Chapter 55
Yun Xiu thought carefully about how to break the situation set by Consort Hui and Ming Zhu for a long time.
The best outcome was that the emperor was not suspicious, and the Guoluoluo family could still stay out of the matter and that Tuyue escaped from the fiery pit of Ming Zhu's. Whether he was sent elsewhere or stayed in Shengjing, it was best to protect himself wisely.
But Ming Zhu's referral had been placed on the desk in the imperial study room, and it could not be changed.
This was a last ditch attempt to save a hopeless situation – to let Suo Etu follow up with a recommendation letter, and pretend to compete with Ming Zhu to confuse the public. At the same time, this would dispel the ministers' suspicions of the two families joining forces. It would shift everyone's attention from the court battle to Tuyue himself.
Yun Xiu dared to do this, so she had the confidence.
Ming Zhu and Suo Etu were at odds with each other in the previous court, and they were incompatible with each other. The Nala family and the Hesheli family, as well as their cronies and vassals, were fighting fiercely.
If the actions of the two families to entice the Guoluoluo in private were revealed openly, no one would be surprised. At most, they would sigh that Minister Ming and Minister Suo had actually set their sights on the Guoluoluo family's Tuyue, regardless of the cost. The recommendation was indeed well-intentioned.
Now, the rumours of the Guoluoluo family and the Nala family joining forces would disappear.
If the two families joined forces, then why would Suo Etu praise Tuyue so highly? It was not like he was so senseless that he would give a future political opponent such a boost.
Yun Xiu was about 80% sure that Suo Etu would agree. When he saw Ming Zhu coercing people and about to drag Tuyue under his command, how could he not be anxious?
Consort Hui had the palace power, but Imperial Concubine Ping could not give the Hesheli family any help. If Tuyue became Ming Zhu's subordinate, and Consort Yi and Consort Hui worked together, Suo Etu would struggle greatly!
At this moment, she conveyed her kindness and request. It was like giving a pillow to someone who was dozing off. It would be strange for Suo Etu not to agree.
…
After considering all aspects, the only thing Yun Xiu was not sure about was Kangxi's reaction.
Her brother was recommended by two powerful ministers one after another. It was so high-profile that it was the first time in this court. If the emperor had a bad feeling towards her brother, or suspected that the Guoluoluo family had ulterior motives for coveting power, she wouldn't be able to explain it clearly even if she had ten mouths.
So what if she was favoured again?
When matters involving government affairs were involved, the emperor's heart would become colder than ever before.
In her dream, she had already experienced it once. She did not want to take any chances. She intended to test her position in the emperor's heart and test the extent of his feelings towards her.
Consort Yi had already been mentally prepared, but she never expected that the emperor's reaction was actually like this.
He actually praised her father for being a good teacher and raising a talent like Tuyue. He smiled brightly and was very pleased.
Yun Xiu: "…"
Wasn't the emperor's focus off a bit?
In an instant, the uneasiness and anxiety in her heart disappeared. Yun Xiu curled her lips, her beautiful eyebrows relaxed, and there was a beautiful smile in her eyes.
Her brother was what the emperor called, 'a talent'. This was really, really…
"How could there be such a strange thing?" She withdrew her hand and gave Kangxi a look. "You know about this concubine's brother. He has lived in Shengjing all this time. No matter how good he is, even if he excels as an official, how can he be any better than the rest? Lord Ming Zhu and Lord Hang Ai are exaggerating."
Hearing this, Kangxi raised his eyebrows and reached out to tap her. "We have met Tuyue, and the comment of being 'extremely gifted' is suitable. How come he is so simple when it comes from your mouth?"
"For whether he is gifted or not… This concubine does not know. This concubine only knows that this concubine's brother is still young and cannot bear such an important responsibility…" Yun Xiu looked at Kangxi solemnly and whispered, "Your Majesty is being considerate of this concubine's father. This concubine's brother should gain more experience."
"We didn't expect Xiuxiu to have such insight." Kangxi looked at her in surprise, with a smile in his eyes. He then said warmly, "Relax, I have arranged a good place for Tuyue, and I will never treat my talents badly. "
He used a tone of assurance, with a hint of ridicule near the end.
The emperor clearly knew why the Ministry of Civil Personnel and the Board of Revenue were at odds with each other. Both Ming Zhu and Suo Etu wanted to win over Mrs. Guoluoluo, so they took advantage of Tuyue's return to the capital to report on his work to strike first and then show off.
The Guoluoluo family was loyal to the emperor, and Sanguanbao was his trusted minister. How can he be mixed in with Ming Zhu and Suo Etu?
Of course, everything was based on Tuyue's outstanding performance as an official.
If Tuyue was just a mediocre person with mediocre political achievements during his tenure, how could Ming Zhu dare to promote him to the rank of Left Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Civil Personnel? Doing this was tantamount to destroying the Great Wall. If he did such a thing, then his prestige would be in ruins.
