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墨書 Inktalez
"Dog servant, when did it become your place to take charge in the Imperial Study?" Since witnessing Li Qingfeng spitting blood and fainting, Li Ye had already sensed that there might be more to this situation.
As a Censor, one must be critical and uphold the ruler's integrity, naturally maintaining a lofty and unyielding stance. The fact that Li Qingfeng could serve as a Censor for seven years without compromising his principles showed that he was not someone who easily conformed.
Now, being able to expose Jiang Huai's crimes by his own efforts, though not someone he favored, could potentially be utilized to his advantage. Therefore, he was extremely dissatisfied with Zhang Zehai's presumptuousness.
Zhang Zehai had served the emperor for many years and had never been scolded like this in front of others. He felt his face flush with embarrassment as he glanced at the person lying on the ground.
He thought to himself: Could it be that I misjudged this person? He looks shabby; could he be someone the emperor has recently taken a liking to? With this thought, he immediately knelt down, saying, "This servant is guilty; I ask Your Majesty to calm your anger."
"What are you still doing here? Quickly summon the Imperial Physician and have Li Qingfeng carried to the couch for proper care," Li Ye knew that this was not the time for punishment and waved his hand, organizing things methodically.
Zhang Zehai and the others were all shocked; who didn't know that only the emperor could enter the couch in the Imperial Study? Even the most favored concubines did not have that privilege.
It was clear that Lord Li was indeed special to the emperor. Instantly setting aside all thoughts, they complied and hurriedly arranged for their apprentices to carry Li Qingfeng into the inner chamber of the Imperial Study.
While waiting for the Imperial Physician to arrive, Li Ye observed Jiang Huai's restless demeanor and knew there must be some connection between him and Li Qingfeng. However, given the urgency of the situation, it was not the time to investigate. He comforted Jiang Huai with a few words, allowing him to return home to recuperate and exempting him from Court Session for three days.
Just as Jiang Huai expressed his gratitude and left, the Imperial Physician arrived at the Imperial Study.
Li Ye stopped the two Chief Physicians from bowing too deeply and said in a deep voice, "No need for formalities; go check on how he is doing first."
The two physicians, Zhang and Wang, said nothing further and entered the inner chamber together to examine Li Qingfeng.
Li Ye sat in the outer room, playing with a newly acquired set of prayer beads while his expression remained somber.
A young eunuch approached from outside and whispered something into Zhang Zehai's ear. His expression changed slightly as he glanced at the emperor with closed eyes. After a moment of thought, he made a gesture; the young eunuch nodded without saying more and quietly walked away.
"What is it?" Li Ye had not opened his eyes, but that did not mean he was unaware of everything.
Zhang Zehai lifted the curtain and walked in, whispering something.
Li Ye suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a murderous intent: "Jade Bitch."
The emperor's anger could cause rivers of blood to flow!
Zhang Zehai quickly knelt down, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger and take care of your health."
"Calm my anger? The harem has not known a single day of peace; how can I speak of taking care of myself?" Li Ye was furious. "Prepare the carriage to Cining Palace. I want to see who gave her the audacity to be so presumptuous."
"Your Majesty, regarding Lord Li here..." Zhang Zehai reminded softly.
Li Ye frowned and waved his hand, "Let the imperial physician treat him first. We will discuss everything when I return."
Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager practiced Buddhism, so there were never any flowers or fruits in her room. Only high-quality agarwood was burned in the sandalwood censer at the center of the room. The rich fragrance, while strong, also brought a sense of calm.
Perhaps it was the master's order; aside from a few idle servants sweeping and tidying up, the Eight Palace Maids and Eight Eunuchs who served the Empress Dowager closely stood at the entrance of the main hall, observing with their eyes closed as if they were sculptures.
Inside the hall.
The Empress Dowager lay on a beauty couch, resting with her eyes closed. A young woman dressed in plain blue stood beside her, gently massaging her temples.
If it weren't for the obvious fingerprints on her face, she would be considered a delicate beauty. However, upon closer inspection, there was an unmistakable resemblance between this woman and someone else.
