At the moment, Wu Ling still didn’t know that the Empress Dowager had been looking for him.
Rather,, she was searching for Prince Hao, but couldn’t find him. As a result, she could only look for Prince Hao’s personal bodyguard. However, she didn’t even know where his personal bodyguard had gone!
~~~
Pei Yaran sat at the head seat in the Compassionate Peace Palace, her slender eyebrows scrunching up from time to time as she listened to He Ying complain tearfully about her sufferings.
Finally, Pei Yaran waved her hand. “Enough, this Empress Dowager is already aware of what happened. Get up. Aren’t your eyes still in their proper place? Just now, who did you say saved you?”
He Ying stood up and kept her expression of grievances. She understood that if she said too much, the Empress Dowager would get impatient.
“He had a tall figure, and was dressed in full black. The large black hat obscuring his face prevented this servant from seeing his face clearly. He disappeared after bringing this servant to the Compassionate Peace Palace.”
Pei Yaran muttered to herself, “Long black robes…” She immediately understood. So it turns out that it was him. I didn’t expect that he would still come in and out of the imperial palace. Why does he want to help me? That aside, why does Elder Brother still allow him to enter and exit the palace?
Numerous questions flashed across her mind as Pei Yaran was absorbed in her thoughts. Finally, she was roused by He Ying calling her softly.
“Empress Dowager, this servant has escaped from calamity, but Flower has died. It was killed by Su Xi-er! This servant went to apprehend her last night, but was met with Prince Hao emerging from Su Xi-er’s room!”
Pei Yaran’s eyes instantly widened. “Prince Hao was in Su Xi-er’s room?”
“This servant personally saw that not only did Prince Hao walked out from Su Xi-er’s room, he even took Su Xi-er’s side and didn’t allow this servant to take her away. Instead, he said that it was this servant who didn’t look after Flower, ordering Yuchi Mo to gouge this servant’s eyes out.”
“Preposterous! He actually treats a lowly palace maid in such a manner!” Pei Yaran’s hand smacked the chair’s handle ferociously, hatred in her eyes.
She and Prince Hao had known each other for more than ten years and he still didn’t pay any attention to her. How could he care so much about a palace maid that had suddenly appeared from nowhere?
“Where is Prince Hao? Has Wu Ling been found yet?” Pei Yaran retracted her resentful expression.
He Ying reported truthfully, “No. We don’t know where Prince Hao has gone, nor can we even find Imperial Bodyguard Wu.”
“Hmph. He deliberately came to the Pei Residence last night to release the news and coerce this Empress Dowager into returning to the palace myself. Great, every single one of them has disappeared now!”
“Empress Dowager, this servant has an idea. Previously, the palace maid you punished, He Xiangyu is Su Xi-er’s arch-enemy even if she is no longer favoured in the Beauty Palace. Why don’t you summon He Xiangyu into the palace?”
Pei Yaran pondered over it carefully. “What you said actually reminded this Empress Dowager, but I have an even better method. Isn’t Prince Hao concerned about Su Xi-er? Based on this Empress Dowager’s opinion, he is only interested temporarily. When Prince Hao heads to Nanzhao’s state banquet, why don’t we take advantage of the opportunity to transfer Su Xi-er to the Beauty Palace?”
He Ying immediately pointed out, “Empress Dowager, it’s a little risky to do that. If by any chance that Prince Hao’s interest doesn’t decrease…”
Her single sentence irritated Pei Yaran and there was no anger in her voice. “There’s no ‘if’!”
He Ying could tell that the Empress Dowager was incensed so she immediately added, “After Su Xi-er enters the Beauty Palace, she will meet the same end as He Xiangyu with enough time. A woman with no status isn’t worthy of Prince Hao at all.”
Right at this moment, the voice of a eunuch could be heard from outside. “Imperial Bodyguard Wu has arrived!”
The corners of Pei Yaran’s mouth lifted to form a sneer. He’s ultimately a servant. Once I issue a decree, how can he possibly dare to not come?
Pei Yaran didn’t raise her hand for him to rise but sneered instead. “This Empress Dowager is unable to shoulder your ‘wishing good fortune and health.’ I wonder who was the one who threatened this Empress Dowager last night?”
Wu Ling raised his head and purposely pretended to be baffled. “Empress Dowager, this subordinate had made it clear that it was Prince Hao who ordered this subordinate to do that. If you are not satisfied, you can look for Prince Hao.”
