Princess Murong Xingzhu, who had been sitting opposite Mu Qingyao, swallowed hard, grateful for her decisive change of mind. Even now, her scalp tingled faintly.
"Yiyun, immediately notify all the eunuchs and maids in Fengluan Palace, from the chief eunuch to the maids in the laundry room. All of them must come. This palace wants to show them that if they wish to remain in Fengluan Palace, they must be loyal to their mistress. Otherwise, they will only..."
Her unfinished words carried a strong scent of blood. Yiyun, not daring to breathe, nodded quickly and went to gather personnel. It wasn't just the Empress Dowager who was difficult to deal with; this Empress was even more formidable than the Empress Dowager.
Xiao Qiu, who had been slumped on the ground, finally couldn't bear the blow and vomited before passing out. However, no one paid her any attention.
Soon.
All the eunuchs and maids of Fengluan Palace, along with the chief eunuch, knelt in the side hall. Many didn't know what had happened, exchanging glances and stealing peeks upwards.
The Empress had a cold expression, shrouded in chill, striking fear into everyone, making them dare not breathe. Some others, aware of what had happened earlier, were even more terrified. If the Empress didn't even spare the Empress Dowager's people a glance, then what were they, mere maids and eunuchs? It was truly important not to displease Her Majesty.
Therefore, despite the large crowd, the entire hall remained silent except for the heavy breathing.
Huamei was soon brought in. Upon seeing the unconscious Xiao Qiu, her eyes flickered, and her heart felt uneasy. But thinking that she was the Empress Dowager's person, and that the Empress would have to show some respect to the Empress Dowager, her courage grew slightly as she walked in with two maids and a eunuch.
"Your servant greets Her Majesty the Empress."
Huamei knelt to pay her respects. After a long silence from above, she carefully looked up and saw Her Majesty's face as cold as ice. Her deep, bottomless black eyes shimmered with a green light, as fierce as a wolf's. Huamei's heart immediately fluttered in mid-air, unable to land, and she quickly lowered her head, her voice losing its previous confidence. She spoke softly.
"May I know why Your Majesty summoned this servant?"
"Bold Huamei, how dare you leak this palace's affairs? You deserve to die," Mu Qingyao gritted out, each word striking the eunuchs and maids like a heavy hammer.
Everyone's faces turned pale, their legs trembled, and they were filled with panic. Even the normally arrogant Aunt Huamei's face was as white as paper, sweat beading and sticking to a few wisps of hair at her temples. She looked utterly disheveled, completely devoid of her usual dignity.
However, although Huamei was afraid, she still tried to maintain her composure. At worst, she would invoke the Empress Dowager.
"Your Majesty, this servant did not! Do not listen to this dead girl Xiao Qiu's nonsense. This servant has done nothing."
Mu Qingyao at the head was already getting impatient. She was too lazy to play these cat-and-mouse games with these women. Her face darkened, and a cold smile flickered across her lips as she said coldly:
"Huamei, this palace does not wish to play mind games with you. The matrons from the punishment chamber are here. Immediately take this detestable creature to the punishment chamber and see if her mouth is harder, or if the instruments of torture are more powerful?"
As soon as the Empress spoke, the matrons in charge of the punishment chamber stepped forward like wolves. Just seeing them terrified the eunuchs and maids of Fengluan Palace, who dared not move.
As for Huamei, her body turned weak and she couldn't stand. She no longer dared to be defiant and quickly invoked the Empress Dowager.
"Empress, spare this servant's life! This servant acted on the Empress Dowager's orders. It has nothing to do with this servant. Please, Empress, spare this servant's life."
Upon hearing Huamei's words, Mu Qingyao's lips curved into a smile. She said with a half-smile:
"You ignorant wretch, how dare you tarnish the Empress Dowager's reputation? What kind of person is the Empress Dowager, that she would engage in such petty dealings? Clearly, you yourself wished to please the Empress Dowager and acted with such treachery to seek favor. A person like you is not fit to remain in Fengluan Palace. Furthermore, those who dare to provoke those in this palace will have to bear this palace's wrath."
Mu Qingyao's voice was like thunderclaps in a storm, exploding through the side hall, almost knocking everyone unconscious.
Only now did Huamei understand one thing: the Empress was using her as a warning to others. It seemed she had run into the sharp edge of the blade.
The thought of the torture instruments in the punishment hall made Huamei's body tremble like leaves in the wind. No one could save her now. She hated herself, wondering why she hadn't been more restrained.
"Guards, take Huamei to the punishment chamber and let her know that this palace is not so soft-hearted."
Mu Qingyao waved her hand. Several fierce matrons surged forward, pulling her body, tugging her hair, and in an instant, dragged her out. Huamei's piercing screams could still be heard from afar.
The vast side hall was enveloped in a deathly, bloody aura. This aura terrified not only the eunuchs and maids of Fengluan Palace, but also Princess Murong Xingzhu. How cruel her imperial sister-in-law was! It was best not to provoke her.
Everyone was alert and cautious. A dark layer of people knelt in the side hall. Mu Qingyao slowly stood up and paced before the eunuchs and maids, her tone softening slightly as her calm voice rang out.
"I hope you will take today's events as a warning. If there are any similar instances, this palace will show you what it means to be better off dead than alive." These chilling words instilled only one word in everyone's hearts: loyalty.
From now on, never provoke Her Majesty the Empress. She was not someone to be trifled with, and her methods were even more ruthless than the Empress Dowager's.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Those who are loyal and dutiful need not worry about what just happened. This palace will not punish its subordinates without reason." This statement brought a sigh of relief to many.
So, as long as they didn't do anything wrong, they wouldn't be punished. It seemed their mistress was a reasonable one. They could work with peace of mind from now on and wouldn't get into trouble.
"From now on, you must remember that you are servants of Fengluan Palace, and everything you do must be loyal to Fengluan Palace. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Majesty the Empress." The voices from below were orderly and powerful.
Even after the previous upheaval, everyone's breathing was uneven, but who dared to show it?
Mu Qingyao swept her gaze over the kneeling figures below and finally seemed somewhat satisfied. She turned her head to look at Yiyun at the forefront and said faintly:
"From today onwards, Yiyun will take Huamei's place. Huamei is no longer a person of Fengluan Palace. That's all, except for the chief eunuch and Huamei, everyone else may withdraw."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Empress." The eunuchs and maids withdrew, leaving only Yiyun and the chief eunuch.
Yiyun had sobered up from her initial shock.
Huamei's position was not something that could be easily taken. In Fengluan Palace, besides Her Majesty the Empress, she held the highest authority, managing a group of maids.