Chapter 467

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

When Xiao Ji arrived to find Li Guiquan on his master's orders, Li Guiquan was in the middle of dealing with the mess the Emperor had stirred up, sweating profusely.

It was a real mess — the Emperor had vomited blood and needed treatment, but other matters still required further arrangement; even though the Emperor had given instructions on how to handle things, orders aren't carried out just by being spoken — they need people to execute them seriously.

Li Guiquan was so busy his feet didn't touch the ground, running back and forth between Qianqing Palace and several palaces in the rear court; when he saw Xiao Ji come out of the side hall, his heart gave a sudden jolt — the Noble Consort had woken up.

Oh dear, wouldn't the Noble Consort make a huge scene like that Beauty He from Qimei Palace?

Li Guiquan trembled with fright inside, but on the surface he forced a smile and greeted Xiao Ji, expressing concern for the Noble Consort recuperating in the side hall.

Xiao Ji tugged at her stiff lips. "Trouble you to remember us, Manager Li; Her Ladyship has already awakened, and Imperial Physician Lv diagnosed that her health is improving.

Her Ladyship thought Qianqing Palace is busy with affairs, and the Emperor cannot do without Manager Li's care at his side, so she intends to return to Furong Palace to recuperate."

Li Guiquan's eyes shone bright — he never expected the Noble Consort to truly be his lucky star; her voluntarily proposing to leave at a time like this was simply a huge help.

"Please ask Miss Xiao Ji to convey to Her Ladyship that this servant will surely handle the matter of her return to the palace properly."

As his words fell, Li Guiquan waved his wrist, summoning little eunuchs to arrange the sedan chair and other manpower, striving for everything to be thorough and in place so Shen Yao could walk with peace of mind and sit with reassurance.

Xiao Ji: ……

How could Xiao Ji not know Li Guiquan already had plans; even without her bringing it up, the other party would have found an opportunity to arrange things.

Indeed, it was not as good as her master stating it first — giving both sides a way down while also saving face.

But in the end, it was still her own master who suffered grievance; clearly everything had gone smoothly when they came, yet in the end it turned into this — her body harmed, their bond damaged, and outsiders got to watch the spectacle.

"As long as the Emperor can know this palace's good, this palace does not feel wronged."

Shen Yao rode the sedan chair back to Furong Palace; seeing the situation inside was good, she let out a long breath of relief.

Xiao Ji frowned. "Master, you" just had a miscarriage.

Shen Yao patted Xiao Ji's arm with determined eyes. "This palace knows."

It cannot be spoken — even though this matter has been treated by imperial physicians, in Qianqing Palace it is no longer a secret.

Xiao Ji took a deep breath, turned, and went to the small kitchen to fetch medicine and soup for her master.

Xiao Fu, hearing the news, also rushed over; while concerned for her master's health, she did not forget to give a detailed report on the situation of the two young masters.

"Xiao Fu, Sheng'er and Xi'er's side is entrusted to you; this palace's body needs a period of recuperation to improve, and the Emperor still has front court affairs to labor over.

Recently, temporarily do not let Sheng'er and Xi'er go out, and send palace affairs to Lanxin Palace to be handled by the Worthy Consort — I fear someone may take the opportunity to stir trouble, so let the Worthy Consort expend more thought."

Xiao Fu gave a sound of acknowledgment, her words comforting her master to rest easy and recover; these trivial matters have her and Xiao Ji to look after, and they certainly won't let them disturb her master.

"Mm, you are a loyal servant who protects her master; having this kind of heart is very good.

The matter of palace affairs is entrusted to this palace; just let the Noble Consort rest easy and recuperate."

Even though she has risen from a Second-Rank Official Lady of Cultivation to a First-Rank Worthy Consort, Zheng Shiyi's outward attitude remains unchanged.

Her relationship with Shen Yao is neither distant nor close; even though Shen Rong has already married into the Zheng Family and given birth to offspring, the two in the palace are still clearly distinct.

