When Zhao Ming interrupted her by calling her ' Incapable Master', Xiao Li's expressions darkened.

  She was fine if she was calling herself an Incapable Master, but it is insulting when someone else calls you the same.

  She stopped talking and glared at Zhao Ming with stern expressions.

  She did not like the way she talked to her.

  Other servants were looking at Zhao Ming in disbelief. She has called Consort Xiao Li, " Incapable."

  When Zhao Ming realized that she did something wrong, she opens her eyes slightly and pursed her lips lightly.

  ….

  " Sister, You." Xiao Li looked at Zhao Ming in disbelief and looked at her with wronged expression.

  " Sister, do you think that I am Incapable? I know I have many flaws but I never thought that you think of me this way. I always treat you as my sister but why can't you feel the same? Why do you have to behave so differently with me?" she said while shedding her crocodile tears.

  Xiao Li was looking at Zhao Ming with broken expressions and those tears turned Zhao Ming into an accused instantly.

  Everyone looked at Zhao Ming in disbelief and strangely. They thought that she was being too harsh.

  Moreover, Hao Mei didn't say anything wrong to her. And she does not have to be so rude and arrogant to Consort Xiao Li.

  Consort Xiao Li is even ready to take punishment in place of Hao Mei but Zhao Ming is not ready to forgive her.

  Instead, she was calling her incapable.

  Because of her this act, people who were outside the kitchen and a few maids in the kitchen started to whisper and it all made Zhao Ming looked bad.

  They all felt Xiao Li's sincerity and felt disgusted towards Zhao Ming for abusing her power on a mere servant for her grudges.

  " Empress Zhao Ming has gone too far."

  " I feel pity for Consort Xiao Li. She did nothing wrong, but she still apologized to her highness, but she doesn't even let it go. She is so heartless."

  " Poor Consort Xiao Li."

  " Consort Xiao Li is so pure and innocent. She even treats her maid so nicely. Her heart is like gold. "

  People gathered around her started to whisper about the situation and started to sympathize with Xiao Li.

  ….

  When Zhao Ming heard these whispers, she scoffed inwardly.

  ' When does this Xiao Li apologized to me? How can they make these stories like this?'

  ' These people don't know anything and just started making stories just like that. She is crying, so she is a victim? Is that it?'

  Zhao Ming looked at Xiao Li with stern expressions and was trying to calm herself down.

  She took a deep breath but before she could say anything, some noises were coming from outside.

  Everyone turned to look at what was happening but was shocked to see Ji Cheng coming over with Feng Ju behind.

  Zhao Ming was shocked to see him here. She has never thought that he would come to the kitchen to solve women's matters.

  ' But did he come here to solve this matter or to complicate this one' she wondered inwardly.

  Some part of her was glad that he came but she was worried as well because right now everyone thinks that she was in the wrong.

  ' What if in the end, everyone will blame her not this Hao Mei? Because seeing Xiao Li's acting, even she started to feel slightly subdued.'

  Xiao Li's expressions brightened seeing Ji Cheng coming over but she tried to hide her excitement from everyone under her sobbing face.

  However, Zhao Ming noticed the change in her expressions and scoffed inwardly. She realized that she is not like Xie Xinyi.

  She is more cunning than Xinyi. But both are stupid as hell.

  She once got into her trap because she was young at that time and does not know the world at that time.

  After a long 7 years, she might have not changed much but she has matured a lot. Though there is some stubbornness in her however after she came into this world she realized that she needs to fight for herself and defend herself.

  Otherwise, no one will come to prove her innocence.

  ….

  When Ji Cheng entered the kitchen, other people gathered outside ran out of there.

  Xiao Li was looking at him with expectations while Ji Cheng's gaze was only fixated on Zhao Ming.

  Zhao Ming felt her heart racing when she saw him appear suddenly. She held her the helm of her gown tightly in nervousness.

  She was worried that he might side with Xiao Li and it will hurt her.

  Because after knowing him for a few days, she has grown some expectations from him and was worried that he might let her down.

  " Your highness, you came." Xiao Li walked forward and greeted Ji Cheng with her welled up eyes.

  Ji Cheng looked at her in indifference and furrowed his brows.

  He didn't say anything to her and walked towards Zhao Ming, " What happened?" He looked at Zhao Ming with concern and after confirming that she was not hurt in any way, he felt relieved.

  Xiao Li looked up at him in disbelief. He just ignored her and walked towards Zhao Ming.

  Zhao Ming looked at Ji Cheng and pursed her lips. She calmed down a little when she saw him ignoring Xiao Li.

  " Nothing. It's not an affair for his highness to interfere. I am just teaching this maid some lessons. There is no need for you to interfere." she said with a polite smile.

  He was an Emperor and it was not a thing for him to interfere. He has many big things to handle and if she asks him to help her with such petty things then what kind of Empress she is.

  Ji Cheng raised his brows in amusement when Zhao Ming said it's not a big deal. He nodded his head slightly in agreement.

  Before coming here, he has heard from Feng Ju about the situation. He didn't intend to interfere in this thing, but when Xiao Li came herself, so he was forced to come here.

  He does not mind Zhao Ming reprimanding any servant but when he heard that Xiao Li came and was creating a scene here, then he left all his work and came here to check on her.

  In the past, he has left Zhao Ming to deal with them alone and he has seen the consequences of his actions of ignorance.

  ….

  Hearing Zhao Ming's words, Xiao Li felt enraged because Ji Cheng was agreeing with her words and didn't say anything. Xiao Li hurriedly went to Ji Cheng and looked at him with her glistening eyes and said in a trembling voice,

  " His highness, Sister is right. It's nothing. Sister has done nothing wrong, it's all my fault for not teaching Hao Mei right. Even though she is just a young girl who works diligently, how can she dare to question Her Highness? She is the Empress and has every right to punish anyone."

  " I am sorry his highness, that you had to come here and witness this scene," she said sincerely and bowed to him. It looked like she was blaming Hao Mei and not Zhao Ming.

  But her words had a clear meaning that Zhao Ming was trying to punish a girl who works diligently and Zhao Ming was trying to abuse her power as an Empress on her by punishing her unfairly.

  When Ji cheng heard Xiao Li's words, his expressions fell and held her head down to think about things.

  Seeing the serious expressions on Ji Cheng's face, Xiao Li was gleeful and was smiling because she thought that he believed her words.

  Whereas Zhao Ming looked at Ji Cheng whose expressions were serious as if he were in deep thought. This made her feel nervous.