Chapter 556 - Shock, Great Changes in Every Manor (2/2)

“Consort Yu, do you think what happened yesterday was really done by the Empress in order to plot against Consort Chu?” She had specially asked Consort Yu to come because Consort Yu was present then and must have witnessed it clearly. The Empress Dowager did not believe that the Empress would be so stupid that she fought Ling Rui’er. They were both from Ding General Manor, so they could be considered to belong to the same community of shared destiny. If something like that happened to Ling Rui’er, it would implicate the reputation of the girls of Ding General Manor.

The Empress Dowager did not believe that the Empress didn’t know this. It was okay for family members to fight in secret, but when it came to interests, the Empress was still able to distinguish them.

“Your Majesty, it seems that it was really done by the Empress. At that time, the lead palace maid of the Empress had been standing behind her and trembling. She looked at the Empress desperately several times. She even hid behind the Empress. But at that time, the Empress seemed not to know what was wrong with her, and only found out about it when Consort Su pulled Yan Miao out.”

Consort Yu calmed down and took the cup of tea from Eunuch Yu. She took a sip and pondered with a frown. She did not say much after what happened yesterday. Even though she saw it, she did not say because no matter who won or lost, it would only be beneficial to her. So she hoped that they would fight every day. In her eyes, it would be better for her if they were dead.

The Empress did not know about it? That meant that the Empress did not mean to hurt Ling Rui’er. Perhaps, it was because someone had secretly set the trap. It seemed that the Empress was too stupid. She had allowed others to listen carefully to her plans. Someone had set up a trap to wait for her. The idea behind the scenes was not simple.

“What were King Xuan and Consort Xuan doing then?”

Consort Yu stuck out her belly and answered, “Because of what happened before, Consort Xuan felt uncomfortable, so King Xuan took her to a room to have a rest. When the whole thing happened, they were not there.” The chair was a little small and she felt very uncomfortable sitting there. It was better not to sit. The Empress Dowager was sitting high, so she didn’t dare to be presumptuous even though she felt rather uncomfortable.

Then it could not be the two of them. After all, anyone who tried to plot against the Empress would not relax. They would be afraid that an accident would happen, so they would definitely stay in the palace and deal with the sudden situation. Furthermore, they were in the palace. Feng Yuran was an idle person and no one in the palace would help him. He would not be able to do anything like that. His aunt, Consort Zhao did not seem to be someone who would help him.

Then the Empress had a eureka moment, and asked solemnly, “Could it be Consort Zhao?” She had been locked up for 10 years, and after she was released, it was hard to see through her.

“I don’t think so. After all, she just got into trouble. She might not dare to make trouble again,” Consort Yu felt that this guess was a little funny. According to Consort Zhao’s situation back then, she would not dare to do anything else. Consort Yu thought that the Empress Dowager had stayed in the palace for too long and was old.

“Tell me everything in detail.” The Empress Dowager stopped guessing, her eyes half-closed. She twirled the beads in her hands even faster.

Consort Yu did not dare to go against the Empress Dowager, so she told her everything in detail.

When Consort Yu was done, the Empress Dowager did not look up. The whole hall quieted down and only the sounds of prayer beads twirling in the Empress Dowager’s hands could be heard. It was so monotonous and dull that it almost drove one mad.

Consort Yu automatically swallowed and rubbed her belly with her hand. The baby had moved in her belly recently. This made her even happier to be a mother while she plotted against others. As long as her son was born, she would have goals to fight for him.

“Alright, off you go. You have to be more careful in the future. Consort Su is not the Empress. Be careful in case you fall into someone’s trap and don’t even know how you die.” The Empress Dowager finally looked up and said lightly to Consort Yu.

Consort Yu did not dare to say anything else. She stood up hurriedly to answer, “Yes.” She was called to the Cining Palace early in the morning and then made out with Feng Yuzhen in a pa.s.sion. Now she was very tired. The atmosphere in this hall was especially uncomfortable. She immediately stood up and left when she heard that she could leave.

Watching Consort Yu’s figure disappear at the entrance of the palace, the Empress Dowager ordered Eunuch Yu in a low voice, “Go tell His Majesty later that I am guilty as well. I failed to manage the imperial harem well. After this incident, I will request to accompany the Empress. I can’t let her bear the responsibility alone.”

“Yes, I will tell the Emperor immediately,” Eunuch Yu answered carefully as his gaze landed on the beads that the Empress Dowager was twirling anxiously. He knew that the Empress Dowager was really worried.

In Mingguo Manor.

You Yuecheng frowned as he read the new intelligence that he had received. His pretty and cold brows were furrowed tightly. He had failed to go to the palace last night. It was not because he did not want to, but his wife had made a fuss to stop him. Learning that the ladies who had been taking a fancy to You Yuecheng had all entered the palace, Ling Mingyan had not allowed him to enter the palace on any account.

She claimed that it was a festival for unmarried young men and women. Why did he, a married man, go there? Did he want to have a private meeting with someone? Ling Mingyan said it in front of Duke Mingguo, and You Yuecheng was so angry that he left. In this case, he had lost a chance to find out the truth in person. At this time, he read the information and a.n.a.lyzed it slowly.

“Somebody, send a message to King Yan to tell him not to be anxious. The Empress has already taken actions and told him to wait for the right timing.” He rubbed the spot between his brows.

“Yes!” A shadow flashed out of the room.

That day, almost all the young masters of the n.o.ble families did not go out to fool around. They were locked up at home in case they should make trouble at the critical moment. Everyone was trying to figure out whether the Empress was retreating for the sake of advancing or just retreating. Of course, the most important thing was the Emperor’s att.i.tude. What did the Emperor mean? Was he interested in King Chu?

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