Chapter 271

Chapter 271

This left her so flustered she couldn’t even keep up with the conversation, making for a thoroughly unpleasant experience.

Qinxin’s fingers moved with practiced skill, and Su Yi half-lidded her eyes, as if steadying her emotions.

No one spoke anymore, and even the breathing of the palace maids slowed to a whisper.

After a while, Su Yi spoke again, seemingly having regained some composure, and looked at Consort Ping’s head maid, who now looked far more presentable with a handkerchief pressed to her mouth.

The maid's eyes glistened with tears, mixed with fear. Her dislocated jaw ached with a dull pain, yet she didn’t dare utter a whimper.

Slaps, beatings, and kneeling punishments were commonplace in the palace, but something like this truly hadn’t happened before. After all, other high-ranking consorts were too status-conscious to stoop to doing it themselves—they would simply order others to carry out the punishment.

But Su Yi… well, one could only say she operated by her own twisted logic.

“There’s more than one way to quiet you down. However, rather than leaving it to others who might not show restraint—"

Su Yi’s tone was gentle, her face the picture of faux concern. If one hadn’t seen what came before, she truly looked like a soft-spoken, gentle beauty who never raised her voice or lost her temper.

But if this moment could be visualized, Su Yi would undoubtedly be surrounded by an aura of black lotus blossoms—only her face remained fair, while her heart was truly dark.*

Now that she was the only one speaking, even with her drawn-out delivery and occasional pauses,

the silence remained unbroken.

So even after pausing for a moment, she could casually resume where she left off.

"—I simply couldn’t bear to let you suffer too much, so I had to do it myself."

As she spoke, her face put on a show of pained reluctance, as if she had agonized over the decision.

As if what she had just done was truly out of unwillingness to let others act recklessly and harm her, hence she took matters into her own hands.

Because she… knew just how far to go?

This was truly a masterclass in reinterpreting "couldn’t bear to let you suffer too much."

Her understanding was simply different from that of ordinary people.

A normal person, unwilling to let another suffer, would do everything possible to avoid causing them pain in any way.

Or, if they had to act themselves, it would be to spare the other person—or, if unavoidable, to endure the suffering in their place.

But not Su Yi. When it came to the degree of suffering inflicted by others, if she acted herself, the suffering would still occur—just slightly less severe.

Follow this logic, and it all made perfect sense.

Honestly, after hearing Su Yi’s words, everyone present—whether ally or foe—were utterly dumbstruck.

Su Yi perfectly demonstrated the principle that the sweeter her smile, the deadlier her strike.

And she never bothered with pre-action threats—any words came only after the deed was done.

Usually, she was lazy as a sunbathing cat, permanently affixed to her daybed, always passing tasks to others if possible. She often slacked off, and even the old eunuch who strolled around sunbathing had absorbed some of her habits.

Other consorts might smile while wielding daggers or keep their hands spotless by simply ordering their maids to carry out punishments.

Logically, their reasoning was that, as high-ranking consorts, they wouldn’t deign to act personally. *Black lotuses symbolize malevolence or ill intent in Chinese culture.

Su Yi was usually lazy, but in this case, she absolutely didn’t need anyone else to step in. She had even been resting but still managed to get up and come here.

Just… for some idle chatter, hmm?

Even if the lead actor lost their voice, she’d still watch the show.

When drama comes knocking, who wouldn’t answer?

Thinking of this, Su Yi smiled, her eyes crinkling into crescents, and even her pale face seemed to gain a bit of color.

“You must be tired from the journey. Why don’t you stay quiet for a while?” No upstaging allowed here.

Watching as the other’s face grew increasingly pale, drained of all color, like a frightened baby bird.

“It’s just a dislocation. They’ll just pop it back in place.” Su Yi kindly explained, hoping this might offer some reassurance.

But clearly, Su Yi’s words did little to comfort the other—if anything, they only made her tremble harder.

It was like being forced to face a monster wearing a beauty’s face.

And this was all her own fault for provoking it.

Now, there was no take-backs now. Gone was that reckless idea of challenging jade with a pebble.

But at this point, there was no room for regret.

Consort Ping’s chief maid, wondering if she’d leave alive from Rong Noble Consort’s quarters, grew more terrified by the second. She wanted to beg for mercy, but the slightest movement jolted her wound, rendering her completely unable to speak.

Just as she had given up hope, the maid suddenly spotted someone and hurriedly dropped the handkerchief she had been using to cover her mouth. “Mmm! Mmm!”

Despite the pain, she desperately tried to draw attention, as if she had just seen a savior. She nearly lunged forward but was swiftly intercepted by alert palace maids.

Still, she succeeded in making her presence known.

In the tense silence where nobody breathed, the approaching footsteps were especially distinct.

Su Yi waved her hand, signaling Qinxin to stop restraining the maid.

Kangxi stepped forward and took a seat beside Su Yi, taking in the scene with a blank face. “What’s going on?”

Hearing the Emperor’s question, the maid tried to speak but couldn’t—as if she had finally realized Rong Noble Consort’s wicked scheme—to silence her!

Even the smoothest talker needs a working mouth. Now, she couldn’t even form words!

Panic surged, and despite the white-hot pain in her jaw, she strained to make some noise, desperate to prove that she wasn’t refusing to speak—she physically couldn’t.

Her tear-filled eyes darted fearfully toward Rong Noble Consort, tears streaming down her face.

The maid’s clearly dislocated jaw and the way she kept staring at Rong Noble Consort like she’d seen a ghost spoke volumes—this was all Rong Noble Consort’s doing.

Now, let’s see how Rong Noble Consort would keep up her kind act before the Emperor. Let him see her true viciousness.

Normally, if Rong Noble Consort wanted to discipline a maid, who cared?

But now? She had come here on behalf of her own mistress, Consort Ping, who was fighting for her life. Yet Rong Noble Consort chose this moment to torment Consort Ping’s people.

Now that the Emperor was here, let’s see how Rong Noble Consort would try to talk her way out of this!

As for why the Emperor had only arrived now—no doubt Rong Noble Consort had spun some pretty lies earlier, making him believe she could handle the situation properly.

Fortunately, the commotion just now was quite noticeable, and the Emperor was indeed concerned about their Noble Consort!

Perfect timing—now His Majesty gets a front-row seat to Rong Noble Consort’s little performance!

Su Yi had villain energy down pat—facing such silent accusations, she remained utterly unruffled. Right or wrong, she doubled down with gusto.

She glanced at Kangxi, her lashes lowering slightly. "Your Majesty, you've arrived."

Her voice dripped with faux sweetness, laced with just enough hurt to play the victim.

In truth, *About time. The show’s barely worth watching without you.*

*I said ‘hurry up,’ not ‘take a scenic route.’*

Ugh. Early ruins the drama, late kills the momentum. Typical.

Kangxi played the doting emperor, expertly ignoring her side-eye at his ‘fashionably late’ entrance.