Chapter 8: Née Zhao and Father’s Venomous Scheme
The incident this time left Consort Zhao with three broken ribs and a fracture in her left leg. In the imperial physician’s eyes, she was lucky to survive with minor internal injuries. In Consort Zhao’s eyes, she was lucky to survive with her face intact. How could any woman stay in the imperial harem without her looks? She knew Xiaozong’s personality all too well after living with him for years.
Because Consort Zhao was injured, she couldn’t serve the emperor. He grew restless without a beauty in his arms everyday, so ended up slipping away. However, that only made it convenient for Consort Zhao to meet with her father, Prime Minister Zhao Qiuming (赵秋明). It had been three days since the news of the eldest princess marrying below her station to the Gu Clan rocked the foundations of the court and its people. This time, Zhao Qiuming had come to call on his daughter together with his wife.
After paying their respects, Zhao Qiuming began to complain. “Esteemed consort, with the princess marrying below her station like this, the Gu Clan escapes the death penalty. Your little brother stole credit for Gu Xinglang’s work. The letters exposing Gu Chen’s dealings with the enemy were also planted in his quarters by your father. If the secret comes to light, our Zhao Clan and esteemed consort will be greatly injured by the backlash. Esteemed consort, why did you insist on facilitating this marriage?”
Hearing her father pin the blame on her only turned Consort Zhao cold. “The members of the Gu Clan have been imprisoned for so long, but father still couldn’t figure out a way to eliminate them. Are you going to rely on me for everything in the Zhao Clan?”
Zhao Qiuming’s expression turned bitter. “Esteemed consort, there were people protecting the Gu Clan.” The Imperial Court of Justice might be under his rule, but it had members on the Gu Clan’s side too. Old Zhao had sent multiple people to try an exterminate the Gu Clan for good, but had failed every time. Faced with Consort Zhao’s scorn, he could only change the topic. “Gu Xinglang is already a cripple, so how could His Majesty be willing–”
“I told His Majesty that Gu Xinglang only suffered injuries from torture,” Consort Zhao interrupted. “How could anyone turn useless just from a bit of corporeal punishment?”
“His Majesty believed esteemed consort’s words?”
“His Majesty will if it’s an imperial physician telling him the news.” It went without saying that the imperial physician in question was part of Consort Zhao’s faction, too. Zhao Qiuming fell silent. His daughter had never been so fierce when she was still a young Miss at his house.
“Assemble your men,” Consort Zhao instructed, “Use the princess’s marriage as a chance to eliminate the Gu Clan for good.”
Zhao Qiuming hastened to speak. “Each and every one of the Gu Clan’s men were trained as soldiers. It won’t be easy for assassins to kill them.”
“Assassins?” Consort Zhao laughed icily. “They’re nothing but a bunch of trash.”
Zhao Qiuming felt embarrassed. “Then what does esteemed consort mean?”
“Jadeite,” Consort Zhao called out. Her trusted palace maid Jadeite answered back before offering Zhao Qiuming a long, rectangular box. When he opened it up and saw the golden yellow robes within, he sprang to his feet in alarm.
“Esteemed consort, this is?”
“The imperial dragon robes,” Consort Zhao whispered. “On the day of the princess’s wedding, Jing Zhong will bring this item to the Gu Estate. When the time comes, father, have little brother take the imperial guards there. The Gu Clan can stand guard all they like, but they can hardly lock their doors and refuse to see the princess or her dowry.”
Zhao Qiuming’s eyes lit up. “And once we discover the dragon robes in the Gu Clan’s hands, we can kill them without mercy?”
“There won’t be a lifesaving token in their hands this time,” Consort Zhao replied.
Zhao Qiuming was delighted. “In that case, we’ll have full right to condemn the Gu Clan to death.”
“Father should go back and make preparations,” Consort Zhao murmured. “To prevent the fish from slipping through our net, you’ll have to bring plenty of imperial guards to the Gu Estate. Give a heads up to their commanders and say I’ll reward them heavily after the deed.”
“Understood,” Zhao Qiuming agreed, before he thought of something else. “Then what about Her Royal Highness?”
Consort Zhao arched her brow at him. “Father is still worried for her sake?”
Zhao Qiuming said, “His Majesty wouldn’t just cast the eldest princess aside. Esteemed consort should make arrangements for her too.”
“If the esteemed empress has taught her well,” Consort Zhao intoned, “Then she’ll know the three obediences and four virtues and follow her husband in death. If she refuses to die, I’ll make His Majesty send her away.”
Zhao Qiuming replied, “Esteemed consort means to say that the imperial guards should enter the Gu Estate after the princess and Gu Xinglang have finished saying their vows and become a couple?”
“Correct,” Consort Zhao confirmed.
Zhao Qiuming nodded. “I understand.”
“As the empress’s daughter,” Consort Zhao said between gritted teeth, “I’ll definitely take good care of her. Even if Yu Linglong doesn’t die, I’ll find a nice place for her to spend the rest of her life.”
“And His Seventh Highness?” Zhao Qiuming piped up. Even though the princess was the empress’s child, she was still a girl. His Seventh Highness was the greatest source of worry.
“As soon as he was born, he killed his mother,” Consort Zhao responded. “Within a month, he also cursed his big sister to lose her husband. His Seventh Highness has a harsh fate. How could His Majesty ever dare to dote on him? If it’s a baby unloved by the emperor, who cares if he ends up dying?”
At this moment, Zhao Qiuming sensed the true ruthlessness of his daughter. “Esteemed consort,” he reminded her, “The empress’s clan isn’t in the capital, so they’ll never be able to approach the princess or His Seventh Highness. However, the Jiang Clan still holds military power in their hands. I’m afraid their members won’t just leave matters as is in the future.”
“Once we deal with the Gu Clan, the Jiang Clan will be next,” Consort Zhao smiled. “The princess’s affairs are decided by His Majesty, so I’m afraid the Jiang Clan won’t stir in that regard. But as soon as they infuriate the emperor, father, I’d like to see where they end up instead!”
On one side, the prime minister’s wife sat quietly listening to the father and daughter’s poisonous schemes. Her expression was devoid of anything except respectful submission. She was Zhao Qiuming’s second wife after the death of his first and had never bore him any children. Whether it was her all-powerful husband or the favored Consort Zhao, she had no right to speak up before either of them.
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