Chapter 70 When you can't beat someone, you resort to metaphysics

Since following A-Zhu, life has been incredibly exciting for everyone in Guanju Palace.

It was a constant tug-of-war between the emperor's boundless grace and the inescapable guilt.

Look, just moments ago, their empress was taken to Hanyuan Palace because of her favored status, and then Qingliu and the others, amidst the emperor's "wrath," were hastily escorted back to Guanju Palace along with Azhu.

As soon as I returned to the palace, the palace gates were locked.

Green Lotus didn't care about anything else; she first checked A-Zhu's body for any injuries. At that time, their mistress was both apologizing and being punished by kneeling, which made everyone anxious.

"Your Majesty."

Qingliu looked at Azhu's knee and asked, "Where else does it hurt?"

Ah Zhu slowly shook her head: "...No."

Looking up at the palace servants before her, all of whom were filled with anxiety, A-Zhu said softly, "Jiang Shi... is now all that's left of me."

"The whole family were loyal and brave, but the injustice is truly hard to be redressed."

"How can I, the Empress, be content with my position as a concubine, enjoying wealth and honor, and live a muddled life?"

"This day was bound to come sooner or later."

A moment of silence fell over the hall.

In this palace, if it's about other "competitions for favor" or something that's clearly irrational, Qingliu and the others can offer some good advice.

However, the only matter that A-Zhu asked the Emperor to clear Jiang's name was something that, regardless of whether it was good or bad, they could not and would not persuade A-Zhu to give up, for both reason and emotion.

"Everyone, get out."

Ah Zhu said slowly, "Let me have some peace and quiet."

Upon hearing this, the people inside the hall felt as if their hearts were being gripped by a knife.

Last time at Kowloon Garden, their mistress got emotional and kicked them out, then turned around and tried to commit suicide.

Although things seemed relatively calm today... it's still hard to feel at ease.

A-Zhu, with her "bad record," could tell what everyone was thinking just by looking at their expressions.

"Who still remembers the Jiang family these days?"

"Only I can rely on you."

As she spoke, A-Zhu slowly got up and walked towards the inner hall.

"I will take good care of myself until things get really bad."

The palace doors were closed, and A-Zhu quickly took out a broken hairpin from her bosom and put it back in the box.

"Your Majesty, let's go back to Guanju Palace."

Having witnessed the entire process of how the emperor set the stage for the "grand drama" of "rectifying the name of the Jiang family," Consort Feng couldn't help but sigh.

"It's all because of their different status. What others rack their brains, try every means, or spend their whole lives striving for, is about to be accomplished in less than a year."

Ah Zhu, on the other hand, remained relatively calm.

"Even without the Jiang family, there would be the Ma family or the Hu family. They are just a legitimate excuse... The emperor has tolerated this for so many years, and he is no longer willing to tolerate it."

A-Zhu thought to herself that since she had nothing and could only rely on the emperor, Emperor Xuanpei would not be too wary of her.

Moreover, having spent so much time together, A-Zhu could more or less discern the emperor's attitude towards the affairs of the previous dynasty.

"How the previous dynasty played its games and weighed the pros and cons is something you can't interfere with now." Consort Feng murmured this with a sigh, but quickly regained her composure.

"A-Zhu, you need to be careful of that sixth young lady in the harem, Jiang."

"If she only seeks to clear the name of the Jiang family, that would be fine."

"Now that you have stepped forward and stood up for the Jiang family, she will only do her best to help."

"The problem is that... she not only wants to clear the name of the Jiang family, but also wants a legitimate identity."

A-Zhu blinked, then slowly shook her head and said softly, "Your Majesty, I cannot make decisions for her."

"She's also very stubborn."

"With her status as a noblewoman of the Lu family, does she think she can marry any prince or nobleman?"

"But she insisted on entering the palace."

"People who no longer seek the future, nor do they crave fine clothes, food, wealth, or status, are unlikely to be moved by anything else."

A-Zhu leaned against the couch.

"Your Majesty, to be honest, I really hate her."

"It was a mixture of envy, jealousy, and resentment."

I hate her "wanting both".

"I hate that she already has so much and other prestigious statuses, yet she still relentlessly tries to 'steal' me from her... But even though I don't want to admit it, I admire her courage and integrity."

