This sudden incident caused Yang Qingning to lose her composure momentarily. She stared in shock at Jingyang’s pink-purple dress, now covered in crimson bloodstains.

Several flower petals had fallen onto Jingyang’s body, and precisely where these petals had landed, blood continued to seep out.

“Quick, summon the Imperial Physicians!” Yang Qingning, having recovered her senses, shouted at the nearby eunuchs and palace maids.

She then looked toward Mu Yunjin’s group, fury in her eyes. “Guards, arrest these people and take them to the imperial prison!”

As she finished speaking, a wave of guards suddenly appeared, surrounding Mu Yunjin and her companions.

Mu Yunjin pressed her lips together and frowned. She was somewhat surprised by what had just happened. She never expected the three people beside her would, without any hesitation, attack because Jingyang called her a bastard.

But now the situation seemed impossible to resolve. Jingyang was, after all, Bei Tang Wenfeng’s daughter. Now that she was in this state, the most displeased would probably be Bei Tang Wenfeng.

Seeing several guards gradually closing in on them, Mu Yunjin gritted her teeth.

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. They certainly couldn’t go to the imperial prison!

Thinking this, she raised the unique and supreme token high in her hand, her voice carrying a hint of coldness: “The token is here! To see the token is to see His Majesty! Do you intend to imprison the Emperor himself?”

Huang Yan and Hua Ying had prepared for a bloodbath, but at Mu Yunjin’s shout, they immediately withdrew, looking at her, awaiting her orders.

When Yang Qingning heard Mu Yunjin’s words, she felt as if blood was congesting in her chest. Her face reddened with anger, and her delicate fingers trembled as she pointed at Mu Yunjin, her voice squeezing out between her teeth: “You, you lowly maid, how dare you be so arrogant? Not kneeling before me is one thing, but daring to harm my Jingyang? Fine! Just fine!”

“This token belongs to Madam Qing, which surely has nothing to do with a mere maid like you!”

She swung her hand fiercely, her eyes glaring at Mu Yunjin: “Guards! Take this insolent maid to the imperial prison! For her audacity in harming Princess Jingyang, even a thousand beheadings would not suffice!”

Hearing this, Mu Yunjin silently slapped her forehead in frustration.

A strategic error! She had uttered a statement with a loophole, allowing Yang Qingning to find a pretext to punish her.

There was only one token, and naturally, it could protect only one person.

As the guards stepped forward, Jiang Qingxue also took a step forward, shielding Mu Yunjin behind her.

With a cold expression, she slightly raised her chin. Though not dressed as luxuriously or gorgeously as the Empress before her, her natural bearing and that devastatingly beautiful face completely overshadowed the Empress.

She slightly curled her lips into a smile, her expression pleasant, but the cold light in her eyes made people tremble involuntarily. She said: “Your Majesty, the Empress, I will discipline my maid. I ask Your Majesty to calm your anger.”

“You!” Yang Qingning’s hand at her side suddenly clenched tight. “Does this Empress need your permission to discipline a maid?”

Hmph, just because she had a face resembling the Holy Maiden of South Ting Country, she thought she could truly overstep and ignore the existence of the Empress? How utterly ridiculous!

“I wouldn’t dare, it’s just…” Before Jiang Qingxue could finish her words, she heard a shrill call from a eunuch not far away—

“His Majesty the Emperor arrives—”

It was the voice of Su Xin, the head eunuch by Bei Tang Wenfeng’s side.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, caught a glimpse of imperial yellow, and dared not look up more closely. Those who should kneel knelt, those who should bow their heads did so.

Greetings to His Majesty. Long live His Majesty, long live!”

They spoke in unison.

Princess Jingyang had not yet been taken away for treatment. Her wounds caused her to weep continuously. When she heard that Bei Tang Wenfeng had arrived, the tears flowed even faster down her face.

With tear-filled eyes, she looked up at Bei Tang Wenfeng, appearing deeply wronged, and said in a heavy sob: “Father Emperor… Jingyang hurts so much…”

Mu Yunjin lifted her eyelids slightly, glancing at her.

Yes, she should be in pain. If she weren’t in pain, Huang Yan and Hua Ying would probably give her another blow to teach her the meaning of the word “pain.”

What a fine young flower in her prime. Why did she have to provoke others?

Of course, “others” didn’t include herself.

She was so magnanimous that she would reluctantly not hold a grudge against a little kid who hadn’t even fully matured.

Ahem, who was it just now who almost lashed out? Now she had the nerve to call herself magnanimous.

Yang Qingning’s eyes also reddened, with glittering tears. She felt utterly aggrieved, looking at Princess Jingyang covered in fresh blood, her voice full of guilt and heartache: “Jingyang… be good, Jingyang, be good…”

She turned to look at Bei Tang Wenfeng, “Your Majesty, these people injured our Jingyang. I ordered their arrest, but they resisted! They’ve truly gone too far!”

“Qingning, first take Jingyang away for treatment.” One would have expected Bei Tang Wenfeng to be furious, as Jingyang was his most beloved princess, but surprisingly, he merely said this simple sentence.

