vrcanaries Chapter 469 Extra: Sisters
Chapter 469 Extra: Sisters
Everyone knows that the Emperor rarely spends the night in the inner palace, and he never gets up late. If he does get up late, it's only by the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and it's because Li Fude overslept and the Emperor woke up on his own.
Later, I heard that a royal physician had been summoned.
But Shen Shiyan didn't know that!
My heart is broken.
As soon as Consort De opened her mouth, everyone knew what was going on; she was targeting Consort Shu.
The Empress also chimed in, saying, "Who doesn't know that His Majesty dotes on Consort Min the most? Last night, I read the official history, and it turns out that Consort Min has been the one who has served His Majesty the most in the past six months."
In six months, he served the emperor four times, which was not the most.
Consort Min was the daughter of Chen Bingzheng, the Grand Secretary.
The Grand Secretary was the head of the Secretariat, and together with the heads of the Chancellery and the Department of State Affairs, they served as prime ministers, jointly discussing national affairs. They held a high position and wielded great power.
Chen Bingzheng was a cunning old fox. Sometimes he sided with Prime Minister Pei, and sometimes he stood on the emperor's side. His greatest skill was judging the situation and being as slippery as an eel.
Shen Shiyan bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.
The concubines all saw this, and Consort Qing laughed, "It's all thanks to the Emperor. Why did he confine Consort Shu to her quarters? Such a beauty, if it were me, I wouldn't be able to bear to part with her. I wonder what the reason is?"
Consort Shu glared angrily. She despised Consort Qing the most. The daughter of a fifth-rank official had actually risen to the rank of consort by relying on her early entry into the palace and her pregnancy.
"What's it to you? My rank is higher than yours. Do you have the right to call me 'sister'? Guards, slap her!"
As a virtuous and noble woman, Shen Shiyan's rank was indeed second only to the Empress, and she also had the power to assist in managing the six palaces.
But Consort Qing had a son, so even the Empress wouldn't dare to disrespect her like that.
Consort Qing was taken aback. "Consort Shu, don't go too far!"
No one dared to step forward, after all, they were in the Empress's palace.
Consort Shu, furious, turned to Han Dan and said, "Why are you being so cold? Do you think I can't order you around?"
The Empress shouted, "Stop! Consort Shu, do you even respect me?"
Consort Shu abruptly stood up. "Pei, are you trying to take sides? Consort Qing was disrespectful to me; am I not allowed to punish her?"
Empress Pei glanced at Consort Qing and decided to stop getting involved. She pressed her forehead on her phoenix throne and said, "I didn't mean that. We are all sisters in the palace and serve the Emperor. My point is that if things get too ugly, the Emperor will lose face."
Consort Shu sneered, "A woman who never serves the emperor, just because she gave birth to the second prince, does she think everyone else can't have children!"
Consort Qing also said, "Since Consort Shu is so fertile, why don't you give birth to one for me to see!"
Consort Shu didn't care anymore and stepped forward, slapping Consort Qing across the face. Consort Qing covered her face and rushed up to fight with Consort Shu.
Consort Rong was so frightened that she hid to the side, protecting her belly with her hands. This scene was witnessed by Consort De.
She was shocked; she hadn't expected that Consort Rong was pregnant, and she hadn't received any news about it.
The Empress immediately ordered people to separate Consort Qing and Consort Shu. Their hairpins and jewelry fell to the ground. Consort Shu felt ashamed and heartbroken. She turned around and ran out of the palace, crying as she ran.
After picking up her mistress's things, Han Dan hurriedly bowed to the Empress and chased after her.
Consort Qing knelt down and begged the Empress for forgiveness, saying, "Your Majesty, I have been disrespectful and beg for your punishment!"
The Empress waved her hand, "Rise! You have no choice! Don't blame me for being unfair. You know the Emperor has always favored Consort Shu, and she has the power to manage the six palaces. I can't do anything about her."
Consort Qing was so angry that she gritted her teeth. Instead of going to fix her makeup, she sat down and said, "How could I blame Your Majesty the Empress? I heard that when His Majesty was studying under the Grand Tutor, he actually loved the second daughter of the Shen family the most."
