After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

Concubine Xian clutched her cheeks tightly with her hands, her face a look of disbelief. Her eyes widened as she stared at Tang Wenshu, her heart filled with astonishment and bewilderment. On the one hand, she couldn't believe that Tang Wenshu would punish her so mercilessly for such a trivial matter; on the other hand, she was even more shocked by the fact that Tang Wenshu, as the supremely respected empress, had actually struck someone personally! After all, the empress's every move represented the highest standards of etiquette for the entire State of Zhao!

Tang Wenshu's sudden slap not only stunned Concubine Xian, but also frightened the other concubines around her into silence. For a moment, the entire palace fell into a dead silence.

Yet, at this moment, Tang Wenshu secretly resented the situation. The Queen Mother knew full well that the current emperor was a woman, yet she still forced so many concubines upon him. Her motive was obvious: to further consolidate her position within the imperial court and the harem. After all, as a woman, the emperor naturally couldn't have too much intimate contact with these concubines. Over time, these concubines would naturally become the Queen Mother's trusted associates. It must be said that this move by the Queen Mother was a brilliant plan that killed two birds with one stone, or even three birds with one stone.

Sadly, the Empress Dowager seems to have forgotten the contributions of the renowned Duke Tang to the State of Zhao. Those achievements are unforgettable for any court official, let alone anyone who dares to forget them. Now, Duke Tang's granddaughter, Tang Wenshu, has ascended to the throne of Empress. Even though Duke Tang has passed away, countless citizens of Zhao will continue to steadfastly support Your Majesty because of this Empress.

The Duke of Tang's household was plagued by intense internal strife, yet faced with external adversaries, they united in solidarity. Only Tang Wenshu was fortunate enough to marry into the Imperial Palace, earning her deep favor. The Empress Dowager even promised that if anyone else from the Duke of Tang's household entered the palace, she would grant them the title of Imperial Noble Consort.

Yet, even with such tempting offers before their eyes, no one was tempted. Even daughters from side branches hurriedly married rather than enter the palace. To this day, the supremely prestigious position of Imperial Noble Consort remains vacant, simply because the Empress Dowager knows that the benefits of this position must be maximized.

On this day, a shocking farce unfolded within the palace. Tang Wenshu, furious, approached Concubine Xian and, without a word, delivered a resounding slap. Afterward, she waved her hand nonchalantly, then leisurely returned to her seat. Sitting down, she casually lifted the still-drinking cup of tea and took a sip. Unexpectedly, the tea was scalding hot. Instead of swallowing, Tang Wenshu suddenly spat it all out. Coincidentally, the hot tea landed squarely on Concubine Shu's face, standing directly in front of her.

A startled cry rang out, "It's so hot!" Concubine Shu, her face splattered with hot tea, felt a burning pain as if on fire. She screamed in panic, leaping to her feet and repeatedly shouting, "It's so hot! It's so hot!" Her overreaction drew the attention of everyone present. Even the usually composed Empress Dowager grew suspicious. She turned to Ruyi beside her, wondering if someone had dared to deliberately serve the Empress a cup of scalding tea.

Seeing this, Tang Wenshu hurriedly said, "Mother, you'd better send someone to invite a royal physician to Concubine Shu. Look at her face, it's already starting to blister!" As she finished speaking, everyone turned their eyes to Concubine Shu's face, and sure enough, they saw that several large and small blisters had quickly appeared on it at a speed visible to the naked eye, which looked really scary.

Concubine Shu felt a burning pain on her face, like a venomous snake, rapidly spreading through her nerves and veins throughout her body. Every inch of her skin, every bone, felt like it was on fire, stinging with unbearable pain. Her consciousness began to blur, the scene before her became hazy, and the whole world spun. Yet, despite this, she still relied on the last shred of willpower, supported by the palace maids, gritted her teeth, and struggled to support her shaky body, refusing to collapse easily.

At this moment, Concubine Shu's heart was filled with endless doubt and resentment. She stared wide-eyed, incredulous at the incomparably noble figure before her—the Queen Mother. Her trembling lips parted slightly, and with all her might, she cried out, a cry filled with grievance and bewilderment: "Mother!" Her voice echoed through the air, but it fell on deaf ears, receiving no response.

Concubine Shu racked her brains, trying to understand the true intention behind her mother's actions. Was it simply to humiliate the Empress in front of everyone? And yet, why was she the one who ultimately suffered this undeserved disaster? This question, like a heavy yoke, tightened around her heart, making it almost impossible to breathe.

At this thought, Concubine Shu could no longer suppress the surging grief within her. Tears burst forth like a flood, blurring her beautiful face. Crystal clear tears slid down her cheeks, dripping onto the cold ground, creating tiny splashes of water.

At that moment, Tang Wenshu, who had remained silent until then, suddenly turned gloomy, like frost in the cold of winter. She glanced coldly at the trembling palace maid beside her and commanded in a tone devoid of emotion, "Go, bring this cold water to the table." As soon as she finished speaking, a maid hurried off. A moment later, she cautiously limped over, carrying a basin of cold water. After gently placing it on the table, she quickly lowered her head and stepped aside, not daring to slack off.

Then, Tang Wenshu slowly turned her head, her gaze cold as ice, staring directly at Concubine Shu. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a chilling sneer. Then, in a tone that left no room for questioning, she said indifferently, "Concubine Shu, what are you still standing there for? Come and wash your face." These words were like a sharp sword, piercing Concubine Shu's already wounded heart.

Hearing this, Concubine Shu couldn't help but shudder and subconsciously took a step back. She knew full well that her injuries were serious, and if she rashly washed her face with cold water, the consequences would be disastrous. Furthermore, she preferred to wait until the imperial physician arrived, so she hesitated for a moment. However, facing Tang Wenshu's oppressive gaze, Concubine Shu was ultimately unable to resist. She gritted her teeth and slowly inched towards the desk.

However, just as Concubine Shu reached the table, something unexpected happened. Tang Wenshu suddenly reached out and mercilessly grabbed Concubine Shu's arm, pulling her hard and dragging her directly to the basin. Then, before Concubine Shu could react, Tang Wenshu suddenly pushed her head into the water.

Instantly, Concubine Shu was terrified and began to struggle desperately. She waved her hands non-stop, trying to break free from Tang Wenshu's grip, while making incoherent cries for help. But no matter how hard she tried, Tang Wenshu kept holding her head tightly, not allowing her even a chance to breathe.

The numerous concubines present were horrified and stunned by this terrifying scene. They had never imagined that the usually dignified and virtuous empress would treat Concubine Shu so harshly, even resorting to such a cruel method—drowning her. Could it be that the empress intended to execute Concubine Shu on the spot? Everyone's heart was in their throat, so nervous that they dared not breathe.