Chapter 94 (None)
Xiao Yunrui's remains had not yet been collected, and fearing they would decompose, all the incense in the bedroom was extinguished, and the study was cold.
Consort Lin stared intently at Jiang Ling, her gaunt face resembling that of a predatory beast.
Jiang Ling warmed her hands with the teacup, trying her best to control her nervousness, and remained silent. Her meaning was clear enough; with Consort Lin's intelligence, how could she not guess it?
Upon further reflection, Jiang Ling calmed down. One day, she actually managed to break into the ranks of the top players!
Jiang Ling never dared to be careless when facing Consort Lin. From the moment she entered the palace gate, she subtly observed everything around her.
From Xiu Yun's mourning clothes to Consort Lin's condition, Jiang Ling had a general idea of what was going on.
Consort Lin's background and family were both an asset and a constraint for her.
Although Xiao Yunrui was important to her, unfortunately, she didn't even dare to have a good cry!
Consort Lin waited a moment, and seeing Jiang Ling remain silent, his eyes gradually reddening, his anger surging. She softened her voice and asked again, "What do you intend to do?"
“Your Highness is smarter than me,” Jiang Ling replied casually. She raised her eyebrows slightly and, before Consort Lin could speak, asked, “I do have a question for Your Highness: why did you identify Consort Liu as the murderer, only to casually dismiss it at the end?”
Consort Lin was slightly taken aback. She lowered her eyelids, and the sharpness in her body subsided. She regained her usual calm and began to play a game of cat and mouse with Jiang Ling.
"Consort Liu is a first-rank concubine. How could His Majesty believe her based on just a few words?"
Jiang Ling ignored him and continued to ask, "Why would Your Highness point to Consort Liu?"
Consort Lin said coldly, "Why is Consort Hui pressing me so hard? I told Consort Hui back then that when the Candle and Lamp Bureau had an accident, the Lin family lost its lamp oil business, and Consort Zhao's plan to earn some money for the Zhao family failed. The one who benefited was not Consort Liu, but Consort Hui. Consort Hui knows very well that you didn't have the ability at the time, and besides you, only she did."
"Yes, I didn't have the ability back then, but the Imperial Concubine came and explained it to me in detail. I didn't take the bait because I couldn't handle it. Besides, since I've already benefited, why should I go into battle?"
Jiang Ling, showing no anger, said with deep emotion, "Your Highness, I am quite foolish, unlike Your Highness's shrewd and insightful mind. Your Highness must be pondering why I always manage to escape unscathed whenever I encounter trouble, and even receive continuous favors, eventually being promoted to Consort Shu. I am merely a favored consort, all thanks to the Emperor's favoritism. That's not entirely wrong; the Emperor has indeed shown me some favoritism. Most importantly, I have never done anything wrong and have always been upright and honest."
"There are many people in this harem who have never done anything wrong, and most of them live in the palace in the northwest corner."
Consort Lin scoffed, "Does Consort Hui think she can evade it every time?"
"I'm not afraid. If I can't avoid it, so be it," Jiang Ling said without hesitation.
Seeing Consort Lin's state, Jiang Ling instantly understood. Rather than being like a frightened bird, it was better to take a gamble.
With Emperor Yuanming's "favor" and two princes by her side, she still had to be cautious and timid. The other concubines, including Consort Lin, Consort Zhao, and Consort Liu, were far too audacious!
Jiang Ling's expression remained unchanged, but with a hint of arrogance. "If I can't escape it, then probably very few people in the harem can."
Consort Lin paused, and after a moment, reluctantly echoed, "Consort Hui Shu has thought things through clearly."
Thinking of this, Jiang Ling suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said softly, "I understand Consort Lin's intention."
She had always known that Consort Liu was ambitious, but she was blinded by her own limited perspective. Based on what she had learned from palace dramas, she assumed that Consort Liu, being childless, had no reason to target concubines who had princes.
Consort Liu was not targeting the concubines; her target from beginning to end was the princes!
With Xiao Yunrui and Xiao Yunjue both getting into trouble, Zhuang Meiren's illness is getting worse and worse, and she is also targeting Xiao Yunlang.
