The two palace maids turned ashen, prostrating themselves on the ground, trembling, not daring to utter a word.
The senior eunuch beside the Empress Dowager's lady-in-waiting snapped, "What, does Her Majesty the Empress Dowager need to ask a second time?"
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, spare us! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, spare us!" The two kowtowed ceaselessly, begging for mercy. Their pleas were quite sincere, their foreheads striking the ground with a resounding thud, turning bruised and swollen.
The Empress Dowager watched coldly, unmoved.
In the palace, there were no innocent people. Once one chose a side, they should have anticipated the day of exposure.
The two continued to kowtow, their foreheads bloody and mangled. It seemed the one who instructed them held a high position, and they dared not offend her.
The Empress Dowager lost patience. Looking at them as if they were already dead, she coldly commanded, "Drag them out and beat them to death."
"Your Majesty, spare us! This servant will speak, this servant will speak! It was Sister Huilan from Consort Gui's side who ordered it!"
One of the palace maids, unable to bear the pressure as the eunuchs approached, couldn't help but cry out.
A hush fell over the hall, and countless surprised gazes turned towards Consort Wei.
Wang Qingyao raised an eyebrow coldly. She had long suspected Consort Wei was behind it.
Huilan's face changed drastically. Consort Wei also appeared shocked. She glanced quickly at Huilan and then asked with feigned distress, "Huilan, did you really do this?"
Huilan dropped to her knees with a thud. "Your Majesty, spare me!"
"You really did it!" Consort Wei exclaimed incredulously. "Why would you do such a thing?"
Perhaps, apart from the innocent Miss Ban Ruoxuan, everyone in the hall knew that the mistress and servant were putting on an act.
Wang Qingyao watched coldly.
Feng Jiangduo watched coldly.
The Empress Dowager also watched coldly.
Consort Wei's straight back began to feel a creeping unease and chill.
Huilan, tears streaming down her face, said hatefully, "It's all the Princess of Ding'an's fault. If it weren't for her, the Crown Princess wouldn't have been deposed, and Your Ladyship wouldn't have wept day and night. This servant hates the Princess of Ding'an to the bone. Anything that can make her unhappy, this servant is willing to do!"
Heh, Wang Qingyao sneered. This palace maid named Huilan was truly loyal.
Wei Yu's Crown Princess was deposed by the Emperor's direct decree. If Huilan dared to question it, she clearly didn't expect to live.
As expected, the Empress Dowager was enraged.
"The Crown Princess was deposed by the Emperor. You, a mere servant, dare to speak up for the deposed Crown Princess! Are you dissatisfied with the Emperor?"
"This servant dares not," Huilan said, bowing her head to the ground.
"Guards, drag this ignorant servant out and beat her to death with clubs!"
Huilan trembled all over, biting her lip tightly. Her gaze drifted to Consort Wei's face. Consort Wei nodded almost imperceptibly, and only then did Huilan appear relieved.
Huilan was dragged away.
The two gossiping palace maids huddled on the ground, their bodies shaking like sieves.
The Empress Dowager waved her hand impatiently. "Demote them to the Bureau of Imperial Laundry."
To have saved their lives was already a great fortune. The two wept with joy and kowtowed in thanks.
Soon, the hall returned to its former tranquility.
The Empress Dowager's sharp gaze swept over Consort Wei, her voice majestic, like a divine chant descending from heaven. "Consort Wei, you knew nothing of this matter? Or was it you who instigated it?"
The Empress Dowager had already reprimanded Huilan. Now, to press Consort Wei, any discerning person knew that the Empress Dowager was merely scolding her and would not truly do anything to Consort Wei.
After all, she was a consort favored for many years, the birth mother of the Crown Prince, and moreover, she had the Wei family behind her.
Consort Wei's face was filled with guilt. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, please be enlightened. This servant truly knew nothing of this matter. However, Huilan is the head maid by this servant's side. If she committed a mistake, this servant cannot shirk responsibility. I beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to punish me."
Consort Wei curtsied to beg for forgiveness.
The Empress Dowager looked at Wang Qingyao and Feng Jiangduo and asked directly, "How do you wish to punish Consort Wei?"
Consort Wei's face flushed crimson. In front of so many people, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager was giving her no face at all.
However, she was, after all, the birth mother of the Crown Prince. Whether Wang Qingyao or Feng Jiangduo would be magnanimous and not pursue the matter, or would they fear the future retribution from the new Emperor or new Empress Dowager.
Wang Qingyao had countless old and new grudges against the Wei family, and she didn't care about adding one more.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Feng Jiangduo gently placed a hand on hers and said, "An apology will suffice."
Wang Qingyao glanced at Feng Jiangduo. She knew Feng Jiangduo was protecting her.
An apology would suffice, a mere sentence.
On the surface, it was magnanimous and gave Consort Wei face. In reality, in front of so many people, making the high and mighty Consort apologize to two juniors like them was more unbearable than killing her.
The entire hall was silent, only the sounds of breathing could be heard.
Consort Wei's face turned red, and the silk handkerchief in her hand was twisted into a ball.
The Empress Dowager smiled. "Princess Nange is indeed kind-hearted. If that is the case, Consort Wei, you should offer an apology to the Princess of Ding'an and Princess Nange."
When Her Majesty the Empress Dowager spoke, Consort Wei dared not disobey, but she felt utterly wronged.
She slowly walked in front of Wang Qingyao and Princess Nange, bowing slightly. "It is this consort who did not properly discipline the palace maids of Huayang Palace, causing the Princess of Ding'an and Princess Nange to suffer grievances. I am truly sorry."
Feng Jiangduo looked up. "Mm."
Consort Wei: "..."
Wang Qingyao suppressed a smile, finally managing to control herself. She nodded and said very formally, "Your Ladyship Consort is too polite."