Chapter 174

Chapter 174

"It's just that I want to leave," Su Yi said with a slight tilt of her head, her lips curving into a faint smile, her tone soft, making one feel as if they had punched cotton, leaving them with a sense of futility.

Su Yi continued to open the door without hesitation, "As for how you want to vent your anger after I leave, it's up to you."

Just don't take it out on her; she’s not the type to just take it.

Su Yi wasn't going to indulge his sudden bad temper and outburst.

Yes, she would get angry too, but she never picked fights or made unreasonable demands. She always got straight to the point.

But if he took his anger out on her, that was a no-go, no matter the excuse.

Kangxi was used to being pampered. As the emperor, he could vent his anger freely, and others dared not show their displeasure or speak out.

But she had also been pampered. Like she hadn’t been showered with praise before.

Even though she was the weakest among the Great Ascension masters, she was also the youngest.

The Great Ascension stage was just one step away from ascension, with only the final nine-nine thunder tribulation remaining. The number of those who reached this stage could be counted on one hand, mostly nurtured by sects with vast resources.

She was the sole Great Ascension master who rose from a rogue cultivator background. Many major sects competed to have her as their master, offering her the best they had.

Cultivators seeking her guidance were endless, trying all sorts of methods to please her. She had never been treated with such disrespect, living a carefree and comfortable life.

At first, she was just looking to coast through life.

However...

Anyway, she later pushed herself to the limit to improve.

Even the most inconspicuous bystander, after defeating the demonic serpent, became one of the few legendary figures.

Even if she was previously unknown and had no reputation, from then on, she became a legend frequently talked about by others.

It could be said, if it weren't for the sudden thunder tribulation, she would still be living a life of ease!

Having finally reached such a position, she hadn't enjoyed it for long before it was all wiped out by the thunder tribulation.

Not only did it leave her severely injured, but now she's come to realize.

Perhaps what she coincidentally obtained wasn't some life-preserving artifact at all. She had thought it would prevent her from being reduced to ashes in the ninety-nine thunder tribulations, thinking she had struck it lucky, but it turned out to be a curse.

Now that she's here, Su Yi quickly found balance. Living idly in the palace for a while is also manageable.

Living idly anywhere is still living idly. Just changing the place to receive offerings, thinking this way, isn't the outlook expanded?

But she would never stay in one place forever.

So Su Yi didn't really hold back her temper. She only had the patience to pretend when she was in a good mood, but no matter how much she pretended, she wasn't truly a gentle and good-tempered person.

When Kangxi got angry at her, Su Yi's temper flared up too, but she deliberately didn't unleash it like before.

Her current attitude is definitely more infuriating than before.

What could be more infuriating than wanting to vent your anger at someone, only to find them smiling and even too indifferent to even acknowledge you, ignoring your anger rather than facing it head-on? Of course, this only applies to certain people.

If you don’t know them, take them down the moment they act out!

"Perfect!" Kangxi laughed in extreme anger, his eyes filled with fury, and anyone could hear the anger in his laughter.

Liang Jiugong not only knelt but also wished he could vanish into thin air. He had just seen how to pour gasoline on the fire.

If it had been just a small spark earlier, a few soothing words from the Imperial Noble Consort would have smoothed things over.

But now, the spark not only didn’t die out but flared up even more.

How would this end? Liang Jiugong was shaking in his boots.

He was terrified that once the Imperial Noble Consort left, they’d be left dealing with His Majesty’s fury.

Su Yi ignored it, opened the door. The guards outside, though standing stiffly, were sneaking glances from the corners of their eyes.

His Majesty’s furious laughter inside was impossible to miss.

Seeing the Imperial Noble Consort open the door, still smiling and calm, was a stark contrast to His Majesty’s rage.

If it weren’t for His Majesty’s lingering anger, you’d think there hadn’t been any argument at all.

As Su Yi opened the door to leave, Kangxi reined in his anger, but it only made him seem more volatile and terrifying.

His voice, now calm to the point of icy detachment, was a stark contrast to his earlier fury. "My patience with you isn’t endless. It doesn’t mean you can keep pushing your luck."

"And?"

What Su Yi hated most was this attitude—like she’d been given so much leeway that she should just fall in line, or else she’d be ungrateful.

After all, he was the Emperor. He spoiled you—no one else got that kind of treatment—so you should feel honored to accept it.

