Consort of a Thousand Faces Chapter 128.2 - how could it be

Chapter 128.2: how could it be

Ning Anlian then walked out of the study. Yun Ruofeng silently watched her figure as she exited the room and closed the door.
Ning Anlian left so readily because she had been anxious to find out what had happened with the rouge.
After feeding the horses in the backyard, Piao Xu had ordered someone to bring the horse carriage back to the entrance to wait for Ning Anlian to come out.
When Piao Xu saw Ning Anlian, she immediately greeted, “This servant pays her respect to the Eldest Imperial Princess. Are we heading back to the palace now?”
Ning Anlian looked at Piao Xu and snorted harshly. We are outside now; it’s not a place to talk about the philtre fragrance.
Left with no other choice, she simply spoke in a cold tone. “I’ll deal with you after we have returned to the palace.”
Piao Xu was nervous the entire way back because of that. What exactly have I done wrong?
Reaching the repose palace, Piao Xu could bear it no longer and knelt down directly. “What has this servant done wrong? Eldest Imperial Princess, could you tell this servant directly?”
Ning Anlian’s tone took a downturn. “You don’t even know what you did wrong.”
Kneeling on the floor, Piao Xu spoke in a quivering voice, “This servant… has no idea. May you kindly enlighten this servant, Eldest Imperial Princess?”
I know Ning Anlian’s tricks best. If I have angered her, she wouldn’t show any mercy.
At this moment, Ning Anlian’s heart was full of displeasure, her tone reflecting her emotions. “Enlighten you? Think carefully before you answer this Princess’ question. Besides you, has anyone touched this Princess’ rouge?”
Piao Xu thought for a moment and replied. “Responding to the Eldest Imperial Princess, nobody other than this servant has come into contact with the rouge box.”
No one? Ning Anlian frowned.
“If no one else has come into contact with the rouge box, why did the philtre fragrance rouge that this Princess got you to buy turn into ordinary rouge without rhyme or reason? Could it be that you took the wrong one by mistake?”
Piao Xu shuddered. “Replying to the Eldest Imperial Princess, this servant dares not. This servant never gave the rouge box to others. It’s not possible for this servant to have taken the wrong box. Please investigate the matter clearly, Eldest Imperial Princess.”
“Say then, where did the philtre fragrance that this princess bought go? Don’t tell me it walked off by itself? Philtre fragrance rouge is clearly pale pink and of low concentration. How could it possibly become ordinary rouge? Or is this Princess blind?”
Piao Xu was scared silly and the rim of her eyes had turned red.“This servant dares not.” Piao Xu responded as she desperately kowtowed. “Please investigate the matter clearly, Eldest Imperial Princes,” she repeated.
Looking at Piao Xu who had served her for so many years kowtowing on the ground, Ning Anlian could still tell as to whether she was lying or not.
But if what Piao Xu said is true, then where is the philtre fragrance rouge? Could it have unknowingly been switched with another?
“Get up. Use this box of rouge as a reward for all the years you have been serving at my side. However, because of your poor performance today, you will be punished!”
With her eyes red, Piao Xu muttered a yes as she stood up and came forward to receive the rouge.
With a wave of her hand, Ning Anlian instructed, “You may leave and receive your punishment.”
Piao Xu retreated deferentially and closed the doors.
Ning Anlian walked into the inner chambers and laid on the bed, thinking of the philtre fragrance that was switched unknowingly.
At the same time, Piao Xu was also thinking about what went wrong. The rouge was in my hand the whole time, how could it have been switched?
She finally figured it out just as she was about to be flogged. She immediately stopped the eunuch who was about to whip her before rushing back to Ning Anlian.
“What? Have you already received your punishment and come back?” Ning Anlian opened her eyes when she heard Piao Xu coming in.
Piao Xu responded eagerly, “Eldest Imperial Princess, this servant has finally remembered what went wrong.”
Hearing this, Ning Anlian immediately felt energised. Supporting herself with one hand, she called for Piao Xu to enter and continue speaking.