A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 756 - 755: Punishment
He was peculiarly clever and smart.
Even at such a young age, he was like a little adult.
He could see through the essence of things in an instant, which greatly delighted Zhao Junyao.
He declared, "Just like me when I was his age!" Hearing this, Xia Ruqing rolled her eyes inwardly. Emperor, if you want to praise yourself, just do it directly. Your servant is certainly willing to flatter, so why boost yourself in such a manner!
Just as she thought this, Little Bun tugged at her sleeve again.
"Mother! Were you and Father Emperor kissing?"
Xia Ruqing’s face immediately turned an embarrassed red.
"Little child, don’t talk nonsense!"
"My... lips are uncomfortable!" Xia Ruqing stammered out an excuse.
Little Bun immediately fell silent, casting a disdainful glance at Xia Ruqing.
"Mother, if you’re going to make up a reason, at least make it a convincing one!"
Xia Ruqing felt even more embarrassed.
"Zhao Qichen!"
Little Bun sensed that the situation was going south and promptly made his escape.
"Mother, this son... this son takes his leave!"
"You should take good care of your lips!"
With that, he ran out of her bedroom and shouted toward the side chamber, "Sister Huang! Sister Huang, it’s time to go to the study room!"
Sister Huang replied, hurrying out from inside with all the things the Little Prince needed in her hands, and entered Xia Ruqing’s bedroom.
"Your Highness!"
Xia Ruqing’s expression had returned to normal. After coughing twice to mask her embarrassment, she smiled.
"Sister, you’ve worked hard. You should hurry along now, don’t delay the Shi Chen!"
Sister Huang acknowledged and quickly withdrew.
Watching the retreating figures of Little Bun, Sister Huang, and the others, Xia Ruqing felt rather melancholic.
She stared somewhat despondently at the little rocking cradle. There are still two inside! If they turn out to be as mischievous, what shall I do? Tell me, why couldn’t they be two little girls? I truly long for little cotton-padded jackets! If I were to have another princess, then there would be three brothers to dote on her, and, of course, myself and the Emperor. Five dearly beloveds to protect her, how blessed my daughter would be! No one in the world would dare to bully her, right?
As she pondered, an unusual tenderness filled her face, and her lips curved into a foolish smile.
Zi Yue walked in and was startled. "Your Highness, what’s wrong with you?" That smile on your face... why does it seem somewhat off?
Xia Ruqing quickly dismissed her smile.
"COUGH! It’s nothing!"
"Zi Yue, how is the investigation at the Punishment Department going?"
Zi Yue laughed.
"Your Highness, you have no idea how badly Hong Hui was beaten!"
"She’s remarkably resilient, refusing to say a word!"
"Ah?"
「Meanwhile, at the Punishment Department.」
Even after Zi Yue left, the torture continued.
Li Shengan personally supervised.
Hong Hui was beaten to within an inch of her life but still confessed to nothing.
The members of the Punishment Department began to take turns using various torture devices.
Wei Sheng, standing behind Li Shengan, said, "It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone so unyielding. What benefits could she have been promised to make her so devoted!"
Unfortunately, this remark inadvertently reached Hong Hui’s ears.
Her face covered in blood, she gritted her teeth and said, "No one told me to do this! I acted alone in all these matters. The Noble Concubine knows nothing! It’s all my fault; if you want to kill or dismember me, just do it!"
Upon hearing this, Wei Sheng gasped.
"This kind of case is the most troublesome. How about..." He leaned close to Li Shengan and whispered, "How about we report to the Emperor and have her beaten to death!"
"Anyway, beating her further will be a death sentence!"
Li Shengan nodded after hearing this.
He didn’t dare delay and hurried to report to the Emperor.
As expected, the Emperor uttered just one phrase: "Condemn her to death!"
But the method of death prescribed by the Emperor was somewhat peculiar.
The order was to gather all the Palace Maids and eunuchs from the Harem. Then, on the vast open ground in front of Xifu Palace, an execution ground was set up!
Afterward, in front of everyone, Hong Hui was subjected to all sorts of cruel punishments by the Punishment Department.
By the end, her body was no longer whole but a bloody, indistinguishable mess.
Everyone inhaled sharply.
The breeze, carrying a tinge of blood, infiltrated everyone’s nostrils, piercing straight to the crowns of their heads.
Those who witnessed the entire process were so shaken by the scene before them and the preceding events that they were rendered speechless.
Each of them felt their legs trembling uncontrollably.
Wei Sheng didn’t say anything more. He instructed a Little Eunuch to dispose of the corpse and then left.
Without evidence, he couldn’t do anything to Noble Concubine Shih!
Li Shengan didn’t leave. Standing in place, he looked around and said with a cold sneer, "All of you have heard and seen! The Emperor decrees that from now on, anyone who harbors ill intentions will meet a fate even worse than this! And don’t think denying it will save you! If you’ve done wrong, whether you confess or not, you will die!"
At this moment, everyone was scared witless.
Whatever Li Shengan said, they would heed, mechanically nodding their heads with expressionless faces.
"Your servants thank Eunuch Li for the guidance!"
Seeing this was sufficient, Li Shengan led his people away.
In the end, the large group departed.
Only the members of the Punishment Department stayed behind to clean up the execution tools.
Hong Hui’s body was discarded at the Mass Burial Mound.
Her clothes were tattered, not even a scrap left to cover her modesty.
For a young woman, such a death was a profound dishonor.
But what of it? In the end, she brought it upon herself!
Considering she had harmed Consort Xian, this outcome was actually quite merciful. After all, her family wasn’t implicated, were they?
Li Shengan went to Zhaochen Palace to report back.
Zhao Junyao just nodded. "Not bad! You may leave. Oh, and have someone watch Noble Concubine Shih’s movements. Don’t let her do anything outrageous!"
"Yes!"
Li Shengan bowed respectfully.
He turned and dispatched a Little Eunuch to keep watch outside Xifu Palace.
「Inside Xifu Palace.」
After Noble Concubine Shih returned, she first had a long, bitter cry, and then fell ill.
"Ying Qiu, the Emperor is deliberately trying to revolt me! He’s trying to disgust me!"
"To have my servant beaten in front of everyone, he’s slapping my face!"
Ying Qiu hurried to comfort her.
"This is not your fault, Your Highness. It was also that maid Hong Hui’s own incompetence! She didn’t even realize she was being schemed against, truly bringing shame upon our Xifu Palace!"
"Don’t be saddened, Your Highness. Let’s just consider that we’ve lost a Palace Maid!"
Noble Concubine Shih, her eyes red from crying, stared straight ahead and said viciously, "Just lost a Palace Maid? Poor Hong Hui, she was so loyal!"
"It’s all because of that wretch Xia Ruqing!"
"She must have tattled to the Emperor; otherwise, how could he have known!"
"She was waiting for an opportunity to get even!"
Now things were just great; she’d suffered a double loss for her efforts. She hadn’t managed to cause Xia Ruqing any health problems during her confinement; instead, her own Palace Maid had paid with her life!
Ying Qiu didn’t dare to offer more comfort. At this crucial juncture, if the Noble Concubine considered seeking revenge again and the Emperor found out, even she herself would be in danger. In truth, the Emperor might not have been unaware of this matter! But...
"Alas! Your Highness, let us first focus on recuperating. The days ahead are long!"
"Ruining your health over this wouldn’t be worth it!" Ying Qiu said, helping her calm down.
Noble Concubine Shih took a few deep breaths and finally eased up.
"Fine!"
"I will nurse myself back to health. With authority over the Six Palaces in my hands, I refuse to believe I won’t find a chance to deal with her!"
