Chapter 276 No Love?
For the next two weeks, the court seemed to enter a relatively stable period due to the thorough purge of the remnants of Liu's faction, but in the inner palace, astute individuals could detect some unusual undercurrents.
Emperor Zhaoheng became unusually busy, and the number of times he stayed at Qianqing Palace increased significantly.
Even when he came to the inner palace, he mostly visited Yongning and the twins at Lihe Palace. When he was with Shuixian, he was still considerate and would inquire about her daily life.
She would also hold and tease Yongning, and would show a faint smile when she watched Qingyan and Qinghe babbling.
However, Narcissus could clearly sense that beneath that thoughtfulness lay a subtle, almost imperceptible, distance.
He would occasionally stare at her in a daze, but his gaze was no longer one of pure longing; his infatuation was gradually fading.
There is something subtle about it, something that even he himself may not have fully explored.
Emperor Zhaoheng no longer shared the affairs of the previous dynasty with her in the same way as before.
Even when they do talk, it mostly revolves around the children.
Emperor Zhaoheng never mentioned the issue of address again, and Shuixian didn't care too much about it.
She truly hadn't expected that a simple question about how to address someone would occupy such an important place in the mind of the busy Emperor Zhaoheng.
Liu Simin's last words were like a seed, quietly planted in the heart of this deep-thinking emperor.
——
On this morning, as was customary, all the concubines went to the Lihe Palace to pay their respects at the morning assembly.
Consort Wan had kept a low profile for a while due to copying scriptures to pray for blessings, but she has appeared today.
She was dressed up carefully, but her eyes and brows betrayed a sharp tongue and a restless ambition.
Consort Wan keenly sensed the subtle atmosphere between the Emperor and Empress, and Emperor Zhaoheng was also present today.
Although the Emperor sat beside the Empress, when his gaze occasionally swept over her, it carried a complex scrutiny she had never seen before, rather than the pure tenderness of the past.
Consort Wan was secretly delighted, like a hyena that had smelled blood.
She recalled the admonition the Empress Dowager had given her in a letter before she left the palace: "Be content with your lot and wait for the right opportunity."
But at this moment, jealousy and hatred for Narcissus burned away her last shred of reason like poisonous fire.
Consort Wan noticed the subtle rift between the Emperor and Empress and believed that this was a perfect opportunity given to her by heaven to bring down Narcissus!
Consort Wan pondered the story of how Shui Xian gained favor, and she did not believe that Emperor Zhao Heng loved Shui Xian at all. She only felt that Emperor Zhao Heng's concern for Shui Xian must be because of the two twins.
Once she realized this, she set her sights on the twins.
If something happens to the twins, and suspicion points to Shui Xian for "negligence," the Emperor will be furious and will surely harbor resentment towards Shui Xian!
Consort Wan contacted Zhang, the wet nurse who served the twins. Consort Wan sent someone to secretly contact Zhang, offering her a large sum of money and promising that after the matter was settled, she would not only be given enough wealth to ensure her family's future, but she would also find a way to transfer her away from the prince and save her life.
Consort Wan's request was to add a drug that could cause severe diarrhea and even endanger the lives of the young princes to the milk pudding they ate daily.
Hearing the horrifying plan, Zhang's face showed fear and struggle. Under the coercion and enticement of the visitor, she finally agreed in a trembling voice.
However, less than an incense stick's time after Consort Wan's people left, Zhang took advantage of the gap, found an excuse, and secretly requested an audience with Narcissus, avoiding all eyes and ears.
She presented Consort Wan's conspiracy, the medicine she had sent, and the promised silver notes intact, and tearfully expressed her loyalty, saying that she would never dare to do such a heinous thing as plotting to harm the imperial heir.
When Shui Xian looked at the strangely colored powder and the thick wad of silver notes that Zhang had handed over, she was stunned.
A cold glint flashed in her eyes, and a chilling smile curved her lips.
Consort Wan... as expected, she couldn't hold back any longer.
She just didn't expect that Consort Wan's methods would be so clumsy and vicious!
She did not immediately lash out, but instead gently comforted Zhang, praising her loyalty and promising to protect her and her family.
Afterwards, she instructed Tinglu to order Zhang to proceed as usual and prepare the "tampered" milk pudding according to Consort Wan's request, but to ensure that the young princes would never actually eat it.
At the same time, we sent people to keep a close watch, waiting for Consort Wan's people to come and inspect or pass on the next instructions, so that we could catch them red-handed!
Two days later, a trusted eunuch from Consort Wan's palace who was trying to make contact with Zhang was captured on the spot by guards who had been lying in wait while passing on follow-up instructions.
With witnesses and physical evidence, the evidence is irrefutable!
Without the slightest hesitation, Shui Xian took all the evidence and witnesses and went to the Qianqing Palace to request an audience with Emperor Zhaoheng.
When Emperor Zhaoheng listened to Shui Xian's calm account, saw the packet of medicine powder that was clearly harmful, and heard Zhang Shi and the little eunuch's trembling confessions, his face, which had been slightly tired from his duties, instantly turned so gloomy it could drip water!
Especially when he heard that this vicious plan was aimed at his twins, who were still in swaddling clothes and whom he cherished like treasures, an uncontrollable rage broke through the complex emotions he had felt towards Narcissus over the past few days and erupted from his chest!
"Summon Consort Wan!"
He slammed his hand on the desk, the sound like thunder, making all the palace servants in the hall tremble.
