The Emperor, normally high above all others, respected by his officials and praised by his concubines, had now been made a cuckold in his harem. How could he accept this? He even wished to have Imperial Consort Chen torn into ten thousand pieces.
Thus, overnight, Imperial Consort Chen’s chambers transformed from their previous magnificent splendor, full of flowers and luxury, into a place more desolate than the Cold Palace. News of Imperial Consort Chen’s affair spread throughout the entire palace that very day.
Some laughed at her audacity to carry on with someone right under the Emperor’s nose, some kicked her while she was down, and others felt sympathetic fear for their fate. Overnight, rumors flew everywhere, but fortunately, they hadn’t spread beyond the palace walls.
Imperial Consort Chen had once ruled supreme in the palace for a time, even the Empress had to give way to her, let alone the lower-ranked consorts and concubines. Usually, they would all offer her their finest things, their words full of flattery. There’s a saying about being a king without a crown—though Imperial Consort Chen wasn’t the Empress, she enjoyed nearly the same treatment.
In Ci Ning Palace, the Empress sat in her magnificent attire, peeling an orange. Her scallion-white fingers contrasted with the bright orange fruit, making them appear even more fair.
The Palace Matron beside her spoke up: “Your Majesty, should we perhaps go to His Majesty…”
“No need.” The Empress smiled slightly: “He’s still furious now, it won’t do any good for anyone to disturb him.”
“Who would have thought the Imperial Consort would do such a thing.” The Palace Matron watched the Empress’s expression: “Now it would be impossible for her to rise again.”
The Empress put a segment of orange in her mouth and smiled: “Imperial favor ends before beauty fades—this is the way of the imperial family. It was her foolish ambition that led to this inevitable outcome.”
“Then, Your Majesty.” The Palace Matron looked at this most noble woman in the world, noting that she showed no joy at Imperial Consort Chen’s downfall: “What should we do now?”
Whether to speak up for Imperial Consort Chen or add fuel to the fire—this was a decision that everyone in the back palace had to make.
The Empress raised her hand: “A clever woman knows when to remain silent.”
News of Imperial Consort Chen’s adultery and imprisonment reached Han Yan’s ears the next day. Ji Lan said: “Young Miss, heaven truly has eyes. She poisoned you before, and now she’s suffering the consequences of her actions.”
Han Yan knew she understood about the spring poison incident, and smiled: “Heaven has eyes?”
Ji Lan lowered her head shyly and said softly: “The Prince treats Young Miss very well.”
After Ji Lan’s injury yesterday, the summoned doctor examined her and found nothing serious. However, Shu Hong, who had taken a slap meant for Ji Lan, had suffered damage to her lungs and would need to rest in bed for several months to recover.
If even Ji Lan could see it, Han Yan would be a fool not to understand. Imperial Consort Chen’s affair had been exposed the day after her incident. Though she wasn’t clear about the exact details, she understood that Fu Yun Xi must have had a hand in it. Han Yan felt a strange feeling in her heart—it would be a lie to say she wasn’t grateful. That day when she was affected by the spring poison, he hadn’t taken advantage of her vulnerability, such gentlemanly behavior was already rare enough. Since she was his nominal Princess Consort of Xuan Qing and would eventually enter the Xuan Qing Prince Manor, it would have been understandable if Fu Yun Xi had done something to her that day. But he had only summoned the Imperial Doctor to cure her poison. Moreover, this matter involved the Empress Dowager and Imperial Consort Chen. While Imperial Consort Chen need not be mentioned, the Empress Dowager was Fu Yun Xi’s mother. Any move Fu Yun Xi made against Imperial Consort Chen would be like slapping the Empress Dowager’s face. Yet he had done it for her!
