Chapter 97 (None)
Consort Liu returned to Rouyi Palace with a calm expression, slowly entered the study, and sat down in the armchair behind the desk. She rested her hands on the armrests and tilted her head slightly, gazing at a certain spot.
Granny Shang dared not utter a sound. The study was dimly lit, so she hurriedly stepped forward to light the lamp.
The room gradually brightened, and Consort Liu's face appeared grim and terrifying under the candlelight. Especially her eyes, filled with icy coldness, were chilling to the bone.
"Where is Atong?" Consort Liu asked.
Granny Shang hurriedly went out to inquire and learned that Xiao Jiatong had gone to the Chuigong Hall and had not yet returned. She quickly went back inside to report: "Your Majesty, the eldest princess just left a short while ago. The Emperor couldn't bear to part with her and kept her here to talk."
Consort Liu was in a state of agitation. She waved her hand and said, "When Atong returns, have her come to the study."
The old woman agreed and withdrew, instructing a palace maid to stand guard at the door. She added charcoal to the copper hand warmer and said with concern, "Your Highness's legs are not good, let me warm them for you."
Consort Liu held the hand warmer, grunted, and remained noncommittal. Granny Shang then took a small stool and sat down to one side, gently lifting her trouser leg.
Previously, Consort Liu had knelt before Jiang Ling, and indeed, a bruise remained on her knee. Granny Shang dared not look any longer, quickly pulling down her trousers and warming her knee with a hand warmer.
As it grew later and the hand warmer grew cold, Granny Shang couldn't help but peek outside while tidying up.
"Go out and inquire," Consort Liu said coldly, lowering her eyes.
Granny Shang was filled with anxiety. She summoned her trusted maid and sent her away. She looked at the time and asked, "Your Highness, is it time to serve the meal?"
Consort Liu had no appetite. She remained silent, turning her head to stare intently at the window.
Xiao Jiatong was intelligent. When Fu'er returned to Rouyi Palace to report, she quickly understood her meaning and went to Chuigong Hall to see Emperor Yuanming.
However, Consort Liu could not let go of her worries. Xiao Jiatong was still young and had never gone out alone before.
When Emperor Yuanming was young, he was quite clever, but as he reigned for a long time, that cleverness turned into arrogance.
Jiang Ling enjoys his deep trust; if she were to whisper sweet nothings in his ear, Xiao Jiatong would be no match for her.
Judging from the scene at the funeral hall, whether Consort Lin was using them or switching allegiance to Jiang Ling, they were clearly in cahoots.
The pale white window paper cast a dim yellow light, blurring Consort Liu's vision. Her heart began to pound wildly, and finally, unable to bear it any longer, she clutched her chest and gasped for breath.
When Granny Shang received the news and entered the room, she was shocked to see Consort Liu's appearance and rushed forward, "Your Highness, what's wrong? This servant will go and summon the imperial physician right away!"
"Where is Atong?" Consort Liu asked sharply, gripping Granny Shang's wrist and raising her voice repeatedly, "Where is Atong!"
Granny Shang felt a chill run down her spine, and her voice trembled: "Your Majesty... His Majesty has invited the eldest princess to dine... Your Majesty, please rest assured."
Consort Liu's expression finally calmed down. She released her grip, her brows furrowed immediately, and she began to mutter to herself.
"This is strange. Xiao Yunrui's palace is just steps away from the Chuigong Hall; the argument should have reached the Emperor quickly. If Jiang returns to the Chuigong Hall and doesn't make a move, then everything is fine. A-Tong wouldn't have been left behind..."
Her words grew slower and slower, and her complexion worsened. Granny Shang stood solemnly to the side, anxiously asking, "Your Highness, has something happened?"
Consort Liu ignored Granny Shang and stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth in the room. The study wasn't spacious, and Consort Liu walked very quickly with her head down. Granny Shang held her hand protectively, afraid that she might accidentally bump into the table.
A palace maid peeked out from outside the door. Granny Shang went out and asked, "What is it?"
"Granny, the Second Princess has also been summoned to dine by the Emperor." The palace maid whispered the news she had gathered. "And as for Chonghua Palace, after Consort Lin returned, she hasn't left her room since, and no one has come in or out."
"Was A-Tang summoned too?" Consort Liu heard this from inside the room, stopped in her tracks, and asked sternly.
The palace maid shuddered and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, it was Huang Daban who personally went to invite the Second Princess to dine with him."
Consort Liu remained silent for a long time. The palace maids held their breath and lowered their heads. Granny Shang was filled with doubt. She waved the palace maid away and said, "Your Highness, why would the Emperor summon the Second Princess to dine at this time?"