Consort Wan was hastily summoned to the Qianqing Palace. At first, she tried to remain calm and make excuses.
But when she saw the ashen-faced eunuch kneeling on the ground, the resolute wet nurse Zhang, and the familiar packet of powder in Shui Xian's hand, all the color drained from her face instantly, and she knew she was completely finished.
Consort Wan's pupils dilated violently, eventually turning into despair and anger at the exposure of her scheme.
"Yes! I did it! So what?!"
Consort Wan suddenly raised her head, her originally beautiful face twisted with resentment. She pointed at the narcissus, her voice grating.
"Your Majesty! You only have eyes for her! Only for her and her child!"
"I was born into a noble family and have a high status. I should be your Empress! I have been with you for so many years, have you ever even looked at me properly?! This wretched servant! What kind of bewitching potion has she given you?! She doesn't love you at all! All she cares about is her child and that Empress's throne!"
Emperor Zhaoheng looked at her seemingly insane appearance, his eyes filled with nothing but cold disgust.
He coldly rebuked, "You wicked woman! Even on the verge of death, you still dare to falsely accuse the Empress! You show no remorse!"
"Repent? What do I have to repent for?!"
Consort Wan burst into hysterical laughter, her face smeared with tears and makeup.
"I hate it! I hate her pretense! Xiao Yiheng! Wake up!"
"Narcissus doesn't love you! She never loved you! You'll never have her heart! Never—"
"Shut up!"
In a fit of rage, Emperor Zhaoheng grabbed the teacup beside him and smashed it on the ground, shards flying everywhere!
"Feng Shunxiang!"
"Consort Wan is wicked and malicious, plotting to harm the imperial heir and falsely accusing the Empress. Her crimes are unforgivable! Effective immediately, she is deposed and banished to the Cold Palace!"
Emperor Zhaoheng's voice was icy, it was unclear whether it was because Consort Wan had plotted to harm the imperial heir, or because Consort Wan's words had just angered him.
Even banishing him to the cold palace couldn't quell his anger. He said in a deep voice, "Give me a white silk noose!"
"No! Your Majesty! Your Majesty—!"
Consort Wan struggled to rush forward, but was held down firmly by the fierce guards and dragged out of the palace.
Emperor Zhaoheng ordered that white silk be bestowed, but it was absolutely impossible to handle it here, lest it offend the eyes of the Emperor and Empress.
Outside the palace, her cries still echoed clearly, like a leech clinging to the bone, burrowing into Emperor Zhaoheng's ears.
"Xiao Yiheng! You just wait! You'll regret this! Shui Xian doesn't love you! You'll regret it!!!"
It is unclear who covered Consort Wan's mouth, but her voice eventually disappeared outside the Qianqing Palace.
Inside the hall, silence reignited.
The thunderous rage just now seemed to have drained Emperor Zhaoheng of his strength. He stood there, his chest rising and falling slightly.
Narcissus stepped forward and softly called out, "Your Majesty..."
Emperor Zhaoheng waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to say anything more.
His gaze wasn't on her, but rather coldly fixed on the direction outside the palace gate where Consort Wan had been dragged away.
Seeing that his expression was not right, Shui Xian considerately did not speak again, but quietly bowed and left the Qianqing Palace with the witnesses and evidence.
She knew that Emperor Zhaoheng needed to be alone at this moment.
As the palace doors gently closed, shutting out all outside noise, Emperor Zhaoheng seemed to finally shed all his support and slowly, even somewhat unsteadily, sat back down on the cold dragon throne.
The hall was empty, with flickering candlelight casting his lonely figure onto the polished gold brick floor.
Wanfei's hateful scream and Liu Simin's dying whisper were like two intertwined curses, repeatedly roaring and colliding in his mind!
"No love...?"
He leaned back on the wide back of the dragon throne, closed his eyes, and unconsciously tapped his temples with his fingertips.
Memories of my time with Narcissus flashed uncontrollably through my mind.
Her shyness and obedience when she first received the emperor's favor, her tenderness and anticipation during her pregnancy, her composure when managing the harem, her silent companionship and comfort when he was weary...
She always seemed so perfect, so just right.
She met all the criteria of a virtuous queen, and even exceeded expectations.
But……
Has she ever truly lost her composure because of his favoritism towards other women?
Like Consort Li, openly vying for favor?
No.
Not even once.
She was always so calm and composed.
Her eyes were crystal clear, yet they seemed to be veiled by an invisible layer of gauze, preventing him from truly touching the core of her deepest emotions.
She called him "Your Majesty" with respect and dependence, but rarely, when she was moved by emotions, she would blurt out his name "Yiheng" like an ordinary couple.
Could it be... that what Consort Wan and Liu Simin said was actually true?
Her feelings for him were truly only dependence on imperial power and a desire to uphold the dignity of an empress.
And it has nothing to do with... Xiao Yiheng himself?
Once this thought became clear, it coiled tightly around his heart like a venomous snake, bringing sharp pains and unprecedented panic.
He, the emperor who dominated the court and held the power of life and death over the entire nation, actually felt a deep sense of powerlessness and loss of control when it came to whether a woman loved him...
Inside the empty Qianqing Palace, the candlelight cast long, lonely shadows of the emperor.
He sat alone on the dragon throne, a symbol of supreme power, his brows furrowed, his eyes as deep as the sea at night.
At this moment, politics and power seemed to become distant.
The image of narcissus occupied his entire mind...
......
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