Zhang Nuofu stood at the center of the crowd, cautiously eyeing the two imperial consorts who had arrived from the palace. Her heart was uneasy and heavy with gloom.
Back in Jizhou, she and Ye Qiong had been hailed as the Twin Jewels of Jizhou, and because her father held a higher official rank, she had received even more admiration. Yet upon arriving in the capital, she realized that their so-called fame meant nothing—whether in lineage or grace, they paled in comparison.
What stung even more was how Ye Qiong, with her striking looks and quick wit, had swiftly risen to prominence in the Southern Court, often mentioned alongside Wei Chaorong of the Eastern Court, Nie Zhiyu of the Western Court, and Feng Qi of the Northern Court. Meanwhile, Zhang Nuofu was overlooked.
She had always thought the matrons blind, but now, seeing the two consorts before her—their breathtaking beauty and the noble air that clung to them—she understood that even Ye Qiong and the others couldn’t compare. Such refinement and poise, born only in the lap of luxury, were something she had never witnessed before.
Could only the imperial palace nurture such extraordinary women?
Zhang Nuofu’s yearning grew fiercer.
But in an instant, a chill drenched her from head to toe.
From Consort Zhuang’s lips, she heard her own name.
"Zhang Nuofu, daughter of the Jizhou Prefect, step forward."
Alongside her, Lady Chen, Lady Wang, Court Lady Ye, and Court Lady Jin were also summoned.
Zhang Nuofu’s pupils constricted. Lady Chen, Lady Wang, and Court Lady Ye had been the ones standing beneath the corridor with Ye Qiong that day, while Court Lady Jin had been part of her scheme.
Why were these five called together?
A sudden terror seized her. Had they been exposed? Impossible! She had taken care of everything just last night!
Forcing herself to stay calm, Zhang Nuofu walked forward, mind racing. The consorts had visited Ye Qiong’s quarters—they must have questioned Lady Chen and learned of her rivalry with Ye Qiong. Court Lady Jin often kept her company, so it made sense for the consorts to suspect them both. The other two had been present that day; calling them out for questioning was only natural.
It would be fine. As long as they stuck to the story—that it was all an accident, that they knew nothing—they would be safe. They had rehearsed their accounts.
Reassuring herself, Zhang Nuofu approached Consort Zhuang and Consort Hui, bowing gracefully.
"Your humble servant, Zhang Nuofu, greets Consort Zhuang and Consort Hui."
The other four followed suit.
Qin Saizhu showed no expression as she motioned for Xiangchun to present the pottery shard. "This fragment was found beneath the eaves of the Li Hua Pavilion where the incident occurred. It was smeared with honey, attracting termites that gnawed through the surrounding wood, causing the tiles to collapse and injure Court Lady Ye. Our investigation has confirmed that a palace maid was responsible. She has now confessed to accepting silver from you, Court Lady Zhang, to carry out this act."
"Court Lady Zhang, do you admit your guilt?"
At the same moment, Lu Song and Little Cheng escorted the trembling maid forward.
The maid fell to her knees, frantic. "I confess! I was greedy for the silver Court Lady Zhang gave me! But I swear I didn’t know she meant to harm Court Lady Ye! Had I known, I’d never have dared! Consort Zhuang, please spare me!"
Zhang Nuofu was startled, her heart instantly thrown into disarray. She instinctively denied the accusation: "What nonsense are you spouting? When did I ever ask you to do such a thing? This was clearly just an accident!"
"Consort Zhuang, when Court Lady Ye met with misfortune, this humble lady was with Court Lady Jin, learning flower arrangement from the matron. It was only later, upon hearing others discuss it, that I learned of the incident. Though I had quarreled with Court Lady Ye before, we came from the same hometown and had known each other since childhood—how could I possibly harm her?"
"Your Highness, this maid must have been instructed by someone to frame me!"
Though flustered, Zhang Nuofu spoke with a semblance of logic, distancing herself from any involvement in Ye Qiong’s misfortune. Her reasoning held some merit.
But Qin Saizhu responded coldly, "If this consort did not have sufficient evidence, I would not be questioning you." She gave Xiangchun a nod.
