Chapter 145 Sense of Crisis

Chapter 145: Growing Tension

Ambiguous Stance

Watching the Emperor enter with a cold expression, the Empress couldn’t help but feel a flicker of joy in her eyes.

She stood to welcome him, personally removing his cloak with an intimate gesture.

"Your Majesty has arrived."

After handing the cloak to Cai Shan, who stood beside her, she bowed to the Emperor.

The consorts in attendance were clearly unprepared for the Emperor's sudden appearance. They hastily adjusted their hairpins and bowed with flirtatious smiles.

In the entire hall, only Su Jiaojiao remained cold and indifferent, her face devoid of any delight or warmth.

She glanced up, her eyes filled with detachment and frost, rising only to perform the customary bow to the Emperor. Her usually sweet voice now held a frosty edge: "Your servant greets Your Majesty."

Shen Huai gazed intently at Su Jiaojiao. Her indifference stood in stark contrast to the smiles of the others, as if his presence alone pained her.

Seeing her distant demeanor, the anger he had suppressed earlier flared up again, his expression turning icy.

Striding forward, he took the Empress’s hand and led her to the main seat, then cast a cold glance at Su Jiaojiao. "The Empress is the mistress of the palace. How dare a mere consort speak disrespectfully to her? As a high-ranking consort, what penalty do you merit for such insolence?"

Su Jiaojiao's expression remained impassive. She met his gaze, rose, and bowed. "Your servant is ill and unable to attend tomorrow's morning greetings, so I sent my maid Ling Xiao to ask for leave from Her Majesty the Empress. Yet somehow, she offended Her Majesty so gravely that punishment was deemed necessary."

"Ling Xiao is my servant. If my own palace servant is to be punished, I am owed an explanation."

Seeing the Emperor present and the matter brought up again, the Empress spoke gently, "Indeed."

"Ling Xiao came yesterday to request leave on behalf of Consort Zhen, saying she was unwell. Though I thought it improper for her to miss the First Snow Banquet, considering the cold weather, I granted it. Yet after resting for a day, Consort Zhen fell ill with a chill and now requests leave from tomorrow's greetings as well, so I inquired further."

The Empress looked at Su Jiaojiao with a gentle expression. "Ling Xiao, worried for Consort Zhen's health, spoke improperly in her haste. I initially dismissed it, but the other consorts felt I was being too lenient, fearing it would encourage indiscipline, and insisted on punishing Ling Xiao. That led to the scene earlier."

"Managing the affairs of the inner court is my duty, yet I’ve troubled Your Majesty with this matter."

Su Jiaojiao watched coldly as the Empress twisted her words, portraying everything as concern for her and the palace's discipline.

Every word emphasized the Empress's supposed benevolence and thorough consideration, downplaying Ling Xiao’s supposed offense while highlighting Su Jiaojiao and her maid's faults.

Su Jiaojiao saw the ruse at once. But the Emperor had arrived late, and the Empress had crafted her words so skillfully, clearly intending for him to issue the final judgment.

Not only would this confirm Ling Xiao and Su Jiaojiao's "insubordination," winning the Emperor's sympathy, but it would also paint Su Jiaojiao as arrogant and unruly.

When the Emperor had entered earlier, the others had been surprised and delighted—only the Empress had shown only delight, no trace of surprise.

She must have known the Emperor would visit Fengyi Palace at this time, deliberately orchestrating this scene.

No wonder the Empress had spoken so gently earlier—she had calculated exactly which words the Emperor would hear, securing the upper hand in the exchange.

The Empress was cunning, her schemes always layered and interwoven.

Had Su Jiaojiao not been sharp, she might have long fallen victim to the Empress's traps, becoming another lost soul within these red walls.

Su Jiaojiao's face flushed unnaturally, her cheeks burning. Covering her lips with a handkerchief, she coughed lightly, but her eyes burned as she challenged the Empress for answers.

"Since Her Majesty claims Ling Xiao spoke disrespectfully, may I ask what exactly she said? So I may understand and discipline my servants accordingly."

The Empress sipped her tea gracefully, remaining silent, only glancing subtly at Beauty Xiao below. Beauty Xiao, catching the hint, immediately spoke up. "Must Her Majesty repeat such insolent words herself? Consort Zhen, even if you wish to protect your servant, there must be limits. The Empress is the fairest and most forgiving—if even she deems it disrespectful, how can you doubt it?"

She was quick-witted and articulate. The Empress shot her an approving look before turning to the Emperor, intending to gauge his opinion.

Yet Shen Huai hadn’t paid any attention to their words. His gaze remained fixed on Su Jiaojiao, noticing the flush on her cheeks and the sheen of sweat on her forehead. It was clear she had come down with a cold after returning last night, likely from the wind.

Seeing her fighting to stay composed, Shen Huai’s heart, once hardened by anger, trembled slightly.

He felt a twinge of concern.

Noticing the Emperor’s distraction, the Empress followed where he was looking and saw Su Jiaojiao staring intently at her, which displeased her.

Softly, the Empress reminded him, "What do you think we should do about this?"

Shen Huai lowered his gaze, forcing himself to suppress the urge to look at Su Jiaojiao again or betray his concern for her. His voice was cold as he said, "Such a trivial matter is up to the Empress."

