"Where has everyone gone? They're all dead?"
Looking at the empty courtyard, Mingyue stood at the entrance of the sleeping quarters and roared with all her might.
The sound of her shout caused the leaves of the osmanthus tree in the courtyard to tremble, demonstrating its immense power.
Yesterday, the Emperor was assassinated and left in a huff. This morning, the servants of the Lan Yue Palace had all gone out to pull strings and seek connections.
They had just returned and were gathered in the side hall, discussing their future prospects.
They were all startled by Mingyue's sudden shout.
Wang Momo, the steward of Lan Yue Palace, was so frightened that she spilled a bowl of hot tea on herself, crying out in pain from the burn.
"She's about to be deposed and will only be fit to live in the cold palace for the rest of her life. Does she still think she's the favored Empress?
I'll go teach her a lesson. Let's see if she dares to be so arrogant."
Wang Momo wiped the tea off herself with a handkerchief and stormed out of the side hall.
She dared to be so presumptuous because she had a powerful backer.
Her sister was also in the palace, the most trusted attendant of the Empress Dowager.
It was through her sister's influence that she became the steward of Lan Yue Palace.
"Empress, shouting and yelling like this early in the morning is not in accordance with the rules.
You are the Empress, the head of the six palaces. You must be dignified and elegant.
Lang Yue country requires women to walk without showing their feet, laugh without revealing their teeth, and behave with dignity.
Your uncivilized behavior, like that of the Wu Man country, would be criticized in Lang Yue country, and at worst, you would be punished by the palace rules."
Wang Momo was originally a servant for menial tasks. She only became the steward of Lan Yue Palace due to her sister's favor.
She had little knowledge to begin with. In her eyes, the palace rules were the most powerful, so she immediately used them to suppress Mingyue.
The other servants, aware of Wang Momo's background, came out of the side hall to watch the show.
About thirty people, including stewards, eunuchs, and palace maids, gathered around to watch the spectacle.
After scolding Mingyue, Wang Momo stood proudly, her neck stiff, and glanced at everyone.
She was showing off, implying that it didn't matter if she was the Empress.
The Empress had to listen to her scolding and watch her expression.
"Slap!"
But her pride lasted only three seconds before Mingyue slapped her to the ground.
Half of her face was swollen like a pig's head. She opened her mouth and spat out a few bloody teeth, the imprint of the slap clearly visible on her face.
"How dare you, a mere servant? Who am I?
I am the Empress, the ruler of the six palaces.
Is it your place to lecture me? For this alone, you deserve to die!"
Mingyue intended to escalate the situation and said no more. A cold glint flashed.
A dagger appeared from her sleeve and slashed directly at Wang Momo's throat.
Wang Momo had intended to make a show of herself, even if it meant offending the unfavored Empress.
At most, she would be dealt with by the Imperial Household Department. With her sister there, the Imperial Household Department couldn't do much to her, and she would be released in minutes.
However, Mingyue was dishonorable and went straight for murder. She died unjustly.
"Your Highness, spare me!"
Seeing Mingyue strike and kill Wang Momo, the other servants were terrified and knelt down in unison.
They had witnessed all sorts of intrigue and backstabbing in the palace, where people killed without shedding blood.
But this was the first time they had seen someone openly wield a knife.
However, such a scene was even more intimidating.
So they were all scared, like startled quails, fearing that they would be the next to be cut.
"Atonement? Then tell me, what are your sins?
If you can't say, then you'll end up like her, one by one."
Mingyue played with the dagger in her hand, waving it in front of the kneeling servants.
They all cowered, shrinking their necks, afraid that the dagger would fall on their throats.
"If no one speaks, then I'll kill you all."
Mingyue placed a foot on a stone stool in the courtyard, looking like a bandit, with a sinister smile.
She thought that if she killed these thirty-odd people, Ji Shiyou would finally grant her death.
Even if she couldn't kill Ji Shiyou, she still felt a little regret.
But nothing in the world is perfect, and one cannot have both fish and bear's paw.
If one of her two wishes came true, it would be acceptable. A person should not be greedy.
"Your Highness, this servant did not keep watch. I deserve to die!"
A palace maid, hearing Mingyue's words, quickly said.
"Your Highness, this servant did not guard the gate."
"This servant did not help with washing and dressing."
"This servant did not sweep the courtyard."
"This servant did not serve tea."
"This servant reports that Granny Feng stole Your Highness's jewelry."
"This old servant reports that Chunxi is a spy planted in Lan Yue Palace by Noble Consort Zheng."
...
The thirty-odd servants, all wanting to live, went from confessing their own guilt to denouncing each other.
Lan Yue Palace launched into criticism and self-criticism, giving Mingyue a headache.
She just wanted to kill someone, but how did it lead to so many things?
It sounded like Lan Yue Palace was too unbearable.
Servants were lazy, thieves, and factions were deeply intertwined, with people from the Empress Dowager, Noble Consort Zheng, and other concubines.
Her Lan Yue Palace was as rotten as a sieve.
Was she, a princess of a fallen kingdom, worth so many people coveting? Mingyue couldn't understand.
But she didn't care. What she cared about was how to get Ji Shiyou to grant her death as soon as possible.
"Since you have all confessed your guilt, it is not unjust to kill you. I will send you on your way now."
Mingyue didn't want to listen anymore. She had grown up in the palace.
She had seen too much of these sordid affairs and was not interested.
"Empress, stop!"
Just as she was about to unleash her killing spree with the dagger in hand, a voice rang out.
Then, a middle-aged woman in the official attire of a female official walked in, followed by more than twenty palace guards.
She appeared to be in her forties, with a stern face, looking at Mingyue with anger in her eyes.
"Who are you?"
Mingyue was annoyed by the interruption and glanced at the woman who had entered.
She recognized the official uniform of a fourth-rank female official of Lang Yue country. Such uniforms only existed within the inner palace.
Unlike the officials in the imperial court, they were established by the Empress Dowager or the Empress to reward meritorious eunuchs.
To receive such a reward, one was basically a person of influence in the harem, a favored servant.
"This old servant is the steward of the Empress Dowager's palace, surnamed Wang.
The Director of the Imperial Household Department, Eunuch Chen, is unwell and has gone out to recuperate. This old servant is temporarily in charge of the Imperial Household Department.
Empress, although these servants work in Lan Yue Palace, they are managed by the Imperial Household Department.
Even if they err, they should be dealt with by the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Punishments.
Your Highness has not only resorted to private torture but also committed murder, which has violated the palace rules.
Guards, escort the Empress to the Ministry of Punishments and deal with her according to the palace rules."
This Wang Momo was the biological sister of the Wang Momo whom Mingyue had just killed.
When Mingyue was killing earlier, someone had taken advantage of the chaos to run out and inform her.
Upon hearing that her sister had been killed, Wang Momo immediately brought eunuchs and guards from the Imperial Household Department to Lan Yue Palace.
This morning, her sister had already told her about what happened last night.
Therefore, she showed no regard for Mingyue's status and only wanted to avenge her sister.
"Hahaha, Lang Yue country boasts of being a land of etiquette with strict rules.
Who would have thought that the inner palace would be so chaotic, with a mere attendant daring to punish the Empress?"
Mingyue seemed to have heard the greatest joke. However, it was just as well. She had been worried.
Killing dozens of servants might not be enough to anger Ji Shiyou and get her killed.
But if a fourth-rank female official was added, wouldn't the stakes be higher?
Mingyue looked at Wang Momo and revealed a sinister smile.