Palace Fighting Naive Concubines’ Ascent to Power
Chapter 171 His Majesty’s Decree

Chapter 171: Chapter 171 His Majesty’s Decree

Why wouldn’t Nanny Qi know this matter required haste? She had come here only to give Lian Hua a dose of reassurance, to put her mind at ease so that she could act without trembling.

As for the outcome, as long as Lian Hua was unharmed, nothing else mattered, let her do as she pleased.

Lian Hua’s eyes sparkled; she understood that Nanny Qi was here to back her up. What was there to worry about then? She’d boldly go ahead with her plans, consequences, oh no, there would be no consequences!

Her eyes glistening, she nodded vigorously at Nanny Qi and waved her hand, leading her people onward.

When they reached the barrier, she took a rattan stick, pointed at the barrier and commanded, "Break it open for me."

The people behind her stepped forward, gripping the tools and forcefully broke a hole in the barrier.

Once it was broken, everyone hurried into the Main Hall, standing by the sides of the hole to welcome Lian Hua through.

The people at the Main Hall heard the noise and looked over. Guards and members of the Interior Work Department rushed over, shouting, "Who goes there?"

Lian Hua strode in, leading her own people to a clear area, standing on a pile of wood. She raised her right foot on the wood, swung the rattan stick downward with a fierce momentum like a bandit, producing a loud bang.

She loudly declared, "His Majesty decrees, arrest everyone here! You, and you, if you don’t want to die, quickly secure the doorway. If someone escapes, I will have you killed!"

Making up a high order helps in getting things done, and there was no higher order than that of His Majesty!

The accompanying individuals were dumbfounded; when had His Majesty issued such a decree? They had been clueless about it all the way here, how could Xiao Linzi not mention such a significant matter!

Xiao Jizi was startled, his heart skipping a beat. Was his master playing too big a game?

Well...then let’s play. It was just his worthless life; if his master dared to gamble, what was there to fear? He’d stake his life and join his master in this venture.

He quickly regained his composure, his face adopting a fierce expression, shouted loudly for Lian Hua, like a loyal servant, "Hurry and arrest the craftsmen! Gather everyone in the open area, Xiao Linzi, take two of our people and guard the door. Any runners whose names are not on the roll will be considered traitors and their entire families will be executed!"

Whether there was any real pressing issue didn’t matter; what was important was maintaining an imposing presence to prevent losing face and to suppress others effectively; whether true or not, it had to seem genuine!

He wasn’t wrong to say so, as His Majesty was now spending nights in Canglan Court. If a Serpent crawled into the Side Hall and hurt His Majesty, it would indeed be treason!

Everyone in the Main Hall was intimidated, unsure of the identities of the people before them. The young-looking master looked tender and cute, yet displayed a bandit’s audacious attitude, fierce and domineering.

Despite a cute appearance, they dared not take her lightly or disbelieve, for who in the palace could dare falsify an imperial edict without risking decapitation!

Xiao Linzi, helping eunuch including Xiao Linzi himself and Xiao Qing, all believed her; definitely His Majesty must have spoken with their master last night, His Majesty truly was foresighted and brilliant.

Hearing Brother Ji speak this way, Xiao Linzi hesitated no further, quickly pulled two men and ran to secure the doorway.

Xiao Qing stood by Lian Hua’s side, ready to support her master at a moment’s notice.

And Xiao Jizi, wielding his stick, began to direct the guards and members of the Interior Work Department who were originally stationed there.

Everyone in the Main Hall had sprung into action, driving the craftsmen to an open area to squat down with heads in their hands, while the guards and the personnel from the Interior Work Department also congregated.

Lian Hua was very satisfied with this; with such swift movements, she didn’t believe that the brat who released the snakes could escape.

Seeing that everyone had gathered, Xiao Jizi performed his courtesies thoroughly, bending over and lowering his head, his face bearing a smile as he respectfully said to Lian Hua, "Master, after I have checked everyone, I will come to ask for your further instructions." He was the very picture of a fawning lackey.

Lian Hua tacitly lifted her chin high, her expression haughty, not even glancing at Xiao Jizi, and squeezed out a faint "Hmm" from her throat, taking her arrogant and imperious demeanor to its extreme.

Having never eaten pork doesn’t mean one hasn’t seen pigs run, and that Beauty Li who bullied her was good for nothing but arrogance.

Xiao Jizi inwardly praised, finding that his master’s portrayal of a tyrannical scion was incredibly lifelike and exquisite.

He bowed and backed up a few steps, then immediately changed to a sinister expression and said to the guards and the people from the Interior Work Department, "Who’s in charge here, come forward and check everyone present today. Anyone missing will be considered as harboring the culprit."

The guards and the personnel from the Interior Work Department looked at the eunuch before them, who changed his face faster than flipping a book, which made them feel anxious, not knowing what had gone wrong to have them gathered like this.

They didn’t dare breathe too loudly, as the noble in front of them surely held a unique status. They knew somewhat about the people from Canglan Court’s Side Hall—they were of great importance. Now, the Main Hall, they had heard, was constructed for the noble from that hall, though they didn’t know if the noble in front of them was the true master of the Side Hall.

Whether he was or not, they couldn’t afford to offend him. At present, the noble held an imperial mandate from His Majesty, and provoking him could very well lead to their conviction.

A man from the Interior Work Department, with eyes that bulged like fish bubbles, came forward with a nervous smile, "Sir, I am in charge here." The waters of the palace ran deep, and encountering a mishap or offending a noble could all too easily cost one his life.

Xiao Jizi gave him a sidelong glance, not even looking directly at him as he commanded, "You go, call each name and see who is absent!"

"Yes, yes," Bubble Eyes nodded and bowed hurriedly, pulling a roster from inside his clothes and beginning to call out names one by one.

After finishing the roll call, he reported back to Xiao Jizi, "Sir, everyone is present, not a single person is missing," and with that, he respectfully offered up the roster with both hands.

Xiao Jizi finally deigned to look at him directly, took the roster with one hand and flipped through it, asking, "Are all your people and those guarding the yard accounted for?"

"Replying to sir, everyone is here, everyone is here," Bubble Eyes responded. Then with a hesitant look, he asked, "Sir, may I know what offense we have committed, and who this noble is?" This was something everyone wanted to know, and as the man in charge, he braced himself to ask.

Xiao Jizi glanced at him disdainfully, tapping his face with the roster and squeezed out through his teeth, "If you want to keep your head, just stay put."

Startled, Bubble Eyes hurriedly retreated, not daring to ask further, fearing that any misstep might cost him his head.

Seeing that Bubble Eyes was now behaving, Xiao Jizi snorted coldly and, holding the roster, approached Lian Hua and whispered, "Master, what should we do next?"

Lian Hua, with one hand on her hip and the other foot on a piece of wood, appeared impatient as she occasionally waved a rattan, but was actually all ears, listening to every move being made.

As Xiao Jizi approached, she stepped off the wood, having stood there for so long, she indeed felt a bit tired.

She took the roster without looking at it, handed it to Xiao Qing, and after observing the crowd closely for a moment, she said to Xiao Jizi, "First, check the food brought by the craftsmen, then strip them of their robes to reveal their undergarments."