The Empress Dowager suddenly said: “I suspect your spoon has some trick to it, doesn’t it?”

Her voice was extremely low, only audible to the two of them.

Tie Ci bent slightly at the waist, raising her eyes. From this angle, her eyes appeared extremely large and bright, without a trace of timidity.

She also used a whispered tone: “Isn’t your box the same, Empress Dowager?”

The Empress Dowager snorted with disdain, seemingly finding her thoughts extremely contemptible, yet said: “I advise you not to play tricks.”

“Is it because all three pearls have ‘miscellaneous study’ written on them?” Tie Ci slowly withdrew part of the spoon. The Empress Dowager glimpsed through the box’s gap that the spoon had turned completely black.

Tie Ci smiled: “Oh my, the pearls are poisoned.”

The Empress Dowager’s lips curved: “You are quite scheming.”

“You flatter me.”

Li Gui beside the Empress Dowager kept his eyes lowered, seemingly indifferent to this battle of wits between grandmother and granddaughter. The Crown Princess was indeed scheming. The box was originally non-toxic – the Empress Dowager had no need to use such methods that would invite criticism. But the Crown Princess seemed prepared in advance, actually bringing a silver spoon and arsenic powder. Who knew what technique she used to sprinkle the arsenic powder and blacken the silver spoon? This way, the Empress Dowager couldn’t explain herself clearly, and even the entire “training” proposal would be questioned. Rong Luchuan and others would immediately seize the opportunity, saying someone was sabotaging this matter, that the Crown Princess’s training was inappropriate, making a fuss about investigation and purging, and this matter could be shelved.

Then the emperor and Crown Princess would have more time to maneuver, and the Empress Dowager’s surprise move would lose its effect.

This was actually the same method as the Empress Dowager using Consort Jing’s performance today to force Rong Luchuan and others to agree to the training matter.

But the Crown Princess wasn’t scheming enough. Tearing off the facade could indeed make people wary, but she forgot that when it came to tearing off facades, those in higher positions were always more ruthless.

Tie Ci smiled as she withdrew the spoon.

The Empress Dowager suddenly said: “Seeing Consort Jing today, I found her quite virtuous and well-behaved. You’ve always said she’s often ill, so I rarely had her pay respects. Looking at her now, it seems fine.”

Tie Ci’s hand stopped.

“Besides, if she’s often sick and disaster-prone, it would be better to keep her by my side, copying scriptures and calming her mind – it would greatly benefit her health.”

Tie Ci remained silent, then after a long while said: “That would be the Empress Dowager’s grace.”

The Empress Dowager said: “Don’t worry. Though my rules are somewhat strict, as long as she’s sensible, she’ll naturally be fine.”

Tie Ci said nothing. After a long pause, she threw the spoon into the box: “What if I become sensible instead?”

The Empress Dowager didn’t even look at her, saying calmly: “That’s not impossible either.”

Tie Ci smiled, turned to lift the curtain, and said to those waiting outside: “Pretty good luck.”

Tie Yan and some ministers showed pleased expressions.

“Miscellaneous study.”

…

Tie Yan strode ahead with great energy while Tie Ci desperately chased behind: “Hey, Father! Father, wait for me! Ouch!”

Tie Yan immediately turned back. Tie Ci moved her hand from supporting her back to her waist, hissing continuously.

Tie Yan angrily said: “Acting again!” Calming down slightly, he continued: “Child, don’t stop me today. Your mother consort is truly too ignorant. Continuing like this will harm you sooner or later. Father must speak clearly with her today.”

Tie Ci sighed: “I’m not trying to stop you. It’s just that mother consort is timid. If you go over there in such anger, the whole palace will see, and it could scare her to death. Palace servants are most likely to curry favor with the powerful and trample the weak – her days will be difficult afterward. Being difficult is one thing, but what if someone takes the opportunity to manipulate and frighten her, causing more trouble?”

Tie Yan fell silent for a moment, stopped walking, sighed after a long while, and patted her head: “You always plan for her like this, but she keeps dragging you down. What harm would there be in her learning a lesson!”

