Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

Bao Zhong shook his head at Zhou Zhengyin without changing his expression, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

He slowly took a step back and gestured with his chin toward the eunuch beside him.

Two eunuchs stepped forward and put the clamps on Zhou Zhengyin's ten fingers.

They twisted violently, one to the left and one to the right.

The pain in his fingers felt like it was tearing him apart. Zhou Zhengyin tilted his head back, only managing to squeeze out a hoarse breath.

At the deepest point of his pain, he suddenly remembered the white cloth wrapped around her hands that was seeping blood on the winter solstice.

Was she in this much pain back then?

The stick twisted again. He fell forward. Two voices were fighting in his head.

One said, "Nod, it won't hurt anymore." The other said, "You can't give false testimony, it's a life at stake."

Two voices were tearing each other apart in my mind, neither willing to give in.

Little Shunzi, who was beside him, was already a mangled mess and weakly uttered a few words: "This servant confesses..."

Bao Zhong's lips curled into a smile: "That's a good boy."

At this moment, Feng Chun walked in with a bow, followed by Jiang Shuoning and Sui He.

The stench of blood was overwhelming.

Jiang Shuoning spotted Zhou Zhengyin at a glance. Two eunuchs were removing the clamps from his hands; his ten fingers were already deformed and mangled.

Her hands, clasped together on her lower abdomen, tightened subtly, her fingertips turning white.

Just as Zhou Zhengyin was about to faint, his consciousness scattered and he couldn't grasp anything.

Suddenly, he smelled a faint fragrance of eucommia.

He thought it was a hallucination caused by the pain.

How did she end up here?

He drooped his head, then slowly raised it, his vision blurred.

In the dim light, a figure stood three steps away. Wearing a pale white coat, with cool, clear eyes, it was staring intently at him.

His heart skipped a beat.

Suihe's legs went weak at the sight of the horrific scene before her, and she almost couldn't stand up.

Feng Chun dared not look too long, and walked towards Feng Xi with a forced smile:

"Greetings, Lord Feng. This servant has been ordered by Consort Rong to check on Xiao Shunzi's progress. After all, this matter involves Yihua Palace, and Her Highness is worried."

Feng Xi was sitting in a chair, holding a teacup in his hand, gently skimming the foam off the surface with the lid, his voice unhurried:

"Your Highness, Consort Rong is very kind. Go back and tell Your Highness that Xiao Shunzi has said everything he should and shouldn't have said."

He took a sip of tea, raised his eyelids, and slowly swept his gaze over Jiang Shuoning and Sui He. He put down his teacup and spoke casually:

"What a coincidence. Since the mute slave won't nod, let's identify him in person."

Bao Zhong understood and waved for the two eunuchs to step back. He walked up to Zhou Zhengyin, bent down to look at him, and spoke in a gentle, persuasive voice:

"If you don't want to nod, then point. Tell me, who often goes to Changmen Palace to meet with Xiao Shunzi in secret? And who brings you food? Just a simple point and you'll be free."

Feng Xi slowly stood up, walked to Zhou Zhengyin, tucked his hands into his sleeves, leaned slightly forward, and added in a high-pitched voice:

"If you point it out correctly, you won't have to suffer like this anymore."

Zhou Zhengyin was panting, his breath so weak it seemed he might stop at any moment. He looked at Jiang Shuoning with red eyes, and suddenly the corners of his mouth twitched slightly upwards.

He opened his mouth, and a hoarse sound came out of his throat, but no one could hear what he said.

Bao Zhong glanced at Jiang Shuoning and saw the veins bulging on the back of her hands, which were clasped together on her lower abdomen. His expression darkened.

Zhou Zhengyin closed his eyes. Two lines of tears slid down his cheeks.

He slowly raised his right hand, extending a bloodstained index finger. The finger slowly traced a line from Jiang Shuoning's direction.

Baozhong's hands suddenly clenched tightly inside his sleeves.

But the bloodstained finger didn't stop; it passed over Jiang Shuoning and pointed at Suihe behind her.

Suihe's face turned pale, and her voice changed: "Dumb slave, what are you pointing at me for? I have no grudge against you..."

Jiang Shuoning looked at Zhou Zhengyin, but a fleeting, almost imperceptible look flashed in her eyes. Her right thumb was tightly clenched into her left palm before slowly releasing it.

My palm was already pinched raw, and beads of blood seeped out.

Feng Xi glanced at Sui He, a slight smile playing on his lips, then turned away, his voice calm:

"Alright, take him away. I'll go report to the Emperor right away."

Two eunuchs stepped forward and dragged Suihe out. Her incomprehensible screams echoed in the dimly lit corridor, each one fading into the distance.

Feng Xi took two steps, then suddenly stopped, turned his head, and glanced at Jiang Shuoning before his gaze fell on Zhou Zhengyin.

