MM Racing Chapter 316 The Bizarre Trio
Chapter 316 The Bizarre Trio
After the person arrived and paid her respects, Zhao got straight to the point, "I wonder if Your Majesty the Empress is aware of the rumors circulating outside the palace. They haven't spread far yet, but I heard it from a close friend. She went to a banquet at Your Majesty's aunt Du's house and heard someone say that Your Majesty is pregnant with twins, saying, 'The birth of twin stars is unfavorable to the country and the nation.'"
Shen Shixi then had someone call Chao Yu over and asked, "Have you heard anything outside?"
Chao Yu panicked and knelt down with a thud, "This servant deserves to die. This servant failed in her duty and did not know about this matter."
"It's alright!" Shen Shixi said. "I reckon it started circulating among the women first. Princess Consort, please keep an eye out for me and find out who started spreading these rumors. Also, have someone investigate Chaoyu's side."
She sighed, "It's been so long since I've taken a single life. Now that they're all getting restless, I'm not afraid to let them see that I can be ruthless too."
"You may harm me, but if you harm my child, I will never let it go!"
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. From ancient times to the present, there has never been any saying that twins are unlucky or that the birth of twin stars is detrimental to the country. It is just that some people are causing trouble. I don't know what kind of rebellious thoughts they have. They are simply ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth."
Shen Shixi said, "Since you're here, stay at Zhaoyang Palace and talk to me for a bit. We'll go there together later. I'm heavily pregnant now, so I can't sit too much. I'll walk around as much as I can. Let's leave a little earlier and stroll over slowly."
In the past, the two walked very slowly, with Chao Yu and Chao En each protecting the Empress on one side, while Zhao Shi kept a distance of two steps from her, also keeping a close eye on her.
On the way, they encountered Wang Yuehuai, who knelt down before the Empress with a thud and cried, "Your Majesty, please do justice for my family! Your Majesty, my family has been wronged! Your Majesty is merciful, please have mercy and save my whole family's lives! I am willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty."
Before Shen Shixi could speak, someone approached and said, "Oh dear, Consort Wang, do you have any manners at all? Blocking the Empress's way is utterly disrespectful!"
It's Yuan Zhaoyue again.
She respectfully greeted the Empress, then said to Wang Yuehuai, "I heard your father wrote a rebellious poem. Indeed, the Wang family held some official positions in the previous dynasty, having received favors from it. They can't forget old kindnesses. They really are... good remnants of the previous dynasty!"
Wang Yuehuai knew it was indeed the Yuan family's doing. She trembled with anger, "Sister Yuan, I don't understand what you're saying. Who are the remnants of the previous dynasty? Sister Yuan, think things through before you speak!"
Yuan Zhaoyue trembled with fear and knelt down with a thud. "Your Majesty, I misspoke. Please forgive me. I only spoke of Wang Yuehuai's father, Wang Jing. He harbors resentment towards the previous dynasty and the Great Zhou, and he is treacherous!"
Wang Yuehua knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I am innocent! My father's poem was merely a poem about bamboo, with no other meaning. Governor Yuan is clearly slandering and framing me, settling a personal score!"
Yuan Zhaoyue gritted her teeth and said, "Since you say my father is settling a personal score, then tell me, what is this personal score? What personal score do you have between us?"
Wang Yuehuai said, "Sister, you must suspect that I was behind your fake pregnancy that day. But sister, why would I treat you like that? When you were in trouble, I even pleaded for you before the Emperor. You didn't know that, fine, but you actually pinned it on me and used such methods to retaliate against my family. Sister, how could you be so heartless!"
Yuan Zhaoyue was furious. She had been deceived by this vicious woman in the first place.
"Your Majesty, I am merely a concubine in the inner palace, and I know nothing of what happens outside. However, I have heard that Wang Jing is arrogant and resentful because he is not employed by the court. Otherwise, how many people in the world write poems about bamboo, yet none of them are reported?"
Wang Yuehuai hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, my father has never dared to complain. He is fond of reading poetry and books and is truly eager to serve the court. He would never dare to harbor any resentment."