Hadn’t she been kind to the bowl-cut hairstyle?

Kangxi watched her standing there, her gentle eyes betraying a coldness even in profile. His sharp gaze tried to see if she was bluffing, but he couldn’t tell.

"If you walk out that door today, don’t bother coming back."

Qinxin froze at the words. What did His Majesty mean by not letting the Imperial Noble Consort return?

Was he just venting?

Qinxin didn’t react—or maybe she didn’t dare imagine the worst.

But Liang Jiugong got it—the Imperial Noble Consort had left the palace with His Majesty, so she had to return with him.

If she wasn’t allowed back, His Majesty would return to the palace alone.

If the Imperial Noble Consort didn’t return, the ‘Rong Noble Consort’ in the palace could be declared dead from a sudden illness.

If he could’ve spoken up, he’d have warned the Imperial Noble Consort to stop arguing—this wasn’t just a passing fit of anger.

She shouldn’t storm off in anger—she needed to back down when it mattered.

This time, Su Yi didn’t ignore it; she turned around.

Liang Jiugong, seeing her action, was about to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking the Imperial Noble Consort understood the gravity of the situation.

As Su Yi turned around, seemingly about to head back, Kangxi’s face betrayed no emotion, though the fist he had been tightly gripping under the table relaxed slightly.

"Stay here; there’s no need to follow me," Su Yi said to Qinxin.

"Your Highness?" Qinxin was confused. Why would Her Highness say that?

With that, Su Yi turned and walked out—not toward the adjacent room but straight out.

The guards outside looked at each other, unsure whether to stop her or ensure Her Highness’s safety.

Qinxin watched Her Highness walk away, eager to follow, but then Kangxi’s voice rang out: "Back to the palace!"

Qinxin was stunned, finally grasping the Emperor’s intent.

Her Highness—she... she?!

But if the Emperor truly left like this, what would happen to Her Highness alone?

Qinxin dropped to her knees, trembling but pleading, "Your Majesty, Her Highness is just upset for the moment. She didn’t mean to anger you. Please, for the sake of your past bond, forgive her this time!"

Qinxin kowtowed again and again, fearing that if the Emperor truly abandoned Her Highness and returned to the palace, Her Highness had no way to prove who she was. How would she return to the palace?

Besides, the Emperor had taken Her Highness out in secret, so everyone assumed Her Highness was still in Yonghe Palace. How would she return now?

Even with proof, who would believe her? The Imperial Consort was supposed to be in the palace—how could she appear outside?

Hadn’t the Emperor always treated Her Highness well?

Qinxin never imagined that a day that began so well, which should have been joyful, would end up like this.

Kangxi strode past her without a word, his robe fluttering. Liang Jiugong hurried after him, passing Qinxin and whispering urgently, "Keep up!" If they didn’t move now, Qinxin might be stranded, and it was a miracle she wasn’t being punished already.

Qinxin stood up, intending to plead for Her Highness again, but Liang Jiugong swiftly grabbed her, scolding in a low voice, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

The Emperor was in a rage, and if Qinxin acted so recklessly, not only would she not return, but her life might be in danger!

He then signaled the guards to hold her back, keeping her from causing trouble and telling her to stay quiet before hurrying to catch up with the Emperor.

As Su Yi walked out, she suddenly realized a problem—she didn’t have any money with her!

Ah, it was true. In the palace, there was no need to carry money, but it didn’t matter—there was always a solution. It wasn’t a big deal.

She thought of the table full of dishes she had only taken a bite of before it all went to waste. Su Yi sighed, thinking she should have ignored Kangxi and eaten first before saying anything. She spoke too soon.

At that moment, a carriage came up from behind her, passing by her side.

Su Yi glanced at it; it looked familiar, just like the carriage she had arrived in.

It emerged from behind her, passed by her side, then moved ahead, leaving only the back of the carriage in her view.

Su Yi: "..." There was no need for that.

Su Yi glanced at it and naturally looked away, spotting a large sign for a pawnshop not far away. Her eyes lit up—she had found it!

She thought she would have to spend some effort getting some little helpers to find it for her.

Inside the carriage, Kangxi, who had been watching through the cracks just as Su Yi had done before, saw her glance and then immediately looked away.

Liang Jiugong, sitting outside, heard some noise from inside, like the sound of something colliding, but he dared not ask, "What’s wrong?" at such an inopportune moment.

