The Girl Who Struggled Through Palace Intrigues to Become the Empress

Chapter 158

As the two were arguing, Xiao Fuzi had already fished Noble Consort Xiao out of the water.

She was drenched, and scared out of her wits, standing shivering in the wind.

Song Zhao took off her coat and draped it over her. "Sister, are you alright?"

Noble Consort Xiao's eyes were blank, and she didn't say a word back to her.

Consort Chen then said, "First take her back to Yonghe Palace and call for the Imperial Physician to take a look in case of any mishaps."

Song Zhao and Xiao Fuzi first brought Noble Consort Xiao back to Yonghe Palace,

while Consort Shu desperately tried to defend herself, "I had nothing to do with this! She fell in by herself!"

Consort Chen's phoenix eyes flashed sharply as she glared at her. "I saw it clearly with my own eyes, how can you try to deny it here? Kang Yubin, take her back to Yonghe Palace to await the Emperor's judgement!"

"This servant obeys!"

Kang Yubin rolled up his sleeves, about to apprehend Consort Shu.

Consort Shu backed up two steps, pointing at him and yelling angrily,

"You dare! I am a consort personally favored by the Emperor, ranked second among the four consorts! Without the Emperor's edict or the Empress's decree, who dares touch me?"

Kang Yubin was awed by her imposing manner, frozen in place at a loss.

But Consort Chen just sneered disdainfully, not taking Consort Shu seriously at all.

"I have been decreed by heaven to assist in managing the six palaces, and I am the chief of the four consorts appointed by the Emperor himself! I say I'm taking you in today, so I'm taking you in today! Do it!"

Under Consort Chen's coercion,

Consort Shu was no match for the strong and sturdy Kang Yubin, and could only reluctantly be escorted back to Yonghe Palace.

Qiu Lan went in to report,

as this concerned the safety of the imperial heir, Empress Xiao Jingheng came very quickly.

When they arrived, the Imperial Physician was treating Noble Consort Xiao in the inner palace.

Consort Chen went up to report first, "Your Majesty, do not worry. The Imperial Physician is treating Noble Consort Xiao. This servant went in to ask just now, the imperial heir in Noble Consort Xiao's belly is fine."

Only then did Xiao Jingheng's tightly knitted brows relax a little, and the Empress also heaved a sigh of relief, murmuring a Buddhist prayer, "Fortunately the imperial heir is unharmed."

As she spoke, she caught sight of Kang Yubin escorting Consort Shu in the corner, and scolded,

"Insolence! Kang Yubin! How dare a servant handle your mistress in this way?"

Only then did Kang Yubin timidly release Consort Shu.

After freeing herself, Consort Shu hurriedly ran to Xiao Jingheng, her face anguished as she pleaded,

"Your Majesty! This servant did not push Noble Consort Xiao, it was all Consort Chen wrongly accusing me, please see justice done for this servant!"

Xiao Jingheng's gaze was obscured by a thin layer of gloom as he looked at her,

before he could speak, Consort Chen interjected,

"I wrongly accused you? I saw it clearly with my own eyes, how could I wrongly accuse you?"

The two of them argued back and forth, clamoring loudly.

The Empress snapped at them, "What is the meaning of this quarreling? Do you want His Majesty to listen to you?"

When they quieted down, she looked to Consort Chen, "Consort Chen, speak first. What exactly happened? You are responsible for looking after Noble Consort Xiao, how did she just fall into the water?"

Consort Chen said, "Today Imperial Concubine Yi came to this servant's palace to visit Noble Consort Xiao. Noble Consort Xiao said she felt stifled and wanted to go out for some air. At the time this servant was sewing pillowcases for His Majesty, so I let Imperial Concubine Yi and Noble Consort Xiao go sit in the pavilion near Yonghe Palace, planning to join them later.

When I went over, I saw Consort Shu and Noble Consort Xiao arguing intensely for some reason. Consort Shu lost her temper and directly pushed Noble Consort Xiao into the Imperial Lake!"

"Arguing?" Xiao Jingheng asked sternly, "Arguing over what?"

Consort Shu replied, "This servant heard Noble Consort Xiao gossiping about me behind my back, and said that my miscarriage was retribution. I was angry and argued with her a little, originally wanting to bring her to see Your Majesty, but she shook off my hand. As a result she lost her footing and fell from the pavilion herself! It was purely an accident, how could I push her when I know she is pregnant?"

