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Translator's note: Finally there are advance chapters availaible on Kofi
Chapter 120
In Chonghui Palace, the atmosphere was oppressively frightening. Throughout the great hall, only Consort Chen's breathless crying could be heard. Lu Yu had a cold face and said nothing.
Gu Han imperceptibly surveyed the surroundings but didn't see Zhāoróng Ling's figure.
For a moment, even Gu Han couldn't help envying Zhāoróng Ling's confidence. The eldest prince had been entrusted to her care by the Emperor, yet such a major incident occurred. The Emperor was right here in her Chonghui Palace, yet she didn't appear.
Moreover, looking at the Emperor's appearance, he didn't care about this matter at all.
Gu Han suddenly had a thought, could today's incident possibly be Zhāoróng Ling's handiwork?
If asked who could most easily harm the eldest prince, aside from Consort Chen, there was only Zhāoróng Ling.
The former was the eldest prince's birth mother. People around the eldest prince wouldn't be on guard against Consort Chen at all. The latter was the foster mother caring for the eldest prince. Half the people serving the eldest prince were the Emperor's people, the other half were Zhāoróng Ling's people.
But soon, Gu Han frowned. She couldn't find a reason for Zhāoróng Ling to do this.
At least during the time since she entered the palace, she hadn't discovered any friction between Zhāoróng Ling and the Empress. Gu Han could only set this matter aside for now. Moreover, even if she truly held evidence against Zhāoróng Ling, she wouldn't step forward to say anything.
The eldest prince was injured. The Empress had the most suspicion. For her, this was also a good thing.
Everyone waited a long time before Physician Dan emerged. Though it was only early February and still very cold, Physician Dan raised his hand to wipe cold sweat from his forehead. He knelt and said:
"Fortunately palace servants protected him in time. The eldest prince is not in mortal danger. However, the eldest prince was frightened, and his lower leg was kicked by a horse hoof. For the next few months, he'll probably have to spend time in bed."
Consort Chen wailed, hearing the eldest prince's leg was injured. Her heart ached so much she wanted to faint right there.
At this time, commotion came from the hall entrance. Gu Han turned to look and discovered Liu An bringing people in. No wonder when she'd looked at the Emperor earlier, she'd felt something was off, Liu An hadn't been by the Emperor's side. Liu An brought news.
A nail had been stepped on by the horse's hoof, which made the horse suddenly go mad. Moreover, the fodder the horse ate today had also been mixed with drugs.
This news was enough to show today's incident was someone deliberately plotting to harm the eldest prince.
Consort Chen began clamoring again, demanding the Emperor thoroughly investigate this matter. But the more Gu Han listened, the more she felt this matter was rather suspicious. This evidence was left too obviously, almost as if eager to announce to the world that today's incident was premeditated!
If the Empress did things this stupidly, she couldn't possibly have sat securely in the Empress's position for so many years.
Lu Yu was annoyed by Consort Chen's crying:
"Silence!"
What Gu Han could figure out, Lu Yu naturally also understood. But his thoughts went a layer deeper than Gu Han's. Today's incident might not necessarily not be the Empress's doing.
With designs on something, taking even great risks was worthwhile.
Deliberately leaving evidence could instead better clear her suspicion. In the end, it was Lu Yu who harbored doubts about the Empress, which made him feel she was suspicious no matter what.
Consort Chen was intimidated into silence. Coming to her senses, she covered her face crying, only weeping softly in low tones. In this way, even Lu Yu couldn't scold her further.
Lu Yu first went in to check on the eldest prince before coming out with a grim face. He asked the training ground people:
"Who cleaned the training ground yesterday? Who went to the training ground today?"
The eunuch managing the training ground was already trembling with fear, hurriedly answering:
"Your Majesty, the training ground is cleaned daily by fixed people. Recently with the eldest prince having riding and archery classes, this servant carefully inspects everything daily before daring to leave. This servant guarantees with his life, when this servant left the training ground yesterday, it was completely clean!"
Horses that could enter the imperial family were all top-grade horses, more precious than these servants' lives. Usually when caring for these horses, they treated them like ancestors. How would they dare let things like nails get mixed into the training ground?
When they discovered a nail stuck in the horse's hoof, the eunuch was so scared his legs went soft, afraid the Emperor would think they hadn't been attentive in their daily care.
Someone immediately spat:
"Easy to say, did the nail in the horse's hoof appear out of thin air? Even the fodder had problems, yet you still dare say you bear no responsibility?"