Yang Qingning was stunned for a moment, and after a while, she said: “Your Majesty…”

She wanted to say more, but Bei Tang Wenfeng cut her off, shouting: “Someone, quickly take Jingyang back to her room for treatment. If anything happens to Jingyang, I will have you all put to death!”

Instantly, the nervously arriving imperial physicians trembled and knelt in a flurry: “We will do our utmost to heal Princess Jingyang and not fail Your Majesty’s expectations.”

Bei Tang Wenfeng swept a cold glance over those physicians, “Then go quickly!”

“Yes!”

The maids around Princess Jingyang quickly came forward, supporting Jingyang together, and left with a large group of imperial physicians.

Princess Jingyang anxiously looked back at Yang Qingning: “Mother Empress…”

Although the wounds on her body hurt so much that tears kept falling, she still wanted to stay and see how her father would punish this vixen and those arrogant servants!

Being her daughter, Yang Qingning naturally saw through her thoughts. She merely raised her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, and gave her a knowing look, silently saying: Don’t worry, Jingyang, Mother will make sure justice is served for you!

Only then did Princess Jingyang leave, sobbing.

Jiang Qingxue raised her eyes to look at Bei Tang Wenfeng, slightly bending her knees, and said softly: “Your Majesty, it was not our intention to harm Princess Jingyang.”

Her calm tone carried an unmistakable pride that would not tolerate any slander.

Bei Tang Wenfeng turned to gaze at her, his voice unwittingly softening. He said: “Let’s go inside the hall first.”

Yang Qingning, who was about to report Mu Yunjin and others’ crimes to him, was stunned again upon hearing this.

But quickly, she came to her senses.

Indeed, they were still in the corridor. If word spread and was heard by the other concubines in the harem, they would probably laugh behind her back that the dignified Empress needed to quarrel with a newly arrived Madam Qing in the corridor.

Yes, she was the Empress!

No matter what, she was the Empress! So what if she looked like the Holy Maiden of South Ting Country? Would His Majesty depose her as Empress?

Yang Qingning lowered her eyes, concealing her thoughts, and bent slightly toward Bei Tang Wenfeng: “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Bei Tang Wenfeng swept his robe and turned to walk toward the hall.

After a few steps, he stopped again, looking sideways at Yang Qingning: “If nothing’s wrong, don’t randomly call for guards. Too many people make my eyes dizzy.”

Yang Qingning’s entire body trembled, and she immediately halted her steps.

She froze her expression, her eyes looking at him in disbelief.

“Nothing wrong”? “Randomly”?

Their Princess Jingyang had been injured by several servants. What was wrong with her calling guards to take them to the imperial prison? Yet he said, “If nothing’s wrong, don’t randomly call for guards”?

A maid beside her suddenly stepped forward, leaning close to her ear, and reminded her in a low voice: “Your Majesty, the Emperor has walked far ahead…”

Yang Qingning suddenly came to her senses, only to find that at some point, Bei Tang Wenfeng, along with Madam Qing and those servants, had left her, the Empress, far behind.

She hurriedly quickened her pace to catch up, with no time to ponder the deeper meaning in Bei Tang Wenfeng’s words.

As she walked quickly, she glared fiercely at the maid: “You waited until now to remind me!”

“Your Majesty, this servant deserves death.” The maid hurriedly bowed her head in admission of guilt. If the Empress hadn’t been lost in thought, she wouldn’t have dared to interrupt her.

Up ahead.

Mu Yunjin stayed close to Jiang Qingxue’s side. She observed Bei Tang Wenfeng while thinking.

They had so casually injured his Princess Jingyang, causing so much bleeding. She wondered how he would punish them later.

The imperial prison was probably out of the question, but for other punishments, it was hard to say.

Huang Yan suddenly moved a couple of steps forward and said in a low voice: “Princess, don’t worry. You still have me and Hua Ying to protect you. If there’s punishment, let it fall on us.”

Mu Yunjin glanced at him sideways: Who said I’m afraid? I, Mu Yunjin, fear neither heaven nor earth!

Huang Yan silently retreated.

Yes, their Princess was indeed formidable and had great backbone!

It was all because of their Prince, who had indulged the Princess’s formidable nature and backbone to the heavens. Now, even on someone else’s territory, her momentum remained undiminished!

Jiang Qingxue gently took Mu Yunjin’s hand, stroking the back of it, silently indicating that she need not worry.

The group entered the hall with a grand procession.

Bei Tang Wenfeng sat in the highest position in the hall. He slowly raised his hand: “Sit.”

Yang Qingning sat to the lower left, Jiang Qingxue to the lower right, and Mu Yunjin, Huang Yan, and Hua Ying stood behind Jiang Qingxue.

As soon as her backside touched the soft cushion, Yang Qingning immediately began to wipe her tears and sob: “Your Majesty… this Madam Qing, I know Your Majesty is very fond of her. I’m not trying to find fault with Madam Qing. It’s just that we happened to meet in the corridor, and our Jingyang is still young, doesn’t understand many things, and has an impulsive nature. She only said a few words, and… and Madam Qing’s maid injured her so severely! That blood… stained my hands… Your Majesty, our Jingyang has never suffered such grievances, such injuries!”

Mu Yunjin’s lips curled into a smile as she slightly raised her eyebrow.