The Morning Sun Palace
The Emperor, seated at the head of the hall, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot, glared at the Empress kneeling on the ground, his voice chillingly cold as he said, "Empress, do you not know that since the founding of the Tianwu Kingdom by our ancestor, a rule has been established: any woman who is pregnant before marriage shall be drowned in a pig cage or strangled."
"Your servant knows!"
The Empress closed her eyes slightly, hesitating for two seconds before replying with resignation.
"Then why are you shielding Leng Ruoshuang?" the Emperor retorted.
Unexpectedly, the Empress began to sob and said, "Your Majesty, please spare Leng Ruoshuang, because... because Prince Qing is already incapable of having children."
"You say Prince Qing cannot bear children? Two months ago, was he not accused of insulting several palace maids, leading to multiple pregnancies among them, and subsequently committing suicide before being reported to me? Why do you now tell me he is incapable of fathering children?"
"Your Majesty, Yao'er is truly unable to have children. Half a month ago, a concubine in his residence administered a fertility-inhibiting drug, and no divine physician has yet been found to cure him," the Empress said, her tears ceasing and her face filled with indignation.
"He deserves it! I have repeatedly warned and punished him for his indulgence in female company, yet he remains incorrigible. Who can he blame for this?"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor felt no sympathy for Prince Qing. He mused inwardly: Perhaps it is for the best that the ambitious Prince Qing has lost his fertility. This should make him behave himself now.
However, what the Emperor did not anticipate was that Prince Qing's ambition would become even more frenzied, making him even more reckless in his evil deeds.
"Your Majesty, the child in Leng Ruoshuang's belly is Prince Qing's only child. Spare her life and leave Prince Qing with an heir."
The Emperor's piercing gaze fell upon the Empress. He raised his hand to his forehead and pondered for a moment. Ultimately, his heart softened. After all, Jun Moyao was his own son, and he could not bring himself to be utterly ruthless.
The world says that in imperial families, there are no fathers and sons. Yet, he, the Emperor, could not be as heartless as his ancestors. Even though he knew Prince Qing was ambitious, secretly currying favor with court officials, and had even attempted to assassinate his own brothers, he, as a father, could never bring himself to kill this son.
Seeing the Emperor's conflicted expression, the Empress knew he was softening. There was hope for the child in Leng Ruoshuang's womb.
Just then, Eunuch Li, who had been sent out to deliver an imperial decree, returned. He walked in with light, measured steps.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Prince Leng, General Leng, and the eldest daughter of the Leng family have all entered the palace and are awaiting outside the hall," Eunuch Li said in his husky voice, bowing to the Emperor in a womanly manner.
"Summon them in," the Emperor said lightly.
Subsequently, a group of people entered the hall, with Prince Leng leading the way.
Jun Mohan: "Your humble son pays his respects to Your Majesty, and Your Majesty the Empress!"
Leng Jinyu: "Your servant pays his respects to Your Majesty, and Her Majesty the Empress!"
Leng Ruoli and Leng Ruoshuang: "Your humble daughters pay their respects to Your Majesty, and Her Majesty the Empress!"
Concubine Liu: "This lowly woman pays her respects to Your Majesty, and Her Majesty the Empress!"
The Emperor, seated at the head of the hall, cast a cold gaze upon those paying their respects below, finally settling his eyes on Jun Mohan.
"Why have you also followed them in?" the Emperor asked, his dragon brows furrowed as he fixed his gaze on Prince Leng.
"Your humble son was visiting his Consort tonight and saw Eunuch Li deliver a message from Your Majesty. I followed General Leng and the others into the palace," Jun Mohan replied nonchalantly.
Alas—
The Emperor sighed inwardly.
His second son had never been interested in these bothersome trivialities. He wondered why he had come into the palace tonight.
"You may all rise!"
The Emperor waved his hand at everyone, signaling them to stand.
Immediately after, the Emperor cast a look of disgust at Leng Ruoshuang.
"Leng Ruoshuang, you engaged in illicit relations with Prince Qing before your marriage. Do you have no shame?" the Emperor demanded sternly.
Upon hearing the Emperor directly question and condemn her, Leng Ruoshuang's legs suddenly weakened, and she almost sank to the ground.
She pleaded, "Your Majesty, spare my life! Your servant and Prince Qing are mutually in love, and it was through uncontrollable passion that we engaged in relations between man and woman."
"Hmph—"
The Emperor snorted coldly.
"You are the second young lady of General Leng's manor. Do you not even understand a rule that has been passed down for several hundred years in the Tianwu Kingdom?" the Emperor retorted.
"Your servant knows she was wrong. I beg Your Majesty to spare me this once."
The tears gathered in Leng Ruoshuang's eyes, ready to fall at any moment.
"Minister Leng, Madam Liu, how did you raise Leng Ruoshuang?" the Emperor then turned to Leng Jinyu and Liu Ruyi, holding them accountable.
"Your Majesty, due to my long years of garrison duty at the border, I have indeed been neglectful in my children's upbringing."
Uh...
Enough of that. Leng Jinyu was blaming himself. Wasn't it he himself who arranged for him to be stationed at the border year after year?
But wasn't the reason he did this to protect Leng Jinyu?
"Your Majesty, it is this lowly woman's fault. I failed to properly discipline her. I beg Your Majesty to punish this lowly woman," Concubine Liu hastily accepted the blame.
The Emperor looked at Concubine Liu and said, "Leng Ruoshuang's situation indeed bears an undