Chapter 625 - 625: The Emperor Is Not Dead Yet
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When the Princess Consort of Duke Rong’s Residence heard this, her body fell to the ground and she cried miserably, “Empress Dowager, it’s all my fault. Please punish me.”
The Empress Dowager was annoyed. “Go out and kneel.”
However, she did not say how to punish her.
The Princess Consort of Duke Rong’s Residence left the inner hall with an ashen face. The Empress Dowager looked at Old Madam Yu. “I already know about this. Old Madam Yu isn’t feeling well, so you should go back first.”
Old Madam Yu heaved a sigh of relief. The Empress Dowager had finally given her an explanation.
Next, it depended on the situation of Second Brother entering the palace to meet the emperor, as well as the actions of the Imperial Court.
After Yu Zongshen left the palace, the memorials from the Imperial Court to impeach the Duke Rong’s residence were sent into the palace in an endless stream. The emperor called Duke Rong into the palace for questioning.
Duke Rongs words were generally the same as the Princess Consort of Duke Rongs Residence.
The emperor was sitting in the imperial study. He had been taking medicinal pills all year round, causing his face to be green and gray, and his lips to be purple. He supported his forehead with one hand, looking listless.
“Is there anything extraordinary about Lord Yu’s eldest daughter?”
Eldest Miss Yu alone had stirred up the entire court. He had to understand what kind of situation Eldest Miss Yu was in.
Eunuch Zhu’s eyes flashed, and he lowered his head. He bowed and said, “Lord Yu’s first wife is from Madam Xie’s family in Quanzhou. Madam Xie is unlucky and passed away not long after giving birth to her eldest daughter. Eldest Miss Yu has been raised by her Grandmother, Old Madam Yu. It’s said that at such a young age, she already has her Grandmother’s demeanor. She can already manage the family business and the dowry business left behind by her biological mother, Madam Xie. Three years ago, she was even praised by the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager personally gave her a palace token made of Lantian jade. I even heard that Eldest Miss Yu is the number one beauty in the capital.”
After hearing this, the emperor could only tell three key points.
Firstly, Eldest Miss Yu’s maternal family was the Xie Residence in Quanzhou.
Everyone in the world knew that the Xie Residence was wealthy.
Secondly, Eldest Miss Yu had inherited a large dowry from her mother, or even most of the Yu Residence’s assets.
Thirdly, Eldest Miss Yu had even been praised by her mother.
The emperor gently rubbed the green ring in his hand. “Oh? In that case, it would be good to have a marriage with her.”
Eunuch Zhu lowered his head.
There was a moment of silence in the imperial study—
After a while, the emperor opened his eyes and said ambiguously, “How’s the Third Prince?
Eunuch Zhu hurriedly said, “Not long after Eldest Miss Yu returned to the reception pavilion, the Third Prince accidentally fell into the water. I heard that he was quite shocked and returned to the palace with wet clothes.” At first glance, there was nothing wrong with his words.
However, after thinking about it carefully, it made people feel strange. The Third Prince was a grown up. Why did he suddenly fall into the water?
Why did he not fall into the water earlier or later? Why did he fall into the water after Eldest Miss Yu sensed that something was amiss and returned to the reception pavilion?
Moreover, after falling into the water, he did not even care about her health and returned to the palace. This was suspicious.
If the same words were said in different ways, the meaning would be very different.
Anyone who could reach Eunuch Zhu’s position in the deep palace was proficient in this.
The emperor’s expression changed. “Duke Rong said that the Princess Consort of Duke Rong’s Residence Prefecture has taken a fancy to Eldest Miss Yu and was momentarily obsessed. She wanted to lure Eldest Miss Yu to the crepe myrtle garden to meet her son, Yin Huairui, privately.” At this point, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he looked like he was about to laugh. “Why wasn’t Yin Huaizhang at the crepe myrtle garden? Instead, Third Brother is involved?”
He did not believe a word that Yin Huaizhang had unknowingly lured the Third Prince to the crepe myrtle garden.
Eunuch Zhu even bent down.
The emperor changed the topic and asked, “Does the Third Prince know how to swim?
Eunuch Zhu hurriedly said, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
The emperor looked as if he had expected this. His expression was dark. “He knows how to swim, so why was he still shocked? I’m afraid that he was deliberately putting on a good show of falling into the water and using it as an excuse to return to the palace.”
Eldest Miss Yu first sensed that something was amiss with the crepe myrtle and returned to the reception pavilion. Only then did Third Brother fall into the water and return to the palace.
It appeared to be a coincidence.
Eunuch Zhu did not dare to say anything else. “After the Third Prince returned to the palace, the imperial physician was summoned to Jingren Palace to treat him. I heard that he has to recuperate for a while. He should have suffered some injuries.”
It was as if he was saying that the Third Prince was really frightened, but in the emperor’s ears, that was not the case at all. “How long will it take for Duke Rong’s Residence to reach the palace?
Eunuch Zhu said, “About an hour.”
The emperor smiled playfully. “Look, if his body was really injured and frightened because he fell into the water, he wouldn’t have waited until he returned to the palace to call the imperial physician. It would take more than an hour to travel back. Wouldn’t that delay his treatment?”
Eunuch Zhu lowered his eyes and said nothing.
The emperor was already very suspicious. In the past two years, his health had been deteriorating, and he couldn’t do without the Jinshi medicinal pills. The amount of medicinal pills he used had also increased, and his personality had become more unpredictable.
Just a little guidance could arouse the emperor’s suspicion.
The emperor sneered. “If he really wants to marry her as his main concubine, he only needs to discuss it with the Empress Dowager. After receiving the
Empress Dowager’s permission, she can ask Madam Xu to go to the Yu Residence to look for Old Madam Yu. It doesn’t matter if it’s successful or not. This is the proper way.
Eunuch Zhu knelt on the ground with a thud.
“He just had to use this despicable move.” Due to his anger, an abnormal flush appeared on the emperor’s pale face. “I remember very clearly that the Yu Clan has the rule that women can’t become concubines. They were so insistent that they did not hesitate to ruin the reputation of a woman. If they didn’t have other thoughts, why would they have schemed to this extent?”
Yu Youyao was the eldest daughter of the first wife of the Yu Residence.
Not to mention that the Yu Clan had the rule that women were not to be concubines, even if there was no such rule, how could the eldest daughter of a wealthy family be a concubine?
Even if she was a prince’s side concubine, she was still a concubine.
They knew very well that it was impossible for Old Madam Yu to agree to let the eldest daughter of the first wife be the prince’s secondary concubine so they wanted to force her to agree.
The emperor was cold. With a flick of his sleeve, he swept the stack of memorials on the imperial table to the ground and said angrily, “I’m not dead yet, but they’re already coveting my position?!”
Eunuch Zhu knelt on the ground and trembled.
After being angry, the emperor’s body panicked, and his heart became even more irritable. “Go and call Consort Xu over.”
Eunuch Zhu felt as if he had been pardoned and quickly left the imperial study.
At this moment, his godfather, Eunuch He, walked over with a silver tray. When he saw Eunuch Zhu standing at the entrance of the courtyard wiping his sweat, he asked, “What’s wrong?
Eunuch Zhu took a step forward and moved closer to his godfather, telling him everything the emperor had said in the imperial study.
However, he did not say what he had said to the emperor.
Eunuch He immediately felt that the medicinal pill in his hand was a little hot.
“There aren’t many peaceful days left in the palace.”
He had served the emperor for many years and understood him well..
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