"Mother... mother... please... spare me!" Several slaps came down, and Wen Qin cried until she had no more tears to shed. Her endurance had reached its limit. She lifted her head and looked at Yan Hou with a difficult plea for mercy, truly fearing him from the bottom of her heart.

  Hearing the zither, she saw Empress Wu ignoring her pleas and merely humming a tune. For this, she was very anxious and could only look to her master, calling out pitifully: "Master, save me."

  Yan Xijun looked at the two people being beaten with a heartache, although one of them had betrayed her, she didnt want to sacrifice their lives for this matter. After all, the root cause was her, and she should be the one to receive punishment.

  At this thought, Yan Xikun could no longer hold back. She rushed to the eunuch who was beating Da Xueliang and grasped the wooden board tightly with her slender hand, shouting: "Stop at once!"

  Yan Wu Xin frowned as she watched Yan Xi Jun, seeing that she was hindering the eunuchs from doing their job. She then ordered the two eunuchs by her side: "Bring her over to me!"

  Yan Xijun was pulled away by the two eunuchs, she anxiously glanced at Wenqin, gritted her teeth, suddenly broke free from the eunuch holding her, and knelt down to her sister again, "Please spare them, dont hit anymore."

  "Look at your sister and say: This matter is all because of me, dont hit them anymore, if you want to hit, scold or punish, just let me bear it alone, it has nothing to do with them."

  "This is how it can be called none of their business? The master does foolish things, they dont stop him but instead execute them on the side, the mistakes they make are unforgivable!"

  "But... sister...?"

  "Theres nothing to be afraid of. I wont punish you because you still have other uses and youre still my person. You havent completed that task for me yet!"

  "Sister!" Yan Xijun shouted in annoyance and anger. Her sister was really infuriating, how could she say such things!

  Hearing the zither and seeing Empress Wu, she didnt even listen to her masters words. She already knew in her heart that seeking help was hopeless. With a sorrowful heart, her buttocks felt burning hot again. Suddenly, a surge of resentment rushed straight to her forehead, and everything before her eyes turned black as she fainted away.

  The eunuch who was holding her hands and feet sensed that something was wrong, took a closer look, and saw that she had fainted. He hastily reported to the empress: "Your Majesty, this palace maid has already fainted, do you still want to continue beating her?"

  Yan Wu Xin waved her hand impatiently: "Alright, lets spare her for now, take her away!" The eunuch obeyed and immediately dragged Huan Qin to the side. She looked at Xue Lian with disdain, who was still quietly persisting on the other side. In her heart, she gritted her teeth in anger - this cheap girl actually dared to disobey her orders! If it werent for Huan Qin telling secrets, perhaps Xue Lian would have gotten the hidden red flower and ruined her big plan.

  Anyone who dares to betray her, she will never let them off easy. Thinking of this, Yan Wuxin pointed at Xue Lian and ordered the eunuch, "Give me a good beating, beat this cheap servant to death! How dare she not listen to my words!"

  "Yes, Your Lady!" The eunuch immediately increased the force in his hand, and the board in his hand swung down ruthlessly, slapping loudly, causing everyone to be shocked.

  "Hmph..." Xue Lian spat out a mouthful of bright red blood, the eighth slap. It seemed that the Empress was prepared to beat her to death.

  She doesnt hate the empress, nor does she regret it. Living in this dark palace, she had long expected that there would be such a day. A humble little palace maid, who would remember her? Death is not to be feared, but thinking of her young brother at home, her heart still has some reluctance.

  Yan Xijun saw that Xue Lian had been beaten until she spat blood, and her heart skipped a beat. She didnt care about the eunuchs beside her, and rushed over to throw herself on Xue Lians body, using her own back to block another blow. Even if Xue Lian had betrayed her, Yan Xijun still didnt want her to die.

  "Ah!" The board hit her body, and Yan Xikun couldnt help but cry out in pain. One board was enough to make someone unbearable, let alone Snow Lian who had been hit by so many big boards, how much more painful it must be for her.

  "Master...!" Yuki Rei stared at her master in shock, who was shielding her with his body. Why was he so foolish? Why did he come to rescue her?

  Yan Xijun looked at Xue Lians pale face, with a hint of blood on the corner of her mouth. She reached out to wipe away the blood and said sympathetically: "Xue Lian, it hurts, doesnt it? But dont worry, itll be over soon."

  Xue Lian blinked hard, but her eyes were still shining with tears. She swallowed and said: "M...Master..."

  The master obviously suspected her, so why did he still want to take the blame for her?

