AWB Chapter 218 Kneeling as punishment
Chapter 218 Kneeling as punishment
No one expected that Emperor Qi Xiao would reprimand his most favored concubine, and even send her home? Moreover, this was not a deliberate threat made when he was impatient, but he actually made Cheng Hai send Consort Tong back to the Tong residence!
Consort Tong was so frightened that she refused to go back, even at the cost of her life. The Empress rushed over to plead for her, and only then was she placed under house arrest in the palace.
The fact that she was demoted from a concubine to a low-ranking concubine, rather than being banished to the Cold Palace, is already a great mercy!
Subsequently, Zhang Xinyan was dismissed from his post as commander of the Golden Feather Guard; then His Majesty summoned the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review to conduct a thorough investigation of Prefect Tong... and the capital was thrown into chaos!
No one dared to utter a sound, completely baffled as to why Emperor Qi Xiao had suddenly erupted in fury.
Only the sharp eyes discovered that Yuan Cuo had met with His Majesty that day, but the discussion should have been about the Surveying Bureau leaving the capital, and there was no connection between them and the Prefect of the Capital.
As more and more people became curious, some discovered that Consort Tong had an allergic reaction to the incense. The incense had been sent to the palace by Liu Yuechu, but Consort Tong had the Liu family's business shut down...
Therefore, in His Majesty's heart, the Liu family is more important than his most favored concubine?
People were momentarily confused and didn't quite understand what was going on.
Even if Yuan Cuo and Liu Yuechu each made contributions to the Great Qi, they shouldn't be that important, right?
Until the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Household Department was replaced, and there was still no news of Eunuch Hua...
"Never mess with the Liu family!"
This has become the most common phrase on the lips of people in the capital.
As Liu Yuechu sat at home listening to Suozi's wife's report, her lips twitched involuntarily. "Isn't this tantamount to setting our house on fire?"
Emperor Qi Xiao deliberately orchestrated a series of events to protect himself, but in doing so, he made the Liu family a target, causing them to be secretly watched and criticized by everyone. This old man is truly wicked!
"Right now, they've really put our family in a difficult position. If we don't handle this situation well, it will be hard for us to get back down." Granny Fang also noticed something was wrong. Although His Majesty had punished many people, the seal on the Liu Family Trading Company had not yet been removed.
The fact that the seal remains on proves that His Majesty is also dissatisfied with the Liu family.
"Is he waiting for me to go to the palace to plead guilty and beg for a favor?" Liu Yuechu naturally knew how badly Yuan Cuo had insulted his own father that day. If Emperor Qi Xiao didn't get his revenge, the Liu family would have a hard time living peacefully.
"Why don't you go? Regardless of whether His Majesty sees you or not, at least show some respect," Suozi's wife suggested.
"Why don't we go see Her Majesty the Empress first?" Granny Fang was more experienced. "The one who bestowed the title upon you was Her Majesty the Empress. If you encounter trouble, it is only natural for you to seek help from her."
Liu Yuechu nodded; this was indeed more in accordance with the rules.
With a firm belief in her heart, Liu Yuechu quickly sent someone to deliver an invitation to the palace to pay her respects.
The Empress was serving Emperor Qi Xiao his meal at that moment.
Upon hearing that Liu Yuechu had arrived, Emperor Qi Xiao merely snorted coldly without saying anything. The Empress could only send someone away first, leaving Liu Yuechu to wait outside.
"Your Majesty has already supported the Liu family, so why refuse to see her? If I had to admit fault, I thought it was an item sent by the Imperial Household Department and shouldn't have any problems, so I let them take it and play with it. I didn't expect such a mistake to happen. I will never do it again." The Empress admitted her mistake respectfully.
Emperor Qi Xiao shook his head. "It's no wonder. Besides, I'm not backing up the Liu family. She doesn't deserve it!"
He was afraid of the ambitions of the Prefect of the Capital, and even more afraid of the sycophancy of his subordinates, who could even mobilize the Golden Feather Guards for a mere concubine!
If that day ever comes, and the Prefect of the Capital joins forces with outsiders to take him down, wouldn't it be an easy task?
Yuan Cuo's insults, calling his Great Qi inferior to the rest of the Qi state, had kept him awake for several nights in a row. These were truly hurtful words, leaving him trembling with fear.
The Empress, however, thought Emperor Qi Xiao was deliberately angry. "The Liu family is indeed unworthy, but they have done a lot for Your Majesty. I cherish Liu Yuechu's exceptional talent. How about Your Majesty grants me this honor? Allow her to kowtow and apologize recently?"
"Why does the Empress suddenly like her so much? And Yuan Cuo too?" Emperor Qi Xiao was very sensitive about this.
The Empress's heart skipped a beat, but she smiled and said, "I will appreciate those whom Your Majesty values, and I will also like those whom Your Majesty likes."
Emperor Qi Xiao observed for a long time without giving it much thought, since very few people knew about Yuan Cuo's background.
"Since the Empress has pleaded for her, I will spare her life. Let her kneel at the palace gate for a full hour, and then the Liu family's business will be unsealed."
He was still in a bad mood and wanted to punish him.
The Empress thought that in this sweltering heat, kneeling as punishment would be fatal. But she had already pleaded once and dared not say it again, fearing it would backfire. She could only send her maid to deliver a message, emphasizing the words "lift the seal," hoping that Liu Yuechu would just bear with it.
The nanny relayed Emperor Qi Xiao’s exact words to Liu Yuechu. Liu Yuechu hadn’t expected that coming to pay her respects to the Empress would result in being forced to kneel by His Majesty.
"Did His Majesty really say that the seal would be lifted after kneeling for a full hour?" she asked again.
"I did say it, I said it in front of Her Majesty the Empress," the nanny reiterated. "This matter has caused a great upheaval in the palace. Just think, even the Imperial Household Department and the Golden Feather Guard have had their personnel replaced. To only punish you by making you kneel for an hour is an immense favor. Lady Liu, please don't hold it against me anymore!"
The nanny sent by the Empress was her personal nanny and was familiar with Granny Fang.
Granny Fang advised her, "Why don't you just bear with it?" Since she had already said so much, it was obviously the best solution.
Liu Yuechu only regretted not having put soft felt pads on her knees, but even if she did, she would get heat rash in this weather.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace." She bowed respectfully, then waited for the maids to bring her a prayer mat, which she then knelt on.
After all, she was an unpopular "daughter-in-law," but considering the Liu family's daily income of money, she swallowed her anger.
Fortunately, the nannies didn't deliberately cause trouble, and the prayer cushions they brought were very soft, so kneeling on them wasn't uncomfortable.
The nannies left the palace maids there to keep track of time, and Granny Fang went to the Empress's palace to first pay her respects to Liu Yuechu and express her gratitude and plead for mercy.
As Liu Yuechu knelt, she suddenly felt sleepy. She simply shifted her position and sat on her feet; after all, no one was watching her closely enough to prevent her from slouching…
"Oh, isn't this the formidable Lady Liu from outside? Why are you kneeling as punishment at the palace gate? Could it be that you've also committed an unforgivable crime? Truly, evil has its retribution!"
Princess Luoyue brought Li Shu to pay her respects to the Empress.
Li Shu had been close to Consort Tong recently, but she never expected that Consort Tong would be suddenly demoted to the rank of Cai Ren. She was terrified, fearing that she would be implicated in something.
Today we are here to present gifts to the Imperial Concubine, but according to custom, we must first pay our respects to the Empress.
Seeing Liu Yuechu kneeling on the prayer mat, she felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction. "So you've finally met your match," she suddenly blurted out.