Chapter 102 Banishing Her to the Cold Palace
The witchcraft case was investigated for more than half a month.
In the imperial court, prominent families, led by the Ruan and Liu families, presented their memorials in turn, their words vehement.
Emperor Zhaoheng was under immense pressure and rarely entered the inner palace. He was busy with state affairs all day long, and his face grew more and more gloomy each day.
Finally, on the seventeenth day after the incident, an imperial edict was swiftly issued throughout the palace:
Consort Jin of Yongle Palace, Shui Xian, was demoted to a commoner, stripped of all her titles and privileges, and immediately banished to the Cold Palace!
When the news spread, the reactions of the women in the harem varied.
Consort Jin suffered a severe fall from grace, being directly demoted by the Emperor to the Cold Palace. This punishment was unexpected but reasonable.
Witchcraft was the greatest taboo in the palace; the fact that the emperor spared his life was already an immense favor.
On the day the imperial edict arrived at Yongle Palace, it was delivered by Feng Shunxiang, the chief eunuch of the imperial court.
The once bustling Yongle Palace is now extremely deserted. The courtyards are neglected and look dilapidated, while the palaces, though still luxurious, exude a deathly silence.
Narcissus wore a plain cotton dress, without any makeup, and her long hair was loosely tied up with a simple jade hairpin, making her look completely different from her usual elegant and luxurious self.
Yinzhu was nowhere to be seen beside her.
During the investigation a few days ago, all her palace servants, regardless of whether they were close to her or not, had already been taken to the Censorate for severe torture, and their fates were unknown.
At this moment, the only person following behind her was a young eunuch she didn't recognize.
The young eunuch looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. He had delicate features, a slender build, and was so quiet that he was almost invisible, except for his exceptionally bright eyes.
His name was Xiao Lizi. He was sent by the Imperial Household Department to serve her after all the palace servants around her were sent to the Shenxing Division.
Feng Shunxiang finished reading the imperial edict with a blank expression, closed the edict, and said in a calm voice, "Accept the edict. If there's nothing to pack, then come with me to the Cold Palace."
Narcissus knelt there, her body seemingly unable to hold on any longer, swaying slightly as if all her strength had been drained away by this final verdict.
She slowly raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice choked with broken sobs:
"Eunuch Feng, I want to see the Emperor... one last time..."
Feng Shunxiang remained unmoved by her appearance, and his words were still businesslike.
"Witchcraft is the root of all evil in the palace. The Emperor has already shown leniency by not ordering the execution of the poisoned woman with a white silk ribbon, out of consideration for past relations. You... should not trouble the Emperor any further. Please."
He turned to the side and gestured "please".
Narcissus seemed utterly devastated by these words, and the light in her eyes gradually faded.
She reached out her hand, trembling, and took the cold imperial edict. With Xiao Lizi's help, she staggered to her feet.
As she followed Feng Shunxiang out of the Yongle Palace gate, two figures who "happened" to be passing by waited by the palace roadside with gloating smiles.
It was Consort Li, Ruan Huan, and Noble Lady Yao, Yi Shuyao, whose title had just been changed.
"Oh, isn't this our incomparably noble Consort Jin?"
Consort Li covered her lips with a round fan, her laughter sharp and sarcastic.
"Oh, look at my memory, I should be called... a commoner now. Where are we going? The Cold Palace? That place is very quiet!"
Yi Shuyao softly echoed, but a malicious glint flashed in her eyes.
"Why say such things, sister? Shui Shuren... is probably heartbroken right now. But this witchcraft is truly self-inflicted and deserves no mercy."
Narcissus, who had been keeping her head down, now seemed to feel humiliated. She raised her head with red eyes and became unusually agitated.
"You! You mustn't make false accusations! I didn't! I'm innocent! The Emperor... the Emperor will find out the truth sooner or later!"
Her reaction clearly pleased Consort Li and Noble Lady Yao.
Consort Li chuckled softly and said slowly, "The truth? The truth about the Cold Palace is... it's easy to get in, but hard to get out."
"The last one who came out of there... ha, isn't he still insane now?"
She was referring to Yi Guichun, who was currently confined to Changxin Palace and still undergoing treatment for his madness.
Consort Yao also covered her mouth and chuckled, as if she were referring to a stranger rather than her elder sister.
Just then, Granny Sun, who was by the Empress's side, came quickly with two young palace maids.
She bowed to Feng Shunxiang and Shuixian, her face showing just the right amount of sympathy.
"Her Majesty the Empress is kind-hearted and remembers you. Although you broke the palace rules, we are still sisters after all."
"In this cold winter month, the cold palace is desolate. Your Majesty specially asked this old servant to bring you some thick cotton clothes, which can be considered as fulfilling our past affection."
She gestured to the palace maid behind her to hand a blue cloth bundle to Shui Xian.
As Shui Xian looked at the bundle, tears of gratitude welled up in her eyes, and she bowed deeply in the direction of Kunning Palace.
"Your humble servant... this sinful woman thanks Your Majesty the Empress for your grace! Your Majesty's great kindness will never be forgotten!"
Consort Li, who had been watching the scene with a cold eye, saw this and a strange mockery flashed in her eyes. She scoffed lightly but said nothing more.
