In the flower hall, Xiu Xiu and Xiao He stood respectfully to the side, their faces cautious.
Qiao Er, on the other hand, was beaming. She walked to the center, picked up the embroidered shoe, and happily approached Yun Xiao.
“Miss, you’re so amazing, this is wonderful! No one will dare bully you anymore.”
After Qiao Er spoke, Xiu Xiu and Xiao He, standing below, had dark lines on their faces. This girl was truly different from others. Didn't she see how fiercely the Empress struck people? Wasn't she afraid?
Yun Xiao slightly curved her lips, feeling quite pleased.
As for Li Ruo Yun, she had likely gone to complain. So what?
Could her aunt, the Yun King’s Consort, eat her? If Li Ruo Yun hadn't provoked her, would she have hit her? A dark gleam flickered in her eyes.
News of the young miss being beaten spread through the Yun King’s estate like wildfire.
Throughout the vast estate, everyone was invigorated. Servants gathered in groups of three and five, discussing the matter animatedly, each with a happy expression.
They hadn’t expected the foolish young miss to be able to stand up for them. Truthfully, although this young miss lived in the estate, she had always been overbearing, acting superior and bossing everyone around. The servants in the estate were often subjected to her reprimands.
Some had even suffered physical abuse from her. The King and the young master were rarely in the estate, and the King’s Consort managed affairs.
However, the King’s Consort was this young miss’s paternal aunt, so she naturally turned a blind eye. The servants had nowhere to voice their grievances. They hadn’t expected her to be beaten now; it was truly karma.
In the main hall of the Yun King’s primary residence.
Li Ruo Yun was crying bitterly, her hair disheveled, her clothes in disarray, utterly lacking the demeanor of a young lady from a prominent family.
Yun Wang Ye raised an eyebrow slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He spoke impatiently, “Can you explain before you cry?”
Seeing the King’s anger, the Yun King’s Consort quickly and carefully reminded her niece, “Speak slowly. Whatever it is, the King will uphold justice for you.”
Actually, the Yun King’s Consort could guess the course of events without needing an explanation.
In the Yun King’s estate, aside from that fool, there was no one else who dared to lay hands on this young miss.
But who would have thought that Yun Xiao, who had suffered countless losses before, would take such drastic action this time? Had she really been in the palace for so long that her temper had developed, daring to hit people?
The Yun King’s Consort watched everything unfold with a placid expression. Li Ruo Yun quickly stopped her sobs and spoke aggrievedly.
“Today, my cousin returned, and I missed her greatly, so I went to see her. Who knew she would hit me and beat me like this,” Li Ruo Yun said pitifully, breaking into tears again at the end.
She had truly been beaten severely. As she cried, tears soaked her swollen skin, causing it to ache even more.
After Li Ruo Yun finished, the Yun King’s Consort raised an eyebrow and looked at the King, “I didn’t expect Xiao’er to hit someone, and so hard. Ruo Yun’s face was almost ruined by her.”
The Yun Wang Ye, who had been seated at the head, seemed incredulous and questioned again, “You say Xiao’er hit you?”
Li Ruo Yun quickly nodded through her tears. She was waiting for the Yun Wang Ye to uphold justice for her.
“Yes, she struck with such ferocity. I couldn’t dodge at all, and her strength was immense.”
Yun Mo, having confirmed the matter, abruptly stood up from his chair. He paced back and forth in the center of the hall, then turned and commanded outwards, “Someone, immediately go and invite the Empress here.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Outside the door, the estate’s steward, Yun Fu, respectfully responded, leading two servants to fetch the Empress.
In the hall, Li Ruo Yun, still weeping, walked to the Yun King’s Consort’s side. The Yun King’s Consort patted her hand and said with concern, “Don’t worry, the King will surely uphold justice for you. Although Xiao’er is honored as the Empress, how can she hit people so casually? You are her cousin.”
“Aunt,” Li Ruo Yun called out, her mood calming slightly.
If Yun Xiao was not punished today, her resentment would not be appeased. Even if she was the Empress, she couldn't just hit people as she pleased.
Yun Mo, pacing in the center of the flower hall, did not notice their conversation, completely lost in his own thoughts.
Xiao’er could actually hit people. This girl had been slow-witted since childhood, possessed a timid personality, and was easily frightened. She was always the one being bullied, never imagining that a cornered rabbit would fight back.
It seemed going into the palace was not a bad thing. It had finally brought out her spirit, making her know how to fight back.
Yun Mo became happier the more he thought about it. He slammed his hand down, letting out a sound that startled both the Yun King’s Consort and Li Ruo Yun, who looked up at the Yun Wang Ye in astonishment.
They had initially thought the King was too angry to be so agitated. However, as they looked up, they only saw the King’s face beaming with joy, exclaiming repeatedly, “This is truly wonderful, I never expected Xiao’er to be able to hit people.”
As these words were spoken, the Yun King’s Consort and Li Ruo Yun’s faces turned pale, disbelief flashing in their eyes.
What did the King mean by this? They had expected him to discipline Yun Xiao, but his current demeanor did not seem like he was going to discipline her.
“Your Highness?” The Yun King’s Consort’s voice trembled slightly. She knew the King had always been protective of his own, but Yun Xiao had truly gone too far this time.
Ruo Yun was her cousin, after all. Look how she had been beaten by her.
This way, she could not account for it to Ruo Yun’s parents. They had always kept Ruo Yun by her side to accompany her.
Unexpectedly, she was beaten today, and so severely. Could she, as her aunt, still be able to face the Li family?
But Yun Mo paid no attention to her. His gaze fell directly upon Li Ruo Yun, sharp and sinister.
“Do you really think the King was unaware of your past actions? What do you take this King for? Xiao’er hitting you today is also to seek justice for yourself from the past. What grievances do you have?”
As Yun Mo’s words fell, the flower hall fell into a deathly silence.
The Yun King’s Consort and Li Ruo Yun dared not utter a single word. The Yun Wang Ye only showed a good temper when facing Yun Zhen and Yun Xiao. Towards everyone else, he was always cold and ruthless. Otherwise, how would he have earned the moniker of God of War?
At this moment, the steward Yun Fu’s voice was heard from outside the flower hall: “Your Highness, the Empress has arrived.”
At the entrance, Yun Xiao had already gracefully entered, having changed into a dark blue long dress.
Currently, she was dressed in a white cotton dress and a white cross-collared thin jacket.
The cuffs and hem were embroidered with golden chrysanthemums hanging upside down. She looked as if she had stepped out of a painting, her face adorned with a sweet and charming smile, like rippling water, making it impossible to look away.
Everyone in the flower hall was mesmerized. However, as her gaze casually swept over Li Ruo Yun, Li Ruo Yun immediately shivered.
The fierce image of her hitting someone instantly flooded her mind. Her slender hands clenched, her palms covered in cold sweat.
At this moment, she no longer dared to mention punishing this fool. If she pushed her too far, she might hit her again in front of so many people.
Moreover, her uncle did not seem like someone who would stand up for her. Li Ruo Yun could only swallow her grievances, with only one thought in her mind.
She wanted to go home immediately, back to the Li mansion. Although the Yun King’s estate held high status, she did not want to stay another moment.