Both father and daughter fell silent for a while. Tie Yan remembered when Tie Ci was young – Consort Jing was deceived by someone and secretly sent the child to the Empress Dowager’s palace. Later, Tie Ci didn’t know what she encountered in the Empress Dowager’s palace, but she fell gravely ill and nearly lost her life. After that, he confined Consort Jing to quarters, calling it punishment but actually protection, so the Empress Dowager wouldn’t easily trouble her. Later, as Tie Ci grew older, Consort Jing couldn’t be confined forever. To prevent her from falling into the schemes of the Empress Dowager and those ill-intentioned consorts, they claimed she was weak and sickly, needing quiet recuperation, rarely appearing, and Tie Ci wasn’t close to her either. Gradually, everyone forgot about her.

Father and daughter both valued Consort Jing’s safety greatly, deploying many trusted guards secretly, and screening her attendants regularly. But ultimately both were too busy with little daily contact. Since that side had been peaceful all these years, they had grown lax.

Who would have thought that the always timid and compliant Consort Jing would suddenly emerge today and ruin things?

The heir apparent’s status was too important. Having such a mother who accomplished nothing but caused trouble – it was better when she didn’t appear, but once she did, she only made people worry and fear she would bring bad influence to the Crown Princess, causing many unnecessary problems.

Tie Yan sighed again: “Miscellaneous study won’t work. Father will think of another way to have…”

“No need.” Tie Ci said: “Leaving the palace isn’t bad. Miscellaneous study, deeply experiencing people’s lives, is quite good too.”

Since the Empress Dowager was determined, if one plan failed there would always be another. Tie Ci preferred to draw the battlefield further away.

Besides, leaving the palace to live among common people, hiding in the marketplace – who knew if this wouldn’t be breaking free from constraints and opening up new horizons for her?

Tie Yan looked at Tie Ci, knowing she was always magnanimous and clear-minded, never getting stuck in dead ends. Naturally this comforted him, but he couldn’t help feeling melancholy.

Such a good child, yet born into this treacherous imperial family, never able to rest peacefully her entire life.

Tie Yan finally stopped walking: “If so, father will go slowly later. But you can’t indulge her anymore either – she must learn her lesson.”

“Naturally.”

When Tie Ci approached Consort Jing’s Dianfang Palace with Dan Shuang and Little Bug, she saw the palace filled with joy and celebration.

Evening had fallen with slight coolness. In Dianfang Palace’s courtyard, flowering trees bloomed luxuriantly. Under each tree hung silk palace lanterns, and from each lantern dangled exquisite crystal and glass beads that chimed melodiously in the breeze. From time to time, flower petals floated onto the lanterns, creating distant mountain and water scenery.

Consort Jing and a crowd of palace servants were busy under the lights – some measuring cloth, others cutting, while Consort Jing personally embroidered a shoe sole. Tie Ci didn’t allow anyone to announce her, quietly entering and seeing everyone’s harmonious joy under the lights, she stopped in the shadows.

She quietly watched her mother’s expression while embroidering, with faint compassion hidden beneath her calm exterior.

Dan Shuang’s expression looked very unpleasant.

After harming the Crown Princess, was she still here smugly pleased with herself?

She stepped forward but was pulled back by Tie Ci.

But Consort Jing looked up at this moment, saw Tie Ci, and her eyes instantly filled with delight. She hurriedly stood to greet her, smiling: “Ci’er, how did you come? Quick, Bi Luo, quickly bring a spring plate for the Crown Princess.”

The clever palace maid stood up, first bowing to Tie Ci, then bringing a tray of exquisite pastries in five different colors, along with five delicate jade pots. The maid smiled: “Your Highness, this is a fresh method our lady thought up last night without sleep. This tender pink is peach blossom dots, paired with emerald wine; this white radish cake, paired with drunken Xiang concubine; this purple is wisteria pastry, paired with horizon…”

She spoke quickly but very clearly, glowing with animation while speaking, obviously an extremely intelligent girl. Tie Ci looked down at the pastries, extremely elaborate with various sweet wines, well-matched with pleasing colors. She picked up a pastry and asked the maid: “You made this?”

The maid smiled with pursed lips: “This servant’s skills are lacking – please forgive me, Your Highness.” Though speaking humbly, her expression was quite confident.

Tie Ci continued: “My lady’s clothing and ornaments today are also quite unique – your suggestion?”

Bi Luo smiled again: “If our lady and Your Highness are pleased, that’s this servant’s blessing.”