Hearing A-Zhu's sudden change of heart and admiration, Consort Feng felt quite uneasy—after all, he had held firm so many times before, could it be that A-Zhu suddenly felt pity and switched sides when victory was in sight?

"A-Zhu, are you now considering backing down?!"

Ah Zhu paused for a moment, then smiled shyly after realizing what was happening.

"Your Majesty, you think so highly of my character... it makes me feel quite embarrassed."

"I will not give in, nor can I give in."

Ah Zhu gestured with her hand to indicate a very small, almost invisible gap.

"Your Majesty, as you know, the Emperor's heart is truly only this narrow."

“I didn’t confess when I had the chance several times before.”

"Whether or not his idea was to deal with those turbulent aristocratic families of the previous dynasty... the effort he put into clearing the name of the Jiang family is real."

"Those efforts to give me a 'good title' were also real."

"But what if he knew that I've been lying to him all along, and that at this critical juncture, not only am I not standing with him, but I'm also turning against him and 'deserting in the face of battle'...?"

At this point, A-Zhu shuddered and couldn't help but shiver.

"Your Majesty, I dare not even imagine what my fate will be."

Ah Zhu gritted her teeth, her determination unwavering.

"No matter what happens, no matter when, I absolutely cannot abandon the emperor and run away by myself, otherwise he will really crawl out of the underworld and chew my bones to pieces."

Consort Feng felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this, and she sighed inwardly, "In this world, everything is indeed a matter of fortune and misfortune."

"Fortunately, I still have something to look forward to now."

As long as she can see hope, Azhu can smile.

"Your Majesty, it is said that 'two blades of grass can still have one heart, but a human heart is not as good as grass.'"

"Moreover, in this palace, there is such a dazzling array of temptations that it is impossible to maintain such favor and privilege for long."

"Two years, three years... or even five years?"

“There will be many other ‘A-Zhu’s’ to emerge. Then I will no longer be a slave, but will have status and a good life.”

......

Kunning Palace

When it was time to pay respects, the concubines in the hall looked behind Consort Tang and saw that the seat was empty—it was Consort Jiang's seat.

Previously, this Consort Jiang could come and go as she pleased, and if she didn't want to come, she would send someone from the Emperor's court to apologize, using the pretext of "accompanying the Emperor" to disgust people.

As the saying goes, arrogance will inevitably be punished by Heaven; now she can't even come if she wants to.

"Your Majesty the Empress."

Having repeatedly tried to speak but been rebuffed by A-Zhu and gained no advantage whatsoever, Consort Tang asked with concern, "Why is Consort Jiang suddenly confined to Guanju Palace?"

Before the emperor issued a decree, A-Zhu's crimes had not yet been determined.

Consort Tang, eager to get rid of this "wicked concubine," said, "We don't even know when she'll be released; it's truly worrying..."

It's true that Ah Zhu is annoying, but it's also true that she's trying to clear her family's name.

Especially considering Ah Zhu's character, her actions only made her actions all the more commendable.

Consort Zhang glanced at Consort Tang, who was feigning concern, and chuckled: "Since you care so much about Consort Jiang, Consort Tang, why don't you go before the Emperor and beg him to show mercy and release Consort Jiang?"

In the past, Consort Zhang relied on her family background and the emperor's favor to act recklessly. Now, although she is no longer favored, she still holds the power to assist in managing the six palaces. How could Consort Tang dare to offend her?

Therefore, when ridiculed in this way, Consort Tang could only smile awkwardly.

"His Majesty is furious... I am clumsy with words, and if I say something inappropriate, it will backfire and implicate Sister Jiang, which would be unpleasant."

Consort Zhang glanced at Consort Tang and retorted, "Since you know you're stupid, then shut up and stop making a fool of yourself."

Empress Wang, seated at the head of the table, had no interest in the dispute between Consort Zhang and Consort Tang.

Think about how much effort Empress Wang went through to kill Ah Zhu in the past.

Furthermore, his disputes with Emperor Xuanpei have repeatedly implicated him.

This time, she didn't even have to lift a finger, and Ah Zhu had already "gone too far" on his own. While Empress Wang was pleasantly surprised, she also felt a sense of powerlessness and unreality, as if she had punched thin air.

If I had known that Ah Zhu would have such thoughts, why would she have bothered struggling?

