Chapter 178 The Emperor's Great Change 02
Xizhu was no longer a child, and she discovered the sparrow. Although she was young at the time, she knew that her mother, the Empress, had raised a bird with a spiritual connection to the world.
But after one ancestral worship ceremony, the parrot was gone, and she felt sorry for it for a long time.
Now that she saw a lively little bird, she had some guesses in her mind.
However, since my mother-in-law doesn't want me to know, I'll just pretend I don't know.
"Yes, daughter takes her leave."
After Xizhu left, the Imperial Concubine dismissed all the servants in the palace.
Once no one was around, she waved to the sparrows circling overhead.
As if understanding her gesture, the sparrow slowly landed and then spat out a rolled-up piece of paper from its little beak.
She picked it up and opened it.
After reading the contents, the imperial concubine's face immediately turned pale.
"No, that shouldn't be the case." She administered the poison through her own body, which is harmful not only to men but also to women. Even if she is investigated, she is not afraid.
If it were discovered that she had also been poisoned, she didn't believe the Emperor would suspect her.
But now the Empress says that there is a master in the imperial tomb who may have seen through her scheme.
She didn't care about her own life, but her family and Xizhu were things she couldn't give up.
It seems she needs to be prepared.
Before she could burn the letter, a sparrow darted away and snatched the paper from the imperial concubine's hand. The paper turned to ash right in front of the concubine, and then a gust of wind blew it away, dissipating the ashes into the air.
Just now, when the Imperial Concubine called out to Xiao Feng, the sparrow died right in front of her.
Yes, he stopped breathing.
Knowing how much the Empress valued Xiao Feng, the Consort immediately stepped forward to check on her and called out to her.
Unfortunately, there was no reaction except for a dead bird.
In the end, the imperial concubine had no choice but to burn the bird's carcass to prevent others from seeing it.
However, the Empress's reminder still made her take it to heart.
Now that the Emperor knows about the poisoning, she should make some preparations.
After disposing of the bird carcass, the Imperial Concubine had someone come in to clean up, and then gave instructions to her trusted confidants.
Kangxi arrived too late. Things that shouldn't have existed had already been cleaned up. The Yongshou Palace wasn't exactly clean now, but the things he wanted to investigate certainly wouldn't involve the Consort.
"Is what you're saying true?" Kangxi had initially thought that the Consort had poisoned him, but he never expected that the Consort had also been poisoned.
"Is it possible that the Imperial Concubine did this on purpose?" He still didn't believe that the Imperial Concubine was involved.
The imperial physician shook his head, sweating profusely, and said, "Your Majesty, this poison is harmful not only to men but also to women. If the Imperial Concubine really wanted to poison Your Majesty, she shouldn't have poisoned herself."
But he still spoke frankly based on the pulse diagnosis he had obtained.
Kangxi fell silent. He was puzzled by this. He and the Consort didn't hate each other to this extent. The Consort shouldn't have treated him like this.
"You mean someone poisoned me and the Imperial Concubine? If that's the case, who could it be?"
He hated himself. Although he couldn't guess who it might be, hating the Imperial Concubine and having a grudge against her made the investigation much easier.
"Your Majesty, I believe this is the proper way," the imperial physician replied, bowing.
Seeing that the imperial physician had said so, Kangxi waved his hand to dismiss him.
When he was in the imperial tomb, his ancestor told him that this poison would only shorten his lifespan, and that the matter of his offspring was related to the assassination attempt years ago, coupled with the damage caused by internal force, which led to the severing of his lineage.
Therefore, the matter of the imperial concubine poisoning the woman needs further investigation.
But this time, during his secret investigation, he discovered that the Imperial Concubine had also been poisoned, and it was the most insidious poison known as the Longevity Poison. Therefore, the Imperial Concubine was probably not the real culprit.
So, who could it be?
Unable to understand, Emperor Kangxi summoned Liang Jiugong and ordered his secret guards to investigate.
Even the secret guards are not omnipotent; Fanghua knew as soon as the secret guards made a move.
They immediately followed the Consort's instructions and shifted the clues to the Empress Dowager.
Since the Empress Dowager is dead, there is no way to verify the truth, and it will never be revealed to the world.
Yes, the secret guards followed the clues revealed by Fanghua and found the Empress Dowager. Kangxi did not believe it at first, but had the secret guards verify it again and again, and finally had to believe the fact.
But he couldn't understand why the Empress Dowager was doing this.
Logically speaking, she had no reason to harm herself.
This matter can only remain unresolved, but he will not go to the Imperial Concubine's residence again, nor does he intend to have anyone cure her poison.
After learning of the Emperor's plan, Fanghua uttered a cold-hearted remark and then instructed Qiaoling to deal with their men.
"Your Majesty, should we inform the Imperial Concubine about this?" Qiaoling hadn't expected the Emperor to do this.
The Imperial Concubine had been with him for many years; how could the Emperor be so heartless?
