Chapter 606 Shield 16

“What I said is true. These people are all from the Wei family. Also, there are people from the Wei family who have been placed around the Emperor. However, I was promoted later, and Her Majesty the Empress does not trust me very much. I do not know who that person is.”

Rong Quan wiped the cold sweat from his face. Fortunately, Hong Ling was sensible and came to inform on him tonight. Otherwise, if someone had really schemed against the Emperor, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The emperor, behind his desk, had a somber expression. His right hand tapped lightly on the table, and the muffled thuds seemed to strike Hong Ling's heart.

Originally, Yin Chen wanted to let the Empress fend for herself, since she only had less than three months to live anyway.

But now, they want him dead.

"Since she doesn't want to live anymore, let's send her on her way."

Hongling shuddered again.

The Emperor saw her fear. "I'm entrusting this matter to you. If you do well, your entire family will be spared."

Hongling kowtowed three more times, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. This servant will certainly serve Your Highness well."

She knew that if the Empress died, she probably wouldn't survive either, but at least she saved her family's lives, so her death was worthwhile.

...

When she came out of Chaoyang Palace, Hongling's back was completely wet. Chief Steward Rong secretly gave her a package, "This is enough for three times. Just do it once every three days."

"Hongling, don't do anything foolish. A servant who has betrayed their master once will truly die a horrible death if they betray their master again."

Hongling bowed to Rongquan, "Thank you for your guidance, I understand."

Carefully tucking the packet of medicine into her bosom, Hong Ling straightened her back and strode away. Rong Quan watched, feeling a sense of calm acceptance of death.

The next morning, Hongling once again personally served the medicine to the Empress.

After wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, the Empress turned to Hongling and asked, "Have you completed the task I instructed you to do?"

"Your Majesty, it's all done."

Hong Ling's expression was somewhat strange, but the Empress, who was determined to kill the Emperor, didn't notice at all.

"Alright, alright, Hongling, I will talk to Father and ask him to send you away..."

Hongling knew that the Empress was just placating her; women who entered the palace had no chance of leaving until they were twenty-five.

Moreover, since the Empress wanted to harm the Emperor, how could she, as her number one henchman, have a chance to leave?

Hongling knelt down to pledge her loyalty, "Your Majesty, this servant will not leave; this servant will always stay with you."

The Empress felt relieved and closed her eyes to fall asleep.

After that, Hongling fed the Empress medicine twice more. The Empress's body grew weaker and weaker, but she did not suspect anything. After all, she was already at the end of her life and it was only a matter of time before she died.

Nine days later.

The Empress finally realized her fate was sealed. "I'm not reconciled! Those two are still alive! But it doesn't matter. I'll go to the underworld and wait for them..."

The empress closed her eyes in resentment. The palace servants accepted the fact after only two seconds and then sent someone to inform the emperor. No one shed a single tear for her death.

This day happened to be the last day of the first month of the lunar calendar.

When the funeral bell tolled, noblewomen entered the palace to mourn. Except for Consort Xue, who was under house arrest by order of the Emperor, everyone in the palace had to go to mourn.

Ning Yan, sporting a fake six-month pregnancy, made a brief appearance in front of the mourning hall before pretending to faint and returning to the palace.

Even if someone could see through her act, no one dared to say a word. It concerned the imperial fetus, and if anything happened to Consort Shu's unborn child because of their gossip, they would not be able to bear the responsibility.

The Empress's death aroused suspicion within the Wei family. The Emperor summoned the two powerful members of the Wei family to the Imperial Study and presented them with a red silk ribbon and a pile of evidence.

“Originally, I did not intend to speak if the Grand Tutor and the Prime Minister had not asked. Based on this alone, I could have wiped out the entire Wei family. However, I am grateful for the Grand Tutor’s guidance, so I suppressed this matter. If the Grand Tutor and the Prime Minister resent me, I will accept it.”

Grand Tutor Wei immediately pulled his son to kneel on the ground, saying, "Your subject dares not, this old minister is guilty!"

The prime minister was terrified, cursing his daughter half to death in his heart. He kowtowed and said, "I have failed to educate my daughter properly. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

The Emperor personally helped the two up, and said nothing more, for there was nothing more to say.

The father and son helped each other out of the Chaoyang Palace, and the emperor stared at their backs for a long time without saying a word.

After saying what she needed to say, Hongling remained kneeling to one side. She felt that today was probably her death day, but the Emperor had not revealed that she had poisoned the Empress to send her to her death, so she still held onto a sliver of hope.

"Hongling, go to the laundry department. Remember, never say anything you shouldn't, or it will be your death day!"

Hongling was overjoyed upon hearing this, and she immediately kowtowed repeatedly: "Thank you so much, Your Majesty, for sparing my life! Thank you so much, Your Majesty, for sparing my life! This servant promises that this servant will never utter a single extra word to anyone!"

Although working in the laundry department would be tiring and tough, she was able to survive!

Who would choose to die when they can live?!

Seven days later, the Empress was buried. However, she was no longer entitled to be buried with the Emperor, and her body was sent back to the Wei family.

Half a month after Empress Wei passed away, Grand Tutor Wei resigned from his post, and Prime Minister Wei also wanted to leave, but the Emperor did not allow it.

After the Empress died, Consort Xian started causing trouble again. Relying on the fact that she had a prince, she encouraged her family to propose the re-establishment of an Empress.

At the same time, the Qi family also called for Consort Liang to be promoted to the position.

The prime minister was the head of the civil officials, while Qi Wei, the father of Consort Liang who commanded an army of 300,000, was the head of the military generals.

The Wei family were not all allied; their conflict was only between the families of Consort Xian and Consort Liang, so the struggle was not intense.

The emperor simply ignored the memorial requesting the establishment of an empress and continued to act as usual.

Three days later, Consort Liang, who had always been aloof and watched the power struggle from afar, suddenly lowered her stance and personally went to Chaoyang Palace to curry favor.

"Please invite them in."

Consort Liang wore a plum-red embroidered camellia palace dress today, with only a gold hairpin in her hair. Her slender waist was tightly bound, making her chest appear quite magnificent. "Greetings to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty enjoy ten thousand years of blessings."

The Emperor looked up at the people in the hall, then lowered his head again. "Hmm, rise."

Consort Liang stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty works so hard reviewing memorials every day. I’ve prepared some nourishing soup. Please do me the honor of trying a little.”

The Emperor readily agreed, "Very well, Rongquan, serve me a bowl."

Consort Liang had already opened the food box and was ready to prepare the food herself.

"Just leave it to them; you don't need to do these rough jobs yourself."

Consort Liang blushed slightly, a rare occurrence for her. She felt that the Emperor still cared about her, and that her plan should be easy to complete.

Rong Quan quickly took the food box, tested it for poison, and after confirming that there was no problem, he ladled out a bowl and served it to the Emperor.

The Emperor drank it. The imperial chef's skills were quite good. The soup was very fragrant and not greasy at all. I think Xian'er would like it.

"Alright, I have too many memorials to handle today. Consort Liang, you should go back now. I'll have a meal with you when I have time."