Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Sage Enlightenment

The clear, crisp voice echoed through the main hall of Yongning Palace.

The Palace Attendants were shaken and bewildered.

The voice lingered and dissipated.

Then followed a silence as if half dead.

The Palace Attendants looked at the beaded curtain, unable to imagine the anger of the Empress Dowager and the Empress behind it.

Princess Shouning was stung by a bee in the Imperial Garden and was carried back to her bedchamber in a faint.

The Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion even asked the Empress Dowager to punish Princess Shouning to vent her anger for the palace maids and eunuchs. She seemed to aim to anger the Empress Dowager and the Empress to death before stopping.

The lips of the Empress Dowager and the Empress turned purple with rage.

Especially the Empress Dowager, who was elderly and had been stung by a bee, looked pale enough to faint at any moment.

Nanny Li was frightened and quickly persuaded the Empress Dowager to calm down.

The Empress regained her senses, sneering, "Truly eloquent and sharp-tongued! You and your maid poisoned the bees, causing them to sting anyone they see. Instead of repenting, you put all the blame on Shouning!"

Su Jin was speechless; she had never seen anyone so partial to their daughter.

If it was her daughter who tried to steal and got caught instead, she would definitely hide it well, not letting anyone know. Yet they actually wanted her to take the blame.

So naive, she wondered how such a person became the Empress.

An Empress like this—

The Emperor’s judgment was exceedingly poor.

"What evidence does the Empress have to prove I poisoned the bees?" Su Jin asked, her spine straight, questioning with justified confidence.

Catch an adulterer in the act, and a thief with the loot. Without evidence, even the Empress Dowager and the Empress cannot convict her.

Xingxing, standing beside Su Jin, said, "There was no pulse diagnosis or autopsy on the bees before accusing my lady of poisoning them. This is a blatant slander!"

The Palace Attendants, "...!!!"

Imperial Study.

The doors and windows were tightly shut.

The little eunuch knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Only then did the little eunuch enter.

The Emperor sat on the Dragon Chair.

He raised his hand to rub his eyes.

After routinely reviewing memorials for an hour, the Emperor would take a break and take a walk in the Imperial Garden.

Today, forced by the bees, he reviewed memorials for a full two hours.

There were no memorials left to review.

No concubines came to deliver swallow’s nest or pastries to delay him—

The Emperor felt a bit unaccustomed.

Eunuch Fu stood by, his cheeks swollen, looking rather miserable.

The little eunuch stepped forward, and the Emperor frowned, "Has something happened again at Yongning Palace?"

The little eunuch replied, "Not yet, but the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion asked the Empress Dowager to punish Princess Shouning to seek justice for her and the palace attendants stung by the bees. The Empress said she poisoned the bees, and the Eldest Young Madam’s maid claimed that without diagnosing or examining the bees, it’s slander."

The Emperor, "...."

Eunuch Fu, "...."

Eunuch Fu’s mouth twitched as he saw the Emperor raise his hand to rub his forehead.

He ventured a guess and asked, "Emperor, would you like to go to Yongning Palace to see how the Imperial Physician diagnoses the bees?"

"Very well," the Emperor said with a stern face.

"...."

The Emperor rose and left the Imperial Study.

Eunuch Fu, fearing there might still be bees in the palace, called several guards to protect them front and back, to prevent the Emperor from being ambushed by bees.

Of course, he was more afraid of being stung a few more times himself.

It truly hurts.

Inside Yongning Palace.

The Empress felt a metallic taste in her mouth, trembling all over with anger.

Su Jin’s stance was crystal clear.

If they couldn’t prove she poisoned the bees, they intended to deny it to the end.

As for proving poisoning the bees.

The path had been pointed out, but they just couldn’t do it.

In the main hall.

It fell silent once more.

Su Jin’s knees were a bit sore from kneeling.

If she found a chair to sit on now, would the Empress Dowager and the Empress be so enraged that it would cause an incident?

What did she care about them anyway.

Su Jin stood up but had not yet sat down when an announcement came from outside in a drake-like voice, "The Emperor arrives!"

The Emperor walked in.

