After berating her for a while, Noble Concubine Shih stopped to catch her breath. Consort Yun Pin knelt, begging for mercy. "Noble Consort, I am innocent in this matter!" "Innocent? Why would you send spices for no good reason?" Consort Yun Pin spoke again, "Noble Consort, please investigate thoroughly. Those spices..." Those spices had been delivered by Ruirui. She hadn’t asked Ruirui to deliver them. Regrettably, Ruirui was already dead. Eunuch Wei from the Punishment Department had investigated. Ruirui had no close contacts with anyone while she was alive. Who exactly was the hidden person behind her? With Ruirui’s death, everything had become a mystery. That night, the hurried encounter behind the rockery in the Imperial Garden, the brief exchange... With Ruirui’s death, this incident had plunged into hell. As long as the other person remained silent, no living soul could unearth such a secret! Noble Concubine Shih continued to scold. "What, have you run out of things to say?" Consort Yun Pin lowered her head. She really had nothing more to say. Ruirui was her palace maid. Others had planned this long ago. It seemed she was destined to be the scapegoat! Seeing her silence, Noble Concubine Shih also grew weary. She waved her hand dismissively. "Enough! I have no more words to waste on you!" Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦•𝘯𝘦𝘵 "Men, Consort Yun Pin has offended me. Slap her mouth!" "Continue until she admits her guilt and begs for forgiveness!" Having said this, she turned around. "Ying Yue, let’s go!" Noble Concubine Shih left. Several Little Eunuchs grabbed Consort Yun Pin and began slapping her face. Blood soon streamed from the corners of her mouth, and Cai Die knelt beside her, crying and begging, "Stop hitting her! Stop hitting her!" Consort Yun Pin wanted to speak, but her face was too swollen. In the Imperial Garden’s plum grove, a noisy crowd surrounded the commotion. It was impossible that no one knew what was happening. However, the Empress had suffered a setback because of this matter and didn’t want to get involved. In that case... who would dare meddle in Noble Concubine Shih’s affairs? The Emperor had just visited her; she was still in his favor. Thus, everyone in the Harem pretended not to know. After roughly half a Shi Chen, Consort Yun Pin’s face was beaten to a pulp. It was so terribly swollen that she couldn’t admit to any wrongdoing even if she wanted to. Just then, the Empress arrived, as if on cue. Upon seeing the Empress arrive, the beating finally ceased. "We greet Her Majesty the Empress!" Everyone knelt in salute. The Empress approached with a stern face. After looking at Consort Yun Pin, the anger on her face intensified. "A bunch of servants daring to raise their hands against their master! Have you no regard for the rules, or for me, the Empress?" Those Little Eunuchs belonging to Noble Concubine Shih knelt on the ground, endlessly admitting their fault. However, their eyes showed little sincerity; it was all just for show. Of course, the Empress, too, was merely putting on an act. If the Emperor learned that a concubine had been humiliated this way in the Harem, she wouldn’t be praised either. So, she only arrived to play the part of the benevolent savior after the punishment was nearly over. "Cai Die, help your mistress up and summon an Imperial Physician!" Cai Die kowtowed, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress!" The Empress glanced at the group of Little Eunuchs. "Each of you will receive twenty heavy strokes of the rod and be confined to the Punishment Department for a few days! Learn some manners before you’re allowed out!" The attendants the Empress brought with her swiftly hauled the Little Eunuchs off to the Punishment Department. Consort Yun Pin felt a searing pain on her face. Tears and blood blurred her vision; she suffered as if struggling at death’s door in hell. And the one to rescue her from this hell turned out to be the Empress. Casting aside all other thoughts, Consort Yun Pin willingly knelt to kowtow. However, before she could finish, she fainted. A flicker of disdain flashed in the Empress’s eyes. Ultimately, she waved her hand. "Take her back and have an Imperial Physician see to her!" "Yu Lan, find someone to help her!" "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress!" The Empress said nothing, gazing at the bloodstains on the ground and at Consort Yun Pin, who had fainted and was being carried away. "She’s just unlucky!" Sister Ji disagreed. "Who can she blame but herself for following the wrong master?" The Empress chuckled lightly. "That’s true. Noble Concubine Shih has never been a simple character. Following her, it’s a wonder anyone can make a name for themselves!" Sister Ji then smiled. "If Your Majesty wishes to take her under your wing, now would be a good opportunity!" The Empress sneered with contempt. "I have no interest in something Noble Concubine Shih has discarded! Let them fight..." As she spoke, she also instructed, "Sister, go to the Imperial Medical Bureau. Tell them to keep an eye on her. Don’t let her die..." "It’s only right that they live and fight well!" Sister Ji smiled and agreed. With matters settled, the Empress departed. In Qingya Residence, the closest dwelling to the plum grove, Xia Ruqing had already picked a basket full of various fresh vegetables. She wasn’t surprised at all to hear that the Empress had ultimately resolved the situation. The Empress is merely trying to maintain her good reputation by doing this. As for Consort Yun Pin... she’s the truly unlucky one! Zi Yue remarked, "She may be unlucky, but she brought it upon herself! Consort Yun Pin must have had other ambitions when she was getting so close to Honored Lady Lan and Lady Xi!" Xia Ruqing just laughed. "You clever girl, you figured that out without my guidance?" "It’s all thanks to Master’s excellent guidance!" Xia Ruqing said, "Alright, wash these vegetables. We’ll stir-fry some spinach for lunch!" "Yes!" Zi Yue replied. When Xia Ruqing returned to her rooms, Zi Su and Zi Ning came forward to attend to her. One helped her remove her cloak, while the other prepared hot water for her to wash her hands. Both were Second Class palace maids, and they worked quite efficiently. After more than half a month of training from Zi Yue, they were now capable of handling their duties. After Xia Ruqing had changed her clothes and washed her hands, Xiao Zhu Zi stoked the Ground Dragon to make the room warmer. Zi Yue then brought over a cup of tea. Xia Ruqing sipped her tea and said, "My monthly period is due soon. Don’t forget to prepare the menstrual cloths!" Zi Yue said, "Rest assured, Master, this servant remembers!" After Zi Su and Zi Ning had both left, Zi Yue began hesitantly, "Master..." "Whatever it is, just say it." Xia Ruqing put down her teacup and picked up her hand warmer again. Zi Yue no longer held back. "Master, this servant knows she shouldn’t ask, but..." Xia Ruqing looked up. "Are you talking about... a child?" Zi Yue hurriedly nodded. "Yes! Master, you are so favored, there should be some news by now... Could it be... that there’s something wrong with your health?" Xia Ruqing pondered for a moment, then nodded. "You have a point, but such things can’t be forced." Zi Yue then said, "Master, your monthly period is always so painful. Why not... ask an Imperial Physician to take a look?" Xia Ruqing suddenly felt embarrassed. "Call an Imperial Physician just for this? I... I know my constitution is weak, but... this is..." Too dramatic, perhaps? Doesn’t every woman experience painful periods? In the twenty-first century, she hadn’t even been in a relationship, and in ancient times, the original owner of this body had no such memories. No one provided any education on these matters for women in ancient times! Which led to her... not really understanding much about it. Zi Yue also blushed. "This servant... this servant doesn’t quite understand either. Master, the selection for the harem is next year. Aren’t you worried at all?" Xia Ruqing shrugged. "What is there for me to worry about? If I worry, will the Emperor cancel the selection?" "Of course not!" Zi Yue replied, caught between laughter and tears. "Then why should I worry?"