RPAGF Chapter 26 The General's Little Darling
Chapter 26 The General's Little Darling
Just then, a eunuch rushed over to announce, "The Emperor and the Empress have arrived!"
Upon hearing this, everyone knelt down and bowed, shouting in unison, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!"
The emperor and empress walked in gracefully amidst the greetings of the crowd. The emperor raised his hand and said, "Rise, all of you."
After everyone expressed their gratitude, they stood up. The emperor's gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Ji Xiaosong and Li Wanyu. He asked, "What's going on? Why is there such a commotion?"
Consort Song hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, it is just a minor misunderstanding between women. I have already begun to deal with it."
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice, "Since it is a misunderstanding, then tell me. I want to see what kind of misunderstanding could cause such a commotion at this banquet."
Consort Song's expression tightened, and she was about to speak again when the Emperor looked at Ji Xiaosong and said, "Madam Xiao, you speak."
Ji Xiaosong curtsied and recounted the events in a humble yet assertive manner.
She just didn't want to be framed; she didn't have any real skills in palace intrigue.
However, this does not mean she is afraid of trouble.
Since the emperor has already given her a chance, there's no need for her to be timid or hesitant.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's face grew even darker. He looked at Li Wanyu and said sternly, "Madam Song, your words are so reckless and your malicious speculations are utterly immoral! General Xiao has rendered outstanding service to our dynasty. How can you, his wife, slander him like this? From this day forward, your title of Lady of the Palace is hereby revoked, and you are sentenced to six months of reflection in the Buddhist hall, to copy scriptures one hundred times, and to properly repent!"
Li Wanyu knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down her face: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I know I was wrong. I will never dare to do it again."
The Emperor snorted coldly, no longer looking at her, and turned to Consort Song, saying, "Consort, you organized the banquet, yet such a sordid incident occurred, causing Lady Xiao to suffer this injustice. You are hereby punished with a 50% reduction in your monthly allowance for six months, and the palace affairs under your jurisdiction will be temporarily handled by Consort Xian. You are also confined for two months to reflect on your actions!"
Consort Song's face turned pale, and she knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I know I am guilty."
Then, the Emperor turned to look at Ji Xiaosong, his expression softening slightly, and said, "Madam Xiao has been wronged. I already knew that you were pregnant with multiple children, which is a joyous occasion. I specially invited you to this spring banquet so that you could share this auspicious event with everyone. However, the Consort has failed to take good care of you, which is a dereliction of duty."
Then, the emperor spoke gently to Ji Xiaosong: "Madam Xiao, do not worry about this matter. If anyone dares to be disrespectful again in the future, I will not let them off lightly."
Ji Xiaosong hurriedly expressed her gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty. I am overwhelmed with gratitude."
The emperor then looked around at everyone and said sternly, "I hope you will all take today's events as a warning and not cause any more trouble that would spoil the peaceful scene in the palace."
Everyone lowered their heads in agreement, not daring to say anything more.
With this matter concluded, the emperor dismissed the others.
The Empress was helped toward Ji Xiaosong and affectionately took Ji Xiaosong's hand.
“Madam Xiao, I have heard that you are also pregnant. Coincidentally, the baby in my womb is about the same age as yours.”
Ji Xiaosong quickly bowed and said, "It is my great honor to share in Your Majesty's joy."
"It is truly remarkable that I am pregnant at my age. Unlike you, Madam Xiao, who is in the prime of your youth and has a promising future."
"Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune and will surely give His Majesty another son."
"I only wish for the child to be safe and healthy. Madam Xiao, you must be extra careful with your multiple pregnancies."
The Empress smiled and said a few more words, just as she was about to continue, when Madam Ji interjected at the opportune moment: "Your Majesty is of noble birth, yet you still care so much for my daughter. I am deeply grateful."
Before she could respond to her mother, the Empress turned her head slightly, about to speak, but suddenly her expression changed, and her hand unconsciously went to her belly, exclaiming softly, "Oh dear, my belly is suddenly tightening."
The palace maids around them panicked, and Ji Xiaosong and her mother also looked nervous.
Upon hearing that the Empress was unwell, the Emperor rushed over and anxiously asked, "How is Zitong? Quickly summon the imperial physician!"
A flurry of activity ensued, and the previously lively atmosphere instantly turned tense.
Ji Xiaosong looked around and used her divine sense to check herself and those close to her.
His pupils constricted sharply when he saw the sachet worn by Ji's mother and the purse of her maid.
She approached Madam Ji discreetly, using her wide sleeves to secretly put Madam Ji's sachet into her spatial storage and replace it. She also took the maid's purse and quietly replaced the medicine packet inside.
As soon as she finished changing, Consort Song spoke up: "Your Majesty, the Empress's health is of utmost importance and cannot be compromised in the slightest. Just now, the Empress was chatting happily with Madam Xiao. How could she suddenly feel unwell? If there is anything suspicious about this, then those who deliberately targeted her must not be let off lightly!"
The fluffy cloud drifted over to Ji Xiaosong's side to watch the show, and thankfully no one paid attention to the cloud that had shrunk to the size of a fingernail.
[Ah Song, I just saw you changed Mother Ji's sachet, what happened?]
"The Purple Condensation Flower is a tribute from a foreign land, and most people in this country are unaware of its properties. However, those who have colluded with foreign lands will certainly know its effects. I am a spirit of plants, and my understanding of plants is unparalleled among humans. The calming sachet that Mother Ji usually wears is incompatible with the fragrance of the Purple Condensation Flower. It may not be a problem for her to smell it, but for someone whose pregnancy is already unstable, smelling it might cause a miscarriage."
So, are the maids' purses the same?
"No, the maid's purse contained abortion pills."
What's going on? What are you going to do next?
"I don't know if this matter is related to Consort Song, but if it is, then it is worth my careful consideration. I will discuss it with Xiao Shen after I return, and then make a decision. He is always more thorough than I am. For now, I will remain still and see what they plan to do."
Before long, the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital rushed over, and Liu Zheng was the first to step forward and take the Empress's pulse.
A moment later, Liu Zheng knelt down with a solemn expression and reported, "Your Majesty, the Empress has been affected by the medication, which has caused a miscarriage."
The emperor's eyes widened in fury as he roared, "Investigate everyone present thoroughly and find out who carried anything that could harm the Empress!"
The guards immediately sprang into action, carefully inspecting everyone's belongings.
The emperor paced back and forth to the side, his face terribly gloomy.
When they searched Ji's mother and maid, Ji Xiaosong noticed that the imperial physician was more thorough in his examination, and even became somewhat suspicious when he found nothing.
The imperial physician's gaze swept back and forth between Madam Ji and the maid, seemingly unwilling to give up so easily.
At this moment, Consort Song stepped forward and asked the imperial physician directly, "Imperial physician, have you noticed anything amiss with them?"
The imperial physician trembled and quickly bowed his head, replying, "Your Highness, we have not found anything yet."
Consort Song's face darkened, a hint of threat flashing in her eyes. She said again, "Did you really check carefully? If there were any oversights, can you bear the responsibility?"
The imperial physician was sweating profusely, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, I have indeed examined you carefully, and indeed... I have indeed found nothing unusual."
"What is the meaning of Your Highness's actions? The imperial physicians found nothing wrong with the items my mother was wearing, so why is Your Highness giving such instructions?"
Ji Xiaosong strode forward, shielding her mother behind her.