Chapter 561 The Queen and Concubine Shu’s Plan
The Queen sat in the main seat of her chambers, her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms, yet she felt no pain. Her gaze was hollow as she gazed out the window at the darkening sky, a chorus of emotions welling up in her. The Crown Prince's safety and the fate of the Hua family weighed heavily on her heart, leaving her breathless.
A little palace maid came in and bowed.
"Empress, Consort Shu is here."
Concubine Shu? The Queen was silent for a moment, then finally spoke, her voice hoarse and tired.
"Please come in, Concubine Shu."
Soon, Concubine Shu came in with an anxious look on her face.
"Your Majesty, what's going on? It's all spread throughout the palace. How could His Royal Highness the Crown Prince be buying and selling official positions? What should we do?"
The queen glanced at Concubine Shu and spoke tiredly.
"Sit down."
Concubine Shu sat down as she was told, her eyes full of concern and anxiety.
"Your Majesty, I heard that the Emperor has ordered the Crown Prince to be imprisoned, and Duke Hua has also been taken to the Dali Temple Prison. This... this is simply unbelievable."
The queen sighed softly, her eyes reddening again.
"Shufei, although you and I are not biological sisters, I am already satisfied to have your care and concern in this deep palace. It is true that I failed to teach the Crown Prince well, but as a mother, how can I watch him fall into despair?"
Concubine Shu held the Queen's hand tightly, trying to give her some comfort and strength.
"Your Highness, please don't blame yourself too much. His Highness is kind-hearted by nature, and perhaps he was just confused for a moment. We must find a way to save him."
The queen shook her head, a hint of despair flashing in her eyes.
"Saving the Crown Prince is no easy task. The Emperor is currently worried about this matter, and the ministers at court are even more agitated. Even though I am the Empress, I cannot turn the tide."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu frowned and said after thinking for a moment.
"Your Majesty, tomorrow I will have the Third Prince kneel in front of the Imperial Study and plead for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. As long as the Emperor doesn't release His Royal Highness, the Third Prince won't get up. Also, Your Majesty, there are so many ministers on your side who have supported His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. As the saying goes, it takes a thousand days to raise an army, but only a moment to deploy it. They've benefited so much from Your Majesty and the Empress on a daily basis. Now is the time for them to contribute."
The queen spoke helplessly after hearing this.
"I've considered what you're saying, but the court is already a complex place, and the Second Prince is now rising to prominence. Even if we unite, how many people will truly support us? Furthermore, the Emperor has already considered deposing the Crown Prince. How can a few pleas change his mind?"
Shufei was silent for a moment, as if she had thought of something, and a hint of determination flashed in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, we must give it a try for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Please believe that the Third Prince and I will do our utmost to advocate for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Although we cannot change the Emperor's decision, we must at least let Him see our sincerity and determination."
When the queen heard this, a warm feeling surged in her heart. She reached out to Concubine Shu with gratitude and held her hand.
"Shufei, with your words, I feel much more at ease. Over the years, you are the only one who has been truly friendly with me."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu looked at the Queen with a worried look on her face and spoke.
"Didn't the other sisters in the palace come over?"
The queen shook her head upon hearing this.
"At this moment, I'm afraid everyone in the palace is avoiding me. The Crown Prince has suffered such a serious incident, the Second Prince is now in power, and Concubine De's wife Liang is pregnant. I'm afraid it won't be long before I have to give up the position of Queen."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu became furious.
"What a virtuous concubine! You've always seen her so arrogant, but now she's had thoughts she shouldn't have. I've also heard about that Concubine Liang. To gain favor, Concubine De is truly unscrupulous, even sending her own niece into the palace. Only someone as unscrupulous as her could do that, with an aunt and niece sharing the same husband."
The Queen spoke.
