Those who understood sighed, thinking that if the Emperor didn't truly love the Tenth Princess, how could he, who was obsessed with power, tolerate such an arrogant and unruly concubine?
To curry favor with Consort Dun, Heshen went so far as to move a water town from Jiangnan to Yikun Palace. With the help of the princess, Heshen, through her influence, overshadowed Liu Yong and Ji Yun, becoming the most favored minister among the civil officials.
After giving birth, Yan Ning never saw He Shen or Yong Yan again, and the gossip in the capital was overshadowed by the anecdotes of other officials. He Shen reunited with Yong Yan, but it was merely a facade. Yong Yan wanted to win over Yuan Shoutong, while He Shen wanted to maintain a peaceful coexistence with Yong Yan. Even with the Emperor's favor, Yong Yan was still a prince, and the bond between ruler and subject ultimately couldn't overcome the bond between father and son. He Shen knew in his heart that he couldn't afford to offend any of the four princes.
When Yan Ning met Heshen again, he was in the palace dealing with the palace maid that Consort Dun had beaten to death. It was common for masters to beat servants, but to beat one to death so openly was unprecedented in the palace. Even though the Emperor spared Consort Dun out of consideration for the Tenth Princess, the law still applied equally to the emperor.
Consort Dun ordered the death of Yuan'er, who had spoken disrespectfully to her, in front of all the palace servants. Intending to make an example of her, she ended up cutting off her own foot. Consort Dun immediately collapsed beside Yuan'er's corpse, terrified and pale, shaking her head weakly, "She couldn't have been killed by me! Someone must have framed me!"
The palace women were a source of much gossip, and the Emperor couldn't very well behead them all just to protect Consort Dun. Therefore, he had no choice but to order a fair and impartial resolution. This matter should have been handled by the Imperial Household Department, but Consort Dun only trusted Heshen, and based on the Tenth Princess's standing in the Emperor's eyes, he granted her request.
Although the palace was vast, the winds blew swiftly. Only three or four hours after Consort Dun killed the palace maid, news reached Consort Rong. Neither Consort Rong nor Consort Xun went to Yikun Palace to witness Consort Dun's humiliating act of making an example of someone.
Early in the morning, after declining the invitation from the maids of Yikun Palace, Consort Rong took Yan Ning to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers. Yan Ning had repeatedly asked Consort Rong for leave, explaining that she had been away from home for two months and feared there were many matters to attend to at home. But Consort Rong only smiled and said, "For the sake of our friendship, please stay with me for a few more days! In any case, the Emperor doesn't come here now. If you and the two children leave, I'll be all alone in this cold cellar!"
Consort Rong had no children and was not as young as Consort Xun, so the Emperor only treated her with courtesy. Yan Ning felt a pang of pity and swallowed back the words of her resignation. She used Consort Rong's name to pick flowers in the Imperial Garden, intending to make a flower wreath for Yun Wan and let her absorb some of the palace's ethereal aura.
Heshen, accompanied by two eunuchs carrying a corpse, crossed the Imperial Garden and happened to meet Yan Ning, who was picking flowers and returning to the pavilion.
The flowers in the Imperial Garden were in full bloom, but the sight of the palace maid Yuan'er's blood-stained face startled a group of beautiful women. Yan Ning couldn't bear to look either, so she stepped back a few paces to make way for the eunuchs carrying the corpse.
Heshen bowed to Consort Rong, who was sitting in the pavilion, and said, "This servant deserves to die a thousand deaths for disturbing Your Majesty's enjoyment of the flowers. In early summer, corpses should not be exposed to the sun, otherwise the coroner will not be able to examine the body. Therefore, this servant received His Majesty's decree to walk through the Imperial Garden! Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
Consort Rong remained seated, not looking at Heshen. She said calmly, "I have much more time to spend with Yan Ning, and we can enjoy these flowers and streams. Lord Heshen, please go and attend to your business! We must investigate thoroughly and clear Consort Dun's name!"
Yan Ning saw Heshen's back suddenly straighten. He paused for a moment, then bowed and said, "This servant will certainly handle this impartially!" He stood up, glanced at Yan Ning with his crescent-shaped eyes, and then waved his hand, leading the two eunuchs carrying the corpse away on a detour.
Yan Ning couldn't help but look at Consort Rong, who was calmly drinking tea. Although she didn't know the meaning of Consort Rong's conversation with Heshen, it was an undeniable fact that she had been used as a pawn by Consort Rong.
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