"I've returned, but isn't his mother Consort De? Wasn't his birth mother Empress Xiaoyiren of the Tongjia clan?"

The tiny, scrawny Yinzhen was still in shock. He had woken up as a little kid after his death and had been in a daze for so many days before he came to his senses.

Having just been reborn, his body was still recovering from the effects of the venereal disease, and coupled with his own overthinking, he naturally didn't have much energy to ponder things. So he fell into a deep sleep. He had been exhausted from ruling and died in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Fortunately, after his righteous and open reign, he left behind an imperial edict to inherit the throne. Now that he had been reborn, he should take a good rest.

At the same time, good news also came from Chengqian Palace: Princess Duanjing had recovered, but her health would be weaker from now on. Nowadays, princesses usually go to pacify Mongolia, and a weak princess would undoubtedly be sent to her death. This made Consort Bu often regret it, always feeling that she had accidentally harmed Duanjing.

Hall of Mental Cultivation

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects and wish Your Majesty good health!" The Imperial Noble Consort, accompanied by Consort Bu, went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to find Emperor Kangxi as soon as the palace gates opened.

"Get up!" Kangxi put down the memorial in his hand and looked at his cousin, whom he had once doted on. He wondered when they had drifted apart.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have come here to investigate the origin of smallpox, but I am not sure if I should speak of it!"

The Imperial Noble Consort had been cooped up in Chengqian Palace for more than half a month. Her power in the palace was handed over to Consort Wen, so she was naturally angry. Therefore, she still followed her plan and pinned the crime of murdering the imperial heir on Consort Chen.

"Speak freely!" He thought it was brought in accidentally, but now that someone was telling him it was done by someone, Kangxi was naturally angry.

"Your Majesty, I have discovered that there is a eunuch in the Fourth Prince's household who has been in contact with smallpox scabs, but I don't know why it was Princess Duanjing who contracted it!" The Imperial Noble Consort did not say it directly, but only that there was a problem with the people around the Fourth Prince.

"Your Majesty, it must be that Consort Chen couldn't bear to see Princess Duanjing being raised by the Imperial Noble Consort, so she plotted to harm Princess Duanjing to show that the Imperial Noble Consort wasn't taking good care of the princess, thus cutting off her chance to become Empress! But Duanjing is innocent!"

Lady Bu said with great sorrow, "How can a woman who mistreats her illegitimate children be worthy of being the mother of a nation?"

“Zhao Jia clan, slandering the emperor is a capital offense!” Kangxi said displeasedly. Wasn’t this blatantly accusing Wan’er of plotting to harm the imperial heir?

"Your Majesty, as long as justice can be served for Duanjing, I am not afraid of death!"

Since she couldn't bring down the Imperial Noble Consort, but it was because she wanted to harm the Fourth Prince that Duan Jing suffered so much, how could she possibly let this opportunity pass? No matter who it was, she had to keep Duan Jing company.

"Alright then! Liang Jiugong, invite Consort Chen over, along with the imperial physicians stationed at both palaces. I cannot arbitrarily convict someone based solely on your words." Seeing that they were relentless, Kangxi had no choice but to summon Consort Wan to confront them.

It was half an hour later when Wanyi was summoned. The Empress Dowager also arrived at the same time, since how could she be absent when Consort Chen was in such a bad situation?

"Consort Chen, do you know your mistake?" The Empress Dowager arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation first, so she condemned Wanyi before she could even perform her rites.

"Greetings, Your Majesty! Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Greetings, Your Majesty the Imperial Noble Consort! May you enjoy boundless blessings and peace!" Wanyi first bowed, and then looked at the Empress Dowager.

"I don't know what I did wrong that made the Empress Dowager so anxious to condemn me before I even had a chance to pay my respects!" Wanyi said with a puzzled look.

"I don't believe you are that kind of person, that's why I asked so hastily. I was too impatient!" The Empress Dowager realized that her gloating was too obvious, so she quickly tried to make amends.

"I'm sorry to have worried Your Majesty, Consort Chen, please get up!" Kangxi saw that Consort Wan was still kneeling, and suddenly remembered that she was pregnant, so he quickly called out to her.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. The Empress Dowager is also concerned about me!" Wanyi stood up and, with the help of Granny Kong, sat down to the side. Directly opposite her was the Imperial Noble Consort.

"Your Majesty, what is the purpose of summoning me here?" Wanyi knew the general outline of the matter, since Wei Zhu only knew some things and not others.

"Recently, smallpox has been rampant, so the Imperial Noble Consort investigated all the palaces and found that a eunuch serving Yinzhen had come into contact with smallpox. She then summoned you to inquire about it!"

Kangxi's tone was hardly that of someone treating a prisoner, which infuriated the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Noble Consort.

"Sister Chen must know about this too!" the Imperial Noble Consort said casually.

"Didn't smallpox originate in Chengqian Palace? I was just about to ask the Imperial Noble Consort about it! My fourth prince has suffered so much this time. I was so afraid he wouldn't make it. He almost had a miscarriage several times, and I haven't even had a chance to question him. Why is it the Imperial Noble Consort who's questioning me instead?" As Wanyi spoke, she glared angrily at the Imperial Noble Consort, as if they were enemies, their eyes meeting in stare-office.

"You claim that smallpox first appeared in my palace. What evidence do you have? I can prove that the eunuch in your palace told me this personally." The Imperial Noble Consort was already holding back her anger, and she was even more furious at Wanyi's accusations.

"Then please summon the Imperial Noble Consort so I can confront him personally!" Damn it, that's exactly what I was waiting for! She had just settled down to sleep when she was woken up. Who isn't a baby at heart? Who doesn't have a temper?

"Your Majesty, look at how aggressive Consort Chen is! No wonder that eunuch came to Chengqian Palace to complain! It's just a pity for my Princess Duanjing." Consort Bu stepped forward at the right moment to accuse Consort Chen.

"Consort Bu said that Princess Duanjing has suffered, but what about my Fourth Prince! Would a mother be so heartless as to harm even her own son?" Wanyi said, crying aggrievedly, which made Kangxi's heart tighten.

"Summon the eunuch in. I find Consort Chen to be gentle, virtuous, chaste, and elegant! How could she do such a thing?"

Kangxi's immediate denial and belief in Consort Chen's appearance only strengthened the Imperial Noble Consort's resolve to deal with Consort Wanyi.

"Your Majesty, you can't speak so definitively. There are witnesses and evidence to prove it. Although I am familiar with Consort Chen, I will not cover it up, lest it lead to a false accusation!" Familiar? How could that be? Right now, she wished she could personally tear Consort Chen to pieces.

“Empress Dowager is right. Sister Chen has to admit what she did. Now that the princes and princesses are all fine, the Emperor will surely be lenient,” the Imperial Noble Consort chimed in.

"This servant greets Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, and all Your Highnesses!" At this moment, Liang Jiugong led Xiao Changzi in. Xiao Changzi showed no fear whatsoever for betraying Consort Chen.

"Tell me! Where did you come into contact with smallpox, and then how did you infect the two princes and princesses?"

Kangxi did not ask whether someone had instructed him to do so, meaning that he should take all the blame.

“How could a mere eunuch like him dare to plot against the young master? He was merely following orders. If he doesn’t confess the truth, even the extermination of his entire family wouldn’t be excessive!”

When Consort Bu saw that Emperor Kangxi still intended to protect Consort Chen, her heart sank. She couldn't let Duan Jingbai suffer.