Chapter 866 Consort Lan

Xie Shang narrowed his eyes slightly. "What men in black? Explain yourself."

Marquis Changping said, "He was a man dressed in black, his whole body wrapped in black cloth. He even wore black gloves on his hands, and his face was covered with a veil, only his two eyes were visible. He looked like a ghost."

Marquis Changping described the person who broke into his residence last night. After listening, Xie Shang said, "I have also been investigating a man in black."

Xie Shang fell into deep thought. He suddenly looked in Jiang Fenghua's direction, but Jiang Fenghua still didn't say a word.

Xie Shang said in a deep voice, "You may all step back!"

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this, not understanding what the emperor meant.

Once everyone had been led away from the Golden Palace, Jiang Fenghua asked, "Does Your Majesty believe their story?"

A chill ran through Xie Shang's eyes as he looked at Jiang Fenghua, "Does Ruan Ruan believe it?"

Jiang Fenghua rose from her seat and knelt on the ground. “Nothing can be hidden from Your Majesty. I helped Helan Yanran leave the palace. It was my fault. I am willing to accept whatever punishment Your Majesty deems appropriate.”

Xie Shang quickly rose from his seat and personally helped Jiang Fenghua up. "Ruan Ruan, what are you doing? I'm not blaming you. Ruan Ruan is only thinking about the reputation of the royal family."

He held Jiang Fenghua's body and said in a deep voice, "No matter what the reason, the child in Helan Yanran's belly cannot be kept. She fell off a cliff and her fate was unknown. Now that she has been found, she should naturally come back with a clear conscience."

Jiang Fenghua's body stiffened. "The Emperor wants to abort Helan Yanran's child, but her child is already..."

Xie Shang said, "I know the Empress is kind-hearted and wants to help her, but her status does not allow her to betray. They are the link between the royal family and the nobility. You see, Helan Yanran is not in the palace, and Marquis Changping may betray her at any time."

Jiang Fenghua asked, "What does Your Majesty intend to do with Helan Yanran and Shang Hong?"

Xie Shang sneered, "Dispose of them? Why should I punish them? I don't care about women, so I don't think they're important. In this world, only Ruan Ruan is the woman I truly love. As long as Ruan Ruan doesn't betray me, that's enough."

"Isn't Shang Hong going to marry the illegitimate daughter of Minister Shen's family? When the time comes, the Empress should send a generous gift to the Shang family. Don't embarrass the royal family. Now is the time when we need people. If I deal with the Shang and Helan families, I will have very few people to use."

Jiang Fenghua felt that Xie Shang was a man of deep thoughts. Since he ascended the throne, he had become more and more like a qualified emperor. He never neglected his duties and had his own plans in mind.

He even became increasingly cold-blooded and ruthless.

Jiang Fenghua suddenly felt that she was also under his surveillance. She said, "Your Majesty, Lin Yu and I left the palace last night. I went to the Marquis of Changping’s residence to see Helan Yanran and also encountered men in black."

Xie Shang paused, then asked with concern, "How did you run into the man in black? Why did he go to the Marquis of Changping's residence? Why didn't Ruan Ruan discuss leaving the palace with me? And why are you leaving the palace alone so late? What if something happens?"

"Your Majesty, I intended to inform you, but Consort Song was also in the Imperial Study at the time. I knew Your Majesty was troubled by the matter of the envoy, so I didn't have Wuxin inform you." Jiang Fenghua knew how to handle Xie Shang; she appeared somewhat aggrieved and disappointed, and said gently, "I'm sorry..."

Xie Shang suddenly placed his finger on Jiang Fenghua's lips and explained, "Consort Song is General Peng's niece, I..."

Jiang Fenghua didn't want to hear his explanation about his relationships with other women. She suddenly kissed Xie Shang's lips lightly to stop him from continuing. "Your Majesty, I understand. The Northern Xiao Kingdom is deliberately provoking us. We don't know how strong they are. It's also unclear whether other countries will join or just stand by. Ruan Ruan doesn't blame Your Majesty."

Consort Song is the mother of the Second Prince and also the Emperor's woman. If the Emperor only favors me, it's unfair to the other concubines in the harem, just like Helan Yanran. She doesn't receive the Emperor's love, which is why she wants to go to…”

Xie Shang said in a deep voice: "A woman as promiscuous as Helan Yanran, no matter what her reasons are, if I spare her life, she should be grateful that she has noble blood flowing through her veins."

Jiang Fenghua dared not plead for Helan Yanran any longer. Helan Yanran did not have noble blood flowing through her veins, but rather blood that had value. She was valuable in being alive, which was why Xie Shang allowed her to live.

Xie Shang said gently, "Since you encountered a man in black at the Helan family's house, didn't he harm you? Who exactly is he?"

Jiang Fenghua said, "I feel like he didn't intend to hurt me. It's like he knew I went to the Helan family and deliberately showed up. Also, even if the man in black didn't design the matter between Helan Yanran and Shang Hong, it's as if he knew. Last night, I clearly changed into men's clothing and disguised myself before leaving the palace, but he still knew my whereabouts."

Xie Shang said, "Does Ruan Ruan mean that someone is spying on the palace?"

“Yes.” Jiang Fenghua nodded. “Last night I fought with the man in black. He reminded me of Xiao Shang, the eldest prince of Bei Xiao Kingdom. He also mentioned the flower between my eyebrows and said that I had lost some memories and that I would remember something if I regained them.”

Xie Shang was stunned.

Seeing Xie Shang's stunned expression, Jiang Fenghua said, "How did he know I had amnesia? I find it so strange. What will I remember when I regain my memories?"

"It seems quite a few people know about your amnesia." He stroked the flower ornament between her eyebrows. "I suspect it's a side effect of the Guining Pill that caused this flower to grow. So don't worry, Ruan Ruan, no matter who the man in black is or what he wants to do, I will find out."

Xie Shang was also very worried about the strange things happening to Jiang Fenghua's body. Xiao Shang said that the name of this flower was Manjusaka, a flower of death from hell. What did that mean?

I wonder if Master Wu Zi could give him an answer?

Jiang Fenghua leaned against his chest, "With the Emperor here, Ruan Ruan is not worried. Perhaps when Mr. Gongsun returns, there will be an antidote to cure the illness."

Is Xie Shang unwilling for her to regain her memories because he's afraid she'll remember her past life and drift away from him?

Perhaps he was also wary of her!

None of that matters; what matters is that she is his empress.

-

When Jiang Fenghua saw Helan Yanran, she found Helan Yanran covered in blood, lying weakly on the bed, her eyes as still as dead water, devoid of any light, and her lips pale and bloodless.

Lady Helan stood by, her eyes red from crying. Seeing her daughter suffer, she hated Shang Hong to the core. It was all because of him that her daughter had been harmed like this.

Wuxin took the gorgeous palace robes and walked to the Empress, then bowed to Helan Yanran on the bed, saying, "These are the clothes and jewelry His Majesty bestowed upon Consort Lan. Welcome back to the palace, Consort Lan."

Jiang Fenghua looked at Wuxin. Xie Shang hadn't told her that he was going to promote Helan Yanran to the rank of Consort Lan.

Helan Yanran turned her head to look at the brightly colored clothes on the tray and said coldly, "Get out, get out..."

She screamed at the top of her lungs, "I don't need it!"