The jade pendant in their hands belonged to the Fourth Prince.
The eunuchs, not expecting anyone to be in such a secluded spot, were startled and about to run away when the guards behind Yan Xinyi rushed forward and apprehended them.
Yan Xinyi snatched the jade pendant from the eunuch's hand and demanded, "Where is the Fourth Prince?"
When the eunuch tried to evade the question, Yan Xinyi immediately pressed a guard's sword to his throat: "Speak! Where is the Fourth Prince?"
Her father had warned her that the time around Concubine Zhen's impending delivery would be the most dangerous. There were too many in the palace who didn't want her to give birth safely, so she must protect Concubine Zhen at all costs.
Concubine Zhen had entrusted the Fourth Prince to her care, and she was determined to ensure his safety.
This time, she had been careless. She thought there would be no danger in such a public place as the Imperial Garden, especially since she had been bringing the Fourth Prince to play here for over ten days without incident.
That's why she deliberately went to retrieve the ball, allowing the palace servants to turn a blind eye, not wanting to spoil the Fourth Prince's fun. She had planned to go find him after he finished hiding.
But then Eunuch Jiang Chuan came to fetch them, saying Concubine Zhen noticed it might rain soon and wanted them to return early.
The eunuch, his neck skin broken by the sword, frantically pointed inside: "He's... he's in there..."
Behind the pile of rocks, the Fourth Prince lay unconscious. Yan Xinyi quickly scooped him up and ran towards Hexi Palace, not forgetting to call back: "Bring them along, to await the Concubine's judgment."
"Little Man fainted?" Jiang Xinyue sat up abruptly, causing a wave of pain in her belly and an aching sensation in her lower back.
Yan the Imperial Physician had recently moved into a luxurious room in Hexi Palace, which was actually just a side hall that Jiang Xinyue had hastily prepared.
But after all, this was the Imperial Palace! And it was the residence specially arranged by the Emperor for Concubine Zhen, so naturally even the side halls were far superior to Yan the Imperial Physician's own home.
When Yan Xinyi returned carrying the unconscious Fourth Prince, Yan the Imperial Physician was sunbathing in the courtyard. He jumped up in alarm and hurriedly checked the prince's pulse.
"It's alright, he just fainted from anger and shock."
Ultimately, it was due to his weak constitution. Building up one's health takes time.
Jiang Xinyue didn't think it was alright at all. Little Man was now her son, and someone dared to bully him? Did they think she was dead?
"Where are those eunuchs? Bring them here," she said coldly. "I want to see who was bold enough to dare bully my son."
The four eunuchs knelt down in unison, glancing at each other, all afraid to meet Jiang Xinyue's gaze.
What was going on? Wasn't Concubine Zhen supposed to have adopted the Fourth Prince just to appear kind-hearted, not actually caring about his well-being?
This didn't seem to be the case at all.
When Qian Sheng saw the four men, his teeth clenched audibly, and his pale face flushed red as his hands balled into tight fists at his sides.
Jiang Xinyue understood immediately. These four weren't first-time offenders in bullying the Fourth Prince; they were habitual abusers.
Now that they had fallen into her hands, she wouldn't let them off easily.
The atmosphere was tense, with no one breaking the silence. At the head of the room, Concubine Zhen sat with her eyes closed, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest of her chair, creating a sense of urgency.
The four eunuchs knelt on the ground, exchanging glances, thinking Jiang Xinyue didn't notice. In reality, she observed everything through narrowed eyes.
The eunuch who had stolen the Fourth Prince's jade pendant gritted his teeth and put on a sycophantic smile: "Concubine Zhen, this slave..."
"Eunuch Qian, slap his face!"
At the cold command, Jiang Chuan, who had been waiting nearby, quickly placed a ruler in Qian Sheng's hand and encouraged him with a determined look, as if to say: Go on! Release all the grievances you and the Fourth Prince have endured over the years.
Qian Sheng gripped the ruler tightly as he stepped forward, his eyes hardening...
"Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap..."
With his arm swinging in full force, Eunuch Qian's combat power skyrocketed as he struck the man's face. After just a few slaps, the eunuch was nearly beaten unconscious, barely able to maintain his kneeling position.
With each resounding slap, the faces of the other three eunuchs twitched. Though the blows weren't landing on their own cheeks, they felt their turn would come soon enough.
"Thud!"
After more than twenty slaps, the eunuch finally couldn't take it anymore. He collapsed heavily onto the ground, spitting out two of his molars.
In the entire hall of Hexi Palace, only Qian Sheng's heavy breathing could be heard.
He was exhausted from the beating, his right hand trembling and palm burning hot. But strangely, he no longer felt sickly. Instead, he felt invigorated.
It was as if the pent-up frustration in his chest had been dispersed by the beating.
Qian Sheng bowed deeply to Jiang Xinyue, then retreated to Jiang Chuan's side, silently staring at the remaining three eunuchs.
Concubine Zhen had closed her eyes again, not saying a word or questioning them. What did she intend?
As time ticked by, when Jiang Xinyue impatiently opened her eyes, another eunuch was trembling violently, the back of his robe soaked through with sweat, turning a deep blue: "Concubine Zhen, this slave... this slave deserves death. This slave shouldn't have coveted the Fourth Prince's wealth. This slave..."
"Slap his face!"
Without any superfluous words, as Qian Sheng was exhausted, Jiang Chuan rolled up his sleeves and took over.
"Slap!"
This is for you heartless beasts bullying defenseless elders and children!
"Slap!"
This is for withholding Eunuch Qian and the Fourth Prince's allowances, causing their poor health!
"Slap!"
This is for looking down on others, venting your own frustrations on the elderly and children!
"Slap!"
This is for being rabid dogs, still daring to cause trouble even when the Fourth Prince has powerful backing!
If he couldn't beat these scum to death, he wouldn't be worthy of the name Jiang.
"Isn't Concubine Zhen carrying out private punishment?" One pale-faced eunuch, his forehead covered in cold sweat, asked with terrified eyes that held a glimmer of hope. "Palace rules state that all concubines and palace servants should be under the Empress's management. The rewards and punishments of palace servants must be decided by the Empress. Concubine Zhen is setting up a private court in Hexi Palace, which violates palace rules."
Jiang Xinyue's gaze fell on him, her lips curling into a contemptuous smile. "So what? Go ahead and report me!"
Report to whom?
If they reported to the Emperor, he would surely execute them without asking for details. After all, this was the favored concubine who had survived the witchcraft incident unscathed.
If they reported to the Empress, she would certainly inquire about the reasons. Once it involved bullying and beating the Fourth Prince, according to palace rules, it wouldn't be as simple as face-slapping - it would be a capital offense.
When no one was investigating, they might have escaped punishment. But now that someone was seeking justice for the Fourth Prince, they had no way out.
"Thud!"
The second eunuch also collapsed.
"Thud!"
The fourth eunuch next to the pale-faced one also fell, fainting from the sight of the other two eunuchs' bloodied and swollen faces.
