A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 719: Please Come Back Soon

The Empress Dowager looked at Noble Concubine Shih, a troubled expression on her face.

"The Noble Consort was also thinking of the Harem..."

"Thinking of the Harem?"

Before the Empress Dowager could finish, Xia Ruqing coldly interrupted her.

"Thinking of the Harem allows one to frame people at will? To arbitrarily incite trouble and sling mud at others?"

"So, should I also find a few little eunuchs, under the guise of what’s best for the Harem, and turn Noble Consort’s Xifu Palace upside down with a search?!"

"You dare?!"

Noble Concubine Shih glared at her furiously.

"Who do you think you are to dare search my palace!"

The Empress Dowager gave Noble Concubine Shih a stern look.

"Wanxin! Hold your tongue!"

"Mother!"

Shih Wanxin was extremely reluctant.

Xia Ruqing gave another cold laugh.

"Publicly insulting concubines is an even graver offense. Empress Dowager, how much longer do you intend to shield her?"

Before the Empress Dowager could speak, Noble Concubine Shih erupted in anger.

"Xia Ruqing, don’t go too far!"

Xia Ruqing almost laughed upon hearing this.

"I’m going too far? HAHA!"

"Noble Consort, you brought a group of people to accuse me without evidence, ransacked my Qingya Residence, and now you openly insult me in front of so many people!"

"Between the two of us, who is really going too far?"

Noble Concubine Shih was seething with uncontrollable anger.

"You...!"

Xia Ruqing looked at the Empress Dowager with a sneer.

"Is this how you make decisions, Empress Dowager? Who was it that insisted on following the rules to the letter before?"

"If the Empress Dowager wishes to protect her, that’s not impossible!"

"After all, you are the Emperor’s mother. Having lived in the palace for decades, you are highly respected and adored. I can certainly grant you this much deference!"

"Just say the word, and I will let this matter drop!"

This statement was clearly a provocation. The Empress Dowager was the mother of the Emperor, the mother of the nation. She had painstakingly maintained an image of virtue and decency her entire life and would certainly not allow it to be tarnished by this trifling matter.

As expected, upon hearing these words, the Empress Dowager began to waver.

She glared furiously at the Noble Consort.

"You worthless thing! Go and apologize to Consort Xian this instant!"

Perhaps with a little more effort, she could avoid being sent to the Punishment Department to be caned. Although dozens of strikes wouldn’t claim her life, if she were truly beaten, how would the Noble Consort maintain her standing afterward?

Noble Concubine Shih was utterly shocked.

"Mother!"

"Go now!"

Noble Concubine Shih saw that the Empress Dowager was resolute and unwavering. Looking around the courtyard, which was in disarray, she realized that a reversal was hopeless. She moved over, teeth clenched, and reluctantly said, "It was I who believed the lies of the servants and misunderstood Consort Xian. When I return, I will surely punish those gossiping palace attendants. I ask Consort Xian for forgiveness!"

Xia Ruqing looked at the Noble Consort with contempt and said nothing, though her heart was filled with sarcasm.

Heh, even now, the Noble Consort is still trying to push the blame onto others! Doesn’t she have any shame at all? Forgive someone like her? Not a chance!

Just as she was about to speak, the Empress Dowager also came forward to intercede.

"Consort Xian, just let it go this once!"

"The Noble Consort is still in charge of The Six Palaces. If she were to be punished in the Punishment Department, who would manage the Harem? And how would she maintain her standing in the palace then?"

Xia Ruqing looked at the Empress Dowager in utter disbelief.

"You are mistaken, Empress Dowager!"

"When you led people to raid my Qingya Residence, you didn’t consider how I would maintain my own standing in the palace afterward!"

"Empress Dowager, please handle this according to palace regulations; otherwise, I am prepared to die here today!"

She had said it before; she was prepared to face death. Perhaps she could even find a way to return to her own world. But it was different for the Empress Dowager and the Noble Consort. The Shih family, aunt and niece, conspiring together to orchestrate the death of the Emperor’s Favored Consort and plot against two unborn imperial heirs in broad daylight—if such news got out, the Shih family would be finished.