He glanced at him for a couple of moments, said nothing, and the slight smile remained on his lips. He turned back, his back to Bao Zhong, and gave the order:

"Send someone to take the mute slave back. Lock Xiao Shunzi up."

Bao Zhong bowed: "Yes, sir."

(under)

The night was as dark as spilled ink. As evening approached, snowflakes began to fall again.

Inside the imperial study, the ink brush scratched softly on the paper.

Feng Xi bent down and gently placed the newly replaced teacup beside the Emperor.

The emperor wore a bright yellow dragon robe, his black hair tied up in a golden crown. The candlelight fell on his face, highlighting his sharp features and imposing presence.

There are a few fine lines at the corners of her eyes, but they don't make her look old; instead, they add a touch of composure that comes with the passage of time.

She looks to be forty-five, yet she still possesses an elegant and refined demeanor, exuding extraordinary presence.

"What time is it?" The emperor asked without lifting his eyelids, his vermilion brush still in his hand.

Feng Xi bowed and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, "Your Majesty, it is Hai Shi (9-11 PM)."

The emperor did not respond, and the tip of his pen continued to scratch across the memorial.

Feng Xi then said no more and quietly organized the memorials on the imperial desk.

"Feng Xi," the Emperor suddenly spoke, his pen still writing, "tell me, how should I decide this matter?"

Feng Xi paused in his actions, immediately turned to face the Emperor, bowed slightly, and smiled respectfully.

"Your Majesty, it is common for eunuchs and palace maids to eat together. Your Majesty is wise. You allowed this rule in the first place simply because you were considerate of the hardships of the people below and wanted them to have some company."

He paused, glanced at the Emperor, and lowered his voice slightly: "It's just that some people may have misunderstood the Emperor's intentions."

The Emperor put down his vermilion brush and turned to look at him. The glance wasn't heavy, but Feng Xi bent his back even deeper.

"Suihe is Consort Rong's personal maid," the Emperor said calmly. "She neglects her comfortable position in Yihua Palace and frequently visits Changmen Palace to secretly meet with a young eunuch. You are a veteran in the palace; think about it for me, would she dare to do this without someone's approval?"

Feng Xi's forehead almost touched the ground:

"Your Majesty is wise. Consort Rong has been managing the six palaces for three years, and with so many affairs to attend to, perhaps she was momentarily negligent, and her subordinates took advantage of the situation. Suihe arranged a job for Xiao Shunzi in Consort Liu's palace, perhaps because she felt that it was more suitable for him there."

"More suitable for him?" The Emperor smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I know Consort Rong looks down on Consort Liu's Kunqu opera singing. I favor Consort Liu, which makes her unhappy. But as unhappy as she may be, it's too much for her to reach out to Consort Liu."

He picked up the teacup, gently skimmed off the foam with the lid, didn't drink it, put it down again, and his chest heaved slightly.

Feng Xi knelt on the ground and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Consort Rong is just too concerned about Your Majesty."

The Emperor glanced at him but said nothing more. Only the crackling of the charcoal fire remained in the Imperial Study.

After a moment, the Emperor spoke, as if talking to himself: "What was the name of that palace maid who broke the teacup today?"

Feng Xi's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't show it on his face and replied respectfully:

"Your Majesty, her name is Jiang Shuoning. She is a second-class palace maid serving Consort Rong."

"Jiang Shuoning." The Emperor repeated, as if savoring the meaning of those three words. He smiled faintly. "She said she went to Changmen Palace to deliver medicine and food to that good-for-nothing. She said she was afraid she wouldn't be able to answer any of my questions."

The Emperor turned his head and glanced at Feng Xi: "She's not afraid of me asking her. She's afraid I won't ask. She's afraid that if I don't ask, she won't have the chance to bring those words to my attention."

A thin layer of sweat appeared on Feng Xi's forehead.

The Emperor withdrew his gaze, picked up his teacup, gently skimmed off the foam with the lid, and spoke in a calm tone:

"She's testing me. Testing whether I still have any reservations about that good-for-nothing."

"I didn't respond to her, and she knew she had made the right bet." The Emperor took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and his tone was unreadable. "A mere palace maid dared to gamble her life on my thoughts. She's quite bold, and quick-witted too."

Feng Xi knelt on the ground, his back covered in a layer of cold sweat.

The Emperor picked up his vermilion brush and wrote a few words on the memorial, his tone becoming calm:

"Very well. Yihua Palace is short of a head maid, and someone has to fill the gap. This Jiang Shuoning, I think she's quite clever. Let her stay by Consort Rong's side."

Feng Xi was taken aback for a moment, then kowtowed: "Yes, Your Majesty."

He hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Then, Your Majesty, are you going to Consort Rong's side tonight...?"