Chapter 38 Shenmei Manor Unlocked
"Your Majesty, Consort Shen requests an audience."
"Let her in."
"This concubine greets Consort Jing."
Shen Meizhuang, dressed in simple attire, knelt down before Consort Jing as soon as she entered the main hall, startling her. Consort Jing quickly rose and helped her up, saying, "Sister, there's no need for such a grand gesture."
"During my confinement, I am deeply grateful for Your Highness's care. It is only right that I pay my respects to Your Highness." Shen Meizhuang's expression was sincere, showing genuine gratitude to Consort Jing.
From being confined to the Yuanmingyuan Garden after faking her pregnancy, to being confined to Cunjutang after returning to the palace, Shen Meizhuang knew that her life would have been extremely difficult if it weren't for Consort Jing's protection.
Yes, she was finally released. Nian Gengyao was powerful; although Yongzheng's men successfully found Liu Bei first, they could only render him, like Jiang Cheng, a silent, dead man.
However, Emperor Yongzheng was displeased and thought of Shen Meizhuang. He then ordered Su Peisheng to lift her ban and hinted to Su Peisheng to reveal the unavoidable truth, so that Shen Meizhuang and Consort Hua would confront each other.
Su Peisheng was well aware of this matter, as it was preceded by Emperor Yongzheng's decree. As a master of sowing discord, Su Peisheng wouldn't miss any opportunity to provoke conflict, especially since Consort Shen and Consort Hua were not on good terms.
So, after understanding Su Peisheng's unintentional sigh, Shen Meizhuang came to pay her respects to Consort Jing, firstly to thank her, and secondly, naturally to tell the Fourth Prince's adoptive mother about the Fourth Prince's grievances.
“My sister lives in Xianfu Palace, so naturally I will not ignore her. This is my duty, and I am not worthy of such a grand gesture from my sister.”
Feng Ruozhao's attitude remained as gentle as ever. "It is a great joy that my sister has been exonerated and released from confinement. We should celebrate this properly."
"Celebrate?" Shen Meizhuang smiled forlornly. "With all the witnesses and evidence destroyed, and the mastermind behind this going unpunished, how can I be happy?"
“Sister Chen…”
Knowing her inner turmoil, Feng Ruozhao wanted to persuade her, saying that General Nian had returned to the court and Consort Hua was in the limelight, so what use was it for Shen Meizhuang to feel wronged?
Before she could speak, Shen Meizhuang looked at her with anger and said sincerely, "Your Majesty is kind-hearted. Since it concerns the Fourth Prince, I cannot bear to keep Your Majesty in the dark."
Upon hearing this, Feng Ruozhao's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "What's wrong with the Fourth Prince?"
Shen Meizhuang glanced at the people in the hall, and Feng Ruozhao understood, telling everyone to step back, "Sister can speak now."
"Your Majesty," Shen Meizhuang rose and bowed to Consort Jing again, "Speaking of which, my sister should thank the Fourth Prince for lifting the ban on her."
Feng Ruozhao was puzzled, but then she heard her continue, "Today, Eunuch Su came to deliver an imperial decree, saying that when the people who were chasing Liu Bei reported back, the Fourth Prince happened to be there. Upon hearing that Liu Bei was dead, His Majesty had concerns. It was only because the Fourth Prince spoke up for me that I was able to come out so early."
"It was just a casual remark; anyone else would have said the same thing. You don't need to be so polite, sister," Feng Ruozhao said with a sigh of relief and a subconscious sense of modesty.
“If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn’t dare to speak up because of the Nian family’s influence. The Fourth Prince is kind-hearted.” Shen Meizhuang had her own judgment. If it weren’t for the Fourth Prince, she probably wouldn’t have come out so quickly.
“Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince is kind-hearted and has been kind to me. I cannot bear to see others bully him.”
"What happened?" Upon hearing the word "humiliation," Feng Ruozhao sat up abruptly.
