Hearing these words, the other consorts hated him so much their teeth itched. It was bad enough that Her Majesty was monopolized by him alone, but he even dared to boast about it in front of them!

Unfortunately, these consorts didn’t dare to voice their anger. Qin Zhengya was gentle in nature and not good at managing subordinates. Lan Xuezhao, relying on his favor and having the King of Dian backing him, ran wild in the palace, and had already隐隐 taken on the posture of overshadowing the Empress and becoming the head of all consorts.

“Consort Rong must be tired from serving Her Majesty. Why don’t you rest for a few days?” Qin Qing said slowly with a kind smile on his face.

A consort who disliked him, hearing the information leaked in the Empress Dowager’s words, immediately chimed in: “That’s right, Brother Consort Rong is so tired, why not remove the green head card and rest well in the palace? Her Majesty can be served by us brothers.”

Lan Xuezhao’s smug expression changed: “That won’t be necessary. Although serving in bed is tiring, this servant is willing to serve Her Majesty. There’s no need to trouble the other brothers.”

Qin Qing smiled faintly: “Since that’s the case, I won’t force it. I can’t manage all the affairs of you youngsters. In the future, if you have any matters, just go discuss them with Zhengya. He has a kind temperament and disposition, befitting the master of the harem.”

The consorts’ eyes turned, all understanding what the Empress Dowager meant by these words.

The reason why Consort Rong dared to flaunt his power in the palace was because he was relying on the King of Dian, wasn’t it? But after all, the King of Dian was only the lord of the Dian border, his influence in the capital was far from as vast as the Qin family’s. No matter how incompetent or lacking in scheming the Empress was, he was still a member of the Qin family. As long as the Qin family didn’t fall, no matter how favored or arrogant Consort Rong was, even if he eventually became pregnant with a child, he would still be a step below the Empress.

With these words, authority was established for Qin Zhengya invisibly.

As for Lan Xuezhao, he twisted his handkerchief, his face ashen.

Suddenly, his expression changed, and he looked towards Yue Guanyi who was quietly watching the show, giggling coquettishly: “I heard that the Crown Prince’s temper hasn’t been very good lately.”

Yue Guanyi’s thin eyes tightened slightly.

Qin Qing also became interested: “What does Consort Rong mean by this?”

Consort Rong covered his mouth with his handkerchief and said coquettishly: “Father Empress, you don’t know. This morning when this servant passed by the Imperial Garden, I found it crowded with servants. Upon inquiring, I learned that it was the Crown Prince who, because a lake stone had cut his hand, flew into a rage and smashed the lake stone to vent his anger!”

“Your Highness, this servant isn’t criticizing you, but we are all unmarried men. It’s better to control your temper, otherwise you might not be able to find a lady in the future.” There was a hint of mockery in his coquettish tone.

The consorts all restrained their expressions, not daring to respond.

Was Consort Rong’s brain crazy? Even if he had Her Majesty and the King of Dian backing him, he couldn’t provoke Yue Guanyi, could he? This was the King of Hell who had crawled out of the underworld. Even the Empress Dowager had to give His Highness some face. Wasn’t he afraid that His Highness would get angry and drag him into the Zhaoyu Prison?

Yue Guanyi smiled slowly: “Thank you for your kind intentions, Consort Rong, but the lake stone that this prince ordered the palace servants to smash was just a dead object, which is nothing remarkable. As for Consort Rong casually mistreating subordinates, beating and scolding them lightly, or beating them to death severely, how should that be accounted for? Does my royal sister know that her beloved beauty has such a viper’s heart?”

“You—” Consort Rong’s nails dug tightly into the armrest.

“What exactly happened? Consort Rong, explain it clearly to me!” Qin Qing’s face turned cold: “Although palace servants are slaves, those in charge should have a heart of benevolence. How can they be beaten and scolded at will?”

“Father Empress!” Lan Xuezhao explained anxiously and guiltily: “This servant didn’t mean to punish those palace servants. It was really because they were too stupid and clumsy. This servant only wanted to teach them a small lesson to make them remember.”

