Chapter 402: Sixth Prince Murders, Noble Consort Loses Control!

Li Qingluo's utterance stopped Noble Consort's expression from further spiraling out of control.

She covered her face and quickly ordered someone to take the Sixth Prince away.

"Go tie up everyone around Xiao Liu for this palace!"

"Lock them in the confinement chamber!"

The palace servants trembled: "Yes... yes."

These people today are likely to suffer more misfortune than fortune.

Noble Consort personally took the brocade box from Li Qingluo's hand.

But she did not rush to open it to see what was inside.

Instead, she maintained her cool demeanor and greeted the consorts to come in and be seated.

"Ladies, you are being overly polite."

"This palace usually isn't good at socializing; even on any consort's auspicious day, I have never gone."

"But today, because Xiao Liu was mischievous, I disturbed you ladies."

"However, since you have come, I, as host today, ask you ladies not to stand on ceremony and enjoy yourselves freely."

"Attendant——"

"Bring out all the entertainment items usually kept in the palace for the ladies to enjoy a bit."

After saying that, she urgently whispered to the senior palace maid beside her: 'Immediately go to the Imperial Kitchen and order a few more tables set, saying it is this consort's birthday today.'

"Wait, better first bring out all the fruits and pastries."

After the attendants of Jin Ying Palace had brought out everything and placed it in the courtyard, the consorts from all palaces were also ushered into the hall.

They did not entertain themselves; instead they had their palace maids and servant girls one by one go set things up in the courtyard, while they just watched the bustle.

There was pitch-pot.

There was double-six and liubo.

There was also puppet theater.

The eunuchs and palace maids from each palace rolled up their sleeves to vie for face for their masters, and in no time they were hard at work.

The consorts from each palace held fans and laughed until their blossoms trembled.

Some could not resist joining in, personally fiddling with the tangram to solve the Lu Ban lock and the nine-linked rings.

Soon, those palace servants in the courtyard began to quarrel.

Li Qingluo walked with hands behind her back, looking east and west.

As if strolling a market, she watched the bustle.

When encountering pushing and shoving, she nimbly dodged.

When encountering cheating, she secretly shook her head and clicked her tongue in disapproval.

Soon all the consorts noticed her.

"Is that the Daoist from Gui Fu Palace?"

"I heard he is also the junior disciple of Master Qingyangzi."

"Isn't that the little disciple of the State Preceptor Yunhe?"

State Preceptor Yunhe: 'How could this poor Daoist not know of this?'

Consorts who had entered the palace only in recent years, upon hearing about Gui Fu Palace, immediately leaned in: 'Isn't Gui Fu Palace a forbidden zone in the palace? Before, consorts who wanted to inquire about this were scolded by the grannies, fearing to anger the emperor.'

Consort Rong: 'I advise you not to continue inquiring. It was indeed a forbidden place before. Now that Prince Su has taken residence, are we still not allowed to approach?'

"Not even the formerly close Noble Consort may approach half a step."

"Who knows what vengeful spirits lurk inside?"

Consort Rong leisurely fanned herself while speaking offhandedly, yet this startled many consorts nearby, their faces turning extremely uneasy.

Noble Consort sat upright at the head, gazing at the chaos in her hall, feeling thoroughly annoyed.

Her gaze also fell upon that little Daoist.

It was chilling like a poisonous snake, devoid of any warmth.

Suddenly, a shout came from the side hall.

A palace maid drenched in blood rushed out.

Following her, another person emerged holding a dagger, wearing a foolish grin.

"Fun, fun!"

"Hehe, don't run——"

"This prince wants another round, don't run——"

This person was none other than the Sixth Prince, Duan Rongye.

Not only his body, but his face was also splattered with fresh blood; at this moment he laughed like a living evil ghost.

The palace maid, terrified, ran while shouting: 'Save me——save this servant——'

"Consort——"

Duan Rongye chased after her, and the two quickly plunged into the crowd.

However, as Duan Rongye pursued the palace maid and saw she did not stop, his expression instantly turned ferocious.

"Why won't you obey!?"

"Disobedience deserves death——"

"This prince will kill you!"

He raised his dagger and thrust it toward the crowd.

Seeing this, everyone realized it was not feigned, and a chorus of cries erupted.

The Elder Princess acted swiftly and decisively, slapped the table and nearly rose: 'Quick! Grab him!'

The crowd fell into chaos.

All the consorts turned pale with fright.

"Grab him!"

"Quickly notify the Imperial Guard to come and seize the Sixth Prince!"

"Murder! The Sixth Prince, Duan Rongye, has committed murder!"

"Little Six is truly mad——"

Only Consort De, helped by the palace attendants, rushed out anxiously.

"Ye'er!"

"What are you doing?"

"Stop quickly!"

"Come, quickly protect the Sixth Prince!"

In an instant, those seeking to seize and those seeking to protect rushed forward, each guarding their own master.

The Hall of Hibiscus and Cherry Blossom descended into utter chaos.

Consort De longed to rush out: 'No, don't hurt him——'

"He is a proper Sixth Prince—who dares to move him!?"

However, under the Elder Princess's reprimand, the palace attendants could only clutch her tightly.

Consort De struggled wildly, no longer retaining even a trace of her usual icy fairy-like demeanor.

She let out a mournful howl, watching as the eunuchs and palace maids pressed Duan Rongye to the ground and wrested his knife away.