Therefore, Kangxi's words of praising Tuyue as a 'gifted' were sincere and not exagerrated in the slightest.
As for Tuyue's whereabouts, he had a general plan in his mind. Kangxi was thinking of moving Tuyue to the capital and cultivating him to become a true pillar of the country like Cao Yin.
He would not go to the Ministry of Civil Personnel nor the Board of Revenue.
—Kangxi extended his care towards Tuyue on account of his love towards Consort Yi, not that he would ever admit it!
At Suo Etu's signal, Hang Ai, the Minister of the Board of Revenue, also submitted a recommendation letter. This matter was suppressed by Kangxi, and Ming Zhu was still kept in the dark.
Minister Ming was not summoned by the emperor, so he was slightly shocked and doubtful. He returned home and waited quietly for the next day so that he could deliver news to the palace.
In Yanxi Palace, Consort Hui was already sure of victory. How could she have expected such a twist?!
She was flushed with success. She got up early the next day and asked the wet nurse to take the eighth prince to the side hall. She spoke in a gentle tone and said with a smile, "Yinsi has Noble Lady Liang to take care of him, so you can be relieved."
Hearing this, the wet nurse beamed with joy and said, "Consort is kind. This servant will remember this…"
It was not surprising that they were happy, because when eighth prince stayed with Noble Lady Liang in the side hall, they got more leisure time.
Noble Lady Liang didn't like to have wet nurses close to them. She always took care of her son personally. Now, they could go back to the house to lie down, or go to the porch to chat, which was great.
The number of times this has occurred has increased, and the wet nurse has begun to look forward to it. She hoped that Consort Hui will be in a good mood so they can also enjoy this blessing.
Consort Hui smiled faintly and waved her hand for them to leave.
After breakfast, she looked out the window at the sunrise and asked Ying'er softly, "Is Consort Yi up at this hour?"
"Because Consort doesn't have to pay respects to the Imperial Noble Consort, Consort may not know that Consort Yi usually gets up late." Ying'er whispered, then hesitated for a moment before saying, "However, the emperor rested in Yikun Palace yesterday, so Consort Yi should be awake now…"
Consort Hui frowned. The emperor rested in Yikun Palace again?
In the past, Consort Yi could be allocated ten days to sleep with the emperor. But now, after giving birth to the ninth prince, it was not just ten days!
Consort Hui devoted herself wholeheartedly to Yinti. After all, she was not a jealous person. She felt unhappy for a moment, then her emotions dissipated.
If she thought about it from another perspective, if Consort Yi was favoured, was it not because of Mrs. Nala's help?
Consort Hui quickly regaining her composure, relaxed her expression, and ordered, "Send someone to Yikun Palace to take a look. If there is any news, return to report."
Not long after, a little eunuch who was running errands reported that there was some movement in Yikun Palace and that Consort Yi was already up.
Consort Hui took a sip of hot tea, held onto the luxurious jadeite, and smiled solemnly. "Prepare the sedan chair. Don't forget the generous gifts! It's time for Us to reminisce about the past with Consort Yi."
Yikun Palace.
"Little sister Consort Yi is so beautiful and looks like an immortal. No wonder the emperor treats her like a precious jewel and dotes on her." As soon as they entered the main hall, Consort Hui called her younger sister affectionately. "Look at this radiant appearance, We are envious."
It was so early in the morning, and with such enthusiasm…
Yun Xiu was internally amused. She glanced at Consort Hui and said softly, "Older sister Consort Hui's words are wrong. In terms of brilliance, who can compare with older sister? The emperor had such great trust in older sister that he entrusted older sister to host the fifth princess's one month ceremony. After this incident, older sister's reputation of being a virtuous person spread throughout the government and the public. Everyone knows that older sister is a loving mother. Your younger sister is far behind."
Before Yun Xiu finished speaking, Consort Hui's smile froze slightly and she felt angry in her heart.
Speaking of Moyaqi's full moon ceremony, she felt uncomfortable all over. She wished that it was never mentioned again.
At this moment, who could not hear the irony in Consort Yi's words?
Even at this time, Mrs. Guoluoluo was still sharp-tongued and unforgiving. Forget the point of the virtues of a concubine. Mrs. Guoluoluo had not even seen the situation clearly. The Guoluoluo family had been tied to the Nala family. If she was so quick to talk, wouldn't she be the one who suffered?
Consort Hui quickly recovered her smile and said harmoniously, "We are on the same side, so why should we compliment each other and be distant towards one another?"
After that, she pointed to the items the palace servant was holding and said kindly, "This is the red and gold blessing lock that We commissioned for the ninth prince, as well as the golden horse and jade carving… That box of gold beads is for children to play with."
Consort Hui was very wealthy if she was giving her gold and jade.
When Yun Xiu heard Consort Hui's words about 'being on the same side', she was a bit stunned.