“A small lesson?” Qin Qing’s voice turned slightly cold: “Your so-called small lesson is to beat palace servants to death?”

“This servant never meant to beat them to death. It’s just that their bodies were too weak… couldn’t withstand the beating.”

“Couldn’t withstand the beating? How can you even say such things? You heartless man—” Qin Qing was so angry he clutched his chest, almost fainting.

“Cousin—” Qin Zhengya hurriedly came forward to comfort him.

Yue Guanyi looked at the scene before him, sneering in his heart. Qin Qing’s acting skills were getting better and better. The theater troupe couldn’t do without him.

“Zhengya, you are the master of the harem. What do you think should be done?” Qin Qing’s eyes stared tightly at Qin Zhengya. He had already handed the opportunity to him.

No matter how powerful the King of Dian’s influence was, or how favored by Her Majesty, if he violated the rules of the palace, he would still be dealt with by the Empress Dowager and Empress, which was proper and legitimate. Even the King of Dian and Her Majesty couldn’t interfere. He could take this opportunity to suppress Lan Xuezhao’s arrogance.

“This…” Qin Zhengya hesitated: “According to the laws of the Great Qi harem, his rank should be demoted from consort to concubine, and he should be confined for two months, copying Buddhist scriptures 20 times, in hopes that he can reform and no longer mistreat subordinates.”

Qin Qing pretended to have recovered under Qin Zhengya’s comfort: “Let’s do as the Empress says. Consort Rong— no, Concubine Rong, I hope you can behave yourself.”

The other consorts gloated, almost laughing out loud. Let you be complacent, not knowing that anyone in the harem could easily suppress you into submission.

“Father Empress, this servant—” Lan Xuezhao, hearing that his rank had been lowered and he would be confined for two months, was so anxious he was almost crying. Wouldn’t he not be able to see the young emperor for two months?

“The Empress is merciful. This approach is already very lenient. I’m also tired. You may all take your leave.” Qin Qing waved everyone away, apparently not wanting to deal with Lan Xuezhao anymore.

Lan Xuezhao stomped his feet angrily and left Qingning Palace.

Seeing that everyone had dispersed, Yue Guanyi also left. Chang’an asked behind him: “Was Your Highness helping the Empress Dowager?”

Others all thought His Highness had exposed Consort Rong’s matter of beating servants to death because he was offended by Consort Rong’s words, but Chang’an knew well that Yue Guanyi was not someone who would be easily provoked. He deliberately found Consort Rong’s weakness and deliberately gave the Empress Dowager an opportunity, there must be another reason.

Yue Guanyi’s phoenix eyes were cold and deep, looking at Lan Xuezhao’s miserable back, the corners of his mouth curled up: “Wait and see the good show.”

Qin Qing was an old fox, and Lan Xuezhao was not one to be easily schemed against.

On this side, the aggrieved Lan Xuezhao ran crying to the Imperial Study to complain to the young Emperor, but was stopped at the door by Yu Zhi: “Consort Rong, Her Majesty is reviewing memorials, you cannot enter.”

Lan Xuezhao had been holding back a belly full of anger at the Empress Dowager’s, and Yu Zhi just happened to run into his rage. He viciously slapped Yu Zhi’s face: “Blind dog slave, you dare to stop even me, get out of the way!”

Yu Zhi’s face immediately swelled up. He was the Emperor’s personal attendant, and his brother was a favorite of the Empress Dowager. Even Qiu Shuzhi would respectfully address him as ‘Young Master Yu Zhi’ when she saw him. Lan Xuezhao actually dared to hit him.

He was immediately indignant and, taking advantage of the young Emperor’s usual rule of not allowing anyone to disturb her in the Imperial Study, stubbornly refused to let him enter. Just as the two were about to come to blows, Yue Shen pushed open the door, her brows deeply furrowed: “What’s happening that’s so noisy?”

“Your Majesty—” Lan Xuezhao threw himself into Yue Shen’s arms, crying like a pear blossom in the rain: “Your Majesty, you must uphold justice for this servant!”

Seeing Lan Xuezhao crying in this state, Yue Shen hurriedly helped him up with distress: “What happened? Don’t cry, my heart’s dearest, tell me.”

