Chapter 259

Chapter 0259: Bias to the Core

He Jinli has no intention of intervening in this matter.

But how could Consort Hui swallow the humiliation of being beaten?

The Empress remains indifferent, driving her to the brink of fury.

Egged on by Consort Lan, she found herself kneeling at Zhengyang Palace by noon.

With a face swollen from the beating, her appearance was pitiful.

Yunli had just returned when she heard the news.

"Your Highness, are you planning to go? With her acting like this, who knows what she might say," Zhi Fu expressed concern.

"You mean to say she's currently kneeling outside Zhengyang Palace? At this hour?" Yunli inquired.

"Exactly."

"She's practically courting death; why should I bother? In the midday heat, even without ministers, there are still many guards around. People come and go; seeing her with such a face, what do you think His Majesty would do?"

Before punishing me, wouldn't he first have to scold Consort Hui?

"Indeed," Zhi Fu understood.

He Jinli was indeed very annoyed when he heard Consort Hui had come.

Learning she was kneeling outside only fueled his irritation.

"Tell her if she has any sense left, to roll back to where she came from. Dare to court death again, and she'll bear the consequences. Repeat my words exactly," He Jinli commanded coldly.

Meng Chang sighed and went to deliver the message.

"Consort Hui, His Majesty decrees: If you have any sense left, roll back to where you came from. Dare to court death again, and you'll bear the consequences," Meng Chang relayed. After delivering the message, he added, "Forgive my rudeness, it was His Majesty's command to repeat his exact words."

"Your Majesty, how could... Eunuch Meng, His Majesty must not know what happened, please tell him, Consort Qiong abuses her status and favor..."

"My lady," Meng Chang interrupted with a smile, "How could His Majesty not know? He is fully aware. But such a trivial matter should not have been brought here. The harem has the Empress, after all."

"The Empress is biased towards Consort Qiong and ignores everything. I can't just be beaten for nothing, can I?" Consort Hui's chest heaved, visibly enraged.

"My lady, I've relayed His Majesty's message. If you don't go back now, it'll be worse if His Majesty becomes angry," Meng Chang had never seen someone so oblivious to their own good.

The Empress doesn't care, but why don't you understand that?

Consort Hui found herself in a dilemma, embarrassed and distressed.

If she just went back now, how could she maintain her position in the future?

Yet, she dared not continue kneeling.

In the end, she stood up and walked away in tears.

But if this is how it ends, the years Emperor He Jinli supported her were all in vain.

So, in the afternoon, He Jinli summoned Yunli.

Yunli braced herself to be reprimanded, but He Jinli only sighed at her: "I see now, you're usually easy to talk to, but you keep it all inside. Saving it up to unleash in full force? You're a consort, is this appropriate? Does it seem right to you?"

Yunli was momentarily stunned.

No, Your Majesty, with you speaking like this, I'm too embarrassed to keep up the act.

"What? Is what I said incorrect?" He Jinli asked when he saw her silent.

"Your Majesty, why are you so good to me? I'm embarrassed," Yunli took his hand. "Although, I don't regret it."

He Jinli chuckled: "Do I not know you have no regrets? What have you ever regretted?"

Yunli tilted her head and remained silent.

"In the future, if a consort defies you, can't you tell the Empress? Tell me? Even having a servant handle it would be better. Why do you always take matters into your own hands? Your family doesn't have a general, does it?" He Jinli said.

"I was just overwhelmed with anger at the moment. She's too disgusting. I've ignored her these past few years. She's gotten too bold. How did I offend her?" Yunli huffed.

He Jinli looked at her with an expression that said it all: "If I remember correctly, you've disliked her from the start, haven't you?"

"Why should I view her favorably? The more you dote on her, the less I can stand her. What's wrong with saying that? But even if I don't like her, have I ever harmed her? Have I ever made her lose face? She's just too mouthy," Yunli pouted.

"That's jealousy! How many years have you been in the palace, not knowing this is a major taboo for consorts?" He Jinli pointed at her.

"I am naturally jealous! Those in the harem who say they like you but also generously urge you to care for other consorts are either pretending or don't really love you," Yunli snorted.

He Jinli shook his head and sat down: "Even when you're in the wrong, I can't say anything to you."

Yunli walked over and sat on his lap: "You can say it, but that doesn't mean I'll readily accept it."

"Look at you, growing older but becoming more tempestuous," He Jinli pinched her chin.

"Generally, it's because they know someone dotes on and indulges them," Yunli looked skyward. "Those who are favored always have confidence."

"It seems I must indulge and dote on you less in the future," He Jinli said, though his hand truthfully wrapped around her lower back.

"Then Your Majesty should punish me," Yunli suggested.

"Let it go, I won't punish you this time. But I won't punish you doesn't mean the Empress won't. Otherwise, how will the people in the harem be convinced?" He Jinli reasoned.

Yunli then lay in his embrace: "Didn't you say you'd stop doting on me?"

"What's all this 'you' and 'me'? Be more formal," He Jinli chided, patting her lower back.

Yunli uttered an "oh."

"Alright, stay with me a while longer then go back. You can't stay tonight," He Jinli said.

Keeping her after such a commotion would only invite criticism from the harem.

It wouldn't be good for her either.

Yunli knew this, so she stayed with him for an hour before leaving.

He Jinli didn't say much publicly, but his visit to the Empress that evening led people to speculate whether he had summoned Yunli to be reprimanded.

In the Phoenix Pavilion, the Empress brought up the incident: "It was truly my oversight. I only heard they had argued in the morning and thought it best not to escalate. Only later did I learn it had come to blows."

This pretense was merely for the sake of saving face, and they both knew it.

"Although Consort Qiong may be arrogant, she is not unreasonable. Consort Hui also has her faults," He Jinli stated.

The Empress was relieved to hear this.

She was worried the Emperor had come to speak on Consort Hui's behalf.

"Indeed, after all these years, we know Consort Qiong's character. Consort Hui isn't malicious, but sometimes her words are indeed too blunt. With frequent occurrences, and Consort Qiong's temper, a slight miswording leads to conflict."

"However, we can't pretend to be unaware of such a disturbance. Should I issue an order for Consort Qiong to be confined for reflection?" the Empress inquired.

"Let's not confine her, especially with Dragon Boat Festival approaching. How about docking her a month's stipend instead?" He Jinli suggested.

"Yes, I'll issue the order then. It's time she learned her lesson," the Empress said with a smile, signaling Ruyi to spread the word.

Upon receiving the Empress's decree, Yunli could only express her gratitude.

As for losing a month's stipend, at her level of favor and status, with children, the stipend wasn't everything.