“Was she taken away by His Majesty?” Biyu still held onto a glimmer of hope, but now felt dejected. Once someone fell into His Majesty’s hands, there was no way to get them back.
“Your Highness, as a palace dancer who faked her death and fled, will His Majesty punish her?” Hongyu felt that if Bian Xianyi died, it would satisfy their grudge.
“She harmed me, not His Majesty’s princess. His Majesty doesn’t care whether I’ve guessed that he took her,” Shen Xihe’s eyes flickered subtly. “Bian Xianyi is a clever person, and being officially ‘dead’ makes her perfect for His Majesty’s use.”
If His Majesty had intended to punish Bian Xianyi, he wouldn’t have had her secretly taken away. By now, the news of Bian Xianyi’s resurrection from the dead must be known throughout the palace, both inside and out.
“Your Highness, let’s go directly to the palace and demand her from His Majesty!” Ziyu said angrily. When had their Princess ever suffered such humiliation?
Shen Xihe, who had been somewhat displeased, found herself unexpectedly amused by Ziyu’s righteous indignation. She smiled silently. “No need. I’ll make Bian Xianyi come to us herself.”
Everyone gazed at Shen Xihe with admiration. In their eyes, the Princess could accomplish anything!
“Mo Yuan, find a corpse to disguise as Axi. Since Bian Xianyi turned herself into a ‘dead person,’ I’ll turn her helper into a ‘dead person’ too. When she learns that Axi is in my hands, she’ll walk right into our trap.”
Only if Axi ‘died’ once would there be no police report, allowing them to keep her detained without implicating Cui Jinbai.
“Your Highness, will she come?” Biyu expressed contempt for Bian Xianyi. How could such a despicable person have any conscience?
“She will,” Shen Xihe said with certainty.
Though Bian Xianyi would use any means necessary to achieve her goals and had no sympathy or conscience for the innocent, she greatly valued debts of gratitude.
Axi had fallen into their hands because of her; once she knew this, she would try to rescue her.
If the Princess said she would come, then she definitely would!
Everyone made arrangements according to Shen Xihe’s instructions. After rushing back and forth to the medicine garden, Shen Xihe was extremely tired. At shen hour (4 PM), she hastily ate some dinner and quickly retired.
When she woke in the morning, Biyu softly reminded her: “Your Highness, the two female officials are still kneeling.”
Shen Xihe had retired early, and they had forgotten about this matter at the time. When they remembered, they didn’t dare disturb Shen Xihe’s rest, nor dare make decisions on her behalf, so the two female officials had knelt for an entire night.
“Mm.” Shen Xihe responded faintly and continued dressing. After breakfast, she returned to her chambers to do her hair and makeup. “Go call them in.”
“Yes.”
“Hongyu, go fetch that jade ruyi scepter.” Shen Xihe instructed further.
Soon after, two low-ranking maids supported Sun and Qian inside. Being older, their faces were pale after kneeling all night.
“Greetings to Your Highness.” The female officials, usually exemplars of palace etiquette, now performed their greetings crookedly.
Shen Xihe paid no mind, lightly raising her hand to excuse them from the formality, then left them aside while letting Hongyu apply her makeup.
After her grooming was complete, Lady Qian finally collapsed, while Lady Sun’s face was deathly pale but she forced herself to stay upright.
Shen Xihe stood with Biyu’s support and took the jade ruyi that Hongyu had retrieved from Ziyu’s hands. She asked Lady Sun: “Lady Sun, do you recognize this object?”
Shen Xihe deliberately turned the jade ruyi, letting the imperial mark flash before Lady Sun’s eyes. Fighting her discomfort, she replied: “This is an imperial gift.”
“Lady Sun has good eyes,” Shen Xihe praised, raising her hand and holding the jade ruyi while a chilling smile played in her eyes. “Lady Sun, do you know the punishment for damaging an imperial gift?”
Lady Sun’s gaze froze as she stared at Shen Xihe in panic. Under her terrified gaze, Shen Xihe slowly loosened her fingers.
With a crisp crash, the finest jade ruyi shattered into several pieces.
A smile also appeared on Shen Xihe’s lips: “If I say you broke this, do you think His Majesty will believe me or you?”
Lady Sun’s hands and feet turned ice cold. Shen Xihe gave a soft laugh: “Biyu, bind them and follow me to the palace to request punishment from His Majesty.”
Shen Xihe had just taken two steps after giving her order when Lady Sun before Biyu could approach, gritted her teeth and threw herself against a nearby pillar.
The impact was neither light nor heavy. She turned her head to look at Shen Xihe once, then fainted.
Shen Xihe looked down: “Request Doctor Qi to come treat her. Clean up here. Hongyu and Moyu will accompany me to the palace.”
When Shen Xihe entered the palace to seek an audience with Emperor Youning, after performing her greetings, she said: “Your Majesty, Zhaoning comes today to request punishment.”
“Oh? This is fresh. What crime has Zhaoning committed?” Emperor Youning asked with a smile.
“Yesterday, the female officials Your Majesty sent to Zhaoning angered me with their words. I am a person of great temper, so I punished them by making them kneel. Later, I was tired and retired early, forgetting about this matter.
Because I have been unwell lately and rarely sleep well, my maids didn’t dare disturb me, causing the two female officials to kneel for an entire night. Unexpectedly, Lady Sun directly accused me of deliberately humiliating them, and unable to bear the humiliation, she crashed into a pillar in my residence. It was my lack of propriety, please punish me, Your Majesty.”
Shen Xihe spoke with utmost sincerity, showing both regret and self-reproach.
Several ministers in the hall had arrived just after Shen Xihe, coming to discuss matters with His Majesty. He had decided to see Shen Xihe first to avoid keeping her waiting.
Hearing Shen Xihe’s words, these ministers frowned instinctively. According to Shen Xihe, this female official didn’t know her place – merely being punished, even if somewhat severely, she dared to threaten her master by crashing into a pillar!
If every servant behaved this way, wouldn’t it destroy proper etiquette?
“Guards, go to the Princess’s residence and bring Sun and Qian here!” Emperor Youning commanded with a stern face.
Sun and Qian were sent by him; their behavior was losing his face!
Of course, Shen Xihe knew that His Majesty hadn’t believed her words; he wanted a face-to-face confrontation.
Soon the two were awakened and brought to the great hall, both looking haggard.
Emperor Youning immediately burst out: “How dare you deceive your master! Regardless of severity, the Princess’s punishment is a blessing. Kneeling for one night and you crash into a pillar – where did you learn such behavior? Relying on being sent by me to serve the Princess, you think you deserve more respect than your master?”
Only then did Lady Sun realize that Shen Xihe had accused them first. She quickly defended herself: “Your Majesty, please hear me out. This servant never disrespected the Princess. I crashed into the pillar because the Princess broke an imperial gift but claimed I broke it. To prove my innocence, I had no choice but to demonstrate my sincerity through death.”
Hearing this, Emperor Youning and several ministers all looked at Shen Xihe.
Anger appeared on Shen Xihe’s face: “Your Majesty, how did someone who makes such wild accusations become a palace female official? Does Your Majesty intend for someone of such poor character, full of lies, deflecting blame, and making accusations, to serve Zhaoning? Is Zhaoning only worthy of associating with such people in Your Majesty’s eyes? Or is Your Majesty using this to humiliate Zhaoning?”
She spoke each word deliberately, publicly criticizing His Majesty.
Especially after she had people bring the imperial jade ruyi completely intact, Lady Sun’s face turned ashen, and Emperor Youning was thoroughly humiliated.