Chapter 800 Beating the King into a Stun (Second Update)
Over at the Imperial Preceptor's Hall, Shangguan Yan gradually "awakened," changing from waking up once a day for a quarter of an hour each time to waking up for more than an hour a day.
The king visited her twice, and Consort Wang and the others were so frightened that they couldn't sleep at night, fearing that Shangguan Yan might actually take their lives together.
After discussing with her family, Consort Dong came up with a solution, and this news was quickly discovered by Consort Wang's spies.
Consort Wang Xianfei also followed her example.
On almost the same day, Consort Yang, who had been keeping a close eye on Consort Wang, also learned what Consort Wang was planning, and she also thought the plan was feasible.
At first, Consort Chen and Consort Feng did not know what the three of them were busy with, but after paying attention to the movements of the three great families, they could roughly guess what was going on.
At first, the five people did not admit it openly, but the investigation became more and more serious, and they could no longer hide it, so they decided to help each other out!
Thus, at the end of July, the five imperial concubines gathered again at the Imperial Preceptor's Hall.
The palace maids have been dismissed.
Shangguan Yan sat in the chair, resisting the urge to hug half a watermelon and eat it spoonful by spoonful. She looked at the five people sitting opposite her with a cold and world-weary expression: "What are you doing here again?"
Consort Wang, as the most senior concubine, was still the speaker among the five.
She said, "Shangguan Yan, I know you don't actually want to die. What you said last time was just to threaten us."
Look at those sweet words! If Shangguan Yan hadn't been prepared, she would have definitely been tricked into revealing her true colors.
Shangguan Yan said slowly, "Since you think I'm faking it, why did you come to me in the first place? You don't need to worry about whether I have any dirt on you."
Consort Dong snorted, "Shangguan Yan, we're only helping you out of pity, since we've watched you grow up!"
Shangguan Yan smiled faintly: "Oh, so you two are playing good cop and bad cop, setting up a stage for yourselves here. Turn right when you leave, goodbye."
The group choked on their words, their faces turning red and their necks bulging.
Wasn't Shangguan Yan a brute who only knew how to fight? When did she become so eloquent?
Consort Wang said, "Alright, now that we're here, we sincerely want to make a deal with you."
Since their rhetoric is ineffective against Shangguan Yan, they might as well speak frankly and openly.
Consort Wang continued, "Shangguan Yan, you may disregard your own life and death, but can you also disregard the reputation of the entire Xuanyuan family? We won't beat around the bush about what happened to the Xuanyuan family back then. Those crimes of the Xuanyuan family were indeed imposed on them by the major families. Whether you want the Xuanyuan family to be remembered for generations or to be infamous for eternity, it's your choice."
Shangguan Yan remained unmoved by these words: "Consort Wang, it is you who are begging me now, not me begging you. You had better straighten your posture."
Consort Wang clenched her handkerchief so tightly it almost poked several holes in it.
She asked calmly, "So you don't want that evidence anymore?"
Shangguan Yan said casually, "It's just evidence from a few aristocratic families; it's meaningless."
The five of them exchanged a glance.
What's wrong with Shangguan Yan? How did she even guess that they only planned to hand over the evidence of the other major families' crimes?
They were hoping to at least protect their families, and then prayed that Shangguan Yan would be easy to fool and would trade her incriminating evidence to them.
Shangguan Yan slammed her teacup on the table and said with an imposing aura, "Since you want to exonerate the Xuanyuan family, then produce all the evidence. There are more than thirty crimes committed by the Xuanyuan family, and not a single piece of evidence can be missing! Don't test my patience, and don't think you can bargain with me. Tomorrow, I might want more than just this!"
"You!" Consort Chen stomped her foot in anger again.
This outcome wasn't entirely unexpected; their worst-case scenario was that Shangguan Yan would demand they gather all the evidence of her crimes.
Consort Wang suppressed her anger and said solemnly, "We can give you the evidence, but you must also bring us the several signed agreements!"
That kind of thing is no longer useful; I can give it to you anytime.
Three hours later, Xiao Heng and the old chief priest next door finished checking all the account books, letters and other evidence and confirmed that they were genuine.
The transaction between the two parties is complete.
Consort Wang and her four companions left in a huff.
This evidence is far-reaching, and Shangguan Yan would hardly believe it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes.
"Even the mighty general is involved." Enemies can never truly harm you; what is truly disheartening is often the betrayal of family and friends.
Shangguan Yan murmured, "General Weiwu was my uncle's subordinate and had even taught Xuanyuan Sheng martial arts. Who would have thought that he would burn down the Xuanyuan family's granary for his own selfish reasons?"
Xiao Heng comforted him, "It's all in the past, and it won't happen again."
