Chapter 229 Punishment Discussion

Words : 1340 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

After Eunuch Fu withdrew. The Emperor looked at the Empress. The Empress’s tightly clenched hands beneath her embroidered cloud sleeves depicting phoenixes. She thought the ministers would support her! Never expected them to undermine her! She took a deep breath. The Empress bowed and admitted her mistake. "Your Majesty, it was my fault for not thoroughly investigating before coming to see you," "I am guilty and request Your Majesty’s punishment," the Empress said. Generally, when concubines admit their mistakes, the Emperor does not punish them. But this time— It was an exception. "Since you know you’re wrong, copy the ’Women’s Precepts’ three hundred times as punishment," the Emperor said. The Empress’s face looked as if she had been slapped several times. There was no one like her who actively sought punishment! Yet she still had to obediently give thanks. The three ministers standing by had sweat-soaked backs. They were not oblivious to the Empress’s icy and threatening gaze. They were fully aware that it was the Empress who wanted the Emperor to ban Mahjong. But did they dare help the Empress? Beauty Pavilion was opened by the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, the daughter of Marquis Dongxiang. Who would dare provoke that family of bandits? Not to mention Marquis Dongxiang, even the undefeated Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion was someone they had to avoid reverently. Unable to assist the Empress, they could only choose to speak the truth. Yongning Palace. After leaving the Imperial Study, the Empress went straight to Yongning Palace. Upon seeing her, Princess Nanzhang went to Yongning Palace to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager. Watching her walk in with a face like iron, Princess Nanzhang had a bad premonition. "The Emperor didn’t issue an edict to ban Mahjong?" she asked. "The Emperor issued an edict," the Empress said through gritted teeth. "Issuing an edict is a good thing; we should be happy. Why do you look so upset?" Princess Nanzhang asked in confusion. "The Emperor ordered that the harem concubines should play Mahjong more when they’re free!" The Empress glared at her. Princess Nanzhang, "...!!!" "The Emperor also punished me to copy ’Women’s Precepts’ three hundred times!" These few words almost leapt out from between the Empress’s teeth. Originally, the Emperor didn’t know about Mahjong, but after her visit, Mahjong spread into the Imperial Palace! "In the future, do not come to me before getting things straightened out!" The Empress chided in annoyance. Sisters for so many years, yet it was the first time the Empress spoke so harshly to Princess Nanzhang. Princess Nanzhang’s expression also faltered a bit. But this time, it was indeed her fault. Princess Nanzhang softened her words, and in front of the Empress Dowager, the Empress couldn’t persist. She was genuinely irked just now, which made her words so harsh. The Empress complained about the three ministers, especially what they said, to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager doubted, "Does Mahjong really have such power?" "I think those ministers were just afraid of Marquis Dongxiang, so they said that," Princess Nanzhang said. "I must try it," the Empress Dowager said. "...." In the Imperial Garden. The news about the Emperor having Eunuch Fu send for Mahjong spread like wildfire. "What do you think Mahjong really is?" a concubine asked curiously. "I heard it’s something to play and fiddle with, quite fun," another concubine said mysteriously. One concubine looked at her delicate hands and said, "Aren’t you afraid of calluses forming from fiddling with it?" The four concubines gathered together. Three of them were talking, while the other one was daydreaming. "Why aren’t you speaking?" asked a concubine. "...." "Can I say I already have a set of Mahjong in my palace?" the concubine said in a low voice. "...." The other three were stunned, "How do you have Mahjong?!" "A few days ago, my elder brother visited me in the palace and brought it for me, saying it’s the trendiest thing in the Capital City, to alleviate my boredom," the concubine said. "My sister-in-law passed away, and my brother hasn’t remarried, so he cares for me deeply. During his monthly visits, he always gives me silver. He probably didn’t know that this Mahjong is from the Beauty Pavilion; otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to bring it into the palace for me." "My brother’s good intentions I couldn’t reject. But I am aware of the conflict between Duke Chong’s Mansion and Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, and how Princess Shouning suffered losses at the hands of the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion...." "How could I dare to use this Mahjong? I just hid it at the bottom of the box," said the concubine. The other three concubines said, "That was before; now the Emperor has allowed us to play Mahjong." "Let’s go back and play Mahjong." The four left the pavilion and returned to the bedroom. The palace maid brought out the Mahjong, and a concubine held it in her hand, asking, "How do you play this?" "Do you throw it on the ground?" Saying that, she raised her hand as if to smash it on the ground. The concubine quickly stopped her, "Don’t throw it; it’s made of jade, it’ll shatter. There are instructions." The four sat down to study how to play Mahjong. Once they felt the rules were committed to memory, they were ready to begin. They set up the Mahjong. "Why are there three Mahjong tiles missing?" a concubine asked. The palace maid rummaged through the box again, "There’s nothing in the box." The concubine huffily said, "No need to look, they must have been stolen during the entry inspection." Being made of jade, the Mahjong was valuable. Items brought into the palace undergo strict scrutiny to ensure they don’t contain poison, so the Mahjong was soaked in water. Surely it was during the soaking that someone sneakily took them. "I’ve long been displeased with those people!" "Let’s go confront them!" a concubine suggested. As they were leaving the palace, one concubine said, "For us four to confront those eunuchs would be undignified and might not work. Let’s lodge a complaint with the Emperor instead." Then— They went to see the Emperor. Imperial Study. The Emperor was practicing calligraphy, his strokes powerful and majestic. A little eunuch approached, "Your Majesty, Consort Liang and the others request an audience, asking for Your Majesty’s intervention." The Emperor’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Why couldn’t there be a day of peace in the harem? "Let them in," the Emperor set the brush down. The four concubines entered. They knelt directly before the Emperor. The Emperor’s brow furrowed even tighter. "What’s the matter?" the Emperor asked. Consort Liang placed the Mahjong on the ground, "Your Majesty, this is the Mahjong my brother recently gifted me...." She barely finished the sentence. The Emperor’s eyes lit up. "Bring the Mahjong here," the Emperor said. "...." Eunuch Fu brought the Mahjong to the Dragon Desk. The Emperor examined the Mahjong as he listened to Consort Liang’s complaints. Consort Liang said, "Just now, a few of us were about to play Mahjong and discovered three tiles were missing. Usually, items sent to the palace are deducted here and there, but missing three Mahjong tiles means it can’t be played. I implore Your Majesty to help retrieve them." The Emperor glanced at Eunuch Fu. Eunuch Fu said, "I’ll send someone to investigate immediately." Eunuch Fu dispatched a trusted little eunuch to investigate. Soon, the little eunuch returned. "Have you discovered anything?" Eunuch Fu asked. The little eunuch’s mouth twitched, "They indeed stole a few Mahjong tiles." "Where are my Mahjong tiles?" Consort Liang asked. "They were given as a tribute to the Empress," the little eunuch said quietly. The Emperor, "...." Eunuch Fu, "...." The concubines, "...." In the end— The Mahjong was recovered. The tributed pieces to the Empress were three "Number One" tiles. The Empress, after being punished with another three hundred copies of ’Women’s Precepts,’ received an additional penalty of copying it three hundred more times.

Chapter 229 Punishment Discussion

Comments (0)