Li Dahai, standing beside Emperor Yunjian, changed his expression. He quietly stole a glance at the emperor. Seeing the emperor's face turning dark, he thought to himself that something was amiss.
It seemed that Concubine Xian was bound to be punished today.
Inside the palace hall, Yan Qingshu was huddled pale on the ground. Her slender hands clutched the hem of her dress, but she still kowtowed humbly, begging for mercy.
"My lady, this concubine truly has no such intention. Since entering the palace, this concubine has been cautious and dared not make a single wrong move. How could I ever compete with you, my lady? This concubine knows her humble status and would never do such a thing."
"Please, my lady, show mercy and spare this concubine's aunt and younger brother. Please, my lady!"
Yan Qingshu forced herself to keep kowtowing. Her eye sockets were red, and her amber eyes were now filled with tears, making people can't help but feel pity for her.
[Host, the Emperor of the Great Shun Dynasty is already outside.]
The cold voice of the system rang in Yan Qingshu's mind.
Yan Qingshu cried even more heartbreakingly. "My lady, this concubine has known her own status since childhood. I'm your servant. Everything I do is for you. Without your care, this concubine would never have been able to enter the palace and become a mistress, enjoying the days of being served. This concubine is grateful. I only beg you to spare my aunt and younger brother."
Hearing this, Concubine Xian sneered. She slowly grabbed Yan Qingshu's hair bun, forcing her to look at her.
"You also know that you're a lowly servant. Coveting your master's husband, you're simply damned!"
After saying that, Concubine Xian suddenly let go of her hair bun and took the handkerchief handed by a maid beside her to wipe her hands.
Just as Concubine Xian was about to say something else, a deep voice filled with endless anger came through the heavily guarded palace gate and landed in Concubine Xian's ear.
"My dear concubine's mouth is still as eloquent as ever."
"Why is it that this time it's not the poems and lyrics that I like to hear?"
As the words fell, the palace door was pushed open, and that imposing figure stood there.
Concubine Xian's heart was pounding like a drum. She felt as if it was about to jump out of her chest. She lifted the hem of her dress and knelt down towards Emperor Yunjian.
"Greetings to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be in good health."
"Good health?"
Emperor Yunjian chewed on the two words. He walked in slowly. Looking at the person kneeling humbly on the ground, he couldn't help but think of himself in his childhood. He was also so humble, huddled and hiding from his elder brothers and the beatings of the eunuchs.
He couldn't cry. If he did, they would cut out his tongue.
The helplessness at that time nourished his hatred.
Now, seeing the person who was still charming and lovely in front of him during the day, now begging humbly in front of others, even willing to be a servant just to save her aunt and younger brother...
Zhu Yao saw that her mistress was trembling. She quickly stepped forward to catch Yan Qingshu who was about to faint.
"Miss! Miss!" Zhu Yao's tears overflowed.
Emperor Yunjian bent down to pick up Yan Qingshu. He saw that her face was as pale as snow, and the color had completely faded from her lips. She was still murmuring words of begging for mercy.
His heart trembled suddenly. The look in his eyes when he looked at Concubine Xian was as cold as a thorn.
"Go and invite the imperial physician!" Emperor Yunjian roared angrily.
After saying that, he was about to leave with Yan Qingshu in his arms.
Seeing this, Concubine Xian quickly spoke up to explain.
"Your Majesty, this concubine was just teaching her a lesson. She was disrespectful to this concubine at home. That's why this concubine..."
"Oh, disrespectful?
"If she was disrespectful to you, why would she be so humble and only beg you to spare the lives of her aunt and younger brother!"
"Concubine Xian, I used to think that you were just straightforward and a bit hot-tempered, but I didn't expect you to be so vicious inside."
After Emperor Yunjian finished speaking, a pair of slender hands touched his arm. Yan Qingshu's weak voice rang out.
"Your Majesty... It's this concubine who is ignorant. My lady is not feeling well. It's this concubine who didn't serve well that made my lady angry..."
Yan Qingshu leaned in Emperor Yunjian's arms. Her voice was weak and broken, but the corner of her mouth lifted slightly in a curve that others couldn't see.
The medicine from the system was really useful. Although she now looked sickly, in fact, her internal organs had already been regulated by the Healing Pill. She looked seriously ill, but in fact, it was just the process of expelling toxins.
