A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 367: Chapter 367: It Won’t Be Good to Offend Someone Next Time

What more was there to say? Persistently clinging to the issue wouldn’t yield any benefits. Those who had offended her had already been punished; her goal was achieved. She wouldn’t feign reluctance anymore; she would take all the benefits offered, not leaving the slightest advantage behind.

That night, Xia Ruqing stayed in Zhaochen Palace, only returning to Qingya Residence the next day.

Before she even entered the door, she saw several Little Eunuchs. Trembling, they knelt in a line at the entrance of Qingya Residence. Standing beside them was the Chief Steward of the Imperial Kitchen, He Changshou, and the Steward of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Hai Dasheng.

Xia Ruqing understood the situation perfectly.

Without revealing too much, she stepped forward and, feigning ignorance, asked, ”What brings you two Eunuchs here? What is going on?”

He Changshou approached first. Pointing at Xiao Zhangzi, who was kneeling on the ground, he said, ”This little whelp offended Xia Jieyu. I feel terrible about it, so I’ve brought him here to beg for forgiveness!”

”From now on, we servants will serve Xia Jieyu’s meals with the utmost care. We dare not make the slightest mistake again!”

With that, He Changshou also knelt down.

Xia Ruqing, feigning surprise, stepped back and said with a faint smile, ”Eunuch He, why say such things? They are merely errand runners. What could they possibly understand? They just follow the orders of their superiors, wouldn’t you agree?”

Her words made He Changshou’s face turn pale.

She’s clearly blaming me.

If his subordinates dared to be so audacious, he couldn’t escape responsibility.

He couldn’t possibly have been unaware. Knowing and not acting is a crime in itself!

He Changshou kowtowed. ”Sigh... I am guilty. I have angered Xia Jieyu. As long as you can calm your anger, you may punish me however you wish!”

He then explained, ”Master Xia, I truly didn’t intend it. That day, Her Majesty the Empress ordered over a hundred dishes, and all the chefs in the Imperial Kitchen were overwhelmed with work! That’s why I was momentarily muddle-headed!”

Having said this, he continued to kowtow.

Xia Ruqing looked on, feeling more at ease.

Hmm, their attitude in admitting their mistake is decent. They are just servants, and in such a situation, they couldn’t act otherwise.

Thereupon, she softened her expression and called for He Changshou to stand up.

She looked at He Changshou and said, ”Seeing as you’ve confessed honestly, I won’t pursue the matter further. However... in the future, be more discerning when you take on people!”

After finishing, she went inside with Zi Yue. She didn’t talk about punishment, nor did she continue to press the issue relentlessly.

He Changshou wiped the sweat from his forehead, finally feeling relieved.

Steward Hai, however, was on pins and needles.If He Changshou was off the hook, what about me?

Thinking about it, he quickly followed after her.

”Master Xia!”

Xia Ruqing turned around at the call, looking puzzled. ”Eunuch Hai? Is there something else you need?”

Hai Dasheng glanced at the Little Eunuchs kneeling at his feet, then at Xia Jieyu. He was so vexed he wished he could slap himself a few times.

”I am also here to atone for my offense!” he said. ”Master Xia, these unobservant little whelps... it’s all due to my lax discipline!”

Xia Ruqing observed him and then looked at the Little Eunuchs.

She counted carefully; it seemed everyone was present.She was quite satisfied.

Still, she said, ”Steward Hai, there’s no need for this. The Emperor has already punished them, and I don’t want to dwell on it. However... I’d still like to offer a piece of advice: if Steward Hai’s lax discipline leads to offending someone else next time, I wonder if you’ll be so fortunate!”

After finishing with a light smile, Xia Ruqing took her leave.

The Emperor had already punished them, and she did not wish to bring it up again!

What lovely weather! Why get caught up in these troubles and make things difficult for myself?

The gates of Qingya Residence closed once more.

He Changshou lifted up the ashen-faced Xiao Zhangzi, gritting his teeth as he said, ”Alright, your purpose has been served! Let’s go! I, your grandpa, will personally escort you to the Punishment Department!”

The execution by caning was to be carried out by the Punishment Department. Once Xiao Zhangzi entered this time, he could forget about ever coming out alive.

At the side, Hai Dasheng also gritted his teeth. ”Let’s go, all of you, to the Laundry Bureau!”

Once they ended up in the Laundry Bureau, their lives would be ruined. So, the faces of those Little Eunuchs were not looking too good either.

Barely having taken a few dragging steps, Xiao Zhangzi began to wet his pants. Clinging to He Changshou’s legs, refusing to let go, he cried out, ”Eunuch He, I was wrong! I truly know my mistake! Please, Eunuch He, save my life! I really don’t want to die!”

Xiao Zhangzi looked at the other Little Eunuchs, then said, ”Sending me to the Laundry Bureau is fine too! I just really don’t want to die!”

He Changshou scoffed coldly. ”Don’t want to die? Fine. Why don’t you go beg the Emperor to spare your life? Isn’t your fate today entirely of your own making?”

Xiao Zhangzi wept bitterly. ”I didn’t know! Besides, I wasn’t the only one in the Imperial Kitchen who slighted Eunuch Xi! Why are they all fine? Why should I be the one to die?”

He Changshou scoffed coldly again. ”They were busy, forced by circumstances. You’re different. You went up and cursed him directly! So, if you don’t die, who does?”

Xiao Zhangzi felt incredibly regretful.

Yet, he also felt somewhat puzzled.Didn’t Xia Jieyu... offend the Empress?If Xia Jieyu offended the Empress, how can she still be so arrogant? How can she have me executed?Even as he faced death, he still couldn’t understand.After all, in this Harem, isn’t Her Majesty the Empress the supreme authority?

Seeing his confused appearance, He Changshou scoffed. ”Enough. You still don’t understand how the world works. If you don’t die this time, you won’t live to see the next! Let’s go!”

After speaking, he kicked him in the back.

Xiao Zhangzi’s mind became instantly clear. The Punishment Department?

He Changshou scoffed coldly. ”Good that you know!”

Xiao Zhangzi’s eyes were filled with unwillingness, and he howled, ”Eunuch He, I want to see the Empress! I want to see the Empress!”

He kept shouting for the Empress, and so loudly at that.

He Changshou’s face turned white with fright. How on earth has this idiot survived until now?

Without time to think further, he quickly had someone gag Xiao Zhangzi and had him taken to the Punishment Department for execution.

The Punishment Department had received word early that morning about an execution scheduled for the day. They already knew most of the details of the matter.

Now, upon seeing Xiao Zhangzi, a few Little Eunuchs responsible for the execution stepped forward and deftly tied Xiao Zhangzi to the tiger bench.

Xiao Zhangzi struggled desperately, a cloth stuffed in his mouth, whimpering pitifully.

A leader among them stepped forward and removed the cloth. ”If you have anything to say, say it quickly. We’re waiting to send you on your final journey!”

Xiao Zhangzi gasped for breath, still wailing incoherently, ”I want to see the Empress! I want to see the Empress!”

The leader’s face also turned pale. If this matter involved the Empress, none of them would live.

He then took off his own sock and forcefully stuffed it into Xiao Zhangzi’s mouth. ”How exalted is Her Majesty the Empress? Is she someone you can see just because you want to? Men! No need to waste any more words on him. Carry out the execution!”

Xiao Zhangzi struggled desperately, screaming grotesquely, clearly unreconciled to his fate.