freenovelworld Chapter 245 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 58
Chapter 245 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 58
The Emperor secretly sent someone to Ningguta to bring back Wen Shichu, while Zhen Huan was busy plotting to overthrow the Empress. Meanwhile, everyone else in the harem seemed to be at peace, and Wen Yuan was happy to enjoy this rare moment of leisure.
Shuhe's marriage was delayed because of the Empress Dowager, but Wen Yuan thought this might not be a bad thing. She knew that if the princess married too early, her mother's body would not be fully developed, and she would be very likely to encounter difficult childbirth or suffer from chronic illnesses.
But Wen Yuan would never say these words aloud, since Consort Xin was eagerly anticipating Shu He's early marriage and the start of a new chapter in her life.
After more than two months of arduous travel, Gao Wuyong finally brought Wen Shichu back to the capital. Wen Shichu was being escorted back as a criminal; as long as he arrived alive, the mission would be accomplished.
In a secluded courtyard in the capital, the emperor, dressed in ordinary everyday clothes, had a gloomy expression and was extremely displeased.
As the investigation deepened, one by one things that were detrimental to Zhen Huan came to light. Although the Emperor was extremely unwilling to accept it, he had to admit that the woman he once favored had betrayed him.
However, Gao Wuyong has yet to find out who the adulterer is. Thinking of this, the emperor felt even more that Gao Wuyong was incompetent.
As the Emperor stepped into the courtyard, Gao Wuyong immediately dragged a blood-soaked, disheveled man before him. The Emperor slowly sat down at the head of the table, his gaze sharp as a knife, coldly staring at the man on the ground.
Gao Wuyong picked up a cup of tea and splashed it on the man's face. The man was jolted awake by the cold water and stared blankly at the crowd in front of him.
“Tell us everything you know. The Emperor is waiting for you to speak. Otherwise, Old Master Wen and Old Madam Wen will…” Gao Wuyong threatened fiercely, then stood obsequiously beside the Emperor.
"You've been in charge of taking care of that wretch's unborn child all along?" The Emperor picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked in an icy tone.
“Yes…” Wen Shichu paused slightly, his thoughts drifting back to the past.
Because of the incident involving Princess Longyue, he was expelled from the Imperial Hospital. Later, following Zhen Huan's instructions, he took meticulous care of Zhen Yuandao in Ningguta.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor eventually discovered Zhen Huan's affair and forcibly brought her back to the capital from Ningguta, even threatening her with her parents' lives.
Although he had a deep affection for Zhen Huan, his parents were getting old, and he simply couldn't bear to watch them fall into a desperate situation because of him.
Wen Shichu lowered his head, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "It was this humble subject who was responsible for taking care of Consort Xuan's pregnancy."
"That wretched woman's gestation period is not normal?" The emperor's eyes grew even colder.
"Yes," Wen Shichu sighed and answered in a low voice.
He knew in his heart that since the emperor had already investigated to this extent, he must already know the truth, and now he just wanted to confirm it with his own ears.
Faced with this life-or-death decision, Wen Shichu was filled with reluctance, but for the sake of his parents, he ultimately chose to compromise and could only silently apologize to Zhen Huan in his heart.
"Who is the adulterer?" The emperor asked, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage.
“It’s Prince Guo.” Wen Shichu gritted his teeth and uttered these words with difficulty.
And so, the Emperor and Wen Shichu continued their question-and-answer session for half an hour.
When the Emperor finally heard the news of Zhen Huan's betrayal and confirmed the identity of her lover, he flew into a rage and smashed all the teaware on the table to the ground.
In an instant, the ground was a mess, with broken teaware scattered everywhere.
Seeing this, Gao Wuyong wisely ordered someone to take Wen Shichu away, while he himself, like an ostrich, quickly shrank into a corner, fearing that the emperor's anger would affect him.
After the emperor calmed his anger slightly, he coldly ordered, "Beat Wen Shichu to death, and drag his body out to feed the dogs. Exile the entire Wen clan to Ningguta, and also, execute the entire Zhen clan."
After instructing Gao Wuyong to carry out these cruel orders, the Emperor returned directly to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. He had already made up his mind to confront Zhen Huan face to face in person.
Looking back on the time when Zhen Huan spoke so sincerely during the "blood test," I even felt a little soft-hearted. But now, I am utterly disappointed by Zhen Huan's actions.
……
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Emperor first sent Xia Zhongyi to Yongshou Palace to invite Zhen Huan over, and then sent someone to bring Zhen Huan's twins to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Yongshou Palace was not far from Yangxin Hall, and Xia Zhongyi arrived at Yongshou Palace in just a quarter of an hour.
At this moment, Zhen Huan was chatting with Zhen Yu Rao. Zhen Huan had been preoccupied with her younger sister's marriage and had been busy these past few days looking for a suitable man for her.
Zhen Yurao is already seventeen years old this year, well past the age for marriage. Last year, Zhen Huan originally wanted to marry her younger sister to Yunxi, but the Emperor directly bestowed the marriage upon Yunxi instead.
