Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Shengsheng Zhou wore a smoky-gray satin dress that day, a color rarely chosen by young women her age.
It was not that Shengsheng enjoyed dressing like an old woman. In truth, she preferred bright colors.
Years spent surviving in the palace had taught her otherwise. At all times, one must strive to make oneself less noticeable.
Only then could one reduce the risk of becoming cannon fodder.
She and Zhiyu Jiang had not yet left the courtyard when a crowd pushed open the gates and entered.
The young woman leading them wore a smoky-gray satin dress. A silver hairpin shaped like a jade butterfly trembled in her hair. The understated ensemble softened her naturally cold, striking features into something almost demure.
Shengsheng lifted her gaze and met Qingwan Xie’s eyes.
Damn it.
They were wearing the same dress.
Qingwan’s jaw tightened, and humiliated anger flashed through her eyes.
“I hear Miss Shengsheng has spent the past several days attending His Majesty. It is all my fault for catching a chill. I was unwell, and His Majesty feared I might tire myself. I told him, ‘Your Majesty, this servant can continue,’ but he ordered me to rest. Thank you for taking on the burden.”
A blush colored Qingwan’s cheeks, and coy affection filled her gaze.
A maid behind her supplied the expected praise.
“His Majesty is so considerate toward you. Our lady is truly blessed.”
Shengsheng remained silent.
She might be cannon fodder, but she had no desire to be caught in the crossfire.
Fortunately, a heroine was a heroine. No matter the circumstances, she possessed a miraculous talent for attracting attention.
“What?” Zhiyu asked. “Wasn’t he simply afraid you would infect him?”
She looked Qingwan over with disgust and quietly edged backward, as if the woman were a walking plague.
The gracious smile on Qingwan’s face faded slightly.
“In any case, I came today on an important matter.”
Shengsheng relaxed.
At last, they were back on script.
She discreetly nudged Zhiyu, then retreated half a step.
Zhiyu seemed to remember her lesson.
“May I ask what important matter brings Miss Xie here?”
Her polite, perfectly normal delivery took Qingwan by surprise.
Since when had this fool learned to speak?
“Ahem. Bring her forward.”
Qingwan cast Zhiyu a cold glance and gave the order.
A small palace maid emerged from the crowd, trembling violently and shrinking into herself. She gave Qingwan a timid salute.
“Don’t be afraid,” Qingwan said gently. “Raise your head and look. Is this the young woman you accused?”
The maid peered fearfully at Zhiyu.
The moment she saw her face, she recoiled as though confronted by a monster. Her shaking intensified.
“Don’t hit me! I was wrong! Please–don’t hit me!”
Suspicion, condemnation, and disgust immediately appeared in the eyes of the onlookers.
Zhiyu ignored their hostility and looked directly at Qingwan.
“What is the meaning of this, Miss Xie?”
Qingwan patted the maid kneeling at her feet.
“Good girl, don’t be afraid. I and the other female court officials will uphold justice for you. Tell us the truth. No one will dare strike you here.”
The maid’s weeping gradually subsided.
“This servant was sent by Eunuch Shan to attend… Miss Jiang. She was a guest brought back by His Majesty, so I served her with the greatest care and did not dare neglect her in the slightest.”
“But…”
She lifted her tear-streaked face and rolled up her sleeves.
Deep bloody welts covered her arms.
Even the palace servants, long accustomed to cruelty, recoiled from the dense mass of wounds.
“But no matter how carefully I served her, Miss Jiang was never satisfied,” the palace maid continued. “She constantly complained that His Majesty neglected her, then took out her anger on me!”
She pointed at Zhiyu Jiang in grief.
Only then did Zhiyu recognize her. This was the maid who had led the others in calling her an idiot.
“I never abused you,” Zhiyu said. “You keep insisting that I did. What evidence do you have?”
The maid gave a bitter laugh.
“Miss Jiang, you are someone His Majesty brought home. Your body is precious, while I am only a lowly servant. Are all these wounds still not evidence?”
“Or do you mean to say that I was cruel enough to inflict them on myself merely to frame you?”
Every word rang with sincerity. More than a few of the watching eunuchs and palace maids were moved, and the way they looked at Zhiyu gradually changed.
Shengsheng Zhou could not help admiring the maid’s silver tongue.
“Miss Jiang, you traveled thousands of miles from the Zhu Kingdom and came here as our guest,” Qingwan Xie said sorrowfully. “We treated you with perfect sincerity, yet you trampled upon our kindness.”
Her tone abruptly hardened.
“But the people of the Yong Kingdom will not allow themselves to be humiliated!”
She swept out one hand.
“Guards! Expel this vicious woman from the palace immediately!”
Several armed guards poured in as though they had been waiting outside. They reached for Zhiyu.
Shengsheng’s pupils contracted.
Did female court officials here truly command imperial guards?
Or had Qingwan’s power grown so great that she could cover the entire sky with one hand?
“Wait!” Zhiyu shouted. “His Majesty brought me here. If you want to drive me from the palace, shouldn’t you at least ask him first?”
The guards retreated half a step and looked toward Qingwan for direction.
She sneered.
“His Majesty governs countless affairs every day. There is no need to trouble his sacred ears with something so trivial.”
“Seize her!”
The instant the order left her lips, a tiny figure shot from the room and flew straight at the most conspicuous face in the courtyard.
“Ah!”
Qingwan screamed in pain and flailed both arms, trying to drive the creature away.
The attacker twisted lightly beyond her reach, then flew off. He landed with perfect accuracy atop Shengsheng’s head and began grooming his disordered feathers with aristocratic elegance.
Insufferable woman.
Her shrill chatter had disturbed his sleep.
The crowd erupted.
A piercing voice pointed at Shengsheng.
“Her bird attacked Miss Xie! Arrest her!”
Shengsheng gave an awkward smile and waved, hoping to call the whole thing a misunderstanding.
The palace servants were already enraged. No one gave her a chance to explain.
Zhiyu felt even more aggrieved.
This had not been in the script Shengsheng made her memorize. She had not yet delivered her magnificent line, *Who dares touch me?*
Shengsheng certainly could not let the guards seize her. She grabbed Zhiyu and ran for the door.
“Stop them!” the guards roared.
Dragged along at full speed, Zhiyu looked back and shouted excitedly, “Who dares touch me?”
The line only infuriated the already furious guards. They ran faster.
Shengsheng could have wept.
Where was Siran Ming when the heroine needed rescuing?
*Your Majesty, your mother and little sister are about to be arrested!*
Fortunately, luck had not abandoned them. The thought had barely formed when a savage roar came from beyond the courtyard.
“Stop! Who dares touch her?”
Shengsheng rejoiced.
*My son, hurry and rescue your sovereign mother!*
The man stepping through the gate faltered.
Then he released a soft sigh, took one long stride forward, and entered with his attendants behind him.