Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 61: Getting Beaten

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Getting Beaten

Upon the arrival of Master Ling Yi, Empress Xiao was the first to hear the news, and she welcomed him to the Crown Prince’s Mansion. She had personally witnessed Master Ling Yi’s mystical power in healing wounds, which possessed significant restorative strength.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is a virtuous person, a man of fortune naturally blessed by Heaven," said Master Ling Yi after performing his Mystical Arts. He humbly declined all praise and even the Empress’s rewards. As one of the three major disciples under Master Huo Yi, Master Ling Yi, besides Master Huo Yi himself, was the most beloved mage among the People of Nanzheng.

"Thank you, Master— " The Empress personally saw Master Ling Yi out, relieved that his arrival was timely, as Zheng Congyuan’s condition visibly improved fast.

Empress Xiao stayed at the Crown Prince’s Mansion for a whole day before returning to the palace. She would not let go of those who harmed Zheng Congyuan.

When Noble Consort Wen received the news, her heart skipped a beat. Why would the Empress come to Bushou Palace? Usually, if she was summoned, it would be to Yanping Palace.

But now, the person had already arrived at the palace, leaving Noble Consort Wen no choice but to stop speculating about the reason for the Empress’s visit; Empress Xiao was already seated in the main seat.

"Noble Consort Wen."

As Noble Consort Wen was about to bow in salutation, Empress Xiao spoke. The Empress, who seldom left her palace, had skin unnaturally pale and sickly. Though her swollen eyes dimly retained their past brightness, the light that shot from them now was exceedingly severe.

"This humble consort greets Your Highness. Your Highness could have sent someone to summon this consort instead of troubling Yourself to come here," said Noble Consort Wen, sensing something amiss despite having not heard any news. She maintained her smile and spoke cautiously.

"My visit is to address the private exit from the palace during the prayer ritual by the Fourth Prince. As a prince of the Royal Family, his absence at the ritual is nearly tantamount to forsaking it." Empress Xiao’s anger was palpable. The Fourth Prince’s lack of sincere prayer had led to Fu Xun’s assassination, not to mention what Zheng Muyuan did, which directly caused this incident. Who else was she to hold accountable if not Noble Consort Wen?

Hearing this, Noble Consort Wen’s face paled, and she immediately knelt down.

"Your Highness, it is my fault for not disciplining Fu Gong properly. Please punish me. For the sake of young Fu Gong, spare him this one time. I will certainly discipline him strictly," pleaded Noble Consort Wen, no longer holding onto her usual pride, genuinely lowering her posture in sorrow, "Your Highness, please spare Fu Gong for the sake of my deceased husband, Fu Xin."

Empress Xiao looked coldly at Noble Consort Wen. She could swallow her anger if Zheng Muyuan was not mentioned, but upon his mention, she wished she could annihilate the whole Wen Family.

Yet, after all, Empress Xiao had obtained her position not as an ordinary person; despite burning with rage inside, her expression remained unchanged, she even sighed a sigh of sadness.

"Noble Consort Wen, Fu Gong is also a prince of our Royal Family, but this matter involves the prayer ritual, which relates to the prosperity of Nanzheng State. It’s the destiny ordained by Master Huo Yi through heavenly prayer; we cannot afford any negligence," Empress Xiao said slowly, her words lacking direct accusation, yet each word left Noble Consort Wen unable to retort.

In the end, Zheng Haoyuan’s importance could not outweigh the prosperity of Nanzheng State.

Noble Consort Wen knew there was no room for maneuver, aware that although Empress Xiao managed little of the Harem’s affairs, she devoted herself to the prayer rituals at Qiandao Temple. As far as the temple and the prayer rituals were concerned, Empress Xiao would regard them with utmost seriousness.

"This consort understands," Noble Consort Wen’s heart sank, but she was helpless.

"Come, bring Zheng Haoyuan here and administer ten floggings," commanded Empress Xiao.

Noble Consort Wen immediately looked up, daring not to plead, fearing that speaking further might only infuriate Empress Xiao more.

"Mother Consort, Mother Consort!" Zheng Haoyuan was brought in, still not understanding what was happening. He had been stripped of his outer garments and tied to a chair. Zheng Haoyuan, never having experienced such treatment, panicked and only saw Noble Consort Wen beside him, "Mother Consort, save me."

