"Father, Your Highness knows his mistake and will never dare again, Father! Please don’t punish Your Highness; he will be beaten to death!"
She might be young, but that doesn’t mean she’s unaware of the palace’s punishments.
This kind of punishment with a rod can be fatal.
Moreover, from childhood to now, she hadn’t even suffered a bruise or a cut from a knife; how could she endure this rod punishment!
The more she thought about it, the more scared she became, unable to catch her breath.
She literally fainted from fear!
Lin Wanyi reacted swiftly, rushing forward to support her limp body.
Especially protecting her head.
If her head were to be injured, it could cause trouble in the future.
The Emperor saw this and hurriedly picked up Princess Ming Ruo, his expression not looking good.
The Imperial Physician, who had already been summoned by Princess Consort Yi, was standing nearby.
Sure enough, his presence was needed.
He quickly stepped forward to examine Princess Ming Ruo’s eyelids, and then checked her breathing.
The final conclusion was that prolonged exposure weakened the body, causing her to faint from fright.
The Emperor was angry yet also filled with pity.
"Your servant is here!"
"Where is the nearest courtyard from here?"
Dong Yuzhong instantly understood what the Emperor intended.
"Your Majesty, not far ahead is Menghua House, which hasn’t been assigned to any mistress yet, but it has been cleaned in advance."
Seeing the Emperor about to leave with Princess Ming Ruo, Princess Consort Yi couldn’t let such a great opportunity slip by.
So she went along as well.
Lin Wanyi had come, and it wouldn’t be polite to disappear now, so she reluctantly followed everyone else to Menghua House.
This Menghua House is not big, just a single courtyard.
If assigned, it’s likely for a concubine or lady.
Therefore, the furnishings inside aren’t particularly good.
But treating Princess Ming Ruo’s illness here is still manageable.
A large group of people crowded into the house, making it unable to accommodate everyone.
Lin Wanyi didn’t push forward but waited under the veranda for news.
Standing there for less than half an hour, Bai Pin, Lady He, Du Changzai, and Ming Changzai all arrived.
The small Menghua House was even more overcrowded!
The Emperor finally left Zeping State; how could they miss such an opportunity?
Of course, it was necessary to feign concern and come to "visit the sick."
Bai Pin, leading the group, stepped forward to Lin Wanyi.
Somewhat anxiously asked.
"What happened? How did the Princess faint?"
Lin Wanyi was not in a position to answer, so she frowned and said.
"Forgive me, Bai Pin sister, I’ve just arrived not long ago, and I’m not certain of the situation."
Bai Pin glanced at Lin Wanyi, noticing she was diligent.
Clearly residing in the West Garden, yet she managed to follow the Emperor here.
It seems she’s devoted effort to the Emperor, but judging by the situation, she doesn’t have much standing before the Emperor.
So much so that she couldn’t even enter the room!
Looking around, besides Princess Consort Yi, she had the highest status.
So she carried herself more arrogantly in front of everyone.
"Sisters, please wait outside; I will go in to check the situation and report."
They were displeased, but they couldn’t match Bai Pin’s status.
So, like Lin Wanyi, they waited quietly under the veranda.
Lin Wanyi looked up at the sky for a while, feeling somewhat wistful.
Inside the house, the Imperial Physician carefully examined again, but the conclusion remained unchanged.
Yet, Princess Consort Yi noticed the subtle movement of Princess Ming Ruo’s eyelids.
He immediately understood.
This little trick intended to fool her wouldn’t work!
So she said to the Imperial Physician.
"I recall that to rouse someone who’s fainted, one only needs to prick the tiger’s mouth. For the Princess’s welfare, the Imperial Physician should prick a few more times."
The Imperial Physician was greatly troubled.
How could he not know that Princess Ming Ruo had already regained consciousness, and if he really pricked her, what if the needles caused harm?
As he hesitated, Princess Ming Ruo "awoke."
Blurting out her fear.
"I don’t want the needles; I don’t want..."
She was, after all, just a four-year-old child, her nervousness showing in her voice.
The Emperor was somewhat annoyed, wondering why Princess Ming Ruo’s issues hadn’t been apparent before and that she had so many.
Now she’s even learned to feign fainting to avoid punishment!
Princess Consort Yi seized this opportunity, immediately stepping forward to speak to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, the Princess might be feigning fainting out of fear of punishment. Such behavior is indeed bad; if Your Majesty doesn’t punish sternly, who knows how the Princess will grow up!"
Seeing her acting all righteously, the Emperor also felt frustrated.
"Enough! Princess Consort Yi is being unnecessarily dramatic! I’m here; what future could the Princess possibly have?"
Princess Consort Yi realized her mistake; she had thought only of belittling Lin Guifei, forgetting the Emperor was also the Princess’s father.
So she bowed her head and admitted.
"Please forgive my rashness, Your Majesty; I spoke wrongly in my urgency."
Next to her, Bai Pin spotted an opportunity and moved forward to join the commotion.
Feigning concern, she spoke to the Emperor.
"The Princess is so pitiful; Your Majesty should comfort her properly."
Once she spoke, not only the Emperor but even Princess Consort Yi was furious at her.
Without any understanding, she speaks recklessly.
Surely Bai Pin isn’t only imprisoned but also foolish?
Angry eyes glared at Bai Pin, full of warning.
Unfortunately, Bai Pin was solely focused on pleasing the Emperor, not noticing her surroundings.
Bai Pin mistook the Emperor’s expression for empathy, thinking she had succeeded.
Convinced such progress had been made, she planned to continue speaking.
Only to hear the Emperor’s icy words.
"Interesting, quite some time has passed since the Princess’s incident, yet none of you came to plead for her. Now here I am, and the courtyard is overflowing! Being so idle, you may all return to the palace, lest you are too irksome!"
Glancing briefly at Bai Pin, the Emperor spoke coldly.
"Your servant is here."
"Since Bai Pin is so concerned for the Princess, let her take the punishment on the Princess’s behalf, not as a punishment with a rod a hundred times, but twenty. Then send her back to the palace; there’s no need for her to reside in Zhongcui Palace anymore; demote to noble and send her to Changning Palace with Chu Daying."
Bai Pin was stunned by the sudden royal decree.
She clearly just came to join the commotion, how did she fall into such misfortune so directly!
These three severe penalties fell upon her; she might never recover from this!
Terrified, she immediately knelt on the ground, desperately kowtowing and saying.
"Please have mercy, Your Majesty has mercy, I dare not, I dare not again! Please withdraw the decree!"