Chapter 43: The Laundry Bureau

The Imperial Study.

Zhu Youxiao sat on the dragon throne, his face as cold as if covered in ice, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the table, the muscles of his jaw taut and twitching from time to time, not saying a word.

No one in the entire Imperial Study dared to breathe loudly; everyone already knew about the events at Xian'an Palace.

"Your Majesty, these are today's memorials."

After who knows how long, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial, trembling, delivered the memorials before Zhu Youxiao.

Zhu Youxiao raised his head, his gaze as if he could devour a man, slowly turning to look at him.

The young eunuch immediately went pale, set down the memorials, and hastily retreated.

Zhu Youxiao was in a very strange state at this moment—his mind was frighteningly clear, yet his body trembled with rage.

He glanced at the young eunuch, then at the several attendant eunuchs below, and indifferently reached out to pick up the topmost memorial.

Opening it, it was a memorial impeaching Madam Ke, enumerating her ten great crimes.

'First, Madam Ke showed disrespect to the Empress; second, Madam Ke **** the harem... tenth, acting wantonly and framing outer officials. According to law, she should be sent to the Laundry Bureau as a warning to others.'

Zhu Youxiao had previously never even glanced at such memorials, but now he finished one and took out another. After reading dozens, he didn't know why, but he felt that every single one was an impeachment of Madam Ke.

Madam Ke, Laundry Bureau—these two names spun endlessly in his mind.

"The Laundry Bureau..."

Zhu Youxiao looked out beyond the doors of the Imperial Study, his gaze clear, his expression also very calm.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke: "Issue the decree—Madam Ke, acting perversely and unlawfully, showing no regard for her sovereign, is to be sent down to the Laundry Bureau..."

"As Your Majesty commands."

The attendant eunuch immediately bowed, then turned and went out.

"I don't believe it! I want to see the Emperor!"

At Xian'an Palace, several young eunuchs were restraining Madam Ke. With an indifferent expression, she sat upright there, looking at Liu Shimin with an imposing bearing as she spoke.

Liu Shimin stood not far away, his expression calm, slightly bowing, saying nothing.

Since he said nothing, the young eunuchs under his command naturally showed no courtesy. They immediately produced ropes, bound her hand and foot, and lifted Madam Ke up to carry her out of the palace.

Madam Ke instantly went wild, struggling desperately and shouting furiously: "Liu Shimin, take me to see the Emperor! I want to see the Emperor! I have been wronged! I want to see the Emperor..."

But Liu Shimin paid her no heed, saying flatly: "Gag her mouth, send her to the Laundry Bureau, and tell them to keep a close watch on her."

Soon, a group of men escorted Madam Ke to the Laundry Bureau outside the palace.

Such news naturally could not be concealed; it quickly spread throughout the palace.

Empress Zhang naturally learned of this matter as well. Her expression was displeased. After a moment of silence, she suddenly looked at Huan'er with a cold expression and said: "Huan'er, go convey my words—whoever in the palace dares to discuss the matter of Madam Ke again shall be beaten to death! Those who spread it outside without authorization shall receive the same punishment!"

This was the first time Huan'er had seen the Empress reveal such an expression. She immediately answered carefully: "Yes, Your Majesty."

The palace, which had been bustling, fell silent in an instant because of the Empress's single sentence. No matter how many people had once believed that Empress Zhang's position as the central consort was undeserved, this time no one dared to say another word.

Because no one could threaten her anymore; in this vast harem, no one dared to challenge her authority again.

She was the Empress of the Central Palace!

Outside the palace, naturally there was rejoicing everywhere. In the eyes of the pure-stream officials, this was the result of their persistent remonstrance. Now that Madam Ke and Wei Zhongxian had both been driven out of the palace, their campaign to purge the wicked sycophants beside the sovereign had been accomplished—surely worthy of a great toast.

Rumble, rumble, rumble—

Suddenly, above the Forbidden City, dark clouds gathered densely, and faint muffled thunder began to sound.

"Your Highness, it's going to rain. Let us go inside."

