Chapter 129: Seeking Death Without Choosing the Occasion

"Your servant Jun Zhidie begs the Noble Consort's forgiveness," she blurted out, turning it into "Please know, Noble Consort, death penalty."

The moment Jun Jun Zhidie finished speaking, silence instantly fell around them, as if even the air had frozen solid.

Noble Consort De's face flushed red then turned pale, shifting from shock to iron-green; her cold, sharp eyes widened as if about to pop from their sockets, a flicker of killing intent flashing within them.

The maids beside her also exchanged glances, unable to believe someone so reckless would say "Noble Consort, death penalty" right before her face.

"Where did this wild girl come from, showing such audacity!" Noble Consort De's voice was as cold as ice shards, chilling enough to make one's spine tremble.

Jun Jun Zhidie's face turned pale, her heart pounding like a drum; she didn't know where she had erred, but begging for mercy surely couldn't be wrong? So she kept crying out, "Noble Consort, forgive me, Noble Consort, forgive me."

The maid Mo'er was so anxious tears were about to fall, yet she dared not speak, kneeling beside her in helpless worry.

To others, Jun Jun Zhidie's pleas for mercy sounded like "Noble Consort, death penalty, Noble Consort, death penalty."

Noble Consort De was already half-dead with rage, shouting loudly, "Someone, drag her away!" Before her words even finished, she swept her sleeve and stormed off.

The nearby maids vaguely saw that the woman wearing a veil seemed to be missing a front tooth; they seemed to understand something, secretly exchanging glances, each stifling laughter until their shoulders shook, yet daring not to make a sound.

Immediately, two nannies came forward to drag Jun Jun Zhidie away; Jun Jun Zhidie didn't know how things had suddenly turned out this way, crying and shouting "Noble Consort, death penalty..." as she was pulled along.

The nanny, unable to bear hearing it anymore, slapped her across the face, "Shut your mouth."

Jun Jun Zhidie, who had been slapped for no reason, finally fell silent; dragged by the two nannies outside Noble Consort De's Defu Palace, she received a beating with a bamboo rod, then was thrown onto the ground:

"Kneel properly! You are not allowed to rise until the Noble Consort tells you to!"

The nanny barked.

Jun Jun Zhidie and her maid silently cursed; Noble Consort De had already gone to the palace banquet, and they were kneeling on the freezing ground, waiting for when the Noble Consort would remember them? Jun Jun Zhidie dared not speak again; today, whatever she said went wrong, so she simply knelt as if resigning herself to fate.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng was already seated at the banquet; today, far more people than usual came to greet him, rising and falling like a tide, and today his second daughter once again became the focus of everyone's discussion.

There was no help for it; who else could raise such a good daughter? The Grand Chancellor Gao had fallen, while the Young Lady of the Jun family had repeatedly achieved merit and shone, even having the good fortune to rescue the Empress. Who knew if the vacant Chancellor position might fall to the Jun family.

No matter how unwilling people were in their hearts, they would not oppose the Jun family at this moment; they would all offer a few words of flattery:

"My Lord Jun, congratulations, congratulations! Your daughter is truly a blessing to our nation!" An official smiled broadly as he offered a toast.

"Nowhere near that, it is all her own good luck," Xiang Xiang Junzheng replied modestly.

But Xiang Xiang Junzheng had no mood to socialize today; he firmly remembered Jun Jun Zijin's words: "Father, if you wish to live long, do not stand out in this matter."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng exchanged a few pleasantries with others before taking his seat, yet he saw no sign of Jun Jun Zhidie joining the banquet; worried that this troublesome niece might cause trouble again and bring harm to the Jun household, he was about to send someone to search for her.

Just then, the eunuch's shrill voice pierced the noise in the Imperial Garden like an arrow breaking the sky: "His Majesty the Emperor arrives! Her Majesty the Empress arrives!" Everyone immediately knelt to pay respects, and the originally bustling palace instantly became solemn and dignified.

As the footsteps drew closer, today's main figures appeared in the Imperial Garden. The Emperor, robed in imperial attire, with eyes blazing like torches; the Empress, smiling gently, wearing a magnificent phoenix robe; though her face was somewhat pale, her innate beauty and dignity were undeniable. Hand in hand, they slowly walked toward the high platform in the Imperial Garden.

