CHAPTER 397: CHAPTER 397 SCARE

The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince hiding in the shadows were almost scared out of their wits.

First, the bird’s nest had fallen onto the Empress.

Second, Young Master Su was about to fall as he couldn’t hold on any longer.

Falling from such a tall tree, even if he didn’t die, he’d lose half his life.

Young Master Su didn’t cry for help; it was the two princes who screamed in fright.

This quickly drew over the nearby guards, palace maids, and eunuchs, as well as Consort Li.

The Empress felt a murderous urge.

She wore a phoenix hairpin, elegant and noble, a symbol of her status.

The phoenix hairpin was lifelike, as if a phoenix soaring from the heavens.

In the pursuit of refinement, the phoenix hairpin was a bit sharp; when the bird’s nest fell from the tree, the eggs smashed onto the phoenix hairpin.

Shells shattered, and egg liquid dripped down.

Consort Li arrived just in time to see the Empress’s phoenix hairpin still adorned with egg shells.

Indeed.

Consort Li bent over with laughter at that moment.

Though it wasn’t right to take delight in others’ misfortune, she couldn’t help it, for the scene was truly hilarious, even if she’d get scolded by the Empress later, she’d laugh enough to make it worth it.

Young Master Su was indeed losing his grip.

These days, he had been eating too well in the palace and hadn’t had the chance to jump around, gaining quite a bit of weight.

Just as he was about to fall, the guards arrived.

The leading guard leaped up and brought down Young Master Su.

Even though the Empress’s gaze was cold, the guard knew her intention was to let him stand by and watch.

But was this a matter to stand by and watch?

Upon hearing cries for help, they came over, too. Having the ability to save but not doing so would be dereliction of duty.

This was the son of Marquis Dongxiang.

Who in all of the Capital doesn’t know the Emperor dotes on Marquis Dongxiang’s daughter, the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion?

Letting her brother fall from a tree and get hurt would be inviting disaster.

Actually listening to the Empress could mean the doom of their entire family.

Once Young Master Su got to the ground, his heart, pounding chaotically, finally calmed down.

Seeing the bird’s nest on the ground and the smashed eggs, Young Master Su looked pained.

The Empress clenched her fists, pointing at Young Master Su, "Drag him down and beat him!"

Young Master Su looked at the Empress and pointed at the little eunuch, "He scared me, and I haven’t even hit him, yet you want to beat me?"

Though young, there wasn’t a hint of fear.

Growing up, besides being a bit afraid of getting tattled on by his sister, Young Master Su truly wasn’t afraid of anyone.

Consort Li and the Empress have always been at odds.

Thanks to Su Jin, she could hold the Phoenix Seal, and now that Su Jin’s brother was in trouble, how could Consort Li not do Su Jin a favor?

Moreover, the bird egg on the Empress’s head was enough reason for her to lend Young Master Su a hand, even if he wasn’t Marquis Dongxiang’s son.

Consort Li asked Young Master Su, "Why did you almost fall from the tree?"

Young Master Su pointed at the little eunuch, recounting to Consort Li how the little eunuch had said there was a snake in the tree.

The Ninth Prince and his group were nearby and could testify for Young Master Su.

The little eunuch insisted there was a snake in the tree.

The Tenth Prince added, "We were watching the ground and didn’t see any snake slither away; it must still be in the tree."

The implication was if no snake was found in the tree, the little eunuch’s guilt of scaring people was confirmed.

With two young princes as witnesses, even if the little eunuch was the Empress’s man, he was doomed.

The little eunuch’s face turned pale with fright.

The guards examined the tree and, finding no snake, detained the little eunuch.

The little eunuch called for the Empress to save him, but could the Empress save him?

The little eunuch looked ashen, pointing at the palace maid, and accused that she instructed him to do so.

The palace maid remained quite composed, saying, "How could I instruct you? Did I tell you to say there was a snake in the tree to scare Young Master Su?"

She only told the little eunuch to teach Young Master Su a lesson.

Climbing trees to take bird nests in the palace was already against the rules.

