Chapter 144 The Great Conferment

It's Yun Qing.

That person is Yun Qing.

Even Lan Wu was taken aback when she saw Yun Qing walk out.

Speaking of Consort Shu, everyone knows that her personal maid, Yun Qing, has been with her for many years. Yun Qing is calm and steady. To Consort Shu, Yun Qing is not just an ordinary personal maid, but also her helper.

So when Consort Shu saw Yun Qing come out, she froze on the spot, unable to utter a single word. Even the sounds around her seemed to fade into the distance until they became inaudible.

"...Back to Your Majesty..."

"yes……"

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty..."

It wasn't until Yun Qing finished saying what she needed to say that Consort Shu snapped out of her daze.

So many people have accused Consort Shu of crimes. Even if Consort Shu is truly innocent, she will not gain anything from it. Moreover, Consort Shu is not innocent at all.

"Whose person are you?" Consort Shu looked at Yun Qing and asked only this one question.

Yun Qing lowered her head and heard Consort Shu's words, but only replied, "Your Majesty is overthinking it. This servant is only thinking of myself and is not anyone's person."

Such words might fool others, but how could they possibly fool her?

When Yunqing first came to her palace, she was wary of her. However, Yunqing was indeed very capable and meticulous, making her very suitable to work for her. It wasn't until a year later that she gradually felt at ease letting Yunqing become her personal maid.

So many years have passed... Whose side is Yun Qing on?

She could have kept quiet for so many years, so she couldn't possibly be one of that stupid woman, Consort Li. As for the others... Zeng Shi?

Although Zeng Shi is now confined to the cold palace and can no longer cause any trouble, as the saying goes, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Who knows if Yun Qing's presence by her side is Zeng Shi's doing?

If it wasn't Zeng, then there's probably only one other possibility.

Thinking of this, Consort Shu gently raised her head and looked at Chu Mingheng, who was now in the upper position.

"Someone, convey my decree." Chu Mingheng finally decided to give Consort Shu a final end. His words seemed to have been spoken without much thought. "Consort Shu, née Song, is jealous by nature, vicious-hearted, abuses her power in the palace, harms other concubines, plots to kill the imperial heir, and disrupts the peace of the harem. Effective immediately, she is stripped of her power to assist in the management of the six palaces, demoted to the rank of Baolin, and banished to the Cold Palace."

"Although Consort Bai intended to report the crime, her intentions were not righteous, so she is demoted to the rank of Jieyu."

"Consort Wen..."

Chu Mingheng paused for a moment, as if considering it, but quickly came to a conclusion.

"Since Consort Wen is ill, she should recuperate carefully in Hanlu Palace."

Consort Wen's expression changed slightly, realizing that His Majesty intended to confine her to her quarters.

While ordinary confinement has a time limit, when will she be able to leave the palace?

Logically speaking, she could even be considered innocent and suffering for no reason, but His Majesty does not think so now.

"This concubine accepts the imperial decree and expresses her gratitude."

Bai Xiuyi was the first to bow and express her gratitude, then withdrew. As she returned to her seat, she deliberately reminded Wen Zhaoyi to stop her from remaining in a daze.

Consort Wen then stepped forward to bow.

Seeing that Consort Shu below had not made a move, Chen Kang'an coughed lightly and reminded her, "Consort Song, it's time to express your gratitude."

Consort Shu smiled mockingly. If she still couldn't understand, then she was truly stupid.

His Majesty is making room for his favorite concubine and creating momentum for her.

Just as she was about to say something, someone beside her warned her: "Your Majesty, you are not Zeng Shi. You have the Song family behind you. If you want to do anything or say anything, you should first think about whether the Song family will be implicated by you."

It was Yun Qing who spoke; at this point, these were the only words she could say to Consort Shu.

However, these words were indeed very useful, pulling Consort Shu back to her senses.

She had really wanted to say something she shouldn't have, but she had already been banished to the Cold Palace and become Song Baolin, so what did she care about life and death? But Yun Qing's words hit her heart hard again—that's right, she was not Zeng Shi. Her huge family had been destroyed, but she still had the Song family. It was enough for her to die alone, but there was no need to make the entire Song family pay with their lives.

The relative importance of each factor was decided in a mere instant.

Song Baolin slammed his forehead heavily on the ground, kowtowed to admit his guilt, and accepted the imperial decree to express his gratitude.

Soon, someone took her away.

Only Physician Qi remained in the hall.

"Since his medical skills are inadequate, then he shall be expelled from the palace."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for sparing my life." Imperial Physician Qi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly withdrew.

What an 'exciting' day it was, with one incident after another.

The concubines looked at each other in bewilderment. Now, all three consorts had been demoted, and two of them had even been banished to the Cold Palace, leaving only Consort Li.

But there is more than one Noble Consort in this palace. There is also Noble Consort Wu in Qiwen Palace, and Noble Consort Jia in Changying Palace.

But who will have the power to manage the six palaces?

Lan Wu seemed to have thought of something, and couldn't help but turn her gaze to Chu Mingheng, tilting her head slightly in confusion.

Is it going to be given to her?

Chu Mingheng also noticed her gaze, but did not flinch. Faced with Lan Wu's curiosity, he simply tapped her palm lightly with his finger under the table as if nothing had happened.

"Chen Kang'an, proclaim the imperial decree," he said.

Chen Kang'an responded with a "yes," stepped forward to the side, and began to read the imperial edict.

This is an imperial edict bestowing great titles upon the imperial harem.

Chu Mingheng has been on the throne for five years, and he has only made two grand appointments to his harem. This is the second time.

The concubines all sat up straight without prior arrangement, impatient to hear Chen Kang'an finish reading the imperial edict. They all wished they could go up and see if their names were written on it.

"...Consort Wu of Jin was promoted to Consort Zhuang, Consort Yun was promoted to Consort Yun, Consort Yue was promoted to the rank of Consort and given the title of Liang, and Consort Mu was promoted to Consort Mu..."

After the imperial edict was read, Chen Kang'an raised his head with a smile.

The newly promoted concubine carefully stepped forward, knelt down to express her gratitude, and at the same time wondered why the imperial edict did not mention Consort Zhen.

Even Consort Mu received a promotion, so there's no reason why Consort Zhen wouldn't be promoted... She's so favored.

Lan Wu herself wasn't worried at all; Chu Mingheng would naturally give her the best.

Sure enough, after the other concubines received their decrees and expressed their gratitude, Chen Kang'an took out another imperial edict and bowed to Lan Wu, saying, "Your Majesty, His Majesty said that you should just accept the decree without kneeling."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Lan Wu, thinking to themselves, "Just as I thought."

Chen Kang'an announced the imperial edict:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: You, Zhaorong Chu Lanwu, are respectful and quick-witted, gentle and compliant, kind and reasonable, diligent and tireless, virtuous and talented, and of elegant character. You are hereby conferred the title of Imperial Concubine, bestowed with a golden book and golden seal, your title is changed to Zhenjia, and you are granted the imperial surname. You are granted the power to assist in the management of the six palaces. This is the imperial decree."

Imperial Concubine.

Lan Wu felt her throat was dry and hoarse as she watched the imperial edict being closed and handed towards her.

Taking a deep breath, Lan Wu stood up, intending to kneel down to receive the imperial edict.

Before she could even kneel properly, a hand wrapped around her waist and lifted her up, and the imperial edict was taken by another person and placed securely in her palm.

It is Chu Mingheng.