The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

Chapter 267 Rescuing Azhuo

"What happened?" Cen Jiexiao frowned slightly and asked curiously. Her voice was clear and pleasant, flowing like a clear spring in a mountain stream.

A braver palace maid stepped forward tremblingly, knelt and saluted, and said in a trembling voice: "Replying to Dean Cen, it was a palace maid from the laundry department who accidentally broke the queen's blue and white porcelain vase..."

"Oh?" Cen Jiexiao's heart moved. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! She asked casually, "And then?"

The maid secretly raised her eyes to glance at Cen Jiexiao, then quickly lowered her head and said cautiously, "The Concubine Shu is furious and is punishing the maid!"

A subtle, profound meaning flashed across Cen Jiexiao's eyes, like a whirlpool hidden beneath the surface of a calm lake. She walked gracefully towards the center of the crowd.

In the center of the crowd, a young palace maid knelt on the ground, her delicate body trembling like a willow branch swaying in the wind. She lowered her head, tears streaming down her face like pearls from a broken string, soaking her clothes and the fallen leaves on the ground. The leaves, soaked by her tears, looked even more desolate, as precarious as her fate at that moment.

Concubine Shu stood beside her like a statue, domineering and overbearing, as if she controlled everything in the world. Her slender fingers, painted with bright red nail polish, pointed at the kneeling palace maid like poisoned swords, her sharp nails almost piercing her skin.

"You slut!" Concubine Shu's voice was sharp and piercing, like a broken gong, echoing in the silent courtyard.

"How dare you smash my blue and white porcelain! Are you tired of living?!"

The maid was so frightened that her soul was about to be shattered, and her cries became even more shrill, "Your Majesty, please spare me! I didn't mean to do this! I deserve to die! Please have mercy on me, Your Majesty!"

"Have mercy?" Concubine Shu sneered, her tone full of disdain.

"Even if I take your life, how much is it worth? This is a blue and white porcelain vase given by the emperor, it's priceless! Can you afford to pay for it?!"

"Someone come! Drag her away and beat her to death!" Shufei screamed.

Two burly guards came out in response and walked towards the palace maid like hungry wolves pouncing on their prey.

"Stop!" Sister Cen's clear voice was like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's ears.

Concubine Shu turned to look at Cen Jiexiao unhappily, her eyes full of hostility.

"Oh, it's Dean Cen. How dare you meddle in my affairs when you come to the palace?"

Cen Jiexiao smiled slightly, her face calm.

"Your Highness, please calm down. This maid didn't do it on purpose. Besides, no one is perfect. Please forgive her this time."

"Spare her? My vase is broken, and you say spare her? Who do you think you are?" Concubine Shu laughed out loud as if she heard a joke.

"Your Majesty, although this vase is precious, it is ultimately a personal possession. Besides, the palace maid did not do it on purpose. Why bother doing it for a vase?" Cen Jiexiao still spoke in a calm tone, trying to persuade Concubine Shu.

"Why? I don't care! I want this bitch's life!" Concubine Shu snorted coldly.

"Your Majesty, aren't you overdoing it?" There was a barely perceptible chill in Cen Jiexiao's tone.

"Making a fuss out of nothing? How dare you say that I'm making a fuss out of nothing? Who do you think you are? How dare you lecture me? Do you think you're still in Linkang Mansion?" Concubine Shu opened her eyes wide and cursed, pointing at Cen Jiexiao's nose.

Cen Jiexiao bowed slightly, her tone still neither humble nor arrogant.

"I dare not. I simply feel that it is beneath your majesty's dignity to be so angry."

Concubine Shu sneered.

"You have no business interfering in my affairs! Come, drag this slave away and beat her to death!"

Cen Jiexiao cursed inwardly: This shrew is so shameless! It seems that I have to find another way.

At this moment, a eunuch came running over and whispered something in Concubine Shu's ear. Concubine Shu's face instantly changed dramatically, from red to white, then from white to blue, and finally settled on an indescribable embarrassment.

She waved everyone away, walked up to Sister Cen Xiao, put on a smile, and said softly, "Sister Cen, I was ignorant and lost my composure just now. Please forgive me. If you like this humble maid, you can give her to me." After that, Concubine Shu twisted her slender waist and left without looking back.

Concubine Shu's back disappeared from view, slipping into the bushes like a slithering snake, leaving only the lingering scent of powder in the air. Cen Jiexiao then turned her attention to the young palace maid kneeling on the ground. She slowly bent down and reached out to support the trembling girl. The young palace maid's body trembled like a leaf in the wind, her frail shoulders trembling slightly. She lowered her head, not daring to look up at her.

"Get up." Cen Jiexiao's voice was soft, with a hint of soothing.

The young maid seemed not to hear anything, and continued to kneel on the ground, knocking her head heavily on the ground, making a dull "dong dong dong" sound. Every time she knocked her head, her body trembled, as if she was enduring great fear and pain.

"Thank you so much for saving my life!" The little palace maid's voice was as thin as a mosquito, and she repeated this sentence intermittently with a crying tone.

"Thank you so much for saving my life! This servant... this servant..."

Cen Jiexiao reached out her hand again and gently placed it on the little palace maid's shoulder, feeling her trembling skin under her thin clothes.

"Get up and talk, it's okay." Her tone became gentler, as if she was coaxing a frightened child.

The young palace maid finally stopped kowtow- ing . She slowly raised her head and timidly looked at Cen Jiexiao. Her delicate face, which should have been filled with youthful vitality, was now tear-stained, filled with fear and helplessness. Tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving clear traces on her pale face.

Seeing her like this, Cen Jiexiao felt a surge of pity in her heart. How many women in the harem were like her, like ants, trampled upon by others, with no control over their own life and death?

"What's your name? Why are you here?" Cen Jiexiao asked softly, trying to make the little palace maid relax.

The young maid lowered her head, clasped her hands tightly together, and whispered, "My name is Ah Zhuo, I am...I am a maid in the laundry department..." Her voice was intermittent, as if she was trying hard to control her emotions. "Today...today I was ordered to deliver...deliver some clean clothes to the Concubine Shu...Who knew...Who knew..."

At this point, Azhuo's voice choked, tears welled up again, blurring her vision. She tried hard to continue speaking, but she couldn't say anything, and could only make intermittent sobs.

Cen Jiexiao sighed softly. She could probably guess a little. The harem was a place of controversy, where one could easily get into trouble. This young maid must have accidentally offended Concubine Shu, bringing upon herself such misfortune.

"Don't cry, tell me slowly what happened." Sister Cen Xiao comforted softly.

Azhu took a deep breath, tried to calm himself down, and recounted what had happened in a disjointed manner.