Chapter 42

Chapter 42

At this moment, Liang Jiugong, though still alive, wished he were already dead.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Liang Jiugong's voice arrived before he did.

He quickly rushed in, and sure enough, his unease was justified. Beside the dragon bed, there was already a disheveled palace maid kneeling, her head bowed as she sobbed softly.

The Emperor sat on the dragon bed, his expression as still as water.

Liang Jiugong immediately understood what was happening. This was likely an attempt to climb into the Emperor's bed by any means necessary—a truly reckless move.

"Wretched maid, how dare you! How did you get in here?" Liang Jiugong shouted angrily, then stepped forward and struck her with his horsetail whisk.

Upon seeing her face clearly, he recognized her as Huanxue, a maid responsible for making the bed in the Qianqing Palace, who was considered one of the more attractive ones among the palace maids.

It was not unusual for a maid to harbor ambitions of climbing into the Emperor's favor, but timing was crucial. If she had tried this when the Emperor was in a good mood, she might have succeeded and risen to prominence. But now, with the Emperor in a foul temper, this was nothing short of seeking death.

Not only was she seeking her own doom, but she was also dragging him down with her. This was truly a reckless act.

Thinking this, Liang Jiugong's face was filled with anger. He quickly called for someone to drag away this imprudent maid. "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. This servant will have her taken away immediately. Someone, come and drag this maid away!"

Huanxue, who had been struck by Liang Jiugong's horsetail whisk, sobbed softly, her eyes filled with fear and a plea for help as she looked at Kangxi. But Kangxi didn't even glance her way.

Seeing that the eunuchs were about to come over and drag Huanxue away, she knew that once she was taken, there would be no good outcome. She decided to make one last desperate attempt.

Summoning her courage, she lunged forward and clung to Kangxi's leg. "Your Majesty, please save me! I have admired you for so long, and in a moment of weakness, I made this mistake. Please have mercy on me, Your Majesty!"

Huanxue cried pitifully, her tear-filled eyes glistening. Her makeup, far from being ruined by her tears, only made her look more beautiful, her snow-white neck held high, showcasing her best features in an attempt to win the Emperor's favor.

Huanxue was still holding onto a glimmer of hope.

The appearance of Consort Uya had given the women of the Baoyi Banner a new sense of hope.

If Consort Uya could do it, why couldn't she? She was no less than Consort Uya, so why not try? If she could win the Emperor's favor and conceive a royal child, she could rise from being a servant to being a mistress, just like Consort Uya.

With a child, she could elevate her status, and perhaps even rise to the rank of a consort in the future.

Because of Huanxue's actions, the eunuchs hesitated, looking at Liang Jiugong with questioning eyes. Should they still drag her away?

Kangxi, whose leg was being clung to by Huanxue, looked down at this maid who appeared to be crying pitifully but was clearly filled with ambition.

Seeing Kangxi look at her, Huanxue's heart leapt with joy, though she continued to cry even more pitifully. Consort Rong had recently been favored by the Emperor, and her delicate, sickly beauty made her naturally pitiable and moving even without tears.

Huanxue thought that the Emperor must favor this type of beauty.

She decided to focus on this aspect. While her looks were not quite on par, she could make up for it in other ways. She had secretly practiced how to cry in a way that was both pitiful and moving. When the Emperor and Consort Rong had a falling out, Huanxue saw an opportunity.

She decided to seize this chance to rise in status, even going so far as to apply makeup to make herself resemble Consort Rong.

Even if things didn't go smoothly at first, she thought it might have been because the candlelight was too dim, and the Emperor hadn't seen her clearly.

Now that she was so close, he should be able to see her properly. As Kangxi silently watched her for a while without speaking, Huanxue's confidence grew. She could barely contain her joy, and she even began to think about how she would position herself to receive the Emperor's favor.

Liang Jiugong, who had initially thought that Huanxue's audacity in clinging to the Emperor's leg warranted her immediate removal, hesitated when he saw the Emperor silently observing her.

Liang Jiugong quickly signaled the eunuchs to hold off. Was this a situation where they should withdraw?

Kangxi's initially expressionless face suddenly broke into a light laugh. He was naturally handsome, and his smile appeared somewhat gentle, "What a presumptuous servant."

They all think he's a fool, one after another, self-righteous, daring to scheme their way up, treating him as if he would accept anything. One after another, it's utterly infuriating.

Kangxi suppressed his anger inside, extremely furious, yet he smiled on the surface.

His reaction was a bit puzzling. What exactly was the situation?

Huanxue thought the Emperor's smile meant a change in fortune, but she didn't grasp the implication of his words.

Liang Jiugong, having served Kangxi for so long, instantly knew this was bad news. Huanxue was likely in deep trouble.

