bullyxtreme Chapter 214 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 27
Chapter 214 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 27
Xiao Lengzi, through his connections in Jingren Palace and Yongshou Palace, revealed the content of Zhen Huan's conversation with Consort Duan to Yixiu.
Upon learning this, Yixiu immediately arranged for someone to relay the news to the Emperor. She was worried about not finding an opportunity to deal with Zhen Huan. Although she couldn't harm Zhen Huan for the time being, it would be a great gain if she could take down Shen Meizhuang.
"What is it, Su Peisheng?" The Emperor frowned as he heard the palace maids' sparse chatter.
He had originally planned to visit the Empress Dowager at Shou Kang Palace today, but unexpectedly overheard these gossips on the way. How could the Emperor not understand the intricacies of the inner palace? It was nothing more than a power struggle between the concubines.
Su Peisheng led the gossiping palace maids forward. Upon seeing the emperor, the maids immediately knelt down, trembling with fear.
The Emperor glanced at Su Peisheng impatiently. Su Peisheng broke out in a cold sweat and said in a low voice, "The palace maids are saying that Consort Hui gave Princess Longyue medicine to make her feverish. The news came from Yongshou Palace."
The Emperor irritably twirled the eighteen-bead bracelet in his hand, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes. He originally thought that Shen Meizhuang's trip to Ganlu Temple to pray for blessings was just a coincidence, but he did not expect her to be so audacious as to dare to lay a hand on Princess Longyue. In the harem, someone actually dared to lay a hand on the offspring. How could he tolerate this?
"Su Peisheng, go and investigate this thoroughly," the Emperor said coldly, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
Su Peisheng hurriedly acknowledged and withdrew, inwardly groaning. He knew that the Emperor was truly enraged this time, and a storm was likely brewing in the harem.
When the Emperor arrived at Shou Kang Palace, the Empress Dowager had just reprimanded Zhen Huan, accusing her of "bewitching the Emperor." Shen Meizhuang wanted to defend Zhen Huan, but was interrupted by the Empress Dowager. Just as the Empress Dowager was saying that Zhen Huan should respect the Empress, the Emperor entered.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
The Emperor walked into the palace against the light, his cold gaze sweeping over Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang. Thinking of the rumors he had just heard, he no longer had any goodwill towards the two of them.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace." Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang quickly bowed.
The Emperor did not pull Zhen Huan up as usual, but went straight to sit down next to the Empress Dowager, his tone indifferent: "Empress Mother, how have you been lately? Did you enjoy your meal today?"
Seeing that the Emperor's expression was not right, the Empress Dowager secretly speculated in her heart, but her face remained gentle: "The Emperor has arrived. Today, as usual, the meal is quite good. What brings the Emperor here to my humble abode?"
The Emperor twirled the eighteen-bead bracelet in his hand, his tone tinged with coldness: "I've found some free time today, so I came to see my mother, the Empress Dowager." He paused, then changed the subject, his eyes sharp as he looked at Shen Meizhuang: "When I came, I heard rumors that Consort Hui had drugged Princess Longyue, causing her to have a fever for three days."
Upon hearing this, Shen Meizhuang clenched her hands tightly, her face turning pale instantly. She was stunned for a moment, then knelt down and whispered, "Your Majesty, I am filled with fear."
This time, Shen Meizhuang didn't cry out for justice like she did when she was wronged last time. She just knelt silently, as if she had resigned herself to her fate.
Upon seeing this, Zhen Huan immediately knelt down to plead for Shen Meizhuang: "Your Majesty, those are all rumors. Don't you understand Mei-jie's character?"
The Emperor sneered, his gaze sharp as a knife: "I'm surprised precisely because I knew. Consort Xuan, the news originated from your Yongshou Palace, didn't you know?"
Zhen Huan's heart tightened, and she quickly defended herself, saying, "Your Majesty, I do not know. It must be someone deliberately spreading rumors to sow discord."
The Emperor remained unmoved, his tone icy: "If you can harm your own children today, you can harm me tomorrow. Consort Hui, do you know your crime?"
Shen Meizhuang raised her head, looked at the Emperor with a firm gaze, and said calmly, "Your Majesty, I know my crime."
Zhen Huan was shocked and quickly grabbed Shen Meizhuang's hand: "Sister Mei, what are you doing? Your Majesty, please forgive Sister Mei, she was just confused for a moment!"