Yao Qingqing, not far from the palace hall, looked at the sky while gathering the books laid out to air-dry, speaking to Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu watched the sky darken rapidly, secretly exhaling a turbid breath, then said with a smile: "No hurry. It hasn't rained in a long time—I'd like to watch as well. In a while, brew some tea and bring it over."

Yao Qingqing had long grown accustomed to some of His Highness Prince Hui's little quirks. She nodded lightly and said: "Mm, I'll go right away."

Zhu Xu pulled his chair back a little, leaning under the eaves, watching the dark clouds gather swiftly, looking like the sky was collapsing and the earth was splitting apart. He couldn't help but think to himself: 'Now that the two great tumors of the Tianqi reign have both been removed, it should be clear skies after the dark clouds, shouldn't it?'

Once Madam Ke entered the Laundry Bureau, she was immediately handed over to the person in charge, and then assigned layer by layer.

"From now on, you live here."

A middle-aged woman with a thick waist and broad shoulders, who clearly looked like a formidable character, glared at Madam Ke and said coldly: "I don't care who you were before or where you came from. Once you're here, you'd better behave obediently, or else you'll get a taste of my wrath!"

Madam Ke wore a cold sneer. This was a common bunk where six or seven people could sleep. Though she came from a farming family, after all these years of living in luxury, how could she endure such 'humiliation'?

With her usual domineering air, she raised her head and looked at the middle-aged woman, saying: "Do you think this lady was sent here for good? Let me tell you, this lady can return to the palace in at most three days..."

"Return to the palace?" The middle-aged woman let out a scornful laugh, looking at her and saying: "Let me tell you—of those sent here, some have indeed gone back, but with what you've done, don't even dream of it for the rest of your life. That outfit of yours isn't bad, though. Someone, strip it off her!"

Immediately, three or four somewhat thinner middle-aged women pounced over like hungry wolves, about to tear off Madam Ke's clothes.

When had Madam Ke ever experienced such a thing? She immediately roared: "You bunch of lowly wenches, stop! Otherwise, this lady will have your nine clans exterminated..."

Smack!

Before she could finish, the middle-aged woman slapped Madam Ke across the face and said coldly: "Beat her!"

The several women stripped Madam Ke completely naked and began punching and kicking her.

Aaah! Aaah!

Madam Ke rolled on the ground. Her body was delicate and pampered—how could she endure such pain?

After a long while, the middle-aged woman spat on Madam Ke's body and said with a cold laugh: "Today I'll give you a day of rest. Starting tomorrow, you'd better get up and work honestly, or else you'll suffer far worse!"

Madam Ke curled up in the corner, her eyes filled with nothing but cold venom. Her fingernails dug into her own flesh until a section broke off, yet she still felt no pain—only an incomparable hatred burning in her heart.

Madam Ke stared with reddened eyes at the backs of the departing women, grinding her teeth and muttering in a low voice: "Just you wait. When this lady returns to the palace, I'll cut you into eight pieces!"

After who knows how long, Madam Ke, curled in the corner, feeling the pain and chill all over her body, crawled up to find something to wear.

"Ancestress, are you alright?"

At this moment, a young eunuch walked in carrying clothes in his arms and a box in his hand.

Whether because she was used to the palace or because she recognized the newcomer as a eunuch, she didn't mind at all being naked, and said coldly while looking at him: "What are you?"

The young eunuch approached and said: "Ancestress doesn't remember this servant. This servant once served at Xian'an Palace and saw you twice."

Madam Ke looked at this young eunuch, vaguely recognizing him, and said with an increasingly cold expression: "You serve here?"

The young eunuch grew even more respectful, handing over the clothes and the box as he said, "Yes, Old Ancestor. These are some clothes, and also some food — this one prepared them especially for you. Please don't mind — the Laundry Bureau is different from other places; no one knows how many people die here every day."

Madam Ke looked at the coarse cloth clothes on the table, a flicker of disgust passing through her eyes. But she was stark naked now — a fallen tiger at the mercy of dogs. Despite her disgust, she still picked them up and put them on.

After dressing, she took a look and grew even more disgusted — it reminded her of those unbearable days she had lived together with Hou Er.