Chapter 170 The Empress Dowager Faints from Anger
Emperor Zhaoheng had not thought of Consort Yun for a long time, but he never expected to notice her again at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet.
Looking at the "drunk" woman below the steps, Emperor Zhaoheng frowned, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes.
He shielded the pregnant Narcissus behind him, and looked at Consort Yun, who was once again stopped by the guards, and spoke in a cold voice.
"Take this madwoman away and lock her in the cold palace under strict guard! We'll deal with her after the birthday banquet!"
The guards received the order and were about to carry the delirious and incoherent Consort Yun away when the Empress Dowager on the throne suddenly raised her hand to stop them.
With the help of a nanny, the Empress Dowager managed to tidy up her auspicious robes and jewelry that had been messed up in the fright.
Seeing that Consort Yun was about to be taken away for punishment, she suddenly had an idea.
"Your Majesty! Wait!"
Supported by the nanny, she strode over to Consort Yun's side, saying, "Look at Consort Yun, her words and actions are utterly inappropriate!"
"I have heard that she has been spending a lot of time with Consort Jin lately, frequently visiting the Lihe Palace..."
Shui Xian hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to react so quickly. Even though Consort Yun was about to be taken away, the Empress Dowager was still able to turn around and bite her in such a critical moment.
The Empress Dowager said coldly, "Now that she has committed such a rebellious act and offended me, it is hard to say that she has not been bewitched by someone!"
"After all, Consort Yun has served the Emperor for a long time and has always been a gentle and docile person. She has never been so presumptuous before!"
The Empress Dowager's words were incredibly blunt.
She stared straight at Shui Xian, wanting to pin the blame on Shui Xian for instigating Yun Pin to cause trouble.
Everyone on and off the stage was discerning; anyone could see how far-fetched the Empress Dowager's logic was.
Some of the noblewomen exchanged glances. They had heard that the Empress Dowager and the newly promoted Consort Jin were not on good terms, but they had not expected that the discord would be to this extent.
In contrast, their mothers-in-law were all as kind and gentle as their own mothers.
How could Emperor Zhaoheng not know about the conflict between his mother and Shui Xian?
He naturally knew this, otherwise he wouldn't have sent people to guard Shui Xiu and Jiang Shi after they entered the palace.
However, the Empress Dowager had a fit of anger at the birthday banquet, and out of filial piety, he could not directly refute her.
Narcissus naturally understood this as well. She lowered her eyes, straightened her clothes, and prepared to get up and apologize.
However.
Just as she was about to stand up using the handrail next to her, the man's hot hand landed on her shoulder.
He used only a little force, but the message he conveyed made Narcissus look up at him in surprise.
"Your Majesty is mistaken."
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was not loud, but it clearly resounded throughout the entire hall, demonstrating his unwavering protection of Shui Xian.
"Xian'er is currently six months pregnant and spends her days quietly resting in Lihe Palace. The imperial physicians have repeatedly warned her not to overexert herself or get angry. She rarely even leaves the palace. Where would she find the time or energy to instigate a concubine to act at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet?"
"Your Majesty's guess is far too far-fetched."
The Empress Dowager was publicly refuted by her son, and she immediately lost face. In particular, she felt the subtle gazes of the noblewomen below the stage, which made her even more annoyed.
She tried to intimidate him with the most important principle of filial piety: "Your Majesty! Are you going to question my judgment just because of a concubine?"
"I do not necessarily intend to convict Consort Jin, but this matter is suspicious, and Consort Yun has been too close to her."
"I don't ask for much. I only hope that the Emperor will prioritize the overall situation and temporarily keep Consort Jin under his control. After the birthday banquet, he can investigate thoroughly. If she is innocent, he will naturally give her justice."
"In this way, we can silence the gossips of the world and prevent people from saying that the emperor is biased!"
These words sounded dignified, but were actually extremely insidious.
