Quick Transmigration: Underdog Turns out to be Untouchable

Chapter 921: Chapter 832: Unwilling to Be a Slave 52

Song Lin spoke up, and the Emperor nodded, expressing satisfaction with Lady Jing’s immediate action to dispatch her servants to protect the Empress Dowager.

It was clear that his concubine acted this way because of the Emperor’s regular teachings about filial piety shown towards the Empress Dowager, thus in times of crisis, the first thought is to care for the Empress Dowager, which exemplifies great filial duty.

Song Lin continued to report, ”Even though the servants around Lady Jing followed to protect the Empress Dowager, there were too many bees, and everyone was still forced to run around in panic.

The Empress Dowager, in her panic to avoid the bees, ran towards the railing of the pavilion. The servants have checked it, and it turns out that the railing had been hollowed out by ants in the middle, yet outwardly it appeared solid, and the inspecting servants failed to notice its weakness.

At the moment, one of the nannies protecting the Empress Dowager happened to lean against the railing to avoid the bees, and in the confusion, the nanny might have exerted too much force, causing the railing to suddenly break under pressure, and the nanny fell immediately.

However, as the nanny fell, perhaps out of instinctive fear, she pulled the Empress Dowager, causing the Empress Dowager to fall suddenly from the pavilion.

Fortunately, Lady Jing, who was also avoiding the bees, noticed in time, acted quickly and grabbed the Empress Dowager, though in the instant the Empress Dowager was falling, both fell together, and Lady Jing alone couldn’t hold on.”

At this point, Song Lin broke a sweat for both Lady Jing and the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor listened with a grave expression, subconsciously growing tense.

Song Lin continue reporting to the Emperor, ”If it weren’t for the two servants next to Lady Jing acting as timely protection, with one serving as a cushion for Lady Jing and the other holding her from behind, otherwise, Lady Jing would have been pulled directly to the ground, who knows what the outcome would have been.”

After listening, the Emperor’s face turned sullen, and he asked Song Lin, ”What about the servant who pulled the Empress Dowager down?”

Song Lin bent his waist deeply, ”In response to the Emperor, the nanny has already died. She might have realized she pulled the Empress Dowager down, panicked, let go, and fell headfirst onto the stone pavement, dying instantly.”

The Emperor gritted his teeth, ”The servant was lucky. Even in times of crisis, how dare she drag her master down with her? Now, the Empress Dowager is harmed because of her actions, and a thousand deaths wouldn’t forgive even a fraction of her crimes.”

After cursing, the Emperor asked Song Lin again, ”What about the flowers at the opera house? Who arranged so many flowers there, and why didn’t they check the surrounding dangers before setting up the flowers?”

Song Lin lowered his head deeper this time, his tone dry; he was about to mention someone, while not entirely the Emperor’s favorite, was still his favored concubine. He feared the Emperor’s anger, knowing that they, the servants, would suffer if the Emperor were enraged.

Whether or not this matter concerned them, the Emperor taking his anger out on them felt unjust; they were thankful however to even be considered worthy of receiving the Emperor’s anger, as not everyone is given such ’face’.

”In response to the Emperor, as the Empress has not been in good health, during such busy times as the Empress Dowager’s grand birthday, to avoid mistakes, the Empress often has several concubines assist with handling some harem affairs.

Lady Xuan took over the task of decorating the opera stage for the Empress Dowager from the Empress. Lady Xuan knew the Empress Dowager loved flowers and specially cultivated a high quantity in advance to decorate the opera house during the Empress Dowager’s birthday to make her happy.”

After listening to Song Lin’s report, the Emperor’s face fell ominously, ”Lady Xuan lacks the ability yet seeks power, and carelessly made such a mistake; the Empress is too indulgent of the harem and these concubines.

Song Lin, draft a decree immediately: Lady Xuan was ineffective in her duties, causing such danger to the Empress Dowager, indirectly leading Lady Jing to lose her child, and should have her title revoked and demoted to Zhaoyi.”

Song Lin promptly obeyed and went to draft the decree, knowing even though Lady Xuan was at fault, the harsh punishment from the Emperor—demoting her from Lady to a fourth-rank Zhaoyi and revoking her title—was mainly because the Emperor needed a scapegoat.

The Empress Dowager had suffered a severe injury, and the Emperor, not being a biological son of the Empress Dowager, needed to provide an explanation and responsible figure to the public, and Lady Xuan, who took the initiative but carelessly failed to ensure safety, fit the role.

In a certain sense, while the Emperor had his reasons for making Lady Xuan a scapegoat to show he cared about the Empress Dowager, Lady Xuan herself was not entirely innocent; her misfortune came from her own lack of caution.

In the silence of Yingyue Palace, Lady Jing awoke, yet her injuries were severe; the Imperial Physician was busy checking her pulse and preparing medicine, orderly and efficient amid the busyness.

When the Emperor arrived, Lady Jing, pale and frail, struggled to rise from her bed, and the Emperor quickly stepped forward, gently pressing her back down.

”You’re very weak right now, and having lost the child in such a manner, your body must be uncomfortable. There’s no need to get up and offer formalities. Just rest; I won’t hold you accountable.”

The Emperor’s tone was unusually considerate, for he was extremely pleased with Lady Jing. If it weren’t for her quick actions in grabbing the Empress Dowager, had the Empress Dowager fallen, resulting in either death or paralysis, outside speculations would have been unavoidable.

Now, Lady Jing saved the Empress Dowager, and although she was still injured, the problem was much smaller for the Emperor. Seeing Lady Jing’s pale, weak appearance and thinking of the lost child, the Emperor felt a pang of compassion—for the lost child and also a sliver of sympathy for Lady Jing.

”Your Majesty, I am at fault for not being able to protect the child in my womb, but I beg Your Majesty not to blame the nannies and palace maids responsible for serving the dragon embryo.

I know that by rule, with the loss of my child, the maids taking care of the dragon embryo should be executed, but this accident was not their fault. I plead for Your Majesty’s mercy.” Lady Jing lay weakly on the bed, tears glistening in her eyes, appearing pitiful and delicate.

Beneath Lady Jing, the light yellow of her skirt was stained with striking blood, a dress Nangong Shuangshuang deliberately had Lady Jing change into to make the bloodstains visible.

Meanwhile, everyone pretended that the Emperor arrived too quickly, leaving no time to change clothes, hastily covering her with a quilt, yet a corner of her blood-stained skirt was still exposed.