Chapter 204: The Imperial Palace Is About to Change

Chapter 204: The Imperial Palace Is About to Change

Jiang Yaozhen sneered coldly, her eyes sharp as knives, glinting with mockery: "What, Prince Su is unaware? Back then, to arrange your marriage with Miss Zhang, the Third Prince went to great lengths! Without his mediation, how could the Zhang family have agreed to this match? Yet you, Prince Su, stubbornly side with that malicious Prince Jing, allowing him to harm the Third Prince!

Have you forgotten that Prince Jing has Nanyue blood in his veins? Daye and Nanyue have been at odds for years. Who can guarantee he harbors no wolfish ambitions, coveting the Throne? If he dares to strike his own brother today, he will dare to kill his brother for the throne tomorrow!"

Xiao Jinyu's gaze was as cold as a deep pool, faintly tinged with anger: "Sister-in-law, be cautious in your words! I will overlook this for now, considering your concern for the Third Prince's injuries. Such treasonous words should not be spoken again in the future!"

With that, he took Divine Physician Sun and left.

Jiang Yaozhen trembled with rage, her fury blazing.

Returning to the inner chamber and seeing Xiao Xiuzhan lying on the bed, his face as pale as paper and barely breathing, her heart burned like a raging fire.

How could Daye possibly allow a prince with a crippled arm to ascend the throne?

The struggle for the throne had now become a pipe dream, hadn't it?

No, she would not allow it to end like this! She would make Xiao Lingchuan pay!

Since Xiao Xiuzhan had no chance at the throne, Xiao Lingchuan would not touch the dragon throne either!

If it came to it, they would all perish together!

The next morning, she timed the emperor's end of court and deliberately went without makeup, her face haggard, rushing straight to the Imperial Study.

Unexpectedly, she was stopped at the door by Grand Steward Chen Shun: "Third Prince's Consort, His Majesty is busy. Without summons, you may not enter. Please return!"

Jiang Yaozhen's tears flowed as she pleaded sorrowfully: "Grand Steward Chen, I beg you to be lenient and allow your concubine an audience with the Emperor! Yesterday, the Third Prince was cruelly attacked by Prince Jing, his arm severed, and he remains unconscious! Your concubine is at her wit's end and can only beg the Emperor to seek justice for him!"

Chen Shun showed a troubled expression: "Third Prince's Consort, His Majesty has decreed that no one may enter without summons. Please return!"

Thinking he was hinting for a bribe, Jiang Yaozhen quickly removed the ruby ring gifted by Su Wan and handed it over: "Grand Steward Chen, just make a report on my behalf. I will forever remember this kindness!"

Chen Shun stared at the ruby ring, his eyes fixed, but still shook his head helplessly: "Third Prince's Consort, it's not that this servant is unwilling to report for you, but His Majesty is unwilling to see you!"

Desperate, Jiang Yaozhen ignored the obstruction and shouted loudly toward the Imperial Study: "Emperor! Emperor! Your concubine, Jiang Yaozhen, has an urgent matter to report—"

"Third Prince's Consort, you must not!" Chen Shun broke out in a sweat, trying his utmost to stop her.

At that moment, a strange, exotic fragrance wafted over, accompanied by a cold female voice suddenly ringing out: "Who is making such a ruckus before the Imperial Study?"

Chen Shun quickly turned and bowed respectfully to the newcomer: "This servant greets Consort Xiang! May the Imperial Consort be blessed with good fortune!"

Jiang Yaozhen looked up and saw a woman before her, noble and resplendent, her phoenix robe shining—the very same courtesan who had worn a red dress and danced a blessing dance with her at the banquet.

Truly, the color red brings fortune!

She sneered inwardly. Who would have thought that the humble pleasure-house woman from before had now transformed into the emperor's most favored consort?

Consort Xiang's gaze was icy as it swept over Jiang Yaozhen, and she demanded coldly: "Third Prince's Consort, why do you not bow when you see me?"

Jiang Yaozhen felt indignant but had to lower her head and bend in obeisance: "Your concubine greets Consort Xiang. May the Imperial Consort be blessed with good fortune!"

"You may rise." Consort Xiang's tone was indifferent, her gaze haughty. "Third Prince's Consort, please return. His Majesty was reviewing memorials today and is not well, now resting and cannot receive you. Do not make a disturbance, lest you disturb the holy presence and incur His Majesty's wrath!"

Jiang Yaozhen wanted to say more, but her eyes involuntarily fell on a bluish-purple mark on Consort Xiang's neck.

As an experienced woman, she knew what that ambiguous mark signified.

Thinking that before entering the palace, Consort Xiang had been nothing more than the top courtesan Xiao Xiuzhan had raised to fame at the Spring Fragrance Pavilion, a wave of disdain surged in her heart.

What did it matter that she was an Imperial Consort?

She was nothing but a woman relying on seductive tricks to beguile the emperor and win favor!

"Consort Xiang, isn't it that the Emperor is not tired from reviewing memorials, but rather that you have worn him down with your entanglements, making his dragon body unwell?" Jiang Yaozhen sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It is said that the Imperial Consort excels at beguiling the sovereign. Your concubine never believed it before, but today I have seen it for myself! Your concubine has urgent business to report to the Emperor. If the Imperial Consort obstructs me again, do not blame me for telling His Majesty all about your shameful past!"

"How dare you!" Consort Xiang's phoenix eyes flashed with fury as she shouted, "Guards! Seize the Third Prince's Consort and slap her mouth!"

"You wouldn't dare—" Before Jiang Yaozhen could finish, several matrons firmly restrained her, forcing her to kneel before Consort Xiang.

