Emperor Huiwu's gaze was intense, his expression complex. He simply patted Consort Chen's head affectionately and said calmly:
"I will protect my beloved son!"
"Your Majesty, I..."
"Or does the Imperial Concubine think that I am incapable of even protecting my own son?"
Having said that, Consort Chen naturally wouldn't insist.
She bit her lip, neither responding nor admitting her mistake.
"Take good care of yourself, I'll go and attend to my business now."
Emperor Huiwu walked out with heavy steps.
Enraged, Emperor Huiwu had the eunuch who tested the poison for Consort Chen and the palace maid who was in charge of her meals beaten to death.
Then the relevant servants were interrogated.
Not going to tell?
Then just kill them.
Amidst such bloodshed and carnage, countless palace maids and eunuchs were beaten to death, and the matter gradually began to take shape.
"...It was Cuixi, who served Consort Yang, who once went to Consort Chen's small kitchen..."
They even found medicine in her residence... but no matter how much she was beaten, she refused to admit that she had poisoned the Imperial Concubine..."
"Then arrest Consort Yang and bring her to the Imperial Prison for interrogation," Emperor Huiwu calmly ordered.
His tone was as casual and relaxed as if he were offering Yang Guifei a plate of pastries.
Zhou Ruhai, steeling himself, cautiously said, "Your Majesty, Consort Yang has given birth to the twelfth prince; doing this might be..."
"What are you afraid of?"
Emperor Huiwu smiled coldly.
Does the emperor have to be given a task and then be met with excuses and delays?
Zhou Ruhai was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly knelt down to admit his mistake: "This servant knows his mistake, this servant will go and give orders right away..."
Who would have thought that a noblewoman who gave birth to a prince would one day be sent to the Censorate?
This was something that neither Consort Yang nor anyone else in the harem had anticipated.
Since this news came out, everyone in the harem has been living in fear and kept silent.
Everyone thought Emperor Huiwu had gone mad.
Soon, people from both the imperial court and the inner palace sought an audience with Emperor Huiwu, arguing that Yang Guiren should not be imprisoned in the Shenxing Division without conclusive evidence.
Even the three-year-old twelfth prince staggered to the outside of the imperial study and knelt down to beg.
"Please, Father, spare Mother! Please, Father!"
The little child, kneeling there, was just a tiny little ball.
Under the scorching sun, the twelfth prince knelt precariously, his forehead covered in sweat.
Emperor Huiwu, however, showed no intention of urging him to get up.
No one dared to even offer him a sip of water.
Until Consort Shu arrived.
Since the Empress passed away, the harem has been managed by Consort Shu.
Consort Shu was a devout Buddhist and had never given birth to a prince, only a daughter. Therefore, everyone in the harem believed that Consort Shu posed no threat. Moreover, Consort Shu acted appropriately and never gave anyone cause for gossip.
Even though Consort Chen was favored and enjoyed great power for the past three years, Consort Shu remained a special figure, firmly holding the reins of power in the harem. Therefore, everyone in the harem trusted Consort Shu.
Consort Shu looked at the twelfth prince, who was almost fainting from the sun, and calmly gave the order:
"Quickly take the twelfth prince back and have a royal physician examine him properly. We must not delay."
No one dared to move.
A young eunuch named Xiao Qiuzi, who was guarding the door of the Imperial Study, whispered a report:
"Your Highness, His Majesty has not given the order, who would dare to do this?"
"Was it His Majesty who punished the twelfth prince by making him kneel here?"
Consort Shu calmly countered with a question.
Consort Shu was tall and slender with a full and harmonious figure and gentle features, showing no signs of aggression.
Especially the red mole between his eyebrows, making him look like a compassionate deity.
Although Consort Shu was kind, her methods of managing the harem were not gentle.
Therefore, the palace servants both respected and feared her.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qiuzi immediately shook her head, "No, it was His Highness who insisted on kneeling here to plead for Consort Yang."
"Isn't that settled? Hurry up and take the twelfth prince away. If anything happens to the twelfth prince, what do you think you will do?"
As if waking from a dream, Xiao Qiuzi immediately ordered someone to carry the twelfth prince away and to find the imperial physician.
Consort Shu: "When His Majesty has time later, you can tell him what just happened."
Then he turned around and left.
Everyone: ? ? ? ?
Wasn't this lady here to persuade His Majesty not to bring Consort Yang to the Censorate for interrogation?
Even Consort Shu's maid was somewhat puzzled.
"Your Highness, are we just going back like this?"
"Otherwise what? Do you want to interfere?" Consort Shu retorted.
All well-intentioned but ill-timed actions are tantamount to courting disaster.
Three months after Consort Chen entered the palace, Consort Shu told herself...
From now on, she will not interfere in anything concerning Consort Chen.
What compassion and empathy? Those are just praises from outsiders.
The first rule for survival in the imperial harem: Don't meddle in other people's business.
"So you've come here specifically to rescue the Twelfth Prince?"
"Twelve is still young and has already been frightened. If he is made to kneel here in fear for half a day, he might lose his life."
The child is innocent.
Moreover, Emperor Huiwu never made things difficult for his children.
Today's outburst was merely a fit of anger for a woman; if Twelve were to truly be in danger, Emperor Huiwu would likely carry a deep scar in his heart forever.
"Your Majesty is benevolent."
Consort Shu's lips twitched.
Benevolence?
Forget it.
It must be said that it was indeed effective when it came to the Censorate.
Although Consort Yang did not confess, she admitted that she was jealous of Consort Chen.
However, the people from the Censorate investigated and found that the medicine was bought outside the palace by Consort Yang's maid.
The pharmacy he bought happened to be owned by the wife of one of the Marquis of Ruyang's nephews.
Emperor Huiwu felt something was amiss and sent people to investigate further, which led them to Consort Rong!
Furthermore, the palace maid's family received a sum of money, and by following the clues, they traced it back to a distant relative of the Marquis of Ruyang.
No one expected that it was Consort Rong who did it.
Emperor Huiwu immediately ordered all those around Consort Rong to be arrested and interrogated at the Shenxing Division.
In just one day, everything was found out.
It turned out that Consort Rong had intentionally or unintentionally stirred up trouble in front of Consort Yang.
for example:
"Sigh, the thirteenth prince's birthday banquet is really lively this time. I'm afraid it will be just as lively when the twelfth prince has his birthday."
Consort Yang's expression changed: "The Twelfth Prince's birthday has already passed."
Or perhaps:
"His Majesty truly dotes on the Thirteenth Prince, wanting to make him Crown Prince at such a young age. I wonder if the Twelfth Prince will be granted the title of Prince in the future?"
There are countless similar examples.
Over time, the fire in Yang Guifei's heart was ignited.
Even if she was jealous, Consort Yang was not foolish enough to poison Consort Chen.
Consort Rong mistakenly believed that Noble Consort Chen was pregnant, so she could no longer sit still.
He bribed the palace maids around Consort Yang, promising her all sorts of benefits, which led to this whole drama.
I just didn't expect that all my efforts would be in vain.
What Consort Rong couldn't understand was that Consort Yang had no idea what was going on, and the palace maid hadn't confessed at first either. So where exactly did the clue slip up?
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