Chapter 21 Results of the Handling

"Guan Guiren has a good memory."

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Cao Qinmo's face stiffened. She forced herself to stand up and said, "I was also nervous for Consort Hui. Consort Qi and Consort Xin were both there. After all, I was the one who invited my two sisters to the table. Naturally, I was worried that Consort Hui might be feeling unwell, so I asked my maid to fetch a qualified imperial physician."

Consort Qi nodded in agreement with Cao Qinmo's words, but Noble Lady Xin keenly sensed something was amiss and wisely kept quiet to protect herself.

Yongzheng gave Cao Qinmo a deep look, and she was so cold that she was covered in cold sweat and stood frozen in place.

The atmosphere was tense. Finally, Su Peisheng cautiously stepped forward and reported, "Your Majesty, when I went to invite Imperial Physician Jiang, I thought I should also invite the imperial physician who usually protects Consort Hui's pregnancy, so I sent someone to invite Imperial Physician Liu as well. But Imperial Physician Liu's residence was already empty..."

"Consort Hui, I've heard that Imperial Physician Liu is from your hometown. Could this whole thing be a conspiracy between you and him?"

Nian Shilan suddenly spoke up, trying to pin the "fake pregnancy" label on Shen Meizhuang. Unfortunately, Nian Shilan was not the type to scheme and plot against people in a roundabout way. Cao Qinmo couldn't help but close her eyes, her heart turning cold.

That's it, this is practically an admission of guilt. Everyone knows how arrogant and aloof Consort Hua is. Besides, she doesn't get along with Shen Meizhuang. Why would she be interested in a royal physician and what kind of relationship does she have with Shen Meizhuang if she didn't have an ulterior motive?

Yongzheng was no fool. When Zhen Huan pointed out Cao Qinmo, he had already guessed it. When Consort Hua stood up to speak, it only confirmed his thoughts.

A surge of anger, fueled by the perceived deception, rose within Yongzheng, but he suppressed it. He was unwilling to watch this farce any longer and declared directly: "Noble Lady Shen, for her inappropriate words and actions, violating palace rules, is hereby stripped of her title and imprisoned in the Xian Yue Pavilion. No one is permitted to visit her without my order. Imperial Physician Jiang Cheng is to be detained and interrogated by the Censorate; Liu Ben is to be apprehended, alive."

After Yongzheng finished speaking, he turned around and left with a flick of his sleeve. Everyone else hurriedly followed him away, leaving only Zhen Huan to stay with him in Xianyue Pavilion.

"Huan'er, why didn't you let me speak just now?" Shen Meizhuang said emotionally. "It was clearly Consort Hua who plotted against me, yet the Emperor wouldn't even ask a single question?"

“Sister,” Zhen Huan held her hand and tried to persuade her, “Consort Hua is powerful and has the Nian family behind her. She also cares about the court. The Emperor can’t make a scene in front of so many people.”

"So I'm just going to keep this mess and be imprisoned in Xianyue Pavilion forever?" Shen Meizhuang cried, feeling wronged.

Zhen Huan reached out and wiped away the tears on her face. "Sister, the Emperor still favors you. You know that faking a pregnancy is a serious matter. Regardless of whether you were the mastermind or not, you will definitely be punished. Now the Emperor has only stripped you of your title, and the reason given was a violation of palace rules. This shows that the Emperor still cares about you."

"Really?"

"Of course, the Emperor's confinement of you is partly a punishment, but isn't it also a form of protection? Think of Consort Xia, Yu Ying'er, and Consort Li, and think of the time you fell into the water. Sister, Consort Hua's methods are terrifyingly ruthless, and relying on the Nian family behind her, she has no scruples whatsoever..."

Upon hearing Zhen Huan's words, Shen Meizhuang couldn't help but shiver. She grasped Zhen Huan's hand in return, saying, "Consort Hua... Huan'er, you must be extremely careful in the future. If you deal with me, she might target you next."

Hearing this, Zhen Huan was deeply moved and nodded earnestly. "Sister, don't worry, I will be careful. I will have someone inform my father and Uncle Shen so they can send people to hunt down Liu Ben. Sister, you must also be careful in everything you do while staying in Xian Yue Pavilion, lest Consort Hua act desperately..."

The two sisters held hands, gazing at each other with tears in their eyes. After a while, the guards watching over Shen Meizhuang arrived, and Zhen Huan, however reluctant, had to leave. Just then, An Lingrong rushed over, carrying a small bundle in her arms.

"Sister Mei..."

"Ling Rong".

Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang looked up at her in surprise, not expecting her to return. Knowing that An Lingrong was timid, and given that their relationship hadn't been particularly deep, Shen Meizhuang felt no resentment when An Lingrong left with the others.

Seeing An Lingrong rush back, both of them felt a mix of emotions, regardless of the reason.

"The Imperial Household Department has always been one to fawn over the weak and flatter the strong. Now that Sister Mei is under house arrest, Lingrong has no choice but to gather some gold and silver valuables in the hope that Sister Mei's life will be better."

An Lingrong placed the bundle on the table, her face still showing some shame. "It's a pity that Lingrong has nothing of value. If it weren't for the Emperor's gifts, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to offer these things. I hope Sister Mei won't find them offensive."

“Lingrong…” Shen Meizhuang was deeply moved. “How could I possibly dislike her? Lingrong is still thinking of me right now. I feel ashamed to accept such kindness.”

"My two elder sisters have helped me before, and I am just doing my part now. I hope you won't mind."

An Lingrong spoke sincerely, and Shen Meizhuang was moved and ashamed. True feelings are revealed in times of trouble, and she felt that she had really let Lingrong down.

An Lingrong arrived at a time when there was a time difference, so the guards couldn't take away her belongings, but they began to urge her and Zhen Huan to leave.

The three bid each other a reluctant farewell, and under Shen Meizhuang's watchful gaze, An Lingrong and Zhen Huan walked away into the distance.

"Lingrong, thank you so much. You're so thoughtful." As Zhen Huan walked out of Xianyue Pavilion, she looked at An Lingrong gratefully and thanked her on behalf of Chen Meizhuang.

Such an action might have touched An Lingrong's sensitive heart in the past, causing her to feel bitterness and jealousy. But at this moment, An Lingrong behaved with exceptional composure and gentleness, saying, "Lingrong comes from a humble family and cannot help Sister Mei, so I can only do my part in these small matters."

"True feelings are only revealed in small places, Lingrong, thankfully you're still here..."

...

"Your Highness, Consort Shen has clearly fallen out of favor with the Emperor. Why are you still helping her?"

After seeing Zhen Huan off, Bao Juan cautiously approached and tentatively probed.

An Lingrong smiled gently, "Sister Mei has helped me a lot in the past, so of course I have to repay her."

"Your Highness is kind-hearted."

As for Baojuan's assessment, An Lingrong gazed at the tranquil night and remained noncommittal.

Kind-hearted? She's not kind-hearted at all. It's just that the Fourth Prince has seen through her. Isn't this the kind of loyal and righteous concubine that the Emperor wants to see?

If she wanted to survive in the palace and help the Fourth Prince in the future, she couldn't just blend in with the crowd; she had to be a kind person who knew how to repay kindness.

In the Qingliang Palace, Consort Hua threw a fan at Cao Qinmo's head, "What kind of work are you doing?"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger." Cao Qinmo quickly knelt down and begged for forgiveness.

"I kept my word and secured the position of Consort Xiang for you. Is this how you repay me?"

Nian Shilan leaned back in her seat, furious. "You were the one who came up with the scheme to fake a pregnancy, and what was the result? You didn't even manage to suppress Meizhuang, and you even lost Jiang Cheng! And that little bitch, coveting the Fourth Prince, how dare she? What kind of person did you choose?"

"Your Majesty, please calm down. This concubine never expected that Fuling would have such audacity."

Cao Qinmo tried to explain, but she could sense that Consort Hua was more concerned about implicating the Fourth Prince than about failing to plot against Shen Meizhuang. A plan quickly formed in her mind.

"Your Majesty, the deed has already been done. The most important thing now is to deal with Liu Ben. We mustn't let him be caught by the Emperor. Otherwise, if the matter is exposed and reaches the ears of the Fourth Prince, it will also damage Your Majesty's image."

Nian Shilan glanced at her, her anger rising without a hint of authority: "Are you threatening me?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not. I am only worried about you. His Majesty is clearly going to choose a foster mother for the Fourth Prince. At this crucial moment, the matter of the false pregnancy must not be exposed."

Nian Shilan truly took Cao Qinmo's words to heart; she even regretted plotting against Shen Meizhuang in the first place. But right now, the important thing was to wrap things up; she absolutely couldn't let it affect her adoption of the Fourth Prince!

"Zhou Ninghai, go after them. If you catch them, kill them without mercy. Liu Ben knows too much about us; we absolutely cannot let him live."

"Yes, sir."

“And Fuling,” Nian Shilan’s eyes revealed a sinister glint. “Since she’s so audacious as to covet the Fourth Prince, she must not care about her family anymore. Send her whole family down to keep her company!”