Chapter 176 Succession
"Smack!"
The black jade chess pieces were placed on the chessboard, each occupying half of the board, creating a tug-of-war situation with the white pieces.
"Your Majesty, aren't you going to do something about it?" Yinzhi held a chess piece between two fingers, as if he were talking about the game of chess, but also about something else.
"What do you care?" Yinzhen seemed oblivious, casually picking up a white jade chess piece and placing it in the spot he had already chosen.
“There are no secrets in this palace. The scene of the mother and son estranged at yesterday’s banquet was witnessed by more than one pair of eyes. According to my ears, Hongyun may have even made preparations for rebellion.”
At the banquet, Mei Qiyue thought no one would notice that she was secretly instructing Hongyun to "help" Prince Xun. Little did she know that everyone around her was watching her as if she were a joke. Just one night later, the news had already reached Yunsi's ears, and all sorts of rumors were circulating.
“Nonsense,” Yinzhen said, looking at the stalemate in the game. He simply tossed the chess pieces back into the box, no longer wanting to think. He leaned back on the soft pillow, completely ignoring Yunsi’s words. “Hongyun has no such intention.”
“How does Your Majesty know? Hongyun is already 10 years old. He’s not at an age where he doesn’t understand anything.”
It wasn't that Yinzhi wanted to undermine Hongyun, but since Honghui was the successor chosen by his fourth brother, he had to eliminate all possible risks for Honghui and ensure that he could successfully ascend the throne according to his fourth brother's wishes. No one could shake his fourth brother's will.
Ever since learning about Yinzhen's "true" physical condition, Yinsi has become much more radical.
"If Honghui doesn't even have the ability to subdue his younger brother, then he's not worthy of being the Crown Prince." Yinzhen remained calm. He knew perfectly well what kind of person Honghui was, having personally trained him. Even if Hongyun had such intentions, he wouldn't be able to outmaneuver Honghui. Yinzhen was very confident in his teaching.
"It's good that Fourth Brother knows what's going on. By the way, Ninth Brother brought back a traveling doctor from the west. I heard he's quite skilled in health preservation. Would you like to meet him, Fourth Brother?"
"When it comes to gentle medication and health maintenance, who can compare to the Imperial Medical Academy? There's no need to see them; at this critical juncture, there's no need to create unnecessary trouble."
Hearing Yinzhen's refusal, Yinsi was not annoyed at all. It's alright, if it doesn't work this time, we'll try again next time. Anyway, we won't send the itinerant doctor away now that we've brought him back.
"Okay, I'll do whatever Fourth Brother says."
Yi Xiu of Peach Blossom Village sat at the head of the table, looking at the investigation results presented below: "Is it confirmed? It was Cao Qinmo who instigated it?"
"Your Majesty, both of Cao's personal maids have confessed, detailing every aspect of their contact with Yu Ying'er. However, Cao still refuses to admit guilt, and out of consideration for the imperial heir, we cannot press her for answers."
Listening to Jianqiu's detailed reply, Yixiu nodded lightly: "The evidence is overwhelming, it's not enough for Cao Qinmo to deny it. Jiang Fuhai, present the results to the Emperor. Since it involves the imperial heir, the Emperor should make the final decision on Cao Qinmo's fate."
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
Watching Jiang Fuhai leave with his belongings, Yi Xiu sighed softly, "This harem is going to be in turmoil again."
"Your Majesty, hasn't the mastermind behind this already been caught?"
Jianqiu was quite puzzled, not understanding why Yixiu would say such a thing.
Yi Xiu laughed: "As for the mastermind behind the scenes, Cao Qinmo is absolutely not wronged in the matter of Shen Meizhuang, but she doesn't qualify as the mastermind. Given her background and status, where would she have gotten such exquisite medicine?"
"Didn't the confession say it was a secret family medicine passed down through generations in the Cao family?"
"Heh, a family secret medicine? I think it's more like a secret medicine from the previous dynasty's palace." She knew the family backgrounds of all the concubines in the harem very well. The Cao family, it was already a blessing that Cao Qinmo, who had reached the rank of Noble Lady, was born. They had never made a name for themselves before, so where would they have gotten such a profound secret medicine?
