To Be a Mighty Empress, Or Not to Be - C127
The plants in the imperial garden had been destroyed by the last rain, and the gardener had brought fresh potted plants from other places. Looking at the flowers in the garden, Hong Ling picked one and played with it in her hand. When she turned around, she unexpectedly took a picture with the emperor. Hong Ling was startled. She looked at the woman beside the emperor, her abdomen clearly covered by her hands. This was truly ironic!
Shi Anran saw that, without batting an eyelid, Shi Anran had retracted her gaze and looked at Li Ruolan who looked like a small, obedient bird. Accompanying the Emperor was an indescribable sense of discomfort.
“So Sister Ling is here as well?” That shrill voice sounded like an ordinary father-in-law’s voice. Thinking this, Shi Anran couldn’t help but laugh in her heart.
The pregnant noble Ling of the Imperial Noble Consort Lan who was currently being pampered had undoubtedly become a thorn in the side of everyone’s eye. Shi Anran stood at the side and looked at them without batting an eyelid, but in her heart, she could not let go of Xiu Er’s death.
While Shi Anran was brewing tea for the emperor, Li Ruolan whispered into Hong Ling’s ear. “I heard that the Ninth Prince had taken liberties with Little Sister Ling a while ago, and thus the Ninth Prince is still confined to the palace. Is this true or false?”
Hong Ling’s eyebrows slightly knitted together. After which, she seemed to be wronged as she said, “Elder sister, what do you mean by this?”
“As the saying goes, a fly doesn’t bite a seamless egg. What do you think Sister Ling means by that?” Right now, only Hong Ling made the emperor happy. She had to plan for her son in the dragon’s womb, and sooner or later, it would be better to get rid of this woman.
Shi Anran remained calm and collected as she brewed tea for the emperor, and said lightly: “Taste this, your majesty. This is Anran’s tea that is brewed from rootless water, is there any difference from the tea your majesty drinks?”
The corner of the emperor’s eyebrows lightly knitted together. After tasting a slight mouthful, he seemed to have savored the aroma of tea and nodded with a sigh. “That’s right, there’s indeed a difference in taste! More refreshing. ”
Li Ruolan turned around and looked at the emperor who was laughing merrily, and her eyebrows knitted together. Why was this Shi Anran always so haunting? If it wasn’t for her becoming the emperor’s maid, with her fox like methods, she would probably be able to talk on top of her own head.
“Anran, I heard that your servant stole the treasures of the palace and wanted to sell them. In the end, she was caught red-handed and looted, do you know that you were my master?” Li Ruolan, who feared that the world would not fall into chaos, spoke a few words in a rather casual manner, then lazily sat down next to the emperor.
“Is that true?” The emperor asked lightly.
At that moment, Shi Anran had no choice but to explain. She lowered her eyes and said: “Reporting to the emperor, Anran is not aware of this matter!”
Li Ruolan’s eyes were bright and her teeth were white. Her lips were slightly raised as she said, “What a good ‘don’t know what’s good for you, but you can push it clean. As a servant, your hands and feet are not clean.
Shi Anran allowed her to speak, but did not speak. Seeing that, Li Ruolan used her veil to cover half of her lips: “A person like him will stay by the emperor’s side, you better watch out for him!”
Hearing that, the emperor’s eyes were filled with disgust, he vigilantly glanced at Shi Anran, and then recovered her expression: “The words of my beloved concubine are reasonable, according to my beloved concubine, how should I handle this?”
Shi Anran had originally thought that by wholeheartedly serving the Emperor, he would be able to protect her life at a critical moment. However, she discovered that she was wrong. The person in front of her was not an ordinary man, but an emperor who controlled the lives and deaths of everyone in the world. He could turn the tables on her, and even if an order were to kill him, who would stand up and say anything?
The Emperor’s words made Li Ruolan very happy. She pouted and snuggled beside the Emperor, and said with a soft voice: “If the punishment is too severe, I’m afraid someone will say that chenqie is not virtuous. If it’s too light, they will say that chenqie doesn’t properly discipline her subordinate, so let your majesty decide this!”
Hong Ling, who had been silent all this while, was about to speak when she saw Shi Anran lightly shake his head towards her, signalling her to be quiet at this time.
“Anran, what do you have to say for yourself?” the Emperor asked, his lips slowly parted.
Shi Anran stooped down, and her gentle and gentle voice flowed out like a spring: “This matter was indeed caused by Anran’s negligence.
The emperor only glanced at Li Ruolan lightly, and she nodded in agreement, then gave a faint smile at the person kneeling in front of her, and did not forget to put on her haughty airs? No wonder he had to suffer …
Li Ruolan slowly raised her fair chin: “Following the rules, stealing treasures in the palace should be severed, but since the palace maid has already died, it’s fine. But as the mistress, you should also take responsibility.
Fifty slabs was enough to split a grown man’s flesh, not to mention that she was just a weak girl. The emperor had tacitly accepted this punishment without saying anything. Shi Anran clenched her teeth and accepted her fate, “Yes …”
Hong Ling anxiously twirled the silk handkerchief in her hands and could not help but say, “Your majesty, isn’t fifty boards a little too heavy? Even if Anran was in the wrong, she wouldn’t use a heavy punishment! It’s not like Anran stole it … ”
“I do not have the time to care about these things, leave everything to Imperial Noble Consort Lan!” After saying that, he flicked away Hong Ling’s hand and left.
Li Ruolan covered her lips and laughed lightly: “Little sister, don’t waste your energy.
Shi Anran knew that she was definitely going to be beaten. Fifty points, how long could she last? Thinking about it, a bitter smile surfaced at the corner of Shi Anran’s lips.
At this time, the sun was about to set, but the entrance of the palace was already filled with people, they pointed at Shi Anran who was being suppressed and discussed softly.
“Aunt!” In the crowd, Cui Yun wanted to step forward but was stopped by the guards outside.
Li Ruolan sat on the imperial concubine’s chair, with the posture of a mother honoring the world, her lips slowly parted. “What are you doing in a daze?
Shi Anran closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to come, she was already prepared for it, and when the first board fell, it was so painful that she was sweating, followed by the second and third boards hitting her back with all their might, the timid palace maid had already covered her eyes and did not dare look straight at her.
Shi Anran bit her lips until they were bleeding. However, Li Ruolan, who originally wanted to hear her miserable wails, was now unwilling: “Hit, beat her heavily for me!” Today, she was determined to beat this woman to a kneeling position and beg for her life.
Li Mu had just come out from the emperor’s study with a few ministers. Upon seeing this scene, he was also surprised, wasn’t this woman always very smart? How did I end up like this?
Li Mu moved closer to his without warning, and looking at Shi Anran who was biting his lips and not letting go, he felt as if a needle had lightly pricked his chest. It was neither painful nor itchy, but it gave him a very strange feeling.