area51novel Chapter 313 Standoff
Chapter 313 Standoff
Wang Yuehuai was shocked that Yuan Zhaoyue would attend the morning meeting. "Why are you here?"
Yuan Zhaoyue sat at the very end, as she was the lowest in rank. She laughed and said, "Why can't I come? The Emperor didn't say I couldn't leave the palace. I was just demoted and moved to a more remote place. When was I ever imprisoned in the Cold Palace?"
not at all!
Shen Shixi arrived a little late and was quite shocked to see Consort Jing. It was her magnanimity to send someone to inform her, and she didn't insist whether Consort Jing came or not.
"Consort Jing has actually come too!" Shen Shixi sat on the phoenix throne, feeling a little strange that their positions had been reversed.
Consort Jing said, "Since you sent someone to inform me, of course I had to come and see. You were so powerful even before you became Empress. Now that you are Empress and I am a Consort, if I don't come, wouldn't you be hiding your wealth in the dark?"
Shen Shixi didn't argue with her.
Consort De wouldn't let such an opportunity pass by. "Consort Jing is truly flexible and adaptable. Such magnanimity is not something ordinary people possess. Only Pei Wuji could have raised a daughter like you!"
Consort Jing came here today specifically to target Consort De. She coughed angrily and sneered, "Du Ruowan, I've been on the throne for seven or eight years. Do you think that just because I'm dead, you can compete with Chen Yuan and have a chance? Do you have any hope?"
"Look at you, you're holding three imperial heirs in your hands, and what happened? Everyone else in the palace was promoted, but you weren't among them!"
Shen Shixi sat on the phoenix throne and watched them argue. It was no different from sitting in the Taiji Palace and watching the court officials argue. He treated it as entertainment.
Consort De's face turned green with anger. "Pei Linghua, I am Consort De, a higher rank than you. How dare you address me by my name? You've been Empress for seven or eight years, and you've forgotten all the palace rules?"
"Hmph!" Consort Jing said, "Of course I haven't forgotten! I'm here today to thank you. If it weren't for your blessing, I would have become pregnant with the Seventh Prince. On the day the Pei family rebelled, I would probably have 'committed suicide out of fear of punishment'."
"Chen Yuan spared my life. Now that I've survived, I can't let my life be in vain. I must live on to the fullest. Du Ruowan, you're probably obsessed with ascending to the throne. I'd like to see if you have the fortune to do so in this lifetime!"
"You're lying! I didn't do it!" She knelt before Shen Shixi. "Your Majesty, please see the truth! I'm innocent! I would never dare to make such a presumptuous request!"
Consort Jing laughed heartily, tears streaming down her face, coughing intermittently. "Is this really true? Do you think Chen Yuan would believe this? Du Ruowan, do you even believe it yourself? The eldest prince isn't even dead yet, and you're already begging the Emperor to give you another child."
Why do you think the Emperor agreed? Du Ruowan, have you ever thought about it? At that time, Chenyuan had just entered the palace. The Emperor was afraid that you had few children and lacked confidence, so he gave you another child. How did you repay the Emperor?
Consort De's expression instantly changed, and she stubbornly retorted, "I am the Emperor's concubine. Serving the Emperor and producing heirs for the royal family is my duty. I don't understand what you're saying!"
"Oh, really? Then let me tell you, the Emperor intends for you to deal with me, to bring me down and make way for Chen Yuan Teng. The Emperor has never intended to make you Empress, do you understand? It's not me, and it will never be you, so give up!"
Consort De's face was very unpleasant. She said, "This is just your own imagination. I have never thought of it that way!"
Seeing that things had gone far enough, Shen Shixi said, "Alright, stop arguing!"
Only then did the concubines have a chance to pay their respects to Shen Shixi. Consort Jing was practically coughing up her lungs. She remained seated, not rising until everyone had finished their greetings. Then she said, "You don't need my kneeling, do you?"
