Feng Qingyin had no way to refute it. The words sounded on the surface like flattery and adulation — but in truth, they were a pointed taunt.

Feng Jiu was formidable, indeed. That sharp tongue — it could only belong to Feng Jiu’er.

Though the face was entirely different… yet she was plainly Feng Jiu’er. She had to be.

Only Feng Jiu’er could say things that grated so deeply. Only Feng Jiu’er would dare behave this brazenly in front of her. And only Feng Jiu’er would be so utterly fearless.

“Noble Consort, that lowly maid just now spoke recklessly — was she not damaging the Noble Consort’s reputation for kindness and compassion?”

Feng Jiu stepped forward, composed and unhurried. As for this face — it truly bore no resemblance at all to Feng Jiu’er’s, which was precisely what left Feng Qingyin in doubt.

Feng Jiu continued earnestly: “The Noble Consort, as mistress of the Six Palaces, may one day… stand together with His Majesty to receive the reverence of all under heaven. If any unfavorable words were to spread…”

“Guards!” Feng Qingyin gave the command. More than a dozen guards nearly drew their blades.

Feng Qingyin bit her lip, her gaze sweeping hard across Feng Jiu’s face before finally landing on the palace maid who had only just managed to drag herself upright.

“This lowly maid abused her position to bully others and sought to damage this consort’s reputation. Have her hauled away for thirty strokes, then sent back to the palace laundry quarters to reflect on her conduct.”

The guards had not expected that the one the Noble Consort wanted seized would be the very maid who had spoken up for her. They had assumed she would go after the impertinent Feng Jiu.

But the Noble Consort’s order was given — who dared disobey? Whoever the Noble Consort wished taken, they would take.

The maid trembled in terror, pleading without end: “Noble Consort, have mercy! This servant will never dare again — Noble Consort, please have mercy! It was all this servant’s own doing, wanting to put on airs — this servant was presumptuous!”

“The Noble Consort cherishes the people as her own children. She would naturally not make things difficult for common folk. The fault was entirely this servant’s — this servant was far too insolent! Noble Consort, please spare this servant!”

Feng Jiu’s words had been heard clearly by the maid as well. She had not imagined Feng Jiu’s tongue would be so cutting. Now the Noble Consort was cornered — she could hardly allow the common people to think she was not fit to be Empress.

After all, the Noble Consort still had the position of Empress to contend for. If unfavorable rumors were to spread, it would naturally cast a shadow over the Noble Consort as well.

Though struck, the maid bore no grudge against the Noble Consort. The fault was Feng Jiu’s — the Noble Consort had simply been left with no choice. What she could not fathom was how a mere commoner, a mere Feng Jiu, had managed to reduce the exalted Noble Consort to submission.

“Noble Consort, please spare this servant — Noble Consort… Ah! Ah…!”

The maid’s screams soon drifted in from outside. They had carried out the punishment right at Tianji Hall’s front entrance, which naturally affected the Hall to some degree.

But dwelling on that now served little purpose.

Xiao Yingtao let out a long breath. She had thought herself the impulsive one — yet as it turned out, the Young Master had acted even faster.

But there was a difference: her reaction would have been pure impulse, while the Young Master’s was bold action matched with a shrewd plan.

Not only had the rights of all those present to seek treatment been upheld, but that arrogant, people-trampling, power-abusing maid had been given what she deserved. It was deeply satisfying.

The crowd’s feelings toward Feng Qingyin warmed considerably. To think that a Noble Consort from the palace was such a fine person.

And of course, the one they admired most was still their divine physician Feng Jiu — the sight of Feng Jiu putting that palace maid in her place just now was truly something that filled every heart with delight.

“Long live the Noble Consort! May the Noble Consort be blessed with boundless years!” A fresh wave of prostrations and cries rose up through the hall.

“Rise — go to your consultations.” Feng Qingyin was in a foul mood, and even the sound of prostrations she normally loved had now become grating.

Above all, Feng Jiu was standing not far before her, that smile in her eyes never ceasing to flicker — the very smile that, every time Feng Qingyin caught sight of it, sent irritation clawing through her, filling her with the urge to tear it apart.

Yet Feng Qingyin was not hasty. She made an effort to calm herself. “Physician Feng Jiu, this consort is feeling somewhat unwell today. Would the physician be so kind as to examine this consort’s pulse?”

“Very well.” Feng Jiu was about to instruct someone to bring a table and chair.

Another palace maid stepped forward. Having witnessed what had happened to the first one, she did not dare be too haughty — she only said with a measured tone: “Shall the Noble Consort’s examination be conducted in full public view?”

Feng Jiu could hardly have missed that Feng Qingyin was deliberately testing her — but she remained entirely undisturbed, as composed as ever.

With a slight tilt of the body and a gesture of invitation, she said: “Then please, Noble Consort, step this way to the consultation chamber.”

Feng Qingyin gave a faint, displeased hum — but showed no particular sign of displeasure. Attended by the palace maid, she made her way further inside.

“Young Master…” Xiao Yingtao looked at Feng Jiu, deeply uneasy.

Feng Qingyin was clearly suspicious now. Even she, who was not given to reading people’s hearts, could see it plain as day. The Young Master could not possibly have missed it either.

Feng Qingyin was intentionally probing. Was the Young Master truly not afraid?

Feng Jiu said nothing and paid no heed to Xiao Yingtao’s questioning look. She walked composedly alongside Feng Qingyin, addressing her warmly and courteously: “Noble Consort, this way, please.”

Because Feng Jiu was a man, it would ordinarily have been improper for him to be alone with the Noble Consort in a chamber.

Yet this Noble Consort seemed to take no notice of such proprieties — with only a single palace maid at her side, and bringing just one guard, she followed Feng Jiu into the consultation chamber.

This guard was tall and lean rather than heavily built, with footsteps that were weighty — unmistakably a formidable fighter — yet Feng Jiu could not determine the depth of his inner cultivation.

She could only say: this person’s martial skill would prove more fearsome than she could imagine.

That Feng Qingyin had a fighter of such caliber at her side was genuinely surprising. The Feng Qingyin of old had been scheming enough, but her machinations had been small in scale — little more than petty tricks.

Now, Feng Jiu would have to reassess this woman entirely.

She ought by rights to have perished at the Empress’s hand — yet she had not. Instead, she had reinvented herself, ascending to the rank of Noble Consort, a station more elevated even than Nanmeng Rong’s. Nanmeng Rong, upon seeing her, must surely be close to coughing up blood from sheer rage.

Becoming Noble Consort was one matter — perhaps it had simply been a fortuitous twist of fate that had brought her to the Emperor’s notice. But from what could be seen now, she was also cultivating her own power.

This guard alone was far from simple. And there was one detail most telling of all — Feng Jiu could see at a single glance that the guard’s face was false.

A human-skin mask.

A guard wearing a human-skin mask, following at the side of a Noble Consort. Was that not a deeply unsettling thing?

But without first discerning this person’s identity and capabilities, Feng Jiu gave nothing away — merely let her gaze pass over him once, and did not linger.

Feng Qingyin walked ahead. Feng Jiu walked at her side. “Noble Consort, this way please… Noble Consort!”

Feng Jiu was taken aback. The Feng Qingyin walking ahead had abruptly turned around — and came pitching directly toward her.

It was as though she had been tripped by something. Her soft form stumbled squarely into Feng Jiu’s arms. On instinct, Feng Jiu moved to steady her — and Feng Qingyin’s hand had already landed on her chest, gripping hard…