The next morning, Consort Yue led several low-grade concubines other than Yun Fenghuang to Yan Fu Palace to pay their respects. Before she asked for leave for the new Bao Lin, n.o.ble Consort Shu had already asked where her sister was.

"She got a cold for falling into the water yesterday and couldn't get up this morning." Consort Yue gave her a slanting glance and smiled lightly, "Sis, you know me. If it is someone else, I will be absolutely reluctant. After all, for a new Bao Lin who just joined the Imperial Harem, how could she miss seeing the Queen Mother and the Empress? But since she is your younger sister, I could not make you embarra.s.sed, could I? So, I allowed her request."

These words mostly made it clear that Yun Fenghuang was indulgent and self-willed, and since she thought that she was the sister of n.o.ble Consort Shu, she neglected to see the Empress... Well, rounding it up, it also showed that n.o.ble Consort Shu was not so respectful to the Empress?

However, n.o.ble Consort Shu performed as if she did only hear the first sentence. She questioned with a shocked and pale look, "What? My sister was healthy when she joined the Imperial Harem yesterday, how did she fall into the water and get cold?"

Then she turned to Empress Ji, "Your Highness, I didn't seem to have heard of people of Hu Zhu Palace summoning any imperial doctor yesterday..."

Before Consort Yue could answer, Empress Ji had already ordered the leading maid beside her, "Send an imperial doctor to Consort Yue's Palace and have a look."

She then said to Consort Yue, "You have been in the palace for a long time and are familiar with the rules. Bao Lin Yun is young and just joined the Imperial Harem. Don't you think you should take care of her?"

"Your Highness, I am wronged." Consort Yue secretly ground her teeth with anger, then she got an idea and explained, "I did not know Bao Lin Yun messed around as soon as she joined in the Imperial Harem, and even fell into the water in front of my hall! At that time, My Majesty was in the hall. When I heard this, I sent someone to rescue her immediately. I planned to call for the imperial doctor right away, but Bao Lin Yun insisted that she was in good health, and didn't have to disturb My Majesty for her... I couldn't reject her and agreed. I didn't know she could not get up today. I just planned to talk to sister n.o.ble Consort Shu in private, inviting her to exhort Bao Lin Yun not to ignore her health only for the sake of her face. Now, it turns out to be my fault!"

The meaning behind the words showed the reason why Yun Fenghuang fell into the water. She heard that Emperor Chunjia was on Ning Bi Hall, so she lingered to peep, and made this mistake... Maybe there would be no mistake, and she purposefully used this incident to attract the Emperor's attention? Afterwards, she refused to let the imperial doctor treat her because she was afraid that she would not be able to serve the Emperor with his sleep if she was diagnosed with illness.

In short, Consort Yue was unlucky to have such a restless girl in her palace!

n.o.ble Consort Shu absolutely refused to admit that her sister was such a person, "My younger sister is quite ingenious and honest. How could she walk around? Consort Yue has always been innocent and outspoken, but you cannot lie on this."

"You misunderstood me. There were so many new ladies joining the Imperial Harem yesterday." Consort Yue chuckled, "Why didn't everyone else fall into water but Bao Lin Yun? Are you suspecting that it was me who pushed her down?"

"That would be your question to answer." n.o.ble Consort Shu smiled lightly, "In the past few years, people in your palace have had the biggest chance to encounter accidents. My sister is not the first, presumably not the last one?"

The verbal battle between the two continued. Empress Ji and other concubines did neither get involved nor stop them, and they were holding the tea bowl cheerfully to enjoy the live show.

After a while, there was a maid coming out from behind. She quietly went to the Empress and whispered. The Empress nodded and said, "Let her in."

She glanced at n.o.ble Consort Shu and Consort Yue and smiled, "Both of you, calm down. The imperial doctor has made a diagnosis for Bao Lin Yun, and there is no problem with her. Now she is waiting outside. Just let her in for the details."

As soon as Consort Yue heard this, she looked pale with some upset feelings. She was afraid that Yun Fenghuang could not bear their questions and told the truth, which would make her shameful; also, this little b.i.t.c.h set her up badly. Now she was brought by the Empress's maid, maybe she was taught anything during this period to frame her?

If she had ever considered about the situation earlier, it would have been better to bring the little b.i.t.c.h over to pay respect!

The more Consort Yue thought, the more she felt upset. She vowed secretly that no matter how the matter ended today, she would cope with the b.i.t.c.h as soon as possible!