Xiangchun produced an item. "Court Lady Zhang, you were thorough in your planning—using gold and silver to silence the maids. But you were too hasty and careless, leaving behind evidence. These silver ingots bear the mark 'Sifang Bank—Jizhou Seal.' How would a palace maid from the retreat palace have silver from Jizhou?"
Sifang Bank was an imperial institution with branches across the realm. Its banknotes, gold, and silver ingots were all stamped with distinct seals, varying slightly by region. A closer inspection would reveal the difference.
Zhang Nuofu had audacity but lacked finesse—her schemes were riddled with flaws. That such a person even dreamed of entering the palace was laughable.
Zhang Nuofu’s face turned deathly pale. The sudden arrival of palace officials had forced her to act quickly. To ensure silence, she couldn’t offer too little, yet she had little official silver left and no time to exchange more. So she had sent it as it was—never expecting Consort Zhuang to conduct a covert investigation and uncover it.
Xiangchun, seeing her thoughts, couldn’t resist adding, "Her Highness did not search the palace. This evidence was voluntarily surrendered by the maid."
Zhang Nuofu was stunned. How could that be?
The maid prostrated herself on the ground. "This servant did not initially understand Court Lady Zhang’s intentions, but upon realizing the truth, I regretted my involvement. Yet, Court Lady Zhang attempted to bribe me with silver to keep my silence. Knowing my guilt is grave, I wished only to atone by confessing."
Zhang Nuofu had treated the retreat palace like Jizhou, relying on her father’s official status to believe silver could buy anything. But the palace maids were well-versed in imperial law. Harming a court lady and tarnishing the royal family’s reputation was a crime punishable by death for one’s entire family! This maid had only wanted extra silver—not to lose her life.
Moreover, after Consort Zhuang and Consort Hui arrived yesterday, they had ordered the chief eunuch and matrons to interrogate all palace servants. The maid knew she would eventually be exposed—better to confess early and hope for leniency.
And so, when Zhang Nuofu delivered the silver stamped with the Jizhou seal, the maid wasted no time in reporting to Lu Song.
"Court Lady Zhang, I am a palace maid—not your personal servant." Did she expect me to risk my life to keep her secrets?
Zhang Nuofu’s heart was in turmoil as she desperately tried to defend herself. "Even if the silver came from Jizhou, it doesn’t necessarily mean it was given by me. These past few days, I’ve exchanged items with other court ladies and even used silver to purchase things. Moreover, I’m not the only one from Jizhou here."
Her flustered appearance made even Qi Daiyu take pity on her.
Qin Saizhu scoffed coldly. "With the evidence right here, if you refuse to admit it, then let everyone hear what the witness has to say."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang Nuofu saw someone step forward from beside her, and her pupils shrank in shock.
Lady He knelt down. "Consort Zhuang, Consort Hui, this humble one admits her wrongdoing. I should never have conspired with Court Lady Zhang to harm Court Lady Ye!" She dared not look back at Zhang Nuofu’s expression. "Court Lady Zhang, you should just confess!"
Nearby, Lady Chen suddenly lifted her head. "You were involved too?" By now, she understood—among those who had sought Ye Qiong’s guidance that day, everyone except her had likely participated in the scheme.
How despicable!
Lady Chen wasn’t particularly fond of Ye Qiong, but she resented being dragged into their feud. And if Ye Qiong hadn’t pushed them aside that day, she might have been the one injured by the falling object!
She immediately spoke up. "Consort Zhuang, these women plotted to harm a fellow court lady. Such malice cannot be forgiven lightly!"
"Nonsense!" Zhang Nuofu was truly terrified now. She couldn’t bear to imagine the punishment awaiting her if the accusations were confirmed. In a frenzy, she lunged at Lady He. "How dare you slander me! I’ll make you take those words back!"
Xiangchun, Qin Saizhu’s attendant, swiftly intervened, ordering the maids to restrain Zhang Nuofu. "Court Lady Zhang, have you lost your mind? How dare you act so recklessly in front of Their Ladyships!"