Imperial concubines relied on princes to secure their position in the harem, followed by princesses.
Consort Liu raised Xiao Jiatong and was an elder in the harem. Although Emperor Yuanming had long since lost any romantic feelings for her, he still held her in some respect.
Currently, Emperor Yuanming has only two sons left. If Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang also meet with misfortune, and the concubines in the harem have been pregnant for a long time, if this continues, the only option left is to adopt a crown prince.
If Consort Liu eliminates Jiang Ling, whether she wins the hand over Xiao Yunzan or Xiao Yunlang, she can easily become Empress Dowager with the prince in her grasp.
If both Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang were to perish, and the situation were to be resolved by adopting a crown prince, the chances of that crown prince falling into her hands would be extremely high.
After all, Consort Liu was exceptionally talented, and Xiao Jiatong, raised by her, was far superior to the princes.
Consort Liu was frequently ill, and Jiang Ling believed that she might not outlive Emperor Yuanming.
However, Emperor Yuanming is now injured!
"Is the Imperial Concubine going to have Consort Liu deal with me? Is that right?" Jiang Ling stopped beating around the bush and asked directly.
Consort Lin's eyes darkened, and she finally said frankly, "Even if I don't let her target you, she won't let you go."
“She won’t let you off the hook either, and neither will Consort Zhao,” Jiang Ling said quickly.
The side room was as cold as an ice cellar. The two men clashed, their expressions calm, yet every word they uttered was like a knife.
The atmosphere inside the room was heavy, like dark clouds gathering overhead.
"Your Highness understood this much better than I did. In the matter of the Lamp and Candle Bureau, the Lin family suffered a heavy blow, as did the Zhao family. Consort Gao, Consort Li, and Consort Zhuang—one by one, they shifted the blame eastward, remaining completely unscathed."
Jiang Ling sighed softly, "You knew all along, but what could you have done? There was still nothing you could do. You and Consort Zhao both retreated to a secluded life, focusing wholeheartedly on raising the prince. But man proposes, God disposes; Prince Rui got into trouble. You were sad, angry, hateful, and resentful, wishing you could kill everyone and take them all down with you. Unfortunately, you couldn't do it. You implicated Consort Liu; you were impulsive, but you were also calculating. You dragged her into this mess, making the situation increasingly murky. Anyway, things were bad enough for you; only I, the one favored by the Emperor, remained unscathed. Consort Liu has always been aloof and lived a secluded life. Your sudden attack on her was a ploy to provoke her. Consort Liu is a smart woman; she no longer has any need to deal with you, and the same goes for Consort Zhao. You see, in the end, the only person you can target is me."
Consort Lin said in a deep voice, "Consort Hui has come to interrogate me."
Jiang Ling gently shook her head, her expression becoming puzzled. "You lost your only child, yet you didn't even dare to cry. You were always tense, always on guard. However, you were already at your limit, like a taut bowstring; with just a little more force, you would snap. I can't see it anymore. At this moment, have you done anything you wanted to do? Do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
Consort Lin's body trembled uncontrollably; she was truly too weak and finally slumped back in her chair. She tilted her head slightly, panting heavily, and gazed at the row of bookshelves before her.
The bookshelf was filled with scrolls, rare ancient books, annotations by great scholars, bamboo scrolls, and other valuable items, all of which were sent to the palace by the Lin family.
A scholar would be overjoyed to see a bookshelf. Xiao Yunrui, however, disliked these books. Because of her strictness, he reluctantly read them once and then shelved them.
Like the men in her family, Consort Lin studied and learned to read and write from a young age. She and her sisters studied with female teachers, while the boys went to clan schools, academies, the Imperial Academy, and the National Academy.
After finishing their studies, she and her sisters would learn to manage the household and run the family affairs. The boys, on the other hand, would write essays, strive for the imperial examinations, and then enter officialdom, becoming the heads of a family, or even a clan.
Consort Lin was extremely envious. She also wanted to take the imperial examination, become an official, and issue orders like her father did in the mansion.
Later, after entering the Prince's mansion, she felt even less comfortable than when she was at her parents' home. Later, she entered the palace and was never able to leave again.
She never thought about what she wanted to do. Because she knew from a young age that she would get married, be a wife and mother when she grew up.
