Returning after a three-year escape from death, the tyrant has turned evil.

Chapter 17 Punishment, Demotion

She had been enduring excruciating pain, but upon hearing the imperial physician's words, tears welled up in her eyes and almost spilled out.

Then, the imperial physician said in a low voice, "Please bear with the pain, my lady, I will pull out this porcelain shard."

Xichun didn't even dare to look at this scene. She still offered her arm and said, "Cainu, pinch my arm. Just bear with it, it will be over soon."

Jiang Lanye observed Xichun's movements and then looked at Song Yi's expression, only then belatedly realizing that Song Yi was extremely afraid of pain.

He walked over, and a crisp, refreshing scent wafted over.

He said softly, "Grab mine."

Song Yi was on the verge of tears, and said in a trembling voice, "This concubine should... pinch herself."

How dare she pinch the tyrant's arm?

The two stood on either side, watching as the imperial physician slowly pulled out the porcelain shard after he was ready.

The wound was deeply embedded by a piece of porcelain, appearing to the naked eye as a bloody gash, with blood gushing out and meandering down her fair calf.

Song Yi almost tore her skirt apart before she could barely suppress the pain and cry out.

Then, the imperial physician picked up the medicinal wine again, but this time he did not inform Song Yi in advance, and suddenly collapsed.

Song Yi gasped in surprise. The intense pain made her whole body tremble, and she almost fell off the chair.

Jiang Lanye reacted extremely quickly, stepping forward the instant her body tilted and holding her firmly in his arms.

Song Yi's face was pressed against his waist. At this moment, she didn't care about anything else and buried her face in his dragon robe, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Jiang Lanye gripped her shoulders tightly and looked down at her.

Song Yi was really thin, with a slender frame and petite figure. At this moment, she looked like a seriously injured little animal, trembling all over, and just leaning against him. She looked pitiful no matter how you looked at her.

His Adam's apple bobbed for a moment, and he suddenly realized that this was the first time he had ever been so close to Song Yi.

Song Yi's fingertips trembled as she weakly fiddled with the double dragon pattern embroidered in gold thread on his dragon robe. After a long while, she asked in a muffled voice, "Is it done?"

Jiang Lanye had been watching the imperial physician's movements closely, and upon hearing this, he whispered, "It'll be quick, don't rush."

His tone was so gentle that even Xichun, who was standing next to him, was stunned.

Xi Chun had been so preoccupied with feeling sorry for Song Yi that she suddenly realized that her concubine was being held tightly in His Majesty's arms, and that His Majesty had just been gently comforting her.

The imperial physician, under Jiang Lanye's icy gaze, broke out in a sweat due to nervousness. After finally finishing the treatment, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Your Majesty, it's all better now."

Song Yi then supported herself against him and sat up straight, looking down at her knees, which were wrapped up tightly.

"Sit down."

Jiang Lanye's voice rang out from above.

Song Yi quickly sat up straight, but her right leg remained stiffly extended in the air, and she dared not bend her knee at will.

Jiang Lanye pinched the bridge of his nose, finding it troublesome, and said again, "Bring a low stool over here."

Xichun quickly moved a stool and placed it at Song Yi's feet. Song Yi put her feet on it, and her legs naturally straightened, finally relieving her fatigue.

Consort Zhuang's legs had gone numb from kneeling for so long. Seeing that the imperial physician had finished bandaging her, she could no longer kneel and tentatively called out, "Your Majesty."

Jiang Lanye's eyes were devoid of any warmth as he looked at her, and he said directly, "Explain."

"Today, I was bored, so I summoned my younger sister to Weiyang Palace for a chat. But I didn't expect her to speak so rudely, openly and subtly mocking me for not being favored by the Emperor. As a concubine, how could I tolerate a mere maidservant like her defying me?"

She looked aggrieved and talked on and on, as if she were the one who was hurt.

Jiang Lanye listened to her silently without any reaction.

Consort Zhuang couldn't figure out what Jiang Lanye was thinking, so she continued:
"I was so angry that I thought of having a maid teach her a lesson, but she refused to obey me. She not only broke free from the maid's restraints, but also ran around my palace. She then broke a vase and got injured. After that, I didn't dare to let anyone touch her again." As she spoke, her voice grew softer and softer, clearly losing her confidence.

When Jiang Lanye went in, Song Yi was still lying on the ground.

Jiang Lanye looked at Song Yi and said, "You speak."

Song Yi was taken aback and hesitated.

Like Consort Zhuang, she concealed information about her appearance.

Consort Zhuang did not want Jiang Lanye to know, and she wanted to hide her identity.

Song Yi said in a hoarse voice, "When I went to Weiyang Palace, Her Highness asked me to massage her shoulders and legs. Then she mocked my appearance, saying it was unsightly. I got angry and retorted to shut her up. After that, Her Highness ordered her maids to restrain me and make me kneel down, saying she wanted to teach me a lesson."

As she spoke, her wound was still throbbing in waves, and soon her eyes uncontrollably reddened, not because she was deliberately trying to look pitiful.

However, this scene was viewed differently by Jiang Lanye.

He whispered, "And then?"

His voice was very soft, as if he was afraid of frightening Song Yi.

"Then, I was terrified and tried to break free and run away. But the palace doors were tightly closed and several servants rushed in to grab me. Fortunately, the vase broke, so I took a piece of porcelain to protect myself, which allowed me to hold out until His Majesty arrived."

So when he went in, he saw that Song Yi's palms were bleeding profusely and she was lying on the ground.

Perhaps at that time, several servants had already seized her and forced her to kneel down.

Just imagining that scene made Jiang Lanye suddenly feel like he was out of control.

But why.

He had only known Song Yi for a few days, so why was he so concerned and angry when he saw that she was injured?

Consort Zhuang immediately retorted loudly, "Your Majesty, she is lying. She was the one who disrespected me first and refused to be punished properly, which is why I thought of forcibly arresting her."

"enough."

He suddenly interrupted Consort Zhuang's words in a cold voice.

Consort Zhuang was so frightened that she immediately fell silent.

Jiang Lanye said directly: "Consort Zhuang is making things difficult for lower-ranking concubines and is vicious. She is hereby demoted to Zhaoyi."

From this moment forward, she is Consort Zhuang.

Consort Zhuang collapsed to the ground, completely unlike her former domineering self.

"Your Majesty, Consort Song was also at fault in this matter. How can Your Majesty punish only me because she was injured!"

She had held her position as a concubine for a year, but today, because of a mere palace maid, His Majesty was about to take his anger out on her and demote her.

In Jiang Lanye's eyes, Song Yi was just an ugly laundry maid!

Why should we protect her like this?

Jiang Lanye looked at her coldly, "Does my decision require your understanding?"

Consort Zhuang trembled and could no longer speak.

"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong and am willing to accept punishment."

Jiang Lanye continued, "Go back and reflect on your actions for a month."

She glanced coldly at Song Yi, gritting her teeth as she said, "Yes."

(End of this chapter)