Xueqing’s miserable screams echoed clearly from the courtyard. Miao Xi, lying on the ground, trembled violently from the fright, making everyone realize she had been awake all along, merely pretending to be unconscious.
The warm atmosphere in the room froze instantly, swiftly descending into awkward silence.
Qing Guifei first helped Jiang Yingcheng settle onto a soft chair before withdrawing her handkerchief and turning away to wipe her tear stains. When she turned back, she had regained her usual dignified composure.
After ordering servants to serve the little one some desserts, Qing Guifei began examining the unfamiliar palace maid lying on the floor. The woman’s eyelids trembled involuntarily, and her breathing grew increasingly rapid amid the deepening silence.
Just as Qing Guifei was about to instruct the maids to “wake” the pretender, rapid pattering footsteps sounded behind her. Jiang Yingcheng scurried toward Miao Xi on her short legs, twisting dramatically at the last moment until her limbs tangled like twisted hemp—
“Thump.”
“Ah!”
[Hehehe.]
Several sounds overlapped, making Qing Guifei completely forget what she had been about to say.
The sudden incident left everyone momentarily stunned. It was Changshun Gonggong who reacted first, hurriedly helping Jiang Yingcheng—who had deliberately fallen onto Miao Xi—to her feet. “Oh my, Little Highness, did you hurt yourself?”
Hearing this, Miao Xi’s violent coughing even paused briefly in her astonishment. She couldn’t help turning to stare at Changshun Gonggong in disbelief.
The Little Princess might appear soft and tiny, but she was a solid child! When the full weight landed on her, Miao Xi felt her internal organs were nearly crushed! How could the Little Highness possibly be in pain? She was the one suffering!
Yet the other party deliberately ignored her accusing gaze, focusing solely on Jiang Yingcheng with concerned expressions. More people gathered around.
Jiang Yingcheng pouted, putting on an exaggerated pained expression. “She tripped me! It hurts so much!” The subtle tremble in her voice would convince anyone she had been deeply wronged.
Even Changshun Gonggong, who witnessed the entire staged incident, briefly doubted his own eyes. Though he hadn’t seen the maid stick out her leg, if Her Highness said so…
Even if it wasn’t true, there must be Her Highness’s reasoning behind it!
Meanwhile, Jiang Yingcheng was struggling to suppress her rising smirk.
[Hehehe, will Auntie give her forty strikes now?]
Qing Guifei, who had just knelt before the little one: “…”
Fighting amusement, she carefully examined the child and confirmed she wasn’t actually hurt, then gently pinched the plump little cheek. Soft, bouncy, and delightfully squishy.
Qing Guifei secretly rubbed her fingers. She wanted to pinch it again.
At that moment, Lan Zhaorong, who had remained silent for a long while, suddenly spoke up: “This… this maid intentionally tripped the Little Princess. This subject clearly witnessed it…” Her words trailed off meaninglessly, her eyes repeatedly darting toward Qing Guifei as if waiting for her to demand justice.
A bold suspicion suddenly dawned on Qing Guifei.
“What does my sister suggest we do about this matter?”
Lan Zhaorong touched her nose, her eyes darting around nervously: “Well… just give her forty strikes with the rod…”
Qing Guifei: “…”
It was confirmed—this Lan Zhaorong could also hear the little one’s inner thoughts.
Jiang Xingran’s eyes widened in shock, seemingly unable to believe such words had come from his mother, who usually avoided conflicts with palace staff.
Jiang Yingcheng…
Jiang Yingcheng laughed heartily in delight.
[Yes, yes, yes! Listen to Yunmeng Yiyi!]
But she spoke with restraint: “Hmm, that’s acceptable…”
[This wasn’t Chengcheng’s suggestion though~]
Cheng Yunmeng: “…”
Changshun Gonggong: “…”
Qing Guifei: “…”
Miao Xi, who had been watching everyone spout nonsense with disbelief, finally sensed something amiss. She quickly turned over and knelt on the ground, bowing her head to kowtow repeatedly.