Lan Xuezhao wiped his tears while sobbing and told what had happened in Qingning Palace, then threw himself into her arms again: “Your Majesty, this servant doesn’t mind being demoted, but when this servant thinks about not seeing you for two whole months, this servant’s heart feels like it’s being cut by a knife. This servant doesn’t want to be separated from you.”

“The Empress is really too much. It’s just accidentally beating a few slaves to death, is it worth making such a big fuss?” Yue Shen said angrily, wholeheartedly siding with Lan Xuezhao: “He’s just jealous of your favor.”

“But Your Majesty, what should this servant do now? This servant can’t bear to part with you. This servant still wants to serve Your Majesty day and night.”

Yue Shen’s face turned cold: “I will think of a way.”

In the afternoon, Qiu Shuzhi was drilling her small team of several dozen people under her name in the military camp. She couldn’t manage the entire Imperial Guard, but she could manage her own subordinates. Moreover, there weren’t many capable people in the entire Imperial Guard, and they had all been pulled into her team by Ji Mei.

The neat and orderly formation and strict discipline formed a stark contrast with the other lazy Imperial Guards. There were even groups of two or three sitting around them, watching like they were watching monkeys perform.

“Sister Mei, isn’t it tiring to train like this with the new officer?” asked an Imperial Guard who had just vented on a male prostitute.

“As soldiers, we protect the common people and the monarch. How can we protect their safety if we don’t work hard?” Ji Mei said righteously.

The person sneered: “Why bother? We Imperial Guards can’t leave the capital anyway, let alone go into battle. We just patrol the imperial city. Why suffer like this when we could do easy work?”

“You’re relaxing in the military camp today, but you might have to go into battle someday. If you don’t train well now, you’ll be the first to lose your life on the battlefield.”

The person’s eyes showed even more disdain: “Forget it, the Imperial Guard hasn’t left the imperial city for over a decade, and won’t in the future either.”

“Imperial edict arrives — Imperial Guard receive the edict immediately —”

Just as the words fell, the urgent sound of hoofbeats galloped into the military camp, like a stone thrown into still water, instantly causing ripples to spread. A group of people knelt down.

General Li Mian came out of the main tent in disarray and knelt under the messenger: “Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor.”

“By heaven’s mandate, the Emperor decrees: We govern the world with civil means and quell disorder with military might. We shall lead the officials and consorts to hunt at the imperial hunting grounds in the middle of the month. The Imperial Guard shall accompany. Thus it is decreed.”

“This subject General Li Mian receives the edict.”

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, the person who had just spoken was immediately dumbfounded. The Imperial Guard, which hadn’t moved for over a decade, was actually going to leave the city this time, to the imperial hunting grounds no less. With consorts and officials, it was a grand affair. But the Imperial Guard had rotted to the core. Could they really protect the Emperor’s safety? If anything went slightly wrong, their lives would be forfeit.

Li Mian also felt some trepidation upon receiving the edict. She had forgotten when she last galloped on horseback. Spending her days drinking and making merry in the military camp, her figure was now grotesquely fat, and even mounting a horse was difficult. Moreover, the Imperial Guards were all slack in their behavior. If they displeased Her Majesty during the hunt, her position would be in jeopardy.

She sighed bitterly, then suddenly noticed Qiu Shuzhi nearby and immediately came up with a plan.

“Officer Qiu.” She struggled to prop up her obese body and affectionately grasped her hand.

“What is it, General?” Faced with this sudden enthusiasm, Qiu Shuzhi instinctively wanted to escape, but Li Mian’s grip was too strong to break free.

“I’m afraid I can’t go on this imperial hunt.” She said with a regretful face: “Some time ago I went to see a doctor. The doctor said my body is severely deficient and needs to rest quietly for a while. I absolutely can’t exert myself. I’ve already submitted a request for leave to the higher-ups a few days ago and was just about to tell you that you’d be fully in charge of the military camp’s training during this time.”

After beating around the bush for so long, she finally said: “Officer Qiu, you should lead the troops in my place for this hunt.”