Chapter 845 Princess Consort Yuezhi Arrives

Shang Hong was stunned. "No, Lan'er's belly is already showing."

"Do you think you can still keep your secret? How she was kidnapped by Prince Kang's men, and how they coerced you into sending assassins into the palace—these things just haven't reached the Emperor yet," Jiang Fenghua said earnestly.

"Your Majesty, save me!" Shang Hong had been living in constant fear. He hadn't been able to sleep at night and didn't even dare to look at Lan'er.

He thought he could elope with Lan'er, but in the end he found he couldn't. The Shang family couldn't do without him, and he couldn't do without the Shang family either. His parents already knew about their affair, but the Shang family wouldn't allow Helan Yanran to enter the family. She was a concubine in the imperial harem, and if they let her in, the Shang family would commit a capital offense.

The father was even more unwilling to allow their scandalous behavior to tarnish the reputation of the business, leaving him caught in a dilemma.

It was only because she was pregnant with a merchant's child that her father reluctantly agreed to let her into the family as a concubine, but no one could know her true identity.

Now that the King of Kang's men knew where she was hiding, her identity could no longer be kept secret.

Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice, "Now you know fear, what were you doing back then?"

It was too late for Shang Hong to regret it. He said, "Your Majesty agreed to let me take Lan'er out of the palace back then."

Jiang Fenghua was speechless; she didn't even have the strength to fight back after being slapped.

However, she absolutely refused to be manipulated. "Confess to the Emperor! Invite Marquis Changping and his wife to the palace and apologize to them in front of them. This matter is not only your fault, Helan Yanran is also at fault, and of course, my decision in the first place was wrong."

Shang Hong couldn't understand the Empress. She had supported them in the beginning, which was why she was willing to help them stage a scene so that he could take Lan'er out of the palace. Now, the Empress seemed to regret doing so.

"If His Majesty finds out, he will surely kill me." Shang Hong said, "There is no other way now, we can only wrong Lan'er."

"You're going to marry another woman so soon? How can you do this to her? Helan Yanran risked everything to leave the palace with you, and you've already married someone else just a few months later." Jiang Fenghua sneered, "I suspect that your Shang family is hoping Helan Yanran will disappear."

Shang Hong was so frightened that he couldn't utter a single word. He clenched his fists. He had indeed been unable to concentrate on his work recently because of this matter, but he denied it: "I would not do such a thing."

Jiang Fenghua knew he was lying. Men only crave a woman's body. All they talk about is love; it's just sweet talk during trysts. Women who can't resist being coaxed will definitely lose control.

In the end, women shouldn't be too naive or foolish. Men can easily find another woman and suffer no loss.

"I will go and explain to the Emperor that you should send Helan Yanran back to the Marquis of Changping's residence. I will send someone to explain to the Marquis of Changping's wife about her disappearance." She added, "As for whether your Shang family wants to marry the daughter of the Shen family, you should think it over carefully. I do not want anyone to die."

She wanted to save Helan Yanran's life. Back then, Madam Helan pointed her finger at her and scolded her for harming her daughter, and she wouldn't take the blame for that.

Shang Hong instantly understood the Empress's meaning: if Helan Yanran were to get into trouble, the Empress would definitely not let him and the Shang family off the hook.

Just then, Hongxiu's voice came from outside the door, "Your Majesty, Chief Steward Wuxin has arrived."

Jiang Fenghua said in a deep voice, "What is it? Let him come in and talk."

Before Wuxin could even enter, Shang Hong had already stood up from the ground. "Your subject will take his leave now."

Jiang Fenghua continued, "Hongxiu, accompany Lord Shang out of the palace and send Consort Lan back to the Marquis of Changping's residence. Tell Lady Helan that you found her at a farmer's house. How she explains it to her parents is her own business."

Shang Hong understood the Empress's meaning; she sent her personal maid because she didn't believe he would really send Lan'er back to the Helan family.

Now that things have come to this, there is no other way. If, as Her Majesty the Empress said, this matter is reported to the Emperor by someone else, the Shang family and the Empress will be implicated.

