Chapter 111: The Favored Consort’s True Face
“Monks have mercy at heart,” Junior Master Fenglin excused his reasons for helping Consort Zhao.
Yu Xiaoxiao only felt disdain for the man’s pretext. What mercy? When the cruel female emperor was burning in the flames, did this one consider her to be a life? Did he ever show her mercy?
Xianzong gave Junior Master Fenglin a way out and said, “Junior master, please come in.” When he thought of the horses and army backing up Eternal Life Temple, all he wanted to do was retreat. If he wanted to continue his hedonistic lifestyle, Xianzong couldn’t see Fengtian collapse right before his eyes.
Junior Master Fenglin took a step towards Consort Zhao’s bedroom. Yu Xiaoxiao didn’t want to give way, feeling that this wasn’t fair to the cruel female emperor. The more she looked at Junior Master Fenglin, the less she liked him. The second most detestable thing to her in the world after zombies was scum men!
Xianzong pulled Yu Xiaoxiao aside. He didn’t want the nation to collapse or see his daughter destroy herself. Junior Master Fenglin reached the doors and ordered the two court ladies at the entrance, “Close the doors.”
With a clack, the doors shut.
“Your Majesty!” Consort Zhao’s weak sobs suddenly cried out from within.
Xianzong remained gloomy, but didn’t answer. Yu Xiaoxiao raised a foot and kicked the door open. “Imperial father, the wicked consort’s awake.”
Xianzong stood unmoving by the entrance. “Beloved consort, don’t be afraid. Junior Master Fenglin has expert medical skills, so he’ll cure beloved consort’s illness.”
“Your Majesty, this consort was schemed against!” Consort Zhao’s voice was filled with agitation.
Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “My God, she’s bled so much but still has the energy to shout.”
Xianzong’s eyelid twitched. “Who hurt beloved consort?”
All of the people in the courtyard listened closely.They wanted to know who Consort Zhao would implicate, too. Consort Zhao cried until her voice turned hoarse. It almost seemed like they could hear her tears hitting the ground. Xianzong’s heart softened at the cries as his voice grew gentle. “With Zhen here, beloved consort definitely won’t be wronged. Zhen will be the judge for beloved consort’s case, so tell Zhen who’s the culprit?”
Jing Zhong was amongst the people who heard Xianzong’s words. He, along with Consort Zhao’s servants, all believed that she was far from falling out of favor with the emperor. Although Her Royal Highness tried so hard to scheme against Consort Zhao, His Majesty still has ties of affection with her.
After a long period of sobbing, enough to tempt Xianzong into running indoors, Consort Zhao finally spoke. “Your Majesty, this consort has always been on good terms with my fellow sisters in the harem. None of them would hurt this consort.”
“Then who was it that hurt you?” Xianzong asked.
“Your Majesty, this consort has had a misunderstanding with Her Royal Highness recently. Now this consort has suddenly fallen ill, so probably…” Consort Zhao broke into bitter sobs before trailing off. Despite this, everyone understood what she was implying: that Princess Linglong had been the one who hurt her.
Yu Xiaoxiao only yawned. Although she hadn’t succeeded, it was true that she wanted to get rid of this wicked consort. In that case, Consort Zhao’s words weren’t exactly wrong–she did have a motive.
Xianzong picked out an imperial physicians and asked, “Did Consort Zhao’s gradually get worse?”
The imperial physician murmured, “To reply Your Majesty, Esteemed Consort Zhao was suddenly taken ill.”
“Was she hurt just tonight?” Xianzong asked.
The imperial physician sighed and confirmed, “Yes.”
“Your Majesty!” Consort Zhao cried out before Xianzong could reply.
Xianzong said, “You’re saying that Linglong was the one who hurt you? How did she manage to enter the palace?”
Consort Zhao’s sobs came to a stop.
Yu Xiaoxiao cut in with dissatisfaction, “You’re saying it wrong. I have subordinates too, don’t I?”
“Her Royal Highness has subordinates, ah,” Consort Zhao said just then.
Yu Xiaoxiao chuckled, then told Xianzong, “She’s pretty smart to think of that.”
Please, enough! Jing Zhong and Consort Zhao’s servants all wanted to kneel at Yu Xiaoxiao’s feet. Her Royal Highness was wise and brilliant as well as filled with martial prowess. Could she give Consort Zhao a way out? She could kill someone simply by nodding her head, ah!
“Linglong, you stand guard here. Imperial father will leave first,” Xianzong told Yu Xiaoxiao before tossing his sleeves and going down the stairs. Jing Zhong and the rest hastened to follow after him.
Yu Xiaoxiao was left confused in the covered walkway. She went to ask Xiao Wei, “Why did he leave?”
After discovering the true face of the woman he loved, His Majesty couldn’t bear to kill her and chose to leave instead. As the saying went, out of sight, out of mind. Xiao Wei looked at Xianzong’s retreating form before whispering to Yu Xiaoxiao, “His Majesty might be tired and wants to go rest.”
Xiao Zhuang only shook his head at his partner. Is it really alright for you to be making up lies for that?
Yu Xiaoxiao went to sit on the banisters and said, “Let’s talk about Wen Fenglin’s unspeakable story with Consort Zhao instead.”
Xiao Wei kicked Xiao Zhuang from behind, and the latter ran in front of Yu Xiaoxiao to furiously wave his hands. “Princess, can we not talk about those things?”
Xiao Wei walked forward and said with a straight face, “Princess, I feel like it’s better for you discuss these things with Royal Son-in-Law instead.”
“Why?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked.
Xiao Wei said cleverly, “Because neither I nor Xiao Zhuang understand things between men and women. We don’t have wives yet.”
Xiao Zhuang went to kneel in a corner and pluck at the grass. Words like that were too much for his thin-skinned self to bear.
Consort Zhao called out again, “Your Majesty?”
Junior Master Fenglin smiled at Consort Zhao and said, “It’s better for esteemed consort to rest more. I believe His Majesty has already left.”
Consort Zhao looked at the monk sitting quite some distance away from her and asked, “What does junior master mean by this?”
A few momo discovered that their mistress had stopped bleeding so heavily after taking Junior Master Fenglin’s medicine. Their faces were filled with joy with hope that she could be saved.
Junior Master Fenglin said, “Just then, esteemed consort said that Princess Linglong was the one who hurt you?”
Consort Zhao looked at the junior master without a word.
Junior Master Fenglin said, “Tonight His Majesty accompanied the princess out of the palace and was with her all night. Esteemed consort, how was Her Royal Highness supposed to hurt you?”
Consort Zhao never expected that Xianzong would be with Yu Linglong tonight. Her complexion changed from ashen white to a dead gray as her lips began to tremble. “The eldest princess certainly has her methods.”
“All of the members of Resplendence Palace accompanied Her Royal Highness to the Gu Estate,” Junior Master Fenglin went on placidly. “Who could be Her Royal Highness’s subordinate in the palace now? Esteemed consort has always been shrewd, but who knew you could be befuddled as well?”
Consort Zhao looked at her various momo and trilled, “Where is His Majesty?”
All of the momo shook their heads. They had all been keeping watch over Consort Zhao, so how could they know where he went?
“There’s another bit of news I wanted esteemed consort to know,” Junior Master Fenglin was staring at his hands as he spoke. “Starting from tomorrow, the Gu Estate will be re-named back to the Defender General’s Estate.”
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