Chapter 66 Empress Cheng was speechless
Empress Cheng went straight into Chengqian Palace and said in a deep voice, "I need to speak with His Majesty alone. Chief Eunuch Cao, please excuse me!"
Chief Steward Cao was in a dilemma when the emperor suddenly said, "I'm hungry. Go and get me some food."
Chief Steward Cao repeatedly agreed.
The Empress walked up to the Emperor and knelt down without saying a word. "I did not design the incident in Su Qingqing's palace. I would never stoop to such despicable means to harm a woman's innocence. I have suffered greatly from such things and know what it feels like to be framed for adultery. I have lived a life worse than death for years."
The emperor's cold gaze pierced her. "Are you saying that I have mistreated you all these years? You have obtained the position that all women in the world desire, so what more could you possibly want?"
"Your Majesty, I dare not blame you for mistreatment. I am already the Empress, how could I be dissatisfied? Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, the backbone of all the people. Your Majesty is busy with state affairs and is concerned about the country and its people."
"As the Empress, I should have the demeanor of one. Even though Su Qingqing has provoked me time and again, I always remember my status and must not be disrespectful." Empress Cheng spoke almost defiantly, each word striking the Emperor's heart with clarity.
"You still know you can't be disrespectful!" the emperor roared. "The empress is the one who started this trouble, and everyone in the harem knows it. Is this how you manage the harem? Look at yourself today, where is there even a trace of the empress's demeanor?" He directly suspected that the empress was the mastermind behind it all.
“Your Majesty, it is Su Qingqing’s own moral failings. Even if someone came to her palace, stripped naked, and tried to take liberties with her, there were so many people in Luanfeng Palace. Didn’t she know to cry for help? Couldn’t she have resisted?”
Empress Cheng retorted sharply, refusing to back down, "The Imperial Guards are already at the palace gates, and she's still protecting that person. Did they hold a knife to her throat and threaten her? If she's a virtuous and chaste woman, she should end her own life."
What is the truth behind this matter? Why didn't His Majesty ask the servants of Luanfeng Palace for clarification instead of rushing to kill them all?
"The palace is in a state of panic, with much discussion. What is the truth of this matter? Who is the real culprit? Does Su Qingqing really bear no responsibility at all? She has been the sole favorite in the harem for many years, and she is still not satisfied..."
"So the Empress is now retaliating against her," the Emperor asked coldly.
The Empress burst into tears, "I didn't. I, Cheng Langjin, would never resort to such low-class methods as Su Qingqing."
The emperor felt a splitting headache and sneered, "Back then, didn't the empress also want to find some random man to conceive her child..."
The emperor's words made the empress blush and leave her speechless. Her heart turned cold. "Your Majesty, Shang'er is indeed Your Majesty's child. I am innocent and have only ever had one man in my life. Whether Your Majesty believes me or not, I have never done anything to betray Your Majesty."
Back then, she also couldn't conceive. She listened to a bad suggestion from a palace maid and thought about using her cousin to get pregnant to consolidate her position, but in the end, she didn't do it.
Having been married for many years without conceiving, she feared it was due to her own inability to have a child. So she found a palace maid to conceive a child through surrogacy. She only wanted the maid to secretly climb into the emperor's bed and get pregnant. However, the maid developed inappropriate thoughts after becoming pregnant, and in the end, the child did not survive, resulting in the deaths of both mother and child.
Cheng Langjin was unaware that she was pregnant and had also lost the emperor's favor.
The emperor still holds a grudge, and it's all her fault. Empress Cheng only feels sorry for her son, as she caused him to be suspected and disliked by the emperor. She shouldn't have such filthy thoughts.
Emperor Cheng deeply regretted his actions...
-
In the quiet, rainy night, Xie Shang braved the rain, his heart heavy. Rain streamed down his face, and his eyes were sharp and deep, like a leopard roaring in the night, as if he wanted to devour people, making people afraid to approach him.
They didn't stay in the palace tonight, but went out in the rain. Jiang Fenghua and Su Tingwan sat steadily in the carriage, ignoring Su Tingwan's calls for Xie Shang to get in.
