Before even half an hour had passed, Li Zhu's knees began to ache from kneeling.
She counted silently in her heart, hoping time would pass quickly.
She didn't notice someone approaching.
"Miss Li Zhu, you may rise now."
Li Zhu quickly looked up.
"Eunuch Ji An!"
At this moment, Ji An appeared even more impressive in Li Zhu's eyes than Li Shengyuan himself!
Her reinforcement had finally arrived!
Shilei protested, "Eunuch, Li Zhu nearly tripped Consort Shu! Her Ladyship said she must kneel for the full hour!"
Ji An snorted coldly and signaled to the eunuch behind him, who helped Li Zhu to her feet.
When Shilei tried to intervene, Ji An cut her off.
"His Majesty himself ordered Li Zhu to rise!"
Since the Emperor naturally outranked Consort Shu, Shilei felt both resentful and fearful. With Li Zhu not completing her punishment, Consort Shu would surely punish her upon returning.
The mere thought made Shilei tremble.
After thanking Ji An, Li Zhu was escorted back to Qinzheng Palace.
Meanwhile, Ji An proceeded to Welcoming Spring Hall.
"Eunuch Ji An, what brings you to Welcoming Spring Hall?" Shilei inquired.
Ji An offered a hollow smile. "His Majesty has a message for Consort Shu."
Shilei sensed it wouldn't be good news.
Days earlier, the Emperor had ordered Eunuch Wang beaten to death with clubs before Welcoming Spring Hall's entrance—a public humiliation that had already stripped Consort Shu of all dignity.
Shilei trudged heavily back into the hall.
"I bear an imperial decree. Kindly inform Her Ladyship to come receive His Majesty's command."
"Yes," Shilei forced out the word.
As Shilei approached the main hall, Consort Shu frowned upon seeing her.
"Why are you back already?"
"Your Ladyship, His Majesty ordered Li Zhu to rise."
"The Emperor actually protects her! That wretched girl!"
"Your Ladyship… Eunuch Ji An awaits outside. He says His Majesty has an oral decree and requests your presence."
Ji An? The Emperor's chief eunuch.
Consort Shu knew his visit boded ill. She slapped Shilei hard across the face.
"Since you failed to supervise Li Zhu, you shall kneel in her stead!"
"Your Ladyship…"
"Kneel in Welcoming Spring Hall for a full day and night."
Before Shilei could beg for mercy, Consort Shu strode outside.
"Consort Shu, please receive the decree."
Consort Shu knelt upon hearing this.
"His Majesty decrees: Consort Shu has acted improperly, lacking the virtue befitting an imperial consort. She is confined to her quarters for two months."
Consort Shu swallowed her humiliation and thanked the Emperor.
Even after Ji An departed, she couldn't believe the Emperor would punish her—and so severely—over a mere palace maid!
She was the Prime Minister's daughter!
How dare Li Zhu!
If she had merely disliked and envied Li Zhu before, Consort Shu now harbored genuine hatred toward her.
Meanwhile, Li Zhu returned to her room in Qinzheng Palace.
Hong Yu came to check on her.
"Ah, your luck truly…"
Li Zhu nodded tearfully—her misfortune knew no bounds.
Rolling up her trousers, they revealed bruised knees against pale skin, making Hong Yu's heart ache.
"This is excellent medicinal ointment. Let me apply it for you."
"Thank you, Sister Hong Yu."
"Don't mention it."
As Hong Yu tended to Li Zhu's wounds, she asked, "Sister Hong Yu, how did you learn I was being punished?"
"A palace maid from Funing Palace recognized you in Yu Garden and rushed to inform us."
It must have been Mei Xiang and Fanglan. Li Zhu felt deeply moved. She resolved to visit them with gifts in gratitude soon.
"But how did you offend Consort Shu?" Hong Yu inquired.
Li Zhu felt utterly wronged.
"How dare I provoke Consort Shu? When I see her, I wish I could lower my head all the way to the ground. I never expected she'd still notice me."
Hong Yu chuckled. "With a face like yours, even if you really pressed it to the ground, you'd probably still be noticed."
"Ah, it's all the trouble caused by being too beautiful!"
"You should go out less from now on. All the imperial concubines are watching you closely."
"Why are they watching me? And how did Consort Shu even know about me serving as the Emperor's reading attendant?"
"You don't know?"
Li Zhu looked completely confused. "Know what?"
"You're the first woman who's been allowed to stay overnight with the Emperor. Even if it's just for reading, you've still attracted the attention of all the consorts."
So that's what it was!
Li Zhu gritted her teeth in frustration. It was all that damned emperor's fault! Not only did he make her work night shifts, but he also made so many consorts resent her!
Li Zhu felt like crying but had no tears left.
Hong Yu then delivered even worse news.
"Did you know? Today the Emperor sent Eunuch Ji An to Welcoming Spring Hall to reprimand Consort Shu, saying she acted improperly. She's been confined to her quarters for two months."
"Then Consort Shu must hate me even more now?"
Hong Yu nodded sympathetically.
"My life is over!"
Li Zhu fell onto her bed with a thud.
After applying medicine to Li Zhu's injuries, Hong Yu prepared to leave.
She advised, "Since you've injured your leg, the Emperor said you don't need to report for duty these next few days."
Li Zhu immediately revived!
"Alright, I'll definitely rest well and recover properly!"
Hong Yu left feeling relieved.
~~
The news that Consort Shu had been publicly reprimanded by the Emperor spread throughout the palace in less than a day.
Various rumors began circulating, with most people believing the Emperor would confer upon Li Zhu the status of an imperial concubine.
However, opinions differed widely regarding what rank she would receive.
Li Zhu, who was honestly resting in her room to recover, knew nothing of this. Li Shengyuan, who was completely immersed in state affairs, was equally unaware, and no one dared mention such talk to him.
After hearing the rumors, Hong Yu considered telling Li Zhu but ultimately decided against it.
This time, Xiuyu also kept her mouth shut, as she couldn't gauge the Emperor's true intentions toward Li Zhu anymore.
She was afraid she might actually persuade Li Zhu to become an imperial concubine.
The bruises on Li Zhu's legs looked terrifying but weren't actually serious. After two days of rest, they had mostly healed.
Since no one asked too many questions, Li Zhu naturally didn't offer more information. After all, being able to rest one more day was a bonus.
On the fifth day, Hong Yu came to visit Li Zhu again.
"Without you reading to the Emperor these past few days, His Majesty hasn't been able to sleep until Yin Shi every night."
Li Zhu understood what Hong Yu meant but didn't want to acknowledge it.
"Your leg is almost healed now. Eunuch Ji An said you don't need to serve before the Emperor during the day tomorrow, but starting tonight, you need to resume reading to His Majesty."
A weight lifted from Li Zhu's heart—this was actually good news.
"Alright, my leg is pretty much better anyway. I'll start my duties today!"
Hong Yu smiled. "That's good. Without you, everyone in Qinzheng Palace has been having a hard time."
Li Zhu waved her hands repeatedly. "Me? I'm not that important!"
Hong Yu shook her head helplessly. This girl still hadn't realized her influence on the Emperor.
After Hong Yu left, Li Zhu slept soundly, preparing to start her "night shift" with full energy in the evening!