Chapter 808: Chapter 808: Turmoil in the Palace
Chu Yuanzheng stared without blinking, astonished at the exquisite technique. The Silver Needles sealed the points for as long as seven years, impacting daily life not at all, and previously he couldn’t diagnose it. This Art of Qihuang is truly divine and marvelous.
Huang Zude also saw his father use this technique for the first time and watched intently.
When the Silver Needles emerged slightly, Divine Doctor Huang set down the object in his hand and focused entirely on the needles. He placed his hand on the Silver Needles and slowly pulled them out. Just as they were about to be fully extracted, he quickly tapped with his other hand, and the needles were immediately withdrawn.
"Steady!"
Chu Yuanzheng promptly placed the pre-prepared Silver Needles onto the corresponding major points in order.
In the inner chamber, everyone proceeded methodically, the atmosphere extremely tense.
Inside Huaqing Palace, the tension was equally palpable, but the cause was different.
"Crash!" Another set of cups shattered.
"How dare Xu Rongying! I am the Noble Consort, how dare she act so presumptuously, bringing a group of lowly people to recklessly search my sleeping quarters!" Noble Consort Xue’s face was contorted with rage, sweeping everything nearby to the ground, her entire demeanor irritable and moody, clearly furious.
The eunuchs and palace maids in the hall all hung their heads, not daring to utter a single word. Their Consort had been venting for quite some time, yet her anger showed no sign of abating.
Seeing the people below cowering in fear, Noble Consort Xue grew even more furious, throwing things over viciously: "Useless, all of you are useless. So many of you couldn’t stop a few servants, what good are you!"
The people below didn’t dare to dodge, and the eunuch who was hit had his head split open, bleeding on the spot, yet didn’t dare to make a sound.
After venting furiously, seeing the eunuch with blood streaming down his forehead, Noble Consort Xue felt some relief, the savage anger in her heart eased a little. However, upon returning to the inner chamber and seeing the disheveled bedding, another rush of blood surged to her head, causing a severe headache.
Recalling the scene just now, she gnashed a mouthful of silver teeth. How could such barbaric people exist in the palace!
Speaking of which, after Consort Xu De came out of Canglan Court, she immediately led the people of Huaying Hall to patrol the entire Harem and various departments. Ever since Zhang Qing relayed the imperial edict, indeed, no one dared to act rashly, and the entire Harem was silent, almost like the Cold Palace.
She thought it over, realizing she could trap the master but couldn’t truly trap all the servants, or everyone would starve to death. So she first sent an order to the Imperial Kitchen to prepare some large pots of rice, allowing both servants and masters to eat and stay alive, albeit without refined food. If they dared to cause trouble, even the large pots of rice would be taken away, and regardless of status, they would go hungry for three meals.
Her sister was still suffering, and these people dreaming of having refined meals would not happen.
Then she took people to search the various palaces and halls. Since her sister couldn’t find peace, she wanted everyone in this palace to be equally disturbed.
The first place she went was Noble Consort Xue’s Huaqing Palace.
Her heroic face held a smile when facing the Noble Consort, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes: "A priceless treasure is missing from the palace. Without it, everyone must stay confined in the palace as per the imperial order. To clear the sisters’ names, I’ve come personally to investigate. I hope the Noble Consort understands."
With that, at her command, she immediately began a grand search, turning Huaqing Palace upside down under the guise of caring for Noble Consort Xue, restoring her innocence, saying, "Search carefully, don’t let worthless people plant harmful things on the Noble Consort."
Noble Consort Xue was furious and ordered them to be stopped, but the people of Huaqing Palace were no match for those of Huaying Hall. Within a few moves, Consort Xu De’s two personal guards stopped them, rendering them immobile.
Recalling the humiliation from that time, Noble Consort Xue pointed to the bedclothes viciously: "Throw out everything touched by the people from Huaying Hall."
What missing priceless treasure, utter nonsense, only fools would believe such words. Surely something big happened to warrant a curfew, but it’s hateful she’s been cut off from all information, knowing nothing of what happened, reduced to this state where any unruly person can lord over her.
The people of Huaqing Palace received the order and hurriedly collected all the bedding, discarding everything that could be thrown away.
Noble Consort Xue was strict in her demands and hated when people touched her things at random. She couldn’t even tolerate the incorrect placement of objects usually, let alone by people she loathed. So everyone got busy, cleaning and replacing both inside and outside the hall, making it a sleepless night at Huaqing Palace.
After thoroughly searching Huaqing Palace, Consort Xu De was deeply disappointed not to find anything sinister. She knew there must be something, but she didn’t know where it was hidden or if it had been destroyed already.
After leaving Huaqing Palace, she turned and headed straight for Huafu Hall.
Though physically weak, her heart was merciless. She couldn’t tolerate Liu Fei, that cold, venomous snake. Before, upon seeing Liu Fei’s frailty, even after once being entrapped, she was too indifferent to bother with her. But times have changed, and her dislike for Liu Fei surpassed even that for Noble Consort Xue.
If the people of Huafu Hall hadn’t orchestrated and colluded with that palace maid, how would her sister have suffered this calamity? When Nanny Qi spoke to her, she wished nothing more than to charge into Huafu Hall and dismember Liu Fei!
With a group in tow, she repeated the actions from Huaqing Palace at Huafu Hall. However, the people of Huafu Hall did not resist much and instead cooperated considerably.
Upon seeing her, Liu Fei immediately stood up, saying she had been lethargic all day, unaware of what happened in the palace, and allowed the search, appearing quite agreeable.
Consort Xu De sneered: "Such an innocent and ignorant appearance, Consort Liu is truly as pure as a thousand-year-old mountain-white tea camellia. If only the servants below were like that too."
Liu Fei felt something was amiss and asked: "What do you mean?"
Consort Xu De was extremely disgusted upon seeing this: "Consort Liu knows better than anyone, some things don’t go unpunished forever, but rather the time hasn’t come yet. Eventually, retribution will be exacted. Come, search, and see if there are any filthy items!"
Liu Fei coughed as she was helped to her feet, looked around the hall, and suddenly realized, clutching the hand of the person next to her tightly: "Where is Qing Ya? Where has she gone?"
The person beside her averted their gaze: "Sister Qing Ya caught a cold, afraid of passing it to the Consort..."
Before the words were finished, Liu Fei interrupted sharply: "Shut up! Where exactly did she go?"
If this were true, Qing Ya wouldn’t remain absent during Consort Xu De’s palace sweep, blocking her. Unfortunately, she had been drowsily unwell, believing such words, deceived for a day.
Amidst the mumbling of the servants around her, Liu Fei was so shocked she struggled to breathe; she suppressed her palpitations and asked where the person had gone, questioning everyone at Huafu Hall, yet no one knew. She was both shocked and angry, immediately changing clothes to go out and find the person, but no one could stop her.
Consort Xu De, bearing a whip, walked through Huafu Hall. Seeing anything disagreeable, she lashed out, ordering more searches.
Upon hearing the report that Liu Fei, risking her life, wanted to go out and find a palace maid, she sneered: "Such profound master-servant affection, don’t stop her, let her go."