newbobooks Chapter 422 A plan within a plan
Chapter 422 A plan within a plan
The emperor was slapped.
This is the cause.
The Emperor and Consort Zhen have just returned to the palace.
Enraged, Consort Shen lost her temper and rushed forward to slap Consort Zhen.
She wasn't given a chance to explain at all.
Being beaten for no reason, Consort Zhen had no reason not to fight back.
When it comes to fighting, how could she, who grew up in the countryside, be afraid of a pampered young lady?
The two men struggled together.
Pulling hair, slapping, biting and chewing...
Her hair was disheveled, and her hairpins and jewelry were scattered all over the ground.
The emperor, who was feeling unwell and preparing to return to the palace to rest, stopped in his tracks, dumbfounded.
His beloved concubines, who used to be weak and helpless in his presence, have now all turned into shrewish women.
That's improper.
The palace servants stared wide-eyed.
Gee!
She was completely different from the aloof imperial concubine she usually was; she was like a shrew from the marketplace, utterly disregarding her dignity and image.
The emperor watched as the concubines fought, but no one spoke up, and the palace servants dared not intervene.
As they watched, they saw Consort Shen slap her, and Consort Zhen dodged.
The slap landed squarely on the emperor's face.
The air froze instantly.
The palace servants opened their mouths wide, but none of them dared to make a sound.
The mother who lost her child went mad, and Consort Shen believed that Consort Zhen was the murderer who killed her son.
They hit pretty hard.
The emperor's face immediately turned red on one side.
Consort Zhen stared wide-eyed, covered her mouth, and looked at the Emperor with a terrified expression.
Did Consort Shen miss her target and end up hitting the Emperor instead?
This must have taken all its strength.
Ignoring her own disheveled state, she immediately ordered a palace maid to bring her ointment: "Your Majesty, let me apply this ointment for you. Consort Shen must have been traumatized by the loss of her beloved son, that's why..."
The emperor was somewhat dazed by the beating.
He touched his cheek; it was burning.
He actually got beaten up?
Apart from the late emperor, no one in this world dares to hit him.
Consort Shen looked at the Emperor's slightly flushed cheeks, and then at her own hand that was still not lowered.
Upon seeing the Emperor's icy gaze, she instantly snapped back to reality.
She hit the emperor.
That's it, I'm doomed!
Her face changed instantly, and she knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I deserve to die... I didn't mean it, it's our prince who died, I was blinded by anger... Your Majesty, you must do justice for our prince, it was Consort Zhen, she held a grudge and killed our prince..."
Consort Shen spoke incoherently.
The emperor was speechless.
If it were any other concubine, according to palace rules, she would have been dragged away and thrown into the cold palace by now.
But she was a daughter of the Shen family, and now her child had died.
She looked disheveled and distraught.
After all, they've been married for a long time, and I couldn't bear to do it.
He understands the pain of losing a child.
Although I've experienced many things, big and small, my heart may become numb, but it will still ache.
Moreover, Xiao Ba was the crown prince he had carefully groomed, second only to the third prince.
He died just like that, and his pain was no less than that of the Shen family.
He also wanted to find the murderer as soon as possible and punish him severely.
The Emperor looked at Consort Shen, who was kneeling on the ground: "How can you be so sure that Xiao Ba's death is related to Consort Zhen? Do you have any evidence?"
Consort Zhen nervously clenched the handkerchief in her hand, fearing that Consort Shen might actually produce some evidence.
Quite a few people died unjustly in this palace.
They might randomly find a bottle of poison in your room, or a palace maid might suddenly appear and insist it was you.
Even if you have a million mouths, you can't defend yourself.
The Emperor does favor her, that's true, but she's not confident she can surpass her own son.
However, she was overthinking it.
"Evidence?" Consort Shen smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty, what murderer would leave evidence at home waiting to be arrested? The one who died was your own son. Are you planning to protect her?"
"Insolence." The Emperor was displeased by her attitude: "Shen Jin, I am taking into consideration that you are grieving the loss of your beloved son and are delirious, which is why you are talking nonsense. Since you don't know what's good for you, then go back and reflect on your actions in seclusion. Don't come out until you've figured it out."
The Emperor did not pursue the matter further; he even sent the imperial physician to examine her and instructed the palace servants to take good care of her.
Consort Shen had no intention of leaving; she had come to seek justice for her son.
She wouldn't be satisfied until she had skinned this bitch alive.
The mother, whose son had died, had the support of her maternal family, so the emperor couldn't do anything to her.
Consort Zhen said it wasn't her, but Consort Shen didn't believe her.
Whether it's her or Prince Chen or Consort Chen, they're all birds of a feather.
She needed an outlet for her frustrations...
During the scuffle, Consort Zhen fainted and bled.
Consort Shen was dumbfounded.
This kind of trick of framing someone for a miscarriage is something we've seen all too often in the palace.
Is he trying to cling to her?
Very well, it can be considered an exchange of lives, and I have no regrets even in death.
After examination by the imperial physician, it was confirmed that Consort Zhen was indeed pregnant.
