"Second Sister, go and entertain the other guests. You can leave Princess Yi to me," Heng Yuqing said, smiling at Heng Yuwan.
The side hall might be quiet, but there were still a handful of people, mostly young ladies and madams. The guests were young, however, and couldn't sit still. Most had likely gone on a stroll in the garden.
"Mother told me to keep Princess Yi company. How can I leave? Don't worry, Elder Sister. I'll just be listening. I won't disturb you both."
Heng Yuwan spoke with a neutral expression and sat down on one of the chairs, looking like she wouldn't be budging. Mrs. Lord Guardian had indeed said so, but Heng Yuwan's words made people uneasy. Bringing it up at a moment like this made it seem like Ning Xueyan and Heng Yuqing were bullying her and chasing her away.
Ning Xueyan sat down on a chair, her brilliant eyes sweeping past Heng Yuwan's face, and said nothing. If she hadn't seen it, she would have thought H
Weiran Pavilion was located near a courtyard, about a dozen of steps away from its gate. There was a small rockery near the corner of the gate. From where Honored Consort Xia was standing, she could see Ao Chenyi standing there alone with his hands behind his back, staring at the courtyard.Her two palace maids stood still, not moving an inch, and watched her walk up to Ao Chenyi step by step. She stopped inside the pavilion and stared at the figure. Taking off her face veil, she asked in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, can you… can you still recognize… Hua Yueying?"She believed that he would be pleasantly surprised to hear her name.The man with the most handsome face she had ever seen slowly turned around, with a gaze so cold that he resembled a Demon King treading through the bloody hell. His icy gaze fell on her face as he looked at her like she was a lifeless object.Honored Consort Xia staggered, taking back her outstretc
Honored Consort Ya's carriage entered the Lord Guardian's Manor right after Prince Yi's carriage. One could assume that she was deliberately tailing him. The Emperor had sent her here to keep an eye on him and Honored Consort Xia. He said that Honored Consort Xia, apparently Prince Yi's spy, might pass him a message at the manor.Honored Consort Ya had always been wary of Honored Consort Xia. On the day she, Honored Consort Shu, and the Empress questioned Honored Consort Xia, the latter kept her veil on even in front of the Empress. This made them feel provoked.However, she had already received the Emperor's order. She couldn't very well bring up the incident again.Honored Consort Xia was able to keep her veil on, revealing only a pair of eyes, in front of the Empress. She also enjoyed the Emperor's protection. Truth to be told, Honored Consort Ya was jealous of her.Thus, the Emperor's order to visit the Lord Guardian's Manor an
How could Princess Yi be here? Didn't Honored Consort Ya say that Prince Yi was rendezvousing with Honored Consort Xia? Her words suggested that they weren't only having an affair, but also plotting to murder the Emperor. So how could Princess Yi be nearby?Everyone was stupefied. They looked at Honored Consort Ya, then at Ning Xueyan. For a while, no one said anything.Honored Consort Xia, who had been putting up a struggle, was also dumbfounded. When she came here, Ao Chenyi was the only one she saw. That was why she was able to say such things. How could there be someone hiding behind the rockery?Honored Consort Ya was also stunned but she quickly recovered her senses and looked Ning Xueyan up and down with a dark expression. She had experienced so much, after all. Besides, Honored Consort Xia was the one who spoke of such private matters here without noticing a second person. Her shock was bigger to find out that there was another person h
Honored Consort Ya was starting to panic under Ning Xueyan's sharp interrogation but she quickly harped on one key point. She said angrily, "Do tell, Princess Yi, what it could be if not poison inside this? Should we ask the physician at the Lord Guardian's Manor to examine it?" She was certain that the powder was poison, so she wasn't afraid of anyone examining it.The Madam Dowager of the Lord Guardian's Manor, who had been standing on the side, nodded at a trusted older female servant. The servant then ran out to summon the physician. It seemed that, come hell or high water, the medicine powder would be tested today. Since the matter happened at the Lord Guardian's Manor, they had no way of escaping involvement."Won't we have to ask Honored Consort Xia that? Honored Consort Ya, do you dare to remove the handkerchief in Honored Consort Xia's mouth and let her speak for herself?" Ning Xueyan asked, raising her head. Since Honored Consort Ya had attacked P
Before Honored Consort Ya left the palace, the Emperor had already warned her to detain and gag Honored Consort Xia without saying anything the moment she saw her in the Lord Guardian's Manor. Then, she would have to find the poison and accuse Ao Chenyi and Honored Consort Xia of rendezvousing. Her work would over once she accused them of secretly poisoning the Emperor as well.The rest wasn't hers to worry about; all she had to do was hold on until the Emperor's decree came. By then, those in the palace would have discovered that the Emperor was poisoned and Ao Chenyi would be finished in that confrontation. As for Honored Consort Xia, well… The Empress would deal with a palace consort who had committed a crime.Every layer of trap had been set. The entire scheme was quite an ingenious one. Knowing that the Emperor was beginning to attack Ao Chenyi, she was more than happy to lend him a hand. After all, it was obvious from the current situation that her so
Some said the Emperor found a lady that resembled Second Young Lady Hua to frame Prince Yi.Some said Honored Consort Xia was only a mysterious figure because the Emperor had wronged his younger brother.Some said Honored Consort Xia colluded with the Emperor to frame Prince Yi all those years ago and steal the throne that was supposedly his...Regardless, it became an undeniable fact that Honored Consort Xia was once Second Young Lady Hua.The rumor emerged from Lord Guardian's Manor, traveled throughout the capital, and then made its way out toward Annan...The Emperor was furious! Outraged!He had consumed a small amount of medicinal powder, enough to fake his poisoning. His body wasn't all that healthy lately, so he wouldn't dare to take too much poison. Little did he expect there would be such a change in the situation.He was lying in his residence when it happened, looking like he had b
Once the Emperor made sure that his face was free from the powder, he became enraged that a mere woman had tossed powder on him in front of so many people. He opened his eyes the second that he could and screamed at Honored Consort Xia. "Servants! Servants! Take this wench away and turn her…"Knowing that the Emperor wanted to turn her into mincemeat, Honored Consort Xia interrupted him with a slight sneer. "Your Majesty, if the powder is poisonous, you would have already swallowed some from all that talking. Are you sure you're okay?"Her words prompted the Emperor to shut his mouth. Even now, he felt the powder was poisonous. The sudden incident caught him off guard, and he was also aware that he had given Honored Consort Xia poison. That was why he lost his composure so badly."Your Majesty, please explain why the second lady of the Hua family, Prince Yi's fiancee, is in your harem." Several old ministers and their wives knelt together.
The news of Prince Yi's appointment as the Crown Prince sent a shock throughout all levels of society. No one thought that the Emperor would appoint a Crown Prince out of the blue.It had been so many years. The Emperor's intention was apparent to everyone, and it was clear that he was enemies with Prince Yi. To suddenly appoint Prince Yi as the Crown Prince was the Emperor's show of weakness. Moreover, the news from the Lord Guardian's Manor had spread. Nearly everyone in the capital found out that the Emperor had stolen his minister and younger brother's wife.It was an unethical crime that made the perpetrator look worse than a beast. To think that the Emperor would conduct himself like this! It was unbefitting of a monarch.Thus, the stubborn court officials submitted an official complaint of misconduct, though they didn't dare to impeach the Emperor. They first impeached Chief Hua of the Imperial Academy of poor character. He had failed to