Two people were kneeling in the room. One of them was dressed in the attire of a third-rank consort, with a beautiful face and bright makeup, adorned with numerous hairpins, but at that moment, her complexion was pale.
It was not only due to fear; she had been kneeling for too long, and her body had begun to tremble slightly. The sound of her hairpins clinking together made her appear even more disheveled.
The other person, wearing a plain pink palace robe and having an ordinary appearance, had sharp eyes that revealed shrewdness. At that moment, she was biting her lower lip, lost in thought.
"Consort Rong, do you know that intruding into Cining Palace and mistreating those around me is a grave offense?" The Empress Dowager kept her eyes closed, her voice devoid of any emotion.
Upon hearing this, Consort Rong trembled even more. "Replying to the Empress Dowager, I was confused for a moment. I beg the Empress Dowager to forgive me this once."
"Confused for a moment?" The Empress Dowager opened her phoenix-like eyes, exuding authority. "When did Cining Palace become a place for you to act foolishly? Have you all forgotten your duties since the Emperor has not established a consort for so long?
Instead of thinking about how to expand the royal lineage and serve the Emperor well, you are all daydreaming about how to vie for fame and profit. I have been too lenient with you, allowing such foolish individuals to serve the Emperor. Who knows what chaos will ensue in this harem?"
"Empress Dowager, please forgive me. I realize my mistake; I truly realize my mistake." Consort Rong had never seen the usually kind-faced Empress Dowager so furious. The implication of being deposed in her words frightened her so much that she crawled over to the Empress Dowager's side, crying uncontrollably.
"I was confused for a moment; it was truly just a moment of confusion that led Red Sleeve to act against Green Wisteria. I forgot that Green Wisteria is a lay disciple you brought from Wansheng Temple to pray for the Emperor and the nation's fortune. It was truly just a moment of confusion; I beg the Empress Dowager for forgiveness."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand and, with Green Wisteria's support, rose from the bed and walked slowly to the Sandalwood censer in the room. "Green Wisteria, I have caused you distress."
How could Consort Rong not perceive this hint? After all, she was also one of the Emperor's women—a third-rank consort—who usually looked down on everyone except for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.
In this palace, she had never regarded anyone else as significant. Today, asking her to bow down to an insignificant temple girl was indeed quite humiliating.
Thinking of this, Consort Rong stood up to tidy herself up and formally approached Green Wisteria, performing a deep bow. "Green Wisteria, I was rude to you earlier. I sincerely apologize and hope you can overlook my offense considering that the abbot of Wansheng Temple is a close friend of my maternal uncle."
Green Wisteria was not narrow-minded; having grown up in a temple and learned from her master’s teachings on Buddhism, she possessed a good understanding of Buddhist verses at such a young age and had a kind heart.
Wansheng Temple is one of the three great sacred temples of the Heavenly Universe Kingdom. The Empress Dowager, who is devoted to Buddhism, often invites the head monk of Wansheng Temple, Compassionate Master, to the palace for lectures. This time, Master Huici is traveling, so she invited Green Wisteria to come.
However, within three days of arriving at the palace, despite her cautious behavior, many concubines came to provoke her. Previously, these were just verbal disputes, and she felt it was inappropriate to say much.
She only wanted to quickly transcribe the Diamond Sutra for the Emperor and the temple and recite it eight hundred times so she could return to Wansheng Temple to continue studying Buddhist Verse.
Unexpectedly, today Consort Rong came to Cining Palace's Buddha Hall. Taking advantage of the Empress Dowager's absence in the Imperial Garden and being accompanied only by an old maid, she accused Green Wisteria of stealing her jade hairpin and ordered the palace servants to slap her without any discussion.
Fortunately, the old maid was astute and did not engage in conflict with Consort Rong. Instead, she quietly slipped out and sent someone to report to the Empress Dowager in the Imperial Garden. The Empress Dowager was furious and returned to detain Consort Rong.