Consort Shu and Consort Chen each stuck to their own story. Of course Xiao Jingheng would not fully believe either side.

Hearing Consort Chen's account, Song Zhao was present the whole time with Noble Consort Xiao, so he asked Song Zhao,

"You were there the entire time, so what exactly happened?"

Song Zhao said apprehensively, "There was an argument, and some pulling, but whether Noble Consort Xiao fell by accident or Consort Shu pushed her...this servant was so panicked at the time I did not see clearly, so I cannot speculate blindly."

Just then, the Imperial Physician came out to report that Noble Consort Xiao had woken up.

The group went to the side palace to see her.

Noble Consort Xiao was lying on the couch, strands of wet hair still plastered to her ghostly pale cheeks.

Xiao Jingheng stood at the head of the couch and asked with concern, "How are you feeling?"

Noble Consort Xiao hurriedly grabbed Xiao Jingheng's sleeve, crying, "Your Majesty, you must see justice done for this concubine!"

The Empress said, "Don't cry first, speak up if you have any grievances. His Majesty and I are both here."

"It was Consort Shu!" Noble Consort Xiao suddenly pointed at Consort Shu, yelling tearfully, "She was the one who pushed me!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Consort Shu's eyes were filled with shock and fear as she vehemently denied, "When did I ever push you? You clearly lost your footing and fell yourself!"

But at this point, no matter how Consort Shu tried to explain herself, it seemed feeble.

Consort Chen had witnessed it personally, and Noble Consort Xiao also said it was her who pushed her. Although Song Zhao did not see clearly, she also testified that there had been pulling between the two.

The only others who could corroborate were Xiao Fuzi and Qing Yue.

Xiao Fuzi said he was standing far away, distracted playing with the koi fish in the Imperial Lake at the time, and did not see anything.

But Qing Yue categorically testified, "Your Majesty! Empress! This servant can bear witness, my mistress definitely did not push Noble Consort Xiao, she lost her balance and fell herself!"

"Oh?" Consort Chen sneered coldly, "You are Consort Shu's personal servant girl, of course you would take her side. If you want to prove your mistress's innocence, you should let the Investigations Bureau interrogate you to hear the truth from your mouth."

Consort Shu shielded Qing Yue, refusing, "What kind of place is the Investigations Bureau? Anyone who goes in cannot come out unskinned. For something this servant did not do, why should an innocent servant girl be harmed just to prove my innocence?"

Consort Chen paid her no mind, only looking to Xiao Jingheng, "Your Majesty must see justice done in this matter. It is a pity for young Consort Xiao, if anything happens to her pregnancy at this stage, whatever shall we do?"

Xiao Jingheng remained silent, neither agreeing nor refusing.

But from his gloomy expression, the Empress had already guessed his thoughts.

So she said to Qing Yue, "In order to prove your mistress's innocence, I'm afraid you will have to suffer this time. Yan Jiude, take her to the Investigations Bureau and get to the bottom of this matter."

The interrogators in the Investigations Bureau all had formidable skills.

No matter how loyal you are, once you go in and are tortured, you will confess everything.

Qing Yue was Consort Shu's trusted aide, and had secretly helped Consort Shu do many things.

Once she went in, the things she revealed from her mouth, who knew how exciting they would be.

Song Zhao watched as the color drained from Consort Shu's face, her eyes empty and legs weak as she slumped down against the wall.

At this moment, she suddenly cried out,

"Ow..."

Xiao Jingheng immediately looked at her, "What's the matter?"

"It's nothing..." Song Zhao rubbed her wrist, murmuring, "I must have twisted my wrist when pulling Sister Xiao just now."

"You too, clearly pregnant yet still jumping into the water to rescue others." Xiao Jingheng flicked his eyes at the Imperial Physician, "Come take a look at Imperial Concubine Yi."

Imperial Physician Liu examined Song Zhao's external injury first, then began taking her pulse.

But he had barely gotten a reading on her pulse before

his expression abruptly changed greatly, stammering in panic,

"This...reporting to Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine Yi's wrist sprain is nothing serious,

it's just...just that there seems to be traces of musk use inside her!"