Duan Rongye, in pain, cried out: 'Mother Consort——'

"Mother Consort, save your subject son—your subject son is in great pain, can barely breathe——"

At the Elder Princess's signal, Consort De was suddenly released from her bonds and lunged forward.

She shoved the attendants away as if mad: 'Get out! All of you, get out of my presence——'

"Ye'er. Mother Consort has come——"

The Imperial Guard arrived upon hearing the sound.

Seeing this, some still hadn't reacted.

Only Consort De, mad as a bull, overturned a group of attendants to the ground.

Mother and child clung together, a pitiful sight.

But just then, a Daoist standing at the side hall's doorway cried out in alarm: 'Oh my, so many dead!'

When the Imperial Guard rushed over to look, the side hall held several corpses lying haphazardly.

They were all eunuchs and palace maids.

Consort De's face instantly turned ashen: 'No……'

She stumbled forward.

Li Qingluo and Sha Qi hastily jumped aside.

Consort De leaned against the doorframe, gazing into the hall.

Upon seeing blood flooding the floor and corpses strewn everywhere, her vision darkened and she nearly fainted on the spot.

"No…… this isn't real……"

As Consort De swayed on the brink of collapse, the Elder Princess gave a cold smile: 'How isn't it real?'

"Consort De, today all the consorts in the palace saw Little Six rush out brandishing a knife."

"You surely aren't still trying to absolve Little Six of this murder, are you?"

Consort De shrieked in anguish: 'This wasn't done by Ye'er, absolutely not by Ye'er!'

"Ye'er is as innocent as a child; he's ill—how could he possibly commit murder!?"

Consort Rong composed her slightly disheveled appearance: 'A child?'

"Consort De, you weren't speaking like that just a few days ago."

"You say the Sixth Prince is merely simple‑minded, and you won't allow anyone in the palace to call him a fool."

"Whenever palace servants' private gossip reaches you, you find some pretext to punish them."

"Some who were beaten with boards died from untreated severe injuries."

"Now how can you yourself start saying your son is abnormal?"

"What about those palace servants you deliberately punished?"

Consort De, hearing this, turned her head, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at everyone.

"They dare gossip about their master behind his back—they all deserve to die!"

"Furthermore, my Ye'er is pure‑kind to the utmost; he would never slaughter the innocent."

Li Qingluo: 'And what about you, Consort De?'

"The humble Daoist calculates: could it be that you deliberately harmed others, thus inviting today's retribution?"

She spoke those words.

The Hall of Hibiscus and Cherry Blossom fell utterly silent.

Everyone stared at Consort De with exceedingly complex expressions.

Sha Qi also spoke up indifferently: 'Just now, when the Sixth Prince brandished his knife and killed someone, I was outside the window and saw it clearly.'

"If needed, the humble Daoist is willing to go to the Ministry of Justice to testify in person."

Hardly had those words fallen when a stern voice came from outside the hall: 'Consort De, when did Ye'er become a knife‑wielding murdering fool?'

How will you explain to me?!!

The person who came was actually Emperor Yan.

He didn't know how long he had been listening outside Jin Ying Hall.

At this moment he stared at Consort De with eyes full of icy hatred, like an invisible dagger, scaring Consort De into sitting limp on the ground.

No…… all this is a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding, Your Majesty!

We mother and son have been framed.

How could Ye'er hurt someone for no reason——

The Sixth Prince sat on the ground rubbing his eyes and crying like a child: 'Mother Consort, I am scared, wuu……'

I, the child subject, want to kill them all, I want to slaughter them completely!

Consort De's face turned deathly pale as she lunged forward.

Ye'er!

Shut up……

She panicked and covered the Sixth Prince's mouth, but the Sixth Prince bit her hard.

Then, crying, she wanted to rush toward the people.

The Imperial Guard immediately moved and completely subdued the Sixth Prince.

Consort De, disregarding the blood still flowing from her hand, lunged forward again.

But this time, no matter what, she could not save the frenzied struggling Duan Rongye.

Consort De's eyes instantly filled with venomous madness: 'The Palace knows, you all deliberately came today to harm the Palace's Ye'er!'

All this is a conspiracy.

What good intentions do you have to come celebrate the Palace's birthday?

You just can't stand that the Palace has a son!

You are all murderers——

Who is it?

It's you—— Elder Princess!

When you were young, you received the care of Noble Consort Yue, and you have always felt grateful toward her in your heart.

Or is it you—— Consort Rong!?

Over these years, you have tried every way but still couldn't bear a child; surely you are jealous that the Palace has a Ye'er!

Or is it you——

You all——

And you two stinking Daoists! You come from Gui Fu Palace, you are here to deliver a congratulatory gift for Duan Rongshi……

Congratulatory gift, congratulatory gift!

Consort De, chanting, rushed back into the hall, and pulled out that brocade box from among the gifts.

She fumbled to open the box, only to see a heavy red-gold osmanthus hairpin 'ding dang' fall to the ground.

Many consorts present, the Elder Princess, and Emperor Yan, upon seeing this hairpin clearly, all instantly changed their faces.

Consort De, however, picked up that hairpin and began to laugh maniacally.

The Palace knew it was Noble Consort Yue, Noble Consort Yue——

The Palace wanted to harm her child, so it was her turning into a ghost that would harm my Ye'er!

It's her returning to take revenge……

It's her——

Emperor Yan: 'Consort De has gone mad!'

Full of nonsense, behavior deranged!

Where is the Imperial Guard? Seize her and immediately throw her into the cold palace!