“But… but…” Consort Jing turned her head to look at Nanny Wang, who had already been stripped of her outer garments, her eyes reddening with anxiety. “…Mother Consort only has a few capable people, and now they’re all… Your Highness, please consider Mother Consort’s face…”

Tie Ci turned to look at the guards who had paused their actions. Dan Shuang immediately said coldly, “What are you standing there for?”

The guards immediately stripped Nanny Wang of her clothes in just a few moves, leaving only her innermost松江绫 silk undergarment. They were originally carefully selected by Tie Yan, personal guards who had followed Tie Ci for many years, and had always only listened to Tie Ci’s commands. Seeing that Tie Ci paid no attention to Consort Jing, they naturally had no reservations.

Nanny Wang was still wailing and begging Consort Jing to grant her death. Dan Shuang chuckled and said, “Old hag, if you truly feel ashamed and have no face to see people anymore, then go ahead and end yourself. Why keep dragging your master into demanding death? Aren’t you putting your master in an awkward and unrighteous position? What are your intentions?”

Nanny Wang’s crying suddenly quieted. She looked up to see Consort Jing’s helpless expression, realized there was no hope, and could only stumble to her feet. She was escorted by the guards along the covered corridor around the palace. As she walked, she trembled continuously, while the palace servants and eunuchs kneeling on the ground didn’t dare lift their heads.

Tie Ci walked a few more steps and pointed out someone dressed in gold and silver, conspicuously different from the others, ordering Xiao Chongzi to search her chest. Xiao Chongzi always executed the Crown Princess’s orders thoroughly. When he couldn’t find anything in the chest, he stuck his bottom up and crawled under the bed, finally managing to find Consort Jing’s precious jewelry hidden in that palace maid’s menstrual cloth.

Dan Shuang’s face remained cold. This lady’s palace was like a sieve. If it wasn’t reorganized soon, it would eventually implicate His Highness.

How detestable that Consort Jing was soft-eared yet stubborn. Originally, His Majesty and His Highness had carefully selected loyal and reliable servants for her, but she didn’t use any of them. Instead, she secretly promoted these disrespectful creatures!

The palace maid who stole the jewelry was called Cui Huan. Whether she had been spoiled by Consort Jing or was naturally bold and brazen, when Xiao Chongzi threw those jewels in her face, she was stunned for a moment, then loudly proclaimed her innocence: “Your Highness, these were all bestowed by Her Ladyship! Cui Huan is loyal to her master, how would I dare do such base things!”

Tie Ci lowered her eyes to look at those jewels, using her toe to nudge one of the white jade beads. The bead was thumb-sized with a movable piece of golden amber embedded inside, refracting warm golden light, extremely elegant and exquisite. The bead was strung on a fine golden chain, and from its style, one could tell it was tribute jewelry from foreign lands.

“This was also bestowed upon you by Her Ladyship?”

“Yes!” Cui Huan’s eyes showed delight as she answered with complete confidence.

Tie Ci smiled and turned to look at Consort Jing.

“Mother Consort, this was sent as a birthday gift when you turned thirty, ordered by me personally. It’s a national gift from a small foreign country called里黎加. Are you certain you bestowed it upon a palace servant?”

Consort Jing had originally been looking at Cui Huan’s pleading gaze with some hesitation in her expression. Hearing this statement, she hurriedly shook her head: “No, no, no, Your Highness’s congratulatory gift—how could I bestow it upon a servant…”

Cui Huan’s face changed dramatically as she cried pitifully: “My Lady, this truly was bestowed upon your servant by you!”

Consort Jing’s hands went limp. The favored palace servants around her often received rewards. Some of Cui Huan’s precious jewelry was secretly taken, while another part was indeed rewarded by Consort Jing, which was why she dared to cry injustice.

Now hearing Consort Jing’s denial, she looked completely stunned.

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs also slightly changed color.

Everyone had received rewards too, but they hadn’t expected this master to be so unreliable when tested, proving she wasn’t a master they could depend on.

Tie Ci raised her chin, and someone dragged Cui Huan away as well. After the person left, Tie Ci looked at the bead again and suddenly said in realization: “Oh my, I looked wrong! This isn’t the birthday gift I sent to Her Ladyship!”

Consort Jing stared speechlessly.

Xiao Chongzi looked at Tie Ci with complete admiration. His Highness was always right, and if His Highness was wrong, please refer to the first rule.

Dan Shuang’s eyes showed amusement.

If the first two instances were His Highness helping Consort Jing reorganize palace affairs and clear out restless people around her, then this time, His Highness was making the palace servants of Dian Fang Palace understand what kind of master Consort Jing truly was.

Such an unreliable master who couldn’t stand firm—they should stop trying to seduce and instigate her, because when trouble came, no one should expect her to protect anyone.

After dealing with several people in succession, all of whom were Consort Jing’s most favored, the entire palace held its breath.

Tie Ci stopped in front of an old woman kneeling in a corner.

“I remember, you are Mother Consort’s wet nurse, Madam Qin.”

The old woman kowtowed deeply, addressing her as Your Highness.

Tie Ci saw her proper posture and composed expression, nodded, and sighed inwardly.

Some people couldn’t distinguish between the worthy and foolish, always mistaking fish eyes for pearls and pearls for pebbles.