Isn't this just courting death?!

Su Yi put on her hood to block the sun a little and walked purposefully towards the pawnshop. She would need to buy an umbrella later to shield herself from the sun, otherwise, she would have to expend spiritual energy to maintain her beauty. It's better to save where she can.

After entering the pawnshop, Su Yi directly took off the Hetian jade snake bracelet from her wrist and placed it on the counter, "Absolute pawn."

She only wore one bracelet because it was the most convenient and not too elaborate.

The gold bracelet was studded with too many gemstones, and Su Yi found it uncomfortable to wear, even when she wasn't doing anything.

Compared to wearing them, she preferred to see them neatly displayed, just like the many clothes in a woman's wardrobe that are rarely worn but still bring comfort just by looking at them.

Besides, if she wore those accessories, the pawnshop probably wouldn't dare to accept them, as they would bear the royal insignia, which would be immediately recognizable.

Otherwise, the tasseled pearl hairpin could also be pawned.

The Hetian jade bracelet was different; it had no mark, and the inner wall of the bracelet was smooth.

The pawnshop owner glanced at it casually, but when he saw the bracelet placed on the counter, he immediately showed keen interest.

This was an exceptional piece, and the owner even wiped his hands and picked it up with a cloth.

He scrutinized it repeatedly. Jade of such exquisite quality, even the best jewelry shops in the capital probably couldn't find much of it.

This was not an item just anyone could possess.

The pawnshop owner couldn't help but look at the person who brought it in. He hadn't even glanced at her before, being so captivated by the bracelet, but he was momentarily awestruck by her beauty. The pawnshop owner had seen many good things in his time.

After examining her attire, he could tell that this was something only a wealthy family could afford, the material was excellent, not something just anyone could wear.

What would compel someone like her to pawn an item?

The pawnshop owner hesitated for a moment, "Miss, what brings you to pawn something? This bracelet is an exceptional piece."

Then he heard the beauty say, "I left in a hurry and forgot my money pouch. This is all I have left for emergencies. If you don't accept it, I'll go ask other pawnshops."

Su Yi spoke casually, her gaze wandering around the pawnshop, showing no signs of guilt.

The pawnshop owner, upon hearing this, though still hesitant, looked at the delicate and weak beauty in front of him. Her attire was of the highest quality, clearly someone who had been pampered, and with such beauty, she likely was a concubine who had fled from a household, which is why she didn't have anything with her.

She could only pawn her jewelry, and she opted for an absolute pawn, indicating no intention to reclaim it, and was likely looking to get more money to run away.

He weighed the bracelet in his hand, even if he didn't accept it, other pawnshops would be eager to acquire it.

Besides, his pawnshop had a minor patron, and even if the master of the runaway concubine sent people to look for her, they wouldn't dare to make trouble lightly, as his backer was a prince.

He named a figure, figuring that the beauty was in a hurry to exchange for money, and even if he offered a low price, she would still agree to pawn it.

After all, if he were to give the actual value of the bracelet, it would severely strain his pawnshop's finances, and there was also the risk of accepting such an item, which required some compensation for the trouble.

The pawnshop owner targeted this vulnerability, offering a price that sounded quite ruthless, confident that the little beauty was at her wit's end and wouldn't dare to refuse.

Once he had the bracelet, he would store it away for a while, and after the fuss died down, he could bring it out again.

The pawnshop owner was prepared, if the little beauty thought the price was too low, he had his arguments ready, and he wasn't afraid of not being able to handle a woman.

Su Yi, after hearing the price, didn't haggle, just smiled and nodded, saying, "Change it into small silver and copper coins." She appeared quite amenable.

Seeing that she had no objections, the pawnshop owner immediately agreed, it was merely a trivial issue.

He was even more convinced that the other party didn’t want banknotes but preferred loose silver and copper coins to facilitate a better escape.

Seeing the young woman leave with a bulging money bag, the pawnshop owner thought to himself that she was clearly a prime target, likely to be spotted and tailed the moment she left. Tsk, tsk.

The pawnshop owner looked at the bracelet he had just acquired and couldn’t help but smile.

It was only natural for such a sheltered young woman to be taken advantage of, especially since she was alone and unaware of the dangers of the world.

Losing money was bad enough, but if they targeted her entire person, it wouldn't be as simple as just losing wealth.