Because of what happened tonight, Su Tingwan was uneasy and dared not provoke Xie Shang. She was afraid after seeing her aunt's fate, and she didn't know why Xie Shang was acting this way all of a sudden.
After leaving the palace, Xie Shang instructed the coachman to take the two of them back to their residence. However, Jiang Fenghua insisted that the coachman follow him. Since they couldn't get a carriage, they silently followed along.
The Emperor suspects the Empress of tonight's events, and thus takes his anger out on Xie Shang. Jiang Fenghua guesses that Xie Shang may be frustrated because he doesn't have the Emperor's trust.
She never expected that Xie Shang, a grown man, would be so upset because he couldn't gain his father's trust; he had always longed for the emperor's approval.
Yes, Xie Shang was very sad at this moment; she could tell.
Seeing that the heavy rain continued, Jiang Fenghua feared that if Xie Shang continued to get soaked like this, something terrible might happen.
Although she knew Xie Shang wouldn't die because of this, she hadn't finished what she needed to do, and she didn't want a husband who would become sickly in the future.
Suddenly, Jiang Fenghua stopped the carriage, grabbed her umbrella, and jumped down.
Su Tingwan was stunned by Jiang Fenghua's swift and agile movements. She remembered that Jiang Fenghua was always weak and unable to take care of herself when she got out of the car.
Was she pretending to be weak all along?
Su Tingwan was furious. This liar, this scheming woman, yet A Shang was completely captivated by her looks.
What happened next was unexpected, unbelievable, and even infuriating for Su Tingwan.
The rain was so heavy that Jiang Fenghua completely disregarded the fact that her shoes and dress were mostly soaked. She grabbed an umbrella and ran to Xie Shang's side, saying, "Your Highness."
Xie Shang glanced at her. "Didn't I tell you to go back to your residence?"
She suddenly said, "I'll dance for the prince!"
She wasn't there to lecture him or offer advice; she was there to keep him company.
Xie Shang was stunned. Before he could react, he saw Jiang Fenghua holding an umbrella and dancing gracefully in the rain. She smiled and looked like a happy elf.
He only felt that the woman under the umbrella had a soft body and graceful posture, and every movement was full of poetry.
She hummed a song, lost in the moment, lingering around Xie Shang. She didn't care about the sound of the rain, treating it only as beautiful notes, letting people feel her vibrant energy and the beauty of her dance.
Xie Shang stared intently at her. Suddenly, she dropped the umbrella in her hand, letting the rain pelt her. Almost instantly, she was soaked through. She took Xie Shang's hand and began to spin around, as if searching for a dance partner, leading him to follow her steps and dancing with abandon.
Xie Shang roared and pulled her in front of him, "Jiang Fenghua, what are you doing?"
She nestled in his arms, blinking her eyes, "Let's play!"
"Can we even play here?" Xie Shang asked, exasperated.
"Aren't we here to have fun? Why can't we dance? Why can't we play? As long as I want, anytime, anywhere can become my stage. I only want to be carefree and happy, and I only want Your Highness to be joyful and happy."
She was just there to make him happy, and he suddenly felt a warm glow inside.
Jiang Fenghua spun around and broke free from his embrace; strands of her hair brushed against his cheek, causing a slight sting.
He was always calm and composed, and never did anything rude or extreme. He thought that getting soaked in the rain would make him feel much better, but he ended up getting deeper and deeper into trouble.
Jiang Fenghua appeared before him like a ray of light, and she inexplicably decided to dance for him.
She once said that she used dancing to pass the time when she was bored, and even to forget all her troubles. When she got tired of dancing, she would just take a nap.
He never imagined that the gentle and dignified Jiang Fenghua would do something so crazy in the rain on the street.
Xie Shang suddenly took her hand and danced with her until she was breathless. She smiled radiantly and fell into his arms.
Xie Shang suddenly felt relieved and knew that Jiang Fenghua was trying her best to make him happy. Although her method was extreme and undesirable, it was surprisingly effective. He picked her up and carried her toward the carriage.
He glanced at Su Tingwan with icy eyes, and Su Tingwan, feeling guilty, immediately backed away.
Xie Shang easily boarded the carriage and ordered in a deep voice, "Return to the manor."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com