How could it be that from what Consort Shu just said, she... never actually loved the Emperor, but instead sought revenge for the Wu Family and wanted the Emperor to pardon their relatives?
If the Emperor found out about this, it would be disastrous. The entire palace would explode.
Jiang Xinyue's face also showed fear as she clutched her handkerchief to her chest: "I... This Concubine... This Concubine was chatting with Sister Consort Rong at the banquet earlier, and noticed something off about her tone. It seemed to be about her miscarriage. This Concubine was worried something might happen to her, so I wanted to follow and check. But fearing I might have misunderstood and become a laughingstock, I deliberately wet my clothes as an excuse to come along. When I arrived here, I discovered Consort Shu was also present. I thought the two sisters would be able to talk things out better, so... so I planned to wait until they finished before leaving... I never expected..."
She never expected Consort Shu to utter such shocking words.
Wang Dequan's expression was quite unpleasant: "Concubine Zhen, why don't you let Xi Que and Frost Fall escort you back to Hexi Palace? This servant still has matters to attend to with His Majesty!"
"Eh?"
Jiang Xinyue quickly grabbed him, stammering: "Eunuch Wang, this matter... this matter should not have been known to This Concubine. If you... if you intend to tell His Majesty, could you avoid letting him know that This Concubine also overheard Consort Shu's words? To think there's actually a consort in the harem who doesn't like His Majesty - she doesn't even like the Emperor, This Concubine truly doesn't know what kind of man Consort Shu likes. This Concubine is already furious upon hearing this, how heartbroken would His Majesty be if he knew! Eunuch Wang, let This Concubine preserve some dignity for His Majesty by pretending to know nothing!"
For an emperor, what could be a more unforgivable humiliation than having his own consort not love him?
And for this humiliation to be overheard by another consort - it would be losing face to the extreme. The Emperor would hold a grudge against Jiang Xinyue as well.
Ah, emperors!
They never think they're inadequate or at fault - it's always others who are wrong.
If Consort Shu doesn't love him, it's because she's blind. If Concubine Zhen overheard his embarrassing moment, it's because she was wandering around without reason, not following the rules.
In short, anyone who makes him lose face is at fault.
Jiang Xinyue had no desire to become collateral damage in the relationship between the Xuanwu Emperor and Consort Shu.
At least Concubine Zhen's words made Wang Dequan feel that there was still someone in the palace who truly loved His Majesty.
He smiled at Jiang Xinyue: "This servant knows what to do."
As night deepened, without the crystal lamps, the palace corridors remained dim.
Xi Que supported Jiang Xinyue as she boarded her sedan chair. Looking up at her mistress, she asked, "Will Eunuch Wang really not tell His Majesty?"
"He will tell him."
Jiang Xinyue smiled, resting her chin on her hand. "Wang Dequan is His Majesty's confidant. He reports everything that happens in the palace to the Emperor. How could I, a mere Concubine Zhen, command him?"
"Then why did you..."
Why bother saying those things?
"Because he will also repeat what This Concubine said word for word to His Majesty."
In this way, Wang Dequan became the fuse she planted for Consort Shu's fall from favor.
Xi Que recalled her mistress's words: "To think there's actually a consort in the harem who doesn't like His Majesty?" and "She doesn't even like the Emperor, This Concubine truly doesn't know what kind of man Consort Shu likes."
Her eyes suddenly widened!
If Consort Shu didn't like the Emperor, then who did she like? Did she already have a lover outside the palace?
Thinking further... Consort Shu... could she have cuckolded the Emperor?
If even a small palace maid like herself could think of this, then surely His Majesty would...
Xi Que dared not imagine further, feeling that the Emperor's fury was something a lowly palace maid like her could not comprehend.
As the palace banquet dispersed, Jiang Yankun was surrounded by several officials preparing to head to a tavern outside the palace for a second round.
With his daughter in high favor, naturally there were many officials eager to curry favor.
Feeling depressed about not having found a chance to speak with his daughter all night, Lord Jiang asked Lady Ruan in the carriage: "Did you mention Elder Brother's matter to the Concubine?"
Lady Ruan shook her head: "I briefly mentioned that Ze'er would also be participating in the Autumn Imperial Examination. The Concubine then said that her position in the harem is precarious, and she absolutely forbids Ze'er from using her name to cheat or accept bribes. We shouldn't be fooled by her current favor - it was all earned through great peril and risking her life. I thought, even if our Jiang family is humble and of little influence, unable to be the Concubine's backing, we at least shouldn't become her burden. I didn't have the chance to bring up Elder Brother's matter."
Jiang Yankun pondered for a moment, then nodded: "You were right not to mention it. As for Elder Brother... let's see how his fate unfolds! If he doesn't succeed, I'll arrange a nominal position for him in the Ministry of Rites and let him try again in three years."
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, in three years Xinyue would surely be one of the four senior consorts. By then, even if he didn't pass the imperial examination, the entire Jiang family would rise to prominence. Since Elder Brother didn't like studying anyway, it wouldn't be bad for him to become a talented and wealthy idle gentleman.
It's just that Lady Zhou was quite muddleheaded, always wanting her children to surpass Lady Ruan's.
She should think about it - Xinyue was now a favored consort deeply loved by the Emperor. What could she use to compare?
He needed to find a way to muddle through this.
In Chengqian Palace, no lamps were lit. The crystal lamp meant for Jiang Xinyue lay shattered at the bottom of the steps. A crowd of palace maids and eunuchs, including Wang Dequan, knelt on the ground in the main hall.
In the darkness, the Xuanwu Emperor's weary figure emerged, his eyes gloomy: "Consort Shu, did she really say that?"
Wang Dequan's head touched the ground: "This servant dares not deceive Your Majesty. Little Xia Zi and Qiu Shi, who accompanied this servant to deliver the palace lamps, both saw and heard it with their own eyes and ears. Consort Shu... Consort Shu was indeed completely different from her usual self. Consort Rong was slapped twice, and in their conversation, there was mention of Consort Rong's miscarried child. All of this... it seems... it seems to have been done by Consort Shu."
"And the one who plotted against Concubine Zhen... was it her as well?"
"This servant speaks nothing but the truth!"
The Xuanwu Emperor thought that upon confirming once again that Consort Shu didn't love him, he would be furious, just like the first time he learned of it, with flames of anger nearly consuming him.
But this time, as he listened to Wang Dequan speak of Consort Shu not loving him, he surprisingly felt little reaction.
Instead, he felt as if something heavy in his heart had been set free, experiencing an unprecedented sense of lightness.
What truly angered him was Wang Dequan saying that Concubine Zhen had been harmed several times, and Consort Shu was behind it all, pushing things along.
"Wang Dequan!"
A cold gleam flashed in the Xuanwu Emperor's eyes. "Arrange for someone to investigate outside the palace. Did Consort Shu have any close relationships with men before entering the palace?"
Didn't Concubine Zhen say it?
If Consort Shu didn't even like the emperor, then what kind of man did she like?
Perhaps she already had a lover before entering the palace.
He wanted to see what kind of man could subdue a woman as venomous as Consort Shu.