Su Yi, the prime target, was indeed noticed as soon as she stepped out.

But she pretended not to notice, casually went to buy an umbrella. She even tested the umbrella to make sure it wouldn’t collapse easily before paying for it and using it to block the sun.

She then headed towards quieter areas, as if she wanted to take a shortcut through the alleys to keep a low profile.

Her followers were thrilled.

This was perfect; they didn’t even need to come up with a plan to lure the young woman into a secluded alley. She was walking right into their hands.

They knew this area like the back of their hand, especially the winding alleys. After exchanging glances, they split up and moved in sync.

Two kept tailing her, while the other two went in a different direction, moving quickly.

They planned to corner her from both sides.

They sent someone ahead to wait at the front of the alley. The delicate young woman, moving slowly, would surely walk right into their trap.

Today was their lucky day to stumble upon such a beauty.

Selling her to a brothel could set them up for a year.

They’d spotted her earlier, but she was accompanied by attendants and a distinguished-looking man, clearly not someone to mess with. They could only watch enviously, too scared to make a move.

With so many attendants around, they were outmatched. They’d thought it was a shame.

But then they saw her alone, going to the pawnshop to pawn something.

Lurking outside, they overheard her pawning her valuables, hinting that something had gone wrong.

This pawnshop was infamous for its greed, backed by powerful people, and only accepted valuable items, always driving a hard bargain. So it must have been something valuable, judging by the owner's offer.

After a while, they confirmed she was truly alone.

Their minds couldn’t help but race.

Perhaps the young woman had a falling out with the master and left in a huff. Taking advantage of her being alone, they planned to abduct her, sell her to a madam, and make a fortune.

As for whether she would be found, once she was sold to a brothel and her purity tainted, no wealthy master would want her back, even if she were found.

If they were worried about trouble, they could have the madam hide her for a while, train her properly, and then have her start receiving clients.

They had it all figured out.

As they closed in from both ends, they couldn’t help but show sly smiles.

Especially since, from a distance, she already looked like a heavenly beauty. Up close, she was even more stunning.

Each of them had a glint of something else in their eyes, looking her up and down as they slowly approached. The one behind her couldn’t resist starting to make lewd remarks.

"Big brother, let's have some fun with her before we take her back. She's already been deflowered, so we might as well enjoy ourselves. Otherwise, we might not get another chance like this."

Once she's sold to the brothel, even if we go there for drinks, we might not encounter such a beauty again.

We should make the most of this chance before selling her to the brothel madam. Otherwise, it would feel like a waste.

Just make sure not to damage her too much.

After all, if she's damaged, she won't be worth as much.

They traded crude jokes as they slowly approached the beauty, already treating her as if she were their prey.

But it was a bit strange—why wasn't she saying anything at this point?

She stood still, not moving, not even attempting to flee. Was she too terrified to move?

When they had captured beauties before, they would always resist fiercely, terrified and desperate to escape.

They treated her like a helpless rabbit, not at all afraid that these delicate beauties could cause any trouble.

The man facing Su Yi directly noticed that her expression hadn't changed at all. She looked calm, even with a slight smile on her lips, as if she were putting on a brave face.

Su Yi, the "fat sheep," calmly closed her umbrella and spoke gently, "I suggest you don't come any closer. You already look like pig heads, and when you smile, it's downright sickening to look at."

If it weren't for the fact that her words were mocking their ugliness, her tone and demeanor would have seemed genuinely gentle.

At first, the men were still thinking, "True to her beauty, her voice was captivating. It would probably sound even better when she screams."

But when they grasped the meaning of her words, their faces contorted with rage.

"Don't test your luck! Now that you're in our hands, little beauty, you better—!"

The man was about to step forward and get rough, but before he could finish his threat, he was instantly silenced.

The pain was unbearable, and his skull felt like it was cracking. Blood gushed out, covering his face in an instant, and he collapsed to the ground, howling in agony.

The others were startled by the sudden turn of events. They hadn't expected the beauty to actually fight back, catching them off guard with a sneak attack!

Enraged, they charged forward to subdue her.

They had been caught off guard earlier, but now they were prepared. What chance did a frail woman have against several burly men?

Originally, they had planned to be gentle with her, not wanting to hurt her. But now, it was time to teach her a lesson. "Make sure you don't ruin her face!" A ruined face would lower her value.

Then they lunged at her together.

