Chapter 143: When the Wall Collapses, Everyone Pushes
Xiuyi Bai wore a light purple ceremonial robe today. Despite the auspicious occasion, her attire was remarkably understated, presenting an overall appearance of simplicity and restraint.
“Your Majesty, what I wish to speak of concerns Lady Shufei.”
Xiuyi Bai’s tone was calm. After uttering these words, she paid no heed to Consort Shu’s sudden, sharp glare as she turned around, and simply continued her account:
“Some time ago, Lady Shufei instructed me to carry out a task.”
“She ordered me to seek a certain medicine from outside the palace.”
Chu Mingheng raised his voice slightly. “What medicine?”
Xiuyi Bai glanced at Consort Shu, a flicker of emotion seeming to pass through her eyes before vanishing swiftly. She lowered her head respectfully and stated solemnly, “A medicine that causes infertility.”
As these three words fell, the surrounding imperial concubines collectively drew sharp breaths.
That was a medicine to induce infertility—every concubine in the palace longed to have a prince to rely on. Even if they could not bear a prince, having a princess would be a blessing, for they could never truly fathom the Emperor’s favor. Ultimately, royal offspring were of greater importance.
Once administered such a medicine, one would be forever severed from the possibility of bearing royal children.
The crucial question was: whom did Consort Shu intend to target with this infertility medicine?
The concubines’ gazes shifted almost in unison toward the upper part of the hall, landing upon Lan Wu, who stood beside the Emperor, deeply favored yet now wearing an expression of bewilderment tinged with shock.
After all their speculation, only Lan Wu remained as the likely target.
Lan Wu herself felt an inexplicable sense of relief. What she had feared was Consort Shu acting in secret, scheming against her in the shadows—that was what truly seemed terrifying. Now that she knew Consort Shu had intended to administer an infertility drug to her, although shocked and filled with lingering fear, it was not entirely unexpected.
What she had not anticipated was Xiuyi Bai’s betrayal of Consort Shu.
“Xiuyi Bai.” Consort Shu called her name, nearly gritting her teeth, the veins on her forehead beginning to bulge. “Do not speak nonsense here as if intoxicated. When have I ever spoken to you of any infertility medicine!”
Xiuyi Bai exhaled softly and continued, “Your Majesty, since assuming authority over the palace affairs, Lady Shufei has often been dissatisfied that Zhen Zhaorong’s Yilan Hall consistently receives various fine items. Last time, it was the newly cultivated roses from the Linheng Office. Because the Linheng Office bypassed her and first sent four pots of roses to Yilan Hall, while Lady Shufei’s own Yifang Hall received only two pots, she became displeased. I was present in the hall at that time and heard Lady Shufei express her dissatisfaction with Zhen Zhaorong.”
“And now, in winter, the supplies used in Yilan Hall are exquisite. Even the ceremonial robe for this New Year’s Eve banquet was specially prepared for Zhen Zhaorong by the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau, bypassing Lady Shufei.”
“Consequently, Lady Shufei grew even more discontent. Thus, she intended to use the infertility medicine to sever Zhen Zhaorong’s favor, ensuring she would never bear children in this lifetime.”
“When I first heard Lady Shufei’s idea, I advised against it, hoping to halt this dreadful notion, but Lady Shufei seemed as if possessed.”
“It is for the sake of Your Majesty and Zhen Zhaorong, and indeed for Lady Shufei herself, that I have today revealed all that Lady Shufei instructed me to do. I hope that from now on, Lady Shufei will reflect upon her own actions and refrain from harming Your Majesty’s concubines and offspring.”
That afternoon, the matter involving Prince Wei had just been dealt with, revealing his background. With the example of the Late Emperor’s concubine Wen Shi, it was clear how deeply His Majesty detested the act of imperial concubines harming royal offspring. Now, with Xiuyi Bai claiming that Consort Shu harbored similar intentions, she had firmly pinned Consort Shu to the ground, making it impossible for her to rise again no matter how hard she tried.
“Xiuyi Bai, you must not speak nonsense—!” Consort Shu couldn’t help but feel a chill run through her entire body. Hearing Xiuyi Bai’s words, cold sweat continuously broke out on her back. She loudly tried to interrupt Xiuyi Bai, appearing utterly disheveled as she knelt abruptly, kowtowing to His Majesty several times until red marks appeared on her forehead.
“Your Majesty—even if I disliked Zhen Zhaorong, I would never do such a thing. Xiuyi Bai is deliberately slandering me. She has no evidence at all, Your Majesty!”
With that, Consort Shu burst into tears, as if she were truly being framed.
Xiuyi Bai closed her eyes and continued, “It wasn’t just Zhen Zhaorong. Since Lady Shufei gained control over the palace affairs, Jinghua Palace has not known a moment of peace. If Your Majesty does not believe me, you may ask Noble Consort Li.”
Noble Consort Li hadn’t expected to be involved. She herself harbored deep hatred for Consort Shu, and now that there was an opportunity to drag her down, she naturally seized it eagerly. When His Majesty asked her, she stepped out of her seat, lamenting repeatedly.
“Replying to Your Majesty, if I have done wrong and been punished by Your Majesty, I will sincerely admit my guilt. But ever since Consort Shu took control of the palace affairs, she has never missed an opportunity to have various departments ‘look after’ Jinghua Palace.”
She uttered the words “look after” with particular bitterness.
“At first, it was the daily meals delivered by Yushan Fang—not only were they stale, but they also looked unclean.”
“I made up for this with silver. Later, as the weather grew colder, the Inner Court Administration stopped delivering charcoal. Again, I used silver to have someone buy it, but the charcoal I bought had been deliberately splashed with water, making it difficult to warm myself.”
“I am aware of the potted rose Xiuyi Bai mentioned. It was also something Consort Shu no longer wanted and threw to me. I heard—I also heard that Consort Shu sent a potted rose to the Cold Palace. She did it on purpose. She wanted me to end up like Consort Zeng—Your Majesty, although I have done wrong, I am not at that level. Who knows what else Consort Shu might do to frame me in the future?”
Lan Wu watched the drama unfold with great interest from above. In her previous life, Consort Shu had been accompanied by Zhaoyi Wen, Xiuyi Bai, and Cairen Liu. Now, the only two remaining had betrayed her, and Noble Consort Li was trying to drag her down even further. Consort Shu herself was likely at a loss for what to do.
After hearing all this, Chu Mingheng still showed no sign of interest. He glanced indifferently at those below before his gaze was drawn to the snowflakes drifting down outside the hall. As he spoke, his thumb gently rubbed the back of Lan Wu’s hand.
He said, “Consort Shu, do you admit your guilt?”
Consort Shu abruptly raised her head, her eyes bloodshot as if driven to a corner. Trembling, she still spoke clearly, word by word, “Your Majesty—I do not admit it. This is all a conspiracy to frame me. I will never admit to something I did not do!”
“Frame?” Chu Mingheng softly repeated the word she had used, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Is that all you know how to say?”
“When the Imperial Physician exposed you, you said it was a frame. When the imperial concubines accused you, you said it was a frame.”
“Besides ‘frame,’ do you have nothing else to say?”
Consort Shu was momentarily stunned, instinctively looking towards Chu Mingheng. Just as she was about to speak, she heard him slowly utter an “Alright.”
“Since you claim to be wronged, then let the palace maids by your side speak up and tell us whether you truly did these things or not.”
With that, he seemed to cast his gaze toward someone behind Consort Shu.
Someone stepped forward, knelt and bowed in the grand hall. The voice, however, was all too familiar to Consort Shu.