Imprisoning Shui Xian and the insane Yun Pin together, regardless of whether she was exonerated later, the shock during the process could have been fatal for a pregnant woman nearing her due date.
Emperor Zhaoheng's face darkened completely.
His grip on Shui Xian's shoulder tightened slightly, his tone growing colder, leaving no room for negotiation: "Mother, Xian'er is carrying my imperial heir. The safety of the dragon fetus is of paramount importance. How can you arbitrarily detain and disturb her based on unfounded speculation?"
"I, the Emperor, hereby guarantee that Consort Jin did not instigate Consort Yun's actions! If it is later found that she was involved in the slightest, I am willing to bear the responsibility for my oversight!"
These words caused a stir of gasps from the audience inside the hall.
Even the Empress, who had been keeping her eyes down and silent, suddenly raised her head and looked at Emperor Zhaoheng in disbelief.
To vouch for a concubine in the name of the emperor? What an honor!
When has Emperor Zhaoheng ever cared so much about a woman, even to the point of tying his reputation to her?
The hall fell silent for a moment. Everyone was stunned by the emperor's unprecedented attitude. Even many relatives and noble families who looked down on Narcissus's background couldn't help but re-examine the rightfully favored Consort Jin.
Just then, the Empress slowly stood up.
She attended the event despite her illness, and although her face was pale, which even rouge couldn't hide, her demeanor remained dignified.
The Empress bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor respectively.
"Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday, a day of joy. However, Consort Jin is currently pregnant and should not be excited. I am also in poor health and need to rest. Perhaps... I should take Consort Jin back to Kunning Palace for a while..."
"In this way, we can both fulfill the Empress Dowager's wishes and allow Consort Jin to escape this turmoil and have some peace. We can discuss the matter further after the birthday banquet, shall we?"
The Empress's words perfectly smoothed things over between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, giving both sides a way out.
Many members of the imperial family and their wives below the steps showed expressions of approval, feeling that the Empress was virtuous and had handled the situation appropriately.
Emperor Zhaoheng's expression softened slightly. He bowed his head silently, and Shui Xian, who met his gaze, nodded gently.
However, the Empress Dowager is determined to suppress Narcissus today.
She looked down and saw her beloved grandson sitting at the Duan Prince's table, watching everything with wide eyes. The Empress Dowager was even more provoked when she saw the Duan Prince's heir.
We absolutely cannot let this Consort Jin, who came from humble beginnings, continue to be so smug! Otherwise, if she really gives birth to a prince, will she and her favored Prince Duan's lineage still have a place in the harem?
The Empress Dowager stared intently at the Emperor, ignoring the Empress's attempts to dissuade her, and her tone hardened.
"Your Majesty! I am your birth mother... Today I have suffered such a great humiliation, and you still insist on protecting her?"
"I don't care about any guarantees or guarantees. Today, you must give me an explanation!"
As she spoke, the Empress Dowager didn't even glance in the direction of the Emperor and Consort Jin, but instead gave an order to the guards:
"Take Consort Jin away!"
At the banquet, Shui Xiu and Jiang Shi were so nervous that their palms were covered in cold sweat, and they held each other's hands tightly under the table.
Several high-ranking officials also stepped forward, knelt down, and pleaded: "Your Majesty! The Empress Dowager has been frightened and is unwell. We beg Your Majesty to prioritize filial piety and the Empress Dowager's health!"
Prince Duan stepped forward at the opportune moment.
"Your Majesty, Mother is advanced in years and cannot withstand such anger. Please grant Mother's request for now!"
Emperor Zhaoheng stood beside the Empress Dowager and could clearly see the undisguised emotion in her eyes after Prince Duan stepped forward.
Emperor Zhaoheng's lips tightened, and his facial features gradually became more tense.
He did not respond directly to the Empress Dowager and Prince Duan, but turned to the Empress, saying indifferently, "Since the Empress is in poor health, she should go back to the palace to rest. There is no need to worry about her."
