Mm, That Works Too...

Xueqing's screams rang clearly through the courtyard. Miaoxi, who was lying on the floor, jolted violently in fright. Only then did everyone realize that she had woken up long ago and had simply been pretending to remain unconscious.

The warmth that had filled the room faltered, then hurtled headlong toward speechless disbelief.

Noble Consort Qing settled Jiang Yingcheng into the Upholstered Chair before taking out her handkerchief, turning away, and wiping the tears from her face.

When she turned back, she had regained her usual dignified composure.

Only after ordering someone to serve the little girl some sweets did Noble Consort Qing begin studying the unfamiliar palace maid on the floor.

The maid's eyelids were trembling involuntarily, and her breathing grew increasingly rapid as the silence deepened.

Before Noble Consort Qing could order a maid to "wake her up," the patter of footsteps suddenly sounded behind her.

Jiang Yingcheng scurried toward Miaoxi on her short little legs. Just as she reached her, she gave an extravagantly exaggerated twist, tangling both legs together like a braided twist-

Thud.

"Ah!"

[Hehehe.]

The sounds mingled together, making Noble Consort Qing completely forget what she had been about to say.

Everyone nearby froze for a moment at the sudden turn of events. Eunuch Changshun was the first to react, hastily helping up Jiang Yingcheng, who had deliberately fallen onto Miaolan. "Oh, my Little Highness! Did that hurt?"

At those words, even Miaoyun's violent coughing paused for a moment.

In her shock, she could not help turning to look at Eunuch Changshun.

The little princess might look small and soft, but she was a solid little thing!

When the girl had landed on her with her full weight, she had felt as though her internal organs were about to be squeezed out!

How could the Little Highness possibly be hurt? She was the one in pain!

Yet the man before her deliberately ignored her accusing gaze and looked only at Jiang Yingcheng, his face full of concern.

More people crowded around.

Jiang Yingcheng pursed her lips, doing her best to look aggrieved. "She tripped me. It really hurts."

Anyone who heard the faint tremor in her voice would have thought she had suffered a tremendous injustice.

Even Eunuch Changshun, who had witnessed the entire staged accident, doubted himself for a moment.

Although he had not seen the maid stick out a leg to trip the Little Highness, since Her Highness said so, then...

Even if it was not true, Her Highness must have her reasons!

Yet Jiang Yingcheng could barely suppress the upward curl of her lips.

[Hehehe, now Auntie will surely give her forty strokes of the paddle!]

Noble Consort Qing, who had just crouched in front of the little girl, said nothing.

Caught between laughter and exasperation, she examined the girl carefully for a while. Only after confirming that she truly had not hurt herself did she reach out and gently pinch her round little cheek.

Soft and springy, it felt wonderful.

Noble Consort Qing secretly rubbed her fingers together.

She wanted to give it another couple of pinches.

Consort Lan, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up. "Th-this maid deliberately tripped the little princess. I saw it all..."

She stopped at just the right moment, repeatedly glancing toward Noble Consort Qing as though waiting for her to uphold justice on her behalf.

A bold suspicion suddenly surged into Noble Consort Qing's mind.

"How do you think this matter should be handled, Sister?"

Consort Lan rubbed her nose, her gaze wandering everywhere. "Well, just... give her forty strokes of the paddle..."

Noble Consort Qing fell silent.

That confirmed it. Consort Lan could hear the little girl's thoughts too.

Jiang Xingran's eyes widened abruptly. He seemed unable to believe that such words had come from his mother, who had always avoided conflicts with palace servants.

As for Jiang Yingcheng...

Jiang Yingcheng was so happy that she broke into an outright grin.

[Yes, yes, yes! Listen to Auntie Yunmeng!]

Aloud, however, she said with restraint, "Mm, that works too..."

[Chengcheng wasn't the one who suggested it~]

Cheng Yunmeng said nothing.

Eunuch Changshun said nothing.

Noble Consort Qing said nothing.

Miaoxi, who had been watching everyone spout blatant lies with utter disbelief, finally realized something was wrong. She hurriedly rolled over onto her knees and began knocking her forehead against the floor, over and over.

