Chapter 248 The Truth About the Celestial Phenomenon
Chu Qichi came to his senses, crawled in front of Xiao Heng and kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please spare my life! Your Majesty, please spare my life!"
"Tell me! Who on earth ordered you to do this?" The jade tassels hanging from Xiao Heng's gilded crown swayed gently, casting tiny and terrifying shadows on Chu Qichi's face.
Chu Qichi was sweating profusely: "No one... no one ordered me to do this..."
Liu Yuetang said coldly, "What benefit did the person behind this give you? Even with a knife at your neck, you still refuse to admit it."
After she finished speaking, she called out, "Commander He."
He Yunzheng understood and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I have found out that this Master Chu was recommended to the palace by the Yu family."
Xiao Heng was stunned: "Yu family?"
Concubine Chu looked up in surprise: "Could it be that Master Chu is being influenced by the Yu family?"
As everyone knows, Yu was sentenced to death because of Liu Yuetang.
If the Yu family instigated Chu Qichi to fabricate slanderous rumors about astronomical phenomena in order to seek revenge, it would be understandable.
Besides! Concubine Xi is favored. If she gives birth to a prince, then the status of the Yu family's nephew, the eldest prince, will be in jeopardy.
Thinking of this, Concubine Chu's eyes lit up. If she could take this opportunity to bring the eldest prince down, it would be a good opportunity.
So, she said loudly, "Alright! Chu Qichi, you actually helped the Yu family plot against the royal heir and concubines. Tell me! Why did the Yu family ask you to do this? Are you afraid of threatening the eldest prince's position?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Qichi turned pale with fear and waved his hands hurriedly, "Your Majesty, you are wronged. How dare I collude with the court officials to frame the heir to the throne?"
Seeing that Chu Qichi was still stubborn, Xiao Heng said, "He Yunzheng, bring the dagger over here. Don't bend your hand this time."
"Yes!" He Yunzheng bowed and picked up the dagger on the ground.
The dagger flashed with a cold light, and Chu Qichi's pupils dilated instantly.
Seeing that sharp edge getting closer and closer to him, Chu Qichi trembled all over, unable to hide it any longer, and said in a trembling voice: "Your humble servant will tell me! Your humble servant will tell me!"
"Yes...I calculated that Concubine Xi's fate was too weak to bear such great blessings. When Lord Yu learned of this, he asked me to exaggerate...and lied that the heir apparent was being suppressed by Concubine Xi."
He glanced at Xiao Heng's cold expression and said, "It is I who deserve to die, I deserve to die, but what I said is not entirely false. If Your Majesty does not believe me, you can summon other people from the Imperial Observatory."
Liu Yuetang's eyes narrowed as she stroked her abdomen and looked at Chu Qichi. "Chu Qichi, you said my fate is too weak. I'm asking you, how did you calculate that? Do you have any basis for that?"
Chu Qichi pondered and said, "This humble official deduced this through stargazing and combined it with your birth date and eight characters."
"Birthdate? When was my birthdate?"
Chu Qichi thought for a moment and replied, "It was the year of Gui Hai, the seventh day of the eighth month, at the end of the midnight hour."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yuetang chuckled, her red lips looking exceptionally gorgeous under the candlelight.
Xiao Heng also smiled, "Xi Fei's birthday is never the seventh day of the eighth month, but the sixth day of the eighth month at midnight."
When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.
Even the Queen Mother's hand, which was turning the Buddhist beads, paused slightly.
Chu Qichi's face turned pale. "But...but the date of birth registered on the document is clearly..."
"That is clearly not Concubine Xi's birth date and time. It was tampered with by Concubine Xi's mother in order to allow her biological daughter to use the eldest daughter's name!" Xiao Heng interrupted Chu Qichi.
Everyone was shocked. They originally thought that what the Imperial Observatory said was half true and half false, but they didn't expect that Concubine Xi's birth date and horoscope were all fake.
No wonder... No wonder there were rumors that Concubine Xi was the eldest daughter of the Liu family.
Chu Qichi's legs went limp and he collapsed to the ground, shaking his head blankly: "Impossible... Impossible... The deduction has always been correct..."
He raised his fingers and counted again.
Xiao Heng was furious, a murderous intent rising from his body: "Come here, drag this bastard out and beat him to death with sticks."
"No! Your Majesty! What I said is the truth."
Chu Qichi begged for mercy desperately, but Xiao Heng's expression became even gloomier.