"This second son of the Niohuru clan is of good character and comes from a good family," Zhen Huan said to Zhen Yurao while flipping through the documents in her hand.
The Niohuru clan was a Manchu banner family that intended to ally themselves with Zhen Huan. In order to build a good relationship with Zhen Huan, when Zhen Huan tentatively mentioned Zhen Yu Rao, the Niohuru clan earnestly recommended their own second son.
"He's just so-so. I've never even met him, and I have no feelings for him at all. Yu Rao would rather marry an ordinary commoner than marry into a noble family." Zhen Yu Rao pouted and said coquettishly.
Zhen Huan knew in her heart that her sister was just saying it, and besides, she couldn't bear to let her sister marry a commoner.
In Wen Yuan's opinion, Zhen Yu Rao is really hypocritical. She said she didn't want to marry into a wealthy family, but in the end, she still had to marry into one.
Who would want to live the kind of life that ordinary people lead, busy all day long and struggling to make a living? My sister had never suffered much hardship before, but she really suffered a lot during her exile, so her spirits naturally became lower.
However, now that Zhen Huan has become a concubine, and Zhen Yu Rao has been living in Yongshou Palace for almost two years, if she really didn't like the life of wealth and luxury, she should have left the palace long ago.
"As expected of a daughter of the Zhen family, she has backbone." Zhen Huan smiled and ruffled Zhen Yu Rao's hair, saying with a doting expression.
Just then, Xia Zhongyi suddenly burst in and directly ordered his men to take Zhen Huan's twins.
He knew in his heart that the Emperor was waiting. Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, judging from the Emperor's recent expression, he knew that something serious must have occurred. As the Emperor's personal chief steward, he could guess the general idea of some things with just a little thought.
"How dare you! Who gave you permission to barge in? You've disturbed Her Majesty! You'll lose your lives!" Fu Jia shouted at these people for their rudeness.
"Greetings to Consort Xuan. This servant has come on His Majesty's orders to invite Consort Xuan to serve in the Hall of Mental Cultivation," Xia Zhongyi said with a cryptic smile on his face.
Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan's heart tightened. The Emperor had suddenly sent someone to summon her to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and his attitude was so forceful; it seemed that things were extremely unfavorable for her.
Could it be that the Empress and Consort He are up to something again? She secretly regretted that if she had been able to bring down the Empress before, she would have been able to wield more power in the harem, and she wouldn't have to be on guard against the Empress and Consort Jin's schemes every day like this.
"How dare you! Even if the Emperor invites my elder sister over, you, a mere servant, cannot be so arrogant and rude!"
After Zhen Yurao entered the palace, relying on Zhen Huan's status, everyone treated her with great respect. Now, seeing Xia Zhongyi so presumptuous, she was immediately enraged.
"Hmph, Consort Xuan, you'd better hurry up, the Emperor is waiting!" Xia Zhongyi completely ignored Zhen Yurao. In his eyes, Zhen Yurao was just a commoner woman with a scar on her face, and could never become a noblewoman. Once Consort Xuan falls, who will care who she is?
“You…” Zhen Yurao’s face turned red with anger, and she wanted to rush up and argue with him.
Zhen Huan quickly pulled Zhen Yu Rao aside and gently comforted her, "It seems the Emperor has something urgent to discuss with me. I'll go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation first. You stay here in the Palace of Longevity and I'll be back in a little while."
After instructing Zhen Yurao, Zhen Huan hurriedly asked Fu Jia to help her change her clothes. She knew that after the "blood test," the Emperor's attitude towards her had plummeted, and he hadn't visited Yongshou Palace for several months.
In fact, Zhen Huan had long since become indifferent to the Emperor's favor, and even wished that the Emperor would not come to Yongshou Palace. As long as she was still in charge of the affairs of the harem, the Imperial Household Department would not dare to neglect Yongshou Palace.
Zhen Huan hurried towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation. At the same time, the people from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, escorting the wet nurse and carrying the twins, quietly arrived at a side hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Immediately afterwards, a group of guards quickly surrounded the Yongshou Palace, preventing anyone inside from leaving.
"Miss, the guards have surrounded Yongshou Palace!" Fu Jia rushed over and said to Zhen Yu Rao in a panic.
The Empress had just left, and as the head matron, she was at a loss for what to do, so she could only hurry over to ask Zhen Yurao what to do.
The Emperor's sudden order to surround Yongshou Palace must mean something terrible has happened. Her Majesty's trip to Yangxin Hall is likely to end badly.
Zhen Yurao also sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere, and an ominous premonition welled up in her heart.
She hurriedly asked Fu Jia to check on the twins, but when Fu Jia ran to the west side hall, she found that the twins and the wet nurse were gone.
The palace maid standing by told her that the emperor had sent people to take away the twins, who were probably already at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Hearing the palace maid's words, Zhen Yurao became even more flustered. Now, all she could do was anxiously wait in Yongshou Palace, hoping that Zhen Huan would return safely.