Among them, especially the old master Wang, Feng Tang and Wu Yuanjing, who were die-hard fans of Yue Fuguang, did not give those three a kind look.
The ministers had just finished discussing with Emperor Mingxi matters concerning coal and steel mining and subsequent research.
Minister of Rites Zhang Zhongping immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, regarding the dangers of marriage between close relatives, is further investigation and verification necessary? I also request that the Director of the Imperial Medical Academy, Lord Sun..."
Before he could finish speaking, Consort Zhou Xian gracefully walked in, carrying a food box.
Emperor Mingxi immediately frowned and looked at his chief eunuch, Qian Gui, with an unfriendly gaze.
Qian Gui panicked and knelt down. He had heard all the big news from the morning court session, including everything about Consort Zhou Xian.
Although His Majesty did not punish her immediately, he was also concerned about his own reputation and royal dignity, and wanted to deal with her gradually.
Well, and most importantly, we must not arouse the suspicion of the Divine Artifact Master and the Little Immortal Lord.
However, in everyone's mind, Consort Zhou and the Ninth Prince were already considered dead.
However, he was so busy leading people to capture the people that the Divine Artifact Master mentioned that he forgot to remind His Majesty that two months ago he had given the palace maids, eunuchs and guards of the Hall of Mental Cultivation an oral decree that Consort Xian could enter the hall without being announced.
At this moment, Emperor Mingxi, as the person involved, naturally thought of the absurd edict he had issued not long ago when he was overcome by lust.
He waved for Qian Gui to get up. Now that Yue Fuguang was around, he was going to be a wise and benevolent ruler for all time, and he couldn't just kill his close advisors for his own sake.
In the short time that followed, Consort Zhou Xian entered the main hall. Seeing that all the important officials were present, she was still somewhat intimidated.
Although she was a favored concubine, she wanted to help her son ascend to the throne, so these people were the ones she and her son tried to win over.
Naturally, they were afraid that their inappropriate behavior would affect their choice of their son.
But when she thought of the news she had just heard, she gritted her teeth and decided to get through this first.
Before Consort Zhou even reached the imperial desk, tears were already welling up in her eyes. Seeing this, the officials dared not stay any longer to watch the drama unfold.
They had already heard too many royal scandals at the morning court session. If another one were to be presented live, they couldn't guarantee that even if His Majesty was magnanimous, he might still take action against some of them.
After everyone had left, only Emperor Mingxi, Consort Zhou, and a senior eunuch, Qian Guihou, remained in the main hall. Consort Zhou's tears fell like pearls from a broken string.
Emperor Mingxi looked at Consort Zhou's beautiful face, which was still lovely even when she was crying, and thought of what the Divine Artifact Master had said. Suddenly, he felt a wave of nausea for no reason.
Zhuo Fei has been secretly arrested, and the Shadow Bureau is still investigating his relationship with Zhou Xianfei.
Given the methods of the Shadow, it won't be long before all the truth is laid out on his desk.
As for who the last scoundrel who had an affair with her was, he would personally pry it out of this woman's mouth!
"Your Majesty, this morning I heard that my father and brother were at court..." Consort Zhou looked hurt and weak.
She gently wiped away her tears with a silk handkerchief and continued, "How could I not be a daughter of the Zhou family? I clearly look so much like my mother. Although my father and brother have never been close to me since childhood, how could I..."
She only spoke half a sentence, hesitant to speak, looking as if she had been bullied.
Those who don't know the inside story might really feel sorry for her, because they were fooled by her appearance before.
"Father and brother clearly don't like me. They didn't even consult me beforehand about such an important matter! They've never treated me like family..."
Emperor Mingxi thought, "I'd like them to give you a heads-up beforehand; they found out even later than you did."
Thinking of the Zhou family father and son who were first scared half to death, but later, despite being demoted, they were still overjoyed and cried tears of joy, Emperor Mingxi said, "Didn't you already know that you were your aunt Xiao Zhuo's daughter when you were eight years old?"
Your biological mother is Mrs. Zhou's younger sister, so isn't it normal for you to look like Mrs. Zhou?
Faced with a series of questions from Emperor Mingxi, Consort Zhou, who was wiping away tears, suddenly froze, a fleeting look of guilt crossing her face.
Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tighter and tighter, her nails digging into her palms. The sudden pain brought her back to her senses.
She looked helpless and aggrieved as she said, "Your Majesty, who is spreading rumors about me? Because Your Majesty favors me and the Ninth Prince, those people... those people are framing me like this. Your Majesty, you must find out the truth and do justice for me!"
When her mother told her about this, only the two of them were present. They didn't even bring a maid with them, so who would have known?
At this moment, Consort Zhou was so nervous that she completely forgot that there was a living deity named Yue Fuguang in the court.
She then thought of the crime committed by the Zhou family father and son today: deceiving the emperor. If she was found to have known her own background since she was eight years old and participated in the palace selection, wouldn't that mean she had also committed the crime of deceiving the emperor?
Emperor Mingxi only dealt with the Zhou family father and son. More than an hour has passed since the court session ended, and no imperial edict has been issued to his palace, which shows that His Majesty still trusts him.
Therefore, she cannot panic or lose her composure!
Consort Zhou Xian stretched out her well-maintained, fair fingers and gently tugged at Mingxi's sleeve like a young girl, saying coquettishly, "Your Majesty, do you only believe the words of those unrelated people outside, but not your Zhou Zhou?"
Emperor Mingxi subtly withdrew his sleeve, flicked away non-existent dirt, and said in a cold voice with an indifferent expression, "It was your birth mother who admitted it. Consort Xian, do you still not acknowledge it?"
Did her birth mother say that? Why would she harm herself? Didn't she give them enough?
In an instant, Consort Zhou thought of many things, but all her words ended up being stammered, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I... I was still young at the time, and I took my aunt's words as a joke."
Her laughter was less attractive than her tears at that moment, according to Emperor Mingxi.
"I...I really never thought this was true! How could it possibly be true?"
Consort Zhou Xian was still trying her best to defend herself and rekindle Emperor Mingxi's past favor towards her.
But she didn't know that ever since Emperor Mingxi learned of her affair, he had wanted to kill her every moment.
She didn't react immediately because she didn't have a suitable reason. Yue Fuguang entered the palace every day, so she couldn't afford to have the slightest suspicion.
He never expected such a pleasant surprise. He didn't go looking for this woman, but she delivered herself to his door. Now that he's walking into a dangerous situation, how could he miss this golden opportunity!
"Qian Gui, convey my decree: Consort Xian, née Zhou, has acted inappropriately in front of the emperor. She is hereby demoted from Consort to Concubine and stripped of her title. Concubine Zhou is to be confined to her quarters for three months and to copy the 'Rules for Women' a thousand times."
Emperor Mingxi deliberately didn't demote her completely; he would demote her by one rank every few days, which was the most torturous part.
Consort Zhou, no, she should now be called Consort Zhou, was terrified by Emperor Mingxi's series of decrees.
She simply couldn't understand why His Majesty would treat her this way just because she wasn't a biological daughter of the Zhou family.
Oh, and she also has the Ninth Prince!
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