Like Pearl and Jade

Chapter 59

"Your Majesty?" Bao Lu looked in shock at Gu Ru Jiu who was sitting and leaning back, as though she had heard incorrectly.

"You did not hear?" Gu Ru Jiu looked down at her teacup. "Bai Xian, take her to the side-room. Get her to speak."

"Yes." Bai Xian and two strong eunuchs dragged the green-robed palace maid away, her mouth covered so she couldn't even make a sound.

The eunuch and court maid in charge saw the other palace maid being silently dragged away and felt cold jump through their bodies through the bottom of their feet. Before Gu Ru Jiu even spoke, they knelt down.

"This palace heard that palace maid say she is from the Food Bureau?" Gu Ru Jiu used the cup lid to brush against the floating tea leaves, the gentle brushing sound causing the two people in charge to tremble more.

They were in charge of the Food Bureau, but in front of these important people, their life and death were just a matter of a few words. The labels of gonggong and matron were all useless.

"Your Majesty, Yang Liu was sent to the Food Bureau a few days ago. She was very good in her duties, so this servant was negligent and allowed her to offend the imperial procession. This servant is guilty." The matron suppressed the terror she felt, and said in a slightly strained voice, "Your Majesty, please forgive me."

"Yang Liu... a good name," Gu Ru Jiu said sarcastically. "Lightly colored with dew, light and untouched by dust."

The two people in charge didn't dare to breathe even more. They heard the pained grunts coming from the next room. They didn't dare to think what kind of punishment Yang Liu was enduring that she would make such sounds even when her mouth was covered.

Then they looked up and saw the expressionless empress looking down and drinking tea. She seemed to not have heard the noise coming from the next room, and didn't even frown.

With this one glance, everyone felt cold all over. They said that the empress was an easy-going person who did not casually punish servants and who was extremely amiable. But today, she was so vicious. It could be seen that everyone had their weak points that could not be easily touched.

For the empress, what could not be touched?

Naturally the emperor!

Yang Liu dared to try to seduce the emperor, and caused them to be held accountable as well. She was so daring and really did not want to live.

"Since Yang Liu was just sent to the Food Bureau, where was she before?" Gu Ru Jiu put down the teacup and heard the quieter sounds coming out of the next room. She said to Bao Lu, "Never mind—have Bai Xian bring her over."

"Yes." Bao Lu walked to the next room with a pale face. She saw that the palace maid called Yang Liu did not have any marks on her, just an unpleasant complexion, so she said, "Bai Gonggong, Her Majesty wants to see this palace maid."

Bai Xian took the handkerchief a young eunuch handed him and wiped his hands. "My hands have grown unskilled after so many years of not doing this. Since the empress wants to see this criminal servant, I will temporarily spare you." He smiled at Yang Liu. "Miss Yang Liu, the empress is usually benevolent—it is best you obediently answer her questions. Otherwise, I will be in trouble, you understand?"

Yang Liu glared at him and didn't speak.

Seeing her so stubborn, Bai Xian's smile disappeared. He threw the handkerchief onto a nearby stool. "Take her over."

Bao Luo saw two strong eunuchs drag the weak Yang Liu over and moved aside. Her steps paused before she followed.

Bai Xian noticed her action, sneered and then strode to the main hall.