A storage room that had been used to store miscellaneous items was temporarily cleared out and turned into Jiang Shan's "interrogation room".
The cramped and narrow house was filled with a strong musty smell, and there was nothing but darkness in the house, where not a single ray of light could be seen.
Jiang Shan and Consort Zhen sat facing each other, neither of them speaking.
Seeing the wary look in Consort Zhen's eyes, Jiang Shan asked calmly, "Do you hate me? Do you look down on me?"
Consort Zhen snorted disdainfully, showing no interest in the affairs of the land.
"Heh, I love how you can't stand me but can't do anything about it! So what if I'm a country bumpkin? So what if I had a child out of wedlock? What's it to you? Fine, you've got nothing better to do, I know!"
"But look at you! You're just a concubine, always trying to climb the social ladder. Don't you know your own limitations? Your son was ruined by you, his mother. He could have lived a life of wealth and honor, but it's all been ruined by you. Tsk tsk!"
"Shut up!" Consort Zhen finally spoke, her slightly hurried breathing audible in the darkness.
Jiang Shan chuckled twice and said slowly, "Don't rush, this is just the beginning! If you don't want to listen to me, I won't say anything. Just don't regret it!"
After saying that, he got up and left.
A ray of light flashed through the crack in the door, then quickly disappeared into the darkness.
In the small, dark room, only Consort Zhen remained; it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The emperor stood not far away, watching the empire emerge with his hands behind his back, and asked in a low voice, "Is that all the interrogation has to do?"
Jiang Shan waved his hand, "It's still early! I left her some water and pastries inside, but I doubt she'll need them. Just wait, I'll bring her over and beat her up when it gets dark."
The emperor paused for a moment, then asked, "Are you really going to beat up the Third Prince?"
Jiang Shan asked in surprise, "Otherwise what? Just because that mother and son have been slandering me in every way, I'm now a county lord with a fiefdom. What's wrong with beating them up? If you feel sorry for them, just turn around and don't look!"
The emperor was speechless. He was being beaten in front of him, and he could just ignore it?
Consort Zhen felt as if each day was an eternity in the darkness, but every minute was agonizing. She didn't know how much time had passed, how her son was doing outside, how the emperor would treat her and her son, or what conspiracies might be brewing for the throne.
After dark, Consort Zhen heard her own stomach rumbling, accompanied by a clear heartbeat.
Suddenly, a faint cry of pain came from afar, but she recognized it as the voice of the Third Prince.
A mother's heart is always with her son, and for Consort Zhen, nothing is more important than her son's safety!
She didn't know what was happening outside, and this anxiety was magnified countless times in the darkness, striking the softest part of her heart.
"Guards! Let me out! What have you done to the Third Prince? Jiang Shan, you poisonous woman, what have you done to my son?"
The only response to Consort Zhen was the cold wall.
One wailing sound after another came from the scene, and Consort Zhen was heartbroken.
Just as she was in despair, the voice suddenly disappeared.
Consort Zhen wept bitterly, cursing the empire a thousand times in her heart.
After she came to her senses, the omnipresent darkness began to erode her every nerve like a demon.
It felt as if she was the only person left in the world. Endless loneliness and fear gnawed at her heart every second. Never before had she felt so helpless and desperate.
Jiang Shan was fast asleep when he was awakened by the Crown Princess.
Consort Zhen confessed.
Jiang Shan glanced at the dripping water clock and said irritably, "Can't you have some backbone? It hasn't even been a day yet!"
The Crown Princess remained silent; she hadn't expected Consort Zhen to confess so quickly.
All I can say is that Jiang Shan's methods are too shrewd!
So what if she confessed? The emperor will deal with that; don't disturb her sleep!
The eunuch who delivered the message did not live to see the throne. He looked to the Crown Princess for help, his face full of distress.
The emperor didn't explicitly say when the empire would end, but his meaning was clear: he had questions to ask!
It was still dark, and it seemed unethical to send the Princess of Guyang to deliver a message at this hour, but the Emperor couldn't be kept waiting either.
The eunuch was caught in a dilemma.
The Crown Princess sighed, "You'd better not sleep. Hurry up and go to the Emperor to ask for some benefits for your son!"
Jiang Shan's ears twitched slightly, and the next second he rolled over and sat up.
Seeing the emperor's yawning empire, he said to Fu Qiyuan beside him, "Look at her! Doesn't she have any image left? She's supposed to be a county princess, can't she be a little more mindful of her image?"
Fu Qiyuan said tactfully, "Your Majesty, you have a lot of face. Even Huai'er doesn't dare to face Shan'er's morning grumpiness directly."
emperor:……!
"Jiangshan, Consort Zhen has confessed. What do you think?"
Faced with the emperor's bluntness, Jiang Shan was somewhat speechless. "What do you expect me to think? It's your concubines and son, what can I possibly think? My son and I are just bystanders caught in the crossfire! If you have nothing else to say, I'll head back now. I need to go back and appease Jiang Huai!"
The emperor's lips twitched, and he pointed at Fu Qiyuan: "You tell her!"
Fu Qiyuan said gently, "Shan'er, His Majesty's meaning is..."
"Ahem, ahem!" The emperor coughed twice at the opportune moment.
"Shan'er, what I mean is that this matter has little to do with the Third Prince. It was all Consort Zhen's doing. You also beat up the Third Prince, so consider it as venting Huai'er's anger!"
Jiang Shan raised an eyebrow and gave Fu Qiyuan a meaningful look.
Fu Qiyuan kept his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought, but stole a glance at the emperor.
The emperor touched his nose and shifted his weight on the dragon throne.
I'm a little embarrassed.
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