"Your Majesty... It's this concubine's fault..."
Yan Qingshu looked up at him. In this look, her eyes were full of crystal tears. The emperor's face was slightly blurred, but she could see the pity in his eyes.
After saying that, her face twisted as she covered her lower abdomen. Finally, she fainted in Emperor Yunjian's arms.
"Miss!" Zhu Yao said anxiously.
Emperor Yunjian didn't want to talk to Concubine Xian any more. He picked up Yan Qingshu horizontally and strode away.
"Concubine Xian has no virtue and spouts false words. She shall be confined for one month and copy the "Precepts for Women" a hundred times and submit them to the queen."
After saying that, Emperor Yunjian carried Yan Qingshu and left without looking back.
---
Qianyuan Hall.
Emperor Yunjian placed Yan Qingshu, who was sweating all over, on the couch.
Li Dahai also brought the imperial physician. The imperial physician hurriedly tidied up his appearance and began to pay his respects.
"Get up and take a look at her." Emperor Yunjian got up and let the imperial physician start to feel her pulse.
The imperial physician sat down beside the couch with his medicine box and began to feel her pulse.
His eyebrows furrowed deeper and deeper. After a while, he said, "Your Majesty, Lady Yan has a severe stomachache. It's because she has been hungry for a long time and has often eaten moldy rice. That's why... she has a stomach disease."
"This time, the attack was caused by suddenly eating greasy food, which led to the stomachache."
"Being hungry for a long time..."
Emperor Yunjian murmured. He clenched his fist and slammed it on the table.
The Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion seemed glorious on the surface, but in fact, it was already rotten inside. Although the concubine daughter was not as noble as the legitimate daughter, she was still the daughter of the family head and should have been treated well.
The Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion in the court had a good reputation as a scholarly family with a clear family education. But in fact, they treated the concubine daughter harshly. The concubine daughter was a servant of the legitimate daughter, living a humble life, fearing that if she made a wrong move, her aunt and younger brother would lose their heads.
It was really hateful!
The imperial physician gave Yan Qingshu an acupuncture treatment and prescribed several doses of medicine.
"Your Majesty, Lady Yan's stomach needs to be slowly regulated. At first, she should not eat spicy, cold, or greasy food. It's best to mainly eat light vegetables and cooperate with the medicine I prescribed to slowly regulate. She will get better in half a year."
Emperor Yunjian nodded. The imperial physician began to give the acupuncture treatment.
Outside, the night had completely darkened. The candles in the Qianyuan Hall were flickering brightly.
The news that Concubine Xian was confined for one month spread quickly in the harem.
---
Fengming Palace.
The queen was wearing a white nightgown embroidered with dark peony patterns. She had already washed up and was about to go to bed.
The maid Qingzhu beside her tilted her head to lift the beaded curtain and walked in. She leaned over and whispered in the queen's ear.
The queen's hand that was taking off her pearl earrings paused. She tilted her head and said in surprise, "Really?"
Qingzhu nodded. "It's true, my lady."
"I heard that Miss Yan suffered a great deal of injustice in Concubine Xian's palace. Finally, she fainted directly. His Majesty took Miss Yan back to the Qianyuan Hall and invited the imperial physician to see her."
The queen lowered her eyes. Her fair hand tapped on the redwood dressing table.
"His Majesty said that Concubine Xian should copy the "Precepts for Women" a hundred times during the one - month confinement, and finally you should check them."
"This maid thinks that Concubine Xian used to act recklessly in the palace because of her family background. Now that His Majesty saw with his own eyes that she tortured Lady Yan in the palace, it serves her right."
Qingzhu's tone sounded quite satisfying.
"Qingzhu, don't slander your master behind her back." The queen tilted her head and slightly scolded.
"This maid is not slandering. Concubine Xian did something disgraceful this time. After all, Miss Yan is her younger sister born in the family."
Qingzhu muttered dissatisfiedly.
"What do you think of His Majesty's punishment?" The queen looked at Qingzhu from the mirror.
"This maid thinks it's quite satisfying. Concubine Xian is arrogant and domineering. She should be confined and have a good..."
Qingzhu blurted out subconsciously, but the more she said, the more she felt something was wrong.
"My lady..." Qingzhu suddenly understood and looked at the queen.
The queen smiled knowingly.