Jiang Xinyue sat in front of a copper mirror, with Xi Que and Shuang Jiang kneeling at her feet. Xi Que held a tray with the pigeon soup she had mentioned.
On the other side, Shuang Jiang's chin rested on Jiang Xinyue's hand, which lifted her face to inspect the red marks on her cheeks.
Some areas had even started to bleed with dark crimson beads.
What had Layue used to strike Shuang Jiang's face so severely during this lunar month? Was she being heavy-handed?
"Your Majesty!"
Jiang Xinyue didn't expect the Xuanwu Emperor to visit. She hurriedly knelt on the ground, not in formal attire but in a simple sleeping robe with her hair loose, looking rather unkempt.
Yet a beauty remains a beauty; even wrapped in rags, she could carry the aura of haute couture gowns worth tens of thousands.
Though appearing unadorned, each strand of her hair was styled with minimal makeup to highlight her beauty to the utmost.
Her eyes were as red as a rabbit's, adding a touch of fragility.
Jiang Xinyue had arranged with the eunuch guards to shake a lantern whenever the Emperor arrived.
This lord was fond of eavesdropping.
"What happened here?"
The Xuanwu Emperor helped her up from the ground. "Were you mistreated?"
He needn't have asked, for the question alone brought tears streaming down Jiang Xinyue's face.
Afraid her voice would break into sobs, she stubbornly bit her lip, large teardrops rolling unceasingly as she shook her head, unwilling to speak.
Shuang Jiang kept her head lowered until the Emperor addressed her, "You tell me."
Shuang Jiang glanced at Jiang Xinyue, who turned away. "The Emperor asks you a question. What are you looking at me for?"
She seemed intent on seeking justice for Shuang Jiang.
The Xuanwu Emperor had never seen her so angry before.
Even when she was punished by kneeling, or when Zhenji committed suicide in her palace, leaving her bedridden from shock, she had not shed a single tear.
Emboldened, Shuang Jiang pursed her lips and replied, "To answer Your Majesty, this servant was at the evening meal when..."
The Imperial Kitchen had prepared lotus seed and pig's stomach soup for all the palaces that day, which Concubine Li had served to the Emperor in the morning.
Zhenji had stewed her own soup, but there was only a small portion left after serving the Empress and some others.
The Third Prince's throat had been sore and inflamed for the past two days, so Consort De had him stay at the Yanqing Palace for care instead of returning to the Prince's residence.
Seeing his pitiful state, Jiang Xinyue gave her portion of soup to Consort De's palace.
At the evening meal, when Shuang Jiang heard there was pig's stomach soup, she went to get some, intending to add angelica sinensis.
It so happened that Layue from Concubine Li's palace was also in the kitchen. Upon hearing Shuang Jiang's request, she mocked that Zhenji couldn't wait for the Emperor, so she was deceiving herself by eating angelica sinensis.
Shuang Jiang retorted, and Layue struck her.
"This servant only said that our mistress has an imbalance of qi and blood. The Imperial Physician said angelica sinensis tastes sweet yet heavy, so it can nourish blood. Its qi is light yet pungent, so it can also promote blood flow. It supplements while moving and moves while supplementing, making it a vital blood tonic. Our mistress taking it does not imply anything..."
She cautiously looked up, eyes downcast to avoid gazing directly at the imperial countenance, revealing her injured face. "Layue said this servant was being disrespectful to Concubine Li and struck me ten slaps."
If it were just one slap, her face would not have swollen so badly.
"Impudent!"
The Xuanwu Emperor slammed his palm onto the round table in rage, the thunderous sound startling all the palace maids and eunuchs into kneeling.
Tears streaming, Jiang Xinyue hurried to hold the Emperor's reddened hand and blow on it before exclaiming angrily, "Had I known Your Majesty would be so enraged, this concubine would not have let Shuang Jiang speak. Injuring your body only pains me."
Shuang Jiang kowtowed fearfully. "This servant deserves to die."
"I did not mean you two." The Emperor waved his hand. "Take her to be treated, and heed your mistress' orders. Do not let her face scar."
After everyone had left the room, the Emperor embraced Jiang Xinyue from behind, consoling her, "Concubine Li is of noble birth and inevitably arrogant. Her palace maids have taken on some of her haughtiness, wronging my beloved."
Not a word about punishing Concubine Li's maid!
Did her servant's life not matter?
Jiang Xinyue lowered her eyes. She knew that if she spoke words of understanding now, the Emperor would only feel sorrier for her. But her mood was foul, as if she had fed her previous two meals to the dogs.
She remained silent with downcast eyes, tears flowing, a sight that truly pained the Xuanwu Emperor. He could only gently soothe her as Jiang Xinyue pouted, "Concubine Li may be noble, but how dare her maid take advantage of her status to act so audaciously? Layue is but a palace maid, yet she presumes herself equal to Concubine Li, truly outrageous. If she ever disrespects this concubine again, I shall not spare her."
She was preemptively warning the Emperor, lest he defend Concubine Li the next time she struck Layue.
She could not reprimand the esteemed Concubine Li, but was she to fear a mere maid?
She did not believe in tolerating mistreatment for temporary peace, nor did she subscribe to the notion of "A gentleman avenges insults after ten years."
As the saying goes, "Tolerate once and risk ovarian cysts; retreat a step and invite breast tumors."
If wronged, she would retaliate immediately.
If her palace maids were struck, she would strike back, devising ways to return the blows.
In Concubine Li's Changxin Palace, when word spread that the Emperor had visited the Hexi Palace that night, the guilt-ridden Layue revealed that she had struck Shuang Jiang. "I knew that pig's stomach soup was made on your orders for the Emperor, yet she insisted on adding angelica sinensis, clearly mocking you for monopolizing the Emperor's favor. Ten slaps were merciful. I only feared... feared they would complain to the Emperor... bringing trouble upon you, my lady."
Concubine Li paid no mind, lazily lifting her eyelids before blowing on her fingernails, tinted with fengxianhua juice. "She's just a servant. So what if she was struck? Do you really think the Emperor would make an issue over Zhenji?"
Reassured by Concubine Li's words, Layue's arrogance grew unchecked.
Any concubine disliked by their mistress could be struck, for their mistress would protect them.
Only after the Xuanwu Emperor doted on Jiang Xinyue again did the palace realize that during Concubine Li's illness of half a month, the Emperor had not visited any other concubines, except the Empress on the fifteenth.
As soon as Concubine Li recovered, the Emperor went to the Hexi Palace.
How dare they mock Zhenji?
They were the true laughingstocks.
Concubine Li had not come to pay respects to Empress Zhu for a long time, but this did not prevent her from learning about Layue's whereabouts.
The hibiscus mutabilis was Concubine Li's favorite flower. At present, the hanging hibiscus mutabilis specially planted for the Concubine in the Imperial Garden was blooming vibrantly, and Layue would come every day to pick a bouquet to cheer up Concubine Li.
Jiang Xinyue held the hand of Xi Que, carrying the potted plant steadily. She turned to Shuang Jiang, whose face was covered with a veil, and said, "Don't hesitate later. When I order you to strike, you strike. Understand?"
