Chapter Fifteen: A Major Hidden Danger
Aunt Wan asked, "Your Majesty, what should we do next?"
Consort Xie lowered her eyes in thought. Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, her brows furrowed with worry, Lady Yanping assumed that Consort Xie had no good solution. She gritted her teeth and said, "Never mind, Aunt Wan. If the Emperor asks later, just say that I did it alone." Seeing that the two of them were looking at her with confusion, she added, "Her Majesty is currently pregnant and cannot be stimulated. I received the news but did not tell her. I only consulted with Eunuch Lu. This makes sense."
“Mother, why go to such lengths?” Consort Xie shook her head and said, “If such a trivial matter could shake my position, then I have wasted seven years in the palace.”
Lady Yanping thought about it and realized that she was right. She and the Emperor had been in love for so many years and had given birth to the eldest prince. How could such a relationship and status be ruined by a small matter? She then understood that the reason she was frowning was because if this matter were known, it would probably cause some suspicion in the future.
"His Majesty has arrived."
The three of them were startled.
Consort Xie quickly gave a wink, and Aunt Wan nodded in understanding, then led Lady Yanping into the inner room.
A moment later, footsteps approached from afar, and the emperor strode in, followed by a group of eunuchs, among whom was Lu Ping.
Seeing that although he appeared cautious and uneasy, he was not panicked, Consort Xie felt somewhat relieved, stood up, and gave him a graceful bow.
The emperor quickly stepped forward and pulled her up, saying with a smile, "Didn't I say that the formalities would be waived for a while?" He then gently pressed his hand on her belly and asked, "Was the little one good today?" As he spoke, he pulled her to sit down on the couch.
"You've kicked me seven or eight times in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Isn't that obedient?" Consort Xie said, giving him a look that seemed both angry and pleased.
"So mischievous? Very well, very well," the Emperor said with a delighted expression. He recalled how his mother had been kicking him constantly when she was pregnant with his sixth son. His father had laughed, saying, "This little one already knows how to perform all sorts of martial arts in the womb; he's destined to be a fierce general." And indeed, after his sixth son was born, he loved playing with spears and sticks from a young age.
He could tell that he had high hopes for the child in his womb. Consort Xie felt uneasy and said, "If it's a boy, it would be great if he resembled Prince Jin. But if it's a girl, what if she has his temperament? This morning when I paid my respects, I noticed that the Empress Dowager's eyes were dark and swollen. She probably had another sleepless night."
Thinking of the Empress Dowager and Prince Jin, the Emperor suppressed his joy and said, "I get annoyed whenever this is mentioned. My sixth brother is stubborn, and my mother refuses to back down. I'm caught in the middle and it's really difficult for me."
"You should persuade Prince Jin. Miss Shen is famous for her beauty and virtue. I have seen her several times. Her beauty has a unique purity and elegance that is rare in the world. Compared to her, Miss Ruan is far inferior."
The emperor smiled but did not respond.
Seeing his indifferent expression, Consort Xie felt a pang of anxiety; it seemed he had a good impression of Fifth Miss Ruan.
"Mingke, just now I heard Lu Ping say at Guanju Palace that you received a secret report that someone wanted to harm you, is that true?" The emperor asked, staring intently at her.
"That is true, but I don't know if it's true or not." Consort Xie nodded and briefly recounted how Chunyun saw the letter and the perfume powder. She then added, "That maid is waiting outside the palace gate. Your Majesty can summon her for questioning."
"Why weren't you told about such a big thing from the beginning?"
“Your Majesty has been extremely busy with state affairs lately, exhausting your mind and energy, and often doesn’t sleep until the third watch of the night. How could I dare to disturb you with such a trivial matter? Besides, I’m not sure if what that maid said is true, which is why I asked Lu Ping to go to Guanju Palace to verify it. If it is true, then it’s not too late to report to Your Majesty. If it’s a false accusation, then we can just pretend it never happened.”
“None of your matters are trivial. If anything like this happens again, tell me immediately. Do not take it lightly, understand?”
"Yes," Consort Xie replied with a light smile. "I wonder if any evidence was found in Guanju Palace?"
The emperor shook his head and said, "It's probably because this maid harbors resentment towards Miss Ruan and fabricated this baseless accusation, hoping to use you to get rid of her."
Consort Xie's heart sank. He hadn't even asked Chunyun before drawing a conclusion, which showed that he was already prejudiced and believed that the accusation was false, or perhaps he even thought he had orchestrated it himself. Feeling very uncomfortable, she thought for a moment, then pretended to sigh and said, "Amitabha, it's good that it's not true."
"Let's not talk about these things. Today, Goryeo Kingdom has sent a new batch of tribute, including a piece of red coral of excellent quality. I've had it moved over and placed in your palace so you can admire it whenever you like." The emperor said, clapping his hands.
Outside the door, two eunuchs entered in response, carrying a low table upon which rested a figure-high object—undoubtedly a piece of red coral, though covered by a yellow silk cloth, obscuring its beauty. As they approached, the Emperor stood up and personally lifted the cloth. His eyes widened in a dazzling display, its shimmering light illuminating Consort Xie's previously pale face. She blinked, scrutinizing the coral closely. It was exquisitely beautiful, its branches intertwined and sprawling, resembling the brightest pomegranate blossoms in May.
"Do you like it?" the emperor asked softly.
Consort Xie was not in a good mood at first, but upon seeing this unusual auspicious object, she was overjoyed from the bottom of her heart. She nodded, took his hand, and leaned against his arm.
