After the Empress awoke from her nap, Mama Ma imdiately approached and whispered a few words in her ear, to which the Empress responded with a cold laugh, "Quick-handed indeed, contain it, don’t let rumors spread outside the Imperial Palace, and have all the concubines co to see !"
She then said to Eunuch De, "Go and tell Eunuch Hai to ask the Emperor what he intends to do. Does he want to severely punish these rumor-mongers, or just let it be!"
Mama Ma and Eunuch De imdiately went about their tasks.
The rumors were not serious in themselves, rely hearsay. Who knew if they would eventually turn into accusations that Yun Jinnian had abused his power to seize Pan Kai’s hereditary dical Books.
Although the Emperor’s action supported Yun Jinnian, it also tainted him with disgrace.
The Empress knew what the Emperor had in mind.
He wanted to cure the poison but also did not want the Imperial Physicians in the palace to seem inferior to Yun Jinnian, to the point where they would have to seek his aid for any illness or pain in the future.
’Petty and ungrateful’ described the Emperor perfectly.
The concubines of the harem soon arrived at Weiyang Palace, starting with the Noble Consorts Wang and Wei, followed by the four consorts, then the concubines. The room was filled with seated ladies, and the other individuals could only stand outside.
After respectfully paying their respects to the Empress, she, with dignified grace, allowed them to take their seats, and then slowly began, "I summoned you here today because there is sothing I must make clear to you all!"
"As the Empress commands!"
Upon hearing this, the Empress looked towards Noble Consort Wang, "Noble Consort, tell , have you made sense of what happened with Physician Pan and Miss Yun the Fourth?"
Noble Consort Wang was suddenly startled.
Could it have been discovered?
She hastily rose to curtsy, "Replying to Her Majesty the Empress, this subject concubine..."
As Noble Consort Wang spoke, she looked up at the Empress, only to see her gazing back with an inscrutable smile, her eyes calm as water, as if she had already seen through Noble Consort Wang’s sches and knew that it was her people who were spreading rumors around the Imperial Palace.
"Speak!" the Empress shouted angrily, slapping her hand on the table.
Noble Consort Wang and the rest of the concubines shuddered in fear.
This was the first ti they had seen the Empress angry. Normally, even if the sky were falling, she would remain composed, never changing her expression, but now she was visibly enraged.
"This subject concubine, this subject concubine does not know!" Noble Consort Wang said with a trembling voice.
"You don’t know, yet you let the people in your palace spread rumors everywhere? You don’t know, yet you dare to so malign Miss Yun the Fourth’s reputation? Do you realize that she was brought into the palace in the Phoenix Carriage to cure the Emperor’s poison? Not to ntion you, even I should treat her with an extra asure of courtesy. Yet here you are, out of favor for a re dog, unable to distinguish right from wrong, shafully bearing the title of Noble Consort!" The Empress continued, pausing slightly, "Do you know that Pan Kai, with a group of n, blocked Miss Yun the Fourth’s way, asking arrogantly to seek her advice. Bullying the weak, these insolent words coming forth in broad daylight right outside Yangxin Hall—such a dog, and yet you seem to revel in keeping him!"
No matter if she was a Noble Consort, or if she had birthed the eldest Prince, now that the Empress had caught her red-handed, she was scolded like a lowly servant.
The other consorts and concubines felt a secret joy in their hearts, relieved that they were not involved.
"This subject concubine deserves death, this subject concubine dares not do it again, this subject concubine begs for Your Majesty’s rcy!"
In her heart, she cursed Pan Kai half to death and resented him deeply.
"Hmph, don’t bother begging for rcy. You’ve caused the trouble, and the people from your Ganyu Palace spread the rumors, so you better go and solve it and then go and beg the Emperor for forgiveness!"
Having said this, the Empress turned to the others, "And the rest of you, rember this well: keep a tight leash on your palace’s people and their tongues. Don’t stir up trouble for , or else don’t bla for showing you so color!"
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