Since her rebirth, she had always viewed people with caution. Except for Ji Lan, Shu Hong, Mother Chen, and Zhuang Han Ming, everyone else was dispensable to her, potentially becoming enemies at any moment. She thought she had become heartless, with no one to care for her. Now Fu Yun Xi’s various kindnesses had brought a long-absent warmth to her weary heart. It was an unconditional kindness, even containing a hint of indulgence like one would show to an innocent child. Han Yan knew she had no defense against such kindness—in fact, no one could resist such warmth. Now Han Yan was falling deeper step by step, with no desire to turn back.
If all this was Fu Yun Xi’s scheme to make her fall in love with him, then the usually cool-headed and clever Zhuang Han Yan was willingly falling for it. At least now, she had already become somewhat dependent on him. If Fu Yun Xi were to reject her one day, she feared she couldn’t leave gracefully.
But in this world, everything changes—how long would Fu Yun Xi’s kindness last? Perhaps understanding everything too early wasn’t a good thing. For some reason, a faint sadness inexplicably welled up in Han Yan’s heart.
In the study of the Xuan Qing Prince Manor.
Cheng Lei looked at Fu Yun Xi in surprise: “You moved against Imperial Consort Chen? Isn’t this like beating the grass to startle the snake?” He paced around the room, his tone becoming anxious: “Yun Xi, what’s going on? This isn’t like something you would do.” Fu Yun Xi was known for his ruthlessness—he rarely made moves, but when he did, he left no room for survival, striking fatally. Cheng Lei had known earlier that Fu Yun Xi wanted to deal with the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager and Imperial Consort Chen were allies. Though Fu Yun Xi couldn’t topple the Empress Dowager yet, any move against Imperial Consort Chen would not only alert their enemies but was also too risky. If traced back to him, it would bring disaster.
“No need to wait.” He said.
Fu Yun Xi sat at his desk, gazing quietly at the qilin jade ornament on the corner of his desk, his handsome face bearing a stern expression.
Only he knew how angry he had been about yesterday’s events. When Han Yan was bullied at the Zhuang manor and he witnessed it, he could protect her when possible. Now that Han Yan had become the Princess Consort of Xuan Qing, those people had become even more aggressive, it was truly too outrageous. He, Fu Yun Xi, would not allow anyone to bully his people, not even the Empress Dowager.
“Now that Imperial Consort Chen is in prison, she will surely bite back,” Cheng Lei said worriedly.
Imperial Consort Chen’s case was particularly suspicious. It wouldn’t be difficult for the Emperor to figure out the twists and turns behind it once he calmed down. There’s no smoke without fire—even if Fu Yun Xi’s relationship with the Emperor was close, once it involved imperial dignity, it wasn’t a small matter. It would be difficult for Fu Yun Xi to emerge unscathed.
Fu Yun Xi said coldly: “My intention was never about this case. Even if it’s investigated thoroughly, nothing will be clear.”
How arrogant! Cheng Lei couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath. The Fu Yun Xi he knew would never show such emotional exposure even with everything at stake, yet now he openly opposed the imperial family for Han Yan—he wasn’t sure if this was good or bad. His meaning seemed to be that he was determined to bring down Imperial Consort Chen. Now Imperial Consort Chen would never regain favor—he wondered if Fu Yun Xi’s young Princess Consort was satisfied with this outcome.
“But,” Cheng Lei hesitated, then spoke: “Your move against Imperial Consort Chen means Minister Chen will likely soon side with the Seventh Prince. The stronger the Seventh Prince’s support grows, the more disadvantageous it becomes for you.” Minister Chen had previously been fence-sitting, reluctant to take a stance. Now that Imperial Consort Chen had no chance of rising higher, to prevent the Chen family’s decline, Minister Chen would surely cling tightly to the Seventh Prince. The Seventh Prince’s influence was deeply rooted throughout the court—above him were Prince Wei and his son, and below him was Zhuang Shi Yang, with eyes and ears throughout the palace. With Minister Chen’s additional support, it would be very difficult to uproot them in the future. Moreover, it would create a formidable opponent for himself.