Chapter 129: Taunting

Chapter 129: Taunting

She wondered if she would die of this disease due to the backward medical practices in ancient times.

However, if she did die of illness, it wouldn't matter.

But she tried to call out to the Emperor in her heart.

She thought, perhaps the Emperor heard it? It seemed like a reasonable opportunity to play the victim?

So, He Jinli stood there and saw the woman on the couch's lips moving.

After watching for a while, he discerned that she was calling him.

He felt a twinge in his heart and walked over. He took her burning hand.

The Empress was right; He Jinli indeed didn't think there was anything wrong with Yunli's retaliation against Li Baolin.

The woman was trying to take her to death; wasn't her counterattack normal?

However, He Jinli also didn't consider that, actually, two years ago, he wouldn't have had this mindset. And if it were someone else, he wouldn't have.

But Yunli...

Yunli had always been retaliatory, especially against Li Baolin.

So the Emperor found it very reasonable.

But He Jinli's thoughts were not shared by the women in the harem.

After all, at that time, Yunli couldn't even stand steady, her determination was genuine. If it weren't for the eunuch's intervention, Li Baolin might have been stabbed to death.

After all, Yunli's strike was aimed at the neck.

If His Majesty doesn't punish her severely, who will dare to provoke her in the future?

Even the noble concubines are in a panic.

Most people didn't think in that direction; you were the victim if you were pulled into the lake.

Can't you cry to His Majesty? With the evidence, Li Baolin can't escape punishment either.

Plead with His Majesty, cry, show your vulnerability, isn't that better?

How could one resort to killing?

It's a completely unfamiliar territory for the palace concubines... It's too frightening.

When Yunli fully regained consciousness, it was dusk.

Opening her eyes, she felt somewhat dazed, with the orange sunlight outside about to set.

"Lady?" Zhi Fu called softly.

Yunli murmured in response, her throat even more sore.

"The physician said you might not be able to speak for a while, don't worry. You've had a fever all day, and it just subsided," Zhi Fu said as Yin Cha and a few others came in.

Yunli nodded, reaching out to indicate she wanted to sit up.

Several people hurried to help Yunli up. As soon as she sat up, she felt dizzy and it took a while before she could stand steadily.

"Lady, take it easy. There's nothing in your stomach. You'll have some porridge in a while," Zhu Yu said.

Yunli nodded, and they helped her to the clean room.

Coming out, Zhifu said, "His Majesty stayed here with you for half an hour before returning. There must be state affairs in the Zhengyang Palace. I sent Zhuding to convey the message earlier. His Majesty said you should respond after you woke up."

Yunli nodded.

They served Yunli some food first; her throat hurt, her head ached, and she felt weak all over.

Yunli only ate half a bowl of porridge and a few bites of vegetables before stopping.

But she still had to take medicine.

Her voice hoarse, she said, "Honey water."

Zhifu understood and hurried to prepare it.

After drinking plenty of water, Yunli felt more comfortable and looked at Zhifu.

Zhifu hurriedly said, "Lady Jiamei has been deprived of her title by His Majesty, demoted to Baolin, and will never serve in the imperial bed again."

"Her face, according to the physician, is likely to scar," Zhu Yu added.

Yunli just gave a cold laugh. "What did the Empress say?"

Zhifu recounted what the Empress had said today.

There was a glint of coldness in Yunli's eyes, but she said nothing.

Just after taking her medicine, He Jinli came over.

She didn't resist or struggle to get up, just smiled at He Jinli.

He Jinli smiled back. "Feeling better?"

Yunli opened and closed her mouth, pointed to her throat, then mouthed, "Worried His Majesty."

She spoke slowly, so He Jinli understood.

He sat beside her. "Feeling any better?"

Yunli gently shook her head, then looked at him with her charming eyes.

He Jinli reached out and felt; the fever had gone down.

He Jinli was about to say something when Yunli reached out, covering his mouth, and shook her head gently.

He Jinli's eyes were full of smiles as he hugged her without saying more.

When He Jinli came, he thought he'd just take a look and leave.

But seeing her so fragile was rare, so His Majesty ended up staying at the Le'an Palace.

This overnight stay, how could the women of the palace not understand? Good, Lady Qiong is indeed fine now.

At the same time, in the Zhai Xing Pavilion, Li Baolin was in agonizing pain.

Because Red Pearl couldn't stop her mistress from doing something foolish, she was given thirty lashes and couldn't attend to her mistress anymore.

Li Baolin was burning up, and with her external injuries, her condition would only worsen.

Moreover, while Yunli only feels anger, Li Baolin experiences a range of emotions, naturally prolonging her recovery.

Her face, covered with hemostatic powder, felt serious to the touch.

It swelled up noticeably.

She had no strength at all, barely managing to sip some water.

She couldn't even swallow the medicine; whether it was her own issue or not, she found it unbearably bitter.

Moreover, due to her external injuries, the usual cold-expelling medicine couldn't be administered as usual.

Because those medicines tend to be somewhat heating, which is unfavorable for her wounds.

So, the prescription was rather unusual.

But at this point, no one cared about what medicine she was taking. She was just Baolin, disfigured and demoted.

For someone who has fallen out of favor, not being sent to the tranquil hall was already a kindness from His Majesty.

For someone who can't get up anymore, who would care?

Yu Zhu understood when she went to fetch the meal from the pantry.

There was no hope left in the Zhai Xing Pavilion.

Previously, just because she fell out of favor, she was already subjected to various hardships. Now...

It's only relying on the wealth of her own mistress, she didn't know how long she could hold on.

When she was in favor before, she didn't lose her good reputation. Who knows how she will be treated in the future?

Yu Zhu wiped away tears several times on her way back with the meal.

On the second day of court greetings, several were noticeably absent.

Lady Mei was startled yesterday and today she asked for leave as well.

Ning Jieyu was still in confinement, while both Qiong Concubine and Li Baolin were absent due to illness.

The Empress was the first to speak: "You are all aware of what happened yesterday, aren't you?"

"Indeed, it was quite frightening. Li Baolin must have lost her mind," Lady Ye Zhaoyi remarked.

Today, Lady Wu Zhaorong remained rather silent, showing some signs of guilt. After all, she was the one who struck someone yesterday.

If she hadn't provoked Li Baolin, perhaps none of this would have happened.

"Speaking of which, Qiong Concubine's temperament is indeed quite resolute," Consort Jinde remarked, looking at the Noble Consort, "Quite different from you, Sister Guifei."

"Indeed," the Empress chuckled, "I still remember when we were in the Eastern Palace. Because of Lady Ye Zhaoyi, Sister Guifei would throw tantrums at His Majesty. She used to be teary-eyed over trivial matters. But yesterday, did we see Qiong Concubine shed a tear?"

"Indeed, Your Majesty. As you said, she didn't shed a tear," Consort Jinde laughed, "It's really different. No wonder Qiong Concubine, after just two years in the palace, has already become a beauty. Isn't that right, Sister Guifei?"

It's as if she wanted to say outright: if you hadn't entered the Eastern Palace as a good lady-in-waiting, you would never have done as well as Qiong Concubine.

"While the Empress and Consort Jinde directly spoke of the differences between you and Qiong Concubine, I'm sure Guifei is now thinking about whether Qiong Concubine and Li Baolin violated any rules yesterday," Lady Li, who rarely spoke, suddenly spoke softly.