"Imperial Noble Consort!"
When the other consorts saw Jiang Xinyue, they all rushed forward but were stopped halfway by the guards. They could only protest indignantly: "The Emperor is injured, and we don't know the extent of his injuries. We're all very worried. Can't we go in to see His Majesty?"
"Yes! Your Grace, please let us see the Emperor? Our hearts won't be at ease until we see him. Wouldn't we feel better after seeing him?"
"No."
Jiang Xinyue flatly refused: "If all of you go in there and start crying and wailing, it would be most inauspicious. The Emperor is already exhausted. You know he might be sleeping, yet you're making such a commotion at his door. You're only trying to achieve your own goals, showing no consideration for his injuries. You want to wake him up to settle your disputes. To claim this is out of concern for the Emperor is simply ridiculous!"
She might as well say directly that they feared the Emperor was terminally ill and wouldn't live long, worried that she would control him and force him to abdicate in favor of the Sixth Prince.
The Pei Family had moved quickly indeed. In just one day, rumors had spread throughout the court and palace that she was planning to kill the Emperor to seize power.
Too bad for them - even if the whole world believed it, the Emperor would never doubt her.
After all, everything she was doing now was to keep the Emperor alive.
What had the Pei Family done?
The Emperor wasn't even bedridden yet! But they were already spreading rumors everywhere - wasn't that essentially cursing the Emperor to die?
Comparing the two, wasn't it obvious who truly cared about the Emperor?
Jiang Xinyue's words were meant for those with ulterior motives, but Low Level Consort Yu was genuinely worried about the Emperor's injuries, so these words made her very unhappy.
"What do you mean by that? Don't think you're the only one in the palace who truly cares for the Emperor. You're the most recent arrival here - all of us sisters have been by His Majesty's side longer than you."
Not to mention Concubine Cheng and Noble Lady Liu - they had entered the palace the same year as Jiang Xinyue, so their time wasn't any shorter than hers.
"*cough* *cough* *cough*..."
At the doorway, the Emperor's tall, slender figure appeared, wearing a deep purple casual robe. His deep gaze fell on Low Level Consort Yu, then lingered on the several consorts behind her: "Have I been too lenient with you all, that you dare to challenge the Imperial Noble Consort? I've said before - with no Empress, the Imperial Noble Consort serves as the deputy. Are you all dissatisfied with my decree, causing trouble for the Imperial Noble Consort here?"
Your Majesty!
Though his face was pale, his spirit seemed good, not at all like someone being held hostage as the rumors suggested.
"Your Majesty!"
Low Level Consort Yu smiled with joy, trying to push past the guards, but finding she couldn't move them, she could only call out from a distance: "Your Majesty, I... we wish to attend to your illness. Please grant us sisters permission to come over?"
They couldn't let the Imperial Noble Consort take all the credit - what would be left for them once the Emperor recovered?
"I don't need it."
The Emperor shouted again: "I have Wang Dequan and the Imperial Noble Consort here, that's enough. With so many servants attending to me, I don't need you lot. Stay in your own quarters and stop making a commotion here."
Professional matters should be left to professionals.
What could these pampered, delicate consorts do to help?
Were all his palace eunuchs and maids just for show?
With the Emperor angry, everyone had no choice but to leave as angrily as they had come. They had thought the Imperial Noble Consort was holding the Emperor captive to seize power, but it turned out it was the Emperor's own wish - after his injury, he didn't want to see anyone except the Imperial Noble Consort.
The eldest princess couldn't help but laugh in frustration: "I take my eyes off you for one moment, and you're already out stirring up trouble again. That Concubine Cheng is nothing but a troublemaker - how could you believe what she says?"
"But what she said makes sense! The Imperial Noble Consort has three princes, and the Third Prince can't speak. If the Emperor passes away, her son could become Emperor. How could she resist such temptation?"
"Even if Concubine Zhen's son ascends to the throne, what does that have to do with you?" The eldest princess put her hands on her hips, her face reddening. "Do you have any sons? Whether it's the Third Prince, Fourth Prince, Fifth Prince, or Sixth Prince - what does it matter to you who becomes Emperor?"
Oh, right!
She had no princes of her own - if anyone should be anxious, it should be Consort De!
"Besides, Concubine Zhen is kind-hearted. You all always assume the worst about her. You don't even know that Xuan'er can speak now - it was Concubine Zhen who played with him and talked with him every day that helped him overcome his difficulties."
"He can speak now? How is that possible?"
How could it be Jiang Xinyue's achievement?
Didn't she know that as long as the Third Prince never spoke, the throne would be the Sixth Prince's for the taking?
"Why wouldn't it be possible?" The eldest princess shattered her doubts. "Xuan'er told us himself."
Low Level Consort Yu realized she had been used as a pawn again and immediately became furious: "I'm going to tear Concubine Cheng's mouth apart."
"Stop right there!"
The eldest princess was both angry and helpless: "Cheng Yuan has just been promoted to Department Director of the Ministry of Justice for his achievements. Father will have to give face to Concubine Cheng because of this. If you go make trouble now, won't you just give her another chance to play victim in front of Father? She calculated your impulsive nature and that's why she told you those things. Are you going to hand her another knife to stab you with?"
If this won't do and that won't do, should they just let others bully them?
The eldest princess saw her frustration: "Listen to Father's words and stay quietly in your quarters. I'll help you get revenge."
Lest Concubine Cheng think she could use her mother without consequences.
As for Concubine Zhen, she would have to go explain things and hope that Concubine Zhen would forgive her mother, considering they weren't even on the same level as opponents.
The Emperor drank a large bowl of black medicinal decoction for expelling parasites, and Jiang Xinyue immediately put a preserved date in his mouth.
The Emperor wasn't afraid of bitter tastes, but having someone worry that he might be and willing to share something sweet with him, allowing him to drop his hard facade and show his vulnerable side - it made him very happy and content.
What he couldn't have in his childhood seemed to be made up for in this moment by someone he loved.
"Your Majesty, my father needs to split his forces into three teams, but he's short on manpower. He wants me to ask if you could lend him Tang Shiliang for a while."
This wasn't the capital, and not all officials from the Ministry of Punishment could come to the summer palace.
Jiang Yankun had only brought one or two of his trusted subordinates, which was clearly not enough.
The search for the tribes skilled in witchcraft in the Miao Borderlands was directly related to the Emperor's life, so they couldn't entrust it to just anyone.
Tang Shiliang and Wang Dequan were the best choices.
But Wang Dequan's health had been poor lately, so he certainly couldn't handle such intense long-distance travel. That left only Tang Shiliang.
