes, looking at it with great seriousness. Xie Run looked down at him, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. "It's not just a grudge." Xie Run said calmly, "Chief Steward Jiang is a veteran of the imperial kitchen. He should know that I don't like to stir up trouble, and I certainly wouldn't stoop to snatching things from those beneath me." "He took Talented Lady Wu's meal and gave it to me. Even if Talented Lady Wu didn't make a fuss, once word got out, people would say I was bullying the weak and acting arrogantly." Xie Run raised her eyes to look at the two of them. "Do you think Chief Steward Jiang couldn't have foreseen this?" Xiaoshu also spoke with indignation. "Chief Steward Jiang dared to take Talented Lady Wu's honeyed osmanthus soup to curry favor with Your Ladyship. First, he didn't care about Your Ladyship's reputation. Second, he assumed Your Ladyship had a gentle nature and wouldn't blame him even if something went wrong. So even in these small matters of currying favor, he wouldn't put in much effort!" Only then did Xie Run speak slowly. "It's precisely because I've been too good-natured on ordinary days." "That's why these people, one after another, all refuse to take me seriously—wanting to eliminate me, using me as a stepping stone." Dantao stepped forward to comfort her. "That's because Your Ladyship is kind-hearted. Doesn't the Emperor dote on Your Ladyship precisely because of this gentleness and kindness?" Xie Run curved her lips, but there was no smile in it. "The past is the past. Now, I no longer wish to be someone without a temper." "After the poison spider gu incident, the head of the imperial kitchen should have been replaced. Now that I'm the one doing the replacing, it also serves to establish Zhaohua Palace's authority, so that incidents like Talented Lady Wu's won't happen again." Xie Run paused. "Do you know why Talented Lady Wu went to see the Empress?" Xiaoshu said, "Yueliang'er was in charge of gathering information and has already returned. This servant will summon her to explain." Soon, Yueliang'er entered and said respectfully, "Your Ladyship, when Talented Lady Wu fell into the water last time, she was scratched on the arm by Lady of Beauty Ye. It was originally a minor wound." "But for some reason, during this period, the wound hasn't healed. Instead, it's become increasingly severe. What was once a small scratch has turned into a large wound. She knows someone is harming her, but she didn't dare to beg the Empress, so she wanted to come to Zhaohua Palace to beg Your Ladyship." Xiaoshu wanted to laugh upon hearing this. Standing nearby serving the soup, she said, "She wanted to beg our Lady, yet she used threatening methods. She truly thinks our Lady has such a good temper that she'd help her despite what happened?" Xie Run, however, had a different reaction. "You're saying her wound hasn't healed, but has instead gotten worse?" Yueliang'er nodded. "Sister Tinghe secretly told this servant that the wound on Talented Lady Wu's arm is now three fingers wide and looks quite horrifying... To think, it was originally just a small scratch." "Talented Lady Wu tearfully complained to Her Majesty the Empress, saying that Lady of Beauty Ye wanted to harm her by putting poison on her fingernails, which caused her wound to never heal and gradually worsen." "When Her Majesty asked her why she hadn't spoken up earlier, she only cried and said she didn't dare. Sister Tinghe told this servant that Talented Lady Wu probably knows it wasn't Talented Lady Ye who harmed her, but fears the person hiding in the shadows who did it. That's why she kept it hidden all this time. Now she's blaming Lady of Beauty Ye, merely pinning the blame on her as a convenient scapegoat." Yueliang'er added, "Sister Tinghe also said that although Talented Lady Wu didn't directly accuse our Lady, she implied in every word that our Lady stood by and did nothing. She came to beg our Lady to save the child in her womb, but our Lady refused to see her and wouldn't help. Forced into a corner, she had no choice but to confess everything to the Empress." Xie Run gave a faint smile. "It seems I really can't keep playing the role of the good-natured fool." Upon hearing Yueliang'er's words, everyone in Zhaohua Palace was filled with dissatisfaction, even anger. A mere Cairen dared to show such disrespect toward their Lady—this was simply too audacious! Xie Run said, "Don't you think Talented Lady Wu's injury bears a striking resemblance to what happened to Consort Jing back then?" Xiaoshu thought for a moment. "Indeed it does." "Back then, Consort Jing's facial wound didn't seem too severe at first, but after a few days of treatment, the more it was treated, the worse it festered. In the end, even a reincarnated immortal couldn't erase the scar on her face." "I heard that after she was disfigured, the Emperor never spent the night in her chambers again." Xie