"His Majesty wishes to enjoy the pleasures of family life," Consort Liu said coldly, her whole body radiating a chilling aura.
Having served the emperor for many years, Consort Liu knew him intimately. Unless Xiao Jiatang or Xiao Jiatong came to pay their respects and approached him directly, he rarely showed any interest in her. At this critical juncture, Emperor Yuanming would never think of Xiao Jiatang.
And all of this must have been Jiang Ling's idea!
Consort Liu's knees began to ache slightly; her kneeling before Xiao Yunrui's spirit tablet had caused her to lose all face.
Never in her life had she suffered such humiliation. She vowed to get it back tenfold!
*
Qionghua Pavilion.
Xiao Jiatang followed Huang Liang into the room, stood in front of the dragon bed, and curtsied, saying, "Greetings to Father."
Emperor Yuanming leaned against the headboard, looking Xiao Jiatang up and down. He noticed that she kept her head down and spoke in a barely audible voice, and a hint of displeasure crossed his face. Finally, seeing that Xiao Jiatang seemed to have lost a lot of weight and looked haggard, he said nothing, but raised his hand and said, "Sit down." He then instructed Huang Liang to serve the meal, saying, "A-Tang, you should eat more and gain some weight."
Xiao Jiatang blankly replied, seemingly not seeing Xiao Jiatong standing in the room, and went to sit down on the brocade stool, still keeping his head down and remaining silent.
Xiao Jiatong walked over and greeted her, "A-Tang."
After a moment, Xiao Jiatang slowly looked up at Xiao Jiatong and blankly called out, "Big sister."
"Ah Tang, are you cold?" Xiao Jiatong asked with concern as she stepped forward and took Xiao Jiatang's hand.
Xiao Jiatang shuddered, pulled her hand back and tucked it into her wide, swaying sleeve, her small face tense, her whole body on high alert and defensive.
Xiao Jiatong's face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly recovered and said, "A-Tang has lost weight, she should eat more later..." At this moment, Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang ran in, interrupting her.
"Father." Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang hurriedly stopped in front of the dragon bed, raised their hands to pay their respects, and then greeted Xiao Jiatong and Xiao Jiatang.
Xiao Jiatong nodded in return, while Xiao Jiatang stared intently at them. Xiao Yunzan didn't seem to care, but Xiao Yunlang, afraid of her sinister gaze, quietly moved closer to Xiao Yunzan.
Xiao Yunzan said, "Father, Mother said that Ah Lang and I will eat with you. I'm starving. Please serve the meal quickly."
Emperor Yuanming glared at him and said, "All you know is how to eat. Have you even learned to write characters properly yet?"
"I wrote it down." Xiao Yunzan wrote it down hastily, his answer vague yet self-righteous.
"You wrote it?" Emperor Yuanming looked suspicious and was about to ask him to hand it in, but when he saw Huang Liang leading the eunuchs to bring the food into the room, he gave up for the time being.
After setting out the meal, Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang placed their low tables side by side. They looked at the food in front of each other and began to work in perfect unison.
Xiao Yunzan had the same taste as Jiang Ling, preferring fish, shrimp, and vegetables, while Xiao Yunlang preferred meat and eggs and disliked vegetables. For their health, Jiang Ling insisted that they eat a variety of foods.
The two exchanged their favorite dishes. Emperor Yuanming watched their actions and chuckled coldly, "You two brats, daring to criticize me in front of my face, are you asking for trouble?"
Xiao Yunzan said emphatically, "Father, as the poet said, 'Who knows the hardship behind every grain of rice on the plate?' Ah Lang and I are frugal and do not waste food."
Xiao Yunlang followed up, saying, "Father, my third brother and I are both obedient and well-behaved children."
Emperor Yuanming was amused by the two men and said, "They are ignorant and incompetent, yet they dare to spout poetry and boast in front of me!"
Xiao Yunzan secretly popped a radish into his mouth and smacked his lips without saying a word. Xiao Yunlang chuckled mischievously and reached out to poke his cheek, and the two quickly started playfully bickering.
Emperor Yuanming roared, "You insolent fools, why aren't you eating properly!"
The two then calmed down and began to eat their food. Xiao Jiatong watched tenderly, while Xiao Jiatang kept his head down the whole time, seemingly ignoring her.
After the meal, the eunuchs served tea. Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang couldn't sit still. Using the excuse that they were too young and Jiang Ling wouldn't allow them to drink tea, they slipped away.
Xiao Jiatong was extremely anxious. After taking a couple of sips of tea, she said impatiently, "Father is not feeling well and should rest early. Ah Tang and I will take our leave now."
