Chapter Sixty
Looking at the secret report in his hand, Qianlong sneered. "Yongzhang, is there any news about that woman?" Qianlong was so engrossed in conspiracy theories that he didn't consider how Consort Ling and her associates could possibly know about his romantic affairs from over a decade ago.
"Your Majesty, I have sent out men several times, but none have found the person. The gatekeepers of the capital have also not seen anyone leave the city. I believe the woman is still in the capital." The most dangerous place is also the safest place; perhaps the woman is hiding somewhere, waiting to see if Xiao Yanzi succeeds?
"Announcing to the world that I have adopted a daughter." The thought of Xiao Yanzi made Qianlong furious, and he wanted to find the person behind it all as quickly as possible.
“Father, I think this is inappropriate. Although it may bring the person behind the scenes out sooner, if we execute Xiao Yanzi afterward, it will chill the hearts of the people, making them think that the royal family cannot tolerate a princess from the common people.”
Emperor Qianlong pondered deeply, considering feasible plans; he no longer wanted to keep danger around him.
"Father, I have an idea, but I don't know if it's feasible."
Tell me about it.
“My son thinks the Fu family and Xiao Yanzi are too close, so why not arrange for Xiao Yanzi to marry into the Fu family? Xiao Yanzi is just a princess without any rank, so marrying into the Fu family would be a great honor for them.” Seeing his father nod, Yongzhang continued, “This way, it will be announced to the world. First, the people will think that the Emperor values princesses from the common people. Second, it will also give the person behind the scenes a chance to go to the Fu family to find Xiao Yanzi, and it will also give the Fu family a little encouragement.”
Qianlong nodded as he listened to Yongzhang's words, sighing inwardly. Yongzhang had been extremely frail since childhood, and the imperial physicians had diagnosed him early on as infertile. If it weren't for this, he would have preferred the third son to the fifth. To compensate the third son, why would he entrust him with the Sticky Rod Office, which the late emperor had valued most? The Sticky Rod Office housed many martial arts heroes.
Assigning a princess with no rank or status to a bondservant is truly an honor for them. Emperor Qianlong closed his eyes in thought when Li Yu trotted in and whispered something in his ear. Qianlong opened his eyes, "Why did she go to the Southern Third Palace again?"
~~
Xiao Yanzi ran to the South Third Palace to find the Fifth Prince, hoping he would take her out of the palace. She didn't quite believe Fu Ertai's words. She didn't believe her mother had only taken the money and hadn't said anything else. Fu Ertai couldn't help Xiao Yanzi leave the palace, so he immediately thought of the Fifth Prince. When she arrived at the South Third Palace, Xiao Yanzi saw Yongqi chatting and laughing with Madam Hu. It was particularly irritating to her. She had been punished and could barely walk, yet Yongqi was chatting and laughing with a woman without even looking at her. "Yongqi, why won't you look at me?"
Startled by Xiao Yanzi's shout, Madam Hu's eyes welled up with tears. Madam Hu remembered that Xiao Yanzi was the one who caused her child's death; why was she here again? What did she want next?
Deep down, men all have a sense of accomplishment from being relied upon by women, and Yongqi was no exception. Looking at Hu Shi's expression, and remembering that she had just lost her child, he felt a surge of resentment towards Xiao Yanzi. He had kindly saved her, but she had instead harmed him. "Princess Huanzhu, is this a place you should be? Who allowed you to come in?"
"Yongqi, how could you yell at me? I trusted you so much, and now I know you're so heartless!" With that, Xiaoyanzi turned and ran away, leaving the Fifth Prince and Madam Hu stunned.
As a woman, Madam Hu sensed that Xiao Yanzi's feelings for the Fifth Prince were unusual, but she quickly dismissed the thought. No way, how could Xiao Yanzi possibly like Yongqi? Yongqi was Xiao Yanzi's brother. But… they were only sworn siblings, not related by blood. Thinking this, Madam Hu decided she absolutely couldn't let Xiao Yanzi into the manor. Pretending to be somewhat spirited, she said, "Fifth Master, you should still go and check on her; Princess Huanzhu still has some injuries."
