Chapter 365 Crushing the Empress Dowager (First Update)

The emperor reluctantly closed his mouth, glancing impatiently at Empress Dowager Zhuang. What was this poisonous woman up to now? She wouldn't even let his mother feed him medicine; did she not want his mother to have a good time?

Empress Dowager Zhuang walked over with an arrogant expression and said to Consort Jing, who was sitting on the dragon bed, "Give me the medicine, and I will feed it to you."

Upon hearing this, the people inside the hall were startled.

Although it's extremely disrespectful to say this, isn't the Empress Dowager insane? Why would she want to feed the Emperor medicine?

It would be merciful of her not to poison His Majesty with a bowl of medicine!

No, recently the Empress Dowager and His Majesty seem to have improved their relationship. They can often be seen being kind and filial to each other. I heard that they no longer quarrel in court. The officials from both sides are so bored that they almost dig a two-courtyard house out of the Golden Palace with their toes!

The two had been fighting for so long that the palace servants were having a hard time adjusting to their sudden reconciliation, always thinking they were still at odds.

"No need to trouble the Empress Dowager, I'll do it," said Consort Jing gently, sitting on the dragon throne.

That's right, he didn't want to drink the medicine that this poisonous woman was feeding him!

Empress Dowager Zhuang looked down at her and said, "Your clothes are so wet, aren't you worried about catching a cold? Aren't you in poor health?"

The emperor then remembered that he had knocked over the medicine bowl, causing Consort Jing to injure her hand. He had been so frightened by the nightmare that he had forgotten such an important matter after it had passed through his mind once.

He looked at Consort Jing's reddened hands and wet clothes, and said guiltily, "Mother, please go back and change your clothes, Eunuch Wei!"

"Your servant is here." Eunuch Wei stepped forward, holding his whisk, and bowed. "Your Majesty."

The emperor said, "Send your mother back to the nunnery, and remember to send someone to fetch the imperial physician so that he can examine her."

Eunuch Wei replied, "Yes!" He turned to Consort Jing and said, "Your Highness, please."

Having said all that, Consort Jing had no choice but to leave.

Granny Cai glanced at her mistress, clenched her fists, and a hint of anxiety flashed in her eyes.

Consort Jing stood up unhurriedly and handed the medicine bowl in her hand to Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Empress Dowager Zhuang did not move; it was Eunuch Qin who went to fetch her.

If Marquis Xuanping is a professional at bullying people, then Zhuang Jinse is also a professional at crushing people. She doesn't even deserve to accept something handed to her by a concubine!

Consort Jing's fingertips clenched tightly, a faint white tinge appearing on them.

The emperor was furious; this wicked woman had come to embarrass Consort Jing!

"ah--"

Consort Jing's hand slipped, and the medicine bowl fell from Eunuch Qin's fingers, knocking over onto the footstool of the dragon bed.

The footstool was made of wood. The medicine bowl did not break, but it was completely overturned. The medicine was splashed all over the floor, and several drops even splashed onto Empress Dowager Zhuang's magnificent robe.

"Empress Dowager!" Eunuch Qin was in the worst condition. He was close by, and his shoes were completely wet. However, he didn't care about himself and hurriedly bowed to wipe Empress Dowager Zhuang's phoenix robe.

"No need, get up," Empress Dowager Zhuang said calmly.

"Mother, are you alright?" the Emperor asked worriedly.

Eunuch Qin secretly curled his lip. Consort Jing was less soaked than the Empress Dowager! Instead of caring about the Empress Dowager, he was concerned about Consort Jing! Didn't he see that she was the one who spilled the medicine?

Consort Jing said with shame, "I'm fine. I'm so useless. I can't even hold a bowl of medicine properly."

How could the emperor bear to see her sad: "My mother's injuries and illnesses have not yet healed..."

Empress Dowager Zhuang coldly interrupted the emperor: "You know you're useless, so what are you standing here for? Get out of here now!"

Consort Jing looked surprised.

The emperor and Cai Mama and others were also astonished.

Empress Dowager Zhuang and Consort Jing had been at odds for a long time, but this was the first time Empress Dowager Zhuang had spoken so harshly and sternly to Consort Jing in front of everyone.

Even when they met in the Imperial Garden last time, Empress Dowager Zhuang simply ignored Consort Jing.

The emperor's face darkened.

Consort Jing lowered her eyes and said softly, "The Empress Dowager's reprimand is correct. I will take my leave now."

Consort Jing remained calm, neither crying nor showing weakness, yet everyone could sense her grievance.

The emperor's face darkened further.

Consort Jing left her bedchamber, escorted by Eunuch Wei.

Eunuch Qin personally brought over a new bowl of medicine.

Empress Dowager Zhuang reluctantly accepted the medicine bowl, her face showing disgust.

The emperor was furious with her. You find her repulsive? I find her repulsive too!

But he remembered that the two of them were currently putting on a facade of peace and could not publicly break with her. He said to the palace servants in the hall, "You may all leave."

"Yes." The palace servants withdrew one by one, leaving only Eunuch Qin by Empress Dowager Zhuang's side.

He was in the know, and the emperor didn't seem to mind his presence.

Alright, now that there was no one else around, the Emperor was about to settle accounts with Consort Jing with the Empress Dowager when suddenly his hand felt heavy. It was Empress Dowager Zhuang who had shoved the medicine bowl into his hand.

Empress Dowager Zhuang said calmly, "Drink it yourself!"

