blenderwars Chapter 85 Justice, Truth
Chapter 85 Justice, Truth
"Yes! How did Consort Pan's pregnancy end?" Consort Qing asked. "The Empress just said that Consort Pan was pregnant with the Emperor's child, and then her pregnancy ended. It's really strange. It was already past the first trimester, and it just disappeared like that!"
"Yes, Your Majesty, how exactly did Consort Pan lose her pregnancy? Has the matter been investigated yet?" Consort De also asked, appearing stubborn and innocent, with a mocking smile.
She wanted to know more than anyone else, and also to let that fool Pan know how her pregnancy was lost!
The Empress Dowager also asked, "Empress, has this matter been concluded?"
The Empress said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the medicine that Consort Pan drank to prevent miscarriage was laced with frankincense. She was young and naive and did not notice anything unusual. She thought that the imperial physician had changed the prescription for preventing miscarriage. Who knew that the imperial fetus would be lost like this."
There was no problem with the Imperial Medical Academy; the prepared medicine had passed through at least two imperial physicians. The only fault lay with the palace maid in Bao Ci Palace who brewed the medicine. But even after sending her to the Censorate, they couldn't find anything wrong; they just kept saying they didn't know.
Consort Pan wept uncontrollably, “The imperial physician said the day before that my pregnancy was already three months along and that the prescription needed to be changed. I thought… I thought that meant the medicine with the changed prescription.”
She glared fiercely at Consort De, "The Imperial Prisoners came to investigate and found frankincense in the cupboard of a lowly maid in Consort De's palace. I don't know who did it, but since it was someone from Consort De's palace, Consort De must know who ordered it."
The Empress said, "It's a pity. That old woman refused to reveal the mastermind even under torture. In the end, she couldn't withstand the torture and died the day before yesterday."
While they were talking, Li Fude returned and showed the box to Physician Jiang and Physician Zhang. Inside were safflower, frankincense, and a kind of prepared spice.
This spice can cause women to experience a false pregnancy, and once discontinued, their period will arrive three days later.
No wonder Yuan Zhaoyue's period came so punctually.
Consort De was helped to kneel down. "Your Majesty, I have no way to defend myself!"
The emperor asked, "Was it you who fabricated the pregnancy of Consort Yuan?"
Consort De wept uncontrollably, shaking her head desperately. "Your Majesty, I absolutely did not do such a thing! And Consort Pan, I did not do it either. She is my niece, why would I want to harm her? What reason would I have to harm her?"
Consort Pan remained silent.
The Empress said, "Your Majesty, I also believe that Consort De did not do such a thing. Although the old woman who poisoned her was from Consort De's palace, she did not confess that it was Consort De who did it. Consort De is currently pregnant with the Emperor's child. I hope Your Majesty will be lenient and allow me to investigate this matter carefully before making a conclusion."
The Empress Dowager said, "So many things have happened in the palace one after another. The Empress must pay close attention. Just because it's been a while and it's harder to investigate now doesn't mean we shouldn't investigate. The Emperor's heir is of utmost importance. If something like this happens again, I'm afraid even you, as the Empress, will have a hard time explaining yourself."
The Empress replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, I obey your decree."
The Empress Dowager continued, "Your Majesty, this matter concerning Consort Yuan cannot be let off lightly. Regardless of whether someone framed her or not, didn't she know she was pregnant? If everyone does this in the future, claiming ignorance when something happens, trying to absolve themselves of all responsibility, it's outrageous!"
Yuan Zhaoyue was pregnant with the emperor's child, and both the emperor and empress bestowed gifts upon her. It is not possible to ask for the child back now that it is gone.
I had to get my revenge.
The emperor said, "Demote her to a low-ranking concubine, and she will never serve the emperor again! Empress, move her to a remote place!"
This is tantamount to being relegated to the sidelines.
Wang Yuehuai lowered her head slightly, looking relaxed.
"Yes!" the Queen replied.
Yuan Zhaoyue fainted after receiving the imperial decree in the side hall.
Consort Pan couldn't get up. "Your Majesty, what about my unborn child? My child and Your Majesty's child didn't even have a chance to open their eyes and see this world before they were gone!"
She cried uncontrollably.
But the emperor was clearly unable to empathize, and was even quite impatient.
He didn't care who did it. Even if it was Consort De, he wouldn't do anything to Consort De for the sake of Consort Pan. Firstly, Consort De was the birth mother of the eldest prince and the eldest princess, and secondly, she was pregnant.
In his view, anyone who couldn't keep their unborn child was foolish and unlucky.
In the imperial court and the imperial harem, there's no such thing as fairness or truth; it's always just a matter of survival of the fittest.
"What do you want?" the emperor asked.
