Chapter 184 Concubine Duan's Intention
"I lied that day, I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
In the Yangxin Palace, Concubine Duan said that she had something important to report, and everyone else was dismissed, leaving only her and the emperor.
After hearing this, the emperor continued to read the memorial, but his face became even gloomier:
He knew that Qi Yuebin had acted as a false witness!
The emperor did not respond, and Concubine Duan continued:
"The emperor asked me why I went to Yikun Palace that day, and I said I saw it with my own eyes and had to go."
"So..." The emperor looked up at Concubine Duan who was squatting on the ground, "Concubine Xi didn't deliberately scare the Imperial Concubine, or did you not see it at all?"
Concubine Duan did not give a direct answer, but kept the question in suspense and said that she hated Nian Shilan.
"No one in this harem hates her more than I do."
“She” is naturally Nian Shilan.
"If she hadn't given me a pot of safflower soup, how could I not even have a child?"
This was secretly telling the emperor that there was no possibility that he would lie for Nian Shilan.
"That day, the Emperor asked me why I went to the Yikun Palace. I was unable to answer immediately—"
Concubine Duan suddenly bowed and said, "To be honest with you, Your Majesty, the reason I was in such a hurry to go there was because I wanted to confuse right and wrong and accuse that vicious woman in front of Your Majesty while no one else knew! So that Your Majesty could punish her severely!"
“Cough cough cough cough…”
Concubine Duan became more and more excited as she spoke. She coughed several times and her tone softened again. "But she is absolutely wrong. The baby in her belly is the emperor's child."
"I can no longer bear children for Your Majesty, so how can I bear to harm Your Majesty's children?"
Concubine Duan was so moved that her eyes turned red. She used a handkerchief to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Everyone in the harem has their own agenda. Some seek favor, some seek wealth, some seek power, and some seek to protect their loved ones. I, a weak and frail concubine, do not ask for anything. All I wish for the rest of my life is for the emperor to be content."
"General Nian has made great contributions in pacifying the northwest, and the Nian family is powerful. I, the concubine, have ignored the facts and pointed out her. Apart from embarrassing the emperor in public, what else can I gain?"
"I cannot bear it, so I have to risk offending the Queen Mother."
Both Niu Hulu and Guaerjia stayed after listening to the opera in Changyin Pavilion. Concubine Duan was ill and lying in Yanqing Palace, so it was normal for her to "not know" that Niu Hulu was the emperor's favorite.
But in conjunction with the previous sentence "some people are trying to protect their relatives", she was deliberately pointing at the empress dowager and didn't care about the emperor's feelings at all.
"I know I shouldn't have such thoughts. The incident happened suddenly, so when the emperor asked me about it, I, a woman, lost my mind and panicked."
"If Your Majesty wants to blame me, then go ahead."
Regardless of personal grudges, everyone is considering themselves in every aspect. How could the emperor not be moved?
"The ground is cold, get up quickly."
The emperor raised his hand and pointed to the chair next to him, and Concubine Duan bowed again.
"I have an unwelcome request, and I hope Your Majesty will grant it."
There was a hint of vigilance in the emperor's eyes immediately, as if all the preparations made by Concubine Duan were for this "request".
He doesn't like women playing tricks on him.
"Have you heard about the recent rumors in the palace?"
"The Empress Dowager is not feeling well, Doctor Chen hasn't come for a long time, and I am bedridden. How can I hear the rumors in the palace?"
The emperor would not let her raise the Sixth Prince, and Concubine Duan knew it better than anyone else.
After finally using a bowl of medicine to turn the two daughters of military commanders into mortal enemies, how could he possibly give them a child and give these two mortal enemies a chance to reconcile?
What's more, even if the emperor is willing, Shilan will not agree.
Concubine Duan was not stupid. One of the purposes of this trip was to dispel the seeds of doubt that had been planted in the emperor's heart on the night of the surprise pregnancy. She also had another purpose -
"The Queen Mother seems to be dissatisfied with me because of this. I dare not ask for her forgiveness, but I grew up by her side and don't want to see the Queen Mother hurt herself for me."
