Chapter 135: Rewards
“Her Ladyship is your birth mother! How could you insult her like this—” Zhu Qing’s eyes were red with fury as she glared hatefully at Prince Wei.
When had Prince Wei ever been so publicly humiliated, especially by a mere servant?
He quickly reacted, slapping Zhu Qing across the face, gritting his teeth as he snarled, “You reckless wench! If it weren’t for you, how could I have ended up like this!”
“Who wants her as my birth mother? It’s likely this was all your deliberate scheme, deceiving me—”
Zhu Qing was knocked to the ground by the blow, her lip split and bleeding. Hearing Prince Wei’s words, she could only laugh bitterly.
Her cold, shadowed eyes shifted, first fixing on Prince Wei, then lifting to glare at Chu Mingheng. She scoffed, clenching her teeth as she said, “I almost forgot—you’re not just Her Ladyship’s blood, but also a Chu by blood.”
“Pah—you Chus are all the same, beasts in human skin. One feigns benevolence, another pretends righteousness… Hypocrites! Hypocrites!”
The hall was filled with imperial relatives and imperial concubines. They had barely recovered from the shock of such a long-hidden secret when they heard this servant openly insulting the imperial family in the main hall. The timid ones dared not watch any longer.
Zhu Qing had come to this hall prepared to die. Having said all she needed to say, she seized the moment to dash toward a pillar. But the imperial guards behind her were far quicker, grabbing her and yanking her back. With practiced efficiency, they gagged her with coarse cloth, preventing her from biting her tongue to end her life.
Chu Mingheng naturally would not let Zhu Qing die so easily. After all the evil she had committed, did she think she could die cleanly and painlessly? Impossible.
With Zhu Qing taken away, only Prince Wei and Pan Xi remained in the hall.
Chu Mingheng’s voice was low and measured as he slowly declared, “Prince Wei has caused a disturbance in the Imperial Presence and conspired to rebel. Take him away. This matter will be deliberated later.”
At these words, Princess Consort Wei, Lady Lin, immediately fainted. The palace attendants beside her quickly supported her and escorted her out of the hall.
Although His Majesty had only ordered Prince Wei to be taken away, everyone present knew that once convicted of rebellion, clearing one’s name would be as difficult as climbing to heaven. Moreover, it was clear His Majesty had no intention of sparing Prince Wei.
In the main hall, Prince Wei was forcibly dragged away, his arms restrained. His voice still echoed loudly through the hall as he pleaded innocence and begged for mercy. When his pleas proved futile, he began cursing—cursing the Late Emperor, cursing Wen Shi, cursing Consort Hui, and even attempting to curse Chu Mingheng himself. Fortunately, the guards behind him promptly stuffed a cloth into his mouth to silence him.
The hall fell silent once more.
Today was supposed to be the New Year’s Eve banquet, but after such an ordeal, no one had the heart to focus on the festivities. Everyone hoped His Majesty would order the banquet canceled.
Lan Wu was no fool. Recalling what Chu Mingheng had told her earlier, she realized today’s events had been carefully orchestrated for Prince Wei. Except for Pan Xi’s unexpected appearance, everyone else had been prepared to expose Prince Wei’s true identity.
She looked up and glanced at Chu Mingheng.
Earlier, Chu Mingheng had produced an imperial edict, stating it was blank—unwritten. The Late Emperor had once bestowed such an edict upon Wen Shi.
A chill ran down Lan Wu’s spine. Could this be the same edict that Zhu Qing had used in her previous life to order her execution?
Just wanting her dead, is such a thing necessary?
I fear that imperial decree at the time must have contained something else as well.
“Your Majesty, how should she be dealt with?” Chen Kangan softly reminded the emperor that there was still another person in the hall.
Chu Mingheng seemed to only then remember Pan Xi’s presence in the hall. He lowered his gaze to look at her, his expression somewhat indifferent, and after a moment spoke slowly: “You avenged your sister with good intentions. What reward do you desire?”
Hearing this, the imperial concubines all grew tense, yet also adopted an attitude of watching a spectacle.
Although Pan Xi’s revelation of injustice after her dance was an accident, now that she had received His Majesty’s grace, what words would this Pan Xi utter?
Pan Xi never expected she would survive. Logically, having pleaded her sister’s case, she should now feel relieved.
But she also knew well that her ability to see the emperor today was due to Noble Consort Li. If she could not become the emperor’s woman, she would undoubtedly be killed by Noble Consort Li within the palace.
Yet His Majesty was asking what reward she wanted…
No matter how great Noble Consort Li’s power, it could not surpass His Majesty’s.
Thinking of this, Pan Xi’s heart gradually sank, her throat tightened. She prostrated herself in a deep bow and cautiously said: “Your Majesty, this humble maid seeks nothing else, only to leave the palace and have the means to establish herself in life.”
After she spoke, she heard no further sound from His Majesty.
The imperial concubines exchanged glances.
Lan Wu observed their expressions, waiting to see who would speak first.
She did not have to wait long.
Noble Consort Li’s voice was not abrupt; compared to before, she now seemed more thoughtful, as if having weighed her options, she tentatively spoke softly: “Today is the New Year’s Eve banquet, and this palace maid is sincere in heart. It would be a pity for her to leave the palace…”
“A pity?” Consort Shu immediately picked up on these words, looking sidelong at Noble Consort Li with a half-smile. “Then what does Noble Consort Li think would not be a pity?”
Noble Consort Li cautiously glanced at Chu Mingheng’s expression and reaction, but she truly could discern nothing else from that stern and majestic face. Gritting her teeth, she proposed: “This concubine believes this palace maid is quite beautiful and dances well. Your Majesty might consider taking her in. There is no better place to establish oneself than by Your Majesty’s side.”
Before anyone could react, they saw Pan Xi repeatedly kowtowing to the emperor, anxiously saying: “Your Majesty, forgive this crime—this humble maid absolutely harbors no such thoughts—I only wish to leave the palace, I beg Your Majesty’s grace—”
Lan Wu also understood. Earlier she had guessed it was Consort Shu who orchestrated this dance, but it turned out not to be; it was still Noble Consort Li. She truly is persistent, still not giving up on this old path.
“Who told you to perform this dance?” Lan Wu was not without temper. Although Pan Xi’s intentions lay elsewhere, she still felt somewhat irritated. But she smiled, her words casual as she looked at Chu Mingheng. “It was performed so well.”
Pan Xi immediately confessed: “Replying to Your Highness, it was Noble Consort Li who ordered this humble maid to perform a dance at today’s banquet. Noble Consort Li said she would give me an opportunity.”
“This humble maid desires no opportunity. Now that I have pleaded my sister’s case, I only wish to leave the palace. I beg Your Majesty and Your Highness to grant permission.”
She was clever indeed, knowing to also plead with Lan Wu.
Noble Consort Li’s eyes almost spat fire, thinking to herself how deeply this little wretch Pan Xi had hidden herself. Each and every one of these actions was to gain His Majesty’s attention and plead her so-called injustice.
Chu Mingheng, however, chose that moment to say, “Very well. Since you have such resolve, I grant you silver and permission to leave the palace.”
“Your servant thanks Your Majesty for this grace—” Pan Xi knelt once more and kowtowed, then withdrew from the hall before everyone’s eyes.
With her departure, no one else remained in the center of the hall. Whether the New Year’s Eve banquet should continue now rested solely on the will of those in power.