There was no time for further thought; the Empress and Consort Hui Pin had already arrived.
Even Hu Liyi’s face still bore the smug expression she hadn’t had the chance to change.
Her senior palace maid, Rong Qiu, still held the pose of someone who had just struck a blow.
Xia Ruqing knelt on the ground, her face deathly pale, covered in tear stains, trembling uncontrollably.
The slap marks on Zi Yue’s face were incredibly evident, her entire face swollen and red.
This scene spoke for itself, and there was no need to guess what had happened—especially since the Empress had witnessed it with her own eyes. The Empress immediately burst out in anger.
"Hu Liyi, you have some nerve!!"
"Greetings, Empress! Greetings, Consort Hui Pin!" everyone knelt to pay their respects.
Hu Liyi, somewhat frightened, also knelt with a THUD.
"This servant deserves death, may the Empress quell her anger!"
"Let the formalities be dispensed with!"
The Empress waved her hand, seething with anger. Holding her forehead, she sat down in the Plum Blossom Pavilion, supported by Consort Hui Pin’s hand.
She then ordered,
"Yu Lan, help Lady Xia and her maidservant to their feet and offer them a seat!"
"Yes!"
Yu Lan responded and had them both helped to their feet.
Hu Liyi, hearing the Empress’s permission to rise, followed suit.
But she only heard the Empress say,
"Hu Liyi, when did I say you could get up?"
With that one sentence, she was so frightened that she knelt down again.
The Empress had publicly shamed her, and for a moment, she was both ashamed and furious, her face turning beet red.
Meanwhile, Xia Ruqing sat to the side, her face pale, sobbing, and tears falling like they cost nothing.
In fact, in her inner world: If I had known my acting was so good, I should have tried out for auditions earlier. Who knows, I might have become a celebrity or something! Oscar owes me a ’Little Gold Man’! Am I right or am I right?! Life is a play, all depending on acting skills...
Seeing the Empress angry, Consort Hui Pin spoke up to advise her.
"Your Majesty, please take care of your health; anger is detrimental to your body!"
The voice of Consort Hui Pin was very gentle, soft, and tender.
As it happened, this was the first time Xia Ruqing had observed Consort Hui Pin from such a close distance.
In the past, they had only met during greetings or banquets, where their status varied greatly and naturally, so did the distance of their seats.
Now, Xia Ruqing stole a glance at her.
She saw that Consort Hui Pin’s skin was fair, her features delicate, truly a picture of gentle beauty.
She wore a deep purple palace dress and a single jade bead bunch hairpin, a Bu Yao, in her hair. Her entire person was adorned with an abundance of jewels and emeralds.
After all, as the mother of the Second Princess and a Consort of her rank, her attire was indeed much better than that of Consort Zheng Pin.
When the Empress heard her consolation, she sighed and said with a sneer,
"The weather is fine today, and I initially wanted to take a stroll by the Taiye Pool. I did not expect that as soon as I crossed the bridge, I would hear such an uproar!"
"Hu Liyi, as a palace consort, what kind of behavior is this, injuring someone!"
As Hu Liyi knelt on the cool ground, she felt a chill run down her back.
The last time, she had struck Xiao Xizi over a tribute box of rouge and was confined to her quarters for a month.
This time, having been caught in the act by the Empress, was she going to...
No! She had just won favor, she didn’t want this!
Before she could collect herself, the Empress asked again.
"Last time it was over a box of rouge, what is it this time? Tell me!"
Accepting the scented tea passed by Consort Hui Pin, the Empress took a sip, managing to suppress some of the anger in her heart.
As Hu Liyi lay prostrate on the ground, hearing the Empress inquire, her heart pounded with fear.
At that moment, her mind harbored only one thought: She could not be placed under house arrest; she could not let that lowly woman, Lady Xia, gain an advantage.
Her eyes darted around, and kowtowing, she said,
"Empress, Lady Xia offended me, and in a moment of impulse, I just..."
"When this Palace arrived, I saw only you and your servants, hitting and scolding Lady Xia and her maid. Are you suggesting that this Palace is deaf?"
The Empress put down her teacup and narrowed her eyes, staring at Hu Liyi with an imposing and angry gaze.
"Empress, please calm your anger... I... I dare not!"
Hu Liyi knelt on the ground, her voice trembling, completely bereft of the forceful presence she had before.
Consort Hui Pin, who was beside her, frowned slightly with what seemed like sympathy and hurriedly said,
"The Empress is asking you a question. You should answer truthfully and quickly!"
Hu Liyi shivered again.
Just as she was about to answer, the Empress suddenly raised her hand to stop her.
"Lady Xia, I want to hear it from you!"
The Empress couldn’t say she liked Xia Ruqing but didn’t dislike her either; her feelings were much the same as for most others in the palace.
Neither favored nor disfavored, so she wasn’t biased towards Xia Ruqing.
The Emperor had entrusted her with managing the harem in hopes of maintaining peace and tranquility.
If such an incident occurred in the harem and the Emperor learned of it, it would be her fault.