Miao Xi’s legs went weak, and she immediately knelt on the ground.
Changshun Gonggong glanced over at the sound.
This palace maid was a new face—likely one of the batch recruited last month. He wasn’t entirely sure whether she truly served in Qing Fei Niangniang’s palace.
However…
[Hmph! She doesn’t even dare mention Noble Consort Rou by name—clearly trying to frame someone!]
Well, now he knew.
Having served the Mingze Emperor for so long, Changshun Gonggong had picked up about half of the emperor’s icy aura. Though it wasn’t as pronounced when facing superiors, it was quite effective in intimidating newly arrived palace staff.
He remarked with a subtle tone, “Oh? So you’re from Qing Fei Niangniang’s palace? I must be getting shortsighted.”
Miao Xi trembled uncontrollably and could only force herself to reply, “Th-this humble servant only began serving in the palace last month.”
She didn’t dare mention a word about which palace she was assigned to.
But that didn’t stop someone from deliberately opposing her.
Jiang Yingcheng, holding onto her two pillars of support with both hands and feeling utterly secure, peeked out from between them and said with curiosity, “Wow, then that auntie must be incredibly talented.”
Though Miao Xi had only interacted with Jiang Yingcheng for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she had already grasped the little devil’s nature. Just hearing that, she knew Jiang Yingcheng was up to no good. She kept her head lowered, but her trembling only grew more pronounced.
Fortunately, Changshun Gonggong smoothly took the cue: “What does Little Highness mean by that?”
Jiang Yingcheng was quite pleased with his follow-up and looked up to reward him with a big, beaming smile.
Struck by that sweet smile, Changshun clenched a fist, struggling to suppress the corners of his lips from curling upward.
“Chengcheng saw her in Rou Fei Niangniang’s palace when Chengcheng sneaked out to play before!”
A servant serving two masters—now that was true talent.
Jiang Yingcheng’s words were firm and clear, and with each syllable, Miao Xi’s heart sank further.
Bullying an powerless, unfavored Zhaoyi in the inner palace under a noble consort’s orders was one thing, but if this reached the emperor, the matter would take on a completely different weight!
Kneeling on the icy, snow-covered ground, Miao Xi felt sweat drip from her forehead, creating tiny pits in the thick snow.
Seeing this, Changshun Gonggong allowed the corners of his mouth, which he had been holding back, to curl into a scornful smile.
Such incidents were not uncommon in the inner palace, but she could only blame her misfortune for running into the eleventh princess, who had come to play with the seventh prince.
[Hehehe, Chengcheng didn’t actually see it, but since she’s also a maid from Rou Fei Niangniang’s palace, Chengcheng isn’t lying!]
The little one’s righteous, milky voice made Changshun Gonggong and Lan Zhaorong chuckle inwardly.
A short while later, the group at the entrance of Pinfang Yuan split into two.
One hurried off in the direction of Xianyang Palace, sent by Jiang Yingcheng to complain to her handsome Father Emperor.
The other, dragging the terrified and unconscious Miao Xi, marched grandly toward Qing Fei Niangniang’s Anqin Dian.
When the group arrived at Anqin Dian, Qing Guifei had just woken from her afternoon nap. Hearing that Changshun Gonggong had arrived with several people, her already groggy mind grew even more bewildered.
Frowning, Qing Guifei said, “Have them wait in the front hall.”
The news of Jiang Yingcheng being summoned to Xianyang Palace by the Mingze Emperor for two consecutive days had already spread throughout the rear palace. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of child could receive such favor.
After freshening up, Qing Guifei slowly made her way to the front hall.
Her voice arrived before she did: “What brings you all here today—what is that thing?”
Qing Guifei’s calm voice suddenly rose in pitch mid-sentence.
This couldn’t be blamed on her.
Since Miao Xi had already offended the Little Princess, the eunuchs tasked with bringing her here hadn’t bothered to be careful. They dragged her along the way, and though she woke several times during the journey, the numb, cold pain in her legs made her pass out again.
Now her trousers were stained with mud from the ground and snowmelt that had long seeped in. Combined with her half-dead appearance lying on the floor, she looked like someone who had been tortured by the Mingze Emperor’s “human planting” punishment.
In short, she didn’t look alive.
Qingfei took a sudden step back, her heart pounding as if about to leap from her throat.
She stood frozen at the doorway, her face full of shock and suspicion, unwilling to take another step forward, until a small figure came bouncing up to stand before her.
Jiang Yingcheng lifted her little face, her round almond eyes filled with admiration.
Such a pretty auntie!
She screamed internally: [Tong Ge! Tong Ge!]
007 quickly responded: [What?]
[Is this auntie a good person? Can Chengcheng like her?]
The little one’s cheeks were flushed with excitement, but she still remembered to first inquire about Qing Guifei’s character—truly principled!
After a moment of speechlessness, 007 dutifully replied: [She doesn’t frame other consorts, doesn’t kill indiscriminately. She counts as a good person.]
Jiang Yingcheng’s eyes lit up, and she spread her arms wide, ready to pounce forward: [Yay yay yay, pretty auntie!]
Qing Guifei’s eyes widened in alarm.
Though she had been in the palace for years, she had never borne children, which explained her particular fondness for these soft, adorable little dumplings—
The grown ones didn’t count. Those older princes and princesses had been influenced by their respective mothers, already full of mischief at a young age.
She had taken an immediate liking to the little one at first sight, especially when the child gave her a sweet smile.
But—
What had she just heard?
The little one clearly hadn’t opened her mouth!
However, the child abruptly stopped just before reaching her legs.
She nervously clasped her hands behind her back.
[S-spanking hands?]
[Why would such a pretty auntie like spanking hands?] The little one’s internal voice even carried a tremble.
Qing Guifei was taken aback.
She did often use hand-spanking to punish servants who made mistakes, but it was already the mildest method in the entire rear palace. The palace staff in her hall often felt grateful and never gossiped about it.
How did this little one know?
Did she have some extraordinary means?
Suppressing her doubts, Qing Guifei bent down to crouch before the child and said gently, “You little dumpling, are you Little Eleven from Fang Zhaoyi’s courtyard?”
Jiang Yingcheng was dazzled by the pretty auntie’s gentle smile and unconsciously smiled back: “Mhmm!”
This seemingly easy-to-lure appearance finally made Qing Guifei smile sincerely: “Auntie has lots and lots of sweets in her hall. Would you like some?”
That inner voice was truly too bizarre; she had to find a way to clarify it.
The easily-distracted Jiang Yingcheng instantly shifted her attention: “Okay, okay! Thank you, Auntie!”
Changshun Gonggong: “…”
During the moment when Qing Guifei stood up and reached out toward the Little Princess, he finally seized the opportunity and affectedly cleared his throat a few times.
“Your servant Changshun pays respects to Guifei Niangniang.” Changshun Gonggong bowed in salute.
Only then did Qing Guifei remember there were so many people inside, startling her.
“Rise… rise, please.”
Changshun Gonggong seized the chance to explain the purpose of their visit.
The more Qing Guifei listened, the more shocked her expression became. But before she could voice her alarm, the little one’s inner voice resounded again—
[Not just that! Noble Consort Rou has used such tactics many times already. Rumors outside say that Auntie is a narrow-minded, venomous-hearted woman!]
Qing Guifei sharply drew in a breath of cold air.