The Empress Dowager glared furiously.

"What a Consort Xian you are!"

Xia Ruqing advanced calmly.

"This concubine wouldn’t dare."

"Wouldn’t dare? HMPH!" the Empress Dowager scoffed coldly.

"Very well. Since you insist on following palace rules, then we shall proceed according to palace rules!"

"But I must warn you, Consort Xian."

"In the future, everyone in your Qingya Residence had better not break any rules, otherwise..."

The Empress Dowager trailed off, then gave an order.

"Attendants! Tie up the Noble Consort and take her to the Punishment Department. Administer thirty strokes of the cane, confine her for a hundred days, and withhold half a year’s salary!"

"Yes!"

Having said this, the Empress Dowager left without looking back.

A few Old Sisters stepped forward to tie up the Noble Consort.

Noble Consort Shih was terrified, her face drained of color.

"Mother! Mother!"

Xia Ruqing stepped forward with a satisfied smile to pay her respects.

"This concubine respectfully sees off the Empress Dowager!"

Noble Consort Shih was led away by several Old Sisters.

As she left, she glared fiercely at Xia Ruqing.

"Lady Xia, don’t be smug! You’d better hope you don’t fall into my hands!"

"You had better not..."

Xia Ruqing smiled and stepped forward a few paces.

"This concubine will heed the Noble Consort’s teachings and will certainly abide by the rules in the future!"

"Besides, with the Noble Consort personally demonstrating the consequences of breaking rules, this concubine is terrified just watching. How could I possibly dare to break them?"

Noble Consort Shih was so angry she could have spat blood!

Xia Ruqing personally escorted her to the gates of Qingya Residence, then turned around.

BANG. She slammed the grand doors shut.

It was as if she had just swept a pile of trash out the door. Utterly disdainful!

「On that day,」 Noble Consort Shih was beaten at the Punishment Department.

The Punishment Department was staffed entirely by the Emperor’s people, especially the head eunuch, Wei Sheng. He always wore a stern expression and was as unyielding as stone. Sister Qing pleaded to no avail and could only have someone take a hefty sum of silver to bribe the little eunuchs carrying out the execution.

Unfortunately, it had little effect, as no one dared to accept it.

In the end, Noble Consort Shih had to endure the full thirty heavy strokes.

Word was that when she was sent back to Xifu Palace, she was unconscious. Her back and buttocks were covered in vast patches of blood, a mangled, gory mess.

Upon hearing Xiao Xizi’s report, Xia Ruqing’s expression remained indifferent, without a hint of sympathy. Yet, contrary to what one might expect, she didn’t feel elated; instead, a tinge of worry surfaced.

"I’m afraid the Noble Consort and I have become sworn enemies from this day forward. You all must be cautious!"

Zi Su was overjoyed.

"Rest assured, My Lady! We won’t concede without a fight! This servant would rather die than yield!"

Xia Ruqing gave her a slow, deliberate stare.

"You still have the nerve to say that? If Zi Yue hadn’t held you back, who knows where you’d be by now!"

"Your straightforward nature is refreshing, true, but it can also be a problem..."

Zi Su scratched her head sheepishly.

"My Lady! I just can’t stand to see you being wronged. I know I was wrong!"

Zi Yue also chimed in to persuade her.

"You! Try to be less impulsive in the future!"

"Don’t cause trouble for Her Ladyship!"

Zi Su tugged at her arm.

"I understand, Sister Zi Yue! I’ll be sure to take my cues from you from now on!"

Zi Yue looked at her and shook her head helplessly.

Xia Ruqing didn’t say anything more.

"Chenchen will be back soon," she said. "Quickly tidy things up, and don’t let him see this mess!"

Zi Yue, Zi Su, and the others promptly agreed and went out.

Xia Ruqing reclined on the couch, feeling weary. She had no desire to read, to get up, or to do anything at all.

She just lay there, thinking of the Emperor, thinking of Zhao Junyao.

If only you were here, how wonderful that would be! Without you, if I show even the slightest weakness, they would devour me alive! Zhao Junyao, please come back soon!