Chapter 109: Imperial Consort Li’s Thoughts
When the Old Madam of Marquis Yichun arrived at the Empress’s Palace, Imperial Consort Li, who had been kneeling outside the Empress’s Palace, had already been carried away, and the Emperor had also left.
“His Majesty originally did not intend to go see her; it was I who persuaded him to go,” the Empress said.
“What Your Ladyship did was right,” the Old Madam of Marquis Yichun said. “The Li Clan is pretending to be pitiful, so let His Majesty see it with his own eyes. Only after seeing it will he stop dwelling on it.”
Whether he dwells on it or not, what difference does it make? They are all His Majesty’s women. The Empress lowered her eyes and drank tea without speaking.
“Is Pingcheng really alright?” the Old Madam of Marquis Yichun asked, looking around. “Do not hide it from me and your father. Call her here for me to see.”
At the same time the Empress left the palace for the National Academy, the news was delivered to the Marquis Yichun’s Mansion. When the Empress returned to the palace with the Princess, the Old Madam of Marquis Yichun came to seek an audience.
The Empress raised her head and smiled, saying: “We are not hiding it from you. Pingcheng is truly fine. She is now busy selecting gifts to soothe the companion reader ladies’ shock and will come over once she is done. Mother will see her herself.”
The Old Madam of Marquis Yichun breathed a sigh of relief, then sighed heavily again: “We really cannot guard against black-hearted villains who would actually target our Pingcheng.” Then she continued, “Everyone around the Prince of Donghai must be thoroughly investigated. Your father personally selected personnel to send in.”
The Empress lowered her eyes and hummed twice, neither agreeing nor opposing, only saying: “I know. You can rest assured.”
“Your father has already gone to investigate Wu Nu Shi’s family,” the Old Madam of Marquis Yichun continued, then frowned slightly. “Wu Nu Shi was selected by you to be by Pingcheng’s side, but the other one is from the Li Clan’s people…”
“Mother, the people by the Li Clan’s side were also granted by me,” the Empress said. “All the palace maids of the imperial concubines in the entire rear palace were selected by me. Investigating from this angle will not yield anything.”
The Old Madam of Marquis Yichun pondered for a moment: “If it really was the Li Clan, that would be too foolish. Injuring Pingcheng, her mother and daughter, including that Prince of Linhai, would all have a bad end…”
Could it really be that Wu Nu Shi seeking private revenge?
Then Pingcheng nearly suffering disaster would have become the Chai Clan’s doing.
How could that be possible.
“Your father does not even remember the Wu family. At that time the realm was in great chaos, and they devoted themselves to preparing grain and supplies, unifying and planning the scattered lands for cultivation. This was to allow more civilians to survive. How did it become harming the Wu family to the point of ruin? Clearly, the Wu family harbored ill intentions and sought to disturb the people’s hearts.”
The Empress stopped her mother: “There is no need to speak of past matters. His Majesty also said this is not a matter of private revenge. If that Wu Nu Shi truly had private enmity with our family, she would not have waited until now. Private revenge is merely an excuse.”
The Old Madam of Marquis Yichun nodded: “Exactly. There is no reason for outsiders to harm Pingcheng. It must be someone from inside the palace—Nangong, Shengping’s mother consort, and that palace concubine who just became pregnant…”
There are truly so many people in the rear palace, the Empress sighed inwardly and stopped her mother: “Mother need not worry. His Majesty will investigate.” At this point, she smiled faintly. “He is Pingcheng’s father. If he cannot even protect his own children, would that not be a joke?”
……
…….
“Your Majesty—Your Concubine is guilty—”
Upon waking, Imperial Consort Li found herself back in her own sleeping palace. Seeing the figure standing in the hall, she immediately turned over, knelt on the ground, and sobbed.
The Emperor did not tell her to rise. He flipped through a stack of paper, then threw it on the ground: “It is clear you do not care about the child. Wuyang has been studying for so long, but the characters she wrote are truly unsightly.”
Imperial Consort Li saw the scattered paper on the ground and shed tears again: “Your Concubine is foolish, Your Concubine is foolish, and has committed a grave error.”
The Emperor looked at her: “It is one thing if you do not inquire about Wuyang’s studies, but you also do not discipline her temperament, allowing her to disrespect her elder sister, leading to others taking advantage. Fortunately, this time it was only a palace maid who was persuaded. What if Wuyang herself had been bewitched?”
At this point, he sneered coldly.
“I know your mind is all on the Prince of Linhai.”
“Do not think one daughter is insignificant. If she has improper conduct, your mother and children will not escape implication.”
Imperial Consort Li immediately kowtowed repeatedly: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Your Concubine absolutely has no intention of offending the Prince of Donghai. The Prince of Linhai is a boy and will leave the palace to establish his own residence in a few years. He greatly admires the Prince of Donghai and wants to learn everything from him. Your Concubine is truly afraid he will offend due to childish ignorance, so I watch and instruct him every moment of every day…”
As she spoke, she knelt forward and prostrated herself at the Emperor’s feet, weeping bitterly.