But she had just been in a fight, which upset her and caused her to miscarry.
When Consort Zhen woke up, she sat there blankly for a long time.
She touched her flat stomach, somewhat incredulous that she was pregnant.
But... the child is gone again.
Now that she's lost her virginity, she doesn't know whether to be happy or sad.
She longed to have her own child, but she hoped to conceive a prince.
Calculating the time, it's been two months since she last had her period.
However, during her pregnancy, the emperor fell ill and did not touch her.
She felt a little guilty, but also a little relieved.
This child is not meant for her.
However, she really didn't intend to have an abortion through Consort Shen; it was purely a coincidence.
Instead of seeking justice for her son, Consort Shen got herself into trouble.
It's unclear whether the Emperor was considering their past relationship or the prestige of the Shen family.
She was confined to her own palace forever, and all her stipends were cut off.
Only three meals a day are provided.
This is tantamount to imprisoning her.
It wasn't much better than being confined in the cold palace; both were trapped within the deep palace walls and died alone.
She was unwilling to accept that she hadn't been able to avenge her son.
The Emperor didn't even glance at Consort Shen, who was being dragged away; his attention was solely focused on Consort Zhen, who was bleeding.
He was thrilled, thinking he had a child late in life.
However, no sooner had they found out than their child was lost.
Sudden shifts between sadness and joy.
The Emperor's health couldn't take it anymore, and he fell ill.
After taking the pills, his spirits had improved considerably.
He thought he could live for many more years, but he suddenly collapsed.
But he still has many things he can't let go of.
No good news has arrived from the frontier yet, the murderer of Xiao Ba has not been found, and the true crown prince of Daliang has not been decided.
He can't just leave like this.
Even in the underworld, they have no words to face their ancestors.
Every time I wake up, the first thing I ask is, "Have there been any news from the frontier?"
Have the people who caused the Eighth Prince to fall from his horse and die, and who pushed the Crown Prince into the water, been found?
……
Princess Yuqing heard that her father was ill and prepared to go to the palace to visit him.
The main thing is that she also heard other news.
Consort Shen actually hit her father, the Emperor, and the Shen family was impeached by the censor for failing to properly educate their daughter.
Consort Shen has been abandoned and will likely be left to fend for herself from now on.
She also heard the news that Consort Zhen had miscarried.
What a coincidence!
She had just said she wanted to adopt a prince and ask her for a fiefdom, but now she's pregnant and has miscarried.
With Father's health, it's impossible for him to have any more children.
It's just that the Emperor himself didn't know it.
Then this child...
Therefore, she had to go to the palace.
No bathing today.
Princess Yuqing planned to meet with Cui Yan first to hear his opinion before entering the palace.
Miao Miao got up very early.
She took Xiaoyu'er and went out with her mother, the princess, to Yipinju to see her father.
In the days leading up to the Lunar New Year, which should have been the most relaxing time for officials of all ranks, no one was in the mood to work and was just waiting for the holiday.
In ancient times, the Lunar New Year was the most important and grandest festival of the year.
Singing and dancing, families reunited, drinking and chatting happily...
However, everyone is very busy this year, and we don't get a single day off before the Lunar New Year.
For Cui Yan, the chief minister, the term "rest and leave" was merely a noun, not a verb.
Especially now, with the Empress under house arrest, the Eighth Prince suddenly falling from his horse and dying, and the Emperor falling ill.
Prince Chen was eyeing him covetously; having failed to win him over, he even plotted to seize power from the Emperor while he was seriously ill.
Beset by internal and external troubles, how can we sleep soundly?
Even when he was very busy, he would always make time for Yuqing and her daughter to see him.
Miaomiao was startled when she saw her father.
It's been quite a while since I last saw Dad. He's lost weight and has really dark circles under his eyes.
Being the Grand Secretary doesn't seem so great; he's a complete workaholic who can't marry the woman he wants or acknowledge the daughter he wants to.
They also had to work like oxen and horses for their maternal grandfather, the emperor.
The emperor himself knew how to enjoy himself very much.
I heard that when the Eighth Prince died, he was out enjoying a hot spring with his beautiful wife and concubines.
Miao Miao thoughtfully presented her carefully prepared gift: "Daddy, this is a soft pillow that Mommy and I prepared for you. It contains sandalwood shavings, which can calm the mind and promote sleep. Remember to sleep with it every day."
Cui Yan took it, smelled it, and a delicate woody fragrance wafted out.
He was supposed to be calming and soothing, but at this moment he felt somewhat moved.
He also has a wife and children he cares about.
Despite the freezing weather, my heart was filled with warmth.
The fatigue of the past few days dissipated.
"Thank you. Although... it is a bit ugly, it does not affect its efficacy at all."
Cui Yan said it was ugly, but in her heart she was overjoyed.
Princess Yuqing looked at the pillowcase she had sewn with an embarrassed expression.
She originally wanted the embroiderer to sew it, but Miaomiao insisted that she do it herself.
Expressing your feelings is the most important thing.