In a bright yellow Dragon Robe, exuding extraordinary grandeur.

Su Jin stepped aside to greet the Emperor, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Rise."

Su Jin stood up, noticing Eunuch Fu’s bee-stung swollen face.

Su Jin, "...."

Xie Jingchen, "...."

Xingxing stifled a laugh, "Eunuch Fu, you were stung by the bees too?"

Eunuch Fu, "...."

Could you not mention that?

It hurts!

Then Xingxing rummaged through her pouch, took out a bottle of medicine, and said, "Here, apply this, and the swelling will go down soon."

"Really?" Eunuch Fu was a bit doubtful.

"I kid you not, my lady’s medicine is even better than the Emperor’s," Xingxing said honestly.

"...."

Eunuch Fu’s mouth twitched.

If you’re praising the medicine, just do so, why drag the Emperor into it?

The best things in the Daqi Dynasty are in the palace, all under the Emperor; this awareness needs to be had.

Seeing Eunuch Fu not accepting it, Xingxing directly thrust it into his hands, "Don’t be shy."

Eunuch Fu quietly looked at the Emperor.

Truly.

In all his years in the palace, it was the first time anyone had bribed him right in front of the Emperor. How was he supposed to accept it?

"Take it, try its effect," the Emperor said with a smile.

"Your servant obeys."

Eunuch Fu took the paste, applied a little on his face.

It was cooling.

Very comfortable, it seemed the pain lessened considerably.

The Emperor paid his respects to the Empress Dowager, who gave him a cold look.

She’d been stung for nearly an hour already, and the Emperor hadn’t come to check on her, yet once this female bandit arrived, he showed up.

Was he here to visit her, the Empress Dowager, or to support this female bandit?!

The Empress Dowager said, "It’s just timely that the Emperor came. Another beehive fell from a tree in the Imperial Garden. Ordinarily, these aren’t major incidents, but the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion poisoned them, causing the bees to run rampant. Not only did they sting Princess Shouning unconscious, but the Empress and we, too, were stung. How does the Emperor intend to handle this matter?"

The Emperor, "...."

Su Jin, "...."

Impossible, right?

Princess Shouning openly threw a beehive at her, and this is called a hive that fell from a tree?

Although the beehive at Duke Zhen’s Mansion was indeed struck down by Xingxing last time, the Emperor sided with her for the sake of face.

But the beehive in Duke Zhen’s Mansion legitimately grew on a tree.

Princess Shouning’s beehive was bought from outside and brought into the palace.

Can these two really be considered the same?

Fine.

If the Empress Dowager insists, there’s nothing else she can do.

Su Jin silently glanced at the Emperor.

The Emperor, likewise, had nothing to say.

The Empress Dowager and the Empress still bore grudges about what happened that day, condoning Princess Shouning’s revenge and intending to shield her throughout.

He couldn’t possibly protect the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion without protecting his own daughter.

The Emperor somewhat regretted coming.

Su Jin blinked and looked at the Emperor, "Emperor, the Empress Dowager asked you to punish the palace with a salary cut for half a year."

The Emperor, "...."

This mind of hers works way too fast.

To swiftly know how to suppress the Empress Dowager.

Eunuch Fu coughed lightly and said, "It’s three months."

Su Jin said, "It’s six months. The beehive at Duke Zhen’s Mansion fell and stung Princess Shouning. The Emperor issued a decree for punishment, this matter was known both inside and outside the palace. A lesson learned from the past, yet the palace staff still didn’t keep it in mind, and failed to inspect the surroundings to ensure safety. Eventually, the hive fell from the tree, isn’t it apparent they’re not taking the Emperor’s words seriously?"

Eunuch Fu, "...."

No rebuttal.

"You see, one fallen beehive caused serious injuries to both the Empress Dowager and the Empress. Such severe consequences, yet a punishment of six months is already considered light," Su Jin said sincerely.

"...."

"What the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion said makes sense. The Empress, as the head of the harem, was careless, and shall therefore be fined half a year’s salary, while other stewards will be fined three months," the Emperor decreed.

"The Emperor is wise!" Su Jin acclaimed.

"...."

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