Consort Pan was extremely surprised and cried out, "Your Majesty!"
Ugh, so annoying! Can't Li Yuanke be a little more efficient? What kind of mess is this?
Li Yuanke glanced at Shen Shixi and said, "Disperse! Mother, I will escort you back to the palace."
The Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner was a real disappointment. After it ended, Shen Shixi returned to Zhaoyang Palace under the moonlight. She didn't want to sleep for the time being, so she changed into some light clothes, removed her jewelry, and went to the hexagonal pavilion to admire the moon.
"When will the moon be clear and bright? I raise my cup to ask the heavens." Shen Shixi looked at the two bright moons reflected in the water and called out, "Bai Ping, bring me some good wine and some food, I haven't eaten enough today!"
"When will the moon be clear and bright? With a cup of wine in hand, I ask the blue sky!" Consort Qiong's voice rang out. "Consort Yuan, I've brought wine and dishes, and I've come especially to invite you to drink together. Would you do me the honor?"
Shen Shixi smiled and said, "Consort Qiong! Please sit down! Good wine is best enjoyed with good friends. You've come at just the right time!"
However, she was hesitant to eat the food from Shouxian Palace, not because she was afraid of poisoning, but because Consort Qiong's cooking skills were really terrible. "Bai Ping, go to our small kitchen and get some good dishes for Consort Qiong to taste! Also, bring me the plum wine I made."
The two enjoyed wine under the moonlight and the water's hue. Consort Qiong asked for cooking tips, while Shen Shixi talked about all sorts of things, and somehow, the more they talked, the more excited they became.
"How can good wine be without good music?"
Qiongfei was a little tipsy, so she ran outside the pavilion and started singing and dancing. She stretched out her water sleeves and sang in a way that Shen Shixi couldn't understand a word. As for what she was dancing, Shen Shixi was completely confused. One moment she looked like a fairy descending to earth, the next she looked like a shaman performing a ritual, and then she looked like she was performing a variety show.
Bai Ping and the others, however, seemed to be moved as they watched.
Shen Shixi cheered and clapped loudly from time to time, which made Qiongfei even more enthusiastic. After the dance was over, Qiongfei was covered in sweat and staggered over. "Sister, did I dance well?"
"That's wonderful! It's beautiful to watch and listen to! Sister Qiongfei, did you practice before?"
"I practiced. Before entering the Prince's residence, I practiced for an hour every single day. But what use was it, no matter how well I practiced? The Emperor never even saw me practice!"
"It's so beautiful, it's a loss for the Emperor if he doesn't look at it! Consort Qiong, you're the best!" Shen Shixi gave a thumbs up.
Qiongfei laughed, and as she laughed, tears streamed down her face. "With these words from you, sister, no matter how much I've practiced or how much sweat I've shed, it's all been worth it!"
"Of course! It's better to dance for me than for the Emperor!" Shen Shixi raised her wine glass. "Sister Qiongfei, a toast to you! A toast to your yesterday, today, and tomorrow; a toast to your daily dedication to honing your culinary skills; a toast to your life filled with dreams and aspirations!"
Consort Qiong clinked glasses with her, and the two drank it all in one gulp.
Bai Ping and Taotie exchanged a glance, each urging their master, "My lord, you've had too much to drink. You should go back and rest!"
"Oh, let's go back now! See you later, Sister Qiongfei!"
She waved her hand, and Bai Ping and Qing Hao helped her into the palace. Meanwhile, Taotie and the others helped their mistress onto the decorated banner and also returned to the palace.
The next day, Shen Shixi woke up to find it already broad daylight. She had a terrible headache and groaned a few times, "Bai Ping, my head hurts, boohoo, my head hurts so much, call Qinghao!"
Wrapped in the blanket, she crawled out from the corner of the bed. The bed curtains were lifted, and Li Yuanke's face came into view.
She was stunned for a moment, tilting her head and staring at it for a while, thinking she was dreaming.
[Huh, what's that bastard doing here? I'm so sexually frustrated, am I hallucinating?]
Li Yuanke, annoyed, pulled her over and slapped her on the most prominent spot on her back. "Why did you drink? You got yourself drunk and deserve a headache!"
Shen Shixi snuggled into his arms, as if the tantrum she'd thrown a few days ago had never happened. "Your Majesty~~, my head hurts, my head hurts so much, please rub it for me, rub it!"
She wrapped her arms around Li Yuanke's waist, her two slender, fair arms as white as snow, her back exposed, the rope of her red bodice tied around her waist and neck, arousing imagination, her pink underpants covering her rounded curves, and a strand of her black hair trailing down to Li Yuanke's legs.
Who wouldn't love such a captivating, enchanting beauty?