Chapter 128: Before the Autumn Hunt

Chapter 128: Before the Autumn Hunt

Sending Jia Xi Out of the Palace

"My Lady..."

Under Su Jiaojiao's icy, mocking gaze, Jia Xi's slight trembling gradually turned into violent shivering. Her eyes widened as she shook her head in disbelief, muttering, "The Empress wants to kill me... the Empress wants to kill me!"

Su Jiaojiao pulled out a handkerchief and said coolly, "I’ve long known you were the Empress’s spy, waiting to see what you were plotting beside me."

She gripped Jia Xi’s chin tightly, her voice frigid. "You thought you served a wise ruler, didn’t you? Did you ever imagine she’d dispose of you so ruthlessly?"

"She wants you dead, but I chose to save you."

Su Jiaojiao released her and turned to sit back on the main seat, her tone indifferent. "You have the time it takes half an incense stick to burn to compose yourself. If you dare make another sound, I’ll gag you before killing you."

Jia Xi slumped to the floor, trembling. In just moments, she had gone from shock to relief and back to horror, her body soaked in cold sweat.

The damp clothes clung to her skin, making her bones shake with cold.

Consort Zhen hadn’t risen to her position on beauty alone. If she wished it, how could Jia Xi possibly survive?

From the tiger’s mouth into the wolf’s jaws—her survival instincts kicked in. Jia Xi wheezed for air, gripping her clothes tightly, her eyes wide with desperation.

The Empress had been using her all along, ready to discard her the moment she became useless. Without Consort Zhen’s protection, she’d be dead!

On her knees, Jia Xi scrambled toward Consort Zhen, pleading, "My Lady, save me! Please, spare my life! I don’t want to die!"

"I admit it—I worked for the Empress, did things against you! She told me to plant whispers in your ear..."

She hesitated, then lowered her voice guiltily. "She said... if I could ruin you, even better. If not, no matter. Later, someone in the palace told me I didn’t need to act in Yaoxian Palace—just follow orders. If I did well, the Empress would reward me handsomely."

Tears and snot streaked her face. "My family is buried in debt. I just wanted money—I was blind! I’m their only hope... please, My Lady, have mercy!"

Su Jiaojiao smirked. "You plotted against me, yet I saved you today. Now you want me to save you again?"

"But then again, the Empress will silence you for what you know. Now that she’s failed once, she’ll be even more determined to kill you."

"The Empress is the nation’s mother, unchallenged in the palace. A mere maid like you? A mayfly trying to topple a tree."

She studied her gilded nails under the lamplight, delicate carvings glinting like gold.

"Anything else to say? If not, I’ve no more patience for this."

Seeing Consort Zhen’s indifference, Jia Xi panicked. She bowed her head frantically. "My Lady! That murderer killed in cold blood—a capital offense—yet you showed mercy! You’re merciful! The Empress is no true ruler. I wronged you, but I’ve learned my lesson! From now on, I’ll follow only you—your every word!"

"Empty flattery won’t save you."

Su Jiaojiao sipped her tea leisurely. "Saving you once was grace enough. To save you again? Such a debt demands more than groveling."

The implication was clear. Jia Xi froze briefly, then understood.

Her eyes wild with desperation, she pleaded, "My Lady! Whatever you ask, I’ll do it! Just save me!"

"Truly?" Su Jiaojiao eyed her meaningfully. "You’re cowardly, greedy. You served the Empress—who’s to say you won’t betray me?"

"But I’m not heartless. I’ll save you—on one condition. Agree, and I’ll find a way to keep you alive."

A flicker of hope lit Jia Xi’s tear-filled eyes. "My Lady..."

"In your current state, you can’t remain in the palace."

"If the Empress discovers you're still alive, she won’t spare you. You wish to live? Then the palace is no longer your place."

"Naturally, your usefulness to me depends on your survival. Just remember your earlier promise—to follow my orders without question—and I’ll ensure your safety."

