Emperor Jing and the Empress Dowager sat at the upper seats, and without asking the people below to rise, he began questioning them directly. Because all of them had spoken against her, Consort Xian felt even more wronged and burst into tears.
Emperor Jing did not even glance at them, but instead looked toward the Empress Dowager: “Mother, today they have disturbed your game of weiqi. How about I play a game with you instead?”
The Empress Dowager seemed to have been dozing slightly before, leaning against a large embroidered bolster decorated with golden characters symbolizing prosperity. Upon hearing the emperor’s words, she opened her eyes: “The greatest pleasure in playing chess is encountering a worthy opponent. Playing with you is simply dull.”
Still smiling, the emperor replied, “Mother, please play a game with me this once. I truly enjoy playing chess with you.”
The Empress Dowager chuckled: “You rascal, you always know how to flatter your mother.”
In the entire empire, only the Empress Dowager dared to speak to Emperor Jing in such a manner. Although in many dynasties the Empress Dowager and the emperor were often mother and son by birth, few shared such closeness as Emperor Jing and the Empress Dowager.
The consorts and concubines only knew that Emperor Jing deeply respected the Empress Dowager, but they could not grasp the subtleties behind their relationship.
Seeing the Empress Dowager’s tone, Madam Gui quickly prepared the chessboard.
“You may all rise,” the Empress Dowager finally spoke. Only then did they realize that Emperor Jing had deliberately waited for the Empress Dowager’s permission before allowing them to stand.
The two began their game, but even so, Emperor Jing was clearly not fully focused.
He casually asked, “Consort Zhou, have you paid respects to Noble Consort Shen?”
Consort Zhou was taken aback and looked toward Consort Xian with pursed lips.
“Your servant did. But Noble Consort Shen humiliated me, saying I had not shared the emperor’s bed and thus had no right to speak to her,” she replied with a sorrowful expression.
Emperor Jing said nothing, simply placing a piece on the board. The Empress Dowager smiled.
“Mother, please guide me,” the emperor said, deliberately conceding a move.
“Qingting, you speak,” the Empress Dowager suddenly said. Qingting was the senior palace maid of Consort Zhou. At her unexpected words, everyone turned their gaze toward Qingting.
Qingting stepped forward and knelt: “Consort Zhou is lying. She did not pay respects to Noble Consort Shen.” She said no more, but her words were enough to provoke Consort Zhou’s fury.
With a swish, she knelt down crying: “Empress Dowager, she lies! I don’t know who has sent this little wretch to frame me. It must be that Shen Layue who instructed her. Sisters, please bear witness—she lies, she lies…”
If anyone still failed to understand what was happening at this point, then they were unworthy of having entered the palace, having wasted all their previous education. The Empress Dowager had not pointed at anyone else, only calling out Qingting, who had immediately revealed the truth. Was this not obvious?
This meant… Qingting had originally been placed by the Empress Dowager beside Consort Zhou.
Their faces turned pale, realizing the Empress Dowager already knew the truth, and they had openly lied. Everyone grew anxious.
Emperor Jing silently looked at Consort Zhou, his gaze like a poisoned needle. After a while, he smiled again.
“How foolish. Consort Zhou has not only violated court etiquette but also caused a disturbance in Huici Palace and falsely accused Noble Consort Shen. She shall be demoted to the rank of Attendant Concubine of the tenth grade.”
Consort Zhou, now Consort Zhou Attendant, collapsed to the floor, her face turning deathly pale.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager coughed slightly and turned to Physician Wan.
“Tell the emperor what you discovered just now.”
Physician Wan repeated his earlier diagnosis.
After listening, Emperor Jing looked at those below.
“Who did it?” He asked, though his eyes lingered between Consort Xian and Consort Zhou—no, Consort Zhou Attendant now. After all, only the two of them had been in contact with Shen Layue.
Both cried out their innocence, and the emperor coldly replied, “Could it possibly have been her doing it herself?”
The Empress Dowager gazed at the chessboard, speaking in a calm tone: “Noble Consort Shen holds a low rank. Even if she had committed no fault, Consort Xian could have mildly reprimanded her. That would have been deserved. However, this rare flower is a forbidden one, banned by the late emperor for cultivation and use. Possessing it is a grave disrespect to the late emperor and a challenge to imperial authority. If the emperor does not thoroughly investigate this matter, it will not only fail to satisfy the court but also earn my disapproval.”
Seeing the Empress Dowager’s demeanor, everyone realized that today’s matter would not end easily.
As for this rare flower, it was not inherently problematic—it bloomed beautifully and vividly. However, it easily caused allergic reactions, like Shen Layue’s condition with red rashes all over her body. About a decade ago, it caused widespread discomfort, including the late emperor himself, who was allergic to it. Deeming it a waste of resources and a disturbance to the people, the late emperor had officially banned it.
“As Mother wishes.”
