As expected by Ye Yun, less than an hour had passed before a servant arrived from Jingqian Palace to deliver a message.
The Emperor had issued a decree, ordering Ye Wanrong to copy the palace regulations three times as punishment. From now on, she was to strictly adhere to proper etiquette and avoid speaking recklessly.
This was indeed a mild punishment—no confinement, no harsh scolding, just copying the rules. Compared to Li Meiren, who wasn't allowed to leave her quarters until she finished copying, this was barely anything.
Naturally, Yi Wanrong was displeased with this outcome, but she couldn't show it.
Fortunately, Ning Chen punished Ye Yun but also rewarded Yi Wanrong with gifts, preserving her dignity.
What was unexpected, however, was that when the Empress heard about it, she gave it some thought and followed the Emperor's lead by sending someone to Zhaixing Pavilion to scold Ye Yun.
This thoroughly disgusted Ye Yun.
At the very least, people shouldn't be so blatantly two-faced!
Earlier at Wutong Palace, the Empress hadn't spoken a word in support of Yi Wanrong and had even mildly rebuked her. Yet now she was following the Emperor's actions and reprimanding Ye Yun as well. Truly...
It would've been fine if only the Emperor had punished her, but with the Empress adding fuel to the fire, it became excessive and unseemly.
In Molan Hall, Jing Zhaoyi was having her shoulders massaged by a maid.
When she heard the news from outside, a faint smile appeared on her face.
"I always thought the Empress was clever, but after all these years, she's still like this. Ye's family is full of meritorious officials, and the Emperor has barely been on the throne for long. If Ye Wanrong is punished too harshly, it would alienate the veteran officials. The Emperor merely gave her a light reprimand, and yet the Empress follows suit? Isn't she just putting the Emperor in a difficult position?"
"The Empress is always like this, unwilling to see anyone else prosper. Whenever she gets the chance, she tries to make things worse. Just look at Yang Cainu, constantly acting like the Empress' maid. I've heard she often helps the Empress with her grooming," Nianzhu said with disgust.
Jing Zhaoyi lowered her eyes and softly murmured, "Yes, the Xie family's methods are truly nothing remarkable."
But it was this woman, who wasn't even that clever, who had caused Jing Zhaoyi to lose her six-month-old pregnancy back then—a fully formed male fetus.
Since then, her health has deteriorated, and she has been unable to conceive again. Gradually, the Emperor stopped visiting her.
However, the Emperor still cherished old bonds and had granted her the position of Zhaoyi, the highest rank among the nine imperial consorts, when she first entered the palace.
In the future, there will be even more people entering the palace. The Empress couldn't always maintain her control over everything. One day, Jing Zhaoyi was determined to avenge her lost child.
Seeing her forlorn expression tinged with resentment, Nianzhu guessed that her mistress was thinking about the child again, and her heart ached. But she could only pretend not to notice, allowing Jing Zhaoyi to process her grief in her own time.
YOU ARE READING
The Enchanting Imperial Concubine (Book 1)
Historical FictionNote: This is a translated novel by me. Title: 贵妃她千娇百媚 Ye Yun was supposed to be the prince's concubine, but due to the sudden death of the late emperor, her entry into the palace was delayed for over a year. She entered the palace with the new bat...