"This... Your Highness, should we inform the Emperor?"
Yixiu could understand Jianqiu's concerns; she was simply worried that the Emperor would use this to hold her accountable. But Yixiu still shook her head: "No need. If the Emperor wanted to investigate further, he wouldn't have stopped at Cao Qinmo. It's probably not just a scheme in the harem; it involves the court. If the Emperor doesn't say anything, we shouldn't do anything more."
"This servant understands."
...
Soon, Emperor Yinzhen issued an edict from the Hall of Diligent Governance: Cao Qinmo had been convicted of plotting to harm the imperial heir, and was temporarily confined to her quarters and forbidden from leaving until she gave birth to the imperial heir, after which she would be held accountable.
When the news reached the ears of the concubines in the palace, they naturally had their own thoughts.
At Xianyue Pavilion, Shen Meizhuang, who was in confinement after childbirth, and An Lingrong, who came to visit her, were both happy but also a little regretful. They were happy that Cao Qinmo would be punished, but regretful that she had temporarily escaped punishment because of the dragon child in her womb.
“Cao Qinmo was too greedy. She was clearly pregnant, yet she ended up like this.” Shen Meizhuang leaned against the headboard, her initial anger subsiding. She still couldn't understand Cao Qinmo's actions. “Just for the title of ‘first son after the ascension to the throne,’ it’s truly…”
"Alright, Sister Mei, let's not talk about these annoying things anymore. Your task now is to take good care of your health."
"Yes, yes, housekeeper." Shen Meizhuang glanced at An Lingrong with a smile. Ever since An Lingrong stayed by her side during childbirth, the two had become even closer, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were sisters.
After the laughter subsided, Shen Meizhuang looked at her daughter sleeping peacefully beside her and couldn't help but sigh, "It seems another storm is brewing in the palace. Cao Qinmo's fate is sealed. But who knows what kind of turmoil the imperial fetus in her womb will stir up..."
As Shen Meizhuang said, many people in the harem couldn't help but focus their attention on Cao Qinmo's belly after learning that she was confined to her quarters. Everyone knew that the Emperor valued offspring, so naturally he wouldn't allow a newborn child to have a tainted mother; altering the imperial genealogy was clearly a very likely possibility.
Therefore, many concubines who had no children had many ideas about who should have Cao Qinmo's child.
What happened?
Qi Yuebin looked at Jixiang, who seemed distracted since returning, and felt somewhat curious.
"Your Majesty," Jixiang approached quietly, hesitated for a moment, and asked in a low voice, "I heard from people outside that Consort Cao has committed a crime, and His Majesty may change the imperial genealogy to ensure that the imperial heirs will not have the stain of their birth mother. Is that true?"
"That is indeed possible."
Hearing her mistress say this, a certain thought stirred within Jixiang, and she couldn't help but speak up to advise, "Logically speaking, only concubines of the rank of Consort or above are allowed to have children. Consort An is from Mongolia, so the Emperor probably wouldn't consider her. All the other concubines and consorts have children, only Your Majesty has an adopted son..."
Jixiang glanced at Qi Yuebin's face and, seeing that she wasn't angry, continued, "What Consort Ning did at the palace banquet has already spread throughout the harem. It's not that I'm being nosy, but Consort Ning is so ignorant, and she's also the Second Prince's birth mother. What if she implicates you in the future?"
"This servant is thinking, why not take this opportunity for Your Majesty to raise another imperial heir, and change the imperial genealogy so that he would be Your Majesty's biological child? Even if it can't be changed immediately, at least he won't be under the control of his birth mother. What does Your Majesty think?"
Ji Xiang's suggestion surprised Qi Yuebin, opening up a new path for her. Her previous idea was to let Mei Qiyue act foolishly, causing Hongyun to drift away from her, and completely pull Hongyun to her side.
Hearing Jixiang's words, Qi Yuebin suddenly realized that the blood ties between mother and child weren't so easily severed. Leaving aside whether she could even live to see that day, even a fool could cause a major incident. If Mei Qiyue were to get into serious trouble later, she certainly wouldn't be able to escape the consequences…
"I'll think about it, I'll think about it..."
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