"Although I am under house arrest, I know that the Fourth Prince is filial and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, comes to Xianfu Palace almost every day to dine with Your Majesty. Therefore, knowing that the Fourth Prince spoke up for me, I said in front of Eunuch Su that I would thank him in person in the next couple of days. As a result, Eunuch Su blurted out that the Fourth Prince would not be able to come in the next couple of days..."
Feng Ruozhao was taken aback. At noon, Hongli had sent Lianxin to say that he had too much homework these past two days and it was inconvenient for him to come and pay his respects. At the time, she only felt sorry for him and told Lianxin to take good care of Hongli without thinking much of it. But how did Su Peisheng find out about this?
"My suspicions grew, and noticing the strange expression on Eunuch Su's face, I couldn't help but press him for answers. Under my persistent questioning, Eunuch Su stammered and half-heartedly revealed some information to me, saying, 'It's said, it's said...'"
"What did he say?" Feng Ruozhao asked anxiously.
Shen Meizhuang twisted her handkerchief, clearly indignant. "She said that when the Fourth Prince went to pay his respects to the Emperor, he happened to meet General Nian. General Nian was very disrespectful to the Fourth Prince, and the Fourth Prince injured his arm, so he couldn't appear in public these past two days."
"His arm is injured!" Feng Ruozhao stood up abruptly, both worried and angry. "How dare Nian Gengyao! Hongli is a prince, and he actually dared to lay a hand on him! No, I have to go see Hongli..."
Feng Ruozhao was about to leave in a hurry when Shen Meizhuang quickly stopped her. "Your Majesty, the Emperor probably doesn't want outsiders to know about this. Your Majesty's departure will inevitably arouse the Emperor's suspicion. For the sake of the Fourth Prince, Your Majesty, please calm down."
Shen Meizhuang's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Feng Ruozhao's head. "Yes, the Emperor is praising General Nian, so Hongli can only endure this, and I can only endure it too."
Feng Ruozhao had endured Nian Shilan's torment for many years without feeling anything, but when she heard that Hongli also had to endure Nian Gengyao's harm, Feng Ruozhao felt as if her heart had been ripped out, and she was in unbearable pain.
Not to mention that Hongli was the son she had been longing for for many years. People are all made of flesh and blood. Hongli was so good and so filial to her. How could she not care about him?
Unfortunately, she was incompetent and could do nothing.
Thinking this, two lines of tears streamed down Feng Ruozhao's face. "It's my incompetence as a mother..."
Shen Meizhuang was also upset, so she quickly comforted her: "Your Majesty, I suppose the Fourth Prince didn't want you to be sad, so he didn't tell you. Although it's inconvenient for you to go, you can still summon the servants who serve in the Fourth Prince's courtyard and ask about the situation. As his foster mother, you can't do anything wrong."
"Yes, yes, you're right."
After being reminded by Shen Meizhuang, Feng Ruozhao perked up again and instantly recalled the strange behavior of Lianxin when she came to report the news. She blamed her for being careless and only thought that Lianxin was a little nervous because of her age.
As the two were discussing when it would be appropriate to summon the servants of the Fourth Prince again, Ruyi's voice suddenly came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, Consort Wan and Consort Yi have arrived."
Feng Ruozhao quickly wiped away her tears and forced a smile: "I suppose you came because you heard that your sister was released from confinement. The three of you seem to have a good relationship. Let them in."
Shen Meizhuang felt a warmth in her heart and nodded, "Huan'er and Lingrong have indeed helped me a lot."
"This humble concubine greets Consort Jing."
"Rise, there's no need for such formalities."
Zhen Huan and An Lingrong stood up and looked at Shen Meizhuang with joy, but they noticed that Shen Meizhuang had a sad expression on her face. When they looked at Consort Jing, her eyes were also red, and she had obviously just been crying.
Zhen Huan seemed to be deep in thought, and subconsciously asked, "Your Majesty already knows?"
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