Thump, thump-thump—
The force was so heavy that bystanders almost felt phantom headaches.
While kowtowing, Miao Xi wailed: “Niangniang, spare me! Forty strikes would truly kill this humble servant—”
She understood the palace rules well and didn’t attempt to defend herself, only pleading desperately for mercy.
Yet no one present felt an ounce of sympathy for her.
Even disregarding the “tripping” incident with the Little Princess, her behavior in Pinfang Yuan alone warranted severe punishment.
The rhythmic thumping of her forehead against the floor continued, but those who held power over her life remained silent. Only when Miao Xi grew dizzy and could no longer kowtow did a voice finally drift down from above:
“Enough.”
Qing Guifei said indifferently, “This consort isn’t cruel by nature, but you did trip the Eleventh Princess. Today, you shall receive twenty strikes as a warning.”
Miao Xi weakly exhaled, her tone tinged with post-crisis relief: “Thank you for your mercy, Niangniang…”
The guards tasked with punishment quickly dragged Miao Xi away. The bench prepared earlier for Xueqing in the courtyard hadn’t been put away yet, conveniently facilitating their work.
Soon, the dull thuds of rods striking flesh echoed through the air, but Jiang Yingcheng remained displeased.
“Ah…”
[Why only twenty?]
Her lips puckered in an obvious pout, making her displeasure unmistakable: [If Chengcheng weren’t here today, Yunmeng Yiyi would have been taken to Rou Fei Niangniang’s palace and tortured for hours…]
[Rou Fei Niangniang would make Yiyi kneel in the snow until she collapsed, then have her dragged inside. After Yiyi woke up, she’d pierce Yiyi’s fingers with long needles!]
[When Yiyi returned to her courtyard covered in wounds, her maids would spread rumors that Qing Fei Niangniang had ordered Yunmeng Yiyi’s torture.]
[Not only would Yunmeng Yiyi be left permanently disabled, but Father Emperor would also grow displeased with Pretty Yiyi. It would ruin both Yiyis at once!]
[Ugh, this makes me so angry!]
What frustrated Jiang Yingcheng even more was that 007 forbade her from directly telling Pretty Yiyi about this.
Several sharp intakes of breath sounded in the room.
Changshun Gonggong’s eyes filled with despair.
He had to report everything truthfully to His Majesty later—but who could have imagined he’d overhear such royal secrets…
Cheng Yunmeng stared in horror, hardly daring to imagine how she would survive in the palace if things truly unfolded as described in the little one’s inner thoughts.
She and her son were already struggling to survive—if they were to become disabled as well…
It would be tantamount to a death sentence!
A violent shiver ran through Cheng Yunmeng.
Though the events had not yet occurred, she was already trembling with retrospective fear.
Qing Guifei’s inner turmoil was no less intense than Cheng Yunmeng’s.
She had never sought to compete for favor with other consorts, wishing only for a stable life. Yet, despite restraining herself and never mistreating the palace servants, striving so hard to build a good reputation…
Someone had been secretly working all along to shatter it!
All these years, her life had been nothing but a farce!
Qing Guifei shut her eyes tightly, struggling to suppress the rage rising within her.
She had no intention of letting this palace maid go, but she couldn’t base her accusation entirely on the little one’s account.
If she had a maid from Noble Consort Rou’s palace beaten to death merely for tripping the child, it would inevitably provoke resentment toward the little one.
In her current position as Fang Zhaoyi, she was hardly in a position to contend with Noble Consort Rou.
The expressions in the room varied among those present.
Just then, a servant hurried in from outside, knelt, and reported that the twenty strokes had been administered.
A cold smile touched Qing Guifei’s lips as she declared, “This person acted in my name to cause trouble at Pinfang Yuan. Add twenty more strokes.”
Two sets of twenty—it would fulfill the little one’s wish.
Jiang Yingcheng’s eyes flew open, sparkling with delight.
[Wow! Pretty auntie is amazing!]