Zhang Nuofu struggled, glaring hatefully at Lady He. She couldn’t understand why Lady He had betrayed her.
Lady He shrank back, not daring to meet her gaze. She hadn’t wanted to confess, but the eunuchs and maids serving Consort Zhuang were utterly terrifying. She had come to the palace for the selection, not to throw her life away. If she were sent home in disgrace, her entire family would be shamed.
Lady He had always been timid, and under Xiangchun’s intimidation, she had spilled everything.
Having witnessed this crude farce long enough, Qin Saizhu declared coldly, "As court ladies, you are expected to embody virtue and obedience. Should any of you enter the imperial household, you must treat one another as sisters. Yet some among you have conspired to harm a fellow candidate—such wickedness cannot be tolerated. By Her Majesty the Empress’s decree, I am here to deliver justice for Court Lady Ye and to remind you all that the palace has its laws. Should anyone dare to stir trouble again, they will face the harshest penalties for defying imperial discipline!"
"Zhang Nuofu, for conspiring to harm a court lady, bribing palace maids, and damaging palace property—these crimes warrant thirty lashes, immediate expulsion from the palace, and return to her family. Furthermore, I shall petition Her Majesty to bar the Zhang family from presenting any candidates for the next three generations!"
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Being beaten and sent home was one thing, but to cut off the Zhang family’s future prospects entirely! Once the edict reached Jizhou, who would dare marry a Zhang daughter? And Magistrate Zhang himself would likely face censure.
Qin Saizhu’s purpose in making an example of Zhang Nuofu was achieved. The remaining court ladies trembled in fear, awed by the unyielding might of the imperial family.
Qin Saizhu continued, "Court Lady Jin, Lady Wang, and Lady He are accomplices of Zhang Nuofu and shall not be spared lightly. Court Lady Jin and Lady Wang shall each receive thirty strokes of the rod and be expelled from the palace, returned to their families. Lady He shall receive twenty strokes and be permitted to leave the palace of her own accord."
The difference between being expelled to one's family and leaving voluntarily was significant. Being expelled meant one had committed an offense and was no longer wanted by the palace, while leaving voluntarily could be framed as falling ill and being unfit to remain.
Though she could not escape the punishment, at least her family's dignity would remain intact. Lady He let out a relieved sigh and slumped to the ground.
Court Lady Jin and Lady Wang, however, were filled with regret, their faces ashen. Xiangchun had approached them earlier, but they had insisted that as long as they denied everything, Consort Zhuang would have no way to punish them. Little did they know that Consort Zhuang had already gathered irrefutable evidence.
As the women were seized, Xiangchun asked for instructions, "Mistress, shall the punishment be carried out here, or...?"
Qin Saizhu replied coldly, "Right here. Let everyone witness the consequences of defying palace rules."
Her merciless demeanor left a deep impression on many of the court ladies. Who would have thought that someone with such a gentle appearance could wield such severity? Truly, appearances could be deceiving.
Meanwhile, Consort Hui, standing behind Consort Zhuang, remained silent throughout, her eyes filled with pity—she seemed a much softer soul.
Unaware of the others' thoughts, Qi Daiyu was wholly focused on recording the scene.
So many beauties! Such a grand spectacle of palace intrigue!
Not in a drama, but right before her eyes!
She admired Qin Saizhu's decisive and stern methods, yet pitied the women being dragged away, their desperate pleas echoing.
The sound of the rods striking flesh, the sight of Zhang Nuofu's back reduced to a bloody mess—not only did it terrify the court ladies, but it also unsettled Qi Daiyu.
The sheer brutality of the scene was too much for her to bear.
She stopped recording and leaned close to Qin Saizhu, whispering, "I'm feeling unwell. I shall take my leave."
Qin Saizhu didn't think much of it, noticing her pallor. "Then go and rest," she permitted.
As Qi Daiyu walked out, the court ladies hastily stepped aside and bowed, their subservience only worsening the tightness in her chest.
Frowning, her gaze met someone's—Nie Zhiyu, whom she had briefly encountered once in the Cining Palace.
Nie Zhiyu offered her a faint smile, and Qi Daiyu nodded in return before they passed each other by.
