TFSRITA Chapter 22

Hong Tao, upon seeing Yan Qing, looked as if she had seen a savior. “Your Highness, save me! I didn’t do anything!”

Other eunuchs and palace maids quickly joined in, saying, “Your Highness, save us. Your Highness…”

Empress Dowager Jiang’s eyes flashed, seizing the opportunity to act. “How dare you, Noble Consort! How could you be so cruel?”

Yan Qing blinked, observing the desperate pleas of those around her. She remained silent for a moment before curiously asking, “I thought you were all busy every day. How do you find time to commit these crimes?”

Due to the purge carried out by Zhu Yin, many dishonest individuals were removed from the palace. Yan Qing also disliked having too many people around. With the system only requiring a minimum number, she didn’t need more. Therefore, many tasks in the palace, including buying ingredients for the small kitchen she had set up in the back garden, fell to them. They were busy all day long, attending to her needs.

Hong Tao’s cries for help faltered as she tried to respond but didn’t know how. The question seemed completely out of place at this moment!

Seeing her hesitation, Yan Qing found it rather dull. She wasn’t interested in palace intrigue, but if Ji Yecheng took this opportunity to deal with her, she wouldn’t mind.

Remembering her purpose, Yan Qing turned, distancing herself from Ji Yecheng, and walked to Consort De. “Move aside.”

Consort De, who had been watching the scene, was momentarily stunned.

Yan Qing frowned, raised her chin slightly, and spoke arrogantly, “Move aside. I’m taking your seat.”

“You—” Consort De was about to retort when she suddenly felt a chill down her back and saw Emperor Ji staring at her coldly. Her sense of reason quickly returned, and she gritted her teeth, rising to give up her seat. “Sister, please take a seat.”

Let her be arrogant for a while longer.

“I have no sister,” Yan Qing replied expressionlessly as she sat down, rubbing her aching arms and legs. She had thought she could leave quickly, so she hadn’t requested a seat, but now it seemed she’d be staying a bit longer.

Consort De took a deep breath to avoid losing her temper and reluctantly approached Ji Yecheng. “Your Majesty…”

As she spoke, Ji Yecheng, who had been standing and not taking a seat, smiled and moved to her previous spot before sitting down.

Muttering and the sound of handkerchiefs being twisted filled the air.

Empress Dowager Jiang’s forehead twitched. She said sternly, “Noble Consort, do you have anything to say?”

“No,” Yan Qing replied tersely, glaring at the man who had put his hand on her waist without being invited. She tried to remain calm. “These people are from my palace, but I don’t know what they’ve done. If you insist on pinning the blame on me, I’ll accept it.”

“How can you say that?” Empress Dowager Jiang sneered. “The witnesses are right here. They’re from your palace, and you don’t know what they’ve done?”

Consort De, already on edge, added, “Noble Consort, Hong Tao is your maid. You can’t claim ignorance. At the very least, you should know if she’s been with you or not.”

Yan Qing looked at her helplessly, her eyes as if seeing someone clueless. “Even if she’s a personal maid, she doesn’t follow me every single moment. For example, do you know every bite of food each person in your palace has eaten or how many times they secretly cursed you?”

“Bang!” Empress Dowager Jiang couldn’t help but slam the table. “Impudent!”

Ji Yecheng frowned in annoyance. The real impudence was from this woman. He glanced coldly and ordered, “Remove the empress dowager’s table!”

“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?” Empress Dowager Jiang’s face turned pale and then flushed. Jiang Wende, who was always obedient, directed the eunuchs to remove the table in front of her.

Wasn’t this the same as slapping her face in public?

Ji Yecheng said, “Quiet.”

Empress Dowager Jiang: “!!!”

“Empress Dowager, calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!” The concubines quickly knelt and apologized.

Yan Qing yawned and quietly massaged her legs. After exercise, if you don’t relax your muscles, they can become stiff and bulky.

Ji Yecheng noticed her actions and looked at her with curiosity. His expression was calm, genuinely unbothered, and either he wasn’t afraid or he was just looking for trouble.

He sensed it was the latter.

Ji Yecheng then looked at the infuriated Empress Dowager, still panting in anger. “This matter has nothing to do with the Noble Consort. Jiang Wende, presents the evidence.”

“Yes,” Jiang Wende nodded again.

Thus, more palace servants entered, including some from Consort De’s faction.

The situation became clear.

The onlookers shifted their attention to Consort De.

Seeing Qing kneeling on the floor, pale-faced, Consort De’s legs went weak, and she knelt before Ji Yecheng. “Your Majesty, I’m innocent! I don’t know anything!”

Yan Qing propped up her face with one hand, smirking as she said, “Consort De, Qing He is your maid. Don’t claim ignorance. At the very least, you should know when she left your side, right?”

Consort De: …

This sounded very familiar.

Her face was flushed and aching, and she couldn’t continue her pleas.

Ji Yecheng waited for Jiang Wende to present all the evidence. With a deep gaze at the Empress Dowager, making her nervous, he then turned slightly and gently patted the head of the woman beside him. “It’s not your fault. Don’t be afraid.”

Yan Qing pursed her lips and brushed his hand away. Stupid emperor, she knew very well that he had investigated everything thoroughly already; he was only now revealing it.

Some concubines were already wide-eyed with envy at the way he treated her.

If it were anyone else, they would have been overjoyed and grateful for the emperor’s attention. Yet this noble consort dared to brush off the emperor’s hand?!