One would hardly believe it was to send off the Emperor and Empress to the realm of immortality.
After all, Zhen Fangyi's complexion looked awful.
After the Emperor summoned her, she did not even spare him a glance, instead pulling Concubine Su out of the Emperor's embrace: "Explain yourself clearly, who hates you so much? Although we entered the palace on the same day, I had never met you before then. After entering the palace, apart from the day when Consort Jiang struck you for blocking her path, the only time we had any interaction was when I said a few words to you as I passed by. When did we ever have any other dealings? Are you saying that I would cruelly kill my beloved pet to terrorize you?"
Even when she went to Yikun Palace daily to pay her respects to the noble consorts, she was always accompanied by Consort De and Consort Liang, never once going with Concubine Su.
How could she have offended her, to the point where the other would use the words "hate" to describe her feelings?
Concubine Su kept looking to the Emperor for help, but he was too preoccupied watching Zhen Fangyi, who resembled an angry little bird, not sparing her a single extra glance.
She had no choice but to brazenly say: "If Noble Lady Fangyi does not resent this concubine for receiving Your Majesty's favor on the day you moved palaces, why did you invite Consort De to eat roasted meat that day but neglect this concubine who resided in the same palace as Consort De? And when Consort Jiang struck this concubine, why did you stand by and do nothing to help this concubine?"
Jiang Xinyue was so angered she had to laugh. It turned out there really were people like Concubine Su in this world.
As if she was the center of the universe, everyone had to revolve around her. Not helping her was hating her, not playing with her was hating her, not complying with her wishes was enviously hating her.
Wasn't this just pure madness?
Not only did she find it laughable, but even the Empress found it unbelievable: "Just based on your own imagination, you maliciously accuse Zhen Fangyi without a shred of actual evidence, slandering a consort of higher rank than you. Don't you know this violates palace rules and warrants corporal punishment?"
Concubine Su froze for a moment, her gaze shifting evasively: "This concubine... was only making a reasonable guess, not intentionally accusing Noble Lady Fangyi. Please, Your Majesty, in light of this concubine's fright, do not pursue the matter."
Look at that, call her stupid, but she still knows how to look out for herself and avoid harm.
The body of Little Ai Jiang had been covered with a white sheet. Jiang Xinyue reached out to uncover it, but the Xuanwu Emperor stopped her: "Don't look."
Everyone in Hexi Palace adored Little Ai Jiang. If they saw its gruesome state with its eyes gouged out and body cut open, they would inevitably be heartbroken.
Jiang Xinyue glanced at the Emperor, shaking off his hand and slowly pulling down the sheet.
"Ah!"
Seeing Little Ai Jiang's fur completely stained red with blood, its chest and belly sliced open with its innards spilling out, Xi Que let out a terrified scream, covering her mouth.
She had acted improperly in the Emperor's presence and knelt on the ground: "This servant deserves to die. Please, Your Majesty, forgive me."
The Xuanwu Emperor paid it no mind, feeling her reaction was understandable.
Everyone in Hexi Palace treated Little Ai Jiang like their own child, which was why it had such an amiable nature.
Suddenly seeing their "child" meet such a gruesome death was simply too much for anyone to bear. Zhen Fangyi and her palace maids had shown remarkable restraint.
"I told you not to look."
A large hand suddenly appeared before her tearful eyes, blocking her view.
The familiar scent of dragon saliva enveloped Jiang Xinyue from behind. Indignant, she could not fathom how someone could be so cruel as to treat a small dog in this manner.
As expected, the incompetent could only vent their resentment towards her on weaker beings.
Such a vile person deserved to be found and executed to avenge the poor pup.
Long lashes brushed against the Xuanwu Emperor's palm as warm liquid seemed to swirl in her eyes, the heat splashing onto his skin and tightening his chest.
Unable to tell if it was heartache or something else, he turned Jiang Xinyue around and held her under his arm, covering her with his cloak as he walked out: "Wang Dequan, take Little Ai Jiang back to Hexi Palace and bury it."
At the gate, the third prince handed Jiang Xinyue some candies: "Lady Jiang, don't be sad. When Xuan'er recovers, we'll all come visit you with eldest sister and second sister."
Jiang Xinyue ruffled his hair, forcing a smile more unsightly than crying, and left without a word under the Emperor's escort.
With the Emperor gone, Empress Zhu also had no interest in staying, leaving in her sedan chair amidst a flurry of support.
Concubine Su's legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. Clearly, she was the one most frightened by this incident, yet the Emperor only cared about Zhen Fangyi. The Empress didn't even bother to investigate, simply accusing her of slandering Zhen Fangyi...
Why was her life so miserable?
Why did no one believe her?
Mournful sobs rang out as Consort De shook her head and instructed her palace maids: "Go clean up the bloodstains outside Concubine Su's quarters, and have the imperial physicians prescribe her a calming tonic."
The Xuanwu Emperor had ordered Little Ai Jiang to be buried, so Wang Dequan dared not neglect the task. A makeshift small coffin was hastily prepared by the Ministry of Works, the white sheet-wrapped puppy's body placed inside.
Changxin Palace—
Concubine Li, dressed in light robes with a headband marking her frail state, lay reclined on her noble concubine's couch: "You're saying someone killed Zhen Fangyi's dog and hung it outside Concubine Su's quarters, and now the Emperor wants to hold a funeral for Zhen Fangyi's dog and have all the palaces send representatives to mourn?"
Layue had been punished with fifty strokes of the rod and was still recovering in her room. Even if she recovered, she would never be allowed to serve Concubine Li again.
To employ someone the Emperor loathed would be a blatant defiance of the Emperor's will. No matter how much the Emperor favored her, she dared not openly defy him.
Chunhe, formerly a second-rank palace maid, was now Changxin Palace's senior palace maid.
She stood with lowered head and humble manner: "Yes, the Empress, Consort De, Consort Liang, Consort Jiang, Consort Wan, Consort Jin, Consort Rong, Noble Consort Rong, and the palace ladies from every quarters have all gone."
With the Emperor's command, who dared disobey?
Concubine Li exhaled heavily: "The Emperor indulges her antics. If the Empress Dowager were still overseeing the imperial harem, would such a spectacle be allowed? Mobilizing everyone just for a dog's funeral—the Empress is simply incompetent."
She was still displeased with the Emperor, who had not even come to console her. Instead he was occupied with Zhen Fangyi. Did she have to lower herself first?
She refused to do so.
"My lady, there's no need to get upset. I've already declined on your behalf, and the Empress said you should focus on recovering and need not attend."
"Well done."
Concubine Li massaged her temples as Chunhe promptly came to assist her.
The Hexi Palace had never been so lively since it opened its gates.
Beautiful women filled the courtyard, plump and slender, dressed in red and green, striving to catch the Xuanwu Emperor's attention with their beauty.
Yet it was their lavish adornments that made Jiang Xinyue's snow-white robe embroidered with peonies stand out as stunningly graceful and elegant.
Complementing her delicate, exquisite features, it lent her an air of fragileeauty.
Jiang Xinyue's eyes wandered around, her gaze becoming ever more pitiful and forlorn.