After saying that, he left without looking back!

emperor:"……"

Empress Dowager Zhuang returned to Renshou Palace. Little Jingkong had no classes today, but he went to see Qin Chuyu, so Renshou Palace was relatively quiet for the time being. However, Empress Dowager Zhuang's flowers and plants were once again ruined by the little monk.

Empress Dowager Zhuang was heartbroken.

Gu Jiao came out from inside, carrying a watering can she had made herself: "Grandma."

"Hmph." Empress Dowager Zhuang snorted and stretched out her hand, "My candied fruit!"

Gu Jiao put down the kettle, opened her purse, took out a box of candied fruit, and counted out five pieces for her aunt.

Empress Dowager Zhuang said with a dark face, "I said I wanted one more."

Otherwise, who would be willing to compete with Consort Jing for the task of feeding medicine?

"Alright." Gu Jiao rummaged through the box and found the smallest candied fruit, handing it to Empress Dowager Zhuang.

Hmm.

This movement looks strangely familiar.

I feel like I've seen this somewhere before.

Gu Jiao couldn't remember for a moment.

Empress Dowager Zhuang's eyelids twitched!

Jiaojiao, you've changed! You've become such a tightwad! You actually gave me such a tiny piece of candied fruit!

Empress Dowager Zhuang was so heartbroken she could hardly breathe. She grabbed the candied fruit and stormed back to her study!

She closed the door, found the jar of candied fruit, and thankfully, she still had some hidden away.

"Miss Gu." Outside the hall, Eunuch Qin inquired about the Huaqing Palace, "Why did you make the Empress Dowager compete with Consort Jing for the task of feeding medicine? The Empress Dowager and His Majesty's relationship has been progressing well recently, and not having this task is enough to gain their trust."

Gu Jiao entered the palace early in the morning, but before she could explain the drugging incident in detail, she heard a report from her spies at Huaqing Palace—His Majesty had fainted, and Consort Jing had gone to Huaqing Palace overnight.

This was the perfect time to make a move. Gu Jiao guessed that Consort Jing would not let this opportunity pass, so she quickly sent her aunt to Huaqing Palace as well.

"It's not that we have to fight for the task of feeding the emperor medicine." In Gu Jiao's opinion, it's not important whether her aunt feeds the emperor medicine or not; what's important is to stop Consort Jing from drugging the emperor.

Gu Jiao asked, "Did she spill the bowl of medicine she was holding?"

Eunuch Qin was astonished: "Yes! How did Miss Gu know? Did the scout just come to say so?"

"No." Gu Jiao shook her head.

Eunuch Qin was even more confused.

Since Eunuch Qin was a trustworthy person and there was nothing she couldn't tell him, Gu Jiao recounted the whole story of how she found the medicinal ingredient on Eunuch Wei the day before.

Eunuch Qin was utterly shocked, and it took him a long time to recover: "Miss Gu means... that His Majesty's relationship with the Empress Dowager suddenly became so strained because Consort Jing drugged him? His Majesty's complete obedience to Consort Jing is also because he was drugged? This... this is too much..."

That's amazing.

There is such a terrible medicine in the world. No, I should say that Consort Jing would do such a terrible thing to His Majesty.

That was the son she raised single-handedly; apart from not being born from her womb, he was no different from her own flesh and blood.

Moreover, His Majesty truly regarded her as his own mother.

He didn't need to do that...

This is also what puzzled Gu Jiao.

Why did Consort Jing give the Emperor two different medications at the same time? Giving the Emperor a black medicine to make him dislike his aunt and thus sow discord between the two is a somewhat plausible explanation.

But it's not really that convincing.

The emperor's aunt ruled from behind the curtain, dominating the court and the country. From any perspective, this violated the emperor's bottom line. Therefore, even if the emperor hadn't been drugged, he still couldn't tolerate the aunt.

As for Yunnan Baiyao, there's even less need for that.

The emperor was a sentimental man. He would treat even Eunuch Wei with great care, let alone his mother who raised him.

The Emperor will surely treat Consort Jing well and be very close to her.

Gu Jiao murmured, "Did something happen between them?"

Eunuch Qin seemed to be deep in thought: "Them? Miss Gu means His Majesty and the Empress Dowager?"

Gu Jiao said, "And there's Consort Jing. I have a feeling the matter isn't that simple. With his aunt ruling from behind the curtain, it's impossible for the Emperor's relationship with her not to be strained. Using poison to sow discord would be pointless, unless—"

"Unless what?" Eunuch Qin asked anxiously.

Gu Jiao said solemnly, "Unless something happens that makes Consort Jing feel that His Majesty's relationship with his aunt is unshakable, even if his aunt were to rule from behind the curtain, His Majesty would still not break with his aunt."

What relationship in the world can be so strong?

Today, Shorty is out! ←_←

~

I recommend Jin Yu's new novel, "The Imperial Examination Blessed Wife in the Palm of My Hand":

Lu Weiwei embarked on the irreversible path of the imperial examinations, determined to make a name for herself.

It seems there are quite a few obstacles on her path to the imperial examinations, besides various awful characters, there are also—

A suspicious blush rose on the prince's face: "Lu Wei, as long as it's you, I'm willing to bend over for love!"

A doting father: "My dear daughter, everything I have is yours, why do you have to work so hard?"

Lu Weiwei said expressionlessly: "I only have one thing on my mind, and that is to take the imperial examination. No one can stop me from taking the imperial examination!"

(End of this chapter)