"Hmm." Shangguan Yan suppressed the melancholy rising in her heart and said to her son, "This evidence should be enough to exonerate the Xuanyuan family."
Xiao Heng paused for a moment: "Not yet, there is no evidence yet for the crime of treason."
Because the crime of treason is real.
Unless the ruler admits that he plotted against the Xuanyuan family and that the Xuanyuan family was forced to rebel by him.
But that's simply impossible.
Xiao Heng said, "How about this, Mother, you can present this evidence to the King as a testament to your loyalty and filial piety, in exchange for the position of Crown Princess. We can wait on the rest. Once you become Crown Princess, we can find a way to undermine the King's power and still clear the name of the Xuanyuan family."
Shangguan Yan nodded in agreement: "I think it's a good idea. I'll take this evidence to the palace to meet the Emperor when it's light."
-
The Imperial Palace.
Just as the king was about to rest, Zhang Dequan quickly walked over with small, quick steps. He glanced at the little princess sleeping soundly on the small bed and whispered, "Your Majesty, Lady Han from the Cold Palace is making a fuss about seeing you."
The king said coldly, "How many times has this happened?"
Zhang Dequan dared not respond, and only awkwardly reported: "Han said that she has a secret about the Empress."
These are the maid's exact words; Zhang Dequan didn't embellish a single one.
Upon hearing that it concerned Empress Xuanyuan, the king finally mustered the patience to visit the Cold Palace.
Consort Wan has now been demoted to Noble Lady Wan and lives on the west side of the Cold Palace, while Lady Han is imprisoned on the east side of the Cold Palace.
The king went directly to the Han family.
Although she had been banished to the cold palace, Han still dressed herself up very respectably before meeting the emperor. But what good was her respectability? The emperor didn't even glance at her.
She sat on the dilapidated stone bench and smiled at the king, saying, "Your Majesty, I have brewed some tea. I wonder if Your Majesty can get used to the coarse tea in the Cold Palace?"
The king frowned and asked, "What exactly do you want?"
Han said gently, "Your Majesty, did you come here just for that secret related to the Empress? Doesn't Your Majesty even ask how I've been doing these past few days since I was banished to the Cold Palace? Your Majesty, you are so heartless."
A man will only cherish a woman's fragility if he loves her.
When someone has no feelings for her, all she can do is feign illness and whine.
The king's eyes grew increasingly impatient.
Han seemed oblivious to this, and continued, "Indeed, His Majesty's heart is only for Xuan Yuan Han Yan. Has he ever thought of any other sisters in the harem? Yet even towards the one he loves, His Majesty can be ruthless. In His Majesty's heart... there is only himself."
The king said impatiently, "If you have nothing to say, I'm leaving!"
Han poured herself a cup of tea: "The Empress did tell me something from the bottom of her heart before she died. She said she regretted marrying Your Majesty, and if possible, she begged me to find a way to prevent her from being buried with Your Majesty in the imperial mausoleum. She did not want to meet Your Majesty again on her way to the afterlife."
The king's heart trembled violently.
He knew that Xuanyuan Hanyan hated him, but he didn't expect her to hate him to this extent!
Han sneered: "Your Majesty, is your heart aching? Or is it that Your Majesty does not want to believe what I have to say? Indeed, when has Your Majesty ever believed me? Even this time, when I was so obviously framed, Your Majesty still chose to be blind to the truth."
"Until tonight, I was waiting, waiting for Your Majesty to come and see me. I didn't want things to come to this, Your Majesty, you forced me into this situation!"
"Your Majesty, I came to the palace with admiration for you. Over the years, I have longed to become a true husband and wife with you. What has Xuan Yuan Han Yan done? I managed all of Your Majesty's harem! I thought I held some weight in Your Majesty's heart, but in the end, I realized that Your Majesty just couldn't bear to burden Xuan Yuan Han Yan."
“But that woman never looks back at Your Majesty. I hate her! So I had Shangguan Yan kidnapped! I sold her to a brokerage firm and made her a slave!”
The king's heart trembled: "It's you?!"
Madam Han smiled and said, "It is I, your concubine!"
The king flew into a rage, strode forward, and grabbed her by the neck: "I'm going to kill you!"
Han was being choked until she couldn't breathe, her face turning purple, but she still grinned ferociously: "Too late... Your Majesty... It's too late... You... can't kill me now!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a dark shadow descended from the sky and delivered a chop to the back of the king's neck.
The king's body suddenly went numb. He released his grip on Han Shi's hand and fell straight to the ground.
He saw the hem of a black cloak and a pair of black shoes inlaid with gold. Then his eyelids drooped and he completely fainted.
The Yan Kingdom chapter is coming to an end.
(End of this chapter)
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