Chapter 352 The Truth Comes Out (First Update)
The old Marquis acted too quickly; Consort Jing didn't even have time to react before she was taken to the door.
Of course, the main reason was that she was completely unprepared for the old Marquis to do this suddenly; she herself was caught off guard.
Even more oblivious than her was the emperor.
The emperor looked at the old marquis dressed in night clothes, and then at the old marquis's hand holding the wrist of Consort Jing, and his mind went blank!
He only heard a buzzing sound, and then his mind went completely blank!
The scene before him was so shocking that he lost his voice!
The old marquis paused.
He clearly hadn't expected to run into the emperor. He had seen the lights still on when he passed by the imperial study, and he had assumed the emperor would be reviewing memorials for a long time.
Consort Jing was the first to react, and she quickly withdrew her hand.
The old marquis instinctively grabbed her hand back, only realizing his mistake afterward, but by then it was too late; disaster had already struck.
The emperor was furious, his voice booming like thunder: "Gu Chao!"
The old Marquis trembled and released Consort Jing's hand.
Startled by the emperor's stern shout was Granny Cai, who had just gone to the latrine.
When Granny Cai saw Consort Jing and the old Marquis inside the threshold, and then saw the Emperor outside the threshold with a furious expression, what else could she not understand?
She cursed inwardly, "What a mess I've made! I was only gone for a short while, how did I end up in such a huge mess!"
If she had known this would happen, she would have kept it to herself!
The emperor clenched his fists tightly, barely managing to suppress the urge to issue an edict to behead the old marquis. He forced out each word through gritted teeth: "Gu Chao! What exactly is going on? You'd better explain yourself to me!"
If the old Grand Master of Ceremonies were here, he would have countless sweet words to smooth things over. Whether the emperor believed him or not is another matter. In any case, he must not admit it under any circumstances and must insist that "the relationship between me and the Empress Dowager is purely that of a subject and a subject"!
But the old Marquis wasn't like that at all. He was a brilliant strategist on the battlefield, incredibly cunning, and ruthless in his use of deception. Once off the battlefield, his mind seemed to remain there as well.
In private, he was a straightforward person, completely lacking the cunning and shamelessness of the old chief priest.
If the emperor hadn't caught him, he could have chosen not to explain himself to the emperor, but since the emperor had already caught him, there was no point in making excuses.
He knelt down with a thud, hitting the floor so hard it almost cracked.
"Your Majesty!" he raised his head and said sorrowfully, "I am guilty!"
Seizing the opportunity, Granny Cai pointed her finger at his nose and said, "Of course you are guilty! As His Majesty's subject, His Majesty trusts you so much, yet you sneaked into the palace in the middle of the night and kidnapped the Imperial Concubine!"
Admit it, admit it, old Marquis! Quickly take the blame yourself and don't implicate the Empress!
Behind a large tree not far away, an inconspicuous little eunuch quietly slipped out and ran all the way to Renshou Palace to report the commotion at Huaqing Palace to Eunuch Qin.
Hey, you bastard if you don't watch the show!
Eunuch Qin happily went to report to Empress Dowager Zhuang.
"What's so interesting about this?" Empress Dowager Zhuang had no interest in Consort Jing's romantic affairs.
But Eunuch Qin wants to see it!
It's so frustrating!
Eunuch Qin pleaded earnestly, "Look, she's not losing any more flesh. You've been acting with His Majesty for so long, it's time to see results! If you crush her sooner, you won't have to act anymore, right?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang thought it was feasible, put down the memorial in her hand, and went to Huaqing Palace.
The atmosphere in Huaqing Palace was so heavy that everyone could hardly breathe. The palace servants knelt down in unison, trembling with fear!
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
As Eunuch Qin announced the news, everyone bowed even lower.
Consort Jing and Granny Cai glanced in this direction simultaneously. Empress Dowager Zhuang, dressed in a magnificent and expensive phoenix robe, with phoenixes about to take flight embroidered on the robe and wide sleeves, walked slowly in the dark night, inexplicably giving people the pressure of a judge.
The old marquis and the emperor faced off in silence, neither looking at Empress Dowager Zhuang. Even so, they could still feel her aura.
Eunuch Wei bowed to Empress Dowager Zhuang.
Empress Dowager Zhuang walked up the steps, glanced at the crowd, and asked casually, "Oh, it's so late, and Huaqing Palace is still so lively. Even the old Marquis Gu has come. Why is the old Marquis kneeling? He's even kneeling in Abbess Jing'an's meditation room."
Only when this was mentioned did the emperor remember that the old man Gu Chao was kneeling in the wrong place. He gritted his teeth and said, "Get out here and kneel down!"
The old marquis knelt in the courtyard.
Empress Dowager Zhuang asked slowly, "What happened? Does His Majesty want to punish him by making him kneel?"
Granny Cai hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but the old Marquis sneaked into the palace in the middle of the night and kidnapped the Imperial Concubine. If His Majesty had not arrived in time, the Imperial Concubine would probably have met with misfortune."
