Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace: Fawning

Yuyan was humiliated in front of Hongli and dared not speak. She could only swallow her loss and leave the Yangxin Palace while enduring the pain in her ears.

Shuizhi took her cloak and returned to the lotus pond, only to find that惢心 had disappeared. She searched around the lotus pond for several times but couldn't find her. She was afraid that she had jumped into the lake out of despair.

In desperation, she ran back to Yiku Palace crying to find someone for help.

"Empress, something bad has happened." Shuizhi shouted as she ran.

Seeing Shuizhi running out of breath, Lingzhi quickly dropped the broom and ran over to ask, "What's wrong, Shuizhi? Didn't you go to see Madam Ling?"

Shuizhi stamped her feet anxiously, holding Lingzhi's hand with tears in her eyes, and choked with sobs, "Madam... she disappeared when I went to the lotus pond to look for her just now. Do you think she fell into the river? It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left..."

As Shuizhi said this, she wiped away her tears.

"Don't be anxious.惢心 is a strong girl. She has survived such difficult times before. There is no reason for her to commit suicide. So, let's go look for her first. Maybe she is enjoying the flowers somewhere. Shuizhi, don't be anxious." Sanbao analyzed everything clearly.

Instead of daydreaming about it here, it’s better to go out and look for it.

When the three were about to leave Yikun Palace to find惢心, Rong Pei walked out of the main hall holding a basin.

"What are you going to do?" Rong Pei said with a gloomy face.

"Mrs. Ling is missing, and we were just about to go look for her," Sanbao explained.

Rong Pei limped forward slowly, carefully assessing the three people. She knew that惢心 had once been a popular figure around Ruyi, but now the one staying by the Queen's side was her, a mere wife of a guard. Could she be as important as the Queen?

Rong Pei asked, "If you all leave, who will serve the Empress?"

"Lingzhi Sanbao, please be aware of your identities. You are the people close to the Empress. It is your duty to take good care of the Empress. Don't spend all your time looking for random people. This will ruin your status as the Yikun Palace."

Shuizhi had never met Rong Pei before leaving the palace, so naturally she didn't know her personality. Seeing her master being called a cat or a dog, she didn't show any weakness and angrily retorted, "When my wife was with the Empress, you didn't even know where to wash clothes. How dare you call my wife a cat or a dog? I think you are the mad dog that bites people indiscriminately."

Ling Zhi glanced up at Rong Pei's face, fearing that the two would start a fight. She quietly tugged at Shui Zhi's sleeve and whispered in her ear, "Shui Zhi, don't say anything. Rong Pei is a favorite of the Empress, and we can't afford to offend her."

"you--"

Rong Pei had a bad temper. Seeing that Shui Zhi dared to scold her like that, she directly poured the water in the basin at Shui Zhi.

"Ah—" Shuizhi covered her face with her hands, but it was no use. The stench all over her body was unbearable. She completely forgot that this was the imperial palace and rolled up her sleeves to fight. "You dead cripple, you dare to throw such dirty water on me? I will beat you to death."

Sanbao and Lingzhi stepped forward to try to stop the fight, but they couldn't pull the two apart.

There was a commotion in the courtyard, and Ruyi came out upon hearing the noise.

Seeing Rong Pei and Shui Zhi rolling on the ground, she angrily asked, "What are you doing?"

"Lingzhi, Sanbao, what are you doing standing there? Hurry up and find a way to separate them."

Sanbao and Lingzhi obeyed the order and immediately stepped forward. It took a lot of effort to separate the two people.

Sanbao grabbed Shuizhi's hand. Shuizhi's hair was disheveled, her facial features were distorted due to the struggle, and her limbs were struggling constantly, as if she wanted to rush up again and fight Rong Pei to the death.

"You ugly and lame old witch, come back if you dare, and I'll beat you to death."

Rong Pei is much more miserable than Shuizhi.

She was already quite old, and she had a lame leg. After being hit by Shuizhi, not only did the corner of her mouth bleed, but her face was also scratched, and her body was in great pain.

"How dare you act so recklessly in Yikun Palace and hit Rong Pei in front of me, you..."

Ruyi gritted her teeth and her cheeks puffed up. Because she was angry, her breathing became rapid and her chest heaved.

"Your Majesty, don't be angry. It's all my fault. Miss惢心 has served you for more than ten years. Although I can't compare to her, my loyalty to you is no less than Miss惢心. Woo woo..." Rong Pei knelt on the ground and cried.

Shuizhi knew that Rong Pei would complain, but she didn't expect that she was also an old green tea who would confuse right and wrong.

Ruyi didn't give Shuizhi any chance to explain and directly asked Sanbao to hold Shuizhi.

After all, Shuizhi was once a member of Yiku Palace. Sanbao didn't dare to take action and looked at Lingzhi.

Ling Zhi couldn't bear it, so she stepped forward and begged for mercy, "Empress, please forgive Shui Zhi for having served you before. 惢心 also needs her care."

"I couldn't find my wife, so I wanted Lingzhi and Sanbao to help me look for her, but Rongpei scolded her like a cat or a dog, saying there was no need to look for her..."

Before he could finish his words, Ruyi interrupted him.

"Shuizhi, you came from Yikun Palace. Your every word and action represents Yikun Palace. Even if Rong Pei made a mistake today, you shouldn't have hit her. Since惢心 is not here, I will teach you a lesson on her behalf so that you will remember this lesson."

Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "You are a palace maid, so I will punish you by making you stand on the board. You can leave after two hours..."

"Empress..." Ling Zhi widened her eyes. This punishment of being stared at was used to punish people who committed serious crimes. The punished person would most likely suffer from dizziness and headache, and in serious cases, he might even die. With Shui Zhi's small body, wouldn't two hours be enough to kill her?

Ling Zhi couldn't bear it, so she knelt down and begged for mercy, "Your Majesty, please have mercy on me. Shui Zhi knows she's wrong. You can just kneel down as punishment, why..."

Sanbao also felt that the punishment was too severe.

Begging for mercy, he said, "Yes, my lady."

Rong Pei looked at Shuizhi complacently. She wanted to see if Shuizhi could still be tough again.

"Shuizhi, it's time for us to leave the palace." Just when Shuizhi was in a dilemma, Li Yu pushed惢心 back to Yiku Palace.

"Good health, Her Majesty." Li Yu saluted.

Ruyi smiled openly and nodded, "Why is Li Yu here too?"

"I saw Suo Xin wandering around the Imperial Garden alone. I was worried that she might be inconvenienced and offend the other ladies, so I sent her back to get the water branch. It's getting dark, and if she doesn't leave the palace, the palace gate will probably be closed."

Li Yu shouted, "Shuizhi, hurry up and leave the palace with Madam Ling."

"Yes." Shuizhi walked to惢心 and looked at Li Yu gratefully.

Rong Pei was unwilling to accept this and hurriedly shouted, "She hasn't been punished yet? Your Majesty, she beat me like this and she's letting me go like this?"

"Empress, what mistake did Shuizhi make? Could you please tell me? If it is reasonable, I will naturally not cover up for her. If she is slandering Shuizhi, then I will ask Eunuch Li Yu to take me to see the emperor and ask the emperor to judge the case."惢心 said coldly.

Rong Pei's expression changed.

Ruyi smiled and said, "It's nothing serious. Since you,惢心, have asked me to, take Shuizhi and leave. If you have nothing else to do, come to the palace to see me often."

What are you looking at? Your joke?

Suoxin said nothing, said goodbye to Sanbao and Lingzhi, and left the palace with Shuizhi.

Li Yu did not stay long and went straight back to the Yangxin Palace.