Chapter 134 Kindness
The sky outside the hall was overcast, and a wind that had risen at some point was blowing into the hall.
King Wei is still putting up a stubborn resistance, trying to atone for his sins.
His eyes widened, his pupils reddened, his lips trembled, and he crawled forward a few steps, crying out anxiously and sorrowfully, "Your Majesty—I was murdered by a villain! I had no intention of rebellion... It was all... it was all this vile maid who told me... She said it was all her—!"
“Your Majesty, I was born to be the son of Consort Hui, the Empress Dowager. This lowly maid suddenly told me that I was the son of Lady Wen—how could I possibly be of the blood of a woman like Lady Wen? She deceived me and used me!! I was deceived by her and was confused for a moment… Your Majesty, please forgive me and spare me!”
King Wei wailed and cried out in the palace, pleading his innocence, but the meaning behind his words was unsettling.
At this moment, Zhu Qing, who had been motionless on the ground, suddenly struggled. She raised her head, stared fiercely at King Wei, and though her mouth was tightly bound, she could not speak, only letting out some hissing sounds.
Chu Mingheng nodded slightly, signaling his men to untie the bandage on Zhu Qing's mouth.
King Wei was still saying the same things, but he kept repeating the same few sentences. Others didn't get tired of hearing them, but Chu Mingheng did too.
Chen Kang'an understood his meaning and said softly from the side, "Your Highness, His Majesty has heard your words. Now His Majesty wants to hear what others have to say."
Bystanders...
King Wei's throat tightened, realizing something, and he slowly turned his head to look at Zhu Qing, whose bandages had been removed.
He gritted his teeth, a hint of difficulty and reluctance flashing across his face: "...Brother, she's just a lowly servant girl who serves the Wen family. How can you believe her words?!"
After he finished speaking, a sword gently touched his neck again, familiar yet cold.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty?" The Prince of Wei's voice trembled.
Chu Mingheng then said, "Whether you believe it or not is not up to you."
His voice was deep and gentle, yet his tone carried a subtle but undeniable air of authority.
King Wei then stopped speaking, glancing nervously at Zhu Qing.
Zhu Qing has already said too much; she's even brought up that imperial edict.
But he still expected that Zhu Qing would not deny what he had just said, and that she would take all the blame upon herself, after all, Zhu Qing was so loyal to the Wen family, and he was the Wen family's son.
Lady Wen went to such lengths to keep him alive and well, and Zhu Qing even went so far as to kill two empress dowagers for this; she couldn't possibly just stand by and watch him die.
Having had her mouth bound for so long, Zhu Qing couldn't speak immediately when she was released. However, her pale face and bloodshot eyes were still shocking to behold.
After a moment, Zhu Qing opened her mouth and uttered a few words.
Her voice started softly, so softly that no one around could hear it, then suddenly rose in pitch, and she roared at the person in charge: "Her Majesty is not a lowly person—she is not a lowly person! She is the kindest and purest person in the world—what do you know!!! What do you people know! What right do you have to say she is bad, what gives you the right—!"
Everyone stared blankly at the scene, listening to the roars, as if they had heard some horrifying joke.
Good and innocent?
It's utterly ridiculous.
How could a woman as venomous as Madam Wen have a servant willing to be so loyal to her? Did Madam Wen give this servant a bewitching potion?
"That vile woman Wen ruined so many concubines and children in the late emperor's harem, and yet she left you, a scourge, to burn down Kunning Palace. And now you say she's kind and innocent?" Princess Rui was so angry she was panting heavily. She pointed at Zhu Qing's nose and cursed, "You're crazy, fine. What good can come from following that woman? I thought that woman was dead and gone, but I never imagined that such a scourge could live on for a thousand years. We really can't be careless at all!"
Who knows whether that last sentence was referring to Zhuqing or King Wei?
After Princess Rui finished speaking, someone quickly poured her a cup of tea to calm her down.
Princess Rui lowered her head and wiped away her tears, saying unwillingly, "If it were just an accidental fire, that would be one thing, but now we know that this wretched maid started it herself. Empress Dowager Jingwen has always been kind and benevolent, everyone in the palace knows that. I never thought that in the end her kindness would bring disaster upon herself..."
Those around them began to whisper among themselves. Everyone knew how kind and benevolent Empress Dowager Jingwen was. During the years she was empress, everyone in the palace praised her for her proper management, and she was known as the benevolent empress.
Therefore, the death of Empress Dowager Jingwen is truly regrettable.
"You also worked in the palaces of the two empress dowagers, and you didn't hesitate when you poisoned and set fires. What did Wen do to make you so devoted to her?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Qing's face flashed with a hint of nostalgia, her gaze unfocused, and she said slowly, "Your Majesty is the best person in the world. I have never met anyone better than her. She never treated me as a servant; she treated me as a person, an ordinary person!"
“The Lin family? I served the Lin family's daughter since I was a child, as her personal maid, but after she entered the palace, she kicked me aside and said something like, ‘I’m too conspicuous and attract attention.’”
"It's alright, I'm just a servant, I'll obey."
"Later I went to the Empress's palace. She took a liking to my incense-making skills, but after Qiao asked one more question, she gave me to Qiao."
"Later, I broke a ceremonial object bestowed by the Emperor, and the palace rules wanted to kill me. Qiao Shi also threw me away."
"The palace rules stipulated thirty strokes of the cane, which almost killed me, but luckily, I met the Empress."
At this point, Zhu Qing seemed to go mad, her face filled with joy and nostalgia: "The Empress was the best to me. She never treated me like a servant. She even told me not to be servile and let the imperial physician treat me, allowing me to rest and recover. She saved my life."
"Her Majesty is the best person in the world! Everyone else is utterly hypocritical, forcing her down that path of no return—"
"It's alright, I will avenge the Empress. I will watch over her son closely, and even if I die, I will ensure that her son grows up and avenges her!"
Zhu Qing spoke resentfully, her voice hoarse, but her eyes were fixed on Chu Mingheng above her.
Chu Mingheng didn't show the slightest emotion.
He had heard such nonsense before… long ago…
But Lan Wu hadn't heard of it yet.
He lowered his eyes to look in Lan Wu's direction, his gaze deep and unfathomable. His other hand, resting on his lap, slowly rubbed his fingertips, showing some impatience.
Suddenly, a sob rang in his ears—familiar, nauseating words once again.
He frowned slightly, shifting his gaze from Lan Wu, and saw that the Prince Wei was putting on an act again.
King Wei's reaction was one of deep sorrow and regret, but he also took the time to belittle Wen Shi, whom Zhu Qing revered as a goddess. She was his birth mother, yet his words sounded like those of a wicked woman deserving of hell.
Chu Mingheng watched this scene expressionlessly, waiting for Zhu Qing's reaction.
Zhuqing certainly did not disappoint him.
She stared blankly at King Wei, as if she couldn't hear what he was saying, until she saw that King Wei was speaking louder and louder, then she suddenly rushed over and knocked King Wei to the ground.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com