Chapter 44 Loss of Composure

"What?"

Just as Consort Jing was in a dilemma, a voice suddenly sounded beside Xie Tingyao.

"Is Lady Xie speaking of me?"

Tang Zhaozhao's appearance was eerily stealthy. Almost no one noticed how she had arrived. Xie Tingyao was so startled that she let out a sharp gasp.

"Ah!"

When she clearly saw the person standing beside her, she asked with an incredulous, trembling voice, "You... how did you get here?"

Tang Zhaozhao looked at her with an expression of pure bafflement. "Lady Xie, what kind of words are those? All of you were standing here condemning me, so naturally, I had to come and demand justice once I heard it."

Her gaze swept casually across everyone present. Conscience-stricken, the crowd instinctively averted their eyes from Tang Zhaozhao.

With an amused smile, Tang Zhaozhao shifted her gaze to Li Xueying’s face. At that moment, Li Xueying’s delicate face had turned completely pale.

Tang Zhaozhao took a step forward, right in front of Consort Jing. Raising her hand, she delivered a sharp slap across Li Xueying's cheek.

*Crack!*

The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the suddenly silent air. Li Xueying was sent stumbling backward by the momentum, falling flat onto the ground. She stared at Tang Zhaozhao with furious indignation.

"You..."

"With just the flutter of your upper and lower lips, Lady Li dared to recklessly frame this Princess. Truly impressive!"

The mocking look in Tang Zhaozhao's eyes filled Li Xueying with intense hatred, yet she dared not throw a tantrum. Fighting back her grievances, she said, "Consort Jing, as this subject's daughter said just now, I merely thought that figure resembled Princess Zhao'an."

Seeing that Consort Jing had not yet spoken despite Tang Zhaozhao striking someone right in front of her, the Fourth Princess, Murong Lian, rebuked sharply, "Tang Zhaozhao, how audacious! To dare and strike people at will right in front of my mother consort—who gave you such nerve?"

Hearing this, Tang Zhaozhao looked puzzled. "If Your Highness the Fourth Princess means that if you were falsely accused of illicit relations and subjected to verbal insults, you wouldn't only fail to place blame, but would actually clap and cheer instead?"

Murong Lian's face turned green with fury. Pointing a trembling finger at Tang Zhaozhao, her voice grew sharp. "Tang Zhaozhao, how dare you speak to me like this! Are you courting death?"

Tang Zhaozhao widened her eyes with an innocent expression. "Is the Princess unable to bear the truth, and wishing to kill me to vent your anger?"

Consort Jing, standing nearby, could no longer tolerate the exchange and stepped in to scold, "Enough!"

She first looked toward the Fourth Princess, Murong Lian. "Lian'er, do not speak nonsense. It is completely understandable that the Second Lady of Tang was angered and struck the Li family's daughter."

Seeing her mother consort taking someone else's side, Murong Lian felt deeply aggrieved and wanted to argue further. However, meeting Consort Jing's warning gaze, she finally bit her lip and turned her head away.

Only after seeing that her daughter had fallen silent did Consort Jing turn her gaze back to Tang Zhaozhao. "Second Lady Tang, although today's matter was a misunderstanding caused by the Li family's daughter, it was still wrong of you to use such provocative language against the Fourth Princess."

Tang Zhaozhao remained silent; she wanted to see how Consort Jing intended to deal with her.

"If we do not punish you for verbally offending a Princess, and everyone follows suit in the future, where will the dignity of the Imperial Family remain? Does the Second Lady of Tang believe my words are mistaken?"

Tang Zhaozhao replied respectfully, "Your Ladyship's words are naturally without error. However, how does Your Ladyship plan to deal with Lady Li, who falsely accused this subject? And what of these young nobles and ladies who hurled insults at me? If others follow their example in the future and blindly slander, defame, and humiliate people during palace banquets, then where does Her Ladyship say the majesty of the Imperial Family lies?"

Consort Jing’s gaze turned icy, and her expression darkened instantly.