“Princess Pingcheng is dignified and generous and will teach her younger sister…”
The Emperor kicked her away with his foot and said coldly: “So you let her be arrogant and domineering, leaving it to Princess Pingcheng to discipline, making the sisters at daggers drawn and slaughtering each other?”
Imperial Consort Li fell to the side, then immediately knelt and kowtowed again: “Your Concubine is guilty, Your Concubine is guilty.”
The Emperor let her kowtow, watching coldly as Imperial Consort Li’s forehead soon became bloody.
“At the National Academy then, why did you protect Miss Yang?” he suddenly asked.
Imperial Consort Li was stunned for a moment, seemingly not reacting, and raised her head to look at the Emperor.
The Emperor looked at her, enunciating each word: “Were you… afraid she could not withstand the punishment staff and would implicate Princess Wuyang?”
Imperial Consort Li came to her senses and said through tears: “Your Majesty, Your Concubine was not afraid of her implicating. Whether she implicates or not, she is Wuyang’s lady-in-waiting. If she is guilty, Wuyang cannot escape. At that moment, Your Concubine felt desolate inside, thinking I had not disciplined Wuyang well and was negligent as a mother. Then thinking this Miss Yang also has no mother, I thus… took on the sin and punishment myself.”
As she spoke, she kowtowed again.
“Now Your Concubine is even more grateful to Miss Yang and wishes to repay her with my life. She turned the scheme against them, averting a disaster and saving us mother and children three…”
As she spoke, she burst into loud cries.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty, for giving Wuyang this lady-in-waiting. If not for this lady-in-waiting, if not for Your Majesty, what would Your Concubine have done this time.”
The Emperor’s expression was complex.
Imperial Consort Li was right. This time, if not for that Miss Yang’s quick thinking, either Pingcheng’s face would truly have been ruined, or Wu Nu Shi would still not have been exposed…
Miss Yang.
Perhaps it is not that each generation is inferior to the last.
“In any case,” the Emperor’s voice was somewhat hoarse, “Wuyang has had a poor attitude toward Pingcheng, and you have failed in discipline. You must be punished.”
Imperial Consort Li kowtowed again: “Yes, it is I who failed to discipline Wuyang well and did not perceive the improper conduct of the palace maid by her side. Your Concubine begs Your Majesty to punish.”
The Emperor nodded: “You are confined to house arrest for three months. Princess Wuyang and the Prince of Linhai are temporarily placed under the Grand Chamberlain for discipline.”
Imperial Consort Li kowtowed and wept: “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy.”
Footsteps sounded as the Emperor went outside.
After the Emperor left the Imperial Consort’s Palace, an eunuch came forward outside the hall and whispered, “…Grand Master of Deliberation Lord Li and Madam Li are outside seeking an audience… They have been kneeling for a long time.”
These were Imperial Consort Li’s brother and sister-in-law.
Although the Li Clan was not like the Chai Clan with kings and marquises, they were a prestigious family of several generations of clear nobility. When attacking the Capital City, the Li Clan, as the foremost pure stream of the Capital City’s aristocratic families, proclaimed Deng Shan’s image as a wise ruler, helping Deng Shan win over hearts and smoothly enter the Capital City, earning great merit.
And Imperial Consort Li’s parents were discovered by Zhao Tan and assassinated before they could flee the Capital City.
Fortunately, Imperial Consort Li and her brother had hidden in someone else’s home in advance and escaped disaster.
The Emperor sighed.
“I will not see them,” he said. “Let them go see Imperial Consort Li.”
……
…….
Not only did the Li Clan’s brother and sister-in-law enter, but Princess Wuyang, who was to be handed over to the Imperial Household Department for rearing, also arrived.
“I did privately wish for her to have bad luck! But I never thought of harming her!”
“Li Qing, this is the daughter you raised! I see no need for the Grand Chamberlain to discipline her. Just lock her directly in the Imperial Household Department’s prison.”
Princess Wuyang argued aggrievedly, Lord Li scolded, then palace maids entered to take Princess Wuyang away. The Li Family brother and sister-in-law cited classics to reprimand Imperial Consort Li, and the palace maids and eunuchs all withdrew outside the hall.
……
…….
Imperial Consort Li looked at the wrapped bandages in the bronze mirror.
The bandages were personally wrapped by Madam Li.
“Do you really not need to call an imperial physician to look?” she asked worriedly. “It is a bloody mess. Do not leave a scar.”
Imperial Consort Li said: “Even if it leaves a scar, it is no matter. I do not rely on beauty to gain favor.”
Then she looked at her brother Li Xuan sitting opposite.
Li Xuan was over forty years old, tall and thin, with a refined and gaunt face. At this moment, his expression was grim.
“His Majesty will not suspect you, will he?” he asked with a frown.
Imperial Consort Li smiled and said lazily: “No, what benefit is there for me in harming Princess Pingcheng? I would have to be mad to do something with no benefit, and the Emperor is not foolish. He knows with one thought.”
She picked up the tea and took a gentle sip.
“No one thought I merely wanted the Empress to beat that Miss Yang to death.”