Shen Shixi said, "You are all His Majesty's concubines, and serving His Majesty is your duty. It is an ancestral precept that you must not interfere in matters of the court. As sons and daughters, it is only natural to worry about your parents and families. Considering this, I will not pursue your mistakes just now, but if there is a next time, you will be severely punished!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yuan Zhaoyue smiled provocatively at Wang Yuehuai.
Wang Yuehuai reluctantly bowed, "This concubine respectfully obeys Her Majesty the Empress's decree!"
Wang Yuehuai watched Yuan Zhaoyue walk away behind the Empress, and tears welled up in her eyes with grievance.
Gui Qiu was furious. "Back in Qingyi Garden, when Consort Yuan bullied me, Her Majesty the Empress stood up for me. At the time, I thought Her Majesty the Empress was a really good person. Who knew..."
I misread it!
Wang Yuehuai was both sad and angry, tears streaming down her face. "They were originally noble ladies from aristocratic families, while I came from that remote mountain area. How could they possibly respect me? No matter how much I tried to curry favor, they still looked down on me and never took me seriously!"
What good was her standing up for you back then? It was all for show. If she were truly good, she wouldn't have stood by and watched my father be falsely accused and me become the daughter of a disgraced official.
"Please don't say that, Your Highness. You only made one wrong step. If only you hadn't sided with Consort De, she might not have been willing to help us sincerely."
"You're right. It's better to rely on yourself than on others. If all else fails, I'll have to plead with the Emperor myself. I am also one of the Emperor's concubines. As long as I'm not banished to the Cold Palace, I am still entitled to see the Emperor."
Her mind was made up, and a cold smile appeared on her face.
When Wang Yuehuai entered the banquet hall at Daqing Palace, she noticed that the seats for the Emperor, Empress, and Empress Dowager were still empty. She sat down in her own seat and waited quietly for the three of them to enter the hall.
"Why didn't Consort Cui come today? I didn't hear that she was sick and asked for leave!" Consort Wang asked.
Wang Yuehuai glanced at Wang Yueyao. They shared the same surname, Wang Yueyao, considering herself to be from the Taiyuan Wang clan, and had always looked down on her.
Even though the Wang family was exiled for colluding with the Prince of Jin and the Pei family, and her sister died tragically because of her status as the Princess of Jin.
Consort De only then realized it and found it very strange.
Just then, an announcement came from outside that the Empress Dowager had arrived. Consort Cui helped the Empress Dowager in, and seeing the entire hall kneeling to greet her, she was so excited that her face turned radiant, as if she herself had ascended to the throne and was receiving the congratulations of noblewomen from both inside and outside the court.
Although at this time, she was benefiting from the Empress Dowager's influence.
Behind the Empress Dowager were the Emperor and Empress, with the Emperor supporting the Empress. The strange trio took their seats at the head of the table, and Consort Cui then bowed to the Emperor and Empress.
The Empress's attire today was as luxurious as ever. She wore a set of gold filigree and diamond-encrusted headdress, which sparkled. Her skin was as white as snow, and her features were exquisite and beautiful. Underneath her pink cross-collar Confucian jacket was a bright yellow waist-length ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and on the outside was a silver embroidered dragon and phoenix robe with wide sleeves.
The outfits complemented the emperor's perfectly, making them look like a couple's attire. The emperor's majestic bearing and imposing presence made all the concubines' eyes practically glued to him.
"Rise, all of you!" the Empress Dowager declared.
"Thank you, Empress Dowager! Thank you, Emperor! Thank you, Empress!"
No one spoke. Shen Shixi gestured for the dishes to be served. Inside the hall, palace servants bustled about, the air filled with the aroma of incense mixed with the scent of food.
Lady Zhang, the wife of the Grand Chancellor, laughed and said, "I've always heard that Her Majesty the Empress is clever and resourceful, and has a great love for food. We're in for a treat today!"
That's quite a statement. It implies that the Empress prepared all the dishes for today's feast, making her seem like a mere cook. I really don't know whether that's a compliment or an insult.