Under Huanxue's barely hidden glee, Kangxi's face remained calm and composed, but what he said was, "Take her away and beat her to death."

Those few words sealed her doom.

Huanxue was instantly stunned. How could she be executed when the Emperor had just smiled at her? He had smiled at her!

The terror of death overwhelmed Huanxue. She was truly scared.

She no longer cared about her appearance as she cried. Tears and snot streamed down her face. Her pitiful look was gone, replaced by a twisted expression.

This was what real fear looked like, not someone who remembers to maintain a beautiful posture while crying. When truly scared, who would care about how they look now?

Huanxue frantically begged for mercy. Now all hopes of gaining favor vanished. Her life was on the line. "Em... Emperor! Your servant... uh..."

But she couldn't say more. Several eunuchs had already moved in to seize her, and they made sure to gag her to keep her from making a scene, so as not to further irritate the Emperor.

Thinking to himself, originally, a beating to teach her a lesson would have been enough. At least her life would be spared, and with some rest, she would recover. This incident would serve as a lesson.

But now Huanxue's audacity had thoroughly enraged the Emperor. Now even her life was forfeited. What a disaster.

Kangxi coldly said, "Liang Jiugong, you personally oversee the execution. I do not wish to see such incidents happen again in the future."

If the punishment is not severe, everyone will take chances. Better to make an example.

"Yes, Your Majesty, your servant will definitely discipline these servants well." Liang Jiugong bowed and responded. Seeing the Emperor looked somewhat tired, he then said, "Your Majesty, please rest well. Your servant will take his leave now."

Liang Jiugong first assigned several eunuchs to keep watch, pressing his sharp voice to give a few instructions, "If anything happens, come find me quickly. All of you tighten up, stay alert, and serve carefully."

Several eunuchs quickly agreed. Actually, without Liang Jiugong saying, they also knew to tighten up.

Only then did Liang Jiugong leave.

At this time, the servants of the Qianqing Palace, whether they were sleeping or not on duty, had to be present, and soon the place was crowded.

The Emperor had him oversee the execution, intending to use this incident to firmly discipline these restless servants, especially the maids.

Huanxue had already been gagged, pressed onto a long bench, with eunuchs holding her down to prevent her from moving. This was to prevent her from screaming and struggling too much when the beating started.

"Is everyone here? Tonight's incident, I won't beat around the bush with you."

Liang Jiugong swung the whisk in his hand, his sharp eyes occasionally glancing over the eunuchs and maids present, especially the maids.

"This lowly maid, disrespectful to her master, overstepping her bounds, has offended the Emperor.

This maid is to be executed by beating. Now I have called you here to witness the punishment. Each of you must clearly see the consequences of offending your master!"

The eunuchs and maids swept by his gaze all dared not speak or look up. Some of the more timid ones were even trembling.

Huanxue was tied up, her eyes filled with fear as everyone watched.

In no time, everyone knew what Huanxue had done wrong.

The palace maids who harbored similar ambitions turned pale, their hearts trembling with fear, their dreams crushed.

Lady Wuyachang’s presence had inspired more palace maids to dream big. Each of them dreamed of becoming the next Lady Wuyachang, thinking, "If there’s one, why not another?"

Some of them knew what Huanxue was up to tonight, but they didn’t stop her. Instead, they watched to see if she’d pull it off. If she did, they’d follow in her footsteps.

But Huanxue failed, and none of them expected her to end up beaten to death.

What’s the point of currying favor if it gets you killed?

"As servants, we need to know our limits. The danger is aiming too high when your life’s on the line," Liang Jiugong said, his words clearly directed at Huanxue.

"If you overstep and break the rules, you’ll end up like this poor wretch. No one can save you. Got it?!"

After Liang Jiugong’s harsh words, the servants turned pale, their faces etched with fear.

Seeing that it was about time, Liang Jiugong ordered the execution to begin.

The eunuchs showed no mercy, laying into her with all their strength. Since Huanxue was done for, it was better to end it quickly than drag it out.

The boards fell one after another. At first, Huanxue struggled desperately, trying to spit out the gag in her mouth, tears streaming down her face. But as time went on, her struggles weakened, and the eunuchs holding her down no longer needed to exert much effort.

With each blow, her breathing grew weaker. Her back was a bloody mess, the dark red and white blood soaking through her uniform, staining it deep crimson. The stench of blood hung in the air, and some of the more squeamish maids covered their mouths, fighting the urge to vomit.

Even the tougher maids turned pale, their faces ghostly white. Huanxue’s tragic state had completely terrified them.

Liang Jiugong, though, didn’t bat an eye. "All of you, keep your eyes open! No one looks away!"

The servants who wanted to look away had no choice but to stare, not daring to blink.