Concubine Duan coughed twice again and opened the scroll beside her.
"I started embroidering this longevity painting several months ago, and finished it half a month ago. I took it to Baohua Temple and asked a senior monk to consecrate it."
She placed her hand on the brocade box beside her. "And these Buddhist scriptures, all of which were copied by me and worshiped by the emperor."
The emperor probably understood what she meant. "You want me to give these things to the Queen Mother for you?"
"I know this is against the rules, but the Queen Mother doesn't want to see me now... I'm afraid the Queen Mother will recognize the handwriting on the Buddhist scripture and she won't accept it."
Concubine Duan looked regretful. "Fortunately, I seldom did embroidery in the past. This longevity painting..."
"It's hard to believe that you're willing to put so much thought into this. This kind of filial piety is really rare."
The emperor nodded and agreed to give the gift to the empress dowager on her behalf.
"I thank the emperor for his grace. Ahem, ahem, ahem..." Concubine Duan bowed three times. "I am really exhausted. I want to go back and rest first. Please allow me to do so."
"Go back." The emperor immediately let Jixiang in. "Doctor Chen is busy taking care of the empress dowager. I will send a capable doctor to see you."
Concubine Duan coughed all the way and breathed heavily from time to time. Like a willow in the wind, she was carried out of the Yangxin Palace by Jixiang.
She sat crookedly on the sedan chair, looking like she was about to leave this world. As soon as the sedan chair was lifted up, a meaningful smile flashed across her eyes.
Jixiang asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, are you sure that the Queen Mother will..."
Concubine Duan interrupted her before she finished speaking and said confidently, "Of course."
The next day, there was a ceremony to confer titles on the Imperial Consort, Consort Jing and Consort Li, as well as a full-month banquet for the prince and princess.
The concubines toasted the Emperor and Empress, toasted the Imperial Concubine, and congratulated Concubine Jing and Concubine Li.
As the Queen finished her drink, she glanced at Concubine Duan: She is getting better and better now!
In the past, he would stay indoors, then he would go out during festivals, and now he gets involved in everything.
Tonight everyone's attention is on the matter of the prince's adoptive mother, and the Empress is confused. She is also curious about the Emperor's decision, so after three rounds of drinks, she found an opportunity to talk about this matter.
The emperor was well aware of the rumors in the harem these days. He glanced at the three concubines:
Concubine Li is rash and inappropriate.
Concubine Duan is ill and is not in good condition.
Concubine Jing...
But it is Feng Ruozhao, who is not favored by everyone?
Seeing the emperor's eyes fall on Concubine Jing, the queen smiled and spoke.
"Jing Fei has a stable temperament and works diligently and attentively. She is naturally the best candidate..."
The sound was not loud, but everyone listened attentively.
The queen said slowly, "It's just that according to the ancestral system, concubines of higher rank have always raised the children of concubines of lower rank, and there has never been a concubine of lower rank raising the children of concubines of higher rank."
Concubine Jing and Concubine Duan looked over and said: Could it be more obvious that the Empress had snatched the child?
Time waits for no one. The Queen has been waiting for a year. How can she give it up at this moment?
She is now making her cards clear: I stole it, so what?
In front of the Queen Mother, she has already regarded herself as the child's crown princess. How can she be polite to anyone at this moment?
The queen said in a worried tone, "It's not a serious matter. It's just a word from the emperor. I'm afraid it will get out and I won't be able to explain it to the outside world."
The emperor closed his eyes and counted his Buddhist beads. He had planned everything. He was on guard against the empress dowager, the queen, and even people like Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang.
I didn't expect that this Niu Hulu family would not live up to their expectations.
He cleared his throat, and except Fang Jia Chunyi who was still eating, all the concubines sat up straight at the same time.