The emperor embraced her and said, "Your body is getting heavier and more inconvenient. From now on, you don't need to worry about trivial matters. The most important thing is to give birth to the child in peace."
Is this a way of telling me to behave myself? Consort Xie didn't dare to think too deeply about it, and just nodded with a charming smile.
The emperor patted her back and said, "My sixth brother and Prime Minister Shen are still waiting for me in the Imperial Study to discuss the matter of sending troops to Jiaozhi. I will go back first and come to see you later."
"Is it really time to send troops to Jiaozhi?"
The emperor nodded, his face becoming solemn, and said in a chilling voice, "A mere vassal state of the southern barbarians is arrogant and disobedient. Not only have they invaded our territory with their armies, disturbing the lives of the people, but they have also harmed the pacification commissioner of Henan. Such behavior must be crushed to subdue these petty scoundrels and demonstrate the might of Heaven."
"Then, who will lead the army?"
"My sixth brother, General Zhao, and the Duke of Dingguo have all submitted their petitions to volunteer for the mission. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and I cannot make a decision for the time being."
Consort Xie nodded thoughtfully.
The emperor gently instructed her to take good care of herself during her pregnancy before leaving with his eunuchs. As soon as he was gone, Lu Ping stepped forward and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, I am incompetent and have botched the task?"
"How did you smash it?"
"When I entered Consort Ruan's bedchamber, I was surprised to find her arguing with the Second Miss. Both of them were red-faced and threatening suicide, with the Second Miss even holding a gold hairpin to her throat. I was quite shocked and reacted a little too slowly. Then the Empress arrived, and later His Majesty also came..."
“Aunt Wan has told me everything else, you don’t need to say anything more,” Consort Xie interrupted him. “Just tell me whether or not you were searched later.”
"I was searched," Lu Ping said shamefully, "but His Majesty ordered Chief Eunuch Yu to search my body."
Consort Xie sat up straight and asked, "You said His Majesty ordered Eunuch Yu to search you?"
"That's right." Lu Ping said, taking out some face powder from his pocket and respectfully handing it over.
Consort Xie leaned back slowly on the couch, her mind racing. The Emperor knew that Eunuch Yu was her man. His order for him to search Lu Ping clearly showed his suspicion, a fear of finding evidence on the spot and losing face. Sure enough, he suspected her. Sure enough… Thinking about how she had lost so inexplicably this time, it was clearly the three young ladies of the Ruan family who had plotted against her, she was clearly in the right, yet in the end, she was the one who had meticulously framed the fourth young lady of the Ruan family—the Emperor had always treated her differently from the other concubines, and now he would probably pity her even more.
Miss Ruan, I really underestimated you.
But this is just the beginning.
Consort Xie, with a sullen face, waved her hand, signaling Eunuch Lu to step down.
As soon as he left, Lady Yanping came out from the inner room and looked at the shimmering red coral with admiration: "As expected of one of the seven treasures of Buddhism, it truly exudes auspiciousness. I was overthinking it just now; his heart is indeed still with you."
The problem still lies within him, yet the former candor is gone. His words are evasive and veiled, clearly revealing his suspicions. Just now, Consort Xie glanced wistfully at the red coral; how could the most beautiful flower possibly mend the rift in her heart?
"Mother, go back and tell Father to send an expert to Haozhou to kill the fifth daughter of the Ruan family."
After all, she was just an ordinary woman. Lady Yanping gasped and asked in a trembling voice, "Is it absolutely necessary to kill her?"
Consort Xie said coldly, "She must be killed." As long as she is alive, Prince Jin will support the Ruan family and Ruan Si. If the Ruan family doesn't fall, Ruan Si will be difficult to eliminate. Besides, she is cunning, meticulous, and unpredictable, making her impossible to guard against. With her as Ruan Si's strategist, the harm will be like locusts swarming across the land.
Aunt Wan came out from the inner room, frowning, and said, "Your Majesty, I hope you will think twice before acting. When Prince Jin was in Xingping City, he recruited many talented people, and I heard that most of them are now in Haozhou."
Lady Yanping also chimed in, "Yes, Mingke, if we kill her, we will offend Prince Jin."
"Mother, go back and tell Father that Princess Rouzhen has received instructions from the Empress Dowager and has also sent many experts to Haozhou."
Lady Yanping was slightly taken aback, but then she realized that her daughter was implying that she wanted to frame someone.
After a moment of contemplation, Aunt Wan said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, it would be better to use a strategy that addresses the root cause of the problem."
Consort Xie looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"His Majesty just mentioned that the commander-in-chief of the three armies sent to Jiaozhi has remained undecided. Although the Duke of Dingguo has volunteered, he is already old, and Jiaozhi has a hot and humid climate, so His Majesty is unlikely to agree. Therefore, the commander-in-chief can only be chosen between Prince Jin and General Zhao. If General Zhao is appointed, Her Majesty's previous efforts will be in vain. If Prince Jin is appointed, the war is urgent, and he will certainly not have time to attend to the capital. Ruan Si, Ruan Wu, and the Ruan family will not be able to take command."
"I know that the Emperor also wants to send Prince Jin, but the Empress Dowager firmly disagrees and insists on getting married first."
"It's almost April, and Prince Jin hasn't even sent out betrothal gifts yet. If it's still not time to marry by June, it won't look good for the royal family. So Your Majesty, why don't you go and persuade the Empress Dowager? Prince Jin going to Jiaozhi will kill two birds with one stone. First, the marriage can be postponed temporarily to preserve the royal family's dignity. Second, it can also be an opportunity to get rid of Ruan Wu."
Consort Xie nodded and said, "You are right."
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