At this moment, inside the imperial palace.
As soon as Concubine Chu entered the palace, she kept washing her hands. It was because she had been molested by Nangong Tianci outside just now. Just thinking about it made her feel like vomiting.
That fat man had a face full of fleshy wrinkles, just like his father. But she couldn't just kick him aside. This kind of suppressed situation only fueled her anger.
She casually smashed the pendant he had given her and even stomped on it a few times. Taking a deep breath, she told herself not to be angry. She would surely kill that fat man one day. What was he anyway!
Then she ordered the maids to change her into a gorgeous dress. She was going to pay a visit to Dongfang Yi. She had heard that there were hardly any guards there now. She wanted to see how miserable that woman was.
Just thinking about it alleviated some of her resentment and improved her mood a bit.
At this moment, in the Empress's palace.
Since Dongfang Yi couldn't get out but wanted to know the news about Helian Qi, and Ru Yiye couldn't come to report every day as it would arouse suspicion, she had to ask Donghua to go and have a look and then tell her what she saw.
After dinner today, she said to the woman beside her, "Donghua, go to the Qianqing Palace and see how the Emperor is doing."
Hearing this, Donghua frowned and replied reluctantly, "But then Your Ladyship will be alone in the palace. What if there's any trouble?!"
After all, she had just said that she wouldn't leave her for a single step.
But Dongfang Yi said impatiently, "Oh, what do you mean I'll be alone? Isn't Xiaolan here? And I've been alone when you're not around. What could possibly happen? But I'm really eager to know how Helian Qi is!"
Seeing the expectant look on the woman in front of her, with such a determined look in her eyes that she couldn't refuse, Donghua could only nod helplessly and reminded, "Your Ladyship, you must take good care of yourself. I'll be back soon!"
Dongfang Yi waved at her with a smile and replied, "Don't worry. I'll be fine!"
In her heart, she was thinking sarcastically. What else could happen in this cold palace? Could it be that someone would come to assassinate her?
Thinking of this, she couldn't help sneering. Then she sat down on the grand master's chair, planning to take a little nap and wait for Donghua to come back.
At this moment, Concubine Chu had already arrived at the gate of the Empress's palace. Seeing that the gate was locked, she sneered and said to the maids and eunuchs behind her, "Break the lock for this palace!"
Then a little eunuch named Xiao Shunzi stepped forward. He had learned some mechanism skills when he was a child, so unlocking a lock was a piece of cake for him.
In a short while, the lock was opened and fell to the ground. A group of people rushed in in a noisy manner.
Dongfang Yi had always been a light sleeper. Now that she was just taking a nap, she was naturally awakened by the noise outside. Then she stood up from the grand master's chair and looked out of the bedroom.
Then she heard a series of footsteps. Judging from the sound, there should be no less than ten people.
Realizing this, Dongfang Yi couldn't help feeling a pang in her heart. She thought, could it be that her words had really come true and the people outside were here to assassinate her?
Now she really regretted letting Donghua leave.
But then she heard a woman's voice.
"Dongfang Yi—!"
As soon as she heard that familiar voice, she knew who had come and felt quite clear in her heart.
Knowing that there was nowhere to hide now, she walked out of the bedroom and immediately saw Concubine Chu standing outside.
She was still heavily made up, wearing a red dress that made her look extremely coquettish. Her lips were so red that it seemed as if blood would drip from them.
As soon as she saw the person she was calling for come out, she curled her lips and laughed triumphantly. Then she said in an overbearing tone, "Concubine Yi, how are you doing now? Are you used to life in the cold palace?!"
She emphasized the words "Concubine Yi" very heavily, as if deliberately reminding her of her identity and telling her that she was no longer the Empress.
After saying that, without waiting for the woman opposite to answer, she first threw her head back and laughed loudly, as if she was doing something that made her extremely happy.
Seeing her so smug, Dongfang Yi felt a surge of mockery in her heart. Then she retorted, "Whether life in the cold palace is good or not, Concubine Chu, you should be the most clear about it, right!"
Her words were a veiled insult to Concubine Chu, implying that she had also lived in the cold palace and had a very miserable life.
Hearing that she dared to expose her scar, the smile on Concubine Chu's face froze. Then she frowned, glared at her coldly, and waved her hand, signaling the maids and eunuchs behind her.
"Go and press her to the ground!" she ordered.
Immediately, two eunuchs stepped out from behind her, rushed behind Dongfang Yi, and pinned her hands behind her back. Then they kicked the inside of her knees, and she knelt on the ground uncontrollably. A sharp pain spread from her legs.
Dongfang Yi intuitively felt that she might be in for some trouble, but she still didn't want to let Concubine Chu get away with it so easily. After all, even if she suffered, she didn't want the woman in front of her to feel secretly happy.
Seeing her being subdued like this, Concubine Chu couldn't help laughing out loud. Then she walked up to her step by step, bent down, and said to her, "I didn't expect that one day you would kneel in front of me like this, Dongfang Yi!"
After saying that, she straightened up and laughed out loud. Then, before anyone realized it, she slapped her across the face.
A red handprint immediately appeared on Dongfang Yi's face. She was hit so hard that her head was buzzing and there was a ringing in her ears. One could tell how hard Concubine Chu had hit her.
But she sneered and didn't even raise her head. Her shoulders just kept trembling, as if she was laughing very happily.
"Concubine Chu, you're really a pitiful person. You've become a pawn for others, but they only treat you as a tool. And you, at the hunting conference, you were with a guard..."
She stopped here and then let out a series of mocking laughs.
Hearing this, the expression on Concubine Chu's face instantly froze. She didn't expect that Dongfang Yi would know these secrets of hers. She thought that only Concubine Lian knew about them, and she was already dead. She thought these secrets would be buried forever.
But now hearing them from Dongfang Yi's mouth again, a strange feeling welled up in her heart. Then she looked around and found that the maids and eunuchs were all looking at each other in confusion. Immediately, she flew into a rage.
"Shut up! Stop spreading rumors here!" she shouted, and at the same time, she didn't stop her hand and slapped her again.