newbobooks Chapter 203 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 16
Chapter 203 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 16
The Emperor coldly stared at Consort Qi kneeling on the ground, already certain that she was responsible. Cui Guo's testimony had already confirmed that it was Consort Qi who had acted. Consort Qi lowered her head, not daring to look the Emperor in the eye, her heart filled with fear and unease, terrified that the Emperor's wrath would lead him to order her death.
She hurriedly crawled to the emperor's feet, tightly grasped the hem of his robe, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, I was confused for a moment. Please spare my life!" As she spoke, she kowtowed forcefully, the sound of her forehead hitting the ground echoing in the hall.
Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she turned around and kowtowed to Wen Yuan again, tears streaming down her face: "Sister Jinpin, I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"
Seeing this, Wen Yuan quickly stepped aside. Although she was a concubine, Consort Qi was a higher-ranking consort, and it was improper for Consort Qi to kowtow to her. Hearing the "thump thump" of the kowtow, Wen Yuan felt a little reluctant, but she was mostly calm and weighed her options.
She knew in her heart that although she intended to report this matter to the Emperor, she absolutely could not allow Consort Qi to lose her life. If Consort Qi died, the Third Prince would fall into the hands of Empress Yixiu, which would be extremely bad for her. As long as Consort Qi lived, the Third Prince would not easily side with the Empress; his birth mother's existence would always be a concern for him.
The Emperor stared coldly at Consort Qi, his heart filled with both anger and helplessness. So many years had passed, yet Consort Qi remained so foolish, daring to openly harm others. Fortunately, the Third Prince was unlike her; though of mediocre talent, he was kind-hearted and an honest child.
Seeing the Emperor's cold expression, Wen Yuan gently tugged at his sleeve and said softly, "Your Majesty, Consort Qi may have just been confused for a moment. Why not forgive her this time?"
The Emperor looked down at Wen Yuan and saw the grievance and pleading in her eyes, which softened his heart. He thought to himself, Wen Yuan is indeed a simple and kind person. He had stood up for her, but she was pleading for Consort Qi instead.
He reached out and gently touched Wen Yuan's cheek, then turned his gaze to Consort Qi. At this moment, Consort Qi's forehead was red and swollen, her hair was disheveled, and she looked utterly wretched.
The Emperor coldly declared, "Su Peisheng, convey my decree: Consort Qi is wicked and malicious, framing other concubines; her crime is unforgivable. However, considering she is the birth mother of the Third Prince, I will show leniency. I strip her of her title, demote her to the rank of Noble Lady, and relocate her to a side hall of Changchun Palace. She is confined to Changchun Palace and is not permitted to leave without my decree. All those involved in this matter shall be flogged to death! Cui Guo shall be executed by slow slicing!"
The Emperor's voice was cold and ruthless. Consort Qi—no, now Noble Lady Li—knelt on the ground in a daze. It took her a long time to come back to her senses, and she said in a trembling voice, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
Consort Li was taken back to Changchun Palace and confined to a side hall, never to have any freedom again. News of Consort Jin being poisoned by Consort Li quickly spread throughout the palace. Everyone knew that Consort Li had been demoted and confined for plotting against Consort Jin's child, and her trusted confidantes had been executed. The Emperor even specially sent a matron to Changchun Palace, ostensibly to instruct her, but in reality to monitor her.
Meanwhile, the Suiyu Pavilion remained silent. Because Zhen Huan was under house arrest, those inside were completely unaware of what was happening outside. It wasn't until Wen Shichu came to examine Zhen Huan that he brought her the news.
Wen Shichu said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, a large amount of musk has been added to the scar-removing cream. This matter is related to Consort An."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan felt a wave of nausea. She never imagined that An Lingrong, who addressed her as a sister on the surface, would secretly plot such a heinous act against her.
After the matter concerning Consort Li subsided, Su Peisheng began to worry about Jinxi in Suiyu Pavilion. He knew that the Emperor harbored resentment towards Zhen Huan, and if this was not resolved, Zhen Huan might never have a chance to recover.
Just then, Jinxi sent a message, hoping that Su Peisheng could help bring the Emperor to Suiyu Pavilion so that Zhen Huan could have a chance to say a few words to the Emperor and perhaps clear up the misunderstanding.
When the Emperor was in a slightly better mood, Su Peisheng cautiously probed, "Your Majesty, Consort Wan has been unwell recently. Would you like to go and see her?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor frowned slightly. Although he harbored resentment towards Zhen Huan, the thought of the child in her womb still stirred a pang of pity within him. After a moment's hesitation, he finally said, "Very well, I will go and see her myself, after all, it is for the sake of the child."
The Emperor quietly arrived at Suiyu Pavilion and saw Zhen Huan's haggard face, which made his heart tighten. He remembered that when Empress Chun Yuan was pregnant, she had also been just as exhausted.
Upon seeing the Emperor's arrival, Huanbi quickly rose and bowed, saying, "May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"
The Emperor waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to be so polite, and then asked, "Has she been sleeping so restlessly lately?"
Huanbi said cautiously, "Your Majesty has been experiencing frequent fetal movements lately, and she can't sleep well at night. She is also getting thinner and thinner."
The Emperor frowned, his tone tinged with reproach: "Even so, she should eat more for the sake of the child. How could she be so disregard for her own health?"
Huanbi quickly explained, "It's not that Your Highness doesn't want to eat, but rather that you're feeling down and have no appetite."
The Emperor was somewhat displeased upon hearing this, but seeing Zhen Huan's haggard appearance, he ultimately couldn't bear to say anything more. He sighed and said to Huan Bi, "Take good care of your lady, and I will reward you accordingly."
After saying this, the Emperor turned and left Suiyu Pavilion. He never set foot there again, his resentment towards Zhen Huan remaining unresolved.
Meanwhile, in Jingren Palace, Empress Yixiu's face was terribly gloomy. She had thought that Consort Jin's pregnancy was doomed, but unexpectedly, Wen Yuan's pregnancy remained stable. Although the imperial physician diagnosed that Wen Yuan was carrying a girl, the Emperor's favor towards her remained undiminished, which made Yixiu extremely jealous.
Seeing that Yixiu was displeased, An Lingrong quickly stood up and apologized: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It is my incompetence that I have failed to share Your Majesty's burdens."
Yi Xiu gave her a cold look, her tone laced with sarcasm: "You are indeed incompetent; you can't even handle such a small matter."
An Lingrong lowered her head, feeling both wronged and resentful. How could she not be jealous of Wen Yuan? Wen Yuan had conceived the emperor's child in less than three months after entering the palace, her rise to the rank of concubine smooth sailing, and the emperor's undivided attention. An Lingrong, on the other hand, despite siding with the empress, had been unable to conceive. Each time after serving the emperor, the empress would have a bowl of so-called "pregnancy-stabilizing medicine" brought to her, which was actually a contraceptive. She harbored deep resentment but dared not show it in the slightest.
Seeing An Lingrong bow her head and remain silent, Yi Xiu softened her tone slightly: "Alright, I know this matter is not your fault. Get up."
She knew in her heart that now only An Lingrong was available to her. Consort Li was confined to her quarters, Consort Rui had been disfigured, and Consort Liu, though cunning, was not favored by the emperor and offered no benefit in winning him over.
A ruthless glint flashed in Yixiu's eyes as she whispered to An Lingrong, "Consort Jin is eight months pregnant. There's a saying, 'Seven months is the limit, eight months is not.' Think of a way to make her 'accidentally' give birth prematurely. I've already arranged for a midwife; then…"
An Lingrong lowered her head, a cold smile playing on her lips, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will certainly do it."