Being praised twice in succession, her manner became elated. She ignored Consort Jing beside her, who looked happy but flustered and couldn’t get a word in, and took up the embroidery Consort Jing had been working on: “Our lady embroidered this shoe sole for Your Highness – this continuous ten-thousand-character pattern with small flowers embroidered on the edges shows the utmost care.” Then she actually added with a smile: “Our lady has prepared many such clothing and shoes – finally Your Highness comes to see personally.”

As she chattered away, Dan Shuang’s face had turned green with anger.

Stealing the spotlight and self-promotion was one thing, but was she now lecturing the mistress too?

Looking at Consort Jing again, she didn’t feel this maid was overstepping at all, and hurriedly nodded: “Bi Luo is very clever – many things are her ideas…”

“So instigating the mistress to go curry favor before the Empress Dowager on my behalf was also your idea?”

“Your Highness should also…” Bi Luo said half a sentence then suddenly stopped, her face instantly drained of all color.

Tie Ci didn’t look at her, pointing at the pastry plate: “Frivolous skills.”

Pointing at the embroidered shoe sole: “Waste of silk.”

Pointing at all the palace servants nearby who had turned pale and retreated to kneel aside: “Standing by coldly, not knowing how to protect their mistress.”

Pointing at Bi Luo: “Bewitching the mistress with evil words, not knowing proper hierarchy, instigating trouble, harboring ulterior motives.”

“Your Highness…”

Bi Luo’s cleverness had long vanished. She had just called out in a trembling voice when Tie Ci already said: “Drag her out and beat her to death with sticks.”

As soon as the words fell, guards who had followed stepped forward, gagged Bi Luo in a few moves and dragged her out. Bi Luo couldn’t even cry for mercy before being dragged outside the hall. She refused to go, her hands desperately clawing at the ground, tears streaming as she looked at Consort Jing with pleading eyes.

Consort Jing’s walnut-sized brain couldn’t handle such sudden changes. She was already stunned there, her face blank with shock.

Bi Luo usually loved her mistress’s dullness, but now felt infinite terror and regret. Her fingernails clawing at brick crevices had already turned back, and when a guard kicked violently, that hand swung away bloodily, tracing a powerless arc in the frightened palace servants’ eyes.

The person was finally dragged out, leaving a long scrape mark on the ground. Then the sound of stick beatings rang out from outside – no screams, but everyone’s imagination became more vivid and horrific. All trembled and lowered their heads, gripping their clothes with sweaty hands.

No one expected that the Crown Princess, who usually ignored Dianfang Palace but seemed good-tempered, would suddenly arrive and bring such thunderous fury.

In the sound of beating, Tie Ci slowly walked a few steps. The Crown Princess was tall and graceful, her sapphire blue sea-wave pattern robe hem quietly trailing on the ground. Whoever she stopped in front of would violently tremble and bow even deeper.

The first person Tie Ci stopped before was Nanny Wang. She had been sitting closest to Consort Jing earlier, surrounded by palace servants, obviously another favored figure.

Now she trembled all over, visibly sweating at her nape.

Tie Ci glanced at the several layers of collar she showed, laughed once, and said: “This year’s superior Songjiang silk just tributed by Jiangnan Prefecture – each palace only received two bolts, only for making undergarments for palace mistresses, yet now it’s worn on you.”

“Your Highness, spare my life—”

Before she could finish pleading, Tie Ci said: “What life or death – am I someone who kills carelessly? Strip the clothes and walk around Dianfang Palace once. Nanny Wang is so noble – even without fine clothes, she still has dignity.”

Dan Shuang said: “Whatever layer the Songjiang silk is worn on, strip to that layer. Her Highness is merciful, only taking clothes you shouldn’t wear. Why don’t you thank her for her grace?”

Guards came forward. Nanny Wang struggled to half-turn, desperately kowtowing toward Consort Jing’s direction, wailing loudly: “My lady! This servant has no face left! Please grant this servant death!”

Dan Shuang’s face was iron-blue.

This Dianfang Palace was completely rotten! Every one of them – what did they take their mistress for? The Crown Princess gave orders, yet she threatened Consort Jing – was she counting on Consort Jing’s soft heart to blackmail her?

“Ci… Your Highness!” Only now did Consort Jing react, rushing forward to block in front of the nanny, pleading: “If you strip Nanny Wang’s clothes, she’ll have no way to command respect in this palace!”

“Then let her not command respect.” Tie Ci said indifferently: “In this palace, only you need to be respected.”

Author’s Note: Don’t worry. I think I never torture for more than three seconds.