Chapter 885: Is the child innocent? He is not innocent
Princess Hui was the prince's legal wife, and logically she should have called herself "the subject's wife", but she kept calling him "the concubine" and could not hide her disgust when she spoke of Prince Hui. What she said made the Crown Prince's wife beside her look astonished.
"Mother..."
The Concubine of Prince Hui couldn't help but look up, her expression surprised: "You and father clearly..."
"Mingming what? They are clearly in love?"
Princess Hui seemed to know what she wanted to say and sneered, "Have you ever seen a loving couple living in separate rooms all year round? Have you ever seen a mistress of a household spend every day in the Buddhist temple? I'm just a concubine he uses for show!"
"Although I didn't marry into the palace willingly, I had thought about living a good life with him. I restrained my temper, took care of my first wife's children, and managed the palace's harem. I wanted to be a respectful couple with him, but he gave me a sterilizing drug."
"Not long after he drugged me, I discovered his true colors and fell out with him. If it weren't for the fact that my family still had some support, and if he wasn't afraid of others knowing his ambition to never submit to anyone beneath his mediocre appearance, he would have let me die of illness in the palace's backyard long ago."
There was undisguised resentment on Princess Hui's face, and the words she spoke made the Crown Prince's wife pale.
After marrying into Prince Hui's Mansion, the Crown Prince's Consort did know that his father did not treat his mother as warmly as the Crown Prince did her, but he never gave his mother any face. His mother was in charge of the household expenses in the mansion, and all the concubines were well-behaved. Although his father did not favor her, he respected her very much, and his mother had the final say in many matters.
But she never knew that the two of them had already torn their relations apart, and that her father's "respect" was all fake, perhaps hiding some guilt for having cut off her mother's offspring.
As Princess Hui spoke, grief overtook her: "Empress, Prince Hui never considered me his wife, and he knew there was a rift between us. He was suspicious of me, and he also intended to abandon me once his plans were successful. Otherwise, he would have never let my family help him in his rebellion."
"He sent me into the palace as a hostage. If it weren't for the Crown Prince's wife and her unborn grandson, he would have abandoned me before the Queen could do anything."
"I know Xie Zhuo's crime of treason is unforgivable, but I simply cannot bear to die for him. I beg Your Majesty to spare my life. I am willing to shave my head and become a nun, never to concern myself with worldly matters again. Please have mercy!"
Princess Hui kowtowed hard and fell to the ground, hoping that Tang Ning would spare her life.
Tang Ning looked at her in silence, and the Empress Dowager beside her spoke softly, "Rong Hui did not marry into Prince Hui's palace voluntarily."
"Grandma?" Tang Ning looked at her.
The Empress Dowager sighed, "She is the legitimate daughter of the Yao family. Lord Yao was somewhat acquainted with your grandfather. Rong Hui had a crush on someone in her past, a fierce general on the battlefield. The two were about to discuss marriage, but by some strange coincidence, the late emperor arranged for her to be married to Xie Zhuo."
"Lord Yao was also implicated in the Eastern Palace incident, but he retired earlier than Grand Tutor Rong. He took the Yao family to serve as officials in the local area two years before the Eastern Palace incident. He wasn't as close to the Crown Prince as the Rong family, so the Yao family didn't suffer as much. However, the Yao family and Prince Hui's Palace have indeed not been very close in recent years."
Before the incident in the Eastern Palace, the Grand Empress Dowager knew about the events of the previous dynasty. She also knew that although the Yao family married their daughter into the prince's mansion, they had become estranged from Xie Zhuo for some reason. Later, when the incident in the Eastern Palace occurred, the Grand Empress Dowager was imprisoned, but she knew some of it in the previous few years when her mind was still clear.
At that time, the court was unstable due to the death of the crown prince, and the late emperor and the deposed emperor had to put on some superficial efforts to the outside world. She could occasionally meet a few outsiders, and the daughter of the Yao family was one of the few people in the royal family who would enter the palace to visit her.
Later, she became confused, and when the deposed emperor killed the previous emperor and took the throne, she no longer knew anything about what was happening outside.
The Empress Dowager took Tang Ning's hand and said, "She is also a miserable person. If it is confirmed that the Yao family is not involved in the case, please spare her life."
Upon hearing this, Tang Ning said, "Since the Grand Empress Dowager has pleaded for you, I will order an investigation into the Yao family. As long as what you say is true, I will issue an edict allowing you and Xie Zhuo to divorce and pardon you."
Princess Hui… Yao was immediately moved and kowtowed repeatedly: "I thank the Queen for her kindness."
Seeing the person next to her begging for mercy, the Consort of Prince Hui hurried forward and said, "Your Majesty, I…"
"Why, are you also not on good terms with Prince Hui?"
The Crown Princess's face turned pale.
"Or were you forced to marry into Prince Hui's palace like Yao?"
The Crown Prince's Consort was on the verge of collapse, and she couldn't tell a lie when she met Tang Ning's eyes. She and the Crown Prince had a deep friendship, and everyone in the capital knew that Prince Hui loved the Crown Prince's Consort sincerely. She had not been pregnant for many years, but the Crown Prince still stayed with her. Even if she wanted to say that their relationship was bad, it was impossible.
The Crown Prince's wife knelt forward with her belly bulging: "I do have a good relationship with the Crown Prince, but I really didn't know about the rebellion in the palace. The Crown Prince never told me."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, can you please forgive my mother? Please also forgive me..."
"I am pregnant, and the baby will be born in two months. I beg the Queen to spare my life for the sake of the child in my womb."
The Crown Princess of Prince Hui was extremely beautiful. She looked so pitiful when she cried, her eyes tearing up. She had difficulty kneeling with her big belly, and her face was so pale that it made people feel sorry for her when she begged.
Seeing that Tang Ning was unmoved, and seemingly realizing that the Empress Dowager was old and soft-hearted, she looked up at the Empress Dowager and cried out for help.
"Grand Empress Dowager, you are the most compassionate. The child is innocent. I beg you, please ask the Empress to spare our lives..."
"I am willing to shave my head and become a nun to serve the Buddha, just like my mother did."
Tang Ning frowned suddenly when she heard that. The Crown Prince's Consort seemed docile and innocent, but she was actually using Princess Hui as an advantage in her words. Knowing that she had already pardoned Princess Hui, if she had any kindness in her heart she should not have mentioned Yao, who had finally escaped punishment.
It was understandable that Yao was able to escape punishment, but it was different for Prince Hui's Consort. There was a hint of frost in Tang Ning's eyes, but he glanced at the old man beside him hesitantly, fearing that she was intentionally sparing the Consort.
Unexpectedly, the old man who was gentle and kind just now suddenly patted her hand, then turned his head away coldly.
"Why, if I don't plead for you, I'm not merciful?"
The Crown Prince's Consort shuddered: "That's not what I meant..."
"Isn't that the meaning?"
When the Empress Dowager lowered her eyes to look at her, her eyes, which should have been cloudy, seemed to be able to see through her at a glance.
"The child is indeed innocent, but his father is not innocent, and his bloodline is not innocent. If Xie Zhuo and his son had succeeded last night by chance, the thing in your belly that has not yet seen the light of day would have been the biggest beneficiary."
"You say you were completely unaware. That's because your husband loves you dearly and cherishes your unborn child. Since you've enjoyed the honor of Prince Hui's palace and even had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their victory, you naturally have to bear the cost of their defeat."
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