Ming Dynasty: Empress Ma and I swapped clothes!

Chapter 4 Flogging, One Slap

Ma Wenxiang smiled, but his tone carried a hint of accusation. He placed the floral porcelain teacup in front of him, and when he touched it lightly, it made a crisp sound as they rubbed together. There was also a faint yellow tea stain on the lid.

Consort Hu's heart pounded, and her face turned pale.

Why is there a sequel?

Given Her Majesty's usual temperament, shouldn't she just laugh it off?

"Your Majesty is joking."

Consort Hu clenched her fists, biting her lower lip, her face extremely tense. She clenched her fists again, as if trying to grab onto something for support, but there was nothing beside her. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

"You dare not?"

Seeing that Consort Hu could not say anything else for a long time, Ma Wenxiang spoke for her, his gaze falling on the tonics that Consort Hu had sent, and he picked them up lightly.

The ginseng, deer antler, and white fungus are of exceptional quality.

"My sister brought medicine over; it's a rare and thoughtful gesture."

Just as Consort Hu thought the matter was over, Ma Wenxiang suddenly changed the subject, a playful smile on his face, and looked at her again, saying meaningfully, "But this medicine, could it be poisonous?"

As soon as the words fell, Consort Hu knelt down on the ground with a thud.

Poisoning the current empress?

She absolutely cannot bear this crime.

"Your Majesty! Even if you gave me ten times the courage, I would never do such a daring thing."

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I will never dare to do it again, never again."

Consort Hu kowtowed repeatedly, all traces of her previous smugness gone, replaced by overwhelming fear.

Having said that, when Ma Wenxiang looked at Consort Hu again, his eyes were cold and indifferent. He snorted and said, "As a concubine in the palace, and having given birth to the emperor's son, you should be careful with your words and deeds, and it is proper for you to raise your children and manage the affairs of the palace."

"In the past, I turned a blind eye to their vanity and gossip, but now they dare to challenge me?"

Hearing Ma Wenxiang's words, Consort Hu felt even more empty and uneasy, and could only repeat, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, Your Majesty, please forgive me..."

"Never mind, never mind."

Ma Wenxiang ultimately did not want to start a killing spree on his first day at Kunning Palace. "The death penalty may be spared, but punishment is inevitable. Considering your words were inappropriate, guards, administer the caning!"

Ma Wenxiang sat firmly there and spoke in a deep voice.

The next moment, several eunuchs from Kunning Palace walked out of the hall as if they understood, carrying execution sticks in their hands.

In this palace, there are rules for everything: ordinary eunuchs are beaten with a green stick, which hurts when it touches them; but now that Empress Ma Wenxiang is using it to punish the concubines, it doesn't matter.

Before long, Consort Hu was pressed onto a long bench, and the eunuchs around her were ready to act.

"Just a handful will suffice."

Ma Wenxiang added casually.

The concubines in the palace all had delicate skin; if they turned red in one slap, they would swell up in two slaps, and if they were struck three times, their skin would probably be torn open.

This slap was a small punishment, but it served as a warning.

Soon, with a crisp "smack," the board landed solidly, without holding back any force.

Ma Wenxiang stared at the executioner.

Those were his trusted confidants in the palace; there was no way they would let him off the hook.

Consort Hu gritted her teeth, her face already flushed red. She could barely endure the first couple of blows, but by the third, she cried out in pain.

"Don't you dare hit my aunt! You're all bad people, you're all bad people!"

Suddenly, a five- or six-year-old child rushed into Kunning Palace. Dressed in the robes of a prince, he was none other than Zhu Zhen, the son of Consort Hu and the future Prince of Chu.

He's just a little kid right now.

Zhu Zhen ran to Consort Hu's side, and the mother and son embraced tightly.

The eunuchs around looked at each other, unsure of what to do, and all turned their gazes toward Ma Wenxiang.

"Mother, why did you beat the concubine?"

With tears in her eyes and a puzzled look on her face, Zhu Zhen asked the question.

