[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-foodie-transmigrated-into-the-palace":3,"chapter-a-foodie-transmigrated-into-the-palace-a-foodie-transmigrated-into-the-palace-chapter-538":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},410819,676,"Chapter 538: What Do You Mean!","a-foodie-transmigrated-into-the-palace-chapter-538",538,"\u003Cp>Zi Yue knelt on the ground, seemingly anticipating this turn of events, her demeanor remarkably calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her head lowered, she did not utter a word, nor did she plead for mercy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You wretch!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consort Ning, unable to contain her rage, commanded fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Guards, this palace maid has committed insolence. Drag her out and give her twenty heavy beatings!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing frowned. Twenty heavy beatings seemed excessively harsh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She cradled Little Bun and rose slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consort Ning, my maid is clumsy and can’t even properly brew tea, having offended Your Grace...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her intention was to offer some placating words. But who could have known? Consort Ning exploded at the slightest provocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consort Xian Pin, what are you implying!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I asked her to make tea, not to scald me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What was your maid thinking!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing was left speechless. In truth, she understood Consort Ning’s irritation, knowing children could be thoughtless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She thought using Zi Yue as a scapegoat might suffice. A punishment of kneeling or standing was acceptable; she assumed Consort Ning wouldn’t be too cruel—after all, she was just a consort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But who would have thought she’d order twenty heavy beatings?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing had seen the Punishment Department’s heavy batons before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zi Yue was still a young woman; twenty heavy beatings might cost her life!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Utterly ruthless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing’s gaze became sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, a childish voice chimed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mother, Yi An saw it, it was Consort Ning who tripped this palace maid sister!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four-year-old Second Princess, unaware of the adults’ intricacies, simply said what she saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At her words, Consort Ning’s face turned colors instantaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whipped her head around, glaring at Consort Hui Pin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nonsense, when did I ever trip her!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Second Princess has even started lying!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consort Hui Pin, you are truly something, to have corrupted a perfectly good princess!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consort Hui Pin merely smiled faintly, stood up holding the Second Princess, and with a hidden jab, softly retorted,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Children speak their minds, Consort Ning, why get so angry at a child!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, whether the Princess has been led astray by me is not for Your Grace to determine!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said that, she glared at Consort Ning, then left holding the Princess!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing watched the whole scene in astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So imposing! The usually gentle Consort Hui Pin unexpectedly lashed out directly at Consort Ning!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, a mother’s strength is mighty!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She thought if Consort Ning dared to scold Little Bun, she probably wouldn’t even argue; she’d just go up and hit her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Position, power? To hell with that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consort Ning was left so angry she nearly rolled her eyes back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her mind, rank and power were everything. Therefore, Consort Hui Pin and Consort Xian Pin must always treat her with utmost respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, one after another, they dared to defy her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glared venomously at Consort Hui Pin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You just wait!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, she turned back to look at Zi Yue, still kneeling on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She yelled, \"Callous wretch! Guards, are you all dead? Take her out and beat her!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing suddenly chilled her gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consort Ning, if you wish to punish my maid for offending you, you may, but first...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You must explain how she fell!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These words instantly blanched Consort Ning’s face, and her thunderous rage disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked away, clearly feeling guilty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How she fell, how would I know!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said that, her arrogance returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consort Xian Pin, protecting your own so fiercely, is it perhaps... your doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing was so angered by this that she almost laughed.Her doing?This baseless accusation was simply disgusting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she was about to retort again, Zi Yue suddenly spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consort Ning, my master, this servant is useless. I tripped over my own skirt and caused my fall!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Having hurt Consort Ning, this servant is willing to accept punishment!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said that, she kowtowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing looked at Zi Yue, feeling somewhat moved and wanted to stop her, only to hear Zi Yue continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master, I am serious! I ask Consort Ning to deliver her judgment!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing was stunned, unable to say anything more!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consort Ning felt a bit smug, glanced at Xia Ruqing, and righteously declared,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This servant at least knows a bit of propriety. Consort Xian Pin, you are even worse than a servant!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing her statement, she decided not to be lenient, and immediately called someone over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give this wretched maid twenty severe heavy beatings!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A severe beating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing’s eyes widened, but she knew this was not the time to argue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she just clenched her teeth and fists tightly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could only watch helplessly as Zi Yue was dragged away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing sneered at Consort Ning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Consort Ning, you must be satisfied now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consort Ning was brimming with complacency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This Consort... feels very pleased!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having beaten the closest First-Rank Senior Palace Maid by Consort Xian Pin’s side, her mood was not just pleased, but... extremely smug!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a consort, after all. Was she not the only consort by the Emperor’s side?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, as a consort of her status, she had the right to discipline a palace maid who had offended her, correct?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consort Ning looked as if a petty person had achieved success, flaunting her victory before taking The Eldest Princess and leaving triumphantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, The Eldest Princess. Only now did Xia Ruqing notice the timid little girl tucked away in the corner.Still... trembling with fear!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This little girl, having a mother like that, was really unfortunate!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sighing, Xia Ruqing took Little Bun and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little Bun felt very disheartened. His mother had been bullied, and he hadn’t even been able to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to protect his mother! Unhappy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little fellow’s cheeks were puffed in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Ruqing found it amusing yet heartbreaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She then kissed him on top of his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Son, you’re angry too, aren’t you? Grow up fast and protect Mother!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the royal family, the hierarchy was rigid, not something she could challenge!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of Consort Ning, at most she could put up a strong front for a few sentences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t even protect Zi Yue!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, Zi Yue had ’run afoul’ of Consort Ning, and as long as Consort Ning held onto that, Zi Yue... was truly doomed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Xia Ruqing initially thought that she must protect her, regardless; it was a matter of her own dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having her palace maid beaten was a direct slap to her face!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On second thought, if she didn’t let Consort Ning vent this anger now, it would cause more trouble for Zi Yue later!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this way, Xia Ruqing could only reluctantly part with her desire to intervene!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, she still felt uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without fault, why should her palace maid be beaten up just like that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She barely touched her lunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After putting Little Bun to sleep, she too went to sleep heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curled up in her quilt, Xia Ruqing’s mind was filled with one thought:How to complain to the Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Consort Ning bullied her, she had to file a complaint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lacking status, she’d have to rely on favoritism. Who told Consort Ning to bully her anyway?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t about being powerless; it was about being wise to the times!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she were to foolishly confront Consort Ning and beat her up, she might feel relieved and satisfied at the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, her own vulnerabilities would be in others’ hands, and the Emperor wouldn’t be able to help her even if he wanted to!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would be real bad luck!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, Consort Ning was the one clearly in the wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would just let the Emperor, her husband, avenge her!\u003C\u002Fp>",1290,"2026-05-30T07:41:15.966Z","2026-06-01T04:30:40.316Z",1,"novelbin.me","42b3917fc921651d851e85cd8617ada3dd4787c836d2aa7747ff98735de3dc44","a-foodie-transmigrated-into-the-palace-chapter-539","a-foodie-transmigrated-into-the-palace-chapter-537",1204,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-foodie-transmigrated-into-the-palace-cover.jpg"]