"Was the person truly taken away by His Majesty?" Biyu had initially held onto a sliver of hope, but now she was utterly dejected. Once someone fell into His Majesty's hands, there was no way to snatch them back.
"Your Highness, as a palace dancer who faked her death and escaped, will His Majesty punish her?" Hongyu felt that as long as Bian Xianyi died, it would at least ease the hatred in their hearts.
"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 slightly. "Bian Xianyi is clever and already considered dead—isn't she perfect for His Majesty's use?"
If His Majesty intended to punish Bian Xianyi, he wouldn't have had her secretly taken away. By now, news of Bian Xianyi's resurrection should be known throughout the palace and beyond.
"Your Highness, let us go directly to the palace and demand her from His Majesty!" Ziyu was furious. When had their mistress ever suffered such humiliation?
Shen Xihe, who had been somewhat displeased, was inexplicably amused by Ziyu's righteous indignation. She smiled faintly. "No need. I will make Bian Xianyi come to us herself."
Everyone looked at Shen Xihe with admiration. In their eyes, the princess was omnipotent!
"Mo Yuan, find a corpse to disguise as A Xi. Since Bian Xianyi turned herself into a dead person, I'll turn her accomplice into one too. When she learns that A Xi is in my hands, she will walk right into the trap."
Only by having A Xi 'die' once would there be no one to report her missing, allowing Shen Xihe to keep her indefinitely without implicating Cui Jinbai.
"Your Highness, will she really come?" Biyu despised Bian Xianyi immensely. How could such a vile person have any conscience?
"Yes." Shen Xihe was certain.
Bian Xianyi would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. She lacked sympathy and conscience for the innocent, but she placed great importance on debts of gratitude.
A Xi had fallen into Shen Xihe's hands because of her. Once Bian Xianyi learned of this, she would inevitably try to rescue her.
If the princess said she would come, then she would definitely come!
Everyone carried out Shen Xihe's instructions. After running back and forth to the medicinal garden, Shen Xihe was exhausted. By 4 p.m., she had a quick evening meal and retired early.
When she woke in the morning, Biyu softly reminded her, "Your Highness, the two Female Historians 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 did they dare make decisions on her behalf. Thus, the two Female Historians had knelt all night.
"Hmm." Shen Xihe responded indifferently, then continued dressing. After her morning meal, she returned to her chamber to style her hair and apply makeup. "Go and summon them in."
"As you wish."
"Hongyu, fetch that jade ruyi scepter," Shen Xihe instructed further.
Soon, two junior maids helped the two Female Historians, Sun and Qian, inside. Advanced in years and having knelt all night, their faces were pale and ashen.
"Greetings, Your Highness." The two Female Historians, usually exemplary in palace etiquette, now performed their bows unsteadily.
Shen Xihe paid no mind, lightly raising her hand to signal they need not stand on ceremony. She then left them to wait aside as Hongyu applied her makeup.
By the time her toilette was complete, Female Historian Qian could no longer hold on and collapsed. Female Historian Sun, though deathly pale, forced herself to remain upright.
Shen Xihe, leaning on Biyu's arm, stood up. Taking the jade ruyi scepter that Hongyu had fetched from Ziyu, she asked Female Historian Sun, "Female Historian Sun, do you recognize this object?"
Shen Xihe deliberately turned the jade ruyi in her hand, allowing the imperial inscription to flash before Female Historian Sun's eyes. Struggling against her discomfort, Sun replied, "This is an object bestowed by the emperor.""Historian Sun, you have a keen eye." Shen Xihe praised, raising the jade ruyi in her hand with a chilling smile flickering in her eyes. "Historian Sun, do you know the penalty for damaging an imperial gift?"
Historian Sun's gaze sharpened, staring at Shen Xihe in panic as the latter slowly loosened her fingers under her terrified gaze.
With a crisp crack, the exquisite jade ruyi carved from premium jade shattered into several pieces.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Shen Xihe's lips: "If I say you broke it, do you think His Majesty would believe me or you?"
Historian Sun's hands and feet turned icy cold. Shen Xihe chuckled lightly: "Biyu, tie her up and accompany me to the palace to seek punishment from His Majesty."
Just two steps after Shen Xihe's order, before Biyu could approach, Historian Sun gritted her teeth and threw herself against a nearby pillar.
The impact was neither light nor heavy. She glanced back at Shen Xihe before fainting.
Shen Xihe looked down: "Summon Doctor Qi to treat her. Clean up this place. Hongyu and Moyu, accompany me to the palace."
Shen Xihe entered the palace to request an audience with the Youning Emperor. After paying respects, she said: "Your Majesty, Zhaoning has come today to seek punishment."
"Oh? How novel. What offense has Zhaoning committed?" the Youning Emperor asked with a smile.
"Yesterday, the female historians Your Majesty assigned to Zhaoning offended me with their words. Being quick-tempered, I punished them by kneeling. Later, feeling fatigued, I retired early and forgot about the matter."
"As Zhaoning has been unwell recently and finally managed to sleep soundly, my maids dared not disturb me. This caused the two historians to kneel overnight. Unexpectedly, Historian Sun claimed Zhaoning intentionally humiliated her and, unable to bear the shame, threw herself against a pillar in the manor. Zhaoning has overstepped boundaries and begs Your Majesty to impose punishment."
Shen Xihe spoke with utmost sincerity, full of remorse and self-reproach.
Several ministers who had come to discuss matters with the Emperor arrived shortly after Shen Xihe. Before their discussion began, the Youning Emperor decided to see Shen Xihe first to prevent her from waiting long.
Hearing Shen Xihe's account, the ministers instinctively frowned. According to her words, this historian showed no respect for hierarchy—merely receiving punishment, even if slightly excessive, yet daring to threaten her mistress by throwing herself against a pillar!
If every servant acted this way, wouldn't it disrupt all order and etiquette?
"Guards! Go to the Princess Manor and bring Historians Sun and Qian here!" the Youning Emperor commanded with a darkened expression.
He had sent these two women himself. Their behavior was an embarrassment to him!
Of course, Shen Xihe knew the Emperor didn't believe her story—this was to confront them directly.
Soon, the two were revived and brought to the hall, both looking haggard.
The Youning Emperor immediately rebuked them: "How dare you deceive your mistress? Whether the Princess's punishment is light or severe, it is always an honor. Kneeling for one night warrants throwing yourself against a pillar? Where did you learn such rules? Do you think because I sent you to serve the Princess, you are nobler than your mistress?"
Only then did Historian Sun realize Shen Xihe had falsely accused her first. She hurriedly defended herself: "Your Majesty, please hear me. This servant never showed disrespect to the Princess. I threw myself against the pillar because the Princess shattered an imperial gift but falsely accused me of breaking it. To prove my innocence, I had no choice but to stake my life to clear my name."
Upon hearing this, the Youning Emperor and the several ministers all turned their gaze to Shen Xihe.Shen Xihe's face flushed with faint anger: "Your Majesty, how did such a slanderous person become a Female Historian in the palace? Does Your Majesty intend to have someone of such improper conduct, full of nonsense and excuses, serve Zhaoning? Does Your Majesty consider Zhaoning only fit to associate with such people? Or is Your Majesty using this to humiliate Zhaoning?"
She accused His Majesty point by point before everyone.
Especially after she had someone retrieve the jade ruyi bestowed by the emperor completely intact, the Female Historian Sun turned ashen-faced, and the Youning Emperor was utterly disgraced.
OpenNovel