Jia Xi nodded, understanding the logic in Consort Zhen's words, though she still didn’t know what was expected of her.

Timidly, she ventured, "Then... what does Your Ladyship need this lowly one to do...?"

"You’ll find out—in due time."

Su Jiaojiao lifted her gaze to glance at her, then said slowly, "Since you were one of the Empress’s people, aside from this matter, do you know anything else?"

Jia Xi shook her head, lowering her voice as she replied, "Though this lowly one worked for the Empress, I was never entrusted with greater secrets. I’m useless—please forgive me, Your Ladyship."

Just as she finished speaking, she suddenly seemed to recall something and added, "But once, when I saw Matron Yu He, I noticed her speaking with a junior eunuch late at night. Though I didn’t recognize him, I recognized his uniform—it was from the stables. Beyond that... I know nothing else..."

The stables?

Su Jiaojiao’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, filing the information away.

At that moment, Xiao Songzi and Yu Ying returned, dragging the junior eunuch with them.

Xiao Songzi showed no mercy, driving his knee down with a kick to force him to kneel properly. Yu Ying, holding a sheet of paper between her delicate fingers, approached Su Jiaojiao and presented it to her. "Your Ladyship, please review this and see if there are any issues."

Su Jiaojiao glanced down briefly—the confession was thorough, complete with name and fingerprints—then handed it back to Yu Ying, saying coolly, "Keep it safe. It will be useful later."

Yu Ying bowed and retreated to the inner chamber. Only then did Su Jiaojiao turn her attention to the kneeling eunuch in the hall. "You’ve signed and sealed this confession. This evidence belongs to me now—which means your life belongs to me as well."

She smiled faintly. "You were sent by the Empress to kill Jia Xi. If you want to emerge unharmed, all you need to do is make sure the Empress believes Jia Xi is dead. Then you can continue your duties in the palace without trouble."

The eunuch was sharp. His eyes flickered as he grasped the implication of Consort Zhen’s words, and he hurriedly replied, "This worthless servant is undeserving, yet Your Ladyship has shown such boundless mercy! Whatever Your Ladyship commands, this servant will obey without question!"

"You’ve wit enough, and cruelty to match. I’ll not mince words with you. Just remember—Jia Xi has been killed by you. No matter who from the Empress’s side asks, you know what to say." Su Jiaojiao spoke indifferently. "As for the rest, I’ll arrange it."

With that, she glanced at Xiao Songzi, who immediately understood and stepped forward, bending to listen.

After whispering a few instructions, Su Jiaojiao said, "Jia Xi, go."

Xiao Songzi nodded and swiftly led Jia Xi out, vanishing into the darkness. The only one left kneeling in the hall was the bound eunuch. "Your survival now depends on your own actions. Don’t arouse suspicion."

"Leave the way you came."

Once the eunuch had gone, Yu Ying helped Su Jiaojiao up, saying, "Your Ladyship, that eunuch is called Xiao Yuezi. He’s only been in the palace for half a year—cut from the same cloth as Jia Xi. Greed and cruelty are of no consequence."

"Right now, their lives are in my hands—especially Jia Xi’s. I’ll have her entrusted to Su Chang’s custody."

Yu Ying looked surprised. "Having the master oversee her is a good idea. The Empress wants Jia Xi dead to silence her. If she remains in the palace and the Empress finds out she failed, she’ll keep trying. Better to let her believe Jia Xi is dead—while we hold yet another lever against the Empress."

Su Jiaojiao chuckled lightly. "Exactly. Jia Xi still has value—that’s why I saved her. As for Xiao Yuezi, I spared him to keep the Empress at ease, but that doesn’t mean she’ll tolerate him."

"He’s just a minor pawn. That mere confession alone can’t prove anything against the Empress."

"The autumn hunt is less than a month away. The palace must remain undisturbed for now."

The thin silk of her sleeping robe enhanced her natural grace.

"Tomorrow, attend me at the Taiji Hall to see His Majesty."