Chapter 239 Warning from the Emperor
In the imperial study.
Zhang Sicheng was reporting to Yan Shixu, "Your Majesty, the two maids sent from Bixi Palace yesterday were arranged by the Empress. She instructed them to exaggerate the story of your favor towards Wen Xiurong, so that the Imperial Noble Consort would believe that she has fallen out of favor with you and that you are alienated from her."
Yan Shixu frowned.
Originally, he was worried that if he told her about the undercurrents in the harem and his plans, she would be worried and afraid.
But after this incident, he felt it was better for him to tell her.
Otherwise, with Wen Li'er's not-so-bright head, she might believe a few random provocations, and then look at the moon alone and sing sad songs.
He ordered: "Give those two palace maids twenty lashes each, send them to the Queen, and then pass on my oral instructions—"
He paused, his voice low and each word as cold as ice:
"As the mother of a country, you should abide by your duties. If you dare to deliberately instigate and do such foolish things again, I don't mind sending her to the cold palace to learn the rules from the late emperor's deposed concubines."
Zhang Sicheng was startled and immediately bowed his head: "I will go and convey the order."
Fengyi Palace.
The Queen and Princess Taiping were holding hands and expressing their true feelings to each other.
After being apart for a year, the two best friends missed each other very much.
Seeing her friend's thin appearance, Yan Shishu frowned.
"Zhen Rong, doesn't the emperor treat you well? I see you've lost a lot of weight compared to last year."
Zhen Zhenrong was originally very thin, and now only a skeleton is left, which looks very scary.
Beauties are all thin, but they should be thin with a well-proportioned figure.
Being so skinny, with flesh even thin where it should be, this really has nothing to do with beauty.
When Xie Zhenrong received the caring look from her friend, tears welled up in her eyes.
"Shi Shu, I..."
Xie Zhenrong covered her face and sobbed, "You know, the emperor was completely bewitched by Wen Li'er, how could he even think of me, his first wife? Ever since... ever since Wen Li'er gave birth to the eldest prince..."
She seemed to be at a loss for words when it came to this.
Yan Shishu was so anxious.
"What happened since she gave birth to the eldest prince?"
Xie Zhenrong bit her lip, tears streaming down her face: "Ever since Wen Li'er gave birth to the eldest prince, the emperor has never touched me!"
Yan Shishu was shocked and immediately thought of the second prince.
She stammered, "Then...Xing...Xing Zhi?"
Xie Zhenrong sighed and said with regret, "The reason I was able to get pregnant with Xing Zhi was because... because I drugged the emperor!"
Yan Shishu breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it was the emperor's...
Then, she was a little bit disbelieving.
"You dare to drug him? My brother, the emperor, has been arrogant since childhood. No one can force him to do anything. You drugged him and made him have sex with you. Wouldn't she hate you to death?!"
Xie Zhenrong wiped the tears from her face, and her voice was filled with tears.
"That's because I wanted a child so badly! He wouldn't even touch me, so how could I possibly give birth to a child on my own? That's why I did this wrong thing. But since then, he's been cold to me and never wants to touch me again."
Yan Shishu felt so distressed when he saw her heartbroken look.
"The emperor has gone too far! He favors his concubine over his wife! He will be criticized by the world!"
Just as she finished shouting, she heard the palace maid's report from outside.
"Your Majesty, Commander Zhang requests an audience."
Xie Zhenrong stopped crying.
Zhang Sicheng? What is he doing here?
"Please ask someone to come in."
Soon, Zhang Sicheng came in, but he did not come in alone.
Behind him, the guards carried two palace maids in on a crossbeam.
Xie Zhenrong looked at it and his eyes narrowed sharply.
Zhang Sicheng bowed and saluted: "Your humble servant greets Her Majesty the Empress and Princess Taiping."
Yan Shishu looked at the two palace maids with blood on their backs and said with some dissatisfaction: "Commander Zhang, why did you carry these two palace maids here? What did they do wrong?"
Zhang Sicheng said truthfully, "Your Highness, the Empress sent these two maids to the gate of Bixi Palace to spread rumors and stir up trouble. The Emperor ordered me to give them twenty lashes of the cane and sent me here to deliver a message."
Having said this, he spoke directly without waiting for anyone to ask.
——As the mother of a country, you should abide by your duties. If you dare to deliberately instigate and do such foolish things again, I don't mind sending her to the cold palace to learn the rules from the late emperor's deposed concubines.——
Xie Zhenrong's body shook violently and she almost fell to the ground. Yan Shishu was quick to catch her.
Xie Zhenrong was still in disbelief: "Your Majesty, are you... warning me?"
Zhang Sicheng lowered his head and said nothing.
Yan Shishu was furious and said, "Two palace maids just said something bad about the Queen, and the Emperor wants to banish them to the cold palace? How can he be so absurd!"
Zhang Sicheng had a cold face and was not intimidated by Princess Taiping's anger.
He said, "The Emperor's instructions have been delivered, and it is time for me to return and report. I will take my leave."
After saying that, he bowed and walked out.
After Zhang Sicheng left, Xie Zhenrong chuckled, and as she laughed, she suddenly raised her head and laughed wildly, looking a little crazy.
At this moment, she seemed to have forgotten that Yan Shishu was still there, and suddenly knocked the teacup on the table to the ground.
The teacup broke into pieces and shattered all over the floor.
Her eyes suddenly turned cold, and she gritted her teeth and said, "Wen Li'er, from today on, I will be irreconcilable with you! Either you die or I die!"
Yan Shishu was shocked when she saw this.
"Zhen Rong, don't do anything stupid. Let's go find the Empress Dowager and ask her to seek justice for you!"
As she said that, she wanted to take Xie Zhenrong to the Cining Palace.
Xie Zhenrong refused to go.
She waved her hand and asked all the palace servants to leave the hall, including Madam Zhuang.
Nanny Zhuang closed her eyes and respectfully led the palace maids out.
When there was no one in the hall, Xie Zhenrong grabbed Yan Shishu's hand and suddenly knelt down in front of her.
Yan Shishu was startled by her and quickly moved away.
"Zhen Rong, what are you doing? Get up!"
Xie Zhenrong looked up at her, his face full of pleading.
"Shi Shu, you've seen what kind of life I'm living now. Originally, I wanted to be more magnanimous and let the emperor like Wen Li'er. But now, for her sake, the emperor wants to banish me to the cold palace! If I want to live, I have to resist. Shi Shu, you're all I have, please help me!"
Yan Shishu hurriedly helped her up, gritting her teeth and saying, "If I had known this woman was so powerful, I should have helped you get rid of her before I left Beijing! Zhen Rong, don't worry. We are best friends. If I don't help you, who will?"
Xie Zhenrong rushed forward and hugged her thighs, excitement flashing in his eyes.
When she looked up again, her face was full of pity and gratitude.
"Shi Shu, thank you... thank you so much. Having friends like you in this world, I can die without regrets."
Yan Shishu hurriedly asked her to spit three times.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Zhen Rong, don't ever mention death again!"
Xie Zhenrong nodded repeatedly: "Okay, I'll listen to you."
In the shadow outside the window, a black shadow disappeared silently.
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