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It’s usually insulting to say someone suffers from a mental illness, and the person who had stopped her earlier had said the same, but at the time, she was solely focused on stopping Rong Ying and didn’t take it to heart.

A crooked beam leads to a crooked column; the people in Huaying Hall and Rong Ying were alike, all barbarians, which angered her to the point where her chest and head began to throb violently.

Noble Consort Xue took a deep breath and reminded herself to stay calm. These trivial details weren’t the main issue now; the main issue was to seize the initiative and dismantle Rong Ying’s schemes.

She looked at Rong Ying with an icy stare and said coldly, "The ailment I’m suffering from is merely a minor headache; it’ll pass."

She glanced at Granny Gan, then toward the crowd, "What is the matter with this servant, what’s all this commotion about, and why wasn’t I informed?"

Consort Xu De straightened the sleeve she had wrinkled when hitting someone and said nonchalantly, "This servant disrespected her superiors and caused chaos. Your Highness need not worry, for I have already punished her; there is no need for further punishment."

The Noble Consort was furious. She hadn’t even mentioned punishing anyone yet, but this barbarian girl was dodging the essential and utterly disregarding her. Just as she was about to ask for clarification,

she saw Consort Xu De raise her eyebrows and glance over her shoulder, saying, "The palace maid from Huaqing Palace really deserved to die. I had sent someone earlier to inquire about Your Highness’s condition, and they exaggerated it terribly, saying it was severe and that seeing anyone could exacerbate it, leading me to believe Your Highness’s mental illness was as critical as if it were a matter of life or death.

It’s really improper, Your Highness; you must take control. "

Having said this, she gave a slight smile and continued, "I pity Your Highness and did not wish to disturb you further, so I took it upon myself to manage the harem’s affairs and called the managers to see."

The Noble Consort glanced back at Cai Xia with a flash of annoyance in her eyes, wondering what this servant had said and how the barbarian girl could bring it up on the spot.

It was merely an excuse for shirking responsibility, but the barbarian had cunningly taken advantage of it, which infuriated her even more.

Cai Xia shuddered, her head hung low, not daring to look at anyone.

When people from Huaying Hall had come initially, she was tasked with sending them away.

She hadn’t said anything inappropriate, just repeated what the Consort had told her: the headache was severe, worsened by wind, and it was inconvenient to meet anyone.

She had sent them away, perhaps a bit haughtily, never expecting Consort Xu De to twist it into something else.

But she couldn’t explain herself on the spot and felt utterly wronged, unsure how the Consort would treat her upon returning.

Like everyone else, she was very wary of Consort Xu De, fearing the situation now as it seemed her own Consort had the disadvantage.

Noble Consort Xue looked intensely at Consort Xu De, saying with a forced smile, "I must thank Consort De for her concern first."

Then, flicking her sleeves, she walked forward, her eyes sweeping over the managers and spoke with deep implication, "However, having overseen the harem for nearly a decade, I am adept with all palace affairs. I know each manager here and am aware of their responsibilities; how well they perform them; I have all along known. How could a minor illness possibly fail His Majesty’s trust and hinder important tasks? "

As she finished speaking, she turned her head and glared fiercely back at Consort Xu De, her gaze possessing a daunting presence.

The managers, scanned by the Noble Consort’s gaze, nearly hung their heads to the ground. The Noble Consort was reminding them of her past kindness and indicating that she was fully aware of certain things, making some feel as if they had betrayed the Noble Consort.

But they were also scared, frightened of the formidable Consort De.

Offending the Noble Consort might lead to a bad end, but offending Consort De could result in a gruesome death. With neither side appealing, what was the right thing to do?

For the moment, their plan was still to wait and see; they had no other choice.

Consort Xu De laughed, showing no fear at all, for all words in front of fists are but a show of false bravado. What is there to fear?

Who cannot wield the sharp edge of language?

She, smiling radiantly, walked up to Noble Consort Xue and said, "Consort truly does not take good care of herself. As far as this concubine knows, Consort’s headache is an incurable disease. Haven’t you been taking medicine these days? Have you just taken your medicine?"

Being considerably taller, she stood before these managers and made Noble Consort Xue look a notch shorter, immediately weakening the latter’s imposing aura.

Noble Consort Xue was both shocked and angry. Angry that this barbarian girl cursed her at every turn, speaking of her brain disease, proclaiming her death imminent, and now declaring her headache incurable, making it sound as though she were about to die, shaking the morale of her troops.

Regrettably, she could not refute, for her headache indeed was incurable. If she were to quibble over this with the barbarian girl, probably the girl would say even more and worse things, listing all sorts of statements that would disadvantage her further.

The people in the palace were inherently suspicious, prone to shifting as the wind and grasping at shadows.

By the time rumors spread, it would probably morph into her being close to death; even if she were to run her legs off debunking these, the servants and Palace Concubines who followed her would become skeptical.

Who would dare follow someone on their deathbed?

What shocked her was how this barbarian girl seemed thoroughly familiar with her palace affairs. How could she know about her headache and her medication schedule? Could there be a spy in Huaqing Palace? Who is it!

She forced herself not to look at the servants below; one must not show any sign of suspicion at this time.

In an instant, myriad thoughts turned over in her mind. Noble Consort Xue’s eyes shone with a sharp gleam, and squinting, she lifted her chin, "Consort De need not trouble herself, for I am well enough to stand here."

Consort Xu De disagreed openly, "This concubine might not be talented but has practiced martial arts for a few years, I can tell the spirit of a person. Seeing Consort’s feeble footsteps and weak stance, how can it be nothing? Don’t pretend to be alright when you are not."

"You!" Noble Consort Xue squinted her eyes, glaring at Consort Xu De, wishing she could stare a hole through her.

Consort Xu De looked at Noble Consort and said, "Just now, Consort mentioned not wanting to fail His Majesty’s trust. This concubine believes that it is failing His Majesty’s trust if Consort does not take proper care of her health.

On the Mid-Autumn banquet night, His Majesty, concerned about Consort suffering from the headache, ordered this concubine to assist in managing the Harem to lessen Consort’s burden.

Even if Consort has noble intentions and disregards her health, this concubine cannot comply. "

Turning to the Managers with a smile that was not quite a smile, she said, "If any of you dare disturb Noble Consort with trivial matters, causing her condition to worsen, I will be the first to show no mercy!"

At this, Noble Consort Xue could no longer contain her anger and sternly challenged, "Xu Rong Ying, are you trying to sideline me? What audacity!"

The intent to kill in her eyes could no longer be hidden as her chest heaved with fury.

She had not anticipated, that Xu Rong Ying would dare to threaten these people right in front of her, trying to completely sideline her. Such audacity, she had indeed underestimated this barbarian girl’s boldness.

In this confrontation, she was at a disadvantage at every turn. She could not allow this to continue!

Consort Xu De frowned slightly, took a few steps aside, glanced at Noble Consort Xue, feeling the volume was quite loud, which was making her ears hurt.

Her voice was calm as she said, "This concubine dares not; I am merely following His Majesty’s decree and also feel pity for Consort."