She said that only if she sewed it herself could Cui Yan feel her heart and know that it was sewn by her own hands, and not sewn by someone else or bought randomly on the street.
But she didn't realize at all that Cui Yan had sensed her feelings.
His mouth was full of disdain.
Why is it so hard to get a nice word out of a person?
Cui Yan was so focused on feeding his daughter snacks and cracking walnuts that he didn't notice the princess's dark expression.
But Miaomiao noticed.
Hey!
These two would break up without her.
One is mute, the other is sensitive and thoughtful.
As Cui Yan peeled the walnuts, she stuffed the kernels into her daughter's mouth.
Every now and then, he would put a few more on the plate in front of the princess.
Miaomiao looked at Cui Yan: "Daddy, do you like this pillow?"
"Yes, I like it."
"Father, do you like people who make pillows?"
"Of course I do."
Do you like people who sew pillows?
“I like it…” Cui Yan paused after saying that, then continued to lower his head and crack the walnuts.
But her ears turned red.
Upon hearing the word "like," Princess Yuqing was taken aback, then smiled with her eyes crinkling.
Miaomiao and Xier exchanged a glance and smiled.
As she spent more time with her, she discovered that her princess mother, despite her aloof and haughty demeanor, was actually quite easy to please.
Princess Yuqing was in a better mood, and then she explained her purpose to Cui Yan.
“I’m entrusting the two children to you for a few days. I need to go to the palace for a while. I’m worried about the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince. Yu’er almost drowned, and Xiao Ba is gone too. It seems that Prince Chen is already impatient. I’m worried that his next target will be the Empress Dowager or the Crown Prince.”
"Wait a little longer, don't go to the palace for the next few days."
"What are you waiting for?" Princess Yuqing gripped Cui Yan's hand tightly, her face filled with anxiety. "If we wait any longer, I'll lose my mother and brother."
Cui Yan knew she couldn't hide it any longer: "Last night, the Imperial Guards arrested a man, the eunuch in charge of looking after the Eighth Prince's horse. After the incident, he hid in the Cold Palace. We extracted some information from him that was detrimental to the Empress..."
"There was a needle hidden in the saddle, and the person who instructed him to do so was a eunuch in your mother's palace..."
Princess Yuqing's heart skipped a beat; her worst fears had come true.
After going around in circles, it all came down to his mother.
With the Eighth Prince and Consort Shen eliminated, and the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince removed, Prince Chen's power is so great that even the Emperor himself might not be able to do anything about him.
Raising a tiger has become a threat; I wonder if Father Emperor regrets it now.
“Cui Yan, it’s not that the Empress Dowager is the problem; that eunuch is the one with the problem. Besides, if the Empress Dowager wanted to harm Consort Shen and her son, she would have done so long ago. Why wait until now…”
"I believe."
"Then where is my mother? Where is she now?" Princess Yuqing asked, about to get up, but Cui Yan pulled her back down.
"Don't worry, listen to me. As long as the Emperor doesn't give the order, no one will dare to do anything to the Empress. The Crown Prince and the Empress are protected by people. In case of emergency, they will escort the Empress and the Crown Prince out of the palace." Although Cui Yan couldn't enter the inner palace, the situation inside was terrible just thinking about it.
In fact, after the emperor returned from the palace that day, it was said that he fell ill, but he did not summon the princes and princesses.
He couldn't even get an audience with them when he requested one.
Even the hidden guards in the palace couldn't get close to the emperor's bedchamber, so he suspected something had happened to the emperor.
But he didn't dare say these things to Yuqing.
Given Yuqing's personality, he would definitely venture into the lion's den. If he were Yuqing's son, he would do the same.
But he wouldn't allow his lover, the mother of his child, to go on the adventure alone.
Cui Yan patted Princess Yuqing's shoulder: "Qing'er, listen to me. There are things in the palace that Jing Wang and I can handle. Right now, there is one more important thing: Jing Wang's wife. She should be giving birth soon, and Jing Wang is not by her side. Her safety depends entirely on you."
Princess Yuqing gritted her teeth and agreed: "Okay..."
Indeed, my fifth brother has been gone for over a month.
Qianxue is the apple of Fifth Brother's eye, and also Mu Yunji's younger sister.
She is about to give birth.
At this moment, the safety of the mother and child is more important than anything else.
The back garden of Yipinju.
Miaomiao helped Xiaoyu build a snowman in the yard, even though she really didn't like snow.
But Xiaoyuer likes it.
After being quiet for several days, the little guy finally spoke, and his first words were about wanting to play in the snow.
It's probably because he was in the palace, and his maternal grandmother and the crown prince wouldn't let him play, fearing he would get sick.
Children in the palace were raised with great care, but many of them died young.
Miaomiao and Xier wrapped him up tightly and rubbed his little face: "You can only play for a little while, otherwise your sister will be scolded by your mother."
The little guy nodded obediently.
They said they were playing in the snow, but they were really just running around in the snow.
Because the little one's hands were also wrapped up tightly, he couldn't touch the snow at all.
Miaomiao stood to the side, listening to Qiuqiu speak.
……