It is also at a time like this that Zheng Shiyi would reveal a slight trace of care, like a gentle breeze brushing past one's face — if one does not go to carefully sense it, it is hard to perceive anything.

One can only say both are sufficiently cautious; as high-ranking consorts in the rear court, every move draws attention.

Court officials, the Emperor, consorts — three parties' forces intertwine; who dares stick their head out.

"Your Ladyship, today's chaos in Qianqing Palace, Beauty He of Qimei Palace miscarrying — could someone be scheming?"

The maid sent Xiao Ji away, then turned and spoke to Zheng Shiyi about the unusual happenings in the palace.

Zheng Shiyi smiled and nodded. "The imperial heirs in the palace are envied not only by the consorts, but even the front court is very jealous — it would be more normal than not for someone to make a move, and even today's uproar is simply one trap nested within another."

Although she does not know the exact situation in Qianqing Palace, just from the Noble Consort being wrapped up tightly and carried back in a sedan chair, and the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital being summoned to Qianqing Palace, she can infer that what happened in Qianqing Palace today is only greater, not lesser, than Beauty He's miscarriage in Qimei Palace.

"You think — under what circumstances would the Noble Consort hand over palace affairs?"

It's not that the Noble Consort is greedy for power, but as the Noble Consort she must hold real authority in hand.

The maid pondered along her master's words, and in the end guided the topic to offspring.

After all, the Noble Consort once gave birth to two healthy imperial heirs; getting pregnant again is not impossible.

Zheng Shiyi: ……

Zheng Shiyi sighed. "If she truly is pregnant that would still be alright —" our two families are allies; in the future when the Noble Consort's son ascends, even Zheng Shiyi's old age would have security — "what's feared is that it's not pregnancy, but miscarriage."

Just like Qimei Palace.

The maid: ……?! ！！！

"Your Ladyship, that shouldn't be right —" Qianqing Palace is all the Emperor's people; who would dare act against the Noble Consort on the Emperor's own turf.

Zheng Shiyi thought of things far more than the maid, including the Emperor who has become increasingly absurd and arrogant these years — she ultimately did not speak the even more horrifying guess in her heart.

Furong Palace Main Hall

The System chatted with Shen Yao about the Worthy Consort: 'Truly clever — from just a few small matters she guessed you might have miscarried.'

Shen Yao turned over, her body facing away from the bed curtain: 'Zheng Xueshi, though a literatus, is not pedantic; he understands flexibility and deeply knows the way of self-preservation.

The Worthy Consort received Zheng Xueshi's teaching; since entering the palace she has maintained a proper attitude.

These years the palace consorts have risen and fallen — has there ever been any matter involving the Worthy Consort?'

She doesn't contend or grasp; relying on her family elders and her own sensibility and tact, she secured a place by the Emperor's side, living days better than most consorts.

The System agreed: 'Yes, there are many consorts in the rear court; only the Host and the Worthy Consort have lasted long — Imperial Concubine He can barely count as half — the others long ago sank into the mud pit and cannot extricate themselves, let alone occupy any significant weight in the Emperor's heart.'

Closing her eyes and relaxing her spirit, Shen Yao fell asleep with a peaceful heart.

Only Shen Yao sleeping soundly here does not mean others can sleep soundly.

Qianqing Palace Main Hall

After Yu Yu vomited that mouthful of blood, he fell into a muddled, unsober state; the Imperial Physicians of the Imperial Hospital applied acupuncture and fed him medicine, busy to the point of pleasure.

Kung fu does not fail those with heart; Yu Yu's spirits finally improved somewhat.

However, Yu Yu would rather be unwell himself, because the scenes in his mind kept entangling him — two imperial heirs miscarried at once, and the vexation in his heart rose to its peak.

The Emperor cannot be wrong; only other ill-intentioned people can be wrong.

