Ever since it was known that Concubine Xi was pregnant, her limbs trembled violently, almost unable to support her body, and she nearly collapsed onto the ground.
"Drag her out and beat her to death."
He frowned:
"Also, arrest all of Concubine Xi’s palace maids and eunuchs."
Xie Zhixing stepped inside and the person lying unconscious on the couch was the girl he longed for.
He felt a pang of sadness. For days now, the Hidden Guards kept watch by her side and reported to him three times a day. Her daily life was quite pleasurable—fishing, planting flowers, eating and drinking, sleeping in the courtyard all day—like an Immortal without any worldly worries.
Thinking back to before he met Yun Jiao...
Although he was busy with state affairs, running at full speed, he couldn’t be considered carefree, but at least he had no burdens on his heart.
"Emperor."
"You just lie down, no need to get up and salute."
Yun Jiao didn’t want to get up either.
She feared that once she got up, she would appear too lively. She took a breath and spoke in a weak voice: "Emperor, she pushed me..."
At this moment, Ying Lu bowed and entered: "Emperor, that palace maid has already breathed her last."
"Leave, do not let this disturb Concubine Xi."
"I will go outside and stand guard."
Xie Zhixing finished speaking and turned to see Yun Jiao’s face, in a daze.
She stammered: "I, I didn’t kill her."
"I know, it was I who ordered her dragged out and beaten to death. The palace cannot tolerate a servant who abuses her mistress."
Xie Zhixing seldom executed palace maids, even when they offended the Emperor; it would usually end with a flogging. As a ruler, he did not need to establish authority through slaughter, but this time he made an exception. Seeing her injured pained him more than himself being hurt.
"Oh..."
Yun Jiao clutched the blanket, somewhat at a loss.
It was said she only wished to give her a lesson, thinking too naively. Even if she saved Die’er through reading the archives, Die’er wouldn’t be grateful, instead, she would try any means to harm her secretly. She knew she ought to eliminate threats thoroughly, yet she couldn’t help feeling troubled.
While feeling troubled, she also reproached herself for being sentimental.
Seeing Yun Jiao fall silent, Xie Zhixing asked her: "How do you plan to deal with your palace attendants?"
"What happened to my palace attendants?"
"I have arrested them all, but in terms of handling, I wanted to hear your thoughts."
Upon hearing this, Yun Jiao’s mind buzzed as if it exploded.
If disposing of Die’er was mild discomfort and nausea, then the faces that shared morning and night with her at Xianfu Palace cut deep into her flesh. In panic, she got up and clutched the Emperor’s sleeve: "If the Emperor wants to vent for Concubine Lan, let her kick me a couple of times, but don’t punish my palace maids and eunuchs."
Yun Jiao tried to hold back her tears but couldn’t.
The round tears slid down her cheeks, emotions she could control collapsed instantly, even forgetting the rule to address herself as "your servant concubine" in front of the Emperor. She even used his Dragon Robe’s sleeve to wipe her tears.
"Don’t cry."
The cold face that Xie Zhixing had maintained softened upon seeing the tears of his beloved, as if those tears dripped into his heart, he hurriedly helped her dry them.
"All of my friends are going to be punished by the Emperor, how can I not cry!"
Yun Jiao sobbed, her eyes red, her face full of shock.
Friends, since when did they become friends?
Xie Zhixing, even more puzzled: "When did I say I was venting for Concubine Lan?"
"If the Emperor is not venting for her, then why arrest my palace attendants?"
Yun Jiao raised her head, accusingly glaring at him.
"I had you go to the South Fruit Room to pick up fruits personally because they were not well served. Even if you didn’t run into trouble there, they should still be punished and replaced with more diligent ones."
Xie Zhixing patiently explained to her.
When he heard about this matter, his first thought was the eunuchs and palace maids at Xianfu Palace neglected Concubine Xi. Even the least favored Attendant Lady would not personally retrieve items from the Imperial Household, let alone a Concubine.
Who would have thought she would reply evasively: "Emperor, it was me who insisted on taking Xue Ya’s task, it wasn’t their fault, please let them go, if punishment is needed, punish me instead."
Yun Jiao had a chivalrous spirit and would not let those around her suffer.
Xie Zhixing was at a loss with her, so he simply agreed.
"Without the Emperor’s decree, your servant concubine won’t feel at ease." She pushed her luck further.
Xie Zhixing called for Ying Lu: "Release all the palace attendants from Xianfu Palace, and instruct them to serve Concubine Xi more carefully in the future. It’s because Concubine Xi pleaded for them that I am forgiving."
"Yes."
He used a handkerchief to wipe Yun Jiao’s tears, yet not controlling his strength, he reddened her small face. Seeing the Emperor so sincere, and it being a long time since they last met, Yun Jiao didn’t call out in pain because the Emperor no longer pampered her like before.
Alas, she would rather have been told to drink more warm water.