Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1447: Chapter 1448: The Reputation of the Astrology Tower Must Not Be Lost (Part 1)

Bai Ruozhu was no longer in a hurry, so she wore a faint smile on her face and said calmly, ”By virtue of being a descendant of the Astrology Tower lineage, how could I not be permitted to say a few words?”

”You are nothing more than a figurehead; what Spells do you understand?” Liu Xiyu said with a face full of disdain.

”Is that so?” Bai Ruozhu’s smile grew even more radiant. She formed a simple hand seal with her fingers, then pointed at Liu Xiyu and said, ”Freeze!”

Having acquired the Heart Method of the Astrology Tower, naturally, she could use many Magic Techniques, including this simple Fixation Technique she had seen before. However, this Fixation Technique was very basic—effective on someone without Martial Arts, but likely insufficient if the opponent had a stronger Qi presence.

Unfortunately for Liu Xiyu, she did not know Martial Arts and had been poisoned by Bai Ruozhu. Additionally, her current emotional distress made it easy for her to be immobilized.

Just like the time in the Western Regions when the great elder wanted to use Evil Technique on Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun, ordering Xuan Jizi and the others to assassinate Bai Ruozhu first, believing hurting her would make their success more likely.

The principles of the world’s Spells may vary, but their basic premise is often the same.

”Why can’t I move?” Liu Xiyu cried out in anger. Aside from her mouth and moving her eyes, she could not control any other part of her body.

”Didn’t you say I don’t understand Spells? Has no one ever told you to never provoke the descendants of a National Master? Although my master has passed away, and I may not have learned much from him, I still won’t let just anyone trample over the Astrology Tower,” Bai Ruozhu said, sneering, ”You all came here crying and pleading, isn’t it to seek the Empress Dowager’s intervention? But have any of you ever considered the Empress Dowager’s feelings? She had just fainted and is not in good spirits, yet you torment her further. You, as the Emperor’s concubines, treat the Empress Dowager this way; it is outright disloyalty and unfilial piety!”

”You—you’re talking nonsense. You harm us concubines and forbid us to seek justice?” One of the concubines who had been slapped by Bai Ruozhu started crying. Among these women, her face suffered the worst: not only was it dotted with red spots, but it was also swollen like a pig’s.

”Hao Mu, these noblewomen have entered Cining Palace without the Empress Dowager’s consent, disturbing her rest, disrespectful and defiant to her. Punish each with twenty slaps and wait for the Emperor to deal with the rest,” Bai Ruozhu signaled Hao Mu with her eyes, ”The Empress Dowager is merciful and Cining Palace has not many rules, but we cannot allow her benevolence to be taken advantage of by those who don’t know their place. Whoever breaks the rules of Cining Palace again, punish them doubly!”

”Yes, this servant has noted it,” Hao Mu said with a smirk. As he saw Liu Xiyu about to speak, he rushed over and began slapping her face with a series of smacks. The whole yard was stunned―Hao Mu was fierce indeed, actually hitting Liu Xiyu!

The others thought Hao Mu would at most dare to strike the others but wouldn’t dare to touch Liu Xiyu, and yet, to their surprise, Hao Mu targeted her first.

The Empress Dowager showed a worried expression; Bai Ruozhu quickly shook her head at her in secret. The Empress Dowager was too gentle and obliging. She and the Emperor had struggled ever since the Former Emperor’s untimely death, taking a full five years for the Emperor to secure his throne. These years had made her accustomed to caution, always seeking to keep the peace, even allowing Liu Xiyu to bully her last time.

But was it still possible to endure? Bai Ruozhu felt that constant forbearance would only embolden the other party. Moreover, today Liu Xiyu and the others nearly caused her casting to fail, which would have endangered Princess Diao Bin’s life!

It wasn’t a mere coincidence; even if Liu Xiyu and the others didn’t know about Princess Diao Bin’s illness, why did they choose this day to cause trouble?

Hao Mu felt incredibly satisfied as she slapped, trained in Martial Arts from a young age, she was a trusted palace maid appointed by the Former Emperor to serve the Empress Dowager. She had her pride, and for many years had been itching to slap Liu Xiyu, even feeling that the Empress Dowager should have shown her temper long ago. Hence, today Bai Ruozhu’s words struck right at Kankan’s heart.

Hao Mu finished beating Imperial Concubine Liu and then moved on to the others. Anyone who dared to talk back got more of the same, and soon several of the palace concubines quieted down, even the usually brash Liu Xiyu began to cry softly.

Just then, the shrill voice of a eunuch echoed from outside, ”The Emperor has arrived!”

Liu Xiyu’s eyes brightened instantly, and she yelled in the direction of the Main Gate, ”Your Majesty, save your servant! Bai Ruozhu is trying to beat me to death!”

Her face was too swollen, making her speech somewhat slurred. Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh, ”Who allowed you to make such a fuss in the Dowager’s Cining Palace? Have you learned nothing about the rules from being Imperial Concubine Liu?”

By this time, Tang Yin had already entered, followed by Jiang Yichun and Jianqi. Tang Yin looked at the several concubines and said indifferently, ”What are you doing here? Haven’t I said that no one is to disturb the Dowager’s rest?”

”Your Majesty, we were taking a walk in the Imperial Garden today when Bai Ruozhu assaulted us, turning our faces into this state. We were in so much pain that we could only come to the Dowager to seek justice. But we didn’t expect that Bai Ruozhu, claiming to be the disciple of the National Master, would punish us in private,” Liu Xiyu spoke up in her delicate voice, wiping away her tears as she spoke. Unfortunately, where this demeanor might once have been pleasing to the eye, her face now looked like a pig’s head dotted with red spots, making anyone feel nauseous just trying not to gag at the sight.

The Emperor glanced at Liu Xiyu with impatience and said, ”Imperial Concubine Liu, as a noblewoman, how can you show such a lack of propriety? Is the Dowager’s Palace where you shout and scream? Haven’t I told you that you’re not to disturb the Dowager’s rest? Do you take my words for idle chatter?”

”Your Majesty...” Liu Xiyu panicked.

”Since you show such disregard for rules, you are stripped of your title as Imperial Concubine and demoted to Concubine,” the Emperor declared and then turned to the others, ”Each of you will be demoted one rank and have half a year’s allowance docked, return to your palaces and reflect for one month!”

”Your Majesty, I am wronged...” Liu Xiyu cried out.

The Emperor gave her a cold look, ”I commanded Bai Ruozhu to enter the Palace to treat the Dowager, who was unconscious due to someone’s wicked actions. Instead of caring for the Dowager’s safety, you blocked Bai Ruozhu from treating her. Did you think I was unaware of your intentions? It is only through my mercy that I haven’t sent you all to the Leng Palace already. Leave now! Otherwise, I will send you directly there, and you will never come out in this lifetime!”

By now, no one dared to utter another word. The concubines, supported by their palace maids, left in haste.

Liu Xiyu, now able to move, glared fiercely at Bai Ruozhu as she passed, whispering softly, ”I will not let you off!”

Bai Ruozhu glanced at her disdainfully. Not let her off? She’d better not come begging to her in the end.

As Liu Xiyu continued to walk away, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her leg and intimately made contact with the ground. Bai Ruozhu watched from behind, her lips twitching. Had Imperial Concubine Liu’s proud bosom been flattened? From this angle, it looked like she’d been turned into poached eggs.

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Another Chapter will be posted later. Wasn’t Mouka rather impressive today? So if you have any monthly votes, toss a few my way, muah~