Empress Dowager Zhuang raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Kidnapping the Imperial Concubine? I remember there were Dragon Shadow Guards left by the late Emperor in Huaqing Palace. Are all the Dragon Shadow Guards dead? Do we have to wait for His Majesty to come and rescue the Imperial Concubine?"
Upon hearing this, the emperor's expression changed instantly!
He was so angry that he forgot he had sent the Dragon Shadow Guard to Consort Jing's side.
Yes, with the Dragon Shadow Guards around, how was Gu Chao able to get close to Consort Jing?
It can't be that the Dragon Shadow Guards have been lured away again!
Even if they were distracted for a short while, the Dragon Shadow Guards should have returned by now, given how long I've been here.
Since the Dragon Shadow Guards never appeared, there's only one possibility: Consort Jing dismissed them!
Therefore, it was not Gu Chao who kidnapped Consort Jing!
It was the two of them... the two of them...
The emperor forced himself not to think about those two words, but they were abruptly spoken by Eunuch Qin: "Oh dear! In the middle of the night, is Abbess Jing'an planning to escape from the palace with the old Marquis?"
Eunuch Wei said, "Yes, yes! You're not really planning to sneak out of the palace, are you?"
Granny Cai was going crazy. She glared at Eunuch Wei and demanded, "Whose side are you on?!"
Eunuch Wei covered his mouth, oh dear, he'd slipped up.
"Eunuch Qin! Watch your words!" Granny Cai shouted sternly!
But what good is it for her to shout? It's just a bluff.
The facts are clear, and no amount of sophistry can cover up the fact that the Dragon Shadow Guards did not take action.
Consort Jing looked at Empress Dowager Zhuang outside the threshold through the deep darkness of the night.
Empress Dowager Zhuang had no children, yet she was still able to remain in power in the harem for many years. How could she have relied on luck alone?
It's not that she doesn't know those tricks, it's just that there are some things she disdains to fight for.
This seems to have given some people the illusion that she is nothing special, and that she can't do anything except take the blame and feel disheartened.
Zhuang Jinse is proud.
The proud Zhuang Jinse would not come to watch the spectacle of Consort Jing, much less take advantage of Consort Jing's misfortune.
She scoffed.
Zhuang Jinse has changed.
She was still proud, but there was something more than just pride.
Consort Jing gripped the Buddhist prayer beads tightly in her hand.
Empress Dowager Zhuang gave a cold laugh: "Over the years, I have asked you several times if you want to come back, and you have always said no, that you are fine staying in the nunnery. I thought you were just being polite."
As she spoke, she gave the old Marquis a meaningful look, "So that was the truth."
Empress Dowager Zhuang stopped there, and after speaking, she left with Eunuch Qin.
Granny Cai panicked: "Empress Dowager! You can't say such things! When did you ask the Imperial Concubine if she wanted to return to the palace!"
Did Empress Dowager Zhuang ask?
Of course not.
but.
Are they the only ones allowed to label her?
In this situation, with the right timing and location, I'm going to screw you over!
Empress Dowager Zhuang was so domineering that she bowed down for five candied fruits!
Men are always particularly sensitive about such matters, and because they are sensitive, they are suspicious. Empress Dowager Zhuang's words were undoubtedly the last straw that broke the camel's back.
Granny Cai knelt down, pleading, "Your Majesty! Don't listen to the Empress Dowager's nonsense! The Imperial Concubine and Lord Gu are innocent! The Imperial Concubine has never said such things to the Empress Dowager! The Empress Dowager has never sent anyone to the nunnery to invite the Imperial Concubine back to the palace! The Imperial Concubine is your mother! You must believe her! Your Majesty! You absolutely must believe the Imperial Concubine—"
The emperor's heart aches terribly.
It hurt even more than when he found out that the old chief priest had become his father.
Perhaps it was because he subconsciously understood that the old chief priest and Empress Dowager Zhuang could not be real, and that a woman like Empress Dowager Zhuang did not need any man.
She was too assertive and too powerful.
However, his mother, Jingfei, was weak and helpless, and Gu Chao had saved her life.
When he hesitated about whether to grant Gu Chao's request for a marriage decree, it was she who spoke up for Gu Chao.
Could it be... could it be that she really has feelings for Gu Chao?
He looked at Consort Jing with hurt in his eyes, his eyes red, and said, "If I hadn't happened to run into you, would Mother... have already left with him?"
In that instant, he finally understood exactly where his sadness lay.
Even if Empress Dowager Zhuang had a man, she would not give up her empire or her power.
She remained the high and mighty Empress Dowager Zhuang, and still his mother. No matter how much he disliked, despised, or hated her, he could never get rid of her.
Just now, Consort Jing was about to abandon him.
She didn't want him anymore, she didn't want her son anymore.
The emperor felt a sudden, throbbing pain in his throat.
He turned around, suppressing the tears welling up in his eyes: "...You should go."
(End of this chapter)
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