After a while, Yun Fenghuang was brought in the hall by a maid, and came forward to salute and pay her respects in a manner of politeness. She was a born beauty, one of the most beautiful girls among these concubines. Since her behavior was not frivolous, showing an image of a girl coming from a respectable family, Empress Ji, who came from an aristocratic family, had good impression on her. She let her up and asked why she fell into the water.

"Yesterday, I served My Lady with the meal. During this period, My Majesty arrived and I walked outside the hall to wait for their order." Yun Fenghuang said, "But..."

Hearing her first two sentences, Consort Yue was relieved. Though she was a little bit annoyed that the little b.i.t.c.h taunted her stinginess. After all, she sent the new Bao Lin out of the hall for fear of compet.i.tion as the Emperor arrived, but at least the b.i.t.c.h was clever to say what Emperor Chunjia told them yesterday.

Unexpectedly, with a horror, Yun Fenghuang said timidly, "But... but when I stood at the poolside, I was suddenly pushed by someone and fell into the water!"

All the concubines did not think of this answer. Even Empress Ji was stunned, and she asked, "Really?"

"It's true!" Yun Fenghuang began to wipe her tears, as if she was telling the truth. Consort Yue was stunned, wondering if any of the confidant had framed the little b.i.t.c.h secretly... but wait! Yesterday, when Emperor Chunjia arrived, she didn't make this b.i.t.c.h go out at all. It was this b.i.t.c.h who realized that she was extremely guilty and ran out of the hall and jumped into the water!?

In the past years since Consort Yue had joined the Imperial Harem, although she had a few losses in the hands of the Empress and the high-grade Consorts, it was absolutely easy for her to deal with the low-grade concubines. Now was the first time that she was framed by a little Bao Lin!

At this moment, she was so angry that she smiled, "If so, you mean someone in Hu Zhu Palace wanted to harm you? You are just a little Bao Lin joining the Imperial Palace. Who do you think you are? Why did anyone need to take your life like this?!"

"Turns out you remember that my sister just joined the Imperial Harem, and is just a little Bao Lin?" n.o.ble Consort Shu immediately said, "You said firmly just now that Bao Lin was walking around in Hu Zhu Palace and tried to trace My Majesty. As if Bao Lin was so powerful. Right after she joined the Imperial Palace, she was so bold with the ability to explore where My Majesty was!"

Consort Yue snorted, "Of course, a normal Bao Lin is not so powerful, but is Bao Lin Yun a normal one?"

She meant something, "Your Highness didn't even speak before, but n.o.ble Consort Shu had already affirmed that I did not summon an imperial doctor for Bao Lin Yun yesterday. You are so smart and well-informed! Quite hard for me to prevent!"

"Consort Yue, you really wronged n.o.ble Consort Shu about this." n.o.ble Consort Gui, who had been watching the show, seeing n.o.ble Consort Shu losing words to refute, suddenly said, "If n.o.ble Consort Shu really knew the information clearly of your Hu Zhu Palace, why her younger sister was framed to fall into the water?"

Consort Yue raised her eyebrows and said, "n.o.ble Consort Gui should be cautious about your words! Bao Lin Yun fell into the water because she was framed by someone. This is her one-sided word, which cannot be believed! I will never believe that someone in my palace would dare to act so boldly. Blatantly murder a concubine!"

Although she was a little irritable, she was not a fool.

Even though the dead concubines in Hu Zhu Palace in recent years were not a few, it seemed to have nothing to do with her. They were dead of either some kinds of accidents or suicide. Even if people of the Imperial Harem knew what was going on, it was hard to denounce Consort Yue's crime of murdering other concubines.

Now Yun Fenghuang said nothing about Consort Yue, but saying "I was pushed by someone into the water in Hu Zhu Palace". Therefore, the hostess of Hu Zhu Palace, whether she knew it or not, was difficult not to be involved!

The most terrible thing was that because of Consort Yue's temper, nine out of ten concubines on Chong Chang Hall had already believed what the new Bao Lin said.

At this moment, n.o.ble Consort Gui said, "I think Bao Lin Yun's statement should be true."

She looked at the Empress with a smile, "Your Highness, although the grade of Bao Lin Yun is low, it was the Empress Dowager who personally ordered her to join the Imperial Palace. The Empress Dowager is very sharp and sensible. Is it possible that a girl who is still underage can fool her? If Bao Lin Yun is really the kind of person who reverses black and white, I am afraid she would have been kicked out by the Empress Dowager when she paid her respect in Qing Ci Palace, right?"