Gu Han looked helplessly at Zhou Bin beside her. Since Zhou Bin had withdrawn her affection from the Emperor, her attitude had been exceptionally proper. She only treated the Emperor as cousin and the imperial children as nephews and nieces. Not particularly doting, but she truly didn't harbor even a trace of ill will.
Everyone didn't want to get involved in the eldest prince's matter. Only she feared nothing and dared speak up in it.
That eunuch's head struck the ground with resounding thuds:
"This servant doesn't know! This servant doesn't know! I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"
Lu Yu's face completely darkened. Knowing nothing, what was he raising this group of servants for?!
Xiao Wenzi was leading people to search rooms one by one, but nothing was found. Those servants also knew nothing when questioned, as if that nail truly appeared out of thin air.
This explanation couldn't convince Lu Yu.
He was impatient to continue entangling with a group of servants and directly said:
"Send them to the Bureau of Careful Punishment!"
The Bureau of Careful Punishment was no good place. People who went in—if they didn't die, they'd lose a layer of skin.
In an instant, Chonghui Palace resounded with wails begging for mercy. Some concubines who hadn't seen such a scene trembled slightly in fear.
In Chonghui Palace's main hall, Zhāoróng Ling suppressed the itch rising in her throat, listening impassively to the sounds outside. Knowing the Emperor had found nothing, she lowered her eyelids, concealing the emotion in her eyes. After a long while, she said with difficulty:
"Have someone carefully attend to the eldest prince."
Her body was weak. Now outside the cold was biting. If she went out and caught cold wind, she'd probably lose half her life. Her medical records had always been submitted to the imperial presence by the Imperial Medical Bureau. This was why, despite frequent incidents in the harem, the Emperor could overlook her absence.
Fu Ling agreed. After a very long time, she asked softly:
"Why didn't Your Ladyship also include Hanxi Palace—"
Before she finished speaking, Zhāoróng Ling looked up and interrupted her. She wanted to curve her lips but didn't have the strength. Finally, she closed her eyes weakly:
"...There are only three princes total in the harem. If only Yihe Palace was overlooked, then it wouldn't just be the Empress under suspicion."
Fu Ling fell silent. She wanted to say—since you're doing it, why not do it thoroughly? If all three princes had incidents, the Emperor would completely suspect the Empress.
Zhāoróng Ling seemed to see through her thoughts and only pulled at the corners of her lips.
Unless absolutely necessary, she didn't want to oppose Zhao Xiūróng. Zhao Xiūróng's path had been too smooth. It wasn't about how capable Zhao Xiūróng was or what her background was, but rather the Emperor's feelings toward Zhao Xiūróng.
She herself had saved the Emperor's life once and ended up barely surviving to the present. Adding to always keeping a low profile, she'd gained some power in the palace, one could more or less discover some clues. Her thoughts were absolutely not shallow, some incidents even had her shadow in them.
Even she could see clearly. The Emperor must also have some speculation. Yet despite this, the Emperor had continuously promoted her to Xiūróng. If not for it being inappropriate to continue promoting her in such a short time, probably that day when Zhao Xiūróng gave birth, the Emperor would have wished to promote her to consort rank immediately.
Such a person was the most untouchable.
If Zhao Xiūróng merely had deep thoughts, then using methods to expose her deeds and letting the Emperor see her true face—that would be fine. The fear was that the Emperor clearly knew what kind of person she was, yet still found reasons for her himself, forcibly whitewashing her into a victim.
Zhāoróng Ling didn't want to compare positions in the Emperor's heart with Zhao Xiūróng. She suppressed a cough, her body trembling, veins protruding on the back of her hand, even her face flushing red while her lips turned deathly pale. She warned Fu Ling:
"Don't provoke Zhao Xiūróng."
Fu Ling didn't understand, but she definitely listened to Her Ladyship's words. Zhāoróng Ling removed the handkerchief. Dark red stained it. She only glanced at it before indifferently looking away. Her eyes looked dazedly toward the side hall, murmuring softly:
"...I want to drag her down together..."
Fu Ling listened in terror, hurriedly lowering her head.
Outside Chonghui Palace, just as those training ground servants were about to be dragged into the Bureau of Careful Punishment, finally a servant couldn't bear it. He knelt and crawled several steps, clutching Xiao Wenzi's robe hem, crying:
"This—this servant knows! This servant knows! Today at the hour of Mao, on this servant's way to the training ground, I saw Kunning Palace's Eunuch Chong!"