Run said, "Since we're establishing authority, merely replacing a minor steward of the imperial kitchen won't accomplish much." Her eyes lowered slightly, her expression serene and gentle. "Go tell the Empress that Talented Lady Wu, in defiance of her superior, used the child in her womb as leverage to threaten her way into Zhaohua Palace. Ask the Empress to seek justice for Ben Gong." Yueliang'er's eyes lit up. "This servant will deliver the message at once." "Wait!" Xie Run called out to Yueliang'er with a smile. "I haven't finished speaking yet—what's the rush?" "Request the Empress to demote Talented Lady Wu to Baolin, and teach her the proper order of rank and respect, so that she won't recklessly offend others in the palace again." Yueliang'er quickly responded, "This servant understands." Dantao and Xiaoshu exchanged surprised glances, probably never having expected Xie Run to directly have the Empress punish Talented Lady Wu this time. After all, Talented Lady Wu was still carrying the Emperor's child. Having given her instructions, Xie Run returned to playing with Taotao. The Empress was recuperating from illness when she was suddenly confronted with Talented Lady Wu's tearful complaints, and could only feel a headache coming on. Talented Lady Wu said, "My wound hasn't healed after several days. I privately consulted several imperial physicians, but none dared to prescribe strong medicine, saying they feared harming the prince in my womb." "But when asked what was wrong, none of them could give an answer." "I've been on tenterhooks for days, and finally gathered the courage to seek help from Bright and Pure Consort, for she has always been kind-hearted, tolerant, and gentle." "Who would have thought that even when I knelt and begged, Bright and Pure Consort remained unmoved. That's why I had no choice but to disturb the Empress." The Empress rubbed her temples and asked simply, "How is your wound?" Talented Lady Wu rolled up her sleeve with tears in her eyes, revealing a hideous, terrifying wound. The Empress took one look and understood all of Talented Lady Wu's little schemes. In a bad mood today, she didn't mince her words. "Your wound has festered this badly, yet you only dared to ask the physicians privately, not daring to report it to the Emperor or to me. It seems you don't trust us either." "You say you didn't want to disturb us, but even if you had begged Bright and Pure Consort, wouldn't you have ended up causing a scene before me anyway?" "With such selfish intentions, where do you place the Emperor and his child?" The Empress had always been cold by nature and commanded considerable authority in the harem. She rarely rebuked anyone, but once she showed even a hint of displeasure in her words, it was enough to inspire fear. Talented Lady Wu's face changed color, and she quickly begged for mercy. "Forgive me, Empress. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have valued the child in my womb so highly, nor should I have concealed my injury." "Now, whether I'm beaten or punished, I'm willing to accept it. I only beg the Empress to save me and protect me and the child in my womb." The Empress said calmly, "You say someone harmed you—meaning there's someone in the harem who deliberately plotted against an imperial prince? This is no small matter. The Emperor should be informed." She merely glanced at Tinghe, who immediately said, "Your Highness, someone has already been sent to summon the Emperor." The Empress waved her hand lazily. "First, summon Chief Physician Jiang to examine Talented Lady Wu." If the ordinary imperial physicians couldn't diagnose the problem, that was one thing. But if even Chief Physician Jiang couldn't figure it out, then things would get interesting. Talented Lady Wu's heart was filled with unease. She had indeed casually shifted the blame onto Talented Lady Ye—after all, the wound on her hand had been inflicted by Talented Lady Ye, making her the easiest scapegoat. But she truly didn't know who was trying to harm her. Now, seeing the Empress's attitude, it was clear she intended to hold her accountable. If anything happened to the child in her womb, her own life would likely be forfeit as well. Talented Lady Wu's hand rested on her abdomen, her heart racing. Before the Emperor arrived, Yueliang'er from Xie Run's palace came first. Yueliang'er was brought in to see the Empress and relayed Xie Run's words in full. "Your Highness the Empress, today Talented Lady Wu, in defiance of her superior, used the child in her womb as leverage to threaten her way into Zhaohua Palace." "Our Lady, out of consideration for the child she carries, did not argue with her and even reported Talented Lady Wu's troubles to the Empress and the Emperor. Yet she refuses to let the matter rest, insisting that our Lady must save her life." "In the palace, the Emperor and Empress are the ones in charge. How would our Lady dare to overstep her