The Empress Dowager was the prominent start of Ji tribe, the biological grandaunt of the Empress and the grandmother of the Emperor, and also the largest support of Empress Ji... Empress Ji might know that the Empress Dowager would not remember a little Bao Lin. But how could she refute n.o.ble Consort Gui at this moment?

In particular, there was a feud about a compet.i.tion of the position of Empress between her and Consort Yue, so, she was happy to get her in trouble, "The person chosen by the Empress Dowager must be good."

This statement not only affirmed the words of n.o.ble Consort Gui, but also euphemistically satirized Consort Yue. Because among all the high-grade concubines, Consort Yue was the only one who didn't get the Empress Dowager's agreement. It was even fair to say that she entered the palace under the objection of the Empress Dowager.

"Your Highness, are you saying that Bao Lin Yun was framed by someone ordered by me?" Consort Yue had had been very angry yesterday, and now she felt desolate to be attacked by the crowd. Although she tried her best to hold her weakness back in front of the Empress, her tears still fell down uncontrollably. Under great anger, she suddenly stood up, walked quickly towards Yun Fenghuang, and said angrily, "I am the hostess of Hu Zhu Palace. Just a little Bao Lin is not worthy for me to break the rules of the palace?! You think too highly of yourself!"

She walked to Yun Fenghuang, intending to kick her to take revenge, but Yun Fenghuang immediately knelt down, trembled with words "My Lady, forgive me", and took the opportunity to pull the skirt of Consort Yue... The action was so…!!!

Immediately, Consort Yue stepped back subconsciously, confirming that Yun Fenghuang could not catch her skirt, then she yelled, "You idiot, may you open your eyes and look around the palace, who do you think you are? You really think there is no one in the Imperial Harem who is as beautiful as you are, so I want to kill you when I see you?!"

"What are you doing?" n.o.ble Consort Shu stood up quickly when she saw this, blocking Yun Fenghuang, and said, "In front of Your Highness, you cannot be so presumptuous!"

"n.o.ble Consort Shu is right. Sister Yue, you have gone too far!" n.o.ble Consort Gui adjusted her golden hairpin calmly, and said quietly, "The state has its law and the palace has its rules. Please, Your Highness, time to judge!"

Empress Ji followed it and said, "Consort Yue of Hu Zhu Palace was out of control and harsh on other concubine. She should be banned from going out for one month with her monthly supply reduced by half. Consider it a warning to all of you!"

She gave a glance at Yun Fenghuang, who was still kneeling on the ground and trembling, and raised her eyebrows, "Bao Lin Yun was wronged."

She rewarded Yun Fenghuang something, nothing more than clothing and jewelry. Although they were not much, they represented the att.i.tude of the Empress. For a time, the concubines who were frightened by the controversy all cast envious glances to her.

When Yun Fenghuang rejoiced and thanked the Empress for her favor. Consort Yue was also sent back to Hu Zhu Palace for punishment. Before leaving, her deformed and angry face made the Empress feel so good. The Empress glanced at Yun Qingman, who was standing anxiously behind n.o.ble Consort Shu, and was pleased to help them, "Since the hostess of Hu Zhu Palace is not here, Bao Lin Yun can follow n.o.ble Consort Shu."

"Fenghuang!" So, on the way to Mian Fu Palace where Queen Mother Ji lived, Yun Fenghuang and Yun Qingman were logically brought to the sedan of n.o.ble Consort Shu. As soon as they sat in, Yun Qingman couldn't wait to hold her hand, "I didn't know that Consort Yue was so ruthless. Are you okay?"

"This is not over yet. Qingman, wait a minute." Before Yun Fenghuang answered it, n.o.ble Consort Shu frowned and asked, "Fenghuang, right? I have heard of you from my father. You are very clever. Now the time is limited. In short, you were pushed by someone and fell into the water yesterday. Is it true?"

When she asked this, she stared at Yun Fenghuang's face closely, did not miss the slightest change, and said in a low tone, "The Empress hates Consort Yue. As long as you can make Consort Yue shameful, she does not want to check it carefully. But we are going to pay respect to Queen Mother Ji, and in front of her, it is not so easy to cover up!"

In addition to the concubines of her own family, Queen Mother Ji did not like the concubines of other factions, including n.o.ble Consort Shu!

Even if the Empress punished Consort Yue, she was afraid that Queen Mother Ji would not end it easily. Maybe this matter would go worse and the three sisters of Yun tribe would be involved in punishment as well... n.o.ble Consort Shu explained the stakes in few words, "I must know the truth so I can determine how to share it with the Queen Mother later. It is a matter of great importance. You should be well-aware of the priorities and not be arrogant!"