Seeing is believing, and now Empress Wang finally understood the meaning of her sister-in-law's words about "flower growers".

If only Consort Zhang were like this.

Because of A-Zhu's matter, Empress Wang had to temporarily abandon her struggle with Consort Zhang.

Now that A-Zhu has brought about his own death, Empress Wang couldn't help but glance at Consort Zhang, who was scheming for palace power.

Sure enough, her biggest threat was this woman who harbored delusions and remained standing despite several power struggles in the palace.

Without A-Zhu stirring up trouble, the morning greetings quickly ended, but Wang Xi-Sui didn't leave.

She first had breakfast with Empress Wang, then personally served her a cup of tea before speaking: "Your Majesty, Jiang's charges are still undetermined... It would be best to settle this matter as soon as possible."

Empress Wang, who had just come to appreciate the beauty of being a "flower grower," was now unwilling to act impulsively.

“Xisui”.

"That lowly maidservant of the Jiang family, thinking herself favored, is utterly arrogant and disdainful of everyone. Now, in her elation, she's even forgotten who she is..."

Empress Wang, with a calm expression, even put on airs as she pointed at Wang Xihui.

"If that's the case, let's just watch her building crumble. Why rush to get involved and get ourselves into trouble?"

Looking at Empress Wang, who chose impulsiveness when she should have been clever and "cleverness" when she should have acted, Wang Xihui felt an urge to sigh to the heavens.

She tried her best to suppress her disrespectful expression and said respectfully, "Your Majesty is right, but my sister... is truly terrified by the excessive favor shown to her by Madam Jiang."

"Your Majesty, Lady Jiang has a history of improper conduct."

“Both inside and outside the palace, there were many complaints from the court and the public. Not only did the officials keep offering their advice, but even the Empress Dowager had to go to the emperor to question them.”

"But the reason why Lady Jiang was convicted this time was not because of 'bewitching the master,' nor because of 'disrupting the court,' nor because of 'overstepping her bounds and being disrespectful'... but because of seeking to clear Lady Jiang's name."

“Your Majesty, even if Lady Jiang has many faults, is disrespectful and even offended the Emperor, her actions cannot help but be associated with the reputation of ‘loyalty, righteousness, benevolence and filial piety’.”

There will always be some pedantic people in this world who can be easily deceived.

Wang Xihui said softly, "His Majesty was furious, but he only ordered Jiang to return to the palace and stay at home. He didn't even impose the slightest crime on her."

"Even though Jiang's status as a slave was appointed by the late emperor, it is only natural for her to kneel and beg to clear her name."

"No matter how unworthy Jiang is, she has still been favored for many days."

"What if His Majesty's anger subsides a bit, and she uses some underhanded means to make him change his mind... Your Majesty, we should be more careful about the possibility of something going wrong."

Wang Xihui's goal was to quickly establish Azhu's guilt while Emperor Xuanpei was still angry.

The phrase "the final verdict is reached after death" is quite apt.

The beauty lies in its ability to make people stubbornly continue down the wrong path, even when they know they are wrong.

If we can take this opportunity to execute Lady Jiang, what does it matter how much their emperor regrets it in the future?

Let Lady Jiang live forever in the Emperor's heart.

If she holds the Emperor's heart, no other woman in the palace will ever have a chance to rise to prominence, and Empress Wang will remain the Empress... She can simply wait peacefully for the Crown Prince to inherit the throne.

Wang Xihui's words were pleasing to the ear, and Empress Wang listened to them.

However, the mere mention of the late emperor sent a chill down Empress Wang's spine.

"Sui'er, I understand your concerns."

"If that lowly servant Jiang can be dealt with sooner, I will certainly do so."

"But...for some reason, I thought of the late Emperor and Consort Feng."

Empress Wang's eyes were slightly dazed, and she clenched her hands tightly.

"Back then, it was the late Emperor who personally ordered Consort Feng to be banished to the Cold Palace, but what was the result?"

"Consort Feng committed suicide, but how many people were implicated because of her?"

"The late emperor was insane, murdering his wife and children. Thinking about it now still sends chills down my spine."

Wang Xihui was also surprised that Empress Wang would suddenly think of the late emperor and Consort Feng. She frowned slightly.

“Your Majesty, the late Emperor is the late Emperor, and Consort Feng is Consort Feng.”