Emperor Yuanming, his eyelids drooping, said, "You need not worry about A-Tang. You may leave now."
From the moment she met Jiang Ling, Xiao Jiatong felt inexplicably uneasy. After waiting for a long time at the inn, Emperor Yuanming finally summoned Xiao Jiatang, and the siblings dined with her.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jiatong's expression changed drastically, and her heart sank. She said anxiously, "Father had previously agreed to let Atang live with me, so why did Father disagree again? But I made a mistake and disappointed Father."
She knelt down, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "Father, I will definitely admit my mistakes and correct them. Father, I only have one sister, Atang. Please grant our wish and let us, sisters, be like Atan and Atang, keep each other company before we get married."
Emperor Yuanming stared at Xiao Jiatong with a somber expression, unable to hide his disappointment in her.
It's shameful that she still has the nerve to mention Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang. Xiao Jiatang is extremely resistant to her; even a blind person could see that the two don't get along.
Compared to the relationship between Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang, Xiao Jiatong's behavior seemed particularly pretentious.
To think that she is so young, yet so hypocritical, attempting to deceive the emperor.
Emperor Yuanming was humiliated by being deceived by a mere young woman, and his old face was filled with disgust.
"It's all Liu's fault, that treacherous woman who hides a knife in her smile, she spoiled her!"
Emperor Yuanming cursed Consort Liu in his heart, but since Xiao Jiatong was his own flesh and blood, he gave her some face and said in a deep voice, "You don't need to say anything more, you may leave."
Xiao Jiatong's face turned pale. Seeing Emperor Yuanming's displeasure, she could only retreat out of the room.
Xiao Jiatang barely touched her dinner, sitting there with her head down the whole time. Emperor Yuanming looked at her for a long time, sighed, and said, "Atang, you're all grown up now, you should be more sensible. Don't be temperamental. In two years, your father will find you a good marriage."
Xiao Jiatang suddenly raised her head, unable to hold back any longer. She knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down her face, and cried, "Father, I don't want to move! I don't want anything! Please, Father, let Mother go! Father, Mother is innocent! She was murdered!"
Emperor Yuanming, whose health was already poor, was given a headache by Xiao Jiatang's weeping. Hearing her plead for Consort Zhao, he angrily said, "Foolish! Your mother deserved what she got! I didn't blame you because you're young, and yet you're crying out for justice!"
When Consort Zhao suddenly had an accident, Xiao Jiatang fainted several times from crying. After waking up, she wanted to come to the Chuigong Hall to plead for mercy, but she was stopped by the maids and servants.
The maids and servants earnestly advised her that one misfortune after another had occurred in the palace, and that Emperor Yuanming was injured and bedridden. They warned her not to provoke Emperor Yuanming, lest she be punished as well.
Xiao Jiatang had been in a daze these past few days, not knowing how she had survived. Emperor Yuanming had always treated her with kindness, and she had always held onto a sliver of hope.
Now that Emperor Yuanming had refuted her without mincing words, Xiao Jiatang was utterly desperate. She cried out in a shrill voice, "Father is so biased! He favors Consort Hui, he only dotes on her! He believes everything she says..."
Emperor Yuanming was so enraged that his vision blurred, and he raised his voice to shout, "Shut up! You audacious beast, how dare you defy me! Guards!"
The curtain was lifted, and Jiang Ling walked in. Emperor Yuanming, seeing it was her, paused and said, "What are you doing here? Have Huang Liang and the others come and take this beast back and lock him up!"
"So be it, I don't want to live anymore anyway!" Xiao Jiatang was filled with grievances, a fire burning in her chest, and she turned and ran out.
Jiang Ling ignored Emperor Yuanming and turned to chase after him, ordering Huang Liang, who was guarding the door, "Grab her!"
Seeing Xiao Jiatang rush out, Huang Liang quickly called Zhang Shan, and the two of them stepped forward and grabbed Xiao Jiatang's arms from the left and right.
"I'm sorry, Second Princess, please don't act impulsively!" Huang Liang advised with a pained expression.
Xiao Jiatang wouldn't listen to anything, twisting her body desperately and screaming at the sky. Huang Liang gave Zhang Shan a look, covered her mouth, and Zhang Shan tightened his grip, pinning Xiao Jiatang down firmly.
Jiang Ling sighed helplessly and pointed to the guest house, saying, "Please, Second Princess, come and sit down."
Huang Liang and Zhang Shan together dragged Xiao Jiatang to the inn. Jiang Ling nodded and said, "Let her go. You two go out."
"Your Majesty..." Huang Liang hesitated, still worried, and said, "This servant and Zhang Shan will stand guard outside the door. If Your Majesty needs anything, just call out."