No matter who you are, if you stay in the palace, you must abide by the rules.

Beating him with ten strokes would serve as a lesson.

The palace maid spoke with reason, leaving the little eunuch unable to refute as he was dragged away by the guards.

The Empress flung her sleeves and left.

With Consort Li present, there was no way she could deal with Young Master Su.

The eunuch had confessed. If the issue were to escalate to the Emperor, could she point to the Emperor to punish Young Master Su to vent for her?

The final result would only be her receiving a scolding.

The Empress left for Phoenix Palace filled with rage.

Behind her, Consort Li’s laughter was unrestrained, causing the veins on the Empress’s forehead to throb.

Consort Li looked at Young Master Su, saying, "This is the Imperial Palace, not like Marquis Dongxiang Mansion or Qingyun Mountain, such activities like climbing trees to take bird nests can’t happen again."

"I searched all the trees in the Imperial Garden, only this tree had a bird’s nest," Young Master Su said, agitated.

Walking on the ground every day, what’s the point?

If he weren’t still small and didn’t know martial arts, he thought the most fun thing would be to walk on rooftops.

Standing high, you see far.

Consort Li only said a few words, unsure how much Young Master Su would actually heed.

Even when he’d caused a plaque to fall in the study room, the Emperor hadn’t blamed Young Master Su for anything; even if Young Master Su tore a hole in the sky, Consort Li wouldn’t punish him willingly.

By the time Consort Li arrived at the Imperial Study, the Emperor had already learned about Young Master Su taking bird nests and almost falling from fright.

As for the eggs that hit the Empress, the little eunuch didn’t dare report that.

Consort Li laughed, "What a pity for that nest of eggs, ruined on the Empress’s phoenix crown."

"Ruined on the Empress’s phoenix crown?" The Emperor was puzzled.

"The bird’s nest fell and hit the Empress on the head," Consort Li explained straightforwardly.

The Emperor, "...."

Eunuch Fu, "...."

Both of their mouths twitched simultaneously.

Are the people from Marquis Dongxiang Mansion born to counter the Duke Chong faction?

The dog from Qingyun Mountain had bitten Princess Nanzhang.

Young Master Su had now hit the Empress.

Consort Li shifted subjects, "No wonder the Empress was not careful; she was really anxious, her mind was elsewhere."

Clearly implying more than what was said.

Having grown accustomed to the straightforwardness of the people from Marquis Dongxiang Mansion, speaking in circles like this in the harem was difficult.

"Speak your mind," said the Emperor.

Consort Li paused and said, "I’ve heard that Princess Shouning has been fasting these past days, and the Empress was rushing to persuade her, which is why she wasn’t attentive to the falling bird’s nest."

Shouning fasting?

The Emperor glanced at Eunuch Fu.

Eunuch Fu shook his head, saying he wasn’t aware of this.

However, such matters weren’t likely to be let out by the Empress.

Now that Consort Li had reported this to the Emperor, it probably meant that the fasting was very likely true; if it turned out to be false, the Empress would blame Consort Li for spreading fabrications.

With few memorials today, the Emperor had finished reviewing them, and upon realizing he hadn’t seen his daughter for a few days, he went to Fengyang Palace.

Consort Li went along with him.

She only knew Princess Shouning was fasting, but not the reason why.

When the Emperor arrived, the Imperial Physician was administering acupuncture to Princess Shouning.

Princess Shouning had fainted.

The eunuch reported that the Empress was hit by a bird’s nest dropped by Young Master Su, and Princess Shouning was so upset that she got up too abruptly and fainted.

The palace maid quickly summoned the Imperial Physician to check on her.

The Emperor walked in just as the Imperial Physician was treating Princess Shouning.

Princess Shouning had fainted.

The Imperial Physician informed him that the Empress was already struck by a bird’s nest and now Princess Shouning had fainted.

"...Do as you see fit," said the Emperor, only half paying attention.

"Understood," replied the Imperial Physician, before leaving to attend to Princess Shouning.