thefictionvixens Chapter 32 Provoking
Chapter 32 Provoking
However, the Emperor did not allow Consort De to follow him all the way to Cining Palace. After walking for a while, when they were almost at a fork in the road, the Emperor said, "Go back to the palace now and search everything around the First Prince. Find an inconspicuous stone, and if you find it, have someone inform me!"
Upon hearing this, Consort De was struck dumb, as if she had seen a ghost.
The Emperor knew she was aware of the situation. "Li Fude, you and Consort De go to Baoci Palace to handle this matter! Once you find the stone, put it in an iron box and bring it to me!"
"yes!"
Consort De was distraught and could not believe it.
Upon arriving at the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager dismissed everyone and asked, "The Crown Prince's poisoning is related to the stone? Was there also something wrong with the sacred stone we saw today?"
"Yes!" Li Yuanke took a deep breath. "If it weren't for Xi'er today, I'm afraid I would have been greatly deceived. That stone really does look too much like a dragon's head. I have no reason to refuse it and will only enshrine it in the palace."
But Xi'er said that the stone was a meteorite that fell from the sky, and it was extremely poisonous. The poisonous gas was all-pervasive; once it entered the body, she dared not imagine what would happen in the long run. She feared that the palace and the imperial city would suffer as a result. There would be no need for anyone to rebel; a single divine punishment would silence her son, and his throne would be in jeopardy!
The Empress Dowager angrily retorted, "What a vicious heart! Over the years, you and I, mother and son, have treated Consort Yin and her son quite well. With the Fourteenth Prince acting like this, aren't you afraid that Consort Yin will also suffer as a result?"
The Emperor said, "One or two days should be fine. After a couple of days, he and his mother can find a reason to leave the capital. They could even move to a prince's residence, as long as they are far away from the imperial city."
A thousand feet away sounds far, but it's actually not that far, only six or seven miles.
The Empress Dowager said, "Yes, a few days ago, Consort Yin told me that she was feeling bored staying in the palace, which meant she wanted to go out for a walk."
She said, "Thanks to Xi'er today, it wasn't for nothing that you insisted on sending her to the palace. With her personality, the deep palace is a waste for her."
"If that's what Mother thinks, then please thank her properly on my behalf!"
The Empress Dowager knew that the Emperor wanted to promote Shen Shixi's rank; if it was any other way of expressing gratitude, the Emperor could have done it himself.
However, if promotions are too frequent, they will attract criticism.
However, this matter of the large stone cannot be discussed openly; fratricide is a matter of royal dignity.
If the Empress Dowager intervenes, there will be no such concerns.
The Empress Dowager smiled and shook her head. Her son, who had always been so decisive, had never had such concerns before. He clearly wanted to promote people to higher ranks as soon as possible.
Although being too prominent in the harem can attract resentment, which person who rises to power has ever feared a storm?
"I remember, Xi'er has beautiful handwriting, doesn't she? The anniversary of the late Emperor's death is approaching. Let Xi'er help me copy a few scrolls of scriptures so I can offer them before the late Emperor's spirit tablet!"
"Although her calligraphy was my first lesson, I wonder if she's still able to pick up a pen after all these years!"
The Empress Dowager laughed, "How dare you criticize her? You love reading and calligraphy, so only the Grand Tutor would speak up for you!"
The mother and son were very happy together.
Before long, Li Fude returned and presented a small iron box. The emperor opened it and glanced at it. The color and texture were no different from the divine stone he had seen that day.
It goes without saying!
He quickly closed the box. "Give this to Cen Yin and dispose of it together!"
He raised his hand again. "Wait, go to the Ministry of Works and see if they can fuse this small stone into a weapon?"
Leaving these stones untouched poses a significant risk; they could fall into the wrong hands at any time, making it impossible to prevent. It would be better to destroy them.
Shen Shixi was also thinking about this issue. Calling it a stone was just a way of saying it; it was actually a collection of minerals containing a lot of radioactive substances, which is why it was harmful to the human body.
If it's really just a rock, what harm could it possibly cause!
After leaving the Empress Dowager's palace, the Emperor went to Fengyi Palace. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, and according to custom, he should stay in the Empress's palace.
The woman serving him was a stranger, and her actions were very improper; she frequently touched him.
Just as the woman's hand touched his chest, Li Yuanke finally realized something was wrong. He pinched the woman's chin, scrutinized her face, and asked coldly, "Where did you come from?"