Thud, thud, thud-

She struck so hard that even the people beside her felt an imaginary ache in their heads.

As she kowtowed, Miaoxi wailed, "Have mercy, Your Highness! Forty strokes really will kill this servant, Your Highness-"

She knew the rules of this palace all too well. Rather than defend herself, she merely pleaded for mercy in one desperate cry after another.

Yet not one person present felt any sympathy.

Even setting aside her "tripping" the little princess, what she had done at the Fragrant Pavilion alone was enough to have a layer of skin stripped off her.

The thudding of her skull against the floor continued, but those in the room who held her life in their hands remained silent. Only when Miaoxi's vision swam and she could no longer keep kowtowing did a voice finally sound above her-

"Enough."

Noble Consort Qing said casually, "I am not a cruel woman, but the fact remains that you tripped the Eleventh Princess. Today, you shall receive twenty strokes as a warning to others."

Miaoxi let out a weak breath, her voice unmistakably relieved at having escaped death. "Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness..."

The palace servants responsible for administering the punishment soon dragged Miaoxi outside. The bench prepared for Xueqing in the courtyard had not yet been put away, making their task all the easier.

The dull sound of wood striking flesh soon drifted inside, but Jiang Yingcheng was not particularly pleased.

"Ah..."

[Why only twenty?]

Her lips stuck out in a pronounced pout, as though afraid anyone might miss her displeasure. [If Chengcheng hadn't been here today, this bad woman would have taken Auntie Yunmeng straight to Consort Rou's palace and tortured her for ages...]

[Consort Rou would make Auntie kneel in the snow for a long, long time. Only when Auntie fainted would she have someone drag her inside. Then, once Auntie woke up, she would stab her fingers with long needles!]

[After Auntie returned to her own courtyard covered in wounds, the maids there would spread rumors everywhere that Consort Qing had ordered Auntie Yunmeng brought to her palace to be tortured.]

[Not only would Auntie Yunmeng be tortured until she was permanently disabled, but Father would also dislike Pretty Auntie because of it. They'd be ruining both aunties in one go!]

[Aargh, I'm so mad!]

What made Jiang Yingcheng even angrier was that 007 would not let her tell Pretty Auntie about it directly.

Several sharp intakes of breath sounded in succession throughout the room.

Eunuch Changshun's eyes filled with despair.

He would have to report everything truthfully to His Majesty when he returned, but who could have imagined that he would hear such a secret of the imperial family...

Cheng Yunmeng's eyes were filled with horror. She could scarcely imagine how she would survive in the palace if events truly unfolded as the little girl's thoughts described.

She and her son were already struggling to survive. If she became disabled as well...

It would be the death of them!

Cheng Yunmeng shuddered violently.

Though none of it had happened yet, fear had already begun to grip her at the thought of what she had narrowly escaped.

The horror in Noble Consort Qing's heart was no less than Cheng Yunmeng's.

She did not wish to compete with the other consorts for favor; she only wanted a peaceful life. Yet despite restraining herself, never mistreating the palace servants, and striving so hard to earn a good reputation...

Someone had been working tirelessly in the shadows to destroy it!

The life she had lived all these years had been nothing but a joke!

Noble Consort Qing squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to rein in the vicious anger in her heart.

She had no intention of letting this maid off, but she could not make the little girl the sole reason for punishing her.

If she had a maid from Noble Consort Rou's palace beaten to death merely for tripping the little girl, the other woman would inevitably bear a grudge against the child.

With Consort Fang's standing, she was not yet in a position to contend with Noble Consort Rou.

Everyone in the room wore a different expression.

A palace servant hurried in from outside, knelt, and reported that the twenty strokes had been administered.

A smile curved Noble Consort Qing's lips, but her eyes were icy. "This woman used my name to commit wrongdoing at the Fragrant Pavilion. Give her another twenty."

Two rounds of twenty would satisfy the little girl's wishes as well.

Jiang Yingcheng's eyes flew wide, lighting up with delighted surprise.

[Oh, oh, oh! Pretty Auntie is amazing!]