Yun Xiao, however, paid her no mind and walked straight outside. Qiao'er followed closely behind her. Outside the palace doors, the palace maids respectfully greeted, "Your Majesty the Empress."
Yun Xiao nodded slightly, not troubling the palace maids, and continued to walk out. A large group of people followed behind her, heading towards the Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers in a grand procession.
The Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers was some distance from the Palace of Clear Smiles, but Yun Xiao was not in a hurry, enjoying the scenery along the way as she walked towards the hall.
As she passed through the Imperial Garden in the hậu cung, she heard someone crying. At first, she thought she had misheard, but as she walked a few steps, it became clearer. Yun Xiao frowned slightly, stopped, and said to the Shang Palace Li following her, "Who is crying here? Go and bring them here."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Empress."
The leading woman was the Shang Palace Li who had previously served Yun Xiao in Yun Wang Manor. She was in charge of Yun Xiao's meals and clothing.
Upon hearing the Empress's command, she immediately accepted the order and headed towards the Imperial Garden. Soon, she brought someone over.
It was a palace maid who was slightly older, appearing to be in her twenties. Her face was delicate and beautiful, but due to years of loneliness, her complexion looked somewhat haggard, lacking the usual vitality and appearing aged.
When Shang Palace Li brought her over, she knelt down with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing, "Your Majesty, spare my life, Your Majesty, spare my life."
Yun Xiao walked up to her and squatted down, looking at her curiously. She slowly said, "Did someone bully you?"
The palace maid repeatedly shook her head, "No one bullied this servant. This servant misses home. This servant has been away from home for over ten years. Two days ago, my parents sent someone to deliver a letter to the palace, saying they wished to see this servant. But this servant is not free, which is why I am sad."
Yun Xiao slightly lowered her eyes, a hint of pity flashing in them. The women in the palace were truly pitiable, especially the palace maids. She couldn't help but shake her head and glance behind her.
She noticed that many of the palace maids serving behind her were older. Suddenly, a thought struck her: there were not too many concubines in the palace now, nor did they need so many palace maids. Why not let them go?
Thinking of this, Yun Xiao's lips curved into a smile as she looked at Shang Palace Li, who had been keeping her head slightly bowed.
"Shang Palace Li, have you ever thought about going out?"
Shang Palace Li was taken aback and then replied in a stiff manner, "This servant entered the palace from a young age and has no family. Even if I went out, what would be the point?"
Yun Xiao pouted, "How boring."
Then she asked others. Some of the older palace maids, seeing that the Empress was speaking kindly, became a little bolder. Some nodded and said they wished to go out.
Yun Xiao nodded, as if she understood, and then waved her hand, signaling the palace maid to rise.
"This matter, this Empress will keep it in mind. Wait two more days, and a batch will be released. What is your name?"
Yun Xiao asked the palace maid who had been crying in the Imperial Garden earlier. The palace maid did not expect such good fortune and her face lit up. She was so stunned that she forgot to reply. Shang Palace Li walked over and chided her, then asked again, "Your Majesty asked for your name?"
"This servant is Xiao Qin from the Imperial Kitchen."
Yun Xiao glanced at Shang Palace Li and reminded her, "Remember her name."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yun Xiao couldn't help but glance at the female official beside her. Her face was so rigid that not a single wrinkle could be seen. She wondered how she managed it and was quite curious. The group walked past the palace maid and headed towards the Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers.
Someone at the Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers had already received the news and reported it. Upon hearing that Yun Xiao was coming, Murong Yingxue immediately tidied herself up and sat majestically by the bed.
Her legs were now immobile, and she was in unbearable pain. She was certain that this woman Yun Xiao was responsible. The more this happened, the less she could let her see her in such a state.
Yun Xiao entered the sleeping quarters unimpeded. She was now the Empress of this palace, not like before. Who dared to stop her? The palace maids and eunuchs of the Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers were all trembling with fear and apprehension at the arrival of the Empress.
Outside the sleeping quarters of the Hall of Ten Thousand Flowers, the eunuch's sharp voice rang out, "Your Majesty the Empress has arrived."
Murong Yingxue felt her body tremble, and she shivered uncontrollably. She couldn't explain why, but it was a kind of fear that originated from her heart.
Although she tried hard to appear calm, cold sweat constantly trickled down her face. Hua Zhi, standing behind her, looked at her mistress with some pity, even though she had been truly hateful before.
"Princess, please don't be like this."
Hua Zhi said softly. Before Murong Yingxue could say anything, a group of people turned in from behind the screen. The one surrounded by everyone, who else could it be but Yun Xiao?
Today, she was different from before. She was second only to one person, yet if you looked closely, there was not much difference from before, neither in her clothing nor in her speech.
If one had to say there was a difference, it was the irrepressible radiance of happiness in her eyes.
Inside the sleeping quarters, Hua Zhi and several other palace maids immediately knelt down, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
Yun Xiao waved her hand and slowly said, "All of you may withdraw. This Empress has something to say to the Princess."
As soon as she spoke, Murong Yingxue could not stop trembling. One hand quietly gripped Hua Zhi's hand. Hua Zhi looked at the Princess with difficulty, but she dared not disobey the Empress's orders. Everyone filed out.
Only Yun Xiao and Murong Yingxue were left in the sleeping quarters. The air became momentarily heavy, and neither was willing to speak.
Yun Xiao paced back and forth, observing Murong Yingxue. Murong Yingxue finally could not bear it and screamed, "What do you want? You ruined my legs and made me unable to walk!"
"That is natural."
Yun Xiao did not deny it. She had done it, and she would never deny it.
Murong Yingxue was stunned for a moment, then came back to her senses, glaring at Yun Xiao and asking sternly, "You snatched away Brother Murong, why did you also ruin my legs?"
"If I didn't, you would cause more trouble. If there were another time, do you think Murong would spare you? The reason I administered the acupuncture was simply because I didn't want to leave a shadow in Murong's heart. Why don't you understand?"
Yun Xiao turned and sat on the soft couch opposite Murong Yingxue, looking directly at her. Murong Yingxue felt flustered by her gaze and lowered her head, not daring to meet her eyes, "I don't understand what you're saying."
"Don't understand?" Yun Xiao sneered, not allowing Murong Yingxue to resist, and continued speaking.
"Your father saved Murong, didn't he? Did he beg your father to save him? No. Since he saved him, you shouldn't insist that he remember the kindness of your Murong family and accept you, as if not accepting you would be ungrateful. Isn't that forcing it? Love is mutual affection, is it one-sided? Why did your father tell you about the Six Meridians Divine Heart but not tell Murong? These are all your selfish desires."