The Noble Consort is the most favored in the harem

Chapter 38 - Imperial Order of Punishment

The maidservant's cheeks were even more swollen than before, looking somewhat distorted.

"Is it just you serving here?"

The emperor, Yuwen Hong, spoke in a deep voice, startling Xia An. She quickly turned around, and upon seeing the emperor in his bright yellow dragon robe, she immediately knelt and prostrated herself.

"This servant, Xia An, from the Left Hall of Yihua Palace, greets Your Majesty."

Then, she quickly added, "Originally, there were also the maid Chun Qi and the eunuch Xiao Luzi serving, but now both of them are bedridden, one with whip wounds and the other with injuries from being kicked. So, I am the only one left to serve here."

Hearing Xia An's explanation, Yuwen Hong's face darkened. He stepped forward to take a look at Lin Wanyi. A few days ago, only her knees had been injured, but today, both her hands and feet were bandaged. Gently lifting the blanket, he was startled by what he saw.

Her dislocated ankle had caused poor circulation, and with old wounds on her knees, her once fair and delicate leg was now a faint bluish-purple. Her ankle was swollen badly, and despite the medication and bandages, the severity of the injury was apparent.

"The medicine I gave Lin Daying a few days ago?"

"The young lady instructed me to keep it carefully. I'll fetch it right away."

Xia An found the medicine in the cabinet and handed it over immediately, then went to bring warm water and a cloth. When she returned, she saw that the emperor had already removed the bandage from Lin Wanyi's ankle with practiced ease.

"Cloth."

"Yes."

The emperor gently wiped off the old ointment with the cloth and then washed the area with warm water. Despite his caution, the swelling was clearly worse than before.

"Medicine."

"Alright."

Taking the bottle of medicine he had personally bestowed upon Lin Wanyi, Yuwen Hong carefully reapplied it to her, never once handing the task to anyone else.

Xia An watched closely from the side, observing how skilled the emperor was at treating injuries. She couldn't help but wonder why, but she kept those thoughts to herself, not daring to voice them.

Once everything was taken care of, the emperor handed the bottle of medicine back to Xia An.

"Apply some of this to your face. It will be better by tomorrow."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Xia An took the basin and, after tidying everything up, slowly withdrew from the room. As soon as she stepped outside, Qiu Ming came forward to assist.

Nearby, Dong Yuzhong spoke in a hushed tone, "The emperor is staying here to accompany Lin Daying. I will serve him, so you and Qiu Ming go and tend to your injuries."

"Thank you, Eunuch Dong."

Xia An glanced through the curtain at the room inside, but worrying wouldn't help. She followed Qiu Ming out, knowing there might be a tough battle ahead.

Inside the room, Emperor Yuwen Hong sat quietly at the bedside, watching as Lin Wanyi's frown gradually relaxed. He thought of how she had massaged him before, pressing on the same spot. Imitating her technique, he tried to smooth her brow, but instead, he accidentally woke her up.

The pressure on her forehead had left a small red patch.

"You're awake?"

"Your Majesty? Why are you here?"

Lin Wanyi tried to get up to greet him, but as soon as she moved, the pain in her leg returned. However, there was a cooling sensation that reminded her of the treatment for her knee.

Puzzled, she looked at the emperor, which made Yuwen Hong feel slightly embarrassed. He coughed twice and quickly changed the subject.

"What happened? Why is everyone in this room injured?"

Hearing this, Lin Wanyi lowered her eyes and then spoke directly.

"Chu Guiren came to cause trouble, using the excuse of the locked moon gate. She kicked Xiao Luzi, slapped Xia An, and when I couldn't stand it anymore and argued with her, she pushed me to the ground. Not only did I sprain my ankle, but she also pulled out her whip to strike me. Chun Qi was injured while protecting me."

Her eyes were clear, showing no fear. There were no tears, no embellishments—just a calm recounting as if she were an outsider.

The emperor raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. She was the same person but suddenly seemed a little harder to understand.

They sat in silence for a moment, gazing at each other. After a while, Emperor Yuwen Hong raised his voice and called out, "Dong Yuzhong."

"I am here."

Dong Yuzhong hurried in, slightly bowing to receive instructions.

"Investigate this matter. If what Lin Daying says is true, then have all of Chu Guiren's servants and maids flogged with thirty strikes each. The leaders will be sent to Yeyou Courtyard for hard labor. As for Chu Guiren, send two royal etiquette nannies to teach her proper manners."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

This punishment was a firm blow to Chu Guiren. A flogging of thirty strikes could be life-threatening, and being sent to Yeyou Courtyard for labor meant no hope of redemption. It served as a stern warning to the palace staff who had assisted in her misconduct.

The incident that took place at midday, with the emperor personally coming to check on Lin Wanyi by evening, quickly spread throughout the six palaces. Word of Chu Guiren and her servants being punished traveled just as fast.

The first to visit Lin Wanyi afterward was the senior palace maid Qin He, sent by Lin Guifei.

As soon as she entered, she spoke warmly and with concern, "Guifei was so worried when she heard what happened, but with so much to handle for the Dragon Boat Festival, she sent me with these items to check on you."

She pointed to the rewards behind her—medicine, supplements, everything one could need. There were also cloth and jewelry, which seemed intended for others rather than Lin Wanyi herself.

"Guifei heard about how loyal your servants were in protecting you, and she was pleased. So, she has rewarded Xiao Luzi with a bolt of cloud-patterned silk and given Chun Qi and Xia An gold jewelry to honor their deeds."

Xia An, standing nearby, looked at Lin Wanyi, her eyes filled with both surprise and confusion.

"Accept it. Since it's Lin Guifei's kind gesture, in a few days, we will go together to thank her in Linzhi Palace."

"Yes, I obey, my lady!"

Xia An curtsied to Qin He and respectfully accepted all the items.

Lin Wanyi gave Qin He an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for troubling you, Qin He. My leg injury hasn't healed, so I can't go personally to greet Lin Guifei. Please explain this to her on my behalf."

"Why would you say that? Guifei was both anxious and pleased when she heard about this."

Qin He then leaned closer and whispered, "Guifei said that when you make a move, it's quite impressive. Most of Chu Guiren's servants are ruined, and she herself is stuck under the supervision of the etiquette nannies. You should have seen the look on Yi Fei's face—it was truly terrible!"