Noble Consort Wen gritted her teeth, unable to look at Zheng Haoyuan, already accepting the punishment. Even more, Empress Xiao’s punishment helped eradicate any suspicions she might have harbored.

For years, there had been little conflict between her and Empress Xiao in the Harem. Even in many palace affairs, Empress Xiao had been quite lenient.

The ten floggings were neither light nor heavy, even lighter than what Noble Consort Wen had anticipated. Thus, she realized this visit was not to target her, but indeed a necessity for the prosperity of the state.

Noble Consort Wen gritted her teeth. Since it had come to this, why continue the quarrel?

Noble Consort Wen immediately knelt down.

"Fu Gong has indeed been poorly disciplined due to my negligence; I thank the Empress for her timely reminder," Noble Consort Wen expressed her stance as she knelt, "I will definitely learn from this lesson and discipline Fu Gong properly."

"Mother Consort, Mother Consort—" Zheng Haoyuan heard Noble Consort Wen’s words and couldn’t believe his ears, shaking his head in disbelief, but Noble Consort Wen did not turn back at all.

"Beat—" Impatient with Noble Consort Wen’s words, Noble Consort Xiao commanded, and a stick directly struck Zheng Haoyuan’s buttocks.

"Ah—" Zheng Haoyuan’s cries of pain spread, one after the other. After ten strikes, his light clothing was already stained with blood.

"Take the Fourth Prince back and summon the Imperial Physician for treatment," Noble Consort Wen commanded sternly, not daring to look.

Zheng Haoyuan’s dazed eyes glanced at the back of Noble Consort Wen, feeling a chill slowly spreading through his heart, a pain more unbearable than the physical pain on his buttocks.

Would his Mother Consort truly not even spare him a glance? Ultimately, it’s his fault for causing his Second Brother’s demise, but it was clear that the Second Brother had wanted his life.

"The Fourth Prince has fainted—" The Little Eunuch following them cried out, causing Noble Consort Wen to panic, and she immediately rushed over.

"Summon the Imperial Physician, quickly summon the Imperial Physician," Noble Consort Wen could no longer care about the Empress behind her, frantically lifting Zheng Haoyuan in her arms.

Seeing this, Empress Xiao snorted coldly. Even the beating could not soothe her anger, but the Wen Family was not one that could easily be provoked. Empress Xiao swept away, leaving only Noble Consort Wen in a flustered state, hurriedly calling for the Imperial Physician.

...

Xing Yu, carrying Master Yin He, tossed him directly onto the courtyard, where Nanny Yun was sunning flower petals. Seeing this man in black, she immediately went to knock on Xing Yu’s head.

"You dead girl; you just love stirring up trouble, don’t you? Bringing back anyone you fancy," Nanny Yun chased after Xing Yu with the flat wooden stick used for drying petals.

"Nanny, Nanny, this man was just lying there in the rose bushes, getting in the way of my fertilizing," Xing Yu said while dodging; the two ran around all over the place.

Nian Xia went to intervene, grabbing Nanny Yun, and in their scuffle, they knocked over a nearby flower stand.

"Xing Yu, really, you could have just tossed him into a well. Why bring him back?" Xue Liu, holding a stick, went to prod Master Yin He on the ground, a young man all in black with a black scarf on his head, only half his face visible, thin, with distinctly curved lips, bright red like blood.

"Commandery Princess—" Nanny Yun stopped her hand, and Zheng Nianru went to look at the person on the ground, surprised to find him there.

"Commandery Princess, he was truly lying in the flower bushes. I was afraid that..." Xing Yu had seen the venomous insects on Master Yin He’s body firsthand; what if they had remained in the flower bushes and poisoned the flowers?

Zheng Nianru looked at the young man on the ground; he had been brought into the palace by Master Huo Yi. After the Second Prince’s death, there had been no news of him, and Zheng Nianru had not paid much attention to Master Yin He. Before she died, she was not sure whether it was indeed him whom Nanyi had summoned.

Zheng Nianru could not recall any useful memories, only vaguely remembering a man dressed in black. However, Zheng Congyuan’s severe injuries made her somewhat fearful of death.

"Put him in the outer court’s woodshed for now, let the eunuchs take care of him." Even if it wasn’t him, perhaps they could still extract some information from this man.