Reassured by the Emperor’s response, the Empress allowed herself a small smile. "Since Ling Xiao has indeed erred, and considering the opinions of the other sisters, it would be remiss not to punish her. However, out of respect for Consort Zhen’s plea on her behalf, a light punishment will do—fifteen strikes on the buttocks."

Su Jiaojiao’s eyes burned with fury as she glared at the Empress, her gaze turning icy.

She could no longer maintain her composure. The sight of the man and woman seated on the throne filled her with bitter irony—especially the Emperor. Even if others didn’t know why she had fallen ill, how could he not?

Had he not lashed out at her for no reason, she wouldn’t have been pinned against the plum tree, exposed to the cold wind, nor would she have been unable to suppress the resentment festering in her heart.

Now, not only did she have to watch this vicious woman bask in triumph, but if she couldn’t even protect her own subordinate, what good was being a consort then?

"Earlier, I asked what exactly Ling Xiao said that was so disrespectful as to warrant not just a reprimand but fifteen strikes. Why is it that Beauty Xiao’s interruption of my conversation with the Empress goes unpunished, while the Empress silently permits her? Could it be that Beauty Xiao struck a nerve, prompting the Empress to evade the question?"

Seeing her mistress’s rising agitation, Ling Xiao quickly knelt and prostrated herself before the Emperor. "Your Majesty, I beg for your fair judgment. I never uttered a single disrespectful word against the Empress. It was only because the Empress was displeased with my mistress’s frequent absences and sought to give her a hard time that I explained the situation. Yet Beauty Xiao accused me of insolence and had me detained, insisting on severe punishment!"

"My mistress has always been kind to her servants and knows my character well. That is why, despite her illness, she braved the cold wind to come here. I implore Your Majesty to see the truth!"

The Empress had not expected Su Jiaojiao to disregard her image in the Emperor’s eyes so completely, pressing relentlessly for answers.

Once the most beguiling presence before the Emperor, now that she had lost his favor, she seemed to have abandoned all restraint.

Hastily, the Empress knelt, observing the Emperor’s expression. She coughed weakly into her hand, covering her left shoulder as part of her act, before speaking gently, "Your Majesty, the matter has already occurred, and it cannot be judged based on one person’s word alone. Ling Xiao’s disrespect was witnessed by several sisters. Moreover, I had expressed reluctance to pursue it, only deciding on a light punishment for the sake of palace discipline—not as Consort Zhen and Ling Xiao claim."

This was a minor affair—how had it escalated so dramatically? Besides, Shen Huai had long known of Su Jiaojiao’s protectiveness toward her subordinates. Had she not been worried about Ling Xiao’s punishment, she wouldn’t have come to plead with the Empress despite her illness.

As for Ling Xiao, regardless of whether her words were truly disrespectful, once news of today’s events spread, Su Jiaojiao’s open defiance in the Empress’s palace would stir gossip, unsettling the harem and casting doubt on the Empress’s authority.

Thus, Ling Xiao had to be punished.

Shen Huai swept a cold gaze over those present, his index finger tapping lightly on the armrest.

Several times, he considered granting the Empress’s wish to have Ling Xiao beaten, if only to provoke Su Jiaojiao into looking at him with resentment.

But after wavering, he couldn’t bear to add to Su Jiaojiao’s distress while she was ill. In a low voice, he declared the matter closed: "Ling Xiao spoke disrespectfully to the Empress. Considering it is her first offense, she shall lose a month's pay. Consort Zhen has failed in disciplining her servant and is confined to her palace for seven days of reflection, forbidden from leaving."

This preserved the Empress’s dignity, addressed Ling Xiao and Su Jiaojiao’s faults, and respected Su Jiaojiao’s desire to shield her subordinate.

Falling ill after braving the snow in the plum grove—she had only herself to blame.

She could stay shut away in Yaoxian Palace for seven days to reflect on her mistakes!

Every time he saw Su Jiaojiao, Shen Huai’s emotions churned.

He despised how his anger could still soften for her, how he still cared about her feelings.

She was a loveless, heartless woman. Every look at her wronged him anew.

He didn't want to upset himself further, so he stood up and said in a deep voice, "There is urgent business in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. I shall take my leave now."

The Empress smiled and curtsied to bid the Emperor farewell, though her gaze was ice-cold.

Just seeing Su Jiaojiao put His Majesty in a foul mood, and the Empress could keenly sense the fury radiating from him.

Yet despite her efforts, the Emperor had merely ordered a one-month deduction of her salary, while the punishment for Su Jiaojiao was even more ambiguous.

Seven days of seclusion—Su Jiaojiao was already ill and supposed to rest in her palace.

Was this to absolve the Su family, or to warn the Empress against provoking further incidents involving Su Jiaojiao?

Su Jiaojiao—

Though she had clearly fallen out of favor and incurred His Majesty's displeasure, she still managed to humiliate the Empress.

A fresh wave of alarm surged through the Empress.

She'd assumed Su Jiaojiao's disgrace was certain, but today's events showed that His Majesty's punishment was deliberately ambiguous, leaving room for doubt.

If she didn't take this opportunity to eliminate Su Jiaojiao now, there was no telling when she might come back into favor at any moment.

This cannot stand!

The Empress glanced at the nervous Imperial Consorts below and hatched a plan.