Hongxiu had a general idea of ​​what the Empress meant, and she respectfully replied, "Yes, this servant will do it right away."

Only after Shang Hong left did Wuxin say, "Your Majesty, the Emperor requests your presence to entertain the guests."

Jiang Fenghua frowned. "Who has come this time?"

Wu Xin said, "Princess Consort Yuezhi has arrived."

Jiang Fenghua curled her lips into a smile, "I didn't expect the natives of the Northwest to get involved too. Shengjing City is really getting lively!"

Wu Xin said, "Your Majesty should be prepared. This Princess Consort Kang is no pushover. She came here demanding to see Prince Kang and her child. The Emperor has already sent someone to invite Prince Kang to the palace."

"Has His Majesty also sent someone to fetch Xie Yun and Xie Minmin?"

Wuxin nodded, "Yes."

Jiang Fenghua also knew that the Emperor had his own difficulties. Putting aside the fact that Xie Yun and Xie Minmin were surnamed Xie, the fact that Princess Kang was the daughter of a local chieftain in the Northwest made Xie Shang someone he couldn't afford to offend.

With wolves in front and tigers behind, this is really difficult to deal with!

In her memories of her previous life, she had always been in the harem, which was always managed by the Su family aunt and niece. These matters were not her responsibility to handle.

Even so, according to her memory, Princess Kang, Yuezhi, had never been to Shengjing.

What went wrong in this life? Why have so many things changed, and even many things that never happened before have happened?

For example, Helan Yanran in her previous life did not have an affair with Shang Hong. She truly became the emperor's woman. Moreover, Xie Shang would treat all the women he married into the palace equally. The women in the harem not only reproduced for the royal family, but also served to balance the court.

Jiang Fenghua couldn't figure it out, and she was too lazy to think about it anymore. After tidying up, she went to the front palace again.

-

Princess Kang was attended by eight maids on either side of her. They all wore white veils on their heads, which was probably a common practice in the Northwest, given the strong winds and sandstorms there.

Princess Kang was only forty years old, but she looked like she was in her fifties. Her figure was not slender, and she was even a bit bloated. Her face was not very pretty, and her complexion was not good. It seems that the Northwest is indeed a harsh and cold place!

Jiang Fenghua glanced at the figures gathered in the pavilion in the distance. Xie Shang was really ruthless. His Aunt Wang came but didn't invite her into the main hall to sit down. Instead, he left her standing in the garden.

This is hardly the way to treat guests!

In the northwest, the Yuezhi were like "the darlings of heaven," but when they arrived in Shengjing, they weren't even considered guests.

Prince Kang clearly had a residence in Shengjing, but after arriving, Princess Kang did not go to see Prince Kang first, but instead went to the palace to see the Emperor.

Could it be because she couldn't find the Prince Kang's residence?

Consort Chang is under house arrest in the Fourth Prince's residence, while Prince Kang is under house arrest in Prince Kang's residence. It's unknown whether the two will meet secretly. Now that Prince Kang's empress has come, will things get even more interesting?

Just then, Jiang Fenghua suddenly saw a man with long hair and dressed in white following beside Yuezhi.

She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but for a fleeting moment when their eyes met, she felt as if the casually dressed man had glanced in her direction, as if he had seen her all along.

Wuxin asked, "Isn't Your Highness going to entertain Princess Kang?"

Jiang Fenghua pondered for a moment. She felt that there was something strange about that man. She said, "I will be attending the banquet with the Emperor later. Have someone send Princess Kang to Prince Kang's residence to see Prince Kang. The couple has not seen each other for a long time. Prince Kang must miss his princess very much."

Wu Xin felt utterly bewildered. Only when he saw Princess Kang did he understand why Prince Kang had gotten involved with Consort Chang.

Wuxin said, "But His Majesty said..."

Jiang Fenghua didn't want to exchange pleasantries and left directly.

As soon as she turned around, the man with Princess Kang also turned his gaze away from Jiang Fenghua.