Chapter 527 Consort Han has disappeared
Despite his splitting headache after waking up, Xie Shang went straight to the morning court session. In court, he had long forgotten about what happened last night and didn't think it was that important.
Good news came from the border again: Jiang Zhiqin had taken the territory of the Hu people as his base and used the advantageous terrain to wage war against other ethnic groups in the north. He was determined to bring the entire north into the territory of the Great Zhou.
After reviewing the intelligence sent from the border, Xie Shang instructed his officials to ensure adequate supplies and to fully support Jiang Zhiqin in recovering the northern frontier.
The ethnic groups in northern China are in disarray, and there are wars every year.
The emperor had not yet finished his court session, and Granny Wang waited anxiously outside until noon when she finally saw ministers slowly emerging from the Golden Palace.
Just as Xie Shang returned to the Imperial Study, the palace maids and nannies who served Bai Yuhan rushed to the Emperor and reported, "Your Majesty, Consort Han has gone missing."
Xie Shang had been dealing with state affairs all morning, and his head was throbbing from a hangover from the previous night, so he was in low spirits. He said indifferently, "Where could she go?"
“We don’t know either. We didn’t see her when we got up this morning. We thought Her Highness was still sleeping, so we didn’t disturb her. But Her Highness didn’t get up, and that’s when we realized something was wrong. Later, we searched the whole palace but couldn’t find Consort Han. Her Highness suddenly disappeared.”
Xie Shang thought to himself: Bai Yuhan has always wanted to leave the palace, but it is impossible for Bai Yuhan to leave alone in the heavily guarded palace.
He said, "Have she gone somewhere else? Let's go look for her again."
“This servant has searched everywhere, but we couldn’t find it. The dress that Consort Han wore when she entered the palace is also gone, as is her luggage. However, the clothes she wore in the palace are neatly laid out on the bed, which clearly means she left on her own.”
Xie Shang was also puzzled. He was exhausted from the morning court session and had no time to care about Bai Yuhan. He said coldly, "With so many of you, you can't keep an eye on one person? Do you think the palace is a place she can come and go as she pleases?"
The old woman knelt on the ground and explained, "Last night Her Majesty went to bed very early, and for some reason, all the palace maids and eunuchs in the palace also went to bed early. This morning, we were all fast asleep, and when we woke up it was already broad daylight. We never dare to slack off in serving Her Majesty. I suspect that we have all been drugged. Your Majesty, please forgive us..."
Xie Shang suppressed his anger. The Bai family had long since left the palace, and Bai Yuhan didn't have any maids with her. It was impossible for her to leave the palace alone so easily. Who helped her?
If she leaves the palace, she will definitely return to the Bai family. Sending someone to the Bai family to investigate will clarify the matter.
There's no point in keeping Bai Yuhan in the palace. Jiang Fenghua doesn't care who he likes or who he favors. Xie Shang said indifferently, "Issue my decree: Consort Han has suddenly fallen seriously ill and died."
He then said to Granny Li, "Report this to the Empress, and she will know how to handle it."
The old woman continued, "I sent someone to Chenxi Palace to inform Her Majesty the Empress, but the palace was also closed. They said Her Majesty the Empress was ill, so I came to find His Majesty in my anxiety."
Granny Wang instructed the eunuchs guarding the gate of Chenxi Palace to tell anyone who came to see the Empress that she was ill and needed to recuperate.
At this moment, Granny Wang also arrived, saying, "This servant greets Your Majesty."
"Why is Granny Wang here?" Xie Shang asked in a deep voice.
She looked at Granny Li, wondering why Granny Li was here.
Ao Xue was unaware that Lin Yu had taken Bai Yuhan out of the palace with her, so neither was Granny Wang.
Granny Wang quickly said, "This servant has something to report to His Majesty privately."
Seeing her acting mysteriously, Xie Shang assumed she had come for Jiang Fenghua again. Jiang Fenghua would never feign illness, but the people around her were adept at scheming for her.
After Granny Li left, Granny Wang asked Wuxin to guard the door outside, as this matter was of great importance and had to be addressed.
Granny Wang knelt before the Emperor, "This servant has something to report..."
Xie Shang said coldly, "There's no need to talk about the Empress's affairs. I don't want to hear about them. And there's no need for Granny Wang to scheme for her. If she's sick, just ask the imperial physician to treat her. I can't cure illnesses."
Xie Shang's mind was filled with conspiracy theories that Jiang Fenghua had schemed against him. Even if she didn't scheme, the people around her were scheming for her. It was as if they had been deceived by Jiang Fenghua and were now traumatized. Their relationship was no longer as pure as it had been at the beginning.
Granny Wang was stunned. She looked at the cold and ruthless emperor and was also conflicted. Did the emperor really not care about the empress?
Xie Shang sat on the soft chair, pinching his brow to relieve his headache.
Granny Wang changed the subject, "Your Majesty dreamed of your past life with the Emperor, which means that the Emperor and Your Majesty are destined to be together. A person's life is at most a hundred years, and after a hundred years, everyone returns to dust. However, Your Majesty and the Emperor have been husband and wife for two lifetimes. This kind of destiny, which is blessed by the heavens, is something that others cannot ask for."
Xie Shang stared coldly at Granny Wang, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Granny Wang boldly said, "People only realize their regret when they are already in the dark. If they only learn to cherish something after they have lost it, will His Majesty regret his cold words to the Empress today?"
After saying that, Granny Wang said nothing more, "This servant will take her leave."
Once Granny Wang left, Xie Shang remembered her words: Jiang Fenghua didn't know how to cherish him, so why was Granny Wang blaming him? What was there for him to regret? It was truly inexplicable.
Last night, Jiang Fenghua left him behind and went back to Chenxi Palace alone. Why did he still go to coax her? What would have happened if he hadn't?
I want to see how Jiang Fenghua will put on her acting skills when she comes to me for help.
As expected, Xie Shang was so tough that he didn't enter Chenxi Palace for half a month. Chenxi Palace only told the outside world that the Empress was ill and that the concubines were temporarily not allowed to pay their respects to the Empress.
Gao Qingtong and Song Qing were refused when they tried to visit her. All matters, big and small, in the palace were still handled by Chenxi Palace. As ladies-in-waiting to the Empress, Lianye and Hongxiu handled everything perfectly, with Granny Wang also overseeing things.
The emperor paid no attention and no one in the entire harem realized that the empress had been missing for half a month.
Over the past two weeks, the border battles have become increasingly intense, and Xie Shang has been busy handling state affairs. With news of battles arriving every day, he has no time to attend to anything else.
That day, Xie Shang was reviewing memorials in the imperial study when Cheng Feng arrived before the emperor and said, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty."
Xie Shang said, "No need for formalities."
Cheng Feng thanked the emperor and then said, "The Empress Dowager's forty-eighth birthday is in a month. I have come to ask Your Majesty how to arrange the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet."
The news that the Empress Dowager was "confined" to Cining Palace by the Emperor was not spread outside, and no one dared to say a word about what she did. Anyone who dared to spread rumors would only face death. In any case, the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet still had to be held as usual to be in accordance with the rules.
Xie Shang said, "These matters can be handled by the Empress."
Cheng Feng said, "Your Majesty, I have consulted with the Empress. I heard that Your Highness has been ill for half a month and has not left Chenxi Palace."
"The Empress's ceremonial robes are ready. We are just waiting for His Majesty to issue an edict to decide the date of the Empress's investiture ceremony so that the Imperial Household Department can begin preparations."
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