“Impudence!” Pei Yaran’s voice immediately became louder. She flung her sleeves fiercely and looked at Wu Ling coldly. “Since that’s the case, this Empress Dowager wants to look for Prince Hao. Where is he?”
Wu Ling replied deferentially, “This subordinate doesn’t know.”
“Don’t know?” Pei Yaran suddenly smiled. “Yesterday, the head palace maid serving beside this Empress Dowager almost had her eyes gouged out. What guts!”
There were no fluctuations in Wu Ling’s voice. “Miss He must have also informed you that this matter was also instructed by Prince Hao. However, Miss He is currently standing here safe and sound.”
“This Empress Dowager won’t pursue the matter with Prince Hao, but I can’t let this matter just pass like this. Imperial Bodyguard Wu is to receive punishment by twenty strikes of the plank!” As soon as Pei Yaran waved her hand, the imperial guards in the Compassionate Peace Palace entered the hall of the repose palace.
“Take him away and have him flogged twenty times with the plank!”
The imperial guards glanced at Wu Ling, but no one dared to step forward to arrest him.
Wu Ling looked at the imperial guards calmly. After following Prince Hao for so many years, what spectacle have I not experienced before? Twenty planks is just like a drizzle.
“This subordinate obeys the decree!” Wu Ling replied respectfully. It’s just flogging with the plank. A mere trifle.
Pei Yaran’s hands were tightly clenched in her sleeves. “Take him away.”
Wu Ling then left with the imperial guards.
He Ying’s eyelids twitched. “Empress Dowager, are you really going to punish Imperial Bodyguard Wu? He is Prince Hao’s…”
Pei Yaran interrupted, “When Prince Hao ordered someone to dig your eyeballs out, did he stop to consider this Empress Dowager? When you hit a dog, you have to check who its master is and whether the master can be bullied. Since he broke the rules, this Empress Dowager doesn’t have to be polite with him.”
All at once, He Ying felt her heart at ease. I still have a very significant position in the Empress Dowager’s heart.
“Empress Dowager, once Prince Hao leaves to attend Nanzhao’s state banquet, Su Xi-er will definitely die.”
Pei Yaran’s gaze hinted at things to come as she looked outside the repose palace. I’m actually not in a rush for Su Xi-er to die. Let her struggle in pain for a while first.
~~~
The matter about Wu Ling being sentenced to twenty strikes of the plank spread throughout the imperial palace very quickly.
Su Xi-er received word of it as she was resting in her room, having overheard it from a few palace maids outside her room.
There were five areas for drying the clothes in the Laundry Service Bureau altogether. Since there just happened to be one of these areas behind her room, it was very convenient for her to eavesdrop on anyone who may be going over with their basins to hang the clothes for drying.
Su Xi-er was surprised. The Empress Dowager directly laid a hand on Wu Ling because she wanted to ‘pass on a message’ to Prince Hao.
Twenty planks would be able to take a frail palace maid’s life. For a strong and robust man like Wu Ling however, it would leave a few scars at most. I wonder if Wu Ling is still going to come and monitor me after getting beaten?
Although he didn’t return to the Laundry Service Bureau, in the daytime, Wu Ling, like clockwork, returned to monitor her once night had fallen.
When it was 11pm, Su Xi-er heard a slight noise. She immediately got down from her bed, pushed open the door lightly, and happened to see Wu Ling leaning against the wall as he yawned.
The latter immediately straightened up after seeing her. “You’re still not asleep when it’s 11pm?” He had only relaxed because he had assumed that she was asleep.
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu, aren’t you also still awake and yawning at this hour? It’s really tough on you. Rest assured, this servant won’t play any tricks, so please go back and rest.”
“As long as Prince Hao’s order hasn’t been rescinded, I must execute it. Su Xi-er, you are doing this on purpose.” You purposely came out at this time!
Su Xi-er slowly asked, “Imperial Bodyguard Wu, this servant heard that you were thrashed today. Since you have been beaten, why is Prince Hao still not allowing you to rest?”
Wu Ling immediately heard the pity in Su Xi-er’s voice. He had originally wanted to say that he wasn’t tired, but on second thought, he couldn’t say that.
Why don’t I…
“Su Xi-er, I’ll take you to see Prince Hao.” Wu Ling suddenly caught her by surprise.
