CHAPTER 248: CHAPTER 247: WHOEVER WANTS A BEATING, COME!

"If you want to live well and not be bullied, you must climb to the top! You must compete for favor, fight for it with all your might!"

Xia Ruqing was so angry that her chest was heaving.

Not fighting is what fools do. Thinking back to the Mary Sue TV dramas she used to watch, where each heroine was one of those deceptively pure, holier-than-thou ’white lotus’ types... Trying to win over enemies with kindness—utterly preposterous! Just like now, being strangled and battered. What could she do? If it weren’t for everything she had built up, she would have been dead for sure. So, what else was there to say? Conflict was inevitable, and she wasn’t afraid. After all, she wasn’t some paragon of virtue herself! If worst came to worst, it would be a fight to the bitter end.

Xia Ruqing’s gaze was as sharp as frost. She let out a long, turbid breath. Picking up the teacup, she leisurely blew away the floating tea leaves and slowly sipped her tea.

Zi Yue was very worried. "Are we just sitting ducks now?"

Xia Ruqing nodded. "Yes!"

「...」

In the blink of an eye, the Emperor had been gone for seven days. The rumors grew wilder by the day. Clearly, someone was stirring the pot behind the scenes.

And as for that person behind it all, Li Shengan had investigated for half a day and only found Qiu Tong. After that, the trail went cold.

He hummed lightly. "No matter how deeply a fox hides its tail, it will eventually show!"

Little Zhuzi was a bit puzzled. "Master, Qiu Tong belongs to Xia Jieyu! She must have been bought off!"

Li Shengan shot him a glare. "Do I need you to tell me that?"

Little Zhuzi fell silent.

Li Shengan counted on his fingers. "I reckon the Emperor will be back in two or three days! Keep a close watch on Qingya Residence. With just these few days left, nothing must go wrong!"

Since it concerned his own life, Li Shengan dared not be remiss.

"Master, what about the rumors spreading in the Harem..."

Li Shengan tapped him with his horsetail whisk. "Fool, go out and investigate. If anyone dares say one more word, tie them up and send them directly to the Punishment Department!"

"Yes!" Little Zhuzi scurried off.

Li Shengan was also driven into a corner. No matter how capable he was, he was just a eunuch; there were many in the Harem with more power and influence than him.

Li Shengan sneered. "Hmph! There aren’t many who have the skill to orchestrate such turmoil from behind the scenes! Empress, Noble Consort, are you really determined to cut off your own retreat?!"

「...」

The night gradually deepened. The sky was overcast, the moonlight invisible. The courtyard was unlit, a silent night blanketed in darkness.

Lady Xi, clad in a black robe, stood in the courtyard, her gaze sharp. A smug smile played at the corner of her mouth.

"Ah! The Harem, this big quagmire, is getting murkier! But it’s becoming more interesting! Xia Jieyu, I didn’t expect... so many people are hoping for your death!! All it took was bribing a Little Palace Maid, telling her to spill everything she saw and heard. I didn’t expect so many people to help me out from behind! It seems... you really deserve to die!"

Indeed, the one who bribed Qiu Tong was Lady Xi. As for why Qiu Tong would rather die than reveal anything, that was because if she spoke out, she would only die a more miserable death. It was better to keep quiet.

The business of fanning the flames from behind, it really wasn’t me! Lady Xi murmured to herself. So, it must have been someone else! If someone else is targeting you, I can rest easy! There’s a large tree blocking the path ahead; if I want to climb higher, I have to chop it down!

「...」

After several gloomy days in a row, the weather finally cleared.

Noble Concubine Shih rose early, her mood unexpectedly good. After dressing and tidying herself, she took her attendants to the Taiye Pool. "I wonder if the ice in the Taiye Pool has melted yet!"

Wandering around for a while, she found it somewhat boring. "I’ve heard that the cat Xia Jieyu keeps is quite amusing. Go and bring it to Our Grace!"

Ying Yue had injured her knee. Unable to move freely, she hadn’t come. The Palace Maid named Qiaoqiao was the one who went. Previously, at Consort Yun Pin’s, she was the one who had prepared an extremely spicy dish and forced someone to eat it. Clearly, she had a malicious mind.

At this moment, having received the Noble Consort’s command, she, accompanied by several Little Eunuchs, charged aggressively towards Qingya Residence.

Xia Ruqing was still having breakfast when she saw a group barge in.

Qiaoqiao perfunctorily saluted. "Greetings to Xia Jieyu!"

Xia Ruqing looked at the disdainful Palace Maid and then at the ill-intentioned Little Eunuchs behind her. She smiled. "And you are...?" She seems somewhat unfamiliar; I don’t recognize her.

Qiaoqiao stood up on her own accord without waiting to be told. Her eyes seemed to look to the heavens, her nose pointed disdainfully in the air. "The Noble Consort commands this servant to fetch Xia Jieyu’s cat. Her Grace wishes to see it!"

Xia Ruqing’s gaze suddenly turned icy. "Da Bai?"

Qiaoqiao remained silent, just relentlessly urging, "Xia Jieyu, hurry up! If you make the Noble Consort wait, you’ll be the one to suffer!" She bore an air of haughtiness, looking down on everyone.

Xia Ruqing found her extremely irritating and truly wanted to tear her mouth apart.

Da Bai, who was curled up to one side and snoring, seemed to sense something. With a MEOW, it jumped up, trotted with light steps, and leaped into Xia Ruqing’s arms. It kept rubbing its round head against her ceaselessly, as if it too sensed danger.

Xia Ruqing looked down, gently stroked its head, and hugged it. Da Bai then settled comfortably in her arms, PURRING contentedly.

Xia Ruqing smiled. "What do I have to lose? This cat... was a gift from the Emperor. If the Noble Consort wishes to see it, she must ask for the Emperor’s permission. I cannot make that decision!"

Qiaoqiao was very disdainful. "Xia Jieyu must be joking. It’s just a cat! Even if it were a nugget of gold or silver, if the Noble Consort wanted it, the Emperor wouldn’t bat an eye!"

Xia Ruqing scoffed. "Then you should go ask for nuggets of gold or silver. All I have here is a worthless cat!"

Qiaoqiao was infuriated. "You! Xia Jieyu, don’t be ungrateful. The Noble Consort is waiting at the Taiye Pool!"

Having said this, she turned to instruct the Little Eunuchs, "Go and bring that cat here!"

Xia Ruqing was so angry that she slammed the table. "How dare you! A mere Second Class palace maid dares to yell and scream in my presence! Who gave you such audacity!"

Saying that, she waved her hand decisively. "Zi Yue, slap her face! Keep slapping her until she kneels and begs for mercy! I will personally go and apologize to the Noble Consort! Don’t hold back, hit her! Beat her soundly!"

She had no choice but to yield to the Noble Consort. But a mere Second Class palace maid? No, she couldn’t swallow this insult.

Xiao Xizi and Xiao Zhu Zi stepped forward, grabbed Qiaoqiao, and pinned her to the ground.

Zi Yue, without a hint of mercy, stepped forward and delivered two sharp slaps. "You don’t even consider your own status, yet you dare to be so arrogant! Who gave you the nerve?!" Her master, whom even the Emperor had never spoken a harsh word to, was today being degraded by a Second Class palace maid. How could anyone let that stand?

Before Qiaoqiao could speak, she was dizzy from the blows. The Little Eunuchs accompanying her were momentarily uncertain, wanting to step forward but not daring to.

Xia Ruqing just scoffed. "It makes no difference whether I hit one or a group! Anyone else who wants a beating can step right up!"