Immediately, palace attendants bowed and stepped forward to guide Jun Jun Zijin and Quan Quan Qingle, who had emerged alongside the Emperor and Empress, to their seats.

This provoked jealousy in many, such as Jun Jun Yiyi and Princess Jiahe.

All the officials and ministers present inevitably spoke some ceremonial words, nothing more than: The Emperor is wise, the Empress is benevolent, the nation prospers, and the people live in peace and happiness...

Jun Jun Zijin had no mind to listen to those polite formalities; her eyes swept across the entire gathering, then suddenly stopped at one spot.

There, the Third Imperial Prince Quan Quan Tianyi, his gaze dark and gloomy, stared tightly at everyone present.

Quan Quan Tianyi felt that some people today were whispering together, seemingly discussing something; when he turned to look, those people, under his gaze, all lowered their heads, seeming afraid to look at him again.

He was certain that news of his hidden illness had been discovered. "Damn it!" Quan Quan Tianyi cursed under his breath.

Suddenly, Quan Quan Tianyi looked toward Jun Jun Zijin's side.

Jun Jun Zijin met Quan Quan Tianyi's gloomy gaze; a smile of ambiguous meaning curled her lips as she lifted the wine cup before her and raised it toward Quan Quan Tianyi.

Quan Quan Tianyi's face instantly turned as ugly as someone suffering from severe constipation; he glared at Jun Jun Zijin, his mouth twitching several times before he gave up, "Damn it," Quan Quan Tianyi cursed inwardly, lifting a cup of tea from the table and draining it in one gulp.

Another person staring fixedly at Jun Jun Zijin was the Noble Consort Gao, seated below the Empress. Her gaze was like two venomous snakes, as if she intended to swallow Jun Jun Zijin alive. She glared at Jun Jun Zijin, the hatred in her eyes impossible to conceal.

Jun Jun Zijin was too lazy to pay attention; she picked up a fruit from her plate and began to nibble it slowly.

On this side, after the Emperor finished speaking, the Empress began to address everyone: "Today is a good day; everyone, enjoy yourselves to your heart's content! No need to be overly formal."

Jun Jun Yiyi felt only boredom, only to find someone else stepping in to play along with the drama.

Consort Xin's gaze circled several times over the Empress, Noble Consort Gao, and Jun Jun Zijin, then suddenly spoke in a sarcastic tone:

"Her Majesty the Empress, this daughter-in-law of yours, curing illnesses one day, training soldiers the next; if one day she cannot be your daughter-in-law anymore, who knows whether it will be a blessing or a curse, hmm?"

The moment Consort Xin spoke these words, the atmosphere in the entire hall instantly froze. The Fifth Imperial Prince Quan Quan Tianjiao paused mid-sip of his tea.

Quan Quan Tianchen, rarely angered, shot a glare directly at Consort Xin, as if intending to pierce her through.

Jun Jun Zijin wondered how utterly stupid Consort Xin was; clearly intending to make Jun Jun Zijin lose face, yet she phrased it so poorly.

The Empress frowned, her gaze as cold as ice, staring directly at Consort Xin; her voice was unhurried yet carried an oppressive weight:

"Consort Xin, does your implication question whether this Palace lacks the ability to keep a daughter-in-law?"

Consort Xin's face changed slightly; she silently cursed inwardly. She had intended to flatter Noble Consort Gao, to sow discord and make the Empress grow suspicious of Jun Jun Zijin, but instead, she had provoked the Empress and brought fire upon herself.

Consort Xin glanced toward Noble Consort Gao, seeing only that Noble Consort Gao watched coldly from the sidelines with no intention of speaking up for her; Consort Xin gritted her teeth and said:

"Her Majesty the Empress, this humble concubine merely mentioned it casually; after all, in this world, no one can predict the future; the Crown Prince still has no news, does he?"

Consort Xin's words struck the bottom line of several people present.

The Emperor Quan Quan Wuji's eye twitched violently; he grabbed a teacup and was about to hurl it at Consort Xin. The Empress, looking at Consort Xin, had cold light flashing in her eyes, her chest heaving.

Jun Jun Zijin had originally not intended to confront Consort Xin here; Consort Xin was, after all, the Emperor's concubine, and she and the Emperor shared a son. But the strange thing was, Consort Xin sought death without choosing the right occasion.