Chapter 467 - The Confrontation Between the Emperor and Empress in the Imperial Study (2/2)
“Then let her in lest she should try to make trouble.”
Emperor Zongwen’s words were not very nice for he seemed to be sarcastic and ridiculing the Empress. There was something hidden in his words that not even Liu Xi understood. As such, Liu Xi pretended to not understand. He went back to the entrance and said respectfully to the Empress, “Your Majesty, His Majesty invites you in.”
“Many thanks, Eunuch Liu.” The Empress was very polite, unlike her usual self. She only brought a palace maid who held the iced green bean soup in.
After greeting the Emperor, the Empress took the bowl of green bean soup from the palace maid and placed it on Emperor Zongwen’s table. She said gently, “Your Majesty, the weather is hot. I prepared some green bean soup for you. It was soaked in the cold water from the well. It will help to dispel the heat.”
“You have worked hard, Empress.” Emperor Zongwen looked up from his desk and put the file in his hand down. He smiled lightly and took the bowl from the Empress. He took a few sips from it and placed it to the side.
“Your Majesty, did Rui’er… do something?” The Empress looked up carefully and asked when she saw that the Emperor was done with the soup. She had made the Emperor angry again and again recently. This time, she had fallen ill because of what happened to Feng Yulei but the Emperor had only visited twice and had not visited again. The Empress felt upset when she thought of that.
However, this was not the time to get upset.
“Number One’s Second Consort fell pregnant. Consort Yan not only ordered for the Second Consort to be injured and miscarry, but she also did not allow the Second Consort to hire a physician. She even dragged the Second Consort to the shed. If Subordinate Mo had not gone there fast enough, the Second Consort would have died. Number One really married a nice woman. I heard that she’s educated, elegant, and gracious. Why is she so vicious and evil? I will have someone investigate who told me that.”
Emperor Zongwen appeared to be distant. He put down the bowl and looked at the Empress slightly angrily. His eyes were deep and dark and the Empress almost did not dare to look into his eyes.
He was really angry!
Ling Rui’er was really a troublemaker. Nowhere was peaceful with her around.
The Empress had wanted to make use of Ling Rui’er against the Empress Dowager. However, it seemed that the girl was an incompetent bungler.
“Your Majesty, Ling Rui’er is too young and insensible. She is also newly married and deeply in love with King Chu. That’s why she did something like that. Or perhaps there’s something else that we do not know about. Look, King Chu is the father of the child in Second Consort Mo’s belly. He didn’t say anything. Does it mean that there are other factors in this whole incident?”
The Empress smiled warmly and picked up the bowl where Emperor Zongwen had placed on the edge of the table. She turned around and placed it on the tray the palace maid behind her held.
It did not matter what happened to Ling Rui’er as long as it did not damage the reputation of the daughters of Ding General Manor. If others were to find out that a young lady from the Ding General Manor appeared to be kind and gracious but was actually evil and vicious, who would dare to marry a daughter from the Ding General Manor in the future? Which family would want to ally with the Ding General Manor through marriage? This would cause great damage to the power of the Ding General Manor.
“Empress, are you here to plead on behalf of Ling Rui’er?” Emperor Zongwen’s eyes grew even colder and he spoke to the Empress coldly.
“I do not dare. I was just thinking that this matter should be discussed when King Chu returns. After all, this is a matter of his manor and only he knows what exactly happened.” The Empress said with a slight smile. She did not appear unhappy because of Emperor Zongwen’s att.i.tude. The incident had happened so suddenly and she had only thought of this plan after thinking about it for a long time in her palace.
No matter what the truth was, Ling Rui’er would be divorced if Feng Yuxuan pushed the blame entirely on Ling Rui’er. Feng Yuxuan and his connection to the Ding General Manor would be broken. As such, the Empress would very much like Feng Yuxuan to push the blame on to Ling Rui’er.
The Empress knew very clearly what was happening in her own home. Her two elder brothers were both supporting Feng Yuxuan after the fall of Feng Yulei. If Ling Rui’er were to give birth to a son, then King Chu’s connection to the Ding General Manor would become extraordinary. His connection with the Ding General Manor would be stronger than hers.
When she thought of that, the Empress could not hold back the anger she felt. However, what came after that was sadness and sorrow. She and the Empress Dowager both came from the Ding General Manor. Now, there was Ling Rui’er as well. They all had their own plans and plots. The Ding General Manor’s support went from one prince to another, because no matter what, they were all connected to the Ding General Manor.
The Ding General Manor really had no place to speak of in all of this. They would follow anyone who could bring them wealth and power. The so-called family relations were as thin as a thread.
“Number One went to check on the new army at the western mountains. He won’t return for another two weeks. Are you going to make Ling Rui’er wait for another two weeks as well?” Emperor Zongwen asked.
The Emperor was rather solemn and the Empress could not stand any longer. She knelt down with a thump and said, “Your Majesty, I do not dare. I am just trying my best to be a mother and an aunt. I am too embarra.s.sed to see anyone after what happened at King Chu’s Manor. But even though I want to hide, this matter cannot be hidden. That is why I came to tell you about it. If you feel that I am wrong, please punish me. Otherwise, my elder brother will think that I am just thinking of the royal family and have forgotten completely about my maternal family.”
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