Hearing this, Consort Zhao flared up immediately. However, she wasn't the sort of person who would blow her top so easily, let alone in front of someone as insignificant as Noble Lady An. In a cold voice, she snapped, "Since you feel so strongly about the matter, and feel that I have not done you justice, why don't I bring this case up to the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor? Surely you will accept their judgment."
Noble Lady An was probably so angry that her mind was damaged. In an uncharacteristically daring move, she retorted, "If I got the Emperor to settle this for me, do you think I'll live to see tomorrow morning? His Majesty is completely infatuated with that woman now—if I uttered one word of dissatisfaction against her, that would be the equivalent of slapping His Majesty across the face!"
"How dare you!"
Consort Zhao finally lost her temper. Sucking in a deep breath to calm herself down, she turned to Dongyun and ordered, "Get someone to send Noble Lady An back to her palace. I forbid her from leaving her palace for the next five days!"
"Consort Zhao..." Noble Lady An tried to protest again. However, Consort Zhao was adamant this time. Expressionlessly, she declared, "You've fallen ill because of the cold weather, which made you go crazy and gave you the courage to spout this sort of nonsense in my palace. I must get a doctor to take a look at you soon." Here, she paused before continuing, "Return to your palace and don't come out until you've recovered. If you come out and expose yourself to the cold winds of the palace alleyways again, you might really die this time."
"Consort Zhao!" Noble Lady An struggled in vain as Dongyun ordered a few maids into the hall to escort her out.
As soon as Noble Lady An left, a tense silence fell over the hall. Next to the vase of osmanthus flowers, a western-style clock ticked quietly away. This clock had once been a treasured possession of the Emperor's, and he had refused to give it away. Consort Zhao had been overjoyed when he finally gifted it to her, but she never expected to fall out of favor with the Emperor again one day.
Worse still, her mistake the other day had delivered this low-born servant girl in front of her straight into the Emperor's bed.
Consort Zhao picked up the teacup next to her and took a sip. However, the tea seemed to have gone cold. She placed it down on the table again.
Lanqi saw this and quickly took a teapot of steaming tea out from the warmer next to her. She poured some tea into a teacup and presented it carefully to Consort Zhao. Bowing, she said, "Today's matter was my fault—I should've disciplined my maid more carefully. Please forgive me, I didn't mean to cause so much trouble for you."
Consort Zhao shot a glance at her. Lanqi's hand had been so steady when she filled the teacup. A contemptuous smile played on Consort Zhao's face as she thought, you can just tell that she was once a servant girl! However, this servant girl had managed to get her hands on the very things that Consort Zhao desperately desired.
She thought the girl would've turned arrogant and lost all sense of propriety after being favored by the Emperor, but First-Class Female Attendant Wu was behaving herself very well. Although this spoke well of Lanqi's character and upbringing, it only felt like a slap in the face to Consort Zhao.
In fact, Consort Zhao echoed the same angry sentiments that Noble Lady An held. However, she wouldn't—and couldn't—voice her indignance aloud. Quarreling with a First-Class Female Attendant over a trivial matter like this would only make her lose face.
Consort Zhao of the Palace of Earthly Honor could live without His Majesty's favor and the Grand Empress Dowager's approval, but she couldn't stand to see the Niohuru clan's reputation besmirched by others.
Consort Zhao snapped out of her daze and regained her composure. "It's just a small matter. Don't take Noble Lady An's words to heart." She smiled blandly at Lanqi and continued, "Noble Lady An has always been fond of getting her way, and the Emperor spoils her too. Just pretend you never heard what she said, and don't go telling the entire palace about it. It's better that you keep it on the down low."
Lanqi bowed deeply and promised her immediately. Consort Zhao turned to Huanchun and said sternly, "You entered the palace before First-Class Female Attendant Wu. If Aunt Sumala finds out how you misbehaved today, don't you think she might give you a good hiding? Just serve your mistress well and don't go wagging that poisonous tongue of yours all over the palace from now on."
"Thank you for the advice, Mistress. I'll remember it well." Huanchun kowtowed and thanked Consort Zhao for not punishing her. When she got up, Consort Zhao announced that she was tired and wished to take an afternoon nap. Dongyun came forward to help her back to her bedchamber, and the others bowed and left.
Lanqi and Huanchun left the Palace of Earthly Honor without speaking a single word to each other. When they got far enough, Lanqi stopped in her tracks and said in a rather coquettish tone to Huanchun, "If Consort Zhao really wanted to punish you, I wouldn't have been able to stop her. Huanchun, you refuse to let me call you Older Sister, but you're older than me, and you've been in the palace for longer than I have. Haven't you learnt how this palace works? Sometimes, it's better to grit your teeth and endure whatever injustice comes your way. I know you wanted to stand up for me, but I feel sorry when I see you being punished for helping me."