—Great Yan, Capital City
The Imperial Noble Consort died in the spring before it arrived. The Emperor's childhood sweetheart died, but a grand funeral could not be held. Perhaps because of this, the Emperor, who was resting and recuperating his legs, was very unhappy, and no one dared to offend him.
"Your Highness, why are you doing this? If you had just waited a little longer, the General would have been able to avenge you." The maid massaging the beauty's legs spoke softly and in a slightly coquettish tone.
The woman patted her head twice and said...
“My brother is my brother, and I am me. If he makes me unhappy, I will make him feel bad too.”
After the Emperor was hit by the antique shelf in Shuhua Palace last time, the newly appointed head of the Astrology Hall advised the Emperor that Consort Xiao was temporarily unsuitable to serve him, and that her star position should be temporarily shifted to conquer the Purple Palace.
If it were anyone else, they might have to be demoted, but not this concubine. Her brother is Xiao Lanyi, someone the Emperor relies on. Xiao Lanhua has been detained in the palace for over a month now, and no one knows when it will end. Compared to the indifferent and content Consort Xiao, the eunuchs and maids around her are getting anxious.
Even if your master isn't in a hurry, you can't help but think about him. People in the palace are all opportunistic. What if your master suffers some injustice in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities?
"Your Majesty, you are still the same as you were before you got married."
"really?"
"really."
The woman on the bed, who was painting her nails, smiled. That's good. Brother Cheng said he liked her temper the most.
"I heard that the Imperial Noble Consort drowned. Her death was horribly tragic. She was soaked in the well for several days and started to stink before she was discovered."
A handsome eunuch hunched over and ran over from outside the door, whispering something in Consort Xiao's ear.
The woman curled her lips and asked...
"Zhongfu, you're not saying all this just to make me happy, are you?"
"Oh my, our Empress truly lives up to her reputation as the most intelligent woman in the three palaces and six courtyards. She knew my intentions with just a slight movement of her head. I just noticed that you've been feeling unhappy these past few days, being cooped up in the palace."
"I'm not unhappy at all. I don't have to go out and fight, nor do I have to serve the Emperor. I'm quite content. And then? Tell me more."
The current Imperial Noble Consort is almost fifty years old. I don't know why a woman of this age still has those kinds of love and romance in her mind. Ever since Xiao Lanhua entered the palace and gained the emperor's favor, she has done a lot to trip up Consort Xiao.
Xiao Lanhua was also very happy to hear the news of her passing.
"Then, then the emperor wanted to hold a funeral for her."
"Hmm, and then?" The woman took the fruit that Qingsong fed her with her mouth, gesturing for him to continue.
"Then, Censor Fan impeached the Imperial Noble Consort..."
"What are you referring to? Let's learn."
"Despite her high position, the Imperial Noble Consort was insatiably greedy. She colluded with underground banks, lending money at exorbitant interest rates, driving countless families to ruin and death..."
The young eunuch's imitation was so lifelike that Consort Xiao and the maid beside her were quite interested. There was no one else in the room except for a few trusted confidants. In the palace, once you decided to serve someone, you had to stick with them to the end.
Even if you betray your master, you won't get anything good; no one will trust you anymore.
“Our Imperial Noble Consort is the Yuwen family’s money bag. Whenever our Emperor is short of money, he will definitely run to her palace. If she doesn’t lend money, how could she possibly get so much money?”
"The main reason is that the man initially refused to admit it and wanted to hold a grand funeral for the Imperial Noble Consort. It wasn't until the Censor presented the evidence to the Emperor in front of all the civil and military officials that His Majesty finally relented."
Xiao Lanhua stretched her spine, which had been sitting for a long time, making a few cracking sounds, and then she said lazily.
“Our master isn’t reluctant to part with his childhood sweetheart who’s grown old and faded; he’s reluctant to part with the money. So where’s the money?”
"The money was all taken to the national treasury by the censors..."
"..."
Xiao Lanhua was somewhat speechless. She agreed, but she was genuinely worried about Imperial Censor Fan.
"How has Imperial Censor Fan managed to survive all these years?"
"This servant doesn't know, but Imperial Censor Fan has no one in the court he doesn't offend. He's an inspector, so... no one... should dare to touch him."
"Perhaps." In any case, Xiao Lanhua couldn't figure it out.
"Is Imperial Censor Fan reckless? Those people are afraid of those who are reckless. It's one thing if someone dies after attacking him, but they're afraid that those he offends will be condemned by the people." Qingsong said from the side.
The beautiful woman turned to look at the little maid who had served her for many years, and tapped her nose, saying...
"Smart, reward him; Zhongfu too, go and collect your rewards."
"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty."
Yes, the reason why Imperial Censor Fan has been able to remain in the court peacefully for so many years is because he represents the will of the people of Great Yan. As long as he is alive, the people of Great Yan will feel at ease.
The emperor wasn't stupid; how could he not understand the principle that water can carry a boat but also capsize it?
This palace is really boring.
The beautiful woman looked at the forsythia blooming brightly outside, her eyes slightly narrowed. She then looked up at the high wall outside the window. This was the place where everyone longed for wealth and glory, which had trapped her for her entire life and the best years of her youth.
She raised her hand and looked at the calluses on her right hand that she had developed from practicing with the sword; they were no longer as thick as before.
Her hands, once marked with crisscrossing knife scars, had become smooth and fair. As she ran her left index finger across the calluses, she still preferred the Xiao Lanhua who once rode a horse and brandished a sword on the battlefield.
Thinking of this, the beauty smiled.
Memories always take root and sprout in the mind, but time can never go back to how things were when they first came to be.
"Your Highness, what do you think of the Imperial Noble Consort?"
What about those who fell into the well? But Qing Song didn't say the last part aloud, even though everyone in the room was her own family. Some things are better left unsaid.
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