Pulling Yao Guiren, who still wanted to watch the commotion, along as if avoiding someone, they quickly left.
As Shui Xian held the bundle of cotton clothes bestowed upon her by the Empress, a thoughtful look flashed across her eyes as she lowered her head.
She noticed Consort Li's unusual expression just now.
Shui Xian followed behind Feng Shunxiang, walking step by step towards a remote and desolate corner of the palace.
As she passed through those still bustling and prosperous palaces, her current state of destitution stood in stark contrast.
The further north you go, the more dilapidated the palace road becomes. The cold wind howls through the narrow palace road, making a wailing sound.
Finally, Feng Shunxiang stopped in front of a palace gate with peeling paint.
Above the door, the plaque bearing the words "Cold Palace" was crooked, exuding a deathly atmosphere.
"We'll leave here."
Feng Shunxiang sighed softly, "You will have to walk the road ahead on your own. Your Majesty... I hope you will stay here and reflect quietly."
He pushed open the heavy, creaking iron gate, revealing a courtyard overgrown with weeds and in ruins.
Looking at the desolate and miserable scene before her, Narcissus seemed to have her last illusions shattered.
She cried out, "No! Eunuch Feng! I want to see the Emperor! I want to see the Emperor! I'm innocent!"
However, two guards with swords standing at the entrance of the Cold Palace immediately stepped forward and pushed her inside without any expression.
Feng Shunxiang looked at her, and in the end just shook his head and sighed.
Having finished his business and seen the person off, Feng Shunxiang did not linger in the Cold Palace and turned to leave the remote Cold Palace.
The heavy iron gate slowly closed in Narcissus's despairing gaze.
The lock clicked shut with a crisp, cold sound, completely isolating the two worlds.
Disoriented, she followed Xiao Lizi into one of the seemingly empty side rooms.
Inside the dilapidated hall, cobwebs were everywhere, and the dust was choking. Only a few pieces of crooked old furniture exuded a musty smell.
Just moments before, Narcissus had been filled with excitement, despair, and tears streaming down her face, but the moment the palace doors closed, she slowly straightened up.
She raised her hand and casually wiped away the tears on her face with her fingertips.
Looking at her pale face, there was no trace of grievance left.
It was as if all this ruin and predicament before her was already within her expectations.
She glanced around the dilapidated room, which was barely divided into inner and outer sections, and finally her gaze fell on the little eunuch, Xiao Lizi, who had been silently keeping his head down behind her.
Riko kept her eyes down, standing quietly like an emotionless shadow.
Shui Xian walked into the inner room, casually placed the blue cloth bundle bestowed by the Empress on the table, and then opened the bundle she had brought from Yongle Palace.
She slowly and deliberately untied the bundle, revealing several thick cotton-padded coats that were neither new nor old, and looked nothing special.
However, Narcissus reached in and carefully felt around for a while. Her fingertips touched a cold, hard object.
She pulled the thing out expressionlessly.
It was a palm-sized, heavy black iron token. The token was exquisitely crafted, with a lifelike golden dragon embossed on the front.
This token was the very one Emperor Zhaoheng had once bestowed upon her, a token that represented the Emperor's personal presence!
Narcissus's fingertips gently traced the cold dragon pattern on it.
Her thoughts drifted back to half a month ago, to the warm pavilion in the Qianqing Palace.
She nestled in Emperor Zhaoheng's arms and whispered in his ear, "...Your Majesty, perhaps...you should send me to the Cold Palace."
Emperor Zhaoheng flatly refused: "Nonsense! How could I let you go to such a place to suffer!"
He thought Narcissus was worried about the witchcraft case, so he gently stroked her back and whispered to comfort her, "I will protect you, don't worry."
She shook her head, tears streaming down her face, but she looked incredibly strong.
"Your Majesty, I believe in you. But now, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau envoy has been killed in the imperial palace, and the court officials are in an uproar. It is clear that someone is willing to do anything to kill me..."
"If they can find witchcraft today, they can create even more 'ironclad evidence' tomorrow... I am not afraid of dying, but what about Yongning? What about Your Majesty's reputation?"
She looked up at him through her tear-filled eyes, her gaze filled with utter sacrifice.
"For Yongning to grow up safely, and for the Emperor not to be coerced into bearing the name of a tyrant, I am willing to risk my life and enter the Cold Palace! It may seem like a dead end, but in reality..."
"Perhaps this is the only chance to find out who's behind this and lure them out!"
Emperor Zhaoheng remained silent.
He was no fool; how could he not know that this was the aristocratic family's intention towards Narcissus?
Emperor Zhaoheng pondered for a long time before finally speaking slowly.
"Very well, there are guards outside the Cold Palace, and Yinzhu is watching over you, so you should be safe..."
Shui Xian shook her head again, her gaze firm: "No, Your Majesty. I have other plans for Yin Zhu."
She gripped Emperor Zhaoheng's sleeve tightly, her eyes filled with the deepest plea of a mother, "Your Majesty, I beg you to find a way to arrange for Yinzhu to be placed by Yongning's side!"
"Only when Yinzhu is by Yongning's side, and I am in the Cold Palace... can I feel at ease."
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at the unwavering determination in her eyes and pondered for a long time.
Finally, the man nodded heavily.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com