This was an action that was fueled by a fear that others would not know about the 'alliance' between Yanxi Palace and Yikun Palace. It was an extremely high-profile move. What was the difference between this and Ming Zhu's coercion?
Now, that the imperial noble consort's prestige was no longer there, and the noble consort was in confinement and did not have free time, Consort Hui must think that nobody could stop her.
"Older sister's kindness is appreciated. The palace people are very discerning. If the emperor knew about this, he would think that this concubine is very poor and that Consort Hui's private money was not spared." Yun Xiu smiled and refused lightly. "The great empress dowager loves to be thrifty. If she sees a box full of gold beads, what would she think!"
This clearly meant that she was arrogant and extravagant, and did not know how to be frugal…
Consort Hui's face suddenly darkened.
Consort Yi was so domineering! She just turned a blind eye to her overtures and even brought out the emperor and the great empress dowager to suppress her.
Consort Hui was shocked and confused. She couldn't figure it out. It was a foregone conclusion that Mrs. Guoluoluo would be in the same boat as her? Where did Consort Yi get the confidence to confront her?!
"Consort Yi." She suppressed her displeasure and smiled faintly, with a hidden threat in her tone, "Those are just some small tokens, why do you bother to make such a big deal out of it? Your brother was personally recommended by Us to Our cousin…"
Before she could finish speaking, someone outside announced that Aunt Sumala, who worked for the great empress dowager, was here and asked to see Consort Yi for something.
Yun Xiu had long been tired of listening to Consort Hui. When she heard this, she withdrew her half-smiling look and said, "Why don't you let her in?"
After that, she looked at Consort Hui. Her peach blossom eyes were full of softness. She whispered, "Is older sister tired? Older sister should rest your voice and gather strength so that older sister can continue talking to your younger sister later."
Consort Hui's face turned green, and she waved her hand for Ying'er and the others to leave with their boxes of gifts. She was furious.
Rest her voice… Did Consort Yi regard her as a storyteller or that she was putting on a show?
In that room, Aunt Sumala was wearing a simple light blue palace outfit, as if she had expected Consort Hui to be here. "This old servant pays respects to Consort Yi and Consort Hui."
Those who were interested saw that when she said 'Consort Hui', the heat in Aunt Sumala's eyes subsided a little.
Then, she glanced at Consort Hui and said calmly, "This old servant shouldn't disturb the two Consorts, but the situation is urgent… The eighth prince is missing. Noble Lady Liang is at a loss that Noble Lady Liang almost fainted from crying. The revered elder has ordered for Consort Hui to go to Cining Palace without a moment's delay. Will Consort follow this old servant?"
Even though Consort Hui was furious, she didn't show it. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard this predicament. She no longer cared about Yun Xiu and stood up suddenly. Her expression completely changed.
Yinsi was missing?!
Chapter 56
When Consort Hui arrived in a hurry, Cining Palace was already in a storm.
Yun Xiu followed closely behind Consort Hui, with a hint of worry on her face. After greeting the great empress dowager, she held her breath and slowly scanned the hall. She saw Noble Lady Liang kneeling on the floor as she trembled and cried silently.
Without waiting for the great empress dowager to ask, Aunt Sumala stepped forward and whispered a few words to her. After listening, the great empress dowager nodded happily to Yun Xiu and sighed. "It should be like this, it should be like this. Please sit."
Just now in Yikun Palace, Aunt Sumala mentioned that 'the eighth prince is missing.' Yun Xiu frowned, got ahead of Consort Hui, and immediately ordered Zhang Youde, the manager of Yikun Palace who was waiting outside the curtain: "Quickly gather people to find the eighth prince. Search Yanxi Palace, the Imperial Garden, and various palaces. Have the various palace guards carefully search around, making sure not to miss rockeries, ponds, and secret doors that are not often visited."
After Zhang Youde accepted the order, she looked at Aunt Sumala and sighed softly. "Suma, Zhang Youde does errands for me all the time. With him in charge, it will be much easier for him to find people. The eighth prince is such a young child. He is almost the same age as Yintang…"
She paused and said, "We can't bear this, so We should do Our best."
Seeing Aunt Sumala thanking her solemnly, Consort Hui expressed her sorrow, and her face turned livid in anxiety.
This was Yikun Palace, not Yanxi Palace. She only brought Ying'er and three second-class servants with her. How could she send someone to find Yinsi?
Consort Yi suddenly made such a move. Not only did she gain a good reputation, but it also made Consort Hui seem uninterested. Consort Hui was so angry that she almost lost her self-control.
She forced a smile, turned her head, and said urgently, "Ying'er, go back to Yanxi Palace quickly and send all the people out. If you can't find the eighth prince, don't come back!"
One couldn't blame Consort Hui for being anxious.
It didn't matter why the eighth prince disappeared today. Because she was his adoptive mother, she could not escape neglecting her duty. Even if the eighth prince was staying with Noble Lady Liang today, she could not shirk that responsibility.