"I'm terrified," Su Yi, the "weak woman," said, feigning fear. But contrary to her expression, she swung her umbrella with deadly accuracy, striking each of them like a game of whack-a-mole, never missing a beat.

The alley echoed with screams, but they were sporadic. Just as one would start to scream, they would be hit even harder, forcing them to bite back their cries.

Amidst the chaos, Su Yi could be heard saying, "Why all the screaming? Are you trying to frighten me?"

Then she struck even harder.

One of them was kicked with such force that he crashed into the wall, nearly embedding himself in it. As he fell, a faint outline of his body remained on the wall.

Among the men who had been standing moments ago, only Su Yi was still on her feet. The rest lay sprawled on the ground, every last one of them, their earlier swagger completely evaporated.

Several teeth had been knocked out, and blood poured out the moment they opened their mouths. Every part of their bodies was in pain.

She was no pushover or easy target; she was as tough as nails. Crossing her nearly cost them their lives.

Su Yi held the umbrella she had just used to beat them, now torn and beyond use, but surprisingly sturdy—it hadn’t snapped. However, seeing the bloodstains on it, she frowned with dissatisfaction. "How annoying, they’ve ruined my umbrella."

The men lying on the ground, twisting in agony, coughed violently upon hearing her words. They wanted to know who was really at fault here! They hadn’t laid a finger on her, yet they were nearly beaten to death!!

But with weaker fists and the odds against them, they tried to beg for mercy. "Madam... it’s us, cough! We were blind to your power. Please... spare us... ah!" Women were often seen as soft-hearted, and in their pitiful state, they played the sympathy card effortlessly.

But mid-plea, their voices turned into screams, louder and more piercing than before. The most sensitive part of their lower bodies was now skewered by the umbrella handle.

The others, seeing this, clutched their groins despite the searing pain, crawling away, faces smeared with blood, as if fleeing a demon incarnate. Their fingers clawed bloody marks into the ground.

No! She *was* a demon incarnate!

Su Yi, with her gentle face, finished them off one by one without mercy.

Amidst the screams, she spoke softly, "Just endure it; it’ll be over soon," offering chilling comfort.

But no one could bear to hear that!

The men, hopeless, raged at her torment. With no hope left, they began to curse vehemently.

But before they could finish a single sentence, the umbrella handle was jammed into their mouths, nearly reaching their throats, making it impossible to spit out.

Su Yi smiled sweetly as she uttered menacing words, "One more word, and I’ll rip out your tongues."

Though without the right tools, it would just mess up her clothes, Su Yi couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful.

It sounded like a joke, but no one dared to take it lightly. The others, seeing this, abandoned their defiance.

No one dared to utter another foul word.

Su Yi casually tossed the tattered umbrella aside and walked away with a refreshed expression.

When she returned to the place where she had bought the umbrella, she purchased a new one again.

The vendor clearly remembered her and wondered why she was buying another umbrella when she had just bought one.

Perhaps seeing Su Yi’s gentle smile, which made her appear especially kind, he asked her about it.

Su Yi frowned slightly, seeming a bit frustrated. "Just now, while I was shopping, my umbrella disappeared in the blink of an eye. I don’t know who took it. It’s really infuriating."

(The men beaten beyond recognition: Lies!!)

The vendor, feeling righteous, condemned the thief and even thought of giving the umbrella to the beauty for free.

But the beauty insisted on paying, saying she understood the hardships of running a business and didn’t want to take advantage. Truly, a beauty with a heart of gold.

Su Yi opened her new umbrella and began strolling through the streets, stopping to look at anything interesting before moving on. Though buying things wouldn’t cost much, she couldn’t be bothered to carry around small trinkets. She only spent money on food.

After all, once eaten, there was nothing to carry.

Su Yi strolled around, eating and watching, when a pickpocket tried to bump into her casually to steal her money pouch, but she dodged just in time, so he couldn’t even get close to her.

Just as he was about to try again, he saw Su Yi looking over, raising an eyebrow, giving him a look that said she saw right through him.

Afraid she might make a scene and draw attention, he had no choice but to glare at her and give up reluctantly.

But not far after turning away, he was chased by a fierce big yellow dog, running through several streets, almost caught in the middle, with his pants torn at the back, exposing his bare buttock, which he couldn’t cover.

The pickpocket was chased by the big yellow dog for several streets, almost out of breath, before the dog finally stopped chasing him.

