Chapter 745 West Palace
Xie Shang said, "Xie Yang has lived in the West Palace with Consort Chang since he was a child. It was a lonely and cold place, but it was also quiet and free from strife. Although he did not have a father's love since he was a child, he had his mother's company. He was at least happier than me."
When Xie Yang was a child, he was the kindest of all the princes. When my eighth brother recounted what he had seen, I couldn't believe he was talking about Xie Yang. If it had been Xie Yu, I would definitely have believed him.
"How come the Emperor isn't as happy as him? Your mother is the Empress, the head of the harem. Who would dare to bully you?" Jiang Fenghua reminded him, "Now the Emperor should go to the West Palace to investigate Consort Chang. There must be a reason why the Fourth Prince turned out that way!"
Xie Shang said, "I know that the concubines in the palace are fierce in their competition for the emperor's favor, but Consort Chang moved to the West Palace a long time ago. Even the Empress Dowager said that Consort Chang is aloof. As for competing for the emperor's favor, Su Qingqing's methods are quite formidable. But later I understood why Father Emperor doted on Su Qingqing so much. It was because of the Su family that Su Qingqing had the right to compete for the emperor's favor."
Jiang Fenghua sighed, "I really don't know if the Jiang family is lucky enough to become the Emperor's right-hand men." She wanted to say they were pawns, but that sounded too harsh; Xie Shang and the Jiang family were definitely entangled in interests.
Jiang Fenghua forgot that the reason the Jiang family became Xie Shang's pawns was because she herself pushed them to power, and that she willingly allowed herself to be used as a pawn by Xie Shang. How many ministers in the court hoped to be as lucky as the Jiang family and be used by the emperor, so that they could be given important positions, their families would prosper, and even the concubines who married into the palace would receive the emperor's favor? It was a cycle.
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After leaving the Imperial Study, Xie Yang did not leave the palace, but went to the West Palace to pay his respects to his mother, Consort Chang.
Consort Chang held a string of sandalwood prayer beads in her hand and said calmly, "What did he say to you?"
Xie Yang knelt on the ground, his eyes full of doubt. He had been thinking about Xie Shang's words the whole way here. It was true that only he had spoken to him when they were young. He said, "He said he always remembered how good his mother was to him, remembered the bond between his son and his brothers, and remembered when they were young..."
A fierce glint flashed in Consort Chang's eyes as she coldly said, "What feelings? What feelings do you have for him? The palace is the last place where feelings are allowed. Have you forgotten how his mother treated us?"
Xie Yang said, "Empress Dowager Cheng is Empress Dowager Cheng, and he is himself. When he was young, Father Emperor didn't like him either and treated him badly. Mother Consort, we..."
Consort Chang stood up and slapped Xie Yang across the face, saying coldly, "If your mother hadn't taken you to the West Palace to raise you, do you think you could have grown up? His mother wanted to harm your mother and prevent you from growing up. Have you forgotten how she tormented you?"
"I helped my mother kill her." Xie Yang was used to being beaten, so he could understand the suffering his mother endured in the West Palace, the cold-bloodedness of the palace, and his father's heartlessness. He also saw Xie Shang secretly crying because of his father's reprimand.
"Letting her die so easily is too good for her." Consort Chang gritted her teeth in hatred: "Making them suffer for the rest of their lives is the best thing for Mother Consort."
After the late emperor passed away, Xie Yang wanted to invite Consort Chang out of the palace to live with him, but Consort Chang refused.
Over the years, Consort Chang had been drugging Cheng Langjin, making her increasingly irritable. However, she would test the drugs first before administering them, so her temper became increasingly uncontrollable. She wanted to make those who harmed her and her son pay the price.
Xie Yang did not refute, "Zhang Yurou has been imprisoned by the Emperor."
"She's a slut, a promiscuous woman. If Xie Shang wants to execute her, let her die." Consort Chang started with a barrage of insults. "She's no better. How much blood is on her hands? How many of your children have she killed? Such a vicious woman should have died long ago."
Xie Yang also loathed Zhang Yurou.
He wouldn't have killed Shu Xue otherwise; it was just that Shu Xue was unlucky enough to witness him meeting with Shu Lang and overhear their conversation. For safety's sake, Shu Xue had no choice but to eliminate him.
However, killing Shu Xue also brought him considerable trouble. It was Shu Lang's idea to frame Jin Ji. He had just investigated the Jiang family, and when Jin Ji was taken away by the Prefect of Jingzhao, he knew that things had become complicated. They did not bring Jin Ji to justice immediately and missed the opportunity to kill him.
In the end, Zhang Yurou had to take the blame. Anyway, they colluded to deal with Jiang Jinyan, causing a huge uproar in the city.
Zhang Yurou's underhanded actions couldn't be kept secret. Jiang Fenghua was so clever that she would find out about Zhang Yurou sooner or later. The two originally had no grudges against each other, but she harbored resentment towards Jiang Fenghua simply because Jiang Fenghua was the woman Xie Shang liked.
If the news spreads that Xie Ruoyi is Zhang Yurou and Xie Shang's child, it would explain Shu Xue's death. Zhang Yurou could only do as he said in order to have a chance to live. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, Xie Ruoyi was already the Emperor and Zhang Yurou's illegitimate daughter, as well as Xie Shang's eldest daughter.
Just then, the trusted nanny who served Consort Chang announced loudly from the courtyard: "The Emperor has arrived! The Empress has arrived!"
Consort Chang and Xie Yang exchanged a glance, and they acted quickly as well.
At this moment, Xie Shang and Jiang Fenghua walked in.
Consort Chang hurriedly said, "Why have the Empress and the Emperor come to the West Palace? I would like to pay my respects to His Majesty."
Xie Shang quickly helped Consort Chang up. "Your Highness, please rise. I haven't visited you in a long time. The Empress had said she would come to visit you, and today I had some free time, so I brought the Empress along."
Jiang Fenghua stared at Consort Chang and smiled, "Fenghua greets Your Highness. I have heard His Majesty mention Consort Chang, but I have also heard that Your Highness prefers quiet and does not like to be disturbed, so I have come now."
Consort Chang said, "Your Majesty the Empress is busy. I am just an old woman and have nothing to offer. I have lived here all my life and am used to it. Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please have a seat."
Jiang Fenghua smiled and said, "I've long heard that Consort Chang's cooking skills are excellent. Your Majesty and I have come to the right place today."
They clearly received news that Xie Yang had come to the West Palace to see Consort Chang, so why wasn't he inside?
Xie Shang was also puzzled, since Xie Yang had clearly come to the West Palace.
He asked, "Isn't Fourth Brother here?"
Consort Chang said with a forced smile, "He came and left, saying he was going to pick up Yi'er to take her back to the manor. Didn't the Emperor and Empress see him when they came over?"
Consort Chang is lying through her teeth. Just a moment ago, Xie Yang was supposed to show himself, but the five-finger mark on his face hadn't faded yet, so he hid.
"No," Xie Shang said directly, "Consort Chang is lying."
Consort Chang was taken aback, then placed some pastries in front of them. "These are plum blossom cakes I made myself. Your Majesty and Empress, please try some."
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