The second daughter was young, and the Emperor often took her with him. So why was it Shen Shiyan who entered the palace in the end?
Everyone understood the implication: were the sisters going to have to share a husband in the future?
Consort De said, "The second daughter of the Shen family is eight or nine years younger than the Emperor and has not yet come of age. However, she is getting older. But after the Grand Tutor passed away this time, the second daughter left the capital alone. It seems that she has no intention of getting married."
Consort Qing said, "I've heard rumors circulating that the Emperor and the Second Miss have a deep and abiding affection for each other!"
The Empress smiled. "I heard from my grandfather that Miss Shen is an extraordinary woman, a rare find in this world. Consort De should know that Miss Shen used to frequently visit the Prince of Wu's residence. When exactly did she stop seeing His Majesty?"
Consort Min arrived. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. I am late!"
Her face was radiant, as if she had good news. The Empress said, "You served His Majesty diligently last night. Judging from your appearance, is there something to celebrate?"
The Empress's heart skipped a beat. She and the Emperor had not yet consummated their marriage. She had already had her first period, but the Emperor had no intention of consummating their marriage. He would stay at Fengyi Palace on the first and fifteenth of the month, but he never touched her.
She was also very nervous; a childless empress would never have a good end.
Consort Min brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Her period hadn't come, so she went to invite the Emperor. To her surprise, the Emperor actually came. Although they hadn't done anything that night, she was happy just to have the Emperor come.
She was worried about her pregnancy and didn't want to serve the Emperor, but the Emperor was understanding and didn't mean it. Instead, he slept on the couch with her.
This morning, the imperial physician was summoned, and sure enough, she was pregnant.
She was very pleased with herself, saying, "I am pregnant, and the Emperor is understanding. He told me to sleep a little longer."
Consort De and Consort Qing exchanged a glance and both smiled, "Congratulations, sister!"
Consort Rong was very unhappy, turned her face away, and ignored her. Consort De became even more certain that Consort Rong was also pregnant.
After leaving the palace, Consort De and Consort Qing tacitly went together. Consort De said, "The palace is getting more and more lively. Consort Min is pregnant, and Consort Rong is also pregnant."
Consort Qing was startled. She was very clever and did not need Consort De's prompting. Just recalling Consort Rong's behavior in Fengyi Palace, she understood that Consort De was right.
Soon, a little over a month later, Consort Rong suffered a miscarriage, exactly three months into her pregnancy.
The Empress ordered an investigation and discovered that the ink used by Consort Rong had been adulterated with musk and masked with other fragrances, which was why Consort Rong hadn't noticed it.
The investigation led to the Imperial Household Department, where someone revealed that it was Consort Shu.
In Fengyi Palace, the emperor sat at the head of the table, and the empress had nowhere to sit. The emperor did not offer her a seat, so she could only stand to the side, and all the concubines had no choice but to stand as well.
Consort Rong cried uncontrollably, gazing longingly at the Emperor as she sobbed.
Consort Shu knelt on the ground, staring at the Emperor in disbelief.
"Does Your Majesty also believe that it was I who did it?" Consort Shu was in tears, feeling more heartbroken than being falsely accused.
The emperor didn't believe her at all.
She couldn't help but wonder what the Emperor would do if her second sister were the one being slandered at this moment.
Li Yuanke remained unmoved, his gaze towards her indifferent and detached. He held a wad of cotton in his hand and asked, "You ask me if I believe you? What do you have that would make me believe you?"
In March or April, Shen Shixi sent him a potted plant. It eventually bloomed, but the flowers weren't very pretty. However, Li Yuanke thought they were more beautiful than peonies. Later, it bore fruit, but it was inedible.
Then it burst open, and slowly bloomed into cloud-like flowers. When he came earlier, he was admiring it and casually picked a little bit. He found it to be extremely soft.
The little peach blossom spirit asked him to guess what it was, but he couldn't guess it in a short time.
Shen Shiyan said, "If I say I didn't do it, will Your Majesty believe me?"
Li Yuanke looked away. The concubines were all very shrewd, and they naturally realized that this time, the emperor did not intend to side with Shen Shiyan.
Indeed, after all, it concerns the imperial heir!