Chapter 105 The Consort De's Brother Has Caused a Great Disaster

Inside Chengqian Palace, Consort De patiently accompanied four-year-old Yuwen Hao through dinner, carefully serving him food and wiping his mouth. The atmosphere in the palace was tranquil.

Her trusted confidante, Granny Zhou, rushed in, her face pale. She leaned close to Consort De's ear and whispered in alarm, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened... something horrific has occurred!"

Consort De paused in her chopsticks, her expression unchanged, and said to the palace servant beside her, "Take the eldest prince out to play for a while."

After the palace servants led the bewildered Yuwen Hao away, Consort De put down her silver chopsticks, looked at Granny Zhou, and frowned slightly: "What's the matter that you're in such a panic?"

Granny Zhou was so anxious she was almost crying, her voice trembling: "It was...it was the young master...who got drunk outside the manor the other day and actually...actually forcibly ruined the chastity of a respectable young woman! And that woman's family...had just been engaged to the Li family in the west of the city, and they were to get married next month! The girl couldn't bear the humiliation, and last night...she threw herself into the river and committed suicide!"

Consort De's face turned deathly pale in an instant, and she grabbed Zhou Mama's hand abruptly: "What did you say?! Then... then where is my brother now?"

With a sob in her voice, Granny Zhou said, "A life has been lost, how can we cover it up now! The people from Shuntian Prefecture came directly to our door yesterday afternoon and took the Second Young Master away! The Master and Madam are extremely anxious, which is why they hurriedly sent a message to the palace, begging Your Majesty to think of a solution!"

Consort De felt a wave of dizziness and barely managed to stand by holding onto the table. Her younger brother had been spoiled by their parents since childhood and was unruly. Over the years, she had cleaned up his messes countless times, but she never expected that he would cause such a death!

"That damned wretch!" Consort De was both angry and anxious, her chest heaving violently. She knew that under normal circumstances, she might be able to find a way to deal with it, but now...

She suddenly remembered that the Northern Kingdom's princess had died in the Great Zhou, the Northern Kingdom had fallen, the Empress was about to give birth, and His Majesty was as hard as iron, and detested such acts of bullying and disregarding human life. To run into them at this time would undoubtedly be suicide!

Seeing her ever-changing expression, Granny Zhou urged, "Your Highness, you must make a decision quickly! The Second Young Master is still suffering in prison!"

Consort De took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, her voice tinged with a desperate weariness: "Ideas? What ideas could I possibly have? He has committed a capital offense! At this critical juncture, anyone who pleads for him is simply courting death!"

She slumped down, murmuring, "I just hope... Father and Mother won't be confused, and that they won't go around trying to use the Crown Prince's name... Otherwise, it might implicate even more people..."

Consort De's original surname was Zhao, and she came from an ordinary family. After giving birth to the eldest son of the emperor unexpectedly, she was granted the title of Consort De. Yuwen Che had no feelings for her and never inquired about or promoted her family. Over the years, Consort De had relied entirely on saving her own allowance to secretly support her family, enabling them to open a few shops and barely maintain a semblance of dignity.

Inside the Shuntian Prefecture prison, Consort De's younger brother, Zhao Baorong, gripped the cell bars and shouted at the jailers, "Do you know who I am? My sister is Consort De! She's the birth mother of Prince An! Let me out right now! Otherwise, when my sister finds out, you'll be sorry!"

The jailer snorted coldly, too lazy to pay him any attention. They had seen plenty of spoiled brats like him who acted recklessly just because they had some connections.

Meanwhile, chaos had broken out inside the Zhao residence.

Master Zhao was frantic, pacing back and forth: "What should we do! If anything happens to Bao Rong, our Zhao family line will end!"

Madam Zhao cried out in despair, "My poor son! Quickly go and beg Consort De, she will surely have a way to save her brother!"

However, one of the old stewards was still quite clear-headed and hurriedly tried to dissuade them: "Master, Madam, you mustn't do this! What is the situation in the palace right now? The Northern Kingdom has just been destroyed, the Empress is about to give birth, and His Majesty is in the midst of a crisis! If we go to ask the Empress for help at this time, won't we just be adding to her troubles? If we anger His Majesty, I'm afraid even the Empress and the First Prince will be implicated!"

Master Zhao stamped his foot and said, "Are we just going to stand by and watch Bao Rong die?"

The steward lowered his voice: "For now, the only thing we can do is... we can only keep the young master in jail and make sure he doesn't mention the Empress and the Prince again. We'll see if we can pay more money to the aggrieved families outside and beg for their forgiveness. Perhaps... perhaps there's still a glimmer of hope."

Madam Zhao cried, "The Li family is adamant about not settling, they insist on Bao Rong paying with his life!"

Inside Chengqian Palace, Consort De listened to the news her trusted eunuch had gathered: her younger brother was still making a scene in prison, and her parents had tried to plead for him but were stopped. She felt utterly exhausted.

She rubbed her forehead and sighed to Granny Zhou, "My younger brother is truly spoiled! He still doesn't know his own limitations! He's trying to drag us all down with him!"

Granny Zhou asked worriedly, "Your Highness, what should we do now...?"

Consort De closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her eyes were filled with determination: "Tell the family to immediately close the doors to all visitors. If anyone comes to inquire, just say that you have failed in your parenting and are ashamed to face anyone. As for Bao Rong... I... cannot interfere in his affairs, and I absolutely cannot interfere!"

For Hao'er's sake, and for her own sake, she had to harden her heart.

The message from Chengqian Palace was quickly delivered to the Zhao residence.

"Master, Madam, the Empress Dowager has sent a message..." The steward forced himself to convey the Empress Dowager's message that she was keeping her doors closed to guests, failing to properly raise her son, and being powerless to intervene.

After hearing this, Master Zhao was stunned for a moment, then his face flushed red, and he slammed his fist on the table: "What...what did she say?! She can't control it?! She is Consort De! She is the birth mother of the First Prince! How can she not control it!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, his blood rushed to his head, and he coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood that stained his front red.

"Master!" Madam Zhao and the steward were terrified and rushed forward to support him.

Master Zhao slumped in his chair, his finger trembling as he pointed towards the palace, tears streaming down his face, his voice hoarse with despair: "That rebellious daughter! Is she...is she going to watch my Zhao family line die out?! Bao Rong is her only brother! How could she bear it! How could she bear it!"

Madam Zhao also burst into tears: "My lord, please don't get so agitated, please take care of yourself! Her Highness... Her Highness must have her own difficulties..."

"Difficulties? What difficulties could be more important than her own brother's life!" Old Master Zhao pounded his chest. "He's the only son in our Zhao family! Is she trying to force our whole family to our deaths?!"

While trying to calm him down, the steward anxiously advised, "Master, please calm down! The Empress's situation in the palace must be very difficult. His Majesty is currently conducting a strict investigation into official corruption, and the Empress is about to give birth. She is in a very precarious situation. If the Empress were to rashly step forward, she might not only fail to save the young master, but also implicate the entire Zhao family and the eldest prince!"

Upon hearing this, Master Zhao seemed to have all his strength drained away, collapsing to the ground and silently shedding tears. He knew this truth all too well, but the piercing pain was simply unbearable.

Madam Zhao wept uncontrollably: "Is...is there really no way at all? My Rong'er..."

The steward sighed and whispered, "The only way now is to do as Her Highness says and completely sever ties. Perhaps... perhaps we can still protect the rest of the Zhao family and the Crown Prince's future..."

A gloomy and despairing atmosphere permeated the Zhao residence.