One maid couldn’t take it and turned to throw up. Liang Jiugong’s eyes snapped to her, and another maid yanked her back.

"Liang Jiugong’s watching. You want to get killed?" she hissed.

The maid, terrified, forced herself to keep watching.

Only then did Liang Jiugong’s gaze move away from her.

When Huanxue stopped moving, one of the eunuchs checked her pulse. "Liang Jiugong, she’s gone."

Liang Jiugong nodded and ordered the beating to stop. "Alright, you’ve seen enough. Everyone, clear out. Go back and think hard. Don’t make the same mistake as Huanxue."

With that, he flicked his horsetail whisk and left first.

The remaining palace maids and eunuchs exchanged uneasy glances.

When Liang Jiugong returned, he drank several cups of hot tea. After speaking so much, he was parched. The night was far from peaceful, and it seemed like trouble was always finding him.

After Huanxue’s execution, the palace maids, no matter how ambitious, would have to think twice. If they wanted to rise in status, they would have to consider whether they had the fortune to do so.

Originally, Huanxue would have only been beaten as punishment tonight, but she insisted on pushing her luck with the Emperor. What else could Liang Jiugong do?

At first, he thought the Emperor’s silence meant he felt some pity for Huanxue as she cried so pitifully. But who could have predicted this outcome?

Executions like this were rare, but Huanxue happened to be the one to provoke it. Now, not only were the Qianqing Palace maids more subdued, but the entire imperial harem would tread more carefully.

The incident of a maid being beaten to death in the Qianqing Palace quickly became known among the concubines in the rear palace. They all smiled upon hearing the news, feeling quite pleased.

They especially looked down on maids who tried to climb above their rank.

Particularly Consort Tongjia of Jingren Palace, who was in such a good mood that she ate more than usual for breakfast.

Even when Lady Wuyachang came to pay her respects, Consort Tongjia no longer felt the usual disgust and discomfort.

Previously, Consort Tongjia would intentionally make Lady Wuyachang stand longer, and her mood would sour afterward.

But today, when Lady Wuyachang came to pay her respects, her belly visibly swollen, Consort Tongjia surprisingly showed a smile.

"Rise, Lady Wuyachang."

Previously, Consort Tongjia would deliberately make Lady Wuyachang stand longer, but this time she had the maids bring a stool for her to sit on early.

Lady Wuyachang sat down, her head bowed in submission, feeling uneasy about Consort Tongjia's sudden change in attitude, but she maintained a gentle demeanor on the surface, so Consort Tongjia couldn't push too hard.

"Lady Wuyachang, there was an incident in the Qianqing Palace last night. Have you heard?"

Consort Tongjia stroked her long nail guards, smiling with a hint of mockery in her eyes as she looked at Lady Wuyachang.

Lady Wuyachang's heart clenched. She had indeed heard about it and understood what Consort Tongjia was implying.

Lady Wuyachang swallowed and softly replied, "Your Highness, I have been resting in the side hall because of my pregnancy and haven't been keeping up with the news, so I'm not very clear about what happened."

Consort Tongjia didn't believe for a moment that she was unaware of what had happened. "Is that so? Lady Wuyachang doesn't know."

She glanced at the maid standing by her side, who immediately began to recount the events that had occurred in the Qianqing Palace the previous night.

Lady Wuyachang listened, her face a mask of shock, just about to clutch her belly and find an excuse to leave.

But then she heard Consort Tongjia say, "The imperial physician said your pregnancy is progressing well, and your body is strong. Surely, such a small matter wouldn't frighten you, Lady Wuyachang."

This effectively thwarted Lady Wuyachang's attempt to use her pregnancy as an excuse to leave. If she dared to use discomfort as an excuse, Consort Tongjia would immediately summon the imperial physician to examine her.

If the physician found nothing wrong, Consort Tongjia would have grounds to accuse her of pretending to be delicate to avoid paying respects, showing disrespect to the consort.

Lady Wuyachang paused, forced to abandon the idea of using her pregnancy as an excuse to leave.

"So that's what occurred. Thank you for informing me, Your Highness."

Lady Wuyachang said with her eyes downcast, not daring to show any other emotions.

She already understood what Consort Tongjia was implying.

"Speaking of which, that wretched maid was quite bold. Thinking she could rise above her station just because she had some looks. She was just a lowly maid, yet she dared to dream of becoming a noble. Truly, she didn't know her place. Lady Wuyachang, don't you think I'm right?"

Consort Tongjia smiled while asking Lady Wuyachang, wanting to see how she would respond.

On the surface, she was talking about that wretched maid named Huanxue, but everyone knew Consort Tongjia was indirectly criticizing Lady Wuyachang.

