"Initially, it was Consort Leng who spoke sarcastically to Imperial Concubine Qin about her ignorance, and Her Majesty the Empress truly had good intentions. After all, how could we sisters have known the Emperor had secretly bestowed lychees upon Consort Leng?" Zhao Yi Shen, who disliked Leng Yuanxiang, spoke in the Empress's defense.
The women of the inner palace began to chatter, their voices joining in a chorus.
"Yes, Your Majesty, you have wronged Her Majesty the Empress!"
"Her Majesty the Empress was truly well-intentioned, thinking that her sisters had never tasted lychees before, and thus organized this banquet to share them."
...
Situ Chuanqiong finally understood that he had wronged Chu Yulan (Xiao Wenqiang). He had initially believed the Empress had organized this Lychee Banquet purely for ostentation, which led to this incident with his little Xiang'er, and thus he had taken his anger out on her.
However, as the sovereign, how could he admit his mistake in front of so many people? Where would his dignity be then?
Fortunately, at this moment, Imperial Physician He arrived in a hurry, carrying his medicine chest, along with several other imperial physicians and medical attendants.
Consort Leng was carefully lifted by the imperial physicians. The medical attendants prepared clean bedding and placed her on a board, then hurried towards Jinle Palace.
Situ Chuanqiong followed to check on her. As he passed Chu Yulan (Xiao Wenqiang), he wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Leng Yuanxiang's cries of pain. In the end, he left without saying a word.
Given what had happened, the Lychee Banquet could not possibly continue. All the imperial consorts offered their courtesies and departed one by one.
Qin Mingzhu looked at Chu Yulan (Xiao Wenqiang) and said with a hint of self-mockery, "Empress, I have been competing with you for so long, only to find that Leng Yuanxiang is now pregnant with the Emperor's child? When did she receive such favor that I heard absolutely nothing about it?"
"When the clam and the mussel fight, the fisherman benefits. Imperial Concubine Qin, do you not understand yet? From the Emperor's anxious demeanor today, it is clear who he cares about and favors the most," Xiao Wenqiang pointed out to her, then led Chu Li back to Kunning Palace.
Qin Mingzhu stood in the suddenly empty Imperial Garden, lost in thought. She had indeed seen it, but dared not believe it.
She could tolerate losing to Empress Chu Yulan, who had shared hardships with the Emperor and fought alongside him on the battlefield. But Leng Yuanxiang, who entered the palace even later than herself, by what right did she receive the Emperor's favor? She had even made the Emperor use the Empress as a shield for her.
Yes! Qin Mingzhu realized it. The Emperor's most beloved woman was none other than Leng Yuanxiang! And Chu Yulan, the Empress, was merely a pitiable shield.
Not only Qin Guifei, but all the consorts present at the Lychee Banquet had realized this. And within the hour, the entire inner palace knew.
At this moment, the pitiable shield, Empress Chu Yulan (Xiao Wenqiang), was sitting in her own chambers, leisurely eating the remaining lychees.
Chu Li had already paced around the room countless times. Turning back, she looked at the Empress with a worried expression, "Your Majesty, how can you still be in the mood to eat? This servant is almost worried to death for you."
"Chu Li, what are you worried about? The boat will naturally reach the bridge. Quickly sit down and eat some lychees!" Xiao Wenqiang continued to peel a lychee and, as Chu Li passed by, casually put it into her mouth.
Chu Li was momentarily stunned, but still ate uncontrollably. It was truly sweet!
Spitting out the pit, Chu Li continued with a stern little face, "Your Majesty, this servant is worried about Consort Leng! Did you not hear what the Emperor said? If anything happens to the child Consort Leng is carrying, you will not escape responsibility!"
"Are we to believe everything he says? With so many people present today, if you ask Situ Chuanqiong to repeat that, it will hold no water!" Xiao Wenqiang said disdainfully.
Hearing this, Chu Li quickly looked around to confirm there were no outsiders before saying, "Your Majesty, how can you address the Emperor so casually? If someone with ill intentions overhears this, it will surely cause more trouble. Moreover, he is the Emperor, so what he says is what it is!"
Xiao Wenqiang was speechless. She couldn't possibly explain human rights issues to a little palace maid poisoned by centuries of feudalistic teachings. Instead, she explained in another way, "Don't worry, Chu Li. Right now, your Empress stands on the highest moral ground. On the surface, no one can fault me. If Situ... the Emperor were to vent his anger on me over this matter, he would be cursed by all the officials and the common people."
"But Your Majesty, how would the officials and the common people know about matters in the inner palace?" Chu Li was still quite naive.
"Today, more than just your Empress was in the Imperial Garden! Besides me, who else present today doesn't have intricate relationships with officials in the imperial court?" Xiao Wenqiang gradually revealed her intention. "Leng Yuanxiang has made quite a stir this time. In the inner palace, it's not just Qin Mingzhu who will be keeping an eye on her!"
Although Chu Li didn't quite understand, she felt that what the Empress said sounded very powerful, and her anxious mood gradually eased.
A while later, someone sent to gather information returned, spreading the news throughout the inner palace: Consort Leng's child, whose conception was unknown, had miscarried today due to a fight with Imperial Concubine Qin, and the child was lost!
Upon hearing this news, Xiao Wenqiang said to Chu Li, "Chu Li, we must now begin to display a somber demeanor."
As expected, not long after this news spread, an imperial decree from Situ Chuanqiong arrived: Qin Mingzhu, for her arrogance and cruelty in harming an imperial descendant, was to be punished with half a year's confinement in the cold palace. Simultaneously, she was to observe vegetarianism and recite Buddhist scriptures, praying for the unborn prince who had died before birth.
Since Leng Yuanxiang learned that her child was truly lost, her eyes swelled into walnuts from crying. Coupled with the fact that her own child had miscarried, and Situ Chuanqiong had only punished Qin Mingzhu with half a year's confinement, she was furious to the point of shutting down.
"My little Xiang'er, don't be too sad. Take good care of yourself. We will have children in the future," Situ Chuanqiong sat by her bedside, holding a bowl of traditional Chinese medicine and gently coaxing her.
Leng Yuanxiang turned her head away, tears streaming down her face again. "Situ Chuanqiong, you keep saying you love me, yet our first child died before even being born, and you lack the courage to severely punish that wicked woman. Is this what you call love?"
"My little Xiang'er, I also wish I could kill Qin Mingzhu to avenge our child. But the Left Prime Minister's influence is considerable now, and since you also took action this time, and so many palace attendants saw it at the time, it is not justifiable to punish Qin Mingzhu too severely!" Situ Chuanqiong explained patiently.
"Not justifiable!" Leng Yuanxiang was truly infuriated with this man. As an emperor, he couldn't even protect the woman he loved and their child. Thinking back, his previous instruction for her not to be too conspicuous and to keep a low profile was simply a manifestation of his own incompetence!