He completely forgot that it was he himself who could not restrain his anger and flared up at the Noble Consort, causing her miscarriage; the first task the Emperor assigned Li Guiquan was to thoroughly investigate inside and outside Qianqing Palace, along with the memorials sent from the border and the court: "All must be investigated clean; We will absolutely not permit anyone to secretly stir up trouble!"

Li Guiquan nodded in agreement; no matter what he thought in his heart, on the surface he would certainly follow the Emperor's lead.

Since the inside and outside of Qianqing Palace and the memorials presented on the table must be thoroughly investigated, the commotion stirred up would not be small.

By the time Shen Yao opened her eyes at dawn, sipping the rice porridge Xiao Ji brought from the small kitchen, the Yulin Guard had already mobilized, and the Three Judicial Offices officials responsible for interrogation had all been summoned to Qianqing Palace — the core mission was only one: investigate to the bottom.

The crowd: ……

What is the standard for thorough investigation? Leave no room, or stop when it's enough?

"All you lords are the Emperor's confidants; I believe you understand this matter better than this servant."

Li Guiquan's words were profound and unfathomable; a serving slave showed not the slightest obsequious fawning attitude: "The Emperor wants the truth; please trouble all you lords to exert yourselves, and do not disappoint the Emperor."

Some words cannot be spoken plainly; being tactful, and tactful, and tactful again is the norm.

The lords who received the order left Qianqing Palace together; on the road they did not discuss with one another, but like big smarties they pondered the meaning conveyed sideways by the Emperor and Li Guiquan.

The Emperor's meaning was very normal — just let them thoroughly investigate and rectify the court with full force; this wave would probably implicate quite a few people, after all there were too many memorials accusing the Shen clan, and they had long heard of it.

Li Zong Guan by the Emperor's side, a eunuch — his words displeased them, but the information leaked out still had to be seriously analyzed.

"The Emperor wants the truth?" What is the truth? That is naturally to narrate the whole story's ins and outs with an objective and fair attitude.

"Do not disappoint the Emperor" — if they disappoint the Emperor it might bring unexpected disaster upon themselves; the strategy of lying low when one should is not usable at all times; this matter definitely cannot use it.

The advantage of big smarties is they like to overthink; the more they ponder, the more they feel deep meaning.

Actually it might just be a casual remark, but in their eyes it is not so.

"Lord, do we investigate or not?"

"Investigate! As court ministers, we ought to share the Emperor's worries and solve his difficulties."

"Lord, then where do we start investigating?"

"Cause and effect, not a single piece missed" — best to record all the words they spoke in the register.

…………

Sometimes, a person's potential is limitless; press them a bit and there will be gains.

The first to produce results was inside and outside Qianqing Palace; Li Guiquan used ruthless methods — not to mention hiding a person, even a mosquito flying past would have to know its sex.

Sure enough, the little eunuch who summoned the Noble Consort was a person with ulterior motives; He Meiren's miscarriage was not natural either; the black hand behind the scenes manipulating these was precisely the Emperor's several good brothers outside the palace.

"Hmph! We see they simply refuse to give up" — one death is not enough, they keep jumping and opposing Us; the Zongren Fu cannot lack their positions.

Directly had the Yulin Guard seize people and throw them into the Zongren Fu; the Emperor drew on the lesson of Cheng Wang from that year, first pinning the charge of harming the imperial heir on them.

These several princes would certainly not accept it — a little eunuch's words without evidence, how to prove it was their arrangement? Perhaps it was someone else deliberately framing them, or someone staging it themselves.

Ever since the Cheng Wang affair came out, the Emperor had torn faces with his several cheap brothers; daily court sessions required mutual verbal sparring, seizing every chance to trip each other up and cause trouble.

Now the Emperor plays this hand; the other princes, even for the sake of their relatives, cannot be timid — they must inevitably trade verbal barbs with the Emperor, stir up public opinion, and even spark several disputes among the common people, just to make the Emperor have some apprehension.