"No need. If she makes any unusual moves, then we're doomed. I believe that even if the Imperial Concubine knew, she wouldn't cure the poison, since she was also a victim."
She was well aware of the Imperial Concubine's plans; one has to admit she was intelligent.
Seeing that the Empress had spoken in this way, Qiaoling naturally wouldn't be a gossip, so she quietly withdrew.
On the surface, the palace appears calm and peaceful, but in reality, the emperor has gone mad with killing.
Not only did they eliminate the Empress Dowager's henchmen, but they also severed the connections between many concubines and the outside world.
Everyone saw these actions. Although they didn't know what had happened, none of them dared to make any changes, for fear of being implicated.
They had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill.
Fanghua originally thought that the matter had come to an end, but to her surprise, the emperor actually set his sights on the prince.
Now that his health has improved and the princes have grown up, he wants to raise poisonous insects.
But he didn't consider whether the mothers of those princes would agree.
Okay, anyone would be willing to compete for it if given the chance, but Fanghua wasn't.
Chenghu injured his leg and was ineligible for the throne. The emperor also did not want to give the crown prince much support, so Chenghu was definitely unable to enter the court.
Chengdao's health had already been ruined by Fanghua, and given all that had happened before, Kangxi couldn't possibly help him up. Using him to counterbalance the Crown Prince was a joke.
Therefore, the Emperor has now set his sights on the Third Prince, Cheng Ti, the eldest son of Consort Rong.
Cheng Ti, who is fifteen years old this year, is indeed qualified to enter the court. Unfortunately, he is not yet married, and with the Empress Dowager recently deceased, he will have to wait at least three years before he can enter the court.
The emperor would not set a precedent by allowing unmarried princes to enter the court.
After all, this would threaten his imperial power.
Now all the emperor has to do is wait, and in the meantime, it would be best if more newborn offspring were born.
No matter which path she chooses, Fanghua will not grant his wish, nor will she allow anyone to stand in her son's way.
The Emperor was scheming, and Fanghua was plotting. The Emperor and Empress suddenly became rivals. It must be said, the two fought back and forth, making for quite a drama. Unfortunately, very few people could see through it all.
"Your Majesty, shall we go to Chengqian Palace tonight?" Wei Zhong had served the Emperor for many years and knew him very well.
Consort Tong had just sent over the pastries during the day, and since he had accepted the bribe, he naturally had to mention it.
Kangxi's hands didn't stop moving, and his mouth didn't stop either, saying, "Hmm, have Lady Wuya prepare to serve you in bed."
Although he doted on his cousin, he had a more pressing task at hand: to have more children. His cousin was no longer able to have children, and she also wanted one, so he didn't care whether it was someone else's scheme or something else.
His entry into Chengqian Palace was a gesture of respect to his cousin.
"Yes, this servant will send someone to inform them immediately." Wei Zhong was sweating profusely. The Emperor was not playing by the rules. If Consort Tong knew that the Emperor was going to ask Lady Wuya to serve him in bed, who knows how angry she would be.
Over the years, he has come to realize that Consort Tong is not a person with a good temper.
"Hmm, inform Consort Tong that I will go and dine with her in a while." Just as Wei Zhong was leaving, Kangxi spoke again.
Upon hearing this, Wei Zhong felt that he hadn't gotten any benefits for nothing.
"Yes, this servant has noted it down."
In Chengqian Palace, Consort Tong was overjoyed to hear that the Emperor was coming to dine in her palace and rewarded Wei Zhong handsomely.
Wei Zhong was also a shrewd man. After accepting the reward, he said, "Thank you, Your Highness. While you are making preparations, this servant will go to the back palace to inform Consort Wuya that the Emperor has ordered her to serve him in bed today."
After saying that, he left immediately, ignoring the imperial concubine's expression.
Once the person was out of sight, the imperial concubine smashed all the tea sets on the table.
"You wretch, you wretch!" Consort Tong was furious.
Although many years have passed, her hatred for Wuya has not diminished in the slightest.
If she hadn't accidentally let that slut climb into her bed, how could Chengqian Palace have allowed such a lowly person like her to exist?
How could she possibly share the love and affection she receives with someone else?
Even if I can't have children anymore, I won't let some slut benefit from it.
"Your Majesty, please don't get upset. Uya is just a tool for you to have children. When she gives birth, we have plenty of ways to deal with her."
Granny Tong was very worried about her mistress, so she stepped forward to pat her back and gently comforted her.
"Hmph, if it weren't for my interest in her unborn child, I wouldn't have kept her around until now. It's a pity she's a useless thing; after all this time, she hasn't given me a single child."
After her anger subsided, Consort Tong took Tong Mama's words to heart.
If Uya still can't conceive this year, she'll consider finding someone else, so that the bitch won't be an eyesore.
"Useless thing, I shouldn't have been soft-hearted in the first place."
Seeing that the Empress's anger had subsided somewhat, Granny Tong said with a pained expression, "Let's wait a little longer. The Empress Dowager has just passed away, and it's not wise to raise the new bride at this time."