The pickpocket then collapsed, exhausted, feeling the cool breeze on his now-exposed backside.

He cursed his bad luck!

Not only did he fail to steal the money pouch, but he was also chased by a big yellow dog for several streets, with his pants torn!

Truth be told, he wasn’t the unluckiest one.

Compared to those who were beaten to within an inch of their lives and suffered a blow that would leave them childless, his misfortune was nothing.

Su Yi wandered down the entire street, hearing that there would be a lantern festival at night, so as it got darker, not only would the crowd not decrease, but even more people would come out.

Su Yi asked a few more curious questions.

Hearing that there would be a lot of people at night, more than during the day, practically shoulder to shoulder.

When she heard that many people would be releasing lanterns by the river, her expression became subtly complex for a moment, but it quickly passed, and she looked forward to the lantern festival like any ordinary woman.

It's good that there are many people at night; the person tailing her was really getting on her nerves.

Su Yi was basking in the sunny weather, leisurely strolling around, while those who were secretly following her were nearly exhausted trying to keep up without being noticed.

It's truly baffling how this woman can walk so much; she has practically covered over a dozen streets!

A dozen streets?!

Is this the same lady who used to tire after just a few steps?!

Finally, she stopped to eat a bowl of dumpling soup, chatted with the stall owner, paid, picked up her umbrella, and prepared to continue walking.

Those following her were on the verge of collapse, wondering, "Is she going to continue?!"

Does she intend to walk every street in the capital?!

Their legs were already giving out from following her!

The Emperor had sent them to follow her to ensure her safety.

At first, the guards thought it would be challenging to follow her discreetly.

But they silently grumbled, questioning why the Emperor was so indulgent. Even if she was beautiful and favored, she shouldn't be indulged like this. He should be firm, let her face some challenges outside, so she would learn her lesson and not defy her husband.

But they never expected that the lady would first head to a pawnshop and pawn items from the palace.

One of them, who was well-informed about palace affairs, recognized that these might be the Emperor's personal gifts?!

The sudden popularity of snake bracelets in the palace was because the Emperor had started the trend by gifting one to the lady?!

And she pawned them for an incredibly low price, showing she was not only bold but also being taken advantage of as an easy mark.

No sooner had she stepped out than she was being watched, making her look even more like easy prey.

They followed behind, ready to intervene if things took a turn for the worse, to rescue Imperial Noble Consort from any fright.

Imperial Noble Consort had been living too comfortably in the palace, oblivious to the dangers lurking outside, where danger was around every corner.

Just as they were about to take action, they were instantly proven wrong.

They now dared not even look directly at the oil-paper umbrella.

Even at the final blow, they felt it so deeply that they all instinctively covered the same spot.

Only after noticing their colleagues' similar reactions did they show extremely awkward expressions, each averting their gaze.

Yet, they couldn't stop feeling a chill down their backs.

Especially since she could have such a soft and harmless appearance, speak in the gentlest tone, yet deal the harshest blows.

That was even more terrifying, right?!

Any ordinary delicate woman would have been completely terrified; how could she dare to behave like this?

Previously, it was rumored that when Imperial Noble Consort was still at concubine rank, she was infamous for her arrogance and domineering nature.

They had believed it was somewhat exaggerated, as the newly promoted Imperial Noble Consort even spoke in a gentle manner, not loud at all, nowhere near being arrogant or domineering.

There were also claims that Imperial Noble Consort was incredibly strong, but they thought, how strong could a woman possibly be? No matter how strong, she couldn't surpass a man.

If embarrassment could manifest physically, their faces would have swollen like pig heads by now.

Throughout the entire process, there was no opportunity for them to intervene.

When Imperial Noble Consort walked away feeling refreshed and in high spirits.

They all let out a huge sigh of relief, realizing they had been holding their breaths, afraid she might notice them.

They were worried that Imperial Noble Consort might think they were no good either and take them down as well!

That was truly frightening!

They certainly didn't want to end up like those lying on the ground, writhing in pain.

In this short span, they went from thinking that the Emperor was too indulgent with Imperial Noble Consort, that women shouldn't be spoiled.

To now questioning if the Emperor had lost his mind, as even the most beautiful could be so fierce, unmatched even among the Eight Banners of Manchu and Mongol!

She was truly not someone ordinary people could handle, even daring to think rebelliously, had the Emperor ever been beaten?