What a sharp tongue. If she insisted on punishing Tang Zhaozhao today, she would have to treat everyone equally. This magnificent snow-viewing banquet was hosted by her; if she were to punish everyone present, the matter would inevitably reach the Emperor's ears. That in itself might not be devastating, but how would the families of these nobles and young ladies view her, Consort Jing? She wanted to pave the way for her son's future and must not alienate a large faction of officials over such a minor matter before she had even begun.

Consort Jing gave Tang Zhaozhao a profound look, her expression softening slightly at last. "Second Lady Tang is joking. I was merely speaking off the cuff just now. Lian'er has been spoiled by me, so naturally, I cannot punish you over such a small matter."

Hearing Consort Jing say this, the tense hearts of the crowd instantly relaxed. If they were to be punished at a palace banquet, they would undoubtedly face severe reprimands upon returning home.

Tang Zhaozhao curved her lips into a smile. "Thank you for your magnanimity, Consort Jing."

With all this commotion, they had almost forgotten the real purpose of coming here.

"Since the person inside is not the Second Lady of Tang, then who could it be?" someone finally blurted out.

Once one person spoke, a second naturally followed, with another adding righteously, "We must drag the person inside out for all to see and punish them severely!"

If not for the person inside, they wouldn't have believed the slander and nearly been subjected to collective punishment. Their righteous indignation made Consort Jing genuinely hesitate for a moment as to whether she should open the door.

At the appropriate moment, Tang Zhaozhao spoke up, "Didn't Lady Xie just say that anyone bold enough to commit such scandalous acts during a palace banquet hosted by Consort Jing deserves no leniency or saving of face? Why not send a couple of palace servants inside to take a look? That way, we can all find out who on earth has the audacity to hold Consort Jing in such utter disregard."

Tang Zhaozhao's words resonated with the crowd. They began chattering all at once, demanding that the identity of the person inside be uncovered.

Hesitant though she was, faced with the unified voice of indignation from the crowd, Consort Jing had no choice but to bite the bullet and order her palace attendants to open the hall doors and investigate.

It took very little time for the eunuchs to open the doors and step inside. Seeing the eunuch kneeling before her, stammering and hesitating, Xie Tingyao snapped impatiently, "Useless slave, out with it!"

The eunuch trembled as he replied, "It is... it is Miss Liu Rulan and... and His Highness the Crown Prince."

*Boom!*

Xie Tingyao's head buzzed deafeningly. She made a motion to charge directly inside, but a palace maid managed to grab hold of her.

How could Consort Jing allow an unmarried young lady like Xie Tingyao to witness the filth inside? But Xie Tingyao was already shrieking, "Drag that bitch out! Drag her out!"

Consort Jing tried to stop her, but Xie Tingyao struggled fiercely. Fearing she might do something rash, Consort Jing exchanged a meaningful glance with an eunuch, who immediately hurried back into the side hall.

Yet after a long while, they still failed to separate the two figures on the bed. With no other choice, the eunuch had to come out and report back to Consort Jing.

Driven mad with fury, Xie Tingyao bit down hard on the arm of the palace maid holding her. The maid gasped in pain and instinctively relaxed her grip, allowing Xie Tingyao to break free and dash straight into the bedchamber.

A moment later, Tang Zhaozhao heard shrieks, blows, and scolding echoing from within the bedchamber.

The corners of her mouth curled upward.

Li Xueying, sitting paralyzed on the ground, took in the entire scene, her hands clenched into tight fists within her sleeves.

What followed was simple. Consort Jing dismissed all the noble ladies and gentlemen present. Upon learning that the person inside was the Crown Prince, no one dared to linger, regardless of how much they wished to continue watching the spectacle.

When Tang Zhaozhao left the imperial palace, she heard that even Emperor Kangjian had been summoned over. It seemed Consort Jing would undoubtedly find it difficult to gain the Emperor's favor this time.

With a pleasant mood, she walked toward the palace gates.

Tang Yuntao had watched the entire drama unfold—from gloating schadenfreude to absolute astonishment, and finally plunging into an icy abyss upon learning that the man inside was the Crown Prince. Had Tang Yaozu not grabbed her, she almost would have lost her composure as well.