The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 554 - 554 273 Spoiling Jiaojiao (One more update)

Chapter 554: 273 Spoiling Jiaojiao (One more update) Chapter 554: 273 Spoiling Jiaojiao (One more update) Zhuang Yuexi noticed Empress Dowager Zhuang’s suddenly cold aura, she thought to herself that the young maid was certainly doomed. The dowager was truly angry and not even the emperor could save her now!

However, to Zhuang Yuexi’s surprise, Empress Dowager Zhuang did not vent her anger right away. She kept staring at Gu Jiao’s outstretched hand. As time passed, her eyes only got colder.

Old lady, are you going to scold her or not!

Empress Dowager Zhuang closed her eyes, took a deep breath, suppressing a monstrous fury.

Zhuang Yuexi got excited, it’s coming, it’s coming!

“Who gave you permission to come in?!”

Empress Dowager Zhuang roared.

Yes, who gave you permission to come in? Zhuang Yuexi was smug in her heart, but quickly felt something was amiss. Why were Qin Gonggong and the others all looking at her?

Her heart thudded inexplicably. She looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang, only to realize belatedly that the scolding seemed to be directed at her.

Is the Dowager…blaming her for intruding the sleeping palace?

Why?!

Wasn’t the earlier intruder the young maid? She even climbed onto the Dowager’s Phoenix Bed!

The young maid is still on the bed and hasn’t gotten down! The Dowager didn’t punish her but scolds her own grandniece? What on earth is the logic in that?!

Before Zhuang Yuexi could figure it out, Empress Dowager Zhuang spoke again, her voice as stern and cold as ever. “Who was on duty in the sleeping palace today?”

Qin Gonggong quickly replied, “Your Majesty, it was Little Lizi and Little Dezi.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang did not lift an eyelid, said ruthlessly. “Twenty strokes of the cane each. Expel them from Renshou Palace. I don’t want to see them again!”

Zhuang Yuexi shuddered!

It was she who had begged Li Gonggong and De Gonggong to let her in. She also promised them that she would take the full responsibility if something went wrong, but she dragged both of them down instead.

Empress Dowager Zhuang might understand that she was the one who actively asked them to do so, but still she did this. It was a pump a monkey to kill a chicken tactic.

“Dowager, please spare us—”

Outside the sleeping palace, the two eunuchs didn’t even have time to utter a complete sentence. They were immediately gagged and taken away by Qin Gonggong for punishment.

This is the Imperial Palace, there is no room for the slightest mistakes. The Dowager also experienced the same thing during her time. Everyone only saw her bright side, but they didn’t know how tough it was for her to walk this bloody path.

Was the Dowager naturally so decisive and severe? No, it was only when she had suffered many losses, saw many people die, that she could climb up to the Phoenix Throne over these dry bones.

So, does Qin Gonggong sympathize with them?

No.

Today, they were just soft-hearted to listen to Zhuang Yuexi. Once they soft-heartedly listen to the temptation of the adversary, who would be the one to die?

The sound of caning came from outside. With each hit, Zhuang Yuexi’s face got paler. When Qin Gonggong returned to report the fulfilment of the punishment, Zhuang Yuexi’s face had turned pale as a sheet.

She looked at herself kneeling at the Dowager’s feet, and then at Gu Jiao who was comfortably sitting on the Dowager’s Phoenix Bed. For a moment, she didn’t understand where she had gone wrong.

She was after all the precious daughter of the Zhuang family, but that maid was just dust from earth.

Empress Dowager Zhuang spoke in a heavy voice: “Why are you still standing here? Do you need me to teach you what to do? You intrude my sleeping palace and damage my Phoenix Seal, what do you expect? Reward? You should consider yourself lucky that your family name is Zhuang, and you are my maternal family. Otherwise, even with ten heads, you wouldn’t be enough for me to chop off!”

“Your Majesty!” Zhuang Yuexi was so scared that she fell to her knees.

Empress Dowager Zhuang shifted her gaze away and said coldly, “Go back to the Zhuang family and reflect on your actions.”

Zhuang Yuexi protested, “The Phoenix Seal, it wasn’t…”

Empress Dowager Zhuang coldly interrupted her, “You should be glad you are still alive.”

Her words were too harsh.

In front of the palace maids and Gu Jiao, Zhuang Yuexi felt like she had been slapped hard in the face. The punishment of being closed behind the door was not dreadful, what was dreadful was losing face in front of those she looked down upon.

Gu Jiao’s slap only landed on Zhuang Yuexi’s face, but the Dowager’s slap crushed Zhuang Yuexi’s self-esteem.

Zhuang Yuexi felt so wronged that she held back tears. “…Yes, I will take my leave now. Please take care of your health, Your Majesty. I will visit you again in the future.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang said indifferently, “Don’t bother to come unless I summon you.”

Zhuang Yuexi: Was it necessary for you to be this ruthless? It was only a courteous phrase!

Zhuang Yuexi left the palace in a sorry state.

The Zhuang sisters had entered the palace to serve the Empress Dowager a few days ago. But because Empress Dowager Zhuang only doted on Zhuang Yuexi, Zhuang Mengdie found it boring, so she packed up and went home early, thus avoiding an embarrassing scene.