ETERNAL LOVE : A LOVE STORY

Xiao Li was stunned when she heard Zhao Ming's question. 

She stared at Zhao Ming and noticed her unrestrained and arrogant attitude which was telling her that she knows everything.

Zhao Ming was standing casually with her hand folded against her chest. There was an annoying smile on her face which she wanted to remove so badly.

Xiao Li took a deep breath as she clenched her fists tightly, " Sister Zhao Ming, why are you accusing me wrongly? How can you say that I am keeping an eye on you? You're too much."

" By now, I was not saying anything and you keep bullying me. You not only cancelled my budget for next three months but you also suspended me from the post of Head Consort without any valid reason."

" And now you're blaming me for keeping an eye on you? Sister Zhao Ming, I just told mother what I heard from other people. Otherwise how can I know that Ah Leng was visiting your chamber. It was your pavilion's servants which were spreading gossip everywhere." 

Zhao Ming's lips curled upwards as she looked at Xiao Li mockingly and said, " Hmm, interesting. By now you were claiming that you saw Ah Leng going to my chamber and now you're saying that it was my servants which were spreading rumours about me. "

" Consort Xiao Li, if you didn't see anything from your own eyes, so that means you were blaming me all along just because of those petty rumours?"

" Consort Xiao Li, I think you really don't know what to do in these situations. How did you work as the head consort all this time when you cannot even confirm a thing before reporting to Empress Dowager? See, because of your not so sure information, things went too far."

" Not only I suffered all this time, but you ruined the reputation of the crown of the Empress, but also supported the untrue rumours which harmed the palace and his majesty badly."

" And because of your fickleness, Empress Dowager's words lost value as well. She claimed that I cheated on his majesty and my marriage and my reputation was threatened. Consort Xiao Li, will you tell me how I should deal with this?"

Zhao Ming smiled mockingly as she stared at Xiao Li. She knows that Xiao Li was keeping an eye on her but there was no proof. 

She has already assumed that Xiao Li would make such excuses, that's why she used her words to trap her. Even though she cannot expose that she was keeping an eye on her, she can at least indirectly teach her a lesson.

Wen Xu pursed her lips when she heard Zhao Ming's lips. She glanced at Xiao Li and sighed. 

She has thought that Xiao Li was sure when she made such claims but in the end she just said because of the rumours.

She pursed her lips and chose to remain silent. If she tried to support Xiao Li, she would get a punishment as well because the claim they made was big and they can be punished in the name of ruining the reputation of the palace.

…

Xiao Li shivered hearing Zhao Ming's words. She looked at Wen Xu who avoided her gaze.

Her expressions fell seeing that Wen Xu was not helping her when she needed her the most.

" Sister Zhao Ming…" Xiao Li looked at Zhao Ming wanting to plead for an understanding.

" You're right. Consort Xiao Li, how can you blame someone for cheating based on rumours only? And it was not any person but the Empress It's truly disgusting." Ji Cheng said with a frown.

" Zhao Ming, did you choose someone for the post of Head Consort?" Ji Cheng asked as he turned to ask Zhao Ming.

She nodded casually.

" It's consort Jia Shi. I think that she will do a good job." 

Xiao Li panicked when she heard Ji Cheng asking such a question to Zhao Ming.

" Hmm. Then you can see her work for the next three months and if she works fine then make her permanent. If not, you can find someone else to take the position of Head Consort, but from now on Consort Xiao Li has been dismissed from the position and cannot take any royal position in the future." 

Zhao Ming's smile widened when she heard Ji Cheng's words. 

Xiao Li was dumbfounded when she heard Ji Cheng's words. He want her to be dismissed from the position permanently?

Her eyes widened in shock upon this announcement. She has a reputation in the palace and no one ever disrespected her because she was the head consort.

Even though she was suspended, she could have taken the position back after three months. But now she has been removed from the position permanently and cannot take any other position as well.

" Your Majesty, what are you saying? How can you do this to me? Didn't I tell you that it was lotus pavilion' s servant who spread the gossip? How can you hold me accountable for that?" Her eyes were glistening with tears as she looked at Ji Cheng vulnerably.

Wen Xu was alarmed as well seeing that Xiao Li was removed from her position. 

" Ji Cheng, what are you doing? Even for punishing, you can't do that. you can give her some other punishment but not this. " 

Ji Cheng glanced at Wen Xu and said indifferently, " Empress Dowager, you are not in position to make decisions right now. Also, when I am saying that she is dismissed then she is dismissed."

He glanced at Xiao Li and said, " Consort Xiao Li, today I have just removed you from your position as head consort. But there are many things which are yet to reveal. If I find any evidence against you, then no one will be able to save you from going to the cold palace. So I advise you to stay out of trouble when you're in the palace." 

After finishing his words, Ji Cheng held Zhao Ming's hand tightly and walked past them to enter his chamber.

Zhao Ming was pulled by Ji Cheng and glanced at Xiao Li while following him.

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