Who didn't know the rules of Yanxi Palace? The eighth prince's daily life was all under Consort Hui's control. Noble Lady Liang could not interfere.
In this harem, the young prince's elder brother had nannies to look after him, and someone was guarding him even when he slept. It should not be possible for him to disappear. Under such heavy protection, the eighth prince actually disappeared. As such a ridiculous thing happened, if the revered elder did not hold her accountable, who would she hold accountable?!
When Consort Hui held the one month ceremony for the fifth princess, the emperor praised her for her motherly heart, and now this happened. If the emperor learned of this…
Consort Hui had a bad premonition and her heart felt cold.
She intuitively felt that the great empress dowager would not look upon her well. When she entered Cining Palace, the great empress dowager let Consort Yi sit, then glanced at her and asked lightly, "How are you a mother?"
Consort Hui knelt on the ground and did not defend herself. Her voice was hard and authentic: "Revered Elder, this concubine has been negligent."
"It should be your responsibility!" The great empress dowager slapped the table and said angrily, "It is a matter of poor supervision. There were a few unscrupulous servants around Yinsi. It is precisely because they were lazy and neglected their duties that the prince actually got lost in Yanxi Palace…"
Hearing this, Consort Hui raised her head in shock, unscrupulous servants?
"Revered Elder, this concubine entrusted Yinsi to Noble Lady Liang this morning. This concubine wanted to reunite the mother and son. After that, this concubine went to Yikun Palace and talked with younger sister Consort Yi." She calmed down and stared at Noble Lady Liang beside her who was weeping silently. A cold light flashed in her eyes. She then leaned down and said, "How can this concubine arrange any unscrupulous servants? This concubine asks Revered Elder to pass judgment! "
The great empress dowager pinched her eyebrows and waved her hand. "Noble Lady Liang, speak."
Noble Lady Liang choked up and responded, wiping her red almond-shaped eyes, and said with difficulty, "Consort Hui has nothing to do with Yinsi's disappearance. Today, Consort Hui kindly allowed this mother and son to be reunited.. Originally, everything was fine, but then… But then…"
She cried silently, as if she was about to faint from grief. "The Imperial Household Department happened to send someone to deliver winter clothing as per the monthly schedule for noble ladies. After getting the news, this concubine went to the front hall, not forgetting to instruct the servants to take good care of Yinsi… Unexpectedly, they didn't take it to heart at all, but went to the verandah to bask in the sun and chat. After receiving the clothing, this concubine returned to the side hall to see that Yinsi had long since disappeared!"
A beautiful woman crying always aroused pity, not to mention that the words she said made people extremely angry. This once again ignited the anger of the great empress dowager, an anger that had been extinguished before.
The great empress dowager did not like Noble Lady Liang's background, nor did she like her delicate and beautiful appearance. When she saw her, she always recalled Mrs. Dong'e, who fascinated the late emperor.
But she was the biological mother of the eighth prince, and had long since lost the emperor's favour… For the sake of the eighth prince, the great empress dowager calmly suppressed her prejudice against her.
Over the years, Noble Lady Liang had lived in seclusion and had no intention of competing for favour. The great empress dowager and empress dowager had seen this, and their displeasure had gradually faded away.
At the moment, seeing Noble Lady Liang like this, the great empress dowager held back her anger and felt a little pity. "This must be distressing for you! Suma, give Noble Lady Liang a seat."
After saying that, the great empress dowager pointed at the pale-faced Consort Hui and asked her with a sneer, "What else could the nanny next to Yinsi be if not an unscrupulous servant?!"
Consort Hui's lips trembled. She could no longer maintain her calmness and dignity.
Those nannies were all carefully selected and assigned by her to take care of Yinsi. How could she explain this? Even if she jumped into the Yellow River, she wouldn't be able to wash herself clean.
Yun Xiu covered her mouth with a handkerchief, hiding the smile on her lips.
The great empress dowager closed her eyes and said in a deep voice, "We sent people to inform the emperor early and also sent people to search for the eighth prince. We only hope that God will bless Little Eight and he will be safe and sound."
Consort Hui's eyes darkened. It was over. The emperor knew of this matter.
"As for those unruly servants…"
Before she finished speaking, the four nannies who were serving the eighth prince were brought in with their hands tied up. Everyone was terrified and kept begging for mercy.
When they saw Consort Hui, they felt as if thought they had seen their saviour. They shouted with tears streaming down their face, "Consort Hui, please save this servant. This servant knows this servant is wrong. This servant knows this servant is wrong!"
Did these pathetic servants think they hadn't caused enough harm already?!
Consort Hui wished she could kill them!
She took a deep breath. With a look of cruelty in her eyes, and said sternly, "You still have the nerve to beg Us for mercy! When did We tell you to neglect the eighth prince? Who gave you the courage to do so?!"
"Consort, please save this servant…" One of them was completely frightened and muttered in a confused voice, "If it weren't for your words, 'all of you can relax as much as you want,' this servant would have not dared to relax… Please save this servant!"