"You are so kind, I..."
"I'm fine. Princess Huanzhu is a girl. She's injured there, yet she still comes to see Fifth Master. Naturally, it must be something very important." Madam Hu's face showed feigned strength, which made Yongqi feel sorry for her. "Fuertai, go and see what's wrong with Xiaoyanzi. Wu Shulai, you go with her too."
"Is this a good idea?" Mrs. Hu asked cautiously, her heart filled with pride.
"There's nothing wrong with it. You're feeling much better now, so don't catch a chill in the yard." He said, taking Hu's hand as they walked into the house.
Upon hearing Li Yu's report, Qianlong raised an eyebrow. "Where did Little Swallow run off to?"
"Your Majesty, Princess Huanzhu has gone to Yongshou Palace," Li Yu replied cautiously.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianlong immediately stood up and said, "Let's go to Yongshou Palace."
Xiao Yanzi didn't even give the maids time to report before rushing in, shouting loudly, "Empress, I want to go back to the palace. Why isn't this Consort Ling in charge of this matter? Why do I have to come to you to tell you?"
Hearing Xiao Yanzi's words, anyone would be angry. The Empress, of course, wasn't a goddess. Seeing Xiao Yanzi's unseemly posture, lacking even a proper greeting, the Empress, who valued propriety above all else, turned green with anger. What did Consort Ling mean? Did she disregard her, or had she forgotten the Emperor's words? She truly had a short memory.
Little Swallow was startled by the Empress's stern face. The invisible aura of authority made her somewhat timid. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
The Empress's expression remained unchanged. "Little Swallow, I don't care how you live outside the palace." The Empress looked at Little Swallow with sharp eyes. "This is the palace. Who gave you the audacity to cause trouble here?"
"I……"
"Who gave you permission to refer to yourself as 'I'?" The Empress was truly angry, and for every sentence Xiao Yanzi spoke, she retorted with a counter-argument.
Fu'ertai, who was chasing after Xiao Yanzi, didn't dare to rush into Yongshou Palace. He was a little smart; he went to invite Consort Ling, who had been punished by the Emperor to copy palace rules behind closed doors. Wu Shulai cursed himself for being stupid again in his heart. Now he had to go back and talk to the Fifth Prince.
After being cornered by the Empress several times, Xiao Yanzi lost her temper. Coupled with her still-healing injuries, she angrily roared at the Empress, "All you talk about are rules! What about rules? I, Xiao Yanzi, don't follow the rules! What can you do about it?"
The Empress's lips curled into a smile. "I really can't do anything to you." Hearing the Empress's words, Xiao Yanzi revealed a smug smile. "I can just take your life."
"You, you wouldn't dare!"
"This harem is under my control. Do you think I dare to do that?" The Empress smiled coldly.
"You wicked person! How could Father Emperor make you Empress? Father Emperor should have made Consort Ling Empress. Consort Ling is so gentle!" Little Swallow shouted, pointing at the Empress's nose.
The Empress did not respond to Xiao Yanzi's words, but simply picked up her teacup and slowly sipped it.
Consort Ling knelt on the ground in Yongshou Courtyard, inwardly applauding Xiao Yanzi's words, but... looking at the bright yellow boots before her, Consort Ling felt as if she wanted to die. Xiao Yanzi, are you trying to kill me? The Emperor lifted his leg and walked inside, ignoring Consort Ling, who was even more terrified, her forehead covered in cold sweat.
"Little Swallow!" The Emperor's voice rose as he squinted at Little Swallow. Little Swallow really had a lot of nerve, actually suggesting that Consort Ling become Empress? This must be Consort Ling's idea!
Consort Ling climbed into the courtyard. "Your Majesty, this servant did not mean that."
