Chapter 41: Was It Intentional?
Reminded by her, Rong Shuyi’s lips trembled before she finally closed her mouth.
“This matter…” Consort Rou weighed her words carefully and said softly, “You are the victim, but Zhen Jieyu also said you bumped into her first. It will depend on how you explain it to His Majesty.”
Rong Shuyi closed her eyes, propped up her weak body, and sat upright before replying, “Please allow this concubine some time to think it over, Your Highness.”
Consort Rou said no more, instructing several palace maids to take good care of her before leaving the side hall.
When she returned to the main hall, the imperial concubines all turned their gazes toward her but dared not ask directly.
Consort Rou spoke first: “Rong Shuyi is unsettled. Let her think it through herself. She will come to understand.”
With that, she turned her gaze toward the door of the Inner Palace and asked those remaining in the hall, “How is Zhen Jieyu?”
“Your Highness, Zhen Jieyu’s pain is only due to menstrual discomfort. The Imperial Physician has already administered acupuncture, and medicine has been sent in.”
So it wasn’t a miscarriage.
Consort Li scoffed softly. She had said it all along—how could someone who hadn’t even been an imperial concubine for a full month possibly be pregnant?
Looking at her earlier appearance, one might have thought she was about to die right there.
But His Majesty truly fell for her act. See how much he dotes on her—he didn’t even glance at Rong Shuyi, who was bleeding and even miscarried, yet he was so distressed over Zhen Jieyu, who was perfectly fine.
In the Inner Palace, Lian Xi fed Lan Wu the medicine.
Lan Wu had woken up on her own not long after the Imperial Physician administered the acupuncture. After waking, she dared not move recklessly, only opening her eyes to search for Chu Mingheng’s direction.
Chu Mingheng had the palace maid feed her the medicine first. Seeing her drink it without delay this time, he sat lazily in the chair before the couch, propping his forehead with his hand. Only after she finished drinking did he speak: “I have questions for you.”
Lan Wu’s eyes grew warm. Uncertain what he would ask, she lowered her head as if she had done something wrong, sitting uneasily as she waited for him to speak.
“Was it intentional?”
The first question was asked. Even though no names were mentioned, both knew what it referred to.
Lan Wu bit her lip, suppressing the sobs and tremors in her voice. Shaking her head, she said, “No…”
Seeing her like this, Chu Mingheng wanted to ask more but stopped himself at that moment.
He could reach out and touch Lan Wu’s face. At such close distance, he could clearly see her disheveled state.
“If it wasn’t your fault, then don’t cry, alright?” Chu Mingheng hooked a finger, wiping away the tears at the corner of Lan Wu’s eyes, then pinched her cheek gently. His voice was slow and deliberate. “I’ll step out for a moment.”
Lan Wu looked at him blankly. The warmth of another person on her cheek was fading, yet she no longer felt cold.
Chu Mingheng believed her…
In the main hall, the imperial concubines waited silently for the Emperor to emerge. Hearing the sound, they all stood up, bowing respectfully once they saw him.
Chu Mingheng glanced around and said, “Rise.”
“None of you saw what happened on the lake, is that right?” After sitting down, his single question left everyone frozen in place.
The question carried no accusatory tone; his voice was calm and steady, yet it inexplicably felt oppressive.
No one saw anything? That was impossible.
Even though some had not yet come ashore at the time, there were plenty of people on the shore. Even while talking, they would have glanced toward the lake. Moreover, Lan Wu and Rong Shuyi were sharing a small boat, so naturally, everyone would have wanted to watch the spectacle.
But now, they wished they hadn’t gone to join in on that excitement.
Looking at it this way, Consort Shu and her companions were truly fortunate to have avoided this trouble.
“Your Majesty, this concubine did witness some of it,” someone in the crowd quickly spoke up. The person stepped forward and reported, “This concubine saw the small boat dock, and Sister Yun had already disembarked. Behind her was Zhen Jieyu.”
“When Zhen Jieyu was being helped ashore by her palace maid, a gust of wind arose, causing the boat to sway… Behind Zhen Jieyu was indeed Rong Shuyi, who couldn’t keep her balance… Everything happened too quickly. Just as Zhen Jieyu was about to fall into the lake, she suddenly steadied herself and pushed Rong Shuyi, who was falling toward her, away.”
With this account, Zhen Jieyu’s claim that she had instinctively pushed Rong Shuyi away because Rong Shuyi was about to knock her into the water seemed plausible.
Yet Consort Li couldn’t help but mutter, “Rong Shuyi bumping into her was unintentional. Instead of dodging, she chose to push someone. Who’s to say she didn’t take advantage of the situation and push her deliberately?”
She whispered softly, but her words reached the ears of those around her, and everyone considered this possibility.
“Your Majesty, didn’t Zhaorong Yun say they had already quarreled on the boat? If Zhen Jieyu truly did it intentionally, today she dares to push someone into the water—who knows what she might do tomorrow? Your Majesty, please see clearly—”
What could she possibly do?
Chu Mingheng’s thoughts drifted slightly, and he inwardly scoffed. What could Lan Wu possibly do? With her slender arms and legs, she’d complain of leg pain after kneeling for just a while—such a delicate girl. At most, she’d cling to those unsightly romance novels of hers, lost in tales of love.
“Bring that palace maid from earlier up here.” After a moment, his thoughts returned, and Chu Mingheng lightly pressed his fingers against the carved armrest, issuing a stern command.
Soon, Zhi Lan was brought into the hall.
“Repeat everything you said on the boat, and explain clearly what happened when Shuyi fell into the water. If you dare to leave out even a single detail, watch your head.” Chen Kangan, having received the emperor’s glance, immediately stood to the side and began interrogating her.
Even without his warning, Zhi Lan was terrified enough to confess everything.
“This servant is named Zhi Lan, a name given by my mistress. On the boat, Jieyu asked this servant which characters made up the name, and this servant told her. The lady seemed displeased, but… but she didn’t say anything. After that, the boat docked…”
“Later, this servant helped my mistress follow the others ashore when the boat began to sway… My mistress, she lost her balance and fell forward. Just as this servant was about to steady her, I saw Jieyu push my mistress away! That’s why my mistress fell into the lake…”
She finished speaking anxiously, repeatedly kowtowing to the ground.
“This servant dares not utter a single lie. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy on my mistress. She—”
“Bold! You have no right to speak such words here.” Chen Kangan coldly interrupted her.
Zhi Lan immediately fell silent, nervously awaiting the emperor’s words.
“She asked about your name. How did you answer?”
Zhi Lan finally heard the emperor speak, but she hadn’t expected such a question. Her face paled, and she hesitated to reply.
Cautiously and fearfully, she prostrated herself on the ground, trembling as she spoke, “Your Majesty, this servant said my name is… the ‘Zhi’ from ‘sesame,’ and the ‘Lan’ from ‘orchid.'”
The expressions of the imperial concubines varied, and then Chen Kangan turned his gaze toward the emperor.
Chu Mingheng lowered his eyes slightly, his icy gaze like blades wrapped in frost, chilling to the bone. What he spoke was no longer a question: “Your master truly knows how to waste words.”