God knows when they left someone behind to clean up, they found the injuries were not just severe, but life-threatening.

With this, who could possibly make Imperial Noble Consort suffer a loss?!

Imperial Noble Consort could indeed live quite well on her own outside.

The Emperor really didn't need to worry about Imperial Noble Consort's safety at all.

The pawnshop owner hadn't been gleeful for long about swindling a big fat sheep, when sword-bearing guards showed up at his shop.

Seeing this, the pawnshop owner realized his guess was right, they must be here for that little beauty.

However, the pawnshop owner, feeling secure with his backing, was not very nervous.

He informed them that a young beauty had come to pawn an item but left quickly, and he didn't know her destination or direction.

Then he took out a bracelet and explained that this was the bracelet the young beauty had pawned.

He reasoned that since it was jewelry, she might have carried other jewelry when she fled. Besides, the attendant only knew an item was pawned, but what exactly was it? It was all bracelets, but could they identify the specifics?

So he thought he could deceive them. If the family was wealthy, they wouldn’t mind.

The priority was to find leads on the young beauty, so why focus too much on a bracelet?

Unexpectedly, the leader glanced at it and declared, "Not this one."

His men half-drew their swords, looking menacing.

How could a noble person wear such a low-quality bracelet? The Emperor taking the Noble Consort out of the palace was enough to show her favor. Such a subpar bracelet would never be in Yonghe Palace.

Deceiving them, the owner didn’t realize the severity of hiding imperial gifts.

But now wasn’t the time to cause a scene, so he signaled for the silver, matching the exorbitant price he had charged.

Seeing their aggressive approach, the pawnshop owner quickly revealed his connections, urging them to find out who owned the shop, hoping to make them back off.

This pawnshop belonged to the prince, and they should consider if they could risk offending the prince.

After hearing this, the leader remained unfazed and had the silver collected. The pawnshop owner assumed they were retreating, but they stood still, seemingly waiting for someone.

As he prepared to demand their departure, he noticed someone else entering. The pawnshop owner was stunned—it was the prince’s steward!

Why was he here?!

He saw the steward come in and immediately scolded him harshly, then told him to bring out the items immediately, and repeatedly apologized and spoke kindly to the leader, showing extreme respect.

Finally, he eagerly sent them out, wiped the sweat from his head, and turned back to see the pawnshop owner, which made him even angrier. How dare he treat anyone as a fat sheep to slaughter, especially someone from the palace! He was really causing trouble for the prince!

If he kept him around, who knows how many people he would offend for the prince.

The bracelet returned to someone's hand again.

Kangxi looked at the returned bracelet, listening to the reported news, his face growing darker. Holding it in his hand, the veins on the back of his hand bulged. He restrained himself, then suddenly kicked over a stool, roaring in anger,

"She really dares! She actually pawned the thing I gave her! Is there anything she wouldn’t dare to do?"

Liang Jiugong, seeing his anger, hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please calm down."

"If she thinks life outside the palace is better and doesn't want to return, I'll grant her wish! Let Niohuru die of illness, issue my decree, Noble Consort Rong has suddenly fallen seriously ill, order her, order her—"

Seeing this, Liang Jiugong gritted his teeth, rushed forward, and hugged the Emperor's leg, crying out, "Your Majesty, this must not be done, please reconsider."

Once the decree is issued, there is no turning back. By the time Your Majesty calms down and regrets, it will be too late. Your Majesty is too angry.

Kangxi directly raised his foot to kick him away, "You dog slave, dare you stop me!"

Liang Jiugong was really in a difficult position, sweating profusely, almost using the fastest reaction speed of his life to respond,

"I dare not, Your Majesty! But I think the Noble Consort didn't mean it. She left in a hurry, and she didn't wear any other jewelry, nor did she have any money.

After leaving in anger, she must have been panicked and could only use it as a temporary emergency. If she had other valuables, she would never have pawned the bracelet.

The Noble Consort didn't wear anything else except the bracelet on her hand, which shows she liked it enough to wear it all the time. Only out of desperation would she do such a thing! I boldly speak out of turn, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Liang Jiugong really used all his eloquence, trying hard to find reasons for the Noble Consort, giving the Emperor a reason he could accept, and then waited nervously for the Emperor's reaction.

The action of raising his foot to kick him slowly stopped, "...You talk too much."