"Alright, don't ever say anything like that outside of this palace. The Emperor is the Son of Heaven, and there are three thousand beauties in his harem. As long as the Emperor takes a liking to someone, what does their status matter? However, no concubine in this palace has been pregnant for years. Now, this Liang Cairen has been in the palace for just over a month, and she's already pregnant. She's quite lucky."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu gritted her teeth and a cruel look appeared on her face.
"There are so many concubines in this palace who have been able to get pregnant over the years. Whether she can give birth depends on her ability."
Upon hearing this, the Queen glanced at Concubine Shu.
"The Crown Prince's affairs are more important right now. We don't need to worry about Concubine Liang anymore. After all, this child still needs to be gestated for ten months before it's born. Besides, it's just a baby and won't pose any major threat. Don't lose sight of the big picture over a piece of flesh still in your belly. Besides, Concubine De is not a simple person. She intends to use Concubine Liang to consolidate her favor and will definitely protect her."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu nodded and spoke unwillingly.
"Then let her go for now. Once we have a solution for the Crown Prince's problem and the Emperor's anger has subsided, we will slowly free up our hands to deal with them."
Upon hearing this, the Queen looked at Concubine Shu.
"Well, you've always been a bit impatient. This time, you must remember that you must not touch Concubine Liang. If you're still worrying about the Crown Prince, if anything were to happen, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu nodded.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I understand everything and will definitely not cause any trouble for you."
The queen nodded when she heard this.
"It's getting late. You should go back and rest. I'll be alone for some peace and quiet."
Upon hearing this, Concubine Shu stood up and bowed respectfully.
"Yes, I will take my leave. Please be at ease, Your Majesty, and don't be too anxious. After all, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is counting on you, Your Majesty, to worry about him."
As Concubine Shu retreated.
The Queen spoke slowly.
"Madame Su."
Nanny Su responded quickly.
"The old slave is here."
The Queen sighed and spoke.
"Get ready, I'm leaving the palace tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Nanny Su glanced at the Queen.
"Your Majesty, if you leave the palace at this time, I'm afraid it will displease the Emperor."
The queen smiled bitterly when she heard this.
"Father has been imprisoned in the Dali Temple, and Mother must be terribly worried at home. I am still the Empress, after all. I cannot be stopped from leaving the palace to visit my family."
Upon hearing this, Nanny Su looked up at the Queen and then spoke.
"Yes, this old servant will accompany the Queen."
And at this time in Jing'an Palace.
The emperor had dinner with Concubine Liang, his face full of concern and even a faint smile. Because Concubine Liang was pregnant, it seemed that the troubles brought by the prince were dispelled a lot.
"My beloved, you have been instrumental in carrying the heir to the throne. I have decided to promote you. From today on, you will be a noble lady. To allow you to rest and take care of your pregnancy, I grant you the title of An."
Liang Cairen felt the emperor's kindness and was filled with gratitude. She gently stroked her belly, which had not yet shown any pregnancy, with a maternal light flashing in her eyes.
"I thank Your Majesty very much. I will take good care of myself and give birth to a healthy prince or princess for Your Majesty. However, Your Majesty, even though Your Majesty is so kind and has promoted my position, I have only just entered the palace and I am still a little nervous. I heard a few days ago that many women in the palace are pregnant but have difficulty giving birth. I am very worried."
Upon hearing this, Emperor Tianyuan's eyes grew colder.
"It seems that there are always people gossiping in the harem. You don't have to worry. You are my woman, and now you are pregnant with my child. I will naturally protect you and the child."
Upon hearing this, Liang Cairen leaned on the emperor.
"Your Majesty, I believe you, but you are the highest authority and are very busy with state affairs. If I delay Your Majesty's time, I will feel guilty. Originally, I was thinking today that I have always heard that the Queen is dignified, generous, and kind. I thought that with the Queen taking care of the palace, there would be no accidents with the child in my belly. But now everyone in the palace is talking about His Royal Highness the Crown Prince... I dare not disturb the Queen."
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