Chapter 49

"Father, while I was discussing my studies with you, she was taken to the Kunning Palace by Empress, and she hasn't returned! She was locked up by the Empress and tortured. Now, I don't know if she is dead or alive..."

Xiaoyanzi knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face.

Emperor Qianlong's heart skipped a beat. The Empress took Zhiwei? Thinking of Zhiwei, he couldn't help but feel agitated.

"How do you know she was locked up and tortured by the Empress?"

Xiaoyanzi sobbed, "I know, I know, I just know! Father, please don't waste any more time! Fifth Prince and Erkang have already 'night-raided' the Kunning Palace and saw Zhiwei being held captive..."

As she spoke, she knocked her forehead on the ground, making a loud thud. "Father! Please! I beg you! Only you can save Zhiwei. For the sake of the nights you spent playing chess and talking with her, please save her!"

Emperor Qianlong stood up, visibly shaken, and immediately headed for the Kunning Palace.

Xiaoyanzi, Yongqi, Er Tai, Erkang, Jinsuo, and Lin Yi followed.

Kunning Palace.

The Empress hurried out, and upon seeing Emperor Qianlong, quickly knelt and bowed. "Your Majesty, I welcome you and wish you well! Why have you come so late?"

Seeing Xiaoyanzi and the others, she already had an idea. "Oh? Quite a few people have come!"

"Why did you take Zhiwei to your palace?" Emperor Qianlong stared at the Empress, his voice firm.

"Your Majesty! Is a mere palace maid worth your personal visit?" The Empress was taken aback, somewhat surprised.

Emperor Qianlong replied coolly, "I fear that if I don't come personally, you won't release her!"

The Empress laughed lightly. "Zhiwei, that girl, speaks and acts improperly. I called her in to scold her and then sent her back. What? Isn't she at Shufangzhai? Maybe she disguised herself as a eunuch and sneaked out of the palace to play?"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoyanzi lost control, going mad and shouting, "Empress! Quickly release Zhiwei! Otherwise, I won't let you off! I don't care if you are the Empress, I don't care how much power you have, I will fight you to the death! Zhiwei is definitely being held in the palace, and you are lying!"

"Xiaoyanzi, step back!"

Emperor Qianlong took a step forward, staring at the Empress, and said calmly, "I already know Zhiwei is in the Kunning Palace. Don't try to avoid the issue. This is a disgrace! Quickly release her!"

The Empress was furious. "Your Majesty, coming here late at night with this unruly princess and making a big fuss, is it I who have lost my dignity?"

Emperor Qianlong was angry. "As Empress, you have imprisoned a palace maid and used private torture! Now, I have come personally to demand her release, and you still refuse to let her go. Do you not respect me at all?"

"What evidence does Your Majesty have that Zhiwei is in the Kunning Palace?" The Empress straightened her back.

Emperor Qianlong spoke sternly, "If you say Zhiwei is not in the Kunning Palace, can you swear to it? If you lie, the Empress will be punished like any commoner!"

The Empress changed her tone. "Fine! Even if Zhiwei is in the Kunning Palace, she is just a palace maid. I asked for her to serve me. Is that not allowed?"

Emperor Qianlong was furious. "As Empress, you speak one thing and do another, and act tyrannically. It is truly despicable!"

He paused, then turned and shouted, "Erkang! Er Tai! Yongqi! Go and find Zhiwei!"

Erkang, Er Tai, and Yongqi were more than happy to comply, shouting "As you command" and rushing into the back. They had just night-raided the Kunning Palace and knew exactly where Zhiwei was.

When Erkang carried out Zhiwei, disheveled, pale, and in a wretched state, Emperor Qianlong was shocked.

Xiaoyanzi and Jinsuo, upon seeing Zhiwei in such a state, were heartbroken and screamed as they rushed forward.

"Zhiwei! Zhiwei! I have wronged you... I am truly to blame! Truly to blame!"

"What did they do to you? How did you end up like this... Where are your injuries? Can I touch you?"

Er Tai also dragged the unconscious Lady Rong to the front, throwing her down. "Your Majesty, I have brought this executioner!"

Lady Rong, upon being thrown, woke up and, upon seeing the situation, almost fainted again. She knelt and cried, "Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty... I dare not... I will never dare again..."

"Drag her away and behead her!" Emperor Qianlong glared at Lady Rong, transferring all his anger towards the Empress onto her.

"Your Majesty, please show mercy! Lady Rong is my wet nurse, like a mother to me! Your Majesty, please be merciful!"

The Empress stepped forward, pleading, "I have erred! Please, Your Majesty, show mercy! Over the years, though I have been in the Kunning Palace, bored and idle, Lady Rong has taken good care of me. Even if she has no merit, she has at least worked hard. Please, for the sake of our marriage, spare her!"

The Empress's words, "bored and idle," made Emperor Qianlong's heart tremble, and he felt a pang of sympathy. He murmured, "Very well, her death sentence is spared, but she must still be punished! Drag her away and give her twenty lashes!"

Immediately, the guards dragged Lady Rong away.

The crowd left the Kunning Palace, and the grand palace drama came to an end.

Lin Yi watched with great interest. This was far more real than watching a TV drama!

This grand drama lasted from late at night until dawn.

With his inner strength as a universal remedy, Lin Yi didn't feel tired. He activated the live stream, and upon opening the live room, he was surprised by the number of people who had already entered.

Everyone chatted animatedly:

"Good morning, streamer!"

"Wow, why are there so many people as soon as the live stream starts?"

"The streamer has made the headlines twice in a month, both times with a million views! It's normal for people to come and watch!"

"True, the streamer is about to become famous! Is Brother Long trying to make the streamer a star?"

"With a generous benefactor, the streamer is sure to take off!"

"Ah! How many streamers dream of having a generous benefactor, but never get one! The streamer is really lucky!"

"Is this the streamer who made the headlines twice? She's just okay in appearance!"

"Appearance is secondary. Making the headlines twice in a month and earning so much money is impressive!"

"Wow, first time here, the picture quality is so clear! I'll give the streamer a thumbs up for that!"

"Indeed, the picture quality is great, and it feels like being there. By the way, why is the streamer dressed as a eunuch?"

...

Lin Yi smiled, looking at the chat in the live room. As these viewers said, he was about to become famous!

After all, making the headlines twice in a short period and having a generous benefactor spend over two million was not a common occurrence.

Sure enough, many new viewers came to see him, and there were already hundreds of people when he started the live stream. Would there be fewer in the future?

His live room would receive a lot of attention.

Lin Yi thought that as long as he could keep the new viewers, and with more effort, he would soon become a streamer with thousands of followers, or even tens of thousands!

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