“Since Noble Consort Shen was brought here after the incident and you all came directly, if the rare flower’s pollen was used, it should still be on someone’s person. For fairness, let us begin by searching Noble Consort Shen.”
Emperor Jing spoke with clarity and logic.
Although Consort Xian was momentarily startled, Emperor Jing and the Empress Dowager noticed it immediately.
Madam Gui entered the inner chamber and carefully examined Shen Layue, then shook her head upon exiting.
Next was Consort Zhou Attendant—nothing was found either.
“Lady Xian Consort, please.”
No one had expected that the pollen would actually be found on Consort Xian—not carried openly, but embedded beneath her fingernails. Only someone as meticulous as Madam Gui would have noticed such a detail.
“Your Majesty, your servant is innocent! I am wronged!” Consort Xian hurriedly knelt down, crying.
“I truly did not know that the henna contained this rare flower. I am innocent! Moreover, I use it daily and have interacted with many people, yet none of them reacted like Noble Consort Shen!” She was indeed wronged—at least in her mind. She knew the henna contained the flower, but since others had no reaction, why had Shen Layue? Perhaps Shen had deliberately framed her. Yes, that must be it.
“Physician Wan, Lady Xian raises a valid point. Why have others remained unaffected while Noble Consort Shen reacted so severely?”
Physician Wan immediately knelt to reply: “Your Majesty, the rare flower has been mixed into the henna, and its quantity is already extremely diluted. Unless someone is severely allergic, they would likely remain unaffected. This is why none of Lady Xian’s attendants experienced any reaction. I suspect Noble Consort Shen is a severe allergy sufferer to this flower. Thus, even a slight contact could trigger such a severe reaction.”
Emperor Jing had witnessed his father’s allergic reaction to the rare flower in his childhood and therefore understood the matter to some extent.
Looking at the kneeling Consort Xian and Consort Zhou Attendant, Emperor Jing picked up another piece and placed it aside.
The Empress Dowager said, “Another move? Could it be that the emperor still expects me to resolve this for you?”
Her tone was teasing.
The emperor could only smile and pick up another piece.
“Mother, how about this move?”
This time, the Empress Dowager’s eyes showed a smile: “That is much better.” She cast a cold glance at the consorts below.
“Consort Xian improperly used a forbidden flower. Although she claims ignorance, it is a fact that she mixed it into her henna. This is a serious disrespect to the late emperor. Remove the character ‘Xian’ from her title and demote her by one rank. From now on, she shall be known as Consort Song.”
The Empress Dowager did not mention Consort Xian’s act of slapping Shen Layue, nor did she connect the two incidents. However, precisely because of this, everyone realized how fearsome the Empress Dowager was.
Consort Xian, stunned, looked up in disbelief. Her lips trembled as if to defend herself, but she ultimately said nothing. Yet deep inside, she hated Shen Layue, lying in the inner chamber, with a hatred that reached her very bones. If it weren’t for that girl, that lowborn wretch, she, Song Yunran, would never have suffered this fate today.
“As Mother wishes,” Emperor Jing said coldly, looking at them all: “Lai Xi.”
“Your servant is here.”
He cast a sidelong glance at the gathered consorts.
“Consort Song unknowingly caused Noble Consort Shen’s allergy through the forbidden flower. The rest of you, instead of showing sisterly affection, took advantage of the situation. Therefore, every consort present shall be demoted by one rank.”
At this point, no one dared to say anything. The earlier incident with Qingting had made it clear that their earlier testimonies in favor of Consort Xian had displeased both the emperor and the Empress Dowager. Let alone others, Qingting herself could clarify every detail of the situation.
They dared not speak further, standing there in fear.
Now that even Consort Xian had become Consort Song, their own demotion by one rank—though seemingly unjust—was actually due to their poor judgment in aligning themselves.
Moreover, they now realized that if Qingting was present by Consort Zhou’s side, who could guarantee there were not others like her among their own ranks? Anxiety grew, and they only wished to return to their quarters quickly to thoroughly investigate their own attendants, determined to uncover any disloyal elements.
They did not even know how many people the Empress Dowager had placed among them, nor how many more were hidden. As they looked at her seemingly kind face, they felt a chill in their hearts.
Previously, they had only respected the Empress Dowager out of deference to the emperor. But now, they realized that their respect should indeed be genuine. Though the Empress Dowager appeared to take no interest in palace affairs, she was in fact fully aware of everything happening within the palace. It was even possible that she had placed spies in every quarter. A sense of dread crept into their hearts.
Moreover, Emperor Jing’s actions made it clear that he not only knew of the Empress Dowager’s arrangements but also relied upon them.
Thus, their sense of unease only deepened.
The consorts carefully observed the two still playing chess above and listened as the Empress Dowager spoke again.
“Regarding today’s incident, Noble Consort Shen has indeed suffered injustice. How about the emperor offering her some compensation?”
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