Consort De said, "How dare you disrespect Her Majesty the Empress?"
Consort Jing chuckled.
Despite the series of setbacks, she eventually changed quite a bit.
Shen Shixi said, "If you have nothing else to do, just have someone send you back. I'm just letting you know as usual. If you can manage, come; if not, who cares about your small courtesy?"
She explained on Li Yuanke's behalf, "Don't overthink the matter of the Empress's position changing hands. Since the Emperor has made you Empress, he would never have considered deposing you if it weren't for the Pei family's actions. Besides, I don't care about the Empress position that I snatched from you."
Favoring a concubine over one's wife is an extremely improper act even in ordinary families, let alone for the emperor. How utterly disgraceful it would be to be condemned by historians in the future!
Consort Jing thought back to when the Emperor first bestowed the title of Imperial Noble Consort Chenyuan upon Shen Shixi, placing her on equal footing with him. She then believed that the Emperor might not have intended to depose her at the beginning. Otherwise, why would he have bothered to create such a position that was so close to that of the Empress?
"Times have passed, it's no use saying all this now!" Consort Jing said tearfully. "I appreciate your kindness, but I was never as good as you to begin with. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly! You don't need to worry about me; I can come and go as I please!"
She glanced sideways at Consort De, "If I can't hold onto my position as Empress, I'd rather you be the Empress. Compared to some treacherous and vicious people, at least you are upright and honest. Having you is a blessing for the harem!"
Consort De was so angry she gritted her teeth and laughed, "Consort Jing, don't forget your current rank."
Consort Jing said, "No matter what, I was once the Empress! Even Emperor Chenyuan knew to show me some respect. So what if you are of a higher rank than me now? Should I respect you?"
Consort De turned to Shen Shixi and said, "Your Majesty, has there been no order in the harem? Has the distinction between superior and inferior been forgotten?"
Shen Shixi said, "The treatment at Jiafu Palace has not been reduced and will continue to follow the previous treatment at Fengyi Palace. Firstly, Consort Jing is in poor health, and secondly, she is right, she was once the Empress; this is my intention and also the Emperor's decree."
"I hadn't informed the inner palace beforehand, and I hadn't expected Consort Jing to still be able to move around. Since we're on the topic, I'll just mention it: in the inner palace, Consort Jing is second only to me!"
To treat others as human beings when you are in a subordinate position is the most basic quality; to treat others as human beings when you are in a superior position is the most basic quality.
Consort Jing was, after all, an empress; she could die, but she could not be trampled upon.
"Your Majesty, we will obey your decree!"
No one expected this.
But Consort Shu, also known as Lin Guiyou, felt that this was the true Chenyuan: magnanimous, upright, and as bright as the sun and moon, never disappointing anyone.
Consort Jing was helped to her feet and bowed slightly to Shen Shixi. "Thank you, Chenyuan. I'll head back now! Oh, by the way, Consort De, were you the one who poisoned the plate of pastries that Consort Shen ate back then?"
Consort De abruptly stood up, angrily saying, "You're talking nonsense! How dare you slander me?"
Consort Jing was not angry; she simply smiled at her and said, "Oh, if it's not true, then it's not true. Why are you so angry?"
"It was Consort Min, née Chen, who reported it to the Emperor yourself. The Emperor ordered her to be executed. Are you out of your mind?" Consort De was furious. Even if she denied it, what would Shen Shixi think?
Although she had tested Shen Shixi before, and Shen Shixi did not intend to avenge her sister, how much of what she said at the time was true and how much was false?
Time has passed, and she is now the Empress. If she harbors thoughts of revenge and suspects her, will she have any chance of survival?
After Consort Jing left, Consort De nervously said to the Empress, "Your Majesty, the Emperor was the one who convicted me of that matter back then. It had nothing to do with me. Consort Jing was just making baseless accusations, slandering me, and trying to sow discord between me and Your Majesty. Her heart was malicious. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth and severely punish Consort Jing to clear my name."