Chapter 1140: Chapter 1140: Tired Walking Since The Palace Is Too Big

Once Bai Xifeng and her maid had completely vanished from their line of sight down the garden path, Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu turned around, her gaze landing sharply on Wanlu.

"Wanlu, step forward." Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu’s voice cut through the air, icy cold and laced with quiet fury.

Wanlu shuddered and immediately shuffled forward to stand before Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu. However, she did not possess an ounce of the courage required to look directly into her mistress’s displeased eyes. Instead, she kept her head pressed down toward her chest, staring nervously at the embroidered silk slippers on Noble Consort Furen’s feet.

"Do you comprehend the full extent of your wrongdoing?" Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu demanded, her tone stern.

"I... I was deeply disrespectful to that young lady, Your Highness." Wanlu answered meekly, treading with extreme caution.

"And do you understand why that is a grave transgression?" Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu pressed further.

Wanlu’s mind went completely blank, leaving her at an absolute loss for words.

Why?

What on earth did her mistress mean by why?

Why shouldn’t she demand respect from a random young lady wandering through the inner palace?

And why in the world did a powerful Noble Consort like Her Ladyship need to walk on eggshells around a mere girl?

Wanlu was thoroughly, completely confused by the entire dynamic.

"Tell me, do you even know who Bai Xifeng is?" Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu threw out another direct question.

At that exact moment, a bolt of realization struck Wanlu like thunder, illuminating her mind in sheer terror.

That person earlier... was the Bai Xifeng!

Bai Xifeng!

She was the legendary, formidable daughter of Great General Bai, and one of the extremely rare, privileged individuals who possessed special dispensation to walk freely before the Royal Family without needing to bow, kneel, or pay formal homage!

Wanlu’s face drained of all colour in an instant, turning a sickly, ghostly pale. Her mind raced back to her reckless actions just minutes ago with mounting horror. She had actually had the suicidal audacity to order guards to drag Bai Xifeng away and inflict twenty heavy board beatings upon her body!

If Hanlu had not stepped in at that exact second to strike her down and apologize on her behalf, she might very well be lying as a cold, lifeless corpse somewhere in the palace dungeons right now. At long last, the scales fell from Wanlu’s eyes, and she finally understood the real reason behind Hanlu’s sudden slap.

It was not that Hanlu was merely furious at her for being impolite to a guest. Hanlu had slapped her across the face to forcefully cut her off and save her foolish life before she dragged their entire estate into an irredeemable calamity.

"Now you understand the reality of your folly, don’t you?" Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu stated coolly.

"Yes, Your Highness! This servant understands!" Wanlu nodded frantically, her body trembling as the terrifying weight of her mistake settled over her.

"Even though you now realise your error, a severe breach of protocol must still be answered for. Report directly to the disciplinary hall and submit yourself to punishment." Noble Consort Furen Qian Yunyu instructed coldly.

"Yes, Your Highness! I will go and accept my punishment immediately!" Wanlu bowed deeply, lowering herself almost to the stone pathway before turning around to depart with hasty, unsteady steps.

As Wanlu hurried off toward the disciplinary quarters, a strange sense of profound relief washed over her despite her looming punishment, knowing she had narrowly cheated death today.

She had made a single, ignorant mistake simply because she failed to recognise the formidable Bai Xifeng.

Yet in the treacherous, cutthroat environment of the imperial palace, a single misstep like that was often more than enough to cost a person their very head.

The moment Bai Xifeng stepped out of the Empress Dowager’s Palace, a wave of exhaustion washed over her. There was still quite a long way to go before reaching the palace gates, but she had zero intention of taking another step. She had already done more than enough walking for a single day, and there was simply no good reason for her to keep wearing herself out.

Without a second thought, she summoned Cerberus. In the blink of an eye, the majestic creature materialised directly in front of her.

Bai Xifeng casually hopped onto his broad back, then looked down at Xiao Li, waiting for her maid to climb up beside her.

"What are you standing there gaping for? Hop on." Bai Xifeng urged.

"Y-Young Miss... Are you absolutely sure it’s alright for us to ride a divine beast right through the middle of the imperial palace grounds?" Xiao Li asked, looking around nervously with hesitation.

"It’s fine. When we rode him in earlier, the Emperor did not say a single word about it. I am sure it is no different now." Bai Xifeng dismissed her concerns with a casual wave of her hand.

Faced with her completely fearless young miss, Xiao Li had no choice but to bite the bullet and scramble up.

Cerberus proved to be exceptionally thoughtful. He lowered his massive frame closer to the ground, making it far easier for Xiao Li to climb onto his back.

"Thank you, Cerberus." Xiao Li murmured gratefully.

Cerberus offered no verbal reply, but all three of his massive heads remained completely serene as he waited patiently for Xiao Li to secure her seat.

Once they were settled, Cerberus began marching with steady, dignified strides toward the main palace entrance.

Along the paths, palace servants, guards, and maids stood rooted to the spot, watching the colossal creature in sheer astonishment.

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