Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 525: Acquaintances from the Past Life

Chapter 525: Chapter 525: Acquaintances from the Past Life

Little Anzi hurriedly followed Doctor Chen toward the Direct Room, finally feeling relieved.

Earlier, he mentioned that someone was poisoned, but didn’t say who. Doctor Chen had been in the palace for years and knew that the vaguer he was, the more likely someone would come.

The servant beside Little Anzi secretly hoped to see Little Anzi punished.

Just wait and see how he’ll explain to Doctor Chen and Manager Liu. There’s no escaping a beating of thirty strokes!

Such a lesser eunuch doesn’t understand palace rules, thinking the Imperial Physicians are there to treat them lowly castrates? Simply ridiculous!

The three quickened their pace and soon reached the alley leading to the Direct Room.

Doctor Chen noticed from afar that there was no one at the entrance of the Direct Room.

Could it be that this little eunuch truly dared to deceive him!

The servant muttered softly, "Haha, some are about to get whipped soon. Tsk tsk tsk, men without roots below, their mouths can’t be trusted either!"

Little Anzi clenched his fists hidden in his sleeves, knowing the servant was purposely making him hear these words to humiliate him.

If not for his parents’ early death, if not for his aunt’s disdain for his appetite, deceivingly sending him to the palace at the age of thirteen.

Soon after entering the palace, he accidentally offended the eldest princess and was punished to work laboriously in the cleansing room, enduring it for five continuous years.

If not for the new emperor’s ascension, he wouldn’t have had a chance to leave the cleansing room.

Without new duties, he awaited assignments in the Direct Room, doing whatever was assigned, such was his fate.

If not driven to desperation, he wouldn’t have sought refuge with his aunt, wouldn’t have been tricked into the palace by her, and would’ve preferred being a man rather than a eunuch.

He was a lower-class eunuch, not even the servants in the Imperial Medicine Room respected him.

"Enough, stop your grumbling." Doctor Chen glared at the servant, thinking that if the Empress were really inside, this lad who was usually tactful might misstep and offend her!

"Don’t speak recklessly in a moment." Doctor Chen warned the servant.

"Understood." The servant glared at Little Anzi again, his disdain for eunuchs was profound, considering these castrates less than human!

Little Anzi led the way for Doctor Chen, "Doctor Chen, the Empress is waiting inside, please proceed."

Doctor Chen, half-believing, quickened his steps and upon crossing the threshold, first saw two rows of the Imperial Army.

Upon learning the Empress had arrived at the Direct Room, the Imperial Army immediately came to protect the Empress.

Doctor Chen then caught sight of a vibrant red phoenix robe in the courtyard, causing his legs to tremble as he knelt down.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!" Doctor Chen broke into a cold sweat, fortunately having taken the gamble to follow the little eunuch.

Otherwise, defying the Empress’s decree meant certain death!

Throughout the palace, none were unaware that today, His Majesty declared at the Golden Throne Hall that the Empress’s words were imperial orders.

Defying the order was a crime so grave it could implicate nine generations!

The servant, carrying the medicine chest, saw Zhan Lan in the Direct Room and his legs softened in terror, his knees hit the floor with a thud, causing the medicine chest to fly open with the motion.

Doctor Chen rolled his eyes at the servant’s blunder, hurriedly closed the chest, and immediately pleaded to Zhan Lan, "Your Majesty, please forgive this servant’s ignorance, he was too nervous seeing you."

Zhan Lan looked back at the kneeling servant, finding him familiar!

Suddenly, her pupils contracted sharply — wasn’t this person the previous lifetime’s head of the Imperial Medicine Room, Zhang Mian?

This lifetime, she hadn’t delved deep into palace affairs, yet was encountering so many familiar faces today.

Back then, the poison that Qinglian served came from this man’s hands, he was two-faced, a master of petty schemes.

Beyond providing concubines with potions to charm Si Jun, he concocted abortifacients to harm other concubines — these were the tricks that won Zhan Xuerou’s favor.

In her previous life, at age twenty-one, Zhang Mian had risen from a lowly servant to head of the medicine room.

Yet in this lifetime, Zhang Mian remained merely a servant.

Seeing the Empress fix her gaze on him, Zhang Mian quivered, begging, "Your Majesty, I was wrong, struck by your breathtaking beauty, I mistook you for a descending fairy, lost in reverie and dropped the chest. I’ve realized my mistake — it won’t happen again!"

He tried his best to speak without stammering, striving for sincerity.

Zhan Lan smirked coldly. Zhang Mian’s evident talent for deception and flattery was already apparent.

No wonder Zhan Xuerou liked him; such a vain woman loved flattery, and Zhang Mian could provide her with both potions and poisons.

The servant felt shivers as Zhan Lan continued her gaze.

With her gaze retracted, Zhan Lan ordered coldly, "Take this disrespectful fool outside and give him thirty strokes!"

"As you command!" The Imperial Army dragged Zhang Mian up.

Zhang Mian trembled, sweating as he looked toward Zhan Lan, "Your Majesty, spare me!"

Thirty strokes would surely rend his flesh, but why? It was just an accidental drop of the chest, nowhere near a grave mistake!

Zhan Lan replied grimly, "Spare you? Did I say I wanted your life?"

Zhang Mian was left speechless, cold sweat streaming down, unable to meet Zhan Lan’s gaze.

Zhan Lan replied lightly, "You’re adept at labelling and accusing me of murder would be grave indeed — administer sixty strokes instead, not a single less!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Imperial Army hauled Zhang Mian outside by his arms.

Zhang Mian dared not say another word; within the Direct Room, the eunuchs trembled, Manager Liu gulped frantically, cold sweat breaking on his back.

He thought: The Empress seems to rule the harem as if commanding a troop!

What a terrifying woman!

Doctor Chen also wondered why Zhan Lan targeted a mere servant; Zhang Mian was known for his tact, thriving in the medicine room, even favored by the heads.

Dropping the medicine chest didn’t warrant such a harsh beating.

Doctor Chen suddenly realized Zhan Lan might not be as easygoing as rumors suggested.

Outside, Zhang Mian’s cries could be heard, Little Anzi bowed his head, catching a glimpse with satisfaction of the punishment through his peripheral vision.

Zhan Lan glanced at the Imperial Army Commander, Yang Wu, "Commander Yang, search this man’s quarters, see if there’s anything suspicious!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yang Wu nodded.

Zhan Lan then looked at Doctor Chen, "Old Physician, soon you’ll understand why this punishment was warranted!"

Doctor Chen started, chills running down his spine — Zhan Lan seemed to know his thoughts.

"Understood." Doctor Chen felt his mouth dry, speaking was arduous.

Zhan Lan stood with hands behind her back, "Old Physician, hurry inside and see if anyone inside is poisoned?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Doctor Chen dared not delay, entering the room immediately.