Chapter 755 Consort Chang dares not face her son

Consort Chang hurriedly explained, "I... I just think the Empress went too far. Shu Ronghua once came to my mother's palace to ask her for advice on making pastries. It can be considered a teacher-student relationship. She is actually quite well-behaved and sensible. It's unfair that she has to suffer like this while pregnant."

Xie Yang knew his mother well; she was more cold-blooded and ruthless than anyone else, and had never shown such loving eyes to him. Yet now, her tenderness was directed at a complete stranger.

It was as if she were the mother's child.

His heart was ice-cold. Why did his mother lie to him? He clearly knew Shu Lang, so why did she pretend not to? It was Shu Lang who took the initiative to find him. He had always thought that Shu Lang harbored resentment towards the Jiang family and had grievances against Xie Shang and his father. Now it seemed that there was another hidden reason.

Consort Chang walked to the door and looked around. Finding that no one was watching, she pulled the Fourth Prince aside and whispered, "Yang'er, when are you going to make your move?"

Xie Yang said, "It has already begun. The outside world is in an uproar. Mother's plan is indeed brilliant. Vice Minister Shu has been a great help. If it succeeds, I will owe him a great favor. In the future, I will definitely give important positions to the Shu family."

"We should thank Minister Shu; he helped us despite the immense pressure he faced," said Consort Chang.

"Did Mother Consort know Minister Shu before?" Xie Yang asked.

Consort Chang was stunned. "How could Mother, who has lived in the deep palace for so long, possibly know him? However, Minister Shu is a high-ranking official in the court, and Mother has occasionally heard of him."

Xie Yang clenched his fist. "Mother, let me help you back to the banquet first! The Empress has already sent someone to invite Madam Shu to the palace. Madam Shu will take care of her daughter. You only taught her to make a few pastries, so there's no need for you to worry about it, Mother."

Consort Chang glanced at Shu Yan and finally nodded. "She is the biological daughter of Vice Minister Shu. If you can take care of her, then do so. After all, we cannot offend her father."

Xie Yang replied, "Yes."

Jiang Fenghua and Xie Shang came out of the side hall and walked together. They exchanged a glance, and Jiang Fenghua said, "Why didn't Consort Chang come with us? I sent her the invitation to the family banquet. We must not neglect her. Your Majesty, please go to the banquet hall first. I will go back and look for her and come right away."

Xie Shang nodded, "I will have Wuxin accompany you."

"No need, I'll go myself, it's only a short walk."

She had just reached the entrance of the side hall when she bumped into Xie Yang helping Consort Chang out. She glanced inside and exclaimed, "Why aren't there any maids taking care of Consort Shu? Someone come here!"

At this moment, a palace maid brought over the medicine. "What does Your Majesty the Empress need from me?"

"Why is Shu Ronghua left alone in the side hall? She is unconscious and pregnant, and she needs someone by her side, the palace maids and nannies who serve her closely."

The palace maid said, "I heard that they are all sick and have eaten something bad. I was ordered by the royal physician to fetch medicine, and I will go to give it to Consort Ronghua right away."

Consort Chang stopped her, asking, "What medicine did you send to Shu Ronghua?"

"It's a medicine to prevent miscarriage!" the palace maid said.

Jiang Fenghua said, "Why is Your Highness so nervous? Now that Consort Shu is pregnant, Imperial Physician Wang will naturally prescribe medicine to prevent miscarriage. Is there a problem?"

Consort Chang said, "No...no problem. I was just wondering if we should cover Consort Shu with a blanket so she doesn't catch a cold. She's not covered up at all yet."

Jiang Fenghua asked in confusion, "Wasn't it covered? I remember being covered with a blanket!"

"No," Consort Chang said with absolute certainty.

Jiang Fenghua quickly walked to the bedside. "There really isn't a cover. The Dowager Consort is kind-hearted. If she sleeps like this, she'll catch a cold. It won't be easy to explain if Madam Shu sees this! I'll have someone carry her back to her palace. She shouldn't sleep here anymore."

Lianye also summoned several eunuchs, "Your Majesty, the person has arrived."

Jiang Fenghua said, "They're all so thin, haven't they eaten enough? Go find some Imperial Guards to carry them."

"yes."

Jiang Fenghua didn't cover Shu Yan with a blanket when she said this, which made Consort Chang even more distressed. How could the Imperial Guards touch the Empress's body? She stepped forward and took the initiative to tidy up Shu Yan's blanket.

Jiang Fenghua said, "Consort Chang is kind-hearted. You don't know that Shu Yan is not a good person in the palace. Her mouth is very annoying. I don't know what dirty tricks she used to get into the Emperor's bed after getting pregnant. It's just a despicable method. It's hard to say whether the child can be saved."

Hearing these words only brought back memories of her youth for Consort Chang, as Empress Dowager Cheng had said something similar to her.

So Jiang Fenghua hit her earlier to take revenge on the Empress Dowager's authority, and now she's trying to harm the child in her womb. What a vicious thought!

Jiang Fenghua said, "Fourth Prince, please help the Dowager Consort back to the banquet hall quickly. The banquet is about to begin. I will have someone send Shu Ronghua back to the palace before we come back."

Consort Chang's mind was in turmoil. The person she cared about was in someone else's hands. What if the child was lost, or what if she was killed? She hadn't even...

Consort Chang suddenly walked back to the bedside. "I don't like crowds or banquets. I'll escort Consort Shu back to the palace on behalf of the Empress!"

As she spoke, she found a blanket to cover Shu Yan with. Jiang Fenghua was stunned for a moment: "Your Highness is so kind-hearted. People like Shu Yan don't deserve sympathy. Your Highness, please don't worry about her."

Consort Chang's anger intensified: "As a woman, it's wrong of the Empress to say such things."

Jiang Fenghua looked embarrassed. "Is the Dowager Consort helping her so much because she really likes Shu Yan?"

Xie Yang quickly said, "That's not what Mother Consort meant. Actually, Mother Consort is leaving soon. She doesn't like crowds, but she stayed because she felt the side hall was quiet. I will escort Mother Consort back to the palace now."

“It’s a family banquet, we’re all one family. The Dowager Consort has just arrived and is about to leave. I misspoke earlier. The Dowager Consort is a vegetarian and a Buddhist, please don’t be angry.” She glanced at Shu Yan. “I also hope she wakes up soon. Two concubines in the palace lost their lives because of childbirth. I don’t want their fate to befall Shu Ronghua again.”

Consort Chang wanted to say something more, but Xie Yang forcibly took her away. "Your Majesty, please continue with your business. Your Highness and Mother will take their leave."

Jiang Fenghua stared at Xie Yang and Consort Chang's backs, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips: Today has been quite fruitful. Xie Yang's expressions are so rich. His mother had a child with a wild man behind his back. How did she manage to keep it so well hidden from the other people in the palace?

She glanced at Shu Yan again, knowing she would have to sleep in for a while longer.

Xie Yang had been pulling Consort Chang for quite a distance when Consort Chang abruptly shook him off, saying, "Yang'er, why are you pulling me like that?"

Xie Yang said, "Don't force Mother Consort to stay in places she doesn't like. How the Empress deals with Consort Shu is her business, and it's the Emperor's family affair. She dared to slap her several times in front of everyone, and the Emperor didn't stop her. Whether his woman lives or dies is none of our business."

Consort Chang turned around and slapped Xie Yang across the face. Xie Yang stared at his mother in disbelief.

Consort Chang dared not face her son and tried to explain, "Yang'er, your mother did not do it on purpose."