Chapter 382 The Real and Fake Xiao Chuan
The Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.
Looking at the blueprints drawn by the craftsmen, the emperor asked Hong Dequan, who was standing to the side, "What do you think of this dragon throne? When it is completed and moved into the main hall, the empress will sit on this throne and listen to the government with me."
Hong Dequan smiled and said, "His Majesty's judgment has always been excellent; His Highness will surely like it."
The emperor nodded with great satisfaction, then asked, "Why hasn't that brat come to the palace lately?"
Hong Dequan was taken aback, realizing that the only person His Majesty could constantly think about in the palace was Princess Jinzhi.
"Your Majesty, the princess is probably busy with official duties, which is why she hasn't come to the palace these past few days."
The emperor looked at the blueprints in his hand and said, "Go, bring that brat to the palace."
Hong Dequan replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Eunuch Hong arrived at the Thousand Birds Bureau with practiced ease, and Qin Jinzhi was indeed still handling official business.
"Princess, His Majesty requests your presence in the palace."
Qin Jinzhi shook her slightly sore neck when she heard Eunuch Hong's voice.
"Perfect timing, I have something to attend to at the palace to see His Majesty, let's go."
Qin Jinzhi sat on the palanquin. Eunuch Hong looked at Qin Jinzhi's tired expression and said, "Princess, even if you are busy with official duties, you must take care of your health. Look at your face, you look exhausted."
Qin Jinzhi didn't speak. When Eunuch Hong looked over, he saw that Qin Jinzhi had already fallen asleep.
Eunuch Hong immediately gave a signal to the people carrying the palanquin.
The palanquin was carried smoothly to the Empress's palace.
As soon as she landed, Qin Jinzhi opened her eyes.
There were still faint red streaks in his eyes.
Upon seeing this, Eunuch Hong announced, "Princess Jinzhi has arrived!"
Qin Jinzhi went inside, where the emperor and empress were looking at auspicious days according to the Chinese calendar.
She yawned and stretched as she sat down next to the Queen.
"Grandfather, you wanted to see me?"
The emperor felt a pang of heartache looking at Qin Jinzhi's tired face. These days, all the important and trivial matters in the court had piled up at once. The Thousand Birds Division was directly under his jurisdiction, so he naturally had a lot of official duties.
"Look at your eyes. Anyone who didn't know better would think your grandmother and I were abusing you. Don't go back to the palace today. You might as well keep your grandmother company."
The Empress stroked her head with tenderness in her eyes, and Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "Okay."
He then took a folded booklet out of his pocket.
"I had someone calculate the date, and it's auspicious thirteen days from now, the day when the Empress Dowager will hold court."
Upon hearing this, the Empress immediately pushed aside the date calculated by Master Wuyou on the table.
"If Jinzhi says it's good, then it's good."
Qin Jinzhi glanced at the date on the table; it was a year from now.
She chuckled but didn't say anything.
Seeing that the two had no objections, the emperor didn't say anything, and then handed over the blueprints in his hand with a smug look on his face.
"Look, look! Your imperial grandfather is a man of both literary and military prowess, and is proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting!"
Qin Jinzhi took the drawings with some disdain, but to be honest, they were quite well drawn.
She took off her shoes and threw them aside, then jumped onto the soft couch and nestled inside.
"Your sons should be going to court by now; I'm exhausted."
The emperor pondered for a moment, then said, "Isn't it too early now?"
The Empress took a sip of tea and said, "The Crown Prince has already entered the court and begun to handle state affairs. If these princes do not enter the court, they will not have any merit when they are enfeoffed as kings in the future. What will the officials think then?"
Qin Jinzhi chimed in, "Now that the court has been reshuffled, it will not be easy for the remaining aristocratic families to regain their former glory."
The emperor thought for a moment, then said, "Very well."
He turned to look at the grandfather and grandson, "Piao'er and Can'er have been back in the capital for quite some time now, it's time to announce their identities to the world."
Qin Jinzhi thought for a moment, "Uncle's birthday is coming soon, why don't we announce it on his birthday?"
The Emperor and Empress nodded. "Very good."
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the palace.
The emperor frowned. "Who dares to make a scene outside the Empress's palace! What kind of behavior is this!"
A palace maid rushed in and said, "Your Majesty, it's Consort Shen outside the gate. She's kneeling outside the palace gate, demanding to see the Empress."
Qin Jinzhi shifted to a more comfortable position, knowing that her biological son was dead and that she could only save her nephew.
The Empress frowned slightly. "Let her in."
Soon, Consort Shen followed the palace servants in.
Upon seeing the Empress, he immediately knelt at her feet.
"Your Majesty, I beg you, you must save Chuan'er! Chuan'er is innocent!"
The Empress frowned deeply. "What is Consort Shen saying? I don't understand!"
Consort Shen immediately spoke up: "Your Majesty, Chuan'er is my own flesh and blood. I don't know where this thief came from, but he has impersonated Chuan'er and tried to confuse the royal bloodline. Now Chuan'er is imprisoned in Dali Temple. Your Majesty, I beg you to save Chuan'er."
The Emperor spoke up from the side, "Nonsense! Xiao Chuan was imprisoned in Dali Temple because he caused a disturbance there. Besides, the matter hasn't been investigated yet. Why are you bothering the Empress?"
Consort Shen looked at the Emperor in disbelief, "Your Majesty!"
Even though she already knew the emperor's true colors, seeing his coldness still made Consort Shen's heart skip a beat.
The people sent to Cangzhou have returned, and it turns out that her Chuan'er was killed by Yuan Yi herself!
Now her daughter has also disappeared!
If something were to happen to her nephew, she would have no more children to rely on!
Consort Shen said urgently, "Your Majesty, you held Chuan'er in your arms the day he was born. How could he have been switched?"
The emperor said coldly, "But the palace maid who left the palace by your side has not been found yet. Once she is found, we will know the truth."
Consort Shen quickly said, "Your Majesty! I can guarantee that Chuan'er is my own flesh and blood!"
The palace maid is nowhere to be found; her remains are still in the dry well of that cold palace.
"Consort Shen is the seventeenth prince's biological mother, so it's only natural that she's anxious. But Consort Shen should think carefully. If you guarantee that Xiao Chuan is your biological son, then everyone else is an imposter. Whether it's a fake princess or a fake prince, they will all be executed."
As long as Consort Shen completely accepts this fake Xiao Chuan.
From now on, no one can use their status as a royal heir to cause trouble.
Even if Xiao Yuanyi entered the capital, it would still be for her own position.
Shen Mingtang would never acknowledge Xiao Yuanyi.
Consort Shen gritted her teeth as she watched Qin Jinzhi slowly sit up behind the two of them.
"Your Majesty, I only recognize Chuan'er."
The emperor sighed in dismay. "Very well, Hong Dequan, go to the Dali Temple and summon Xiao Chuan. Xiao Chuan is lawless; he shall be given ten strokes of the cane and confined to his quarters for three months!"
"yes!"
Consort Shen finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Empress looked at Consort Shen and said, "Now that Xiao Chuan has been released, you should go back to the palace and rest well."
Consort Shen lowered her head and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now."
Qin Jinzhi watched Consort Shen's departing figure, a smile playing on her lips.
The appearance of Consort Shen had no impact on the Emperor and Empress.
Just as the emperor and empress were discussing state affairs, Qin Jinzhi's eyelids slowly closed.
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