Jiang Ling smiled gently, comforting Huang Liang while also warning Xiao Jiatang.
"The Second Princess is emaciated and her steps are unsteady. She is not as strong as I am, and she needs to rest well to have the strength. Please invite the Second Princess to sit down, I have a few words to say to her."
Huang Liang and Zhang Shan pressed Xiao Jiatang into a chair, carefully released her, and left the room.
After struggling for a while, Xiao Jiatang collapsed into the chair, panting heavily, staring hatefully at Jiang Ling, wishing she could tear her to pieces.
Jiang Ling stopped in front of Xiao Jiatang and said, "Second Princess, what I'm about to say, don't shout it out, because these things haven't been made public yet. If you shout, I can't guarantee what will happen to your mother."
Xiao Jiatang's expression was sarcastic, and he pursed his lips without saying a word.
Jiang Ling said solemnly, "I did not harm your mother. On the contrary, your mother is trying to frame me. Moreover, your mother pushed Prince Rui down the stone steps, and she killed Prince Rui."
Xiao Jiatang shouted excitedly, "You're lying! You're lying..."
Jiang Ling said calmly, "Go ahead and shout. If anyone hears you, your mother will be completely finished. She will be erased from all traces and silently thrown into a mass grave."
Xiao Jiatang stared wide-eyed, tears streaming down her face, her eyes filled with resentment and anger as she looked at Jiang Ling, but she didn't utter another sound.
“I owe neither your mother nor you. I’m telling you this out of pity for your young age. You are fortunate to have been born into the royal family. If you feel wronged, look at the lives of the palace maids, nannies, and eunuchs around you. If you still can’t understand, you can come and talk to me, and I will find a way to let you leave the palace and see the lives of ordinary people and the poor.”
Jiang Ling sighed softly and said, "If you can survive, try to live well. Your mother cherishes you and wouldn't want to see you like this."
Xiao Jiatang wept uncontrollably, sobbing uncontrollably. Jiang Ling said nothing more and turned to walk outside.
Upon reaching the door, Jiang Ling stopped, turned around, and calmly said to Xiao Jiatang, "You were born into the royal family and enjoyed a life of luxury that most people could only dream of. You are not innocent." With that, he left without lingering, gave instructions to Huang Liang and the others, and strode away.
Back in his bedroom, Emperor Yuanming was still furious. He said angrily, "Where is that wretched creature? If she's not satisfied, send her to the Imperial Temple to keep her black-hearted mother company!"
Jiang Ling chuckled and shook her head, sitting sideways on the edge of the bed. She said gently, "Alright, alright, that's your own daughter. She just inherited your personality—unyielding and full of pride."
Emperor Yuanming snorted, his tone softening at the end, "I am not like her, disrespectful to elders and simple-minded!"
Jiang Ling patiently comforted Emperor Yuanming: "She's so young, she hasn't even reached the age of marriage yet. I'm not holding it against her, so don't be angry either. I've had Huang Liang and the others send her back. Make sure the servants keep a close eye on her, lest she really try to commit suicide."
Emperor Yuanming felt a sharp pain in his heart when he thought of Xiao Yunrui. His expression darkened, and he said sadly, "None of them have ever given me any peace of mind. If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have given birth to them. It's heartbreaking for an old man to bury his young son."
“Children are all debts,” Jiang Ling echoed.
Emperor Yuanming thought to himself that it was fortunate that Jiang Ling was there. She was slandered by Consort Zhao and wrongly accused by Xiao Jiatang. Not only did Jiang Ling generously forgive them, but she also protected Xiao Jiatang in every way.
If Jiang Ling were to take the opportunity to add fuel to the fire, he might get carried away and punish Xiao Jiatang.
Emperor Yuanming, overjoyed, held Jiang Ling's hand and said affectionately, "I remember all the grievances you suffered and I will not mistreat you. After I recover from my injuries, I will renovate Qionghua Pavilion, and from now on, only you and I will live there."
Jiang Ling almost lost her temper and accused him of repaying kindness with enmity. But business was more important, so Jiang Ling desperately controlled her emotions and asked, "I was walking around in the courtyard earlier to digest my food, and I saw Atong leave in a hurry, seemingly unhappy. What happened to Atong?"
Emperor Yuanming's face darkened instantly. He said, "Liu is indeed a bad person. She has spoiled A-Tong, teaching him to be two-faced. A-Rui may very well have been killed by that poisonous woman! Grand Secretary Wei has yet to find any clues. I intend to issue an edict ordering him to thoroughly investigate Liu. Liu is definitely up to no good. I will dig three feet into the ground to expose that poisonous woman's true colors and exterminate her entire Liu clan!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