"No? Consort Ling, do you think I would believe you?" Emperor Qianlong patted the Empress's hand, not allowing her to rise and pay her respects.
"Your Majesty, this servant really did not tell Princess Huanzhu. This..." Consort Ling wanted to say that it was all Xiao Yanzi's idea, but if she did, she was afraid that His Majesty would still have something else to say.
"Are you saying that Xiao Yanzi came up with all of this herself?" Qianlong squinted at Consort Ling, who nodded vigorously. Qianlong then threw a teacup at her. "Consort Ling, how dare you! I don't believe that if you hadn't been gossiping in Xiao Yanzi's ear, a mere princess who had just entered the palace would have known the importance of the 'Empress' position. You, a mere bondservant, actually dared to dream of becoming Empress! What enormous ambition you have!"
Consort Ling was hit by the teacup, her body trembled, and she dared not respond.
"Father, I said those words. I took full responsibility for my actions; it has nothing to do with Consort Ling." Little Swallow held a grudge against the Empress. "Father, I was right. Consort Ling is so gentle with me, unlike the Empress..."
"Little Swallow!" Consort Ling cried out in fright. She had ambitions to become Empress, but she couldn't let Little Swallow say it out loud.
Little Swallow shut her mouth hesitantly and rolled her eyes at the Empress with an indifferent expression.
The Empress was not angry at all; instead, she was amused. "Consort Ling, do you remember that His Majesty asked you to copy the rules? How well did you do?"
"This servant hasn't finished copying yet." Consort Ling gasped; she shouldn't have come. Thinking this, Consort Ling gritted her teeth and pretended to faint again while kowtowing.
The Emperor had no pity for Consort Ling's feigned fainting, and the Empress was used to it. But it was the first time Xiao Yanzi had seen it, and she was so frightened that she immediately rushed over and helped Consort Ling up. Xiao Yanzi then shook her violently, and Consort Ling, who was only pretending to faint, was shaken into a real fainting. However, because Consort Ling had pretended to faint so many times, no one noticed that Consort Ling was really fainting.
~~~
As fate would have it, He Ya, heavily pregnant, entered the palace. Unaware of Xiao Yanzi's rampage at Yongshou Palace, He Ya happened to run into several princes and princesses leaving school on her way. The Fifth Prince, who had been hesitant about coming from the Southern Third Palace, decided he should go to Yongshou Palace anyway. Just as they were about to send someone in to report, a figure rushed out and knocked them down. He Rui instinctively shielded the Seventh Princess and the Thirteenth Prince, falling to his side. Before the Fifth Prince could react, he was pinned down by the three men. He felt a sharp pain and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
The eunuch immediately went after Xiao Yanzi, while the palace maids rushed over to help the prince and princess up. A sharp-eyed maid quickly went to fetch the imperial physician.
With a human cushion underneath, He Ya was unharmed, and even her unborn child was completely unharmed. The young prince and princess were also unharmed, thanks to He Ya's protection. But Yong Qi, who was cushioned underneath, wasn't so lucky. When he fell, someone's hard object landed right on his genitals. The fact that he's still conscious is a testament to his strong willpower.
After taking the pulses of the young princesses and princes, the imperial physician noticed that the Fifth Prince's complexion was off. He immediately took the Fifth Prince's pulse but found nothing. He carefully asked the Fifth Prince if he was injured anywhere. After hesitating for a few moments, the Fifth Prince spoke very softly. In Yongshou Lane, the imperial physician was too embarrassed to ask the Fifth Prince to take off his pants to examine him, so he could only tell the Fifth Prince to bear with it for now.
The Fifth Prince could not bear it; he was in so much pain that he was constantly sweating. He hurriedly took his leave from the Emperor and Empress, dragging the imperial physician away. He Ya wanted to thank the Fifth Prince, but she was gone before she could. After the chaos subsided, Qianlong's face was as dark as could be, and the Empress's face was also frosty. The two of them had the same thought at the same time: "Xiao Yanzi cannot be kept."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
