Hearing Zhang Wanrou's words, Zhang Wanyin's expression turned stern, and a hint of malice couldn't help but overflow from the depths of her eyes as she stared fixedly at Zhang Wanrou.
That gaze was so scorching, how could Zhang Wanrou not notice it?
However, she pretended not to notice, only looking at Xiao Wenyi with tears rolling down: "Emperor, please do not make things difficult for Elder Sister... It is, it is this subject who spoke wrongly and offended Elder Sister, which is why Nanny Wang was so angry that she slapped this subject..."
"This subject is not in pain at all! This subject is fine! Please do not be angry with Elder Sister, alright?"
She held the man's knees and shook them gently, her sincere eyes filled with crystal-clear tears, her delicate and pitiful appearance such that any man who saw it would be unable to help but feel pity.
But Xiao Wenyi was not an ordinary man; although he felt pity, he was not yet to the point of losing his reason.
He looked at her, feeling somewhat displeased in his heart. He was standing up for her, yet she kept covering for the person who bullied her! Was she being a bit ungrateful?
Thinking of this, his expression turned a few degrees colder, "Is that so? A servant actually dares to lay a hand on her superior?"
Zhang Wanrou's heart skipped a beat, and she keenly sensed the man's dissatisfaction with her.
She looked up, watching him cautiously, holding back her tears, not daring to let them fall again, "Emperor..."
Those eyes seemed to speak, full of unspoken words, grievance, and helplessness, as if there was something she wanted to say but could not.
All of her emotions and that gaze filled with helplessness crashed fiercely into his heart, causing the slight displeasure that had just arisen to instantly vanish.
His heart, too, could not help but soften.
Yes, how could he have forgotten her status and situation?
With a light sigh, he said: "Enough!"
"Since Jieyu says it was the nanny who hit her... Cheng Fang, slap her face!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Fang immediately responded, "Yes, Emperor."
In an instant, Nanny Wang fell to her knees, crying out: "Emperor, please spare me! Emperor, please spare me!"
"Emperor!" Zhang Wanyin's expression changed. She had wanted to plead for Nanny Wang, but after meeting Xiao Wenyi's cold and sharp gaze, all her words were swallowed back down her throat.
Listening to the screams coming from outside, a flash of coldness flickered beneath Zhang Wanrou's slightly lowered eyes.
Qing Ning knelt to one side, her head bowed low, her heart filled with irrepressible shock.
The Empress said she would help her take revenge; could it be that she meant this moment?
The sounds outside grew weaker and weaker. Before Zhang Wanyin could speak, Zhang Wanrou spoke first: "Emperor, is, is that enough?"
She glanced at Zhang Wanyin, a trace of fear appearing in her eyes, and then quickly withdrew her gaze, "After all, she is an old servant by Elder Sister's side. If she is beaten too badly, Elder Sister will be sad!"
Xiao Wenyi glanced at Zhang Wanyin, then at her, his expression softening slightly, and then he looked toward Cheng Fang.
Soon, Cheng Fang ordered the men to stop.
When Sanxi returned with Nanny Wang to report, he saw that the old woman's mouth was covered in blood, her cheeks were swollen high, and her eyes had dimmed significantly.
"Noble Consort, how is it that it is always your people? For a servant to dare to defy their superior, it must be because the master is indulgent!"
"I do not want to see a second time for today's incident!"
Zhang Wanyin knelt on the ground, her knees aching as if pierced by needles, and her face felt burning hot, as if she had received the slaps that had landed on Nanny Wang's face herself!
Seeing her silent, Cheng Fang reminded her in a low voice: "Noble Consort, the Emperor is speaking to you. If you heard him, you should reply!"
Zhang Wanyin's fists, hidden under her large sleeves, clenched tightly, her nails digging fiercely into her flesh, bringing a bone-chilling pain.
She lowered her body even further and replied: "This subject has heard you, thank you for your instruction, Emperor!"
Xiao Wenyi gave a lukewarm "hmm," and said, "Go back!"
Zhang Wanyin slowly retreated, her slightly trembling body hidden beneath her magnificent rose-red Noble Consort robes.
Chun Liu and Chun Xu supported her on either side, while Nanny Wang was carried away by the young eunuchs of Yonghe Palace, already unconscious.
Once the people from Yonghe Palace had left, Zhang Wanrou walked down, knelt respectfully, and kowtowed: "This subject thanks the Emperor for your mercy! Please forgive this subject for the crime of deceiving the Emperor just now!"
Xiao Wenyi sat there, his expression unreadable, and he merely waved his hand lightly.
Cheng Fang immediately led the others away.
Once there was no one else in the room, he humphed, "Now you know how to beg for mercy? When you were lying to me just now, weren't you quite righteous?"
Zhang Wanrou looked up at him, and from his tone, she could feel that he did not truly intend to blame her.
Immediately, her body went limp, and she knelt on the floor, sniffing as she said resentfully: "Emperor, this subject lied for your sake! You do not thank me, so why do you still blame me?"
"Oh? You lied to me for my sake?" He took a sip of tea and said leisurely: "Then tell me about it. I would like to see what kind of twisted logic you have!"
Zhang Wanrou wiped her tears, leaned her body toward his knees, and asked: "Emperor, may this subject stand up to speak? It hurts so much!"
Xiao Wenyi looked at those bright eyes and feigned indifference, "The Noble Consort knelt for so long just now and didn't cry out in pain. You have only knelt for this short time, and you are already complaining?"
Zhang Wanrou felt aggrieved and sniffed again, "But Emperor, this subject is a patient!"
As she spoke, she reached out and pointed to her head, "Look at this subject's head, look at this subject's hands! Do you not feel that this subject is pitiful?"
Xiao Wenyi let out a huff. If he didn't find her pitiful, why would he have turned back to stand up for her the moment he returned to the Imperial Study?
She, on the other hand, not only failed to appreciate his kindness but even helped the Noble Consort lie to him!
Seeing that he was still angry, Zhang Wanrou immediately crawled up from the floor and knelt at his feet, "Emperor, this subject really did it for you!"
"Three years ago, the fact that Elder Sister risked her life to save you at the Jingshan Temporary Palace is known to almost the entire world!"
"Speaking of which, Elder Sister is your benefactor. I could not let you scold the Noble Consort just for the sake of a small Jieyu like me, could I?"
"If outsiders were to find out, wouldn't they gossip that the Emperor is ungrateful and bewitched by beauty?"
Xiao Wenyi was stunned, looking at her with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
So, she didn't expose the Noble Consort because she was thinking of him? He had thought she was wary of the Noble Consort's status and afraid of being retaliated against later.
"This subject knows that the Emperor turned back this time to vent this subject's anger!"
"This subject is flattered, and even more so, I did not want to go against the Emperor's intentions. Therefore, after much hesitation, I exposed Nanny Wang... Qing Ning's face was indeed hit by Nanny Wang, so the Emperor punishing her is perfectly fine!"
Xiao Wenyi silently looked down at her, his gaze filled with a bit more appraisal and scrutiny.
Zhang Wanrou met his gaze and asked cautiously: "Emperor, did this subject guess wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
Wrong?
Of course not!
One could even say it was a very clever decision!
Not only did she look after his reputation, but she also silently vented her own anger—killing two birds with one stone!
However, it seemed that, unknowingly, he had become her blade.
A sense of complexity welled up in Xiao Wenyi's eyes. He had thought she was simple and innocent, but now it seemed she was not as pure as he had understood her to be.
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