Within the palace, almost all the princes had to address Ma Wenxiang as "Empress Mother," as was the custom; they addressed their own birth mothers as "Auntie."

Consort Hu was then called "Consort Consort Aunt".

After all, even within the palace, there were distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate wives, principal wives, and concubines.

Zhu Zhen is a filial son, and Ma Wenxiang is unwilling to be too harsh on him.

Fortunately, Zhu Di was quite sensible. He stepped forward and pulled Zhu Zhen aside, saying, "Sixth Brother, do you believe your Fourth Brother? This matter was caused by Consort Chong's mistake, and she should be punished."

"The Empress Dowager has already been very lenient."

"But...but..."

Zhu Zhen choked back tears, gasping for breath, his gaze still fixed on his birth mother, Consort Hu, filled with unbearable sorrow. "Mother, could you let me, Xiao Liu, take the punishment in place of Consort Hu? I can do it."

Zhu Zhen's gaze was firm, his hands clenched into fists, and he stepped forward, once again blocking the eunuch who was about to continue the execution.

"Zhen'er, step back. Listen to Her Majesty. It was indeed your mother who made a mistake today."

Upon seeing this, Consort Hu immediately reprimanded her.

But Zhu Zhen, who was usually well-behaved and sensible, now showed some of the temperament of the King of Chu and the bravery of the Zhu family, and insisted on not backing down.

"Zhen'er, you can't withstand this punishment. You're still young, just a child."

Seeing Ma Wenxiang stand up, seemingly somewhat tempted, Consort Hu quickly spoke up, protecting her child like any mother in the world, "Your Majesty, a flogging is enough for me, there's no need to take your anger out on Zhen'er."

"Please grant my request, Your Majesty."

Having almost succumbed to the caning, she suddenly found the strength to plead loudly once more.

Watching the touching scene of the mother and son running towards each other, Ma Wenxiang suddenly had a villainous feeling, as if he had really done something heinous.

He ignored Consort Hu and walked straight to Zhu Zhen, asking softly, "Sixth Brother, are you really sure? It's going to hurt a lot."

"Zhen'er, don't be afraid."

Zhu Zhen's expression remained as resolute as before.

Ma Wenxiang smiled contentedly, then spoke in front of his birth mother, Consort Hu: "Adults have their rules, and children have their ways."

"Sister, I hope you will remember Xiao Liu's filial piety today."

As they were talking, Ma Wenxiang had already taken a small bamboo clapper from Sun Miaoran's hand.

"Hold out your hand!"

When Zhu Zhen saw that it wasn't the wooden stick that was about the same size as his body, but a small board much smaller than his little hand, his heart, which had been clenched with worry, immediately calmed down, and he said softly, "Thank you, Mother."

The next moment, Ma Wenxiang took action himself.

The small bamboo clapper, used for "stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork," was quite powerful. It made a crisp "smack" sound as it struck Zhu Zhen's small white hand, leaving a long red mark.

"Without rules, nothing can be accomplished."

After a couple of blows, Ma Wenxiang asked expressionlessly, "Does it hurt?"

Zhu Zhen fought back the tears welling up in his eyes, his face still stubborn: "Replying to Mother, Zhen'er is not in pain."

"Honestly, does it hurt?"

Ma Wenxiang continued to press for answers.

Zhu Zhen then lowered his head in shame.

"It's supposed to hurt."

Ma Wenxiang's tone softened a bit, "Look at your mother, even such a small bamboo stick hurts you so much when it hits you, how much pain must your mother be in?"

Zhu Zhen was a bright child, and Ma Wenxiang gave him some pointers.

He seemed to have realized something.

Ma Wenxiang shifted his gaze from him to Consort Hu, who was being supported by two palace maids from Yongshou Palace: "Today, Xiao Liudai, you are being punished."

"Today's matter is just a trivial matter, but if it causes a major incident in the future, not only Xiao Liu, but even your maternal family may not be able to withstand it."

"In this palace, everything revolves around the royal family. I hope you will keep today's events in mind."

"Alright, get off."