Chapter 107 (None)
Zheng Xiang and Ding Shang arrived shortly after, while Jiang Ling sat at the head of the table in the guesthouse. After the two entered the room, they noticed that she was expressionless and sipped her tea casually. For some reason, they felt even more nervous than when they had met Emperor Yuanming.
"Have a seat," Jiang Ling said casually, gesturing with his hand.
This morning, there were no eunuchs serving tea, only Wenjuan and Zishan. The two put down their teacups and left the room together.
Jiang Ling's gaze swept over the two men, ignoring Emperor Yuanming, and she said, "You two should already know about the commotion in front of the Jiang residence." She said simply, her face suddenly darkening, "I am very angry."
Ding Shang paused, then lowered his head, not daring to speak. Zheng Xiang, feeling uneasy, hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I am getting on in years, and the journey has left me feeling slightly unwell. I am resting at home. Upon hearing the news, I rushed to the palace, intending to report this matter to His Majesty."
“I am not blaming either of you. My anger is not entirely because the Jiang family was wronged or bullied.”
Jiang Ling cut to the chase, excluding the two men. Seeing that they were practically invisible, she breathed a sigh of relief; she was quite satisfied that she could now exert some influence over them.
"We both know why Minister Zhao and Madam Gao went to the Jiang residence. The Second Prince's mistake, to put it mildly, is unfilial; to put it more seriously, it's an assassination attempt on the Emperor. Zhao's actions make people think that the Second Prince was framed, and that I was the one who framed him. For the sake of the royal family's reputation and the Emperor's health, I have no choice but to remain silent."
Jiang Ling's expression was sneer. She chuckled twice and said, "It's useless to explain now or reveal the truth. Rumors spread faster than the truth. Nobody cares about the truth. Only all sorts of random speculations, like storytelling and opera, are more exciting and interesting."
Ding Shang and Zheng Xiang both knew the truth: Xiao Yunjue was imprisoned in the imperial estate, which was entirely his own fault, while the Jiang family was innocent and suffered an undeserved disaster.
Fortunately, Madam Jiang did not open the door. If the two had entered the mansion, and given Madam Gao's advanced age and failing eyesight, she might have fallen, fainted, and been injured, making Madam Jiang even more implicated.
“Your Majesty, when I returned to my residence yesterday, I saw Minister Zhao. He didn’t inquire about the Second Prince; he already knew that the Second Prince had committed a crime and had been sent to the Imperial Estate for confinement. I asked him where he got the news, and Minister Zhao lied and said that a layabout had given him the information. I pressed Minister Zhao further, saying that since it concerned the prince, very few people in the court knew about it, how could a layabout know?”
Zheng Xiang recounted in detail the matter of Zhao Shilang's visit. He frowned, took out a piece of paper, and presented it to me. "Under my questioning, Zhao Shilang gave me this paper. He said that the idle man did not know the person who delivered the letter. He was paid two taels of silver to deliver this letter to Zhao Shilang."
Jiang Ling took the paper and read it. It stated that Xiao Yunjue had angered Emperor Yuanming and was being sent to the imperial estate, escorted by Xue Cang, Zheng Xiang, and Zhang Shan. The handwriting was neat and ordinary. No clues could be found here.
"This letter should be sent out of the palace, according to the time, between the afternoon of the day before yesterday and when Vice Minister Zhao went to Prime Minister Zheng's residence."
Jiang Ling handed the letter to Ding Shang, his eyes icy. "Envoy Ding, please carefully check the names of all those who have left the palace recently. I need the complete list. The events that happened before the Emperor have spread so quickly! This is outrageous!"
Ding Shang hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, I have changed the personnel on duty at the palace gate as instructed. However," he glanced quickly at Jiang Ling, noticing her calm expression but feeling a sudden chill run down his spine, "according to the schedule, I haven't had time to arrange all the personnel yet, and I fear there may be oversights."
His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, and the palace gates were like sieves; if they couldn't find the person, he would be held responsible.
Jiang Ling remained noncommittal, saying, "Vice Minister Zhao is acting under orders, and the person behind the scenes has ulterior motives. It's secondary that the Jiang family has been wronged; these people are disrupting the court! Ding, Imperial City Envoy, you are responsible for guarding the Imperial City and protecting the Emperor's safety. This time, you must stand firm for the Emperor!"
