"Crack!"
The tea bowl shattered.
Princess Consort De fell to her knees with a "thump," her face pale as snow, trembling and unable to form a complete sentence.
Noble Lady Ying was also scared into kneeling, not daring to speak.
The loud noise startled the Empress Dowager, Beauty Qing, Noble Lady Jing, and others who had just arrived at Luaxin Pavilion, crowding the small courtyard almost to full capacity.
Beauty Qing lowered her eyes, and no one could see the true emotions hidden within them.
She heard the noise clearly; though she was too far away to hear what the Emperor said, she could distinguish the Emperor’s voice.
The Emperor’s arrival so early was beyond her expectations.
Yet it was better for Li Yuyu’s misdeed to be caught by the Emperor rather than the Empress Dowager; it was heaven’s help to her.
The cries in the courtyard had gradually ceased. After the last stroke of the rod, it was unknown if the few eunuchs and matrons had any breath left as they were carried away.
"Empress Dowager, please take it slow."
Beauty Qing pretended not to notice the faint scent of blood in the courtyard, softly reminding the Empress Dowager as she helped her over the high threshold.
"Mother, why have you come at this hour?" Yan Xiu hurriedly rose from his chair, took a few steps to meet them, lightly supporting the Empress Dowager’s other hand, and spoke in a grave tone.
He glanced at Beauty Qing; though his phoenix eyes held no deeper meaning, it still made Beauty Qing’s heart tremble slightly.
"I heard the commotion in the palace, such a ruckus, what is this all about?" the Empress Dowager said, seemingly not noticing the porcelain shards that hadn’t been cleaned up, sitting down after reaching the main seat and slapping the table.
"Mother, calm your anger," Yan Xiu said gravely.
"Empress Dowager, calm your anger. Your Majesty, calm your anger." Everyone knelt and kowtowed.
Beauty Qing also knelt on the ground.
"Rise," the Empress Dowager said softly.
Everyone stood up, but there were still pieces of broken porcelain by Princess Consort De’s feet, and she dared not rise.
Since Princess Consort De didn’t rise, Noble Lady Ying naturally didn’t dare to stand up, and the many servants they brought continued to kneel.
"Princess Consort De, the Empress Dowager has told you to rise, you should get up," Beauty Qing said gently, bending down as if to help Princess Consort De to her feet.
Princess Consort De instinctively looked up at the Emperor.
Beauty Qing also looked over accordingly: "Your Majesty, shall I have someone clean this up?"
Yan Xiu remained silent.
Beauty Qing assumed Yan Xiu consented and had Shui Bai come over to tidy up.
"Your Majesty, what is this place?" the Empress Dowager asked in confusion. "Where is Lady Li?"
Could it be that Man’er led people to Luaxin Pavilion to beat Lady Li’s people?
Thinking of the wailing they heard near Luaxin Pavilion, both male and female, if Man’er really dared to beat the people of Luaxin Pavilion, given Lady Li’s temper, it would surely escalate, and the Emperor being so angry with Man’er would be easily explained.
"Empress Dowager, I am here."
Li Yuyu, who had been absent for a long time, appeared wearing a light purple dress, a faint smile on her beautiful face.
With Hua Yin’s support, she walked straight through the main hall, kneeling before Yan Xiu and the Empress Dowager, performing a grand ceremony: "This concubine, Lady Li, pays respects to Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager."
This...
The Empress Dowager had rarely seen Lady Li before but knew that she was arrogant and capricious, rarely performing such formal kneeling, let alone such a deep bowing ceremony?
In recent days, whenever the Empress Dowager summoned Lady Li, she would always have a smiling and adorable demeanor, showing an endearing smile after a few words of conversation, very lovely, unlike today’s...
The Empress Dowager felt as if her whole being was unsettled.