  "Your Majesty!" The eunuch who was holding the board looked at Yan Xijun with a mixture of fear and trepidation, then looked at the board in his hand, and hastily reported to the Empress Dowager, "He hit the Emperors consort! What should we do?"

  Yan Wuxin looked at the two people on the ground with great displeasure and said, "Fourth sister, what are you doing?"

  Yan Xijun lifted her small face, her eyes firm, and said word by word: "Sister, Ill take the last slap for Xuelian."

  Xue Lians heart was moved, but she couldnt let her noble master be beaten, so she anxiously said: "Master, absolutely not!"

  "Xue Lian, dont worry!" Yan Xi Jun comforted, this mistake was hers to make, so she would also take the punishment for them.

  "What a deep bond between master and servant! Then this palace will fulfill your wishes!" Yan Xikes desperate protection of Xuelian pierced Yan Wuxins eyes, and she said heartlessly.

  "Hit me, give this palace a final strike."

  The eunuch had no choice but to grit his teeth and strike the final blow, after which he let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the noble beauty hadnt fainted, or else the emperor would have held him accountable for any harm that came to her.

  That piercing sound of the board passed through Xue Lians ears, and she said with tears in her eyes: "Master, Im sorry!"

  "Its alright, I can still hold on." Yan Xijun smiled and said to Xue Leng, originally she wanted to comfort her a few more sentences, but the pain coming from her body made her unable to speak, in the end, she fainted into Xue Lengs arms.

  Dai Yan cherishedly waited for her master to wake up, and when she did, it was already dusk. Wen Yu, who had been waiting by her side, joyfully said: "Master, youre awake! Do you want dinner?"

  Yan Xijun wanted to get out of bed, but found that she couldnt get up. As soon as her body moved, a burning pain came from her lower back, and she pointed at it in confusion: "Whats this...?"

  "Ah, Master, dont move around anymore. The empress has already found the imperial physician to treat your wounds."

  Yan Xijun suddenly remembered the incident of being hit by a board in the morning, she thought of the unconscious Wenqin and the seriously injured Xuelian, anxiously asking: "How are Wenqin and Xuelian doing? Has the Empress done anything to them?"

  "Master, you can rest assured, theyre all fine. The empress had the imperial physician examine their injuries as well, and now theres no major problem, theyve all been medicated, and theyre all asleep."

  "Ah, thats good."

  "Please rest assured, master, and take care of your body. Ill go and serve dinner now." Having said that, she went out.

  After resting for only a few days, Yan Xijun couldnt bear to stay in bed any longer. Taking advantage of Wen Yus absence while attending to other matters, she slipped out of bed and wanted to run to the side hall to visit Wen Qin and Xue Lian, those two maidservants.

  They soon met in the side hall, and their injuries healed quickly. In just a few days, Wenqin was able to get out of bed and move around, while Xuelians injuries were more serious and she needed to rest for several more days.

  Seeing that they were all fine, Yan Xijun finally put down her anxious heart and stayed for a while before leaving.

  In the spacious courtyard, many flowers and grasses were planted. Yan Xijun gazed at those flowers in a trance, smelling their fragrance for the first time. The faint scent filled her nostrils, and a gentle breeze brushed against her face, bringing with it an intense floral aroma.

  This fragrance of flowers seems familiar, Yan Xijun carefully examined those flowers and suddenly found several clusters of brightly blooming flowers among the pile of flowers.

  "Jiāng luó huā!" How did this kind of flower end up here? Yan Xī Jūn looked at the brightly blooming flowers in surprise, and to get a closer look, she walked over.

  Not bad, this is indeed the swallowtail orchid. Looking at the flowers swaying in the wind, Yan Xikun counted them and found that there were five plants in this sea of flowers. These few plants growing in the lush flower sea are not eye-catching and may not be noticeable if you dont look carefully.

  Its strange, why are there such flowers here? Is it a coincidence that they grew up here or did someone plant them on purpose? If its the latter, then who planted them?

  Thinking that the fragrance of this flower could make women infertile and even kill the fetus in their womb, Yan Xijun was so frightened that she retreated continuously, keeping a distance of several zhang, as if she had seen a plague.

  Yan Xijun thought of Changqiu Palace nearby and also saw the swallowtail orchid, could it be that this imperial palace was planted everywhere, or was it him...?

  If he really did it on purpose, what does that mean? Doesnt want the empresses to get pregnant, doesnt want children?

  Yan Xijun stood there, furrowing his brow and thinking for a long time. He finally sorted out some clues. If this was really what he wanted, then his sisters plan would be ruined again, and she wouldnt have to worry about getting pregnant anymore.