Since the Empress Dowager has recently passed away, no child should be born within at least one year, and the rules must not be broken.
Thinking back to those days, wasn't it Consort Hui who ruined the Empress Dowager's recent mourning period, which caused her son, the Second Prince, to fall out of favor for many years?
The Empress wants a prince who can stand on his own two feet, not a burden.
"Hmph, tell that bitch she's unwell and can't serve you tonight." If she can't get the emperor's favor, then that bitch Wuya won't get it either.
Since she can't have children anyway, what's the point of serving him in bed?
Granny Tong wanted to offer some words of advice, but when she met the Empress's gaze, all her words stuck in her throat.
"Yes, this old servant will go and inform them immediately."
Uya was overjoyed to receive the imperial decree from Eunuch Wei and began preparations.
But not long after Eunuch Wei left, the nanny from the Imperial Concubine's side arrived, and she knew that it was probably impossible for her to serve the Emperor tonight.
I never expected that the Imperial Concubine would still look down on her so much.
Not only are they suppressing her rank, but now they're even trying to intercept the Emperor's favor.
Despite her noble status as a concubine, she was truly consumed by jealousy.
She is not worthy of being a concubine.
"Yes, this concubine is not feeling well. I will have someone report to His Majesty in a moment." Lady Wuya was not one to simply swallow her anger.
Listen to what she said; I'm afraid the Emperor doesn't know that the Imperial Concubine is behind this.
Granny Tong was also speechless. "There's no need to trouble Consort Wuya. This old servant will go and inform her personally in a moment."
Before Wuya could speak, Granny Tong finished speaking, curtsied, and withdrew from the side courtyard.
Watching the departing figure of Granny Tong, Uya's eyes turned red with anger. She clenched her teeth so tightly that they bled, but she didn't even notice.
"My lady, what should we do?" A palace maid serving Uya asked with great concern for her mistress.
"What can I do? She is a Noble Consort, and I am just a concubine, without rank or grade. How can I disobey the Noble Consort's orders?" She was also filled with hatred, but what could she do?
I've taken a lot of fertility pills over the years, but my belly just won't budge.
If her family hadn't informed her that she was perfectly healthy, she would have thought she had contracted the virus.
There were quite a few people like Consort Tong, of the Uya clan, who schemed to have offspring.
Before long, the Empress Dowager's death had passed.
Fanghua rarely left the palace due to the recent death of the Empress Dowager, but Chenghu was more active than before, frequently visiting his mother and father.
This made Kangxi feel somewhat guilty towards this son.
The second son ruined the eldest son, and as the emperor, he couldn't just depose one son because of the other; he could only choose the lesser of two evils.
It was a disservice to his eldest son, Chenghu, whom he had previously favored the most.
"Why are you in the palace again? Hasn't your brother been staying at your place every day lately?" Fanghua asked in surprise when she saw Chenghu coming to the palace again after only a couple of days.
"Your Majesty, what are you saying? Can't your son even come to the palace to see you?" As he spoke, he handed over the pastries that were on his lap. "This is a newly opened pastry shop in the south of the city. The pastries there are very delicious. Your Majesty, please try them."
Seeing that her son had come to the palace to bring her pastries, Fanghua was overjoyed. "Alright, then Your Majesty, please have a good taste."
After saying that, he opened the food box, picked up a beautifully decorated pastry, and gently put it into his mouth.
I must say, the taste is indeed excellent, in no way inferior to that made by the imperial chefs in the palace.
"These pastries are quite good, no worse than those made by the imperial chefs, just not as refined," Fanghua commented sincerely after eating them.
Seeing that his mother liked the food, Chenghu was very happy. "Right? I thought it was good when I ate it too, so I sent it to the palace for you, my mother."
"You're so filial, but have you prepared anything for your father, the Emperor?" Although her relationship with the Emperor was not as close as before, she did not want her sons to appear distant from him.
Some superficial formalities still need to be done.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I've already sent someone to deliver a copy."
Seeing that his mother cared about him at all times, Chenghu felt very warm inside.
"I knew you were a sensible person." Fanghua was very satisfied with her son's thoughtfulness. "If only your younger brother were like that too. This kid has been arguing fiercely with your father lately. I really don't know what to say to him. When you have time, please teach him a little more, so that he won't act too impulsively."
Perhaps influenced by his past life, Chengren always harbored a slight hostility towards the Emperor.
The emperor wasn't stupid; how could he not see through his little tricks?
“My younger brother is still young, it’s normal for him to throw tantrums. If he were perfect, Father would be worried.”
Chenghu naturally knew about this, and he understood Chengreng's intentions, which is why he didn't think anything of it.
Sometimes throwing a tantrum isn't necessarily a bad thing.
After all, no one is perfect.
“Chengren is a man of his word, so Your Majesty, you don’t need to worry about him. You’d be better off paying more attention to the inner palace. I’ve heard that someone in the inner palace is pregnant.”
He was curious about this matter, and felt that it shouldn't have been like this.
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