Ding Shang was sweating profusely. He quickly stood up and replied, "Your Majesty, I will investigate thoroughly, turning the capital upside down, and find the person!"
Jiang Ling grunted and nodded slightly, then said to Prime Minister Zheng, "Whether Zhao was instigated or genuinely worried about the Second Prince, her actions are despicable and unforgivable. Being instigated shows Zhao's stupidity; how can a stupid person be a Vice Minister? If she was worried about the Second Prince, she should have gone to the palace to find out the reason before acting. Zhao dared not go to the palace to ask, which means she must know the truth. After all, the Second Prince often associates with Zhao's children, and Zhao knows their character well. They approached Jiang to frame her. As everyone knows, Jiang is A-Zan's maternal family, and A-Lang is with me, so he can't escape involvement either. Heh, what a vicious heart, thinking of wiping out the prince in one fell swoop!"
Ding Shang and Zheng looked at each other, their expressions changing drastically.
Emperor Yuanming had four sons. Xiao Yunrui was dead, Xiao Yunjue was injured and disliked by Emperor Yuanming. Now only Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang remained. Jiang was slandered and framed, and the finger was actually pointed at the two princes.
"The censors have heard the news and submitted their reports. The Emperor will surely have to devote his attention to resolving this matter. This situation is absurd to the moment. Anyone who uses their brains and can distinguish right from wrong will scoff at such behavior. Which officials in the court are blindly submitting memorials without any regard for right or wrong? Prime Minister Zheng, leading the Council of State Affairs, will pick out these memorials."
Prime Minister Zheng was startled. Was Jiang Ling's move an attempt to purge the court officials who supported Xiao Yunjue's faction?
Since Emperor Yuanming was injured, the court has been in turmoil. Officials who had secretly supported Xiao Yunrui have lost all hope. Although injured, Xiao Yunjue remains alive and well. Emperor Yuanming is in his prime, and with the court in such a volatile state, no one knows who will ultimately prevail until the very last moment.
Zheng Xiang thought of the struggle between his grandson Zheng Xiaolang and Zhao Shun, and Jiang Ling probably already knew about it. He couldn't help but feel uneasy, and his palms were wet with sweat.
Since Jiang Ling entrusted this matter to me...
Having served as an official for many years, Prime Minister Zheng quickly regained his composure, made a decision in his mind, raised his hand and bowed, replying, "Your Majesty, I obey your decree."
The two took their leave, and Jiang Ling, seeing that it was still early before lunch, went to Funing Palace.
It was early summer, and the Funing Palace was lush with flowers and trees, its pomegranate blossoms a fiery red. Apart from being a little quieter, it was no different from usual.
The palaces have a similar layout, with seven bays arranged in a row, creating a majestic atmosphere.
Jiang Ling looked at the tightly closed doors and windows and the palace maids who were bowing in alarm, and vaguely remembered the first time she came to Funing Palace to offer birthday greetings.
The Funing Palace was filled with joy at that time, and the palace maids and nannies exuded an unintentional arrogance, walking with a brisk pace. She followed carefully behind Su Yue, so nervous that she could hardly breathe because she was about to interact with people. Her heavy palace clothes were soaked with sweat and clung to her back.
Upon entering the house, a cool breeze wafted through the air, carrying a subtle fragrance. It cooled down quickly; her damp clothes clung to her back, and she was so flustered she forgot her discomfort. Simply sitting there exhausted all her strength.
Su Yue had long since turned into piles of white bones, and amidst the profusion of flowers in Fu Ning Palace, a strange sense of decay permeated the air.
The gate creaked open, and Granny Xie stood to one side, curtsying in greeting. Consort Zhao, dressed in a moon-white robe, stood before the gate. Her hair was loosely tied back, and the silver strands shimmered in the sunlight.
"What a rare guest! I never expected that Consort Hui, who serves His Majesty day and night, would actually venture out. May I ask what brings Consort Hui to Funing Palace?"
Consort Zhao spoke, her voice hoarse. She didn't offer any greetings, her icy eyes staring straight at her. Her once plump face, now gaunt, appeared harsh and stern.
Jiang Ling remained calm as he stood under the eaves, meeting Zhao Defei's gaze, and asked calmly, "You should know about Vice Minister Zhao and Madam Gao's visit to the Jiang residence."
Consort Zhao was taken aback, then she sneered, "How could I, being in the palace, know anything about what's happening outside? So, Consort Hui has come out of the Chui Gong Hall to confront me. Indeed, although I still hold a position, I'm no longer favored, and my son has been framed. Anyone can come and kick me while I'm down!"