Narcissus felt the firm strength transmitted from the hand on her shoulder, looked up at Emperor Zhaoheng's handsome profile with its distinct features, and a touch of emotion welled up in her slightly watery eyes.
However, at this moment, she was calmly analyzing the current situation.
Why was Emperor Zhaoheng so forceful?
He was not an impulsive person, and he would not easily confront the Empress Dowager and court officials for the sake of a concubine.
This is not in line with his usual style of doing things.
She glanced subtly at Prince Duan in the hall.
The Empress Dowager's undisguised favoritism today, seemingly aimed at the child in Narcissus's womb, could also be seen by Emperor Zhaoheng as a disregard for his own child.
The Empress Dowager's close relationship with Prince Duan's faction had long been a source of anxiety for Emperor Zhaoheng.
Today's events were probably just the trigger; the real underlying reason is the long-standing conflict between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
After thinking it through, Narcissus felt more at ease and decided to simply play the role she needed to play in today's birthday banquet conflict.
The Empress Dowager never expected that her son, who was not particularly close to her but had a relatively harmonious relationship with her on the surface, would be so ruthless today.
She felt a rush of blood to her head, and then everything went black!
"You...you..."
She pointed at Emperor Zhaoheng, her face turning an unnatural dark red.
Before he could finish a complete sentence, he fell straight backward!
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
"Mother!"
Chaos erupted at the birthday banquet!
Emperor Zhaoheng's expression changed, and he almost instinctively took a step forward, but he stopped abruptly and quickly turned back to Tinglu beside Shuixian, sternly instructing her: "Take good care of your empress! There must be no mishaps!"
After saying this, he quickly walked towards the Empress Dowager, who was surrounded by the crowd.
With Tinglu's help, Shuixian slowly stood up. Through the chaotic crowd, she could no longer see the Empress Dowager's condition.
But she knew that whether the Empress Dowager was truly or falsely dazed, after this incident, all the blame would ultimately fall on her.
The emperor was the one who defied the empress dowager, but she was the one who would have to pay the price.
——
As expected.
The day after the birthday banquet, news spread from Cining Palace that the Empress Dowager had fainted due to shock and anger caused by being first bumped into by Consort Yun at the banquet the previous day and then having an unpleasant conversation with the Emperor.
Immediately afterwards, several respected relatives of the imperial clan, together with several ministers, submitted a memorial. Although the memorial did not explicitly point out the fault of the narcissus, every word and sentence was loaded with implications.
"...While the claim that Consort Yun is mentally unstable is insufficient evidence, she has stated that she is on good terms with Consort Jin. These rumors may damage Consort Jin's reputation and the well-being of the imperial heir. For now, it would be best to request that Consort Jin temporarily leave the palace and personally visit the tranquil Jingguang Temple on the outskirts of the capital for three days to pray for blessings. Firstly, this would allow her to pray for the people and the Empress Dowager, demonstrating filial piety; secondly, it would allow her to escape the turmoil and, once the storm has passed, prove her innocence and silence the gossip..."
Some censors were even more vehement, speaking directly in the court: "If the Imperial Concubine refuses this trip, she will likely suffer a bad reputation. Damaging her own reputation is a minor matter, but if it affects the reputation of the imperial heir and shakes the foundation of the nation, then it will be too late to regret it!"
When Narcissus learned of this news, she remained calm, as if she had expected it all along.
She simply asked Tinglu in a low voice, "Have Mother and Sister arrived home safely?"
Tinglu quickly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, after the banquet yesterday, Eunuch Feng personally arranged for reliable people to escort Madam and Miss Shuixiu back to their residence. Everything is fine."
Narcissus nodded slightly, relieved.
She got up, walked slowly to the dressing table and sat down, saying to Yinzhu who was serving her, "Do my makeup."
With her mother and sister safe, she was ready to throw herself into her own battle!
The turmoil is far from over!
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