Chapter 660 - 663: Chastisement

Chapter 660: Chapter 663: Chastisement

When Princess Consort Zhen remained silent, Hua Manman grasped her hand, her voice filled with pleading.

"Please, let me go."

Princess Consort Zhen looked down at the hand holding hers and slowly uttered two words.

"Absolutely not."

Hua Manman looked at her in confusion. "Why?"

Princess Consort Zhen replied, "If I let you leave, I fear I’ll never see you again."

"That’s not true!" Hua Manman said urgently. "We’ll see each other again. I promise!"

Princess Consort Zhen’s gaze sharpened.

"There’s no need to lie to me. I know perfectly well that if I let you go, only two things can happen—

"Either you’ll go into seclusion in the wilderness with Li Ji and never be seen again.

"Or, Li Ji will lead an army back to Tianjing. When that happens, whether he succeeds or not, the day we sisters meet again, it will be at sword point."

Hua Manman was left speechless.

Princess Consort Zhen squeezed her hand in return and said in a low, serious voice.

"I want neither of those outcomes."

"I really can’t stay here..." Hua Manman said, her voice strained.

’If I stay in the palace, Li Ji and Li Xun will surely worry.’

’Then Li Ji might get hot-headed and charge back to Tianjing to save me, consequences be damned.’

’It wouldn’t be the first time he’s done something like that.’

Princess Consort Zhen said, "Don’t you just want to be reunited with Li Ji? I can help you."

Hua Manman thought her sister was about to let her go. A flicker of joy ignited within her, only to be extinguished by Princess Consort Zhen’s next words.

"You just stay here peacefully. I will solve this problem for you both."

Hua Manman was baffled. "How are you going to solve it?"

Princess Consort Zhen explained calmly.

"The root cause of your separation from Li Ji is that he’s a wanted man.

"As long as I can get his wanted order revoked, clear his name, and restore his original status.

"Then he can return to Tianjing openly and be with you."

The logic was sound, but Hua Manman was hesitant. "The wanted order was issued by the Saint and the Central Secretariat. Even as an Imperial Concubine, you’re not allowed to interfere in matters of state, are you?"

Princess Consort Zhen’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Not necessarily."

Hua Manman stared at her, stunned.

In Hua Manman’s memory, Hua Qingqing had always been a gentle, kind girl whose smile brought warmth and comfort.

But now, her smile was filled with an overpowering force that permitted no refusal.

Hua Manman asked, "What are you planning to do?"

"You’ll find out soon enough," Princess Consort Zhen replied.

A palace maid arrived to announce that the Empress Dowager had summoned the Imperial Concubine.

Princess Consort Zhen gave an order.

"Bring me the new candle from my chambers."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The palace maid quickly returned with an exquisite candelabrum.

The palace’s specially made candles burned smokelessly and emitted a faint, pleasant fragrance.

Princess Consort Zhen lit the candle herself, then adjusted the wick with a pair of silver tongs.

Her gaze passed through the flame to her sister sitting across the table. She instructed her softly.

"I’ll be right back. Wait here for me, little sister. Don’t go running off, all right?"

Hua Manman nodded obediently. "Okay."

’But inwardly, she was already plotting her escape.’

’Even though Princess Consort Zhen said she would help, I don’t trust her. First things first, I have to get out of this den of vipers!’

Princess Consort Zhen then gave another order to her attendants.

However—

The moment Princess Consort Zhen stepped out, the door was shut and locked from the outside.

Hua Manman was dumbstruck.

She’d been locked in!

How was she supposed to run now?!

Unwilling to give up, Hua Manman ran over and tugged at the door.

It was locked tight and didn’t budge.

She then ran to the windows.

They had all been locked from the outside as well.

The room was like an airtight cell. There was no escape.

Furious, Hua Manman pounded on the door.

"Open the door! Let me out!"

She yelled for a long time, but no one answered.

It seemed there was no one outside.

But when Hua Manman pressed her ear to the door and peered through the crack, she could see two guards standing outside.

There were people there, but they were ignoring her.

’This must have been Princess Consort Zhen’s doing. She wasn’t giving me any chance to escape.’

Hua Manman grew frantic.

’But I know this is exactly the kind of situation where I can’t afford to lose my cool.’

’I have to calm down and think of a plan.’

Hua Manman took a deep breath, cleared her mind of distracting thoughts, and forced herself to figure out a way to escape.

As she was thinking, she started to feel dizzy. A powerful wave of drowsiness washed over her.

Her eyelids grew heavy, drooping against her will.

She realized something was wrong.

’This drowsiness isn’t normal.’

Recalling Princess Consort Zhen’s behavior just before she left, Hua Manman immediately looked at the candelabrum on the table.

’There must be something wrong with the candle!’

She staggered over, trying to blow out the candle.

But it was too late.

Drowsiness rapidly clouded her mind, her thoughts slowing to a crawl. Her limbs felt weak and useless.

「A moment later.」

She collapsed bonelessly to the floor, completely unconscious.

「Biquan Palace.」

Princess Consort Zhen performed a graceful curtsy.

"Your servant pays her respects, Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager sat in the seat of honor. Everything she wore was exquisite and lavish. Her well-preserved face was artfully made up, and the corners of her eyes held a constant air of haughty condescension.

Even when she spoke, she kept her chin slightly raised, as if perpetually looking down on others.

"I heard you ordered the palace gates closed and mobilized the Yulin Guards today. Did something happen?"

Princess Consort Zhen replied, "It was nothing major. Merely that some jewelry went missing from my palace.

"I suspect a thief slipped into the palace grounds.

"I didn’t want the culprit to escape, so I had no choice but to temporarily close the gates and dispatch the Yulin Guards to apprehend them.

"I didn’t expect such a small matter to trouble you, Empress Dowager.

"The fault is mine. I await your punishment, Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager looked surprised at first, then slammed her hand on the table in a rage.

"A common thief managed to sneak into the palace? What are the Yulin Guards doing on their watch?

"Such dereliction of duty! What use do I have for them?

"Relay my orders! The Commander of the Yulin Guards is to be fined a year’s salary, and both deputy commanders are to be demoted half a rank as punishment!"

Princess Consort Zhen hastily knelt and pleaded.

"The Yulin Guards are already doing their utmost to catch the thief. I beg the Empress Dowager to be lenient and spare them this once."

But the Empress Dowager refused to hear another word. She rose to her feet and departed haughtily.

Once she was in her inner chambers, the Empress Dowager’s expression finally softened.

The nanny helped her to a seat and asked softly.

"Do you truly believe Princess Consort Zhen’s story?"

The Empress Dowager said resentfully, "And what if I don’t believe her? Princess Consort Zhen’s status is secured by her son. Even the Yulin Guards now answer to her. What can I possibly do to her?"

Her earlier outburst was ostensibly to punish the Yulin Guards, but it was actually a warning to Princess Consort Zhen—a reminder of her place, and that she should not mobilize the Yulin Guards so freely.

The nanny soothed, "You mustn’t think that way. Please don’t let your anger harm your health."