The Emperor was furious, especially upon seeing Shen Meizhuang's "I'd rather die embracing the fragrance of a branch" demeanor. He coldly said, "Insolence! Consort Hui, do you know the grave crime you have committed?"
Seeing this, the Empress Dowager sighed and slowly said, "Your Majesty, since Consort Hui has confessed her crimes, why not grant her a favor out of consideration for our past friendship?"
The Emperor pondered for a moment, then said coldly, "Consort Hui, Shen, poisoned the princess, a crime that cannot be forgiven. However, considering the Empress Dowager's intercession, her title is revoked, she is demoted to a lower-ranking concubine, and confined to the Suiyu Pavilion. She is not allowed to leave without imperial decree."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Imperial Physician Wen Shichu is morally deficient. Considering his previous merits in managing the epidemic, he has been expelled from the Imperial Medical Academy, and his family for three generations is prohibited from practicing medicine."
Upon hearing that Wen Shichu had been implicated, Shen Meizhuang panicked and repeatedly kowtowed, pleading, "Your Majesty, it's all my fault! I was the one who administered the medicine. It has nothing to do with Imperial Physician Wen! Please, Your Majesty, spare Imperial Physician Wen!"
Zhen Huan was about to plead for Shen Meizhuang when she was forced back by the Emperor's cold gaze. The Emperor's tone was chilling: "You are not allowed to plead any further, or you will be punished along with her."
"Su Peisheng, bring Consort Shen back to Suiyu Pavilion!" the Emperor shouted sternly.
Su Peisheng quickly led several eunuchs forward and dragged Shen Meizhuang to her feet. Shen Meizhuang struggled, her eyes filled with despair and resentment, but ultimately she was powerless to resist and was taken out of Shou Kang Palace.
Zhen Huan sat in the sedan chair on her way back to Yongshou Palace, her mind in a daze.
In just one day, first the Empress stirred up trouble during the greetings, then Consort Duan brought Princess Longyue to see her, then rumors spread, the Emperor was furious, Shen Meizhuang was demoted and confined to her quarters, and Wen Shichu was also expelled from the Imperial Hospital.
All of this seemed like an invisible net, tightly binding her.
She gripped the palanquin's armrests tightly, her heart filled with resentment: The Empress, it must be the Empress! I've only been pregnant for two days, and she's already made her move. Now I have no way out but to move forward, or I'll face an abyss.
The sedan chair suddenly lurched, and Zhen Huan was nearly thrown off balance. She instinctively touched her stomach, feeling a pang of unease.
Xiao Yunzi quickly called out, "Lower the sedan chair!"
Huanbi stepped forward and scolded the eunuchs carrying the sedan chair: "A bunch of fools! The Empress is sitting in the sedan chair, and you dare to be so careless? Be careful, or I'll tell the Imperial Household Department and have your heads chopped off!"
The eunuchs carrying the sedan chair were so frightened that they kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your Majesty, please forgive us!"
Xiao Yunzi noticed something was wrong, picked up a pebble from the ground, and handed it to Zhen Huan to examine.
Zhen Huan glanced at it coldly, already understanding the situation.
She looked at Huanbi, who immediately understood and stepped forward to question her: "Are you looking me up and down and trying to fool me? Is this the shortest way back to Yongshou Palace? Why did you choose this route?"
The young eunuch replied in a trembling voice, "How could we dare to lie to you, Your Highness? Although this isn't the shortest route, the sun isn't too strong here. We chose this route because we were worried about Your Highness getting sunburned. Luckily, Your Highness is alright. If anything had happened to you, even a hundred heads wouldn't be enough to cover our wounds."
Zhen Huan asked coldly, "Where is this place?"
Xiao Yunzi respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, if we continue walking forward, we will reach Consort Jin's Chuxiu Palace."
Zhen Huan looked up at the sky, her eyes suddenly turning cold, filled with a chilling murderous aura, and said in a low voice, "Hmph, I've only been here two days since I announced my pregnancy, and some people are already impatient."
She harbored deep resentment; the Empress, Consort Jin—these people all wanted her dead. However, Zhen Huan would never sit idly by and wait for her doom. Since they were pressing her so relentlessly, she would retaliate in kind!