The nannies who serve the prince had always been clean-skinned. They were selected from outside the palace by the Imperial Household Department and were not considered Consort Hui's confidants.
They may be loyal, but compared to their lives, how much was loyalty worth?
Before Consort Hui had time to stop them, they talked like they were pouring beans through a bamboo tube.
'Yinsi has Noble Lady Liang to take care of him, so you can relax' was what Consort Hui said to the nanny to show her kindness. She didn't mean anything else.
In the past, this was a grace to show sympathy for the servants, but in this situation…
This was evidence of her dereliction of duty and poor supervision.
When she saw Noble Lady Liang's expression of disbelief, it became clear that that one sentence emerged in everyone's mind: Could it be that Consort Hui knew about the eighth prince's disappearance?
Consort Hui opened her mouth. Her face turned ferocious with anger. When she was about to explain, Kangxi's cold voice echoed through the hall: "If you continue to make noise, We will cut out your tongue."
As soon as the crying and shouting stopped, the great empress dowager stood up on crutches and looked at the palace door. "Emperor, you are here…"
For a moment, astonishment flashed in her old eyes. Which was then replaced by surprise. "Baocheng? Little Eight?"
The young man holding the eighth prince firmly and standing on the right side of the emperor was the crown prince. Behind him were He Zhu'er and the panting Zhang Youde.
—The missing eighth prince had been found!
The trembling palace people all breathed a sigh of relief, and the stagnant atmosphere finally dissipated. Just like the twists and turns of the road, Noble Lady Liang was so happy that her eyes were blurred with tears. "Yinsi!"
The eighth prince's eyes lit up and he called 'mother' in a sweet voice. His expression was lively and he didn't appear to be frightened.
Kangxi had not seen Noble Lady Liang for a long time.
Hearing this, his eyebrows narrowed. He followed the sound, then looked away slightly. In the next moment, he accidentally met Yun Xiu's eyes.
Yun Xiu watched the excitement for a long time and was in a good mood. Seeing this, she smiled at him.
Kangxi: "…"
Somehow, the emperor quickly concealed the slightest guilt, coughed, and looked away. "Imperial grandmother, We have found Little Eight. Please relax. Yinsi was not frightened, nor was he injured. He ran a little further and Baocheng found him."
The crown prince nodded, put Yinsi on the ground, then took his little hand. He said with some fear: "Revered Elder, eighth younger brother was wandering around Yuqing Palace for some reason. He thought he was lost and there was no-one around him…"
"Thank goodness." The great empress dowager exhaled completely and said 'how fortunate' three times in a row. She looked at the crown prince full of love and said, "Okay, okay. Fortunately, Baocheng was here."
Having said that, the great empress dowager glanced at Consort Hui, who was kneeling, and then at the frightened nannies with pale faces. She said in a deep voice, "Emperor, what do you think we should do with them?"
Consort Hui was left ignored for the moment.
Consort Hui's heart felt as cold as if she were in the coldest month of winter, but she didn't dare to have the slightest objection.
Kangxi glanced at Consort Hui, twirled his finger, and turned a deaf ear to the renewed cries and pleas for mercy. He said slowly, "We think it's time to ask for little eight's opinion."
The eighth prince was only two years old. What would he say?
The people present were thinking this way. After a while, some people were stunned and took a breath of cold air.
Could it be that…the emperor was suspicious of Consort Hui as the adoptive mother…
The crown prince squatted down, pointed to the nannies who were tied up, and asked the eighth brother in a low voice, "Were they good to you?"
Yinsi pursed his lips and glanced at Noble Lady Liang in the distance.
Because the nannies were standing in front of Noble Lady Liang, no one could see the clues…except Yun Xiu.
From the perspective of the great empress dowager and Kangxi, Yinsi clearly shrank away after looking at the nannies, and then whispered, "Don't hit, it hurts…"
As soon as these words came out, everyone's expressions changed, including Consort Hui.
"Your Majesty, this servant hasn't!" One of the nannies collapsed on the ground. She was stunned for a moment, then came back to her senses and kowtowed frantically. "This servant would not dare to do such a thing to the prince! Your Majesty!"
At this time, Consort Hui had to interrupt.
The nanny's negligence caused the emperor's son to disappear, and the nanny's torture of the prince was not the same level of crime at all!
How could she hope for any favour?
Consort Hui was dripping with cold sweat. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper and her eyes were red. She called out to the emperor, "Today something unexpected happened. Due to a moment of inattention, that servant committed the crime. It is this concubine's fault… But normally, this concubine attentively looks after Yinsi. This concubine would notice even a single hair lost, not to mention if he had bruises!"
Most of the people present believed this.
This matter was a thousand or ten thousand times more ridiculous than the disappearance of eighth prince. How was this possible?
Consort Hui was not crazy!