"Whether you admit it or not, it doesn't matter."
Jiang Ling nodded slightly and said decisively, "Yes, I'm here to kick you while you're down and beat you when you're down."
The smile on Consort Zhao's face vanished instantly. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she said sternly, "Even though I am in trouble now, I am still Consort De, personally bestowed by the Emperor. You and I are both first-rank concubines. Don't push your luck!"
"Back then, Consort Zhao came to me only because you were a first-rank concubine. You fooled me and forced me to accept a job in the Candle and Lamp Bureau. Consort Zhao, don't think I'm too stupid to realize that you were scheming against me and bullying me, right?"
Jiang Ling raised her chin arrogantly and said, "I'm not like you, bullying others with your power and putting on a saintly face. I'm here to laugh at you and openly bully you. What can you do about it?"
He went to the Chuigong Hall several times, but was not even allowed to enter through the main gate. Consort Zhao even witnessed Jiang Ling blocking Yuan Changsheng outside. Now that Yuan Changsheng has been flogged, the task has fallen to Zhang Shan.
Consort Zhao tried to find Zhang Shan, but he avoided her like the plague. She knew in her heart that Zhang Shan had long since become Jiang Ling's man.
Thinking of Xiao Yunjue who had been sent out of the palace, Consort Zhao felt a sharp pain in her heart, a sense of powerlessness, and despair that made it difficult for her to even breathe.
Consort Zhao could no longer control herself and became frantic, shrieking, "You're nothing but a seductive vixen, a plaything who uses her looks to please men. You've gained a little favor and become arrogant! There's never a shortage of new beauties in the palace. When you're old and your looks have faded, let's see how long you can be so arrogant! You harmed my son, and out of guilt, you're preventing me from seeing the Emperor. If you're so capable, just send someone to kill my son! You've done so many evil deeds, and sooner or later, retribution will fall on your two sons!"
"How long I can be arrogant is none of your business. Look at you, is all you've got is this hysterical cursing? Too bad, if your curses were effective, you wouldn't have ended up like this."
Consort Zhao is right; she only achieved her current status because of Emperor Yuanming's favor. But the difference between them is that she is a human being, a person with flesh and blood, and a bottom line and conscience.
Jiang Ling remained calm and composed, her eyebrows slightly raised. "Back then, you rushed down the stone steps of the city wall, trying to knock me down. Fortunately, heaven had eyes and didn't grant your wish. From beginning to end, I didn't hold it against you, yet you turned around and accused me. Don't you know how many lives your good son has on his hands? Consort Zhao is gone, and the Second Princess is your own niece. What can she possibly do to you? You turn a blind eye to the grudges of the previous generation. Although the Zhao family was impoverished, you still grew up without any worries about food or clothing. You don't treat the poor as human beings, nor do you treat your relatives as human beings. In your eyes, there is only power and wealth."
Consort Zhao's expression was ferocious. She lost her balance and fell onto Granny Xie, panting heavily. She glared venomously at Jiang Ling, "My sister was sent to the Imperial Temple because of you, yet you're here playing the good guy. How dare you criticize me!"
Whether Consort Zhao is innocent or not, you know perfectly well.
Jiang Ling slowly raised his hand, casually surveying it with his lowered eyes. "My hands are clean, and I have a clear conscience. Your heart is filthy, stinking, and your ambitions are utterly laughable. Your son is unworthy, and neither are you!"
"You vile woman, you vile woman! Jiang, you will die a horrible death, you will die a horrible death!" Consort Zhao cursed through gritted teeth, her eyes bloodshot with hatred.
"Hitting you would dirty my hands."
Jiang Ling remained calm and composed, her voice neither loud nor soft, "If you try anything funny again, or have any improper thoughts, I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Having said all he could say, Jiang Ling turned and left gracefully.
Zhao Defei roared and cursed behind him, but Jiang Ling walked lightly without turning his head.
She was no longer the little talent who had to read everyone's expressions, hiding in a corner, and feeling flustered and breathless when talking to people.
If she wants to hold onto power, she must truly establish herself, rather than relying on the emperor's illusory favor.
After leaving Funing Palace, Jiang Ling headed towards Rouyi Palace.
Consort Liu wanted to lie low and protect herself before making a move, but her wish could not be fulfilled!
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