bounds and meddle in the affairs of Talented Lady Wu?" "Talented Lady Wu, however, refused to let it go, insisting that our Lady stood by and did nothing to save her, accusing her of being cruel-hearted." Yueliang'er even wiped her eyes, "Our Lady was truly angered beyond endurance. She begs the Empress to seek justice for her and demote Talented Lady Wu to Baolin, so that she will no longer rely on being pregnant with the Imperial Heir to show utter disregard for rank and propriety!" The Empress showed no expression at the earlier part of the speech, but only raised an eyebrow at the final sentence, "Those words truly came from your Lady?" "They truly did. This servant would not dare to falsely relay her Lady's words." The Empress nodded: "I am now aware of this matter. Talented Lady Wu has shown no respect for rank, has offended her superiors, and harbors deep selfishness, nearly endangering the Imperial Heir. She indeed deserves to be taught a lesson—demote her to Baolin." When Yueliang'er left Fengyi Palace, she deliberately passed by Talented Lady Wu and shot her a glare. She dared not say anything arrogant, but she still had to display Zhaohua Palace's stance. That glare from Yueliang'er instantly stirred a sense of crisis in Talented Lady Wu. What was Bright and Pure Consort's people doing at Fengyi Palace? By the time Imperial Physician Jiang finished taking Talented Lady Wu's pulse, the Emperor also arrived, and happened to hear the Empress's people delivering the decree. "Talented Lady Wu has shown no respect for rank, has offended her superiors, and has failed to protect the Imperial Heir in her womb. She is hereby demoted to Baolin." Talented Lady Wu stood up in shock, "What is this? Why has the Empress demoted my rank!" She turned her head and saw the Emperor, and her eyes immediately welled with tears: "Your Majesty, this concubine is wronged! This concubine is truly frightened!" The Emperor casually asked, "What has happened?" Nanny Li had led the delivery of the decree, and now spoke with great firmness: "To answer Your Majesty, Talented Lady Wu, being pregnant, knew full well that a worsening wound was detrimental to her health, yet concealed it and failed to report it, nearly endangering the Imperial Heir in her womb—that is the first offense." "Relying on the Imperial Heir in her womb, she went to Zhaohua Palace to threaten Bright and Pure Consort, demanding that Bright and Pure Consort save her life. When the Lady told her to come seek the Empress, she then accused Bright and Pure Consort of standing by and doing nothing, of being cruel-hearted—that is the second offense." "Moreover, when she came to Fengyi Palace, she twisted the facts and attempted to shift the blame for failing to protect the Imperial Heir onto Talented Lady Ye and Bright and Pure Consort—that is the third offense." Nanny Li bowed to the Emperor: "Your Majesty knows that our Lady is the most fair-minded. If the concubines beneath her have not committed grave offenses, she would never punish them arbitrarily." "Now, it is simply that Talented Lady Wu has overstepped her bounds far too much and lacks proper conduct, which is why she has been demoted to Baolin, in the hope that she may reform herself in the future." After hearing this, Talented Lady Wu said in disbelief, "This concubine did not! How would this concubine dare to threaten Bright and Pure Consort..." Nanny Li: "This was personally conveyed by someone from Bright and Pure Consort's palace. Are you suggesting that Bright and Pure Consort fabricated lies to frame you?" When the Emperor heard that it was personally conveyed from Bright and Pure Consort's palace, he wore the same subtle expression as the Empress. He said nothing about Talented Lady Wu's demotion, but only asked Imperial Physician Jiang beside him, "Wu Baolin's wound has not healed for a long time—is there another reason?" "Is this wound of hers harmful to the Imperial Heir in her womb?" When Talented Lady Wu heard the Emperor address her as Wu Baolin, she involuntarily clenched the handkerchief in her hand and dared not refute a single word further. She now pricked up her ears to listen to Imperial Physician Jiang's words, terrified of hearing even a hint that the child in her womb might not be safe. "Wu Baolin's wound is worsening day by day, which is no small matter, but it should not affect the child in her womb." The Emperor nodded slightly and took his seat at the head. Beside him, when Talented Lady Wu heard Imperial Physician Jiang address her as Wu Baolin, her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a fist. Imperial Physician Jiang bowed and said, "Based on pulse diagnosis alone, this humble official cannot determine the cause of Wu Baolin's injury. I still need to ask Wu Baolin a few more questions." The Emperor: "Ask away." He glanced sidelong at Wu Baolin: "You carry the Imperial Heir in your womb—that is originally a great merit."