But this was what the eighth prince said himself. How could a two-year-old child lie? Even if he shrunk subconsciously, he couldn't lie…
Suddenly, Noble Lady Liang laughed sadly and interrupted Consort Hui's words.
Noble Lady Liang's tears began to flow uncontrollably again, and she asked softly, "There are no bruises? Does Consort still remember that day on March 27th?"
Without waiting for Consort Hui to reply, Xiang Ling, who was serving Noble Lady Liang, knelt down and said in a trembling voice, "Revered Elder, Your Majesty! Our young master has accumulated grievances in his heart, but this servant can't bear it anymore. That day on March 27th, when master was playing with the eighth prince, master discovered large purple bruises on the eighth prince's body…"
Xiang Ling gestured incoherently, "Master wanted to get an imperial doctor, but could not leave or send a missive out of Yanxi Palace without permission. While there was no imperial doctor, there was not even medicine or a bandage for the eighth prince! This servant was so anxious that this servant slipped through the small gate of the garden. This servant thought that this servant could get a bandage no matter what, but met Wan Yue, the eldest servant next to the noble consort…"
She took a breath and whispered, "This servant had no choice but to beg Wan Yue to let this servant see the noble consort. Fortunately, Miss Wan Yue took pity on this servant, and the noble consort was even more kind and gave this servant the best golden sore medicine for the eighth prince to use."
"…Everything that this servant said is true. This servant begs Revered Elder to make a decision, and begs Your Majesty to make a decision!" Xiang Ling prostrated deeply.
As she finished speaking, Cining Palace fell into silence. One could hear a pin drop.
The great empress dowager held her chest, and the crown prince opened his eyes in disbelief. Kangxi closed his eyes. "Liang Jiugong, go to Yongshou Palace to bring Wan Yue here."
The tense string in Concubine Hui's heart suddenly broke.
She looked at Noble Lady Liang and Xiang Ling in disbelief. How could she not know that she was being plotted against?
These injuries or plasters were made up.
Noble Consort? What Noble Consort?!
"Your Majesty…" She moved her lips and said in a hoarse voice, "There is no basis for what they are saying. This concubine dares to swear to God that there were no bruises on Yinsi's body. If this concubine breaks this concubine's oath, then…"
"Older sister Consort Hui," Yun Xiu stopped her. "This is not a trifling matter. We should wait until Wan Yue arrives. The emperor will definitely not wrong you."
Consort Hui choked. If looks could kill, Consort Yi would be dead.
Kangxi watched coldly, anger building up in his chest. When Wan Yue entered, the palace maids in Cining Palace were as silent as cicadas and hung their heads deeply.
"Reporting to Revered Elder, Your Majesty, it is indeed true. The golden sore medicine was handled by this servant. On March 27th, there was also a record in the Imperial Hospital… We will find out after a checking it!"
Chapter 57
Liang Jiugong quickly led Wan Yue into the main hall. There was no trace of surprise on her delicate face. She had a rough understanding of the situation.
With the arrival of Wan Yue, countless pairs of eyes fell on her.
Wan Yue's heart was calm, but her steps were slightly hesitant, and her face showed a little fear. She knelt on the ground, first greeted her masters, and then whispered, "It's true."
Cining Palace fell into silence again, and an uneasy atmosphere brewed and filled the air. This atmosphere smothered the extremely shocked Consort Hui.
March 27th? Did the hospital have records?
How was this possible!
"Anyone can take the ointment. The master and the servant have joined forces to implicate Us. What if someone in Yongshou Palace fell and was injured, or Noble Lady Liang herself was injured?" She was filled with hatred and anger in her heart. She calmed down, closed her eyes, and said with tears in her eyelashes, "A child as young as Yinsi doesn't understand anything and is easily instigated by all of you. Nowadays, right can be called wrong, and wrong can be right… If you insist on making false accusations, what can We do?"
Consort Hui said this frankly and gritted her teeth, hoping that the revered elder and the emperor would find out that she was wronged.
She didn't know anything about the bruises. She was clearly being plotted against!
This clear conscience made it difficult for people to judge for a while. Even the angry great empress dowager felt a little hesitant in her heart.
Wan Yue was an old servant who had served the noble consort personally before entering the palace. She had been a palace maid for many years and had seen many problems.
Recalling the noble consort's instructions to her before leaving, Wan Yue knelt on the ground, kowtowed again, looked at Consort Hui, and said calmly, "Consort Hui, even if this servant had the courage, this servant would not dare to frame Consort Hui. Because the eighth prince is young, the noble consort specially ordered me to take an ointment with mild medicinal properties to nourish and rejuvenate the skin. May this servant ask how adults apply it?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Noble Lady Liang wiped her red and swollen eyes and said softly, "If the Consort doesn't believe it, just go to the box at the end of this concubine's bed and find out! Half of the medicine has been used, and there is half left. The imperial doctor will check. You'll know if it's true or false."
The crown prince held Yinsi's hand and suddenly felt angry.