This Wet Nurse Qin was someone she had specifically found to place beside Consort Jing—the only servant from Consort Jing’s fallen family who had followed her from childhood, whose loyalty went without saying.

Unfortunately, her nature was upright and honest, or in other words, her emotional intelligence was somewhat low. Not only did she not know how to curry favor and ingratiate herself, she often taught Consort Jing to manage servants strictly. Over time, Consort Jing found her bothersome, palace servants privately attacked her, and she was gradually pushed to the margins. Now in this Dian Fang Palace, she only managed the kitchen’s firewood.

“You are an old person from Her Ladyship’s household, with no family of your own. You should rightfully serve beside Her Ladyship for life.” Tie Ci said, “Today, return to Her Ladyship’s side and properly guide her.”

Madam Qin remained neither humble nor arrogant, kowtowing to accept the order.

Tie Ci also recalled several banished palace servants to return to service, then waved her hand. The palace servants scattered as if granted great amnesty, each walking lightly and holding their breath. Dian Fang Palace had never been so solemn.

Consort Jing stood straight in place, her face as white as paper.

Tie Ci glanced at her, having no intention of giving a sweet date after the stick, nor expecting this one move to wake her up, and directly turned to leave.

Consort Jing suddenly rushed over and grabbed her hem.

Tie Ci immediately turned to support her—after all, if this mother was seen in a half-kneeling posture, she would be lectured again by those old scholars in court.

But Consort Jing pushed away her supporting hand and stared at her pleadingly: “Your Highness, do you have some dissatisfaction with Mother?”

“No.” Tie Ci glanced at her rejected hand, simply grabbed Consort Jing and lifted her up, placed her properly on the ground, stepped back three paces, then said gently, “You are the one who gave birth to me. I can only revere and cherish you.”

“Did Mother do something wrong somewhere?” Consort Jing stared at her, her eyes gradually becoming misty with moisture. “Is Your Highness angry?”

Tie Ci shook her head and said gently: “My Lady overthinks. Today’s matter was indeed my overstepping. I was just afraid that My Lady’s kind face and soft heart would advantage these petty people. Now that My Lady has clearly seen these people’s true faces, you can properly employ Wet Nurse Qin and others in the future.”

Consort Jing glanced at Wet Nurse Qin, slightly frowning, her expression becoming stern: “Since Mother has done nothing wrong, why did Your Highness… humiliate your Mother Consort like this?”

Dan Shuang gasped coldly.

Showing boundless favor to those ill-intentioned palace servants, yet speaking boldly to her own daughter.

Relying on filial piety being paramount, was she?

Tie Ci looked calmly at Consort Jing. The woman remained as beautiful as a young girl, and when her eyes filled with tears, they were like white camellias touched with dew in the night. A natural delicate and pure beauty.

Nurtured in a greenhouse, shielded from wind and rain, constantly treasured through harsh cold and scorching heat, protected from wandering and hardship—only such care could cultivate this kind of beauty.

Such a beauty stared at her sorrowfully, with a delicate posture yet words heavy as hammers.

Hammer after hammer.

“…Is it because Mother Consort’s family is weak and cannot provide you assistance?”

“…Is it because Mother Consort is useless and cannot be your support in the palace?”

“…Is it because…”

“Enough!”

A sudden low shout broke through this suffocating interrogation. Tie Yan strode forward, every fold of his robe seeming to carry wind.

Consort Jing hadn’t seen the Emperor for a long time. After her initial shock came great joy, and she unconsciously smoothed her hair and clothes, not even noticing what Tie Yan had said.

She joyfully approached him, but Tie Yan stopped several steps away, his face iron-blue and eyes slightly cold.

“Consort Jing. The Crown Princess cares for you, but this is not a reason for you to speak so wildly.”

“Do you really think you’ve done nothing wrong?”

Consort Jing opened her mouth slightly, looking at him with bewilderment and sorrow.

Tie Yan’s mouth corners pressed down slightly, annoyance flashing through his heart.

How did he used to find such an expression pitifully touching?

“Since you don’t understand, I will take time to explain it to you, lest you harbor resentment and truly believe Ci’er is rebellious and unfilial.”

“If the Crown Princess wants to show filial piety before the Empress Dowager, she can perfectly well go herself. What business is it for you as her mother to show filial piety on her behalf? Wouldn’t that be inverting proper relationships? That would not only confirm the Crown Princess’s lack of filial piety toward the Empress Dowager, but also toward you! You’re creating trouble where none exists and inviting criticism for her!”

“You also forgot the Crown Princess’s identity! She is not an ordinary royal family member—she is the heir apparent! The future Son of Heaven of Great Qian! She only needs to study imperial texts, learn history and martial arts, study classics and principles, plan for the country and command troops, manage politics and economics and educate the people! She is not a harem woman who needs those favor-seeking methods. If she uses such methods, it will only damage her dignity! As her Mother Consort, instead of thinking how to consolidate her position, you want to insult her with such tricks. If anyone is humiliating her, it’s you!”

“It’s not that I look down on you—you yourself couldn’t come up with such disgusting schemes. Most likely someone around you, some unknown creature, has been instigating you. Ci’er kindly helped you purge them, and you still say such outrageous words to hurt her!”

“Get out of my sight. From today, continue your confinement and properly reflect behind closed doors!”