Chapter 112 The Legend of Zhen Huan: An Lingrong 22

On Qixi Festival, because An Lingrong was pregnant with twins, the Emperor allowed her to stay at the Lotus Pavilion and not attend the banquet.

So they received the news at the Lotus Pavilion that Consort Wan and Consort Qiao had quarreled, and that Consort Wan had been imprisoned by the Emperor in Penglai Island to reflect on her mistakes.

Qingwu sighed, "Does His Majesty truly love Songzhi, or does he want the harem to learn a lesson? The once favored Consort Wan has been punished so severely."

"Yes, he was once the emperor's favorite, but after a sudden change of heart, he was confined to his quarters. The emperor is somewhat..."

Heartless...

Although everyone in the hall was one of their own, Si Yun ultimately didn't say those words aloud. After all, he was the Emperor, and she knew the saying that loose lips sink ships.

Looking at Siyun's gaze, it seemed she was worried that she would also end up in that situation.

An Lingrong smiled and reassured her, "Your Majesty, I am a Consort, with Hongxu under my knees and two more in my belly. I will never fall to the level of Consort Wan."

Moreover, things may not be as they appear to be today. Given Consort Wan's personality, she wouldn't embarrass Consort Qiao in public. Perhaps there's more to this than meets the eye.

Qingwu immediately understood, "Does Your Majesty mean that this was a play staged by Consort Wan and the Emperor?"

An Lingrong gently touched her belly and nodded, "Very likely."

Si Yun didn't understand, "But...why?"

"Because... General Nian." Qingwu and An Lingrong exchanged a smile, offering no further explanation, leaving Siyun completely bewildered.

When the Emperor returned to the palace in early August, An Lingrong, who was more than eight months pregnant and could give birth at any time, did not return.

Before returning to the palace, the Emperor visited the Lotus Pavilion, but only told her to take good care of herself, without revealing that Prince Dun was planning to force the emperor to abdicate.

Presumably fearing that An Lingrong would worry and have a miscarriage, he specifically instructed the palace servants before leaving that news from the Forbidden City should not reach An Lingrong's ears.

In the vast Yuanmingyuan Garden, only two concubines remained: An Lingrong of the Lotus Pavilion and Wan Pin of Penglai Island.

At the end of August, An Lingrong gave birth to twins. The Emperor issued an edict to come to the Yuanmingyuan Garden, promoting An Lingrong to the rank of Consort Shu, naming the Seventh Prince Hongjing and the Eighth Prince Hongxi.

In September, Prince Dun plotted a rebellion, and Nian Gengyao was also involved this time because he knew that the Emperor, Empress Dowager and Empress had killed Consort Duan's child, who had been miscarried by Consort Hua.

Knowing that the emperor was always on guard against him, and knowing that he only had one way out, he wanted to fight for his life.

Unfortunately, the rebellion failed, but the Empress and Consort Duan died at the hands of his soldiers.

Prince Dun's plot to rebel stemmed from concerns that his wife and children were attending to the ailing Empress Dowager.

But Nian Gengyao didn't. Since he was going to die anyway, he simply avenged the child that Consort Hua had miscarried years ago.

However, the emperor and empress dowager were well-guarded, and he failed to succeed.

Nian Gengyao committed suicide, leaving behind a message before his death: the rebellion was his own affair.

If the Emperor were to execute the entire Nian family, the fact that the Emperor personally killed his son while he was still in the Prince's residence out of fear of him would spread throughout the capital.

Perhaps the threat was effective, or perhaps someone took advantage of their compensation; the Nian family was merely dismissed from office, stripped of their flag, and driven out of the capital.

In addition, Nian Gengyao had made preparations in advance; once they left the capital, they found a remote city and lived in seclusion under assumed names.

As for Consort Hua, upon receiving news of the failed rebellion, she set fire to Yikun Palace and immolated herself.

After much deliberation, the Emperor did not posthumously confer any title upon her, nor demote her to a commoner, nor bury her in the imperial concubine's mausoleum. Instead, he chose a propitious burial site for her.

After An Lingrong finished her postpartum confinement, the first thing she did upon returning to the palace with Consort Wan was to attend the Empress's funeral.

Due to the Empress's passing, An Lingrong's investiture ceremony as a Noble Consort had to be cancelled, as did the full moon and even the hundred-day celebrations for her two children.