Only half of the medicine was left…
Those insolent slaves! How dare they!
Kangxi said calmly, "Go to the imperial hospital to check the records and call the imperial doctor on duty. In addition, get the medicine from Noble Lady Liang's bedroom."
At this time, no one dared to waste a moment. Liang Jiugong glanced at the little eunuch, who was running errands for him ran out of the palace door as if there was a ghost chasing him.
Soon, the imperial doctor on duty arrived panting, and handed the records and ointment to the emperor.
After finally catching his breath, the imperial doctor carefully opened the lid, came forward and smelled it carefully, then dipped his index finger in a little. He pondered for a long time, and said, "Reporting to Revered Elder and His Majesty, it looks like the ointment has solidified for at least half a year. If this doctor's predicition is correct, this substance is warm in nature and is specially used to treat trauma in young children. Because young children's skin is tender, it will not cause irritation…"
Hearing this, Consort Hui's eyes darkened, and she felt that the situation was over. Her nails dug deeply into her flesh.
How could this be?
Was Yinsi really injured?
But why didn't the nanny come to report it?!
She almost wanted to vomit blood, and her eyes wanted to kill those unscrupulous servants. Those bitches!
Consort Hui didn't know this, but the nanny in the lead trembled all over.
Like a bolt from the blue, she finally remembered what happened around March 27th.
That day, the eldest prince carried the eighth prince in his arms and happily told the Consort that he had surpassed the crown prince in riding and shooting…and then, he held the eighth prince's waist against corner of the table for at least half an hour!
That night, she checked the eighth prince's lower back. It was undamaged. Under the light, she could only see a slight green color. It was far from the point where medicine was required, so she no longer took it to heart.
In the next three days, she only wiped the hands and feet for the young master, but did not wipe his body again…
Was it possible that the eighth prince's injury worsened the next few days?
…
The nanny immediately stopped complaining.
What should she do? Should she tell the truth to the emperor and clear herself of the charges, and say that the eldest prince's negligence caused all this?
No, it could not be done.
Now she was the only one who would be dead. If she implicated the eldest prince, Consort Hui would not let go of her relatives outside the palace.
The nanny's face turned pale, and the words 'the eldest prince' were stuck in her throat. She finally swallowed them.
"This servant is guilty." She slumped down and murmured, "This servant pleads guilty… This servant shouldn't have been negligent… shouldn't have been…"
…
There were witnesses, physical evidence, and the nanny had confessed. Now that this had happened, the great empress dowager could not help but not believe it.
If the noble consort and Noble Lady Liang joined forces to plot against Consot Hui, why would they wait until seven or eight months before revealing the matter?
How could they expect that Yinsi would disappear today?
All these coincidences collided in one place today. They were no longer merely coincidences.
Moreover, the medicine could not be faked in any way, nor could the files of Imperial Hospital. When the great empress dowager thought of this, she became sullen and stopped turning her prayer beads. Slight fatigue appeared on her old face. "Consort Hui, you are confused."
The disappearance of the eighth prince was already a big deal, but who would have thought that Yinsi would be treated like this by an unsrupulous servant. Even if Noble Lady Liang had a lowly background, and Yinsi was raised by Consort Hui since he was born, he was also a noble prince, and he should not tolerate being bullied like this by his subordinates!
As his adoptive mother, how could she be indifferent to Little Eight and not control the people around her?
Kangxi was silent for a long time, with a storm brewing in his eyes. The emperor had already looked like this when Wan Yue testified.
At that moment, he looked deeply at Consort Hui and sighed. "What a loving mother. Needless to say, about how you treat Yinti, you also take good care of Moyaqi and cared about her matters. But what about Yinsi? Just because he has been living in Yanxi Palace for a long time, you can just let him go and let the servants bully him?"
Kangxi did not reprimand her, but his disappointment was palpable. Consort Hui suddenly felt panicked.
As long as the emperor still remembered her merits… As long as she could keep Yinsi…
She took a deep breath, tried her best to maintain her usual dignity. She smiled bitterly, and said, "Your Majesty, it's all this concubine's fault! This concubine has been busy with palace affairs recently, and this concubine held the fifth princess' one month ceremony. This concubine is exhausted, so this concubine neglected Little Eight for a while and didn't realise that those despicable servants were at work…"
She said sadly, with a look of shame on her face. She then leaned down and said, "You should adminster punishment."
Yun Xiu flipped the aqua blue clothes and smiled. Consort Hui used this trick very skillfully.
But being skilled didn't mean that it woud be effective. If it backfired, would it be worth the loss?
Seeing Kangxi's sullen face and his eyes becoming more and more disappointed, the great empress dowager sighed and spoke first.
"Since you are busy with palace affairs, We suppose you don't have time to take care of Yinsi. Emperor, let Us make the decision to let Noble Lady Liang temporarily raise Yinsi. The mother and son will move out of Yanxi Palace and temporarily live in the side hall of Cining Palace. What do you think?"