"In the past, Consort Feng was the most favored concubine in the palace for many years and had given birth to two princes. She had a deep affection for the late emperor."

"Different relationships and different statuses, how can they be generalized?"

"Jiang only served the emperor for a year, while I was still in the palace, I heard that His Majesty was very particular about rules..." Wang Xihui stopped talking at this point.

Empress Wang's eyes widened suddenly, and her tone became increasingly harsh: "You know that His Majesty values ​​rules the most, but what about Lady Jiang?"

"Now... no, no, no, ten years ago, when His Majesty ascended the throne, he showed favor to the Jiang family and issued an edict—"

"Jiang, who should have been a courtesan in the brothel and trampled by thousands, not only entered the palace as a slave, but she didn't even go to the laundry department!"

"rule?"

"His Majesty, who always talks about rules, actually let her enter the Hanyuan Hall directly."

"He was promoted as an exception after only three months."

"Even the Empress Dowager had to leave the palace to worship Buddha, but she needed to pray for blessings, so the Emperor invited monks into the palace."

"His Majesty doesn't even care that she had a previous marriage, and he allows her to be so disrespectful."

"She can come and go as she pleases in my Kunning Palace."

"Even when Lady Jiang had no choice but to go to Empress Dowager Shu's Shou Kang Palace, the Emperor personally accompanied her... and it was during this time of great favor that something went wrong."

"Now, the current situation... how is it like it was back then?"

Yes, A-Zhu is extremely beautiful, but are there any concubines in the palace who are not good-looking?

When A-Zhu was chosen from the inner palace, Empress Wang only said that she was "fresh" and beautiful, so it was not surprising that she was favored.

But it is absolutely, absolutely not as bewitching as it is now.

"How could I not know what kind of person Lady Jiang is?"

"It's not that I want to deliberately belittle her, but what can she possibly learn in the inner palace?"

"She is truly ignorant and incompetent, utterly stupid, and knows nothing about poetry or literature. Moreover, she is shallow-minded and greedy for wealth and glory... Has Your Majesty not seen any kind of beauty?"

"Why did you fall for her?"

"Going against one's own will".

"It really is like being possessed by an evil spirit."

Empress Wang's voice trembled more and more as she spoke.

“Xisui”.

"Do you think the members of the Yin family, the royal family of the Great Yuan Dynasty, always encounter some kind of predetermined 'calamity'? Or even one that is close to life and death?"

These words sounded eerie, giving Wang Xihui the creeps.

Even though she is naturally intelligent, she is still young and inexperienced.

Even Empress Wang was somewhat apprehensive and suspicious, and Wang Xihui couldn't categorically deny such eerie "ghostly matters."

Wang Xihui felt a chill run down her spine as she stared at the cold-blooded Empress Wang for a moment, and she even lost the urge to "strike while the iron is hot" and kill Azhu.

Let's take another look.

Faced with this "possession of evil spirits," even the usually impulsive Empress Wang couldn't help but back away.

"The people who framed the Jiang family back then were the Marquis of Chengen's mansion and Empress Dowager Shu... Logically speaking, His Majesty would never risk shaking the foundation of the country by keeping the Jiang family and bewitching the people."

Wang Xihui touched her cold arm and suddenly said, "Your Majesty, what if Lady Jiang is unharmed in this turmoil..."

Empress Wang: ...Then their Emperor is truly possessed by an evil spirit.

Humans can never fight against fate.

Have you not seen how even the wise and powerful late emperor suddenly went mad in his prime?

Empress Wang, who felt a chill run down her spine at the thought, exchanged a blank glance with Wang Xihui.

Then Empress Wang said softly, "If she can escape death this time and even remain the most favored concubine... then what harm is there in me taking a step back?"

"Let her say a few more words just to feel good."

"Let her be willful and refuse to pay her respects. What does it matter if she acts recklessly in the palace, or if she enjoys only superficial wealth and honor?"

"Since His Majesty has been supporting her with the imperial rations, then it is none of my business."

"In the end, I have no deep-seated hatred for her."

Empress Wang murmured, "I have also been kind enough to promote and recommend her."

*

The imperial court and the inner palace have been quite lively these past few days.

In the court, some officials accused him of being a "remnant of the enemy" and urged the emperor to punish him quickly, while others saw hope for redress and stood up to speak for Ah Zhu, which was "human nature."