The woman quickly knelt down, "I am a dancer from the Left Music Bureau, and today, today I performed for Your Majesty..."
The emperor then remembered and naturally understood the empress's intention. "You may leave. I do not need your service! If you do not wish to be a dancer, I may grant you a pardon!"
The women in the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) were always daughters of disgraced officials. Even if they served the emperor, they could never attain a high position and could only be unranked officials' wives, even worse off than palace maids.
At least palace maids didn't have to provide special services to the emperor.
To be granted a pardon would be the best possible outcome.
The woman knelt down to express her gratitude, but the emperor had already stepped out of the palace, his clothes not even properly put on, which showed how angry he was.
The Empress was greatly alarmed and hurriedly followed, apologizing, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. It was my fault. I thought..."
"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now!"
The emperor went out the door, got into his imperial carriage, and left without looking back.
The Empress knelt on the ground. "He was clearly staring at that dancer the whole time. I thought... I thought he..."
She pressed her forehead, filled with regret, yet also drenched in cold sweat. She realized that she knew absolutely nothing about the emperor.
Soon, the entire palace knew that the emperor had left Fengyi Palace in anger, mainly because he was still wearing loose clothes and carrying his belt.
It was clear that the empress had angered the emperor.
This also aroused the interest of many people. The empress had no children and was not favored by the emperor. Although she had the support of the Pei family, the Pei family had supported the late empress's legitimate son back then.
When Shen Shixi woke up the next morning, she had also heard about the incident. "Have you found out what happened?"
"Nothing of note can get out of Fengyi Palace, but I heard that a dancer from the Left Music Hall left there last night. She was the same girl who performed during the Dragon Boat Festival. She received a favor and was removed from her lowly status, but I haven't heard of her being allowed to serve the emperor."
When it comes to gathering information, it's always about Chao Yu. He's quite capable; he can find out about everything, big and small, in the palace.
Shen Shixi found it somewhat amusing. "The Empress is interesting! However, Li Yuanke has a very stubborn temper. The Empress's attempt to flatter the Emperor has backfired."
He doesn't frequent prostitutes, sleep with maids, force women, or seek out widows. He never gets involved with other men's wives; he has many rules!
To put it bluntly, he's a bit of a germaphobe, but he only allows himself to be.
Today's greetings at Fengyi Palace were quite interesting. The Empress appeared very calm, but even her makeup couldn't hide the haggardness on her face.
Consort De was distracted. Last night, she found the "lucky stone" in the eldest prince's purse. It was a blessed stone that her mother had obtained from a highly virtuous monk for a thousand taels of silver.
Who would have thought it was a poisonous stone? The son wore it for a year and was poisoned.
Now, her hands tremble so much that she can't even hold a pen; all her efforts have been in vain.
Consort Rong was also heartbroken. Spring had passed, and summer had arrived, yet she still hadn't been able to continue Shen's line, "Flowers wither and fall, filling the sky; their beauty fades and their fragrance dies, who will mourn them?"
These two lines were tailor-made for her, but no matter how she tried to continue them, she couldn't do it well.
Consort Qing, quite pleased with herself, asked with concern, "Your Majesty the Empress doesn't look well. Didn't you sleep well last night?"
The Empress glanced at her smug expression and said, "The affairs of the six palaces are so busy that I dare not rest easy all year round. Even so, there are always matters big and small to attend to. Only when everything is settled can I have a moment of peace."
This refers to Consort Qing's restlessness.
Consort Qing didn't dare to say anything more for the time being. Right now, the Emperor only had the Second Prince as a healthy prince, and her good days were yet to come.
Consort Qiong changed the subject, saying, "Consort Shen, I heard that the zongzi at yesterday's palace banquet were your idea. How did you come up with it?"
At yesterday's palace banquet, I heard that the most eaten food was the glutinous rice dumpling. Everyone's dumplings were either eaten or taken back, and everyone was asking how to make them.
The emperor's eunuch, Li, said it was made by Consort Shen of Zhaoyang Palace and called glutinous rice dumplings.
Yesterday, not only did Consort Shen steal the spotlight, but the food she made also became a sensation.
Shen Shixi said, "I have traveled all over the world. Our Great Zhou is vast and rich in resources. The food is different from place to place. It's not that I have any clever ideas, but simply that I am knowledgeable!"