The fact that the word 'temporary' was used twice almost clearly indicated that Noble Lady Liang would be promoted to Imperial Concubine in the near future.
Even if it was against the rules now, no one would object to the instructions given by the great empress dowager. Only Consort Hui wanted to object, but she did not dare to speak. She could only swallow the bitter pill with a pale face.
Yun Xiu was a little surprised to hear this.
It was within her expectations that the eighth prince would be looked after by his biological mother, but them moving to the side hall of Cining Palace… It may be a good thing for the eighth prince, but it may not be a good thing for Noble Lady Liang.
The great empress dowager lived in Cining Palace. If the emperor wanted to summon Noble Lady Liang, he must first get through the great empress dowager.
She raised her eyebrows slightly and looked at Noble Lady Liang.
Those foggy almond eyes were full of satisfaction and surprise, and there was no trace of reluctance. Yun Xiu looked at her for a long time and suddenly realised, no wonder the noble consort had sought her out. She had such a temperament.
Like Imperial Concubine Cheng, her heart and eyes were full of her son, but Imperial Concubine Cheng was stronger, and Noble Lady Liang was softer.
Noble Lady Liang in her dream, and later Consort Liang, Mrs. Wei, had always been a transparent person in the palace when the eighth prince was not in the spotlight. Later, when the eighth sage king came to power, he favoured his biological mother and promoted her from imperial concubine to consort. Yun Xiu had never heard of any negative about Mrs. Wei.
Noble Lady Liang had a beautiful life, but after the birth of the eighth prince, the emperor became indifferent to her. Later, after she was granted the title of Consort, Yun Xiu did not visit her.
Now, Noble Lady Liang was in her prime…
Thinking about this, Yun Xiu withdrew her gaze and looked at Kangxi. She took some time to relax, and felt as if she was watching a play.
…
it had been a long time since that dream, and Yun Xiu gradually became indifferent to the emperor's favour. She was able to ignore the discomfort in her heart and no longer took it seriously.
As for the usual bouts of jealousy and occasional bouts of jealousy, she knew best in her heart how much of it was true and how much of it was false.
Would the emperor feel sorry for Noble Lady Liang?
—Unexpectedly, Kangxi's face remained calm.
As if aware of Yun Xiu's gaze, the emperor looked sideways and met her eyes again. The anger in his eyes disappeared slightly, and after a while, there was a slight smile.
That look seemed to imply that he had been waiting for her to look over at him. He then turned his head with satisfaction and straightened his face again.
Yun Xiu: "…"
After hearing the great empress dowager's declaration, Kangxi nodded imperceptibly, and continued, "If you pass on the order, We will do as Revered Elder said."
"Drag those despicable servants down and take them to the Department of Punishment." As he spoke, he glanced at Consort Hui, who was pale and wilting, and said coldly, "Consort Hui, Mrs. Nala. For your poor control and neglecting your duties, you will be fined more than half a year as a warning. In addition, Little Ten is about to be a month old… You give the palace power to the Noble Consort to handle the palace affairs. This way, you won't be overloaded. Are We right?"
After hearing the slight sarcasm in the emperor's words, combined with the content of the punishment, Consort Hui felt a sense of forboding rush through her body.
The fine was nothing but a loss of face. But the handing over palace affairs to the noble consort… It was a disguised seizure of power!
The emperor finally became dissatisfied with her.
When Consort Hui thought that she had fallen into the noble consort's plan today, and that without the help of Yinsi, she would not have to delegate power to her. Her heart was filled with anger, resentment, and hatred.
There was also Consort Yi, who was not receptive to her suggestions. Even if she tied Mrs. Guoluoluo to her side, Consort Hui was no longer happy.
How absurd was it for happy events follow tragic events immediately?
She forced a laugh and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. This concubine… will accept the punishment."
After returning to the palace, Yun Xiu had lunch in a good mood. She was about to go to Yongshou Palace to share the morning pleasures with the noble consort . At that moment, Liang Jiugong quickly came to say hello.
"Steward Liang." Yun Xiu saw that he was alone and didn't have anyone with him. He didn't look like he was here to deliver a reward, so she asked, "What is it?"
"The emperor is approving the papers, and sent this servant to Yikun Palace." Liang Jiugong lowered his voice, with a complicated expression on his face. "This servant has a message to pass on…"
Hearing this, Yun Xiu straightened her expression. Wet Nurse Dong and the others held their breaths in awe and lowered their heads respectfully.
The emperor said—"
Liang Jiugong coughed, then suppressed the soreness of his teeth and read out, "We feel that Mrs. Wei is far inferior to you."
——–
The author has something to say:
[Little Theater]
Emperor: Xiuxiu is looking at me! She must be jealous! Quickly, say something sweet to appease her.
Emperor: Why are you so pessimistic? We feel that this fickle behaviour can still be salvaged…
Liang Jiugong: Hehe.