The clever palace maid stood up, first bowing to Tie Ci, then bringing a tray of exquisite pastries in five different colors, along with five delicate jade pots. The maid smiled: “Your Highness, this is a fresh method our lady thought up last night without sleep. This tender pink is peach blossom dots, paired with emerald wine; this white radish cake, paired with drunken Xiang concubine; this purple is wisteria pastry, paired with horizon…”
She spoke quickly but very clearly, glowing with animation while speaking, obviously an extremely intelligent girl. Tie Ci looked down at the pastries, extremely elaborate with various sweet wines, well-matched with pleasing colors. She picked up a pastry and asked the maid: “You made this?”
The maid smiled with pursed lips: “This servant’s skills are lacking – please forgive me, Your Highness.” Though speaking humbly, her expression was quite confident.
Tie Ci continued: “My lady’s clothing and ornaments today are also quite unique – your suggestion?”
Bi Luo smiled again: “If our lady and Your Highness are pleased, that’s this servant’s blessing.”
Being praised twice in succession, her manner became elated. She ignored Consort Jing beside her, who looked happy but flustered and couldn’t get a word in, and took up the embroidery Consort Jing had been working on: “Our lady embroidered this shoe sole for Your Highness – this continuous ten-thousand-character pattern with small flowers embroidered on the edges shows the utmost care.” Then she actually added with a smile: “Our lady has prepared many such clothing and shoes – finally Your Highness comes to see personally.”
As she chattered away, Dan Shuang’s face had turned green with anger.
Stealing the spotlight and self-promotion was one thing, but was she now lecturing the mistress too?
Looking at Consort Jing again, she didn’t feel this maid was overstepping at all, and hurriedly nodded: “Bi Luo is very clever – many things are her ideas…”
“So instigating the mistress to go curry favor before the Empress Dowager on my behalf was also your idea?”
“Your Highness should also…” Bi Luo said half a sentence then suddenly stopped, her face instantly drained of all color.
Tie Ci didn’t look at her, pointing at the pastry plate: “Frivolous skills.”
Pointing at the embroidered shoe sole: “Waste of silk.”
Pointing at all the palace servants nearby who had turned pale and retreated to kneel aside: “Standing by coldly, not knowing how to protect their mistress.”
Pointing at Bi Luo: “Bewitching the mistress with evil words, not knowing proper hierarchy, instigating trouble, harboring ulterior motives.”
“Your Highness…”
Bi Luo’s cleverness had long vanished. She had just called out in a trembling voice when Tie Ci already said: “Drag her out and beat her to death with sticks.”
As soon as the words fell, guards who had followed stepped forward, gagged Bi Luo in a few moves and dragged her out. Bi Luo couldn’t even cry for mercy before being dragged outside the hall. She refused to go, her hands desperately clawing at the ground, tears streaming as she looked at Consort Jing with pleading eyes.
Consort Jing’s walnut-sized brain couldn’t handle such sudden changes. She was already stunned there, her face blank with shock.
Bi Luo usually loved her mistress’s dullness, but now felt infinite terror and regret. Her fingernails clawing at brick crevices had already turned back, and when a guard kicked violently, that hand swung away bloodily, tracing a powerless arc in the frightened palace servants’ eyes.
The person was finally dragged out, leaving a long scrape mark on the ground. Then the sound of stick beatings rang out from outside – no screams, but everyone’s imagination became more vivid and horrific. All trembled and lowered their heads, gripping their clothes with sweaty hands.
No one expected that the Crown Princess, who usually ignored Dianfang Palace but seemed good-tempered, would suddenly arrive and bring such thunderous fury.
In the sound of beating, Tie Ci slowly walked a few steps. The Crown Princess was tall and graceful, her sapphire blue sea-wave pattern robe hem quietly trailing on the ground. Whoever she stopped in front of would violently tremble and bow even deeper.
The first person Tie Ci stopped before was Nanny Wang. She had been sitting closest to Consort Jing earlier, surrounded by palace servants, obviously another favored figure.
Now she trembled all over, visibly sweating at her nape.
Tie Ci glanced at the several layers of collar she showed, laughed once, and said: “This year’s superior Songjiang silk just tributed by Jiangnan Prefecture – each palace only received two bolts, only for making undergarments for palace mistresses, yet now it’s worn on you.”
“Your Highness, spare my life—”
Before she could finish pleading, Tie Ci said: “What life or death – am I someone who kills carelessly? Strip the clothes and walk around Dianfang Palace once. Nanny Wang is so noble – even without fine clothes, she still has dignity.”
Dan Shuang said: “Whatever layer the Songjiang silk is worn on, strip to that layer. Her Highness is merciful, only taking clothes you shouldn’t wear. Why don’t you thank her for her grace?”
Guards came forward. Nanny Wang struggled to half-turn, desperately kowtowing toward Consort Jing’s direction, wailing loudly: “My lady! This servant has no face left! Please grant this servant death!”
Dan Shuang’s face was iron-blue.
This Dianfang Palace was completely rotten! Every one of them – what did they take their mistress for? The Crown Princess gave orders, yet she threatened Consort Jing – was she counting on Consort Jing’s soft heart to blackmail her?
“Ci… Your Highness!” Only now did Consort Jing react, rushing forward to block in front of the nanny, pleading: “If you strip Nanny Wang’s clothes, she’ll have no way to command respect in this palace!”
“Then let her not command respect.” Tie Ci said indifferently: “In this palace, only you need to be respected.”
Author’s Note: Don’t worry. I think I never torture for more than three seconds.