Xiao Yunrui was tired of studying and outwardly complied but inwardly defied her. Consort Lin was furious; he was completely ungrateful! He could step outside the palace walls, do so much, and even wield power over the entire realm.
He discarded her like worn-out shoes, and even her most desired desire to wield power and issue orders was met with disdain.
"I have countless unfulfilled wishes."
Consort Lin was in a daze. After an unknown amount of time, she stared intently at Jiang Ling, her expression sharp: "I want to be a man of my word! My unfulfilled wish is to be a man of my word!"
Jiang Ling secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said in an encouraging tone, "I think so too. However, I'm a bit better than you. People should humbly listen to advice, correct their mistakes, and not fall in the same place again."
Consort Lin stared blankly at Jiang Ling, her thin face showing a mixture of confusion and sadness.
"Consort Lin, you have no other choice now."
Jiang Ling was straightforward and finally laid his cards on the table: "I want you and the Lin family to be loyal to me, and I will regard you as a national hero!"
Consort Lin looked shocked, as if she found it too absurd and unbelievable, forcing a smile onto her face. The smile grew wider and wider, until finally she laughed loudly, tears streaming down her face.
Hearing the commotion inside, Granny Xie peeked in to check on Consort Lin. Seeing her appearance, she was filled with worry, but adhering to protocol, she dared not enter the room.
Jiang Ling remained silent, holding her breath as she quietly watched Consort Lin. Her heart pounded, her blood boiling!
The taste of power, it turns out, is so wonderful! She was a concubine, with no other way out. The path for concubines to rise was to become empress, then empress dowager.
The Regent Empress Dowager who holds power over the entire country!
No wonder they didn't care at all when Jiang Ling was promoted and moved into Fanying Pavilion.
Consort Lin had this plan, Consort Zhao had this plan, and Consort Liu had the same plan!
They are all like that!
Consort Lin's face was covered in tears, soaking her embroidered handkerchief, yet the tears continued to stream down her face. She choked back sobs and collapsed onto the desk, weeping uncontrollably.
People were constantly coming and going in the main hall of the imperial bedchamber, as officials from the Ministry of Rites were busy with the funeral rites. The faint sound of Consort Lin's weeping could be heard from outside.
The sky was overcast, and Consort Lin's voice was hoarse, like the mournful cry of a wounded mother beast.
One official, looking distressed, whispered to his colleagues, "Alas, the Imperial Concubine only has Prince Rui as her only son. This is like tearing her heart out!"
The man said, "Indeed, we must hurry. A proper coffin is hard to find, so we'll have to use Consort Chen's coffin made of golden nanmu wood for now. It's a tragedy that an elderly person is sending off their child!"
As they talked, they watched as the funeral hall was set up. The funeral rites for a prince were elaborate and required meticulous attention to detail.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, Consort Liu arrived at her bedchamber. Xiuyun was directing the palace maids to help set up the mourning hall when she heard a young maid report. She quickly went to the side room to reply, "Your Highness, Consort Liu has arrived."
Consort Lin finally raised her head, her face covered in tears, her eyes swollen and red. She leaned on the armrest of the chair to get up, but was so weak that she could not stand steadily and swayed.
Xiuyun was startled and quickly helped her up, saying, "Your Highness, be careful."
Consort Lin did not respond. She glanced at Jiang Ling, covered her face, and staggered out while crying.
Jiang Ling frowned slightly and followed slowly behind. Outside, because there were officials present, Consort Liu, surrounded by her maids and servants, walked along the corridor.
The usually aloof and dignified Consort Lin was seen running frantically toward Consort Liu. She staggered and cried out in protest.
"What are you doing here! My son is gone, and you've come to laugh at me! You wicked woman, what a vicious heart you have!"
The crowd gasped and turned to look. The officials' expressions changed drastically. They could no longer avoid the topic and began to whisper among themselves with varying expressions.
Even Consort Liu was taken aback by Consort Lin's sudden outburst. She froze, losing her usual composure.
Jiang Ling was taken aback at first, then smiled quietly.
The veil of pretense and harmony has finally been torn away; Consort Lin has pledged allegiance to her!
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