Chapter 569: Enraging the Queen
The queen stopped and turned to look at Concubine De. Although she maintained the dignity of a queen, a trace of fatigue and helplessness could not be concealed in her eyes.
"Sister Defei, Lady An, what a coincidence."
The queen's voice was gentle, but it couldn't hide the heaviness underneath.
Concubine De smiled as brightly as a flower, as if she was completely unaware of the turmoil in the Queen's heart, and she leaned forward to salute.
"Your Majesty, are you here to enjoy the fish too? The fish in the Imperial Garden are the most lively and a joy to behold. We've prepared some fish food, Your Majesty, please come and join us."
Upon seeing this, Lady An also hurriedly bowed, with a hint of uneasiness in her voice.
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen, may Her Majesty be blessed with good health."
The queen nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on Concubine An's slightly bulging belly for a moment, and then she spoke gently.
"Noble An is in poor health, so please be careful. The Empress Dowager is very concerned about your unborn child, and I also hope to have a healthy little prince or princess."
Seeing this, Concubine De interrupted at the right time.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will do my best to take care of Noble Lady An and ensure the safety of her and her child. Speaking of which, I recently heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been imprisoned in the Prince's Mansion. Does Your Majesty have any good plans?"
When the queen heard this, her heart tightened, but she remained expressionless.
"The Crown Prince's affairs are under the Emperor's judgment. I believe that the Emperor will make the most fair decision. Sister Defei, there is no need to worry too much."
Concubine De smiled slightly, as if she saw through the Queen's thoughts, and gently patted Concubine An's hand to comfort her.
"Your Majesty, the koi in this pond have beautiful meanings. Why don't you come and help feed them? It might bring good luck, and His Royal Highness's problem will be solved."
The queen frowned when she heard this.
"I have something else to do, so I won't disturb you from enjoying the fish. Sister Defei, Lady An, please make yourselves at ease."
After saying this, the queen turned around and was about to leave.
Seeing this, Concubine De smiled and spoke.
"The Empress looks unwell. Judging from the direction you just came from, you must have just come from the Imperial Study. I heard that the Emperor has been very troubled by the Crown Prince's affairs recently. I guess the Empress still hasn't seen the Emperor."
Upon hearing this, the Queen turned around and looked at Concubine De. A hint of anger flashed in her eyes, but she immediately regained her dignity and composure.
"Sister Defei is well-informed, but the Emperor and I have been married for generations, and we have supported each other for many years. This is unmatched by others. We have our own solutions to our problems, so there is no need for you to worry."
Defei smiled gently, and there seemed to be some deep meaning hidden in that smile.
"Your Highness, the Empress is speaking of an urgent matter. Your friendship with the Emperor is naturally incomparable to that of us concubines. However, Your Highness, your love for the Emperor is truly as strong as gold, yet the Crown Prince remains secluded in his residence. This shows that he is indeed as unworthy of his position as the recent palace rumors suggest. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn't be so angry and repeatedly refuse to let you in."
Such blunt words made the queen furious.
"De Fei, you are so outrageous..."
Upon hearing this, Concubine De didn't show any fear in her eyes, nor was she as respectful as before.
"It is true that I have been presumptuous, but I have the capital to be so presumptuous. The Queen's eyes are dark, and I think it is because she has lost her appetite and sleep in recent days. Aren't you curious, Queen?
As soon as the Second Prince took over the Crown Prince's duties and cases, he immediately uncovered evidence of the Crown Prince's crimes, including bribery and corruption. The Emperor ordered a thorough investigation, and numerous cases of corruption, bribery, and corruption were revealed before the Emperor. I've heard that the evidence was listed in several memorials.
Nanny Su, who was standing by, saw that Concubine De kept saying words that offended the Queen and there was no respect in her eyes, so she spoke sternly.
"Empress De, regardless of the rumors surrounding His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, the Emperor has yet to make a final decision. Furthermore, the Emperor and the Empress have been married for many years. Even if His Royal Highness the Crown Prince does make a mistake, it will not affect Your Highness's position in the Imperial Palace. As a concubine, Your Highness De must be respectful and humble in front of the Empress. Such disrespect for superiors and inferiors is a disgrace to the very name of virtue."
Seeing this, Concubine An spoke with her handkerchief in her hand.
"As expected of the Empress' capable nanny, she's able to reprimand the head of the Four Consorts, Consort De, with just one word. They say if the top beam is crooked, the bottom beam will be crooked. Nanny Su is so arrogant and domineering. It seems that what I heard before about the Empress being dignified and kind was a misunderstanding."
The Queen's face showed anger when she heard this, and she turned her head to say to Concubine De.
"You and Noble Lady An are enjoying the fish in the Imperial Garden, feeling relaxed and at ease. You're even in the mood to discuss me. It's clear you've been quite content lately. However, I must remind you, one word at a time, that peace is the most precious commodity in the harem. Do not disturb this tranquility for the sake of momentary pleasure."
Seeing this, Concubine De smiled and continued speaking.
"I can't say I'm proud, but I'm really happy for Concubine An. Concubine An is pregnant, and the Emperor often comes to Jing'an Palace to visit. I also remember when I was pregnant with the Second Prince, the Emperor was always by my side. At that time, the Emperor said that the Second Prince was very active in my belly and would definitely be something great in the future. Sure enough, the Second Prince has been increasingly valued by the Emperor recently, and he has more and more things to do to help the Emperor."
Upon hearing this, the Empress's eyes darkened slightly. Although Concubine De's words were meant to show her concern for Noble Lady An, they were actually full of sharp meanings, intended to sow discord between Noble Lady An and the Emperor. At the same time, she did not forget to show off her past friendship with the Emperor and the Second Prince's favor.
She took a few steps forward towards Concubine De, revealing the aura and authority of a queen.
"De Fei, are you trying to show off to me that your Second Prince is favored by the Emperor? But don't forget, I am the Empress. I understand that you appear respectful and docile, but in reality, you have been eyeing the throne for years. But so what? For all these years, I have still been sitting on the throne you most desire. So what if the Crown Prince angered the Emperor? Do you think the Emperor has ever taken his anger out on me?"
Defei's expression changed slightly, but she quickly returned to her gentle smile, as if the Queen's words had no effect on her at all.
"Your Majesty, your words are too serious. How dare I have such unreasonable expectations? I am simply grateful for the Emperor's grace. It is naturally my blessing that the Second Prince is appreciated by the Emperor. However, Your Majesty, my mother and I have always respected the Empress and the Crown Prince for so many years. How could the Second Prince have found so much evidence against the Crown Prince? Moreover, each piece of evidence is enough to dethrone the Crown Prince. Your Majesty, don't you suspect that there is something else going on?"
Upon hearing this, the Queen's expression became even more solemn. Concubine De's words were not groundless rumors, and there must be a deeper meaning unknown to the public. Moreover, she had also suspected that someone was behind this matter.
"De Fei, what do you know?"
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