Xiao Wenzi's expression changed. He scolded:
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"This servant was afraid. I only just remembered!"
Xiao Wenzi didn't believe this nonsense at all. Afraid it was wanting to protect himself wisely. Now seeing he was about to enter the Bureau of Careful Punishment, he didn't care whether he'd offend the Empress and said this matter.
Xiao Wenzi didn't dare delay. He ran back all the way and directly knelt to report this news. He hadn't come alone, he'd also brought that servant.
That servant now didn't dare conceal anything. With snot and tears, he told everything he knew. But after his words fell, the hall completely quieted down.
Gu Han even heard Zhou Bin's soft muttering:
"Why is every recent incident related to the Empress?"
Gu Han imperceptibly tugged at her, her eyes signaling her not to speak carelessly. Zhou Bin closed her mouth, but the earlier words had already fallen into everyone's ears in the hall. Various expressions showed in their eyes. No one knew what they were thinking.
In Kunning Palace, the Empress's eyelid had been twitching nonstop today. For some reason, she felt uneasy. When the palace gate was knocked on, she paused before having Fu Ling open the door. Liu An respectfully brought people in.
The Empress said coldly:
"What grand honor brings Eunuch Liu here today?"
Liu An bowed: "Today the eldest prince fell from horseback. Investigation found it's related to Xiao Chongzi from Your Majesty's palace. His Majesty has this servant bring Xiao Chongzi back for questioning. Please grant convenience, Your Majesty."
Xiao Chongzi's legs went soft. Kneeling on the ground, he cried out in panic:
"Your Majesty, this servant is wronged! Your Majesty, save this servant!"
The Empress suddenly stabbed Xiao Chongzi with ice-cold eyes. Xiao Chongzi's crying paused. He couldn't help shrinking his head.
Just this minute change made the Empress's expression turn ugly. Xiao Chongzi's guilt was so obvious. She wasn't a fool, naturally she could see Xiao Chongzi couldn't escape connection to today's incident!
If it were someone else, the Empress wouldn't be so emotionally agitated. Xiao Chongzi had served in her courtyard since the princely manor, following her for seven or eight years in total. If not for today's incident, she would never have suspected Xiao Chongzi harbored disloyalty toward her.
Liu An had people take Xiao Chongzi away. He still respectfully said to the Empress: "This servant must take him back to Chonghui Palace for questioning. I take my leave first."
—Chonghui Palace.
These three words surfacing in her mind, the Empress immediately guessed who was scheming against her in today's incident. A fishy sweetness surged in her throat.
So what if she knew? Even if she spoke up, no one would believe her words.
---
Author's Note:
Kunning Palace: Empress
Yi'an Palace: Consort Shu
Xianleng Palace: Imperial Consort De
Zhaoyang Palace → Main Hall: Xiuyi He
Zhaoyang Palace → Side Hall: Rong Baolin
Yihe Palace → Changchun Pavilion: Female Lead
Rongcui Hall: Beauty Miao
Cuizhu Pavilion: Beauty Lin
Changning Courtyard: Zhou Meiren
Hanleng Palace → (Main Hall transferred to Side Hall): Talented Lady Yuan
Also appearing: Noble Lady Lin, Liu Baolin
Here are the ranks of imperial consorts:
- Empress (皇后 Huánghoù) — Head of the Imperial Harem
- Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃 Huáng Guìfēi) — Rank 1
- Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort, Worthy Consort (贵妃、淑妃、德妃、贤妃 Guìfēi, Shūfēi, Défēi, Xiánfēi)** — Senior Rank 1 (The Four Consorts, with Noble Consort as the highest)
- Consort (妃 Fēi) — Junior Rank 2
- Bright Deportment, Bright Countenance (昭仪、昭容 Zhāoyí, Zhāoróng) — Senior Rank 3
- Cultivated Deportment, Cultivated Countenance (修仪、修容 Xiūyí, Xiūróng) — Junior Rank 3
- Noble Lady (贵嫔 Guìpín) — Senior Rank 4
- Imperial Concubine (嫔 Pín) — Junior Rank 4
- Beauty (美人 Měirén) — Senior Rank 5
- Talented Lady (才人 Cáirén) — Junior Rank 5
- Precious Grove (宝林 Bǎolín) — Senior Rank 6
- Imperial Woman (御女 Yùnǚ) — Junior Rank 6
- Palace Maid (宫女子 Gōngnǚzǐ) — Senior Rank 7
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