Chapter 252

Chapter 252

She smiled and glanced at Secondary Consort Sun: "Secondary Consort Sun wouldn't want the Princess Consort to have to settle disputes for you right after summoning the imperial physician, would she?"

Secondary Consort Sun quickly said, "How would I dare?"

Concubine Li said coldly, "Secondary Consort Sun and Secondary Consort Xie still have to manage the household affairs. I'm afraid they don't have time to linger here."

"Now that the Prince is away and the Princess Consort is unwell, the household depends on you two. I'm afraid those managing matrons are getting anxious waiting..."

Xie Run pulled Secondary Consort Sun along, "Indeed. I happen to have some matters I can't resolve and wanted to ask Secondary Consort Sun for advice on how to handle them."

Xie Run, who usually watched coldly from the sidelines, rarely acted so sociably, leading Secondary Consort Sun away from the courtyard.

Only after stepping out of the Qingsong Courtyard's main gate did Secondary Consort Sun say gently, "We can no longer disturb the Princess Consort now. Would Sister Xie release my sleeve?"

Xie Run let go and resumed her aloof manner, "I heard the first blooms in the small garden have opened. Would you care to join me in the courtyard to admire them?"

Though somewhat displeased, Secondary Consort Sun didn't dare show it in front of Xie Run.

She smiled faintly, "Sister has forgotten. Now that we manage the household, I'm afraid there are many managing matrons lining up in the courtyard waiting to receive their tokens."

Xie Run seemed to just remember, "I was so concerned I became flustered. I momentarily forgot such an important matter."

Secondary Consort Sun's eyes flickered thoughtfully, "From what Sister says, are you worried about the Princess Consort's health?"

Xie Run smiled, "In the whole mansion, who isn't worried about the Princess Consort?"

Before Secondary Consort Sun could speak, Xie Run clasped her hands together, "Right now, I only pray the Princess Consort quickly gives birth to the heir and resumes managing the household, so I can have more time to spend with Taotao."

Hearing Xie Run's talk of being a devoted wife and mother, Secondary Consort Sun found it rather tedious.

After they parted, Taoyao beside her lowered her voice and asked, "My lady, do you think Secondary Consort Xie knows something?"

"Both times something happened to the Princess Consort, when you tried to gather information, she rushed to pull you away, clearly not wanting you to pry further."

Secondary Consort Sun pondered, "She might know something. But the Princess Consort's Qingsong Courtyard is too tightly managed; the maids and matrons can't be gotten to talk."

"The Princess Consort's pregnancy isn't even settled, yet the imperial physician has been called twice. Last time it was said she had some bleeding. This time it's probably more serious..."

"I've always felt something's off with the Princess Consort's pregnancy."

Secondary Consort Sun had no intention of harming anyone.

She had only recently joined the household and had no children of her own, so naturally she wouldn't do anything improper.

She was merely curious.

The Princess Consort was the principal wife. If she gave birth to a boy, he would be the heir.

Naturally, Secondary Consort Sun didn't want the Princess Consort to give birth.

After all, if the Princess Consort couldn't bear children, then her own future child might win the Prince's favor and compete for the position of heir.

She could also rise through her child's status and gain more influence.

Now, looking at the situation, she suspected that not only was this pregnancy unstable, but it might also be harming the mother's health.

Taoyao wanted to ask more, but Secondary Consort Sun waved her hand, "Let's return immediately and ask Nanny Du about the various symptoms of pregnancy."

"I keep feeling something's off with the Princess Consort's pregnancy!"

Meanwhile, Dan Tao was also grumbling, "My lady, Secondary Consort Sun has only been in the mansion for a short while, yet she's already stirring up trouble."

"Today, Nanny Li wore a cold expression and clearly didn't want to talk, but she still brazenly kept asking about the Princess Consort—clearly trying to fish for information about her condition."

"But even if the Princess Consort were unwell, what good would it do her?"

Xie Run glanced at her, "Her intentions aren't hard to guess—she just wants to know the Princess Consort's situation to know where she stands."

"Instead of worrying about her, think about Fang Yuaner and Wan Linlang, who've left the capital."

Those two had gone with Prince Jing to Yunzhou. Xie Run really couldn't imagine what trouble they could stir up.

Xie Run thought, "Perfect. When we return, have someone write a letter informing the Prince that the Princess Consort is unwell."

And incidentally, check on the situation in Yunzhou.

Yunzhou was a good distance from the capital. A letter going back and forth, if not expedited, would take at least five days.

Xie Run wasn't in a hurry either.

Just two days later, a major event occurred in the capital.

The Emperor suddenly ordered that Imperial Consort Chen be buried at Mount Tianmu, not allowed into the imperial mausoleum, nor with the rites befitting an imperial consort.

The Emperor's sudden decision caught everyone off guard.

Back then, the Emperor doted exclusively on Imperial Consort Chen, lavishing her with unprecedented favors, and the court officials tried to dissuade him.

Now that the Emperor didn't want to give Imperial Consort Chen a proper funeral, the court officials had to dissuade him again.

No matter how many wrongdoings Imperial Consort Chen committed in life, she died with the title of imperial consort.

As long as her title remained, the Emperor's refusal to bury her in the imperial mausoleum or with consort rites was a serious breach of protocol, making a mockery of royal dignity.

You see, back then you wanted to spoil her beyond all reason, and no one could stop you.

Now that she's dead, you want to demean and humiliate her, and yet everyone still has to patiently talk you out of it... Faced with such a willful Emperor, no one knew what to do.

The court squabbled for five days, and in the end, the Emperor won.

Because the Emperor heeded the officials' words and took a different approach.

He first had someone write a memorial listing Imperial Consort Chen's crimes, demanding severe punishment.

The Emperor, without hesitation, convicted Imperial Consort Chen, stripping her of her rank, demoting her from Guifei to Cainu, and even revoking her title.

Originally, the Emperor had only planned to bury her at Mount Tianmu.

But now.

Having been reduced to Cainu, and with all her crimes piled up, she was directly wrapped in a straw mat and discarded somewhere in a mountain gully.

And the officials were satisfied too.

Now no one could say the Emperor acted against protocol, right?

A legendary bewitching consort, so glorious in life, yet so miserable in death.

And just like that, this life came to a dramatic end.

The Emperor's temperament was exactly that—loved them to the point of obsession, hated them to the point of destruction.

Xie Run, having witnessed this farce, had already confirmed her earlier suspicions.

The Emperor couldn't have kids anymore.

The babies Concubine Jing and Guifei Chen were carrying were likely not his at all.

That was why the Emperor had turned so drastically against Guifei Chen, not even letting her rest in peace after she died; and why even Prince Jing clammed up about Concubine Jing's death.

But how did the Emperor figure out he was shooting blanks?

Xie Run recalled that before Concubine Jing died, rumors that the Emperor and Empress were at odds had started circulating... and Prince Qi had been inexplicably stripped of his title and reduced to a commoner.

In a daze, Xie Run felt as though she had stumbled onto a juicy piece of gossip.