Green Wisteria knew her lowly status but had never experienced such humiliation in the Buddhist community. Seeing Consort Rong's insincere apology, she chose not to respond.
The room fell into an awkward silence.
Consort Rong thought that her noble status allowed her to lower herself to apologize to a mere Buddhist girl like Green Wisteria, which should have been a great honor for her. She should have been respectful but dared to act arrogantly instead, prompting her anger.
"With such words, one would think you are threatening Green Wisteria rather than apologizing!"
The Empress Dowager turned around and glanced at Consort Rong with undisguised disdain. "No wonder the Emperor seldom visits you; if I were in his position, I wouldn't want to see your face either."
"Empress Dowager..." The most pitiful thing for women in the harem is their lack of freedom. Consort Rong prided herself on her beauty and favored status but had never learned to be kind or diplomatic, making many enemies in the palace.
However, she was used to being spoiled and did not take it seriously. Who would have thought that after seeing the Demoness brought by Night General, the Emperor would never set foot in the harem again? Consort Rong's situation worsened.
Her visit to Cining Palace was not solely for provoking Green Wisteria; part of it was to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and partly out of curiosity about Green Wisteria, who had recently become a subject of gossip in the palace.
To her surprise, upon entering, she found that Green Wisteria's features bore a resemblance to Mo Xier by about thirty percent. Coupled with her sacred and untouchable demeanor, the similarity deepened even further.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel terrified, only wanting to drive her out of the palace before the Emperor saw Green Wisteria, which led to such a clumsy scheme, lifting a stone to smash her own foot, regretting her actions.
Now being harshly criticized by the Empress Dowager only added to her pain, and she couldn't help but cry out loud.
"You disturb the Empress Dowager's peace, and you still have the face to cry!" A stern voice came from the doorway. Zhang Zehai lifted the curtain at the entrance, and Li Ye strode in without even glancing at Consort Rong, bowing to the Empress Dowager: "I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager."
"You are busy with court affairs; why have you come at this time?" The Empress Dowager, feeling sorry for her son, hurriedly helped him up and called for the maid to prepare tea and snacks.
The news of the Emperor's anger in court had spread to Cining Palace early in the day. Although she knew that the Emperor was usually steady in temperament, since things had reached a deadlock, she decided to act as a mediator and sent someone to deliver a cup of bitter tea brewed with lotus seeds to the Emperor. He was a clever man and would understand her intentions upon seeing it.
Sure enough, the eunuch who returned with news said that things had quickly calmed down.
The Emperor was busy in court, and as for matters in the harem, she considered herself not too old yet. She didn't want him to be overly burdened. However, hearing what he said upon entering brought her some comfort.
Li Ye shook his head: "If I hadn't come over, I wouldn't have known that such a rebellious Jade Bitch had appeared in the harem, disturbing the Empress Dowager's tranquility and daring to slap the Honored Guest of Wansheng Temple."
Looking at her son's slightly fatigued expression, the Empress Dowager felt pained: "No matter how cunning she is, she is still one of those in the harem. If I can keep her in line, why should you be angry?"
The mother and son could be considered affectionate towards each other, but as for Consort Rong, seeing that the Emperor hadn't looked at her since entering, she no longer cared about anything else and had already knelt on the ground. "Your Majesty, I know my sins are deep; I beg Your Majesty to calm your anger and not harm your health."
Today, Li Ye had been engaged in a battle of wits with Jiang Huai in court and had witnessed Li Qingfeng fainting from blood loss. He was already exhausted and was further enraged upon hearing from the eunuch that Consort Rong had caused a scene in Cining Palace.
Now seeing Consort Rong crying and looking disheveled, he felt no pity whatsoever and angrily scolded: "You Jade Bitch, I have always favored you greatly. You do not know how to speak or act cautiously; it would be one thing if you were alleviating my worries, but you dare to run wild in Cining Palace. This shows how much evil you have done on ordinary days. Someone, strip her of her third-rank consort robes and send her to the cold palace."
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