It was already afternoon when Mu Fengqie left the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility. The Empress Dowager's imperial edict spread like wildfire throughout the harem in an instant. Even the Emperor caught wind of it. However, the Emperor was in a sorry state himself. Ever since he took the medicine, he had been vomiting and having diarrhea, and he simply couldn't spare any attention for other things.
The concubines in the harem were extremely curious about Mu Fengqie. Many of them were jealous of her. She had just entered the palace, and the Emperor had already gone to see her. The Empress Dowager had even issued an imperial edict to confer on her the title of Princess Anning. Overnight, she had risen from a lowly servant to a proper mistress, which greatly dissatisfied the concubines in the harem.
When Xiaoqing saw Mu Fengqie, she quickly went to help her carry the heavy medicine chest, beaming from ear to ear. "Miss, this is wonderful! We don't have to worry about the Emperor doing anything to you anymore! And now that you're a proper mistress, let's see how those noble ladies from the imperial city will dare to laugh at you in the future!"
Xiaoqing greatly admired Mu Fengqie's methods. Courting the Empress Dowager first was indeed a crucial step. They wouldn't have to endure others' disdain anymore.
Mu Fengqie reached out and pinched Xiaoqing's chubby cheeks affectionately. "Look how happy you are. I might as well think you're the Princess Anning!"
Xiaoqing blushed at the teasing. "Miss just loves to make fun of me."
Zhu Fei also smiled as she watched the two of them playing around. The young master was truly better than the master. She was even more outstanding than the sect leader.
"Greetings to the princess. Her Majesty the Queen requests your presence. Please follow me..." the eunuch said with a straight face.
Mu Fengqie and Xiaoqing were both taken aback. Since they entered the palace, they had been diligent in their duties and had avoided the noble ladies in the palace. Why would the Queen summon her? When something seems off, there must be a hidden motive. She had to be extra careful.
The Queen was the biological mother of Yuan Yuchuan and Yuan Yuze. After giving birth to them, she gradually fell out of favor and was left with just the empty title of the Queen.
Even though she was full of doubts, Mu Fengqie still had to drag her tired body to the Palace of Gathered Elegance, where the Queen lived. Xiaoqing followed closely behind her, feeling extremely uneasy.
The Queen was a ruthless character. It was said that because a young lady who entered the palace accidentally offended the Queen, the Queen had the young lady beaten to death. It was precisely because of her cruel nature that few women in the harem dared to oppose her.
After a long walk, they finally arrived at the Palace of Gathered Elegance. Unlike the simplicity of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, as soon as Mu Fengqie stepped into the Palace of Gathered Elegance, she felt as if she had entered a magnificent castle. Even the Emperor's Hall of Mental Cultivation was not as sumptuous as this.
Mu Fengqie followed the eunuch into the hall curiously. She saw a woman who looked to be in her early thirties. The Third Prince, Yuan Yuze, was sitting beside her.
The moment Yuan Yuze saw Mu Fengqie, his eyes darkened. It was obvious how much he loathed Mu Fengqie. After all, this woman had taken advantage of him.
"I pay my respects to Your Majesty the Queen. May Your Majesty enjoy good health and prosperity." Mu Fengqie gracefully curtsied.
Now that she was the Princess Anning personally conferred by the Empress Dowager, she was on par with the princesses in the palace. The reason she was so polite to the Queen was simply to avoid provoking this troublesome woman. After all, it was better to have one less enemy than one more.
The Queen glanced at Mu Fengqie. Seeing Mu Fengqie's attire and appearance, the Queen couldn't help but take a deep breath. This vixen was truly stunning. How could she, an aging woman, compare to this vixen?
The Queen curled her lips and said in a sarcastic tone, "So you're the imperial physician that Chuan brought into the palace?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Mu Fengqie had been behaving properly and didn't dare to look at the Queen or Yuan Yuze's expressions. However, she was still a bit nervous. She knew exactly what kind of person Yuan Yuze was. The Queen was just like Yuan Yuze. They were like weasels paying a New Year call to chickens - they had ill intentions. She had to be careful not to fall into their trap.
The Queen snorted. "Are you really an imperial physician or just a vixen? Chuan is so irresponsible that he brings anyone into the palace. Today, I'll act on behalf of heaven and teach you this vixen a good lesson!"
As soon as the Queen finished speaking, four or five old nannies beside her walked towards Mu Fengqie with evil smiles on their faces. They kept hitting their wooden sticks in their hands. They looked even more terrifying than Granny Rong.
Although Mu Fengqie knew that this visit wouldn't end well, she didn't expect the Queen to be so bold as to teach her a lesson in the Palace of Gathered Elegance. Her heart sank.
These old nannies were very strong. If those sticks landed on her, the child in her womb would most likely miscarry. So she had to stop the Queen at all costs.
"Wait! Your Majesty, I don't know what I've done to anger Your Majesty. Even if I'm going to die, I should at least know why, right?" Mu Fengqie's tone turned cold.
If she had known that the Queen was so vicious, she should have set her up yesterday to save herself from this trouble!
The Queen raised her eyebrows. She didn't expect Mu Fengqie to be so bold as to confront her directly. "You vixen who bewitches the lord. Don't you know your own place? Do you really think you can turn into a phoenix? Do you think the palace is a place where just anyone can enter?"
"Mother, please calm down. Don't forget the Crown Prince's plan. This woman is still useful to us. You just need to give her a small punishment as a warning. We should focus on the overall situation."
Yuan Yuze whispered in the Queen's ear. His purpose for entering the palace today was to teach Mu Fengqie a lesson. If it weren't for the fact that she could be used to curry favor with the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, he wouldn't have let her live until now.
The Queen nodded. However, as soon as she saw Mu Fengqie's face, her anger flared up. If the palace was full of vixens like Mu Fengqie, wouldn't it be in chaos?
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has already issued an imperial edict saying that I'm never allowed to enter the palace again. Shouldn't Your Majesty feel relieved now?" Mu Fengqie rolled her eyes silently.
She knew that the Queen wouldn't kill her today. However, she also had to find a way to gain the trust of the Queen and the Crown Prince so that she could learn their secrets.
The Queen had, of course, heard about the Empress Dowager's imperial edict. But since Yuan Yuze had come to her, even if Mu Fengqie was no longer a threat to her, she still wanted to teach this insolent little bitch a lesson.
"You've been disrespectful and have offended your superior. I'll give you twenty blows with the board. If you're not obedient in the future, it won't be just the board that you'll have to deal with!" the Queen said casually.
Twenty blows with the board? How could Mu Fengqie's current body withstand twenty blows with the board? Wasn't this the same as killing her?
Mu Fengqie gritted her teeth and finally knelt in front of the Queen. "Your Majesty, I have to give the Empress Dowager acupuncture every day. If I receive these blows, I'm afraid I won't even be able to get out of bed tomorrow."