What he hated most in his life were these fortune tellers, whose lies were all meant to confuse people.
After the people were dragged away, Xiao Heng ordered He Yunzheng: "Immediately arrest all the people related to the Yu family and send them to the Dali Temple for interrogation."
He Yunzheng cupped his hands: "Yes."
Seeing that the truth was revealed, all the concubines thought they could stand up, but the sharp gaze of the person sitting in the upper seat came down on them.
"On weekdays, when they see me, they are all humble, obedient and sensible. But behind my back, they are full of schemes! When they see others being favored, they become jealous and do evil. When they see someone in trouble, they can't wait to step on them to feel relieved."
His eyes turned fierce, "Don't think that just because you didn't do it yourself, your heart is clean! I know exactly what you are planning."
Mingpin pursed her lips and looked aside humbly.
"I'm talking about you! Mingpin!"
Xiao Heng's voice boomed into Mingpin's ears, and she tensed up. She raised her eyes in panic, "Your Majesty, I...I was blinded by what the Imperial Observatory said."
Xiao Heng looked at her, "Mingpin, I have always been lenient with you because of your loss. You have also lost a child, so why are you so cruel as to target the heir in Concubine Xi's womb?"
Mingpin's eyes immediately turned red, and her lips trembled. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty never intended to harm the baby in her belly. I just..."
"You still dare to quibble!"
Xiao Heng's shout frightened Mingpin so much that she shrank her body suddenly, her fingertips tightly grasping the hem of her skirt.
"You have always been sharp-tongued and sarcastic. Since you love to show off your tongue so much, I will slap you in the face twenty times and demote you to the rank of Concubine. Stay in Qiulan Palace and reflect on your mistakes. When you learn to be more careful with your words and actions, you will never leave this palace again!"
"Your Majesty..." Tears welled up in Mingpin's eyes, but what she saw was a face as cold as ice.
She turned to look at the Queen Mother, but saw that she still had her eyes closed and her brows tightly furrowed as if she was thinking about something.
Xiao Heng waved his hand and said, "Take Mingpin away and slap her at the gate of Shoukang Palace."
As the tears fell, Mingpin raised her hand to wipe them away and broke free from the eunuch's hand: "I will walk by myself!"
She knew that this time, her aunt would not be able to protect her.
The emperor is using her as a scapegoat!
Haha...The Emperor really dotes on Concubine Xi.
Outside the palace, the sounds of slapping and groaning could be heard slowly, and the hearts of the concubines tightened.
I was also glad that I didn't add insult to injury when Concubine Xi was slandered by the Imperial Observatory, otherwise... their fate would be even worse than that of Concubine Ming.
Mingpin is the niece of the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor has always treated her well. But now he has punished her so severely for Concubine Xi.
Poor thing, no matter how much the emperor dotes on Concubine Xi and the royal heir, they can't afford to offend him.
Xiao Heng's eyes, as cold as a knife, swept across the frightened faces of the concubines one by one, "If anyone dares to have evil intentions again in the future, the cold palace will be her destination."
The concubines all prostrated themselves on the ground: "We dare not."
"It's better not to dare!"
Xiao Heng looked at Liu Yuetang, the coldness in his eyes gradually faded, leaving only a soft light of heartache.
"It seems that the Empress alone is somewhat lacking in governance of the harem. I hereby declare that Concubine Xi is gentle, respectful, and well-versed in the rules and regulations. I have granted her the authority to assist in the management of the six palaces, to maintain order within the palace, and to bring harmony among the concubines."
Liu Yuetang looked up in surprise, only to see Xiao Heng smiling with trust in his eyes.
She originally thought that she would be able to assist in managing the six palaces after giving birth to a child.
I didn't expect Xiao Heng would give it to me at this moment.
She slowly stood up and bowed, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. I will do my best to assist the Empress and ensure peace in the harem."
Xiao Heng stood up and helped her up personally: "Get up, the harem will be left to you from now on. If anyone has ill intentions, you don't need to ask me for instructions, just deal with it yourself."
Such blatant favoritism and trust were even surpassed by the former Concubine Zhao.
The concubines had different expressions after hearing this. Some, such as Su Nanqing and Rong Yue, were happy for Liu Yuetang, with smiles on their faces.
The rest is more of jealousy and sadness.
How come she has become the head of the concubines after entering the palace for more than two years, is pregnant with the royal heir, and now has the power to assist in managing the six palaces?
Some of them, even after entering the palace for five or six years, were only small-time Baolin or talented women.
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