Consort Xiang looked down from on high, her voice cold as frost: "Third Prince's Consort, I care not how the Third Prince has spoiled you in the past. But I am the Emperor's consort, and also your step-mother-in-law! You have spoken disrespectfully to me, so do not blame me for showing no mercy! Guards, slap her mouth!"

At her command, the matrons raised their arms and struck Jiang Yaozhen's cheeks hard.

After more than a dozen slaps, Jiang Yaozhen's cheeks burned with stinging pain, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth, humiliated and furious.

"Consort Xiang, how dare you insult me like this!" Jiang Yaozhen covered her face, gnashing her teeth. "I will surely report this to my Imperial Grandmother and ask her to seek justice for me!"

Consort Xiang snorted coldly: "Go ahead. Let me see if the Empress Dowager will back you up!"

After dealing with Jiang Yaozhen, Consort Xiang entered the Imperial Study gracefully and found the emperor reclining on a soft couch, his dragon countenance weary.

He lifted his eyelids slightly, his voice languid: "I vaguely heard noise. What is the matter?"

Consort Xiang nestled into his arms, her voice sweet as honey, tinged with coquettishness: "It was just the Third Prince's Consort, ignorant of the rules, trying to force her way in. Your servant has sent her away, so as not to disturb Your Majesty's peace."

"Oh? Her?" The emperor narrowed his eyes, asking casually, "Why is she so eager to see me?"

A flicker of cunning passed through Consort Xiang's eyes, but a faint smile curled on her lips: "Nothing more than a young woman's tantrum, nothing important. Your Majesty's health is paramount. Why trouble yourself with such trivial matters?"

Her delicate hand deftly picked up a pill from a jade vessel on the table and brought it to the emperor's lips, her voice coquettish: "Your Majesty, you were interrupted by that unruly Third Prince's Consort, and your servant was not yet satisfied. How about taking another pill and spending a little more time with me?"

Hearing this, a greedy smile spread across the emperor's face, his gaze lingering on her enchanting features: "My beloved consort is so passionate—how can I disappoint you?"

He took the pill and swallowed it, the lust in his eyes deepening...

Jiang Yaozhen wept all the way to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.

Kneeling before the Empress Dowager, tears streaming like rain, she said: "Imperial Grandmother, I beg you to seek justice for your grandson's wife! The Third Prince was cruelly mutilated by Prince Jing, losing an arm. I tried to seek justice from the Emperor, but was stopped by Consort Xiang outside the Imperial Study. She falsely accused me of impropriety and ordered her matrons to slap my face dozens of times. My face still burns with pain!"

The Empress Dowager sat upright on her phoenix chair, her expression calm, though her tone carried a hint of helplessness: "Consort Xiang is usually gentle and mild; she doesn't seem the type to be so harsh. Presumably, she was afraid you would offend the Emperor and thus imposed this punishment. Wounds on your face won't do. Nanny Wu, fetch a pot of Smooth Cream and apply it to the Third Prince's Consort."

"Yes, Your Highness." Nanny Wu acknowledged and turned to enter the inner chamber.

Jiang Yaozhen was unwilling to let it go, gritting her teeth: "Imperial Grandmother, you are deceived by Consort Xiang! She is not gentle at all! She punished me only because I know her shameful past!"

The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow slightly and said slowly: "I know of her past. Consort Xiang was once the top courtesan at the Spring Fragrance Pavilion, entertaining but not selling her body, forced into the palace to serve. She is pitiable. Since the Emperor dotes on her, why should I obstruct?"

Jiang Yaozhen sneered, her eyes full of mockery: "Imperial Grandmother, Consort Xiang is by no means a chaste woman! In the Spring Fragrance Pavilion, she captivated men with her exotic fragrance. Any wealthy young master who could pay could spend the night with her! She has long been ridden by a thousand men!"

"How dare you!" The Empress Dowager's face suddenly darkened, her voice like frost. "Third Prince's Consort, why do you say such things? I sent Nanny Wu to examine her body, and she was clearly a virgin! Do you think I would allow an unclean woman to attend to the Emperor?"

"Imperial Grandmother, she must have used some trick to deceive you!" Jiang Yaozhen said urgently. "How could she possibly be a maiden?"

Before she finished, Nanny Wu walked slowly out of the inner chamber, holding the pot of Smooth Cream, and said coldly: "Third Prince's Consort, what do you mean? Are you saying that this old servant erred in the examination and couldn't see through a deception? Or are you accusing me of colluding with Consort Xiang to deceive the Empress Dowager?"

Jiang Yaozhen was startled and quickly waved her hands: "I never meant that..."

The Empress Dowager's gaze turned stern, and she said slowly, "Nanny Wu is my trusted confidante. Are you questioning me? Or do you think I deliberately allowed an impure woman like Consort Xiang to enter the palace and bewitch His Majesty?"

Jiang Yaozhen was terrified and threw herself to the ground. "Grandmother, I never meant that! I spoke in haste..."

The Empress Dowager snorted, her phoenix eyes were stern. "I was willing to overlook this because you are young, but since you are so reckless and slanderous, you deserve to be punished! Guards, drag the Third Prince's Consort away and give her twenty strokes with the rod!"

"Grandmother, spare me! Spare me!" Jiang Yaozhen cried out for mercy, but to no avail. The maids of Cining Palace mercilessly hauled her out of the hall.

Out of respect for her status as the Third Prince's Consort, the maids were somewhat lenient, but after twenty strokes, Jiang Yaozhen was nearly half-dead.

Enduring the searing pain on her buttocks and cheeks, she limped toward Lingge Palace.

She was utterly baffled. How could the usually kind and benevolent Empress Dowager suddenly turn so ruthless and heartless?

It was only when she stepped through the palace gate that a chill ran up her spine, and she suddenly came to her senses—

The imperial palace—a storm was brewing!