As Wang Xihui said, Azhu, who angered the emperor by trying to clear Jiang's name, truly earned the reputation of being "loyal, filial, benevolent, and righteous".

In this world, people always act out of mutual respect and protection among relatives. Even the concubines who enter the palace cannot help but hear a few words about mutual reliance among their own families.

The inheritance of a family is passed down by people, and therefore requires cohesion.

If they deny Ah Zhu's willingness to go through fire and water for the family, wouldn't they also be denying their own foundation?

Even if they don't stand up for Azhu, they can't "kick him when he's down."

When the court is in a state of "three-way power struggle," the emperor's decision is of utmost importance.

Emperor Xuanpei hesitated to make a decision, which naturally led to even fiercer arguments in the court.

The more details and hidden stories of the "trouble" that he hastily suppressed back then were unearthed, the more astute people sensed the impending storm.

......

Shou Kang Palace

Empress Dowager Shu, with her prayer beads twirling in her hand, listened to Li Mama's reply with her eyes closed.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards are now guarding Guanju Palace."

"No matter who asks, the answer is always the same: unless the Emperor has given his decree, no one else, no matter who they are, may enter without permission."

"The person I sent only said a few extra words, and those guards... just drew their swords."

Empress Dowager Shu paused, then slowly opened her eyes.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly laughed.

"Tell me, is the Emperor guarding and punishing Lady Jiang, or is he protecting her and keeping others at bay?"

After looking around the Shou Kang Palace, Empress Dowager Shu nodded to herself, "This is to keep an eye on me."

"This ungrateful, mean-spirited, heartless wretch has been wary of me ever since he ascended the throne."

"The Cining Palace has been under repair for over a decade, but it still hasn't been finished?"

"Looking at the palace, among those related to the Shu family, only Consort Xian, who gave birth to a princess, is still holding her position as the head of the palace peacefully. The others have all fallen silently in the infighting within the harem."

"I knew it! She's just a young girl, how dare she act so wildly in front of me?"

"But the emperor, as if he had lost his mind, insisted on favoring her unconditionally."

"It turned out to be just a raft."

"That heartless ingrate, he's trying to kick us while we're down."

Empress Dowager Shu sneered, "Jiang Shi... such a despicable and vile servant girl, how could he bring himself to eat her?"

When Empress Dowager Shu mocked and rebuked Emperor Xuanpei, Granny Li didn't dare to say a word.

Only after Empress Dowager Shu instructed that Consort Xian be summoned did she acknowledge the order and leave the hall.

......

Guanju Palace

Ah-Zhu, who had been prepared for the lockdown, remained calm and liked to sleep when she was bored.

If she doesn't panic, Guanju Palace won't fall into chaos.

However... at this moment, Qingliu and Lvfu started whispering to each other again, their heads close together.

"Is Your Highness's change of clothes a few days late?"

Although Ah Zhu really didn't have any symptoms of discomfort.

But Qingliu and Lvfu, having learned from their mistakes, are very observant. Given how Ah Zhu had been serving them recently, it's quite possible.

But in the past, this matter only required consulting the imperial physician. If it wasn't a serious illness, that was fine; if it was, it would be great news.

But now, the fear is that it will all be for nothing, and that in the current situation, there may be malicious people causing trouble.

"Why don't we wait until Her Majesty wakes up and ask her what she thinks?"

Looking at the inner palace with its brocade curtains hanging, Qingliu nodded and sighed helplessly, "That's all we can do."

Across the street at Changli Palace, while Consort Zhao clapped her hands in glee, Lu Yinyue felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

Hearing the increasingly heated arguments in the court, with many people even standing up to speak for Jiang and pleading for justice... just waiting for the emperor to make a statement, Lu Yinyue finally couldn't sit still any longer.

After all, the scandal has already caused quite a stir, yet His Majesty has yet to issue an edict to punish Consort Jiang, citing the late Emperor's reputation as the reason. In fact, His Majesty even issued a decree in the past to show favor to the Jiang family... Does this mean he still has pity for the Jiang family?

As dusk fell, Lu Yinyue, having made up her mind, took all her belongings and went straight to the emperor to request an audience.

-----------------------

Author's note: Empress Wang: Hiss (takes a breath of cold air) Hiss (takes another breath) Hiss: ...Just tell me if you're possessed.