Lady Wuyachang's face turned pale. She was from the Baoyi banner, and this was her background. The consort kept stepping on her sore spot, but she didn't dare to retort.

"Your Highness is right," Lady Wuyachang replied through slightly clenched teeth, the taste of blood in her mouth from biting down too hard.

"Lady Wuyachang also thinks so? I almost forgot, you were once a maid too. It's just that I lifted you up. Compared to that Huanxue, you are luckier. That wretched maid ended up being beaten to death."

Consort Tongjia wasn't willing to let it go at that. This Lady Wuyachang had been a thorn in her side for a long time.

Given her pregnancy, she couldn't usually go too far.

Moreover, Uya Shi always pretended to be honest and dutiful, which made her seem even more aggressive, making Consort Tongjia increasingly irritated. It seemed as if she was being petty, while Uya Shi was the one making sacrifices.

Now that there was such a good opportunity to mock Uya Shi, how could she let it slip?

Uya Shi forced a smile, and Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia said, "What? Did I say something wrong? That servant Huanxue didn't have your good luck, yet she dared to entertain thoughts she shouldn't have. Isn't that seeking her own death?

Uya Changzai should be happy. Because of you, other lowly servants might think they have the same fortune, believing they can be like Uya Changzai. Now, since they don't have that fortune, they won't delude themselves anymore."

As Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia spoke, she laughed, feeling extremely pleased.

She was a noblewoman from a prestigious family, how could these servants compare? Uya Shi used her as a stepping stone and should be prepared for her resentment.

She looked at Uya Shi and said word by word, "In this harem, once a servant, always a servant. Even if one is lucky enough to climb up, they are still just a crow, never a true phoenix. Uya Changzai, you should remember this well."

Crow, Uya Shi—this blatant mockery was too much for Uya Shi to bear.

In the harem, the higher one's position, the more they cared about face. Uya Shi's rise to power was her sore spot, and no matter what, she couldn't escape the ridicule and scorn from the other properly selected palace ladies.

Uya Shi's smile could no longer hold, and she clutched her stomach, claiming discomfort. Her pale face made it seem believable.

Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia wasn't flustered and had a maid call for the imperial physician. "Since you're not feeling well, don't push yourself. You should take good care of the royal child. I won't keep you any longer."

She then had someone escort Uya Shi out, lest she accidentally fell and blamed it on the uncleanliness of her doorstep.

After Uya Shi left, Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia eagerly said to Nanny Wang,

"Nanny, today I finally vented my anger. It had been bothering me for so long. Seeing Uya Shi turn pale and green from my words, my heart finally feels at ease."

This made her even happier than hearing that Consort Rong had angered the Emperor.

——

Yonghe Palace

Already on edge because the Emperor left in anger yesterday, the news from Qianqing Palace made everyone even more nervous.

The Emperor wasn't usually this strict.

Now, everyone was distracted and absent-minded, and Yun Hua scolded them severely. Qinxin even punished one of them, which finally brought the servants back to their senses.

Yun Hua looked at the lady who had been sleeping for most of the day, worried. The lady hadn't even had lunch and showed no signs of waking up.

During this time, someone from Imperial Noble Consort's palace came with many gifts for the lady. The lady got up, listlessly said a few words, and sent them away before lying back down.

It wasn't until sunset that Yun Hua and Qinxin were discussing whether to call a physician from the imperial hospital when the lady finally woke up.

Yun Hua hurried to attend to her, and with Qinxin's help, they carefully helped the lady sit up. Seeing the lady's pale and sickly appearance, Yun Hua worriedly said, "My lady, should I call a physician for you?"

She thought that although the lady said she was fine yesterday, she was probably still upset about the Emperor leaving and hadn't rested well, hence her current state.

Su Yi, with a pale face, showed a faint smile and softly said, "No need. This is just an old ailment. Physicians can't help. Resting more will do."

If physicians were useful, she would be overjoyed.

Apart from making her drink bitter medicine, they were of no use. What she needed wasn't a physician.

However, being cared for and remembered by a lovely girl like Yun Hua comforted Su Yi's heart. She gently touched Yun Hua's face and said tenderly, "It's alright, little Yun Hua. Don't frown. You look better when you smile."

Her tone was gentle but weak, causing Yun Hua's eyes to well up with tears. Even now, Her Ladyship still found comforting words to say, and Yun Hua obediently forced a smile.

Qinxin stood silently by, her reserved nature showing. Though worried, she showed little of it on her face, unlike Yun Hua, who was more in favor with their mistress.

——

Meanwhile, at the Qianqing Palace,

Liang Jiugong was momentarily taken aback by the Emperor's question, his mind blank, and he blurted out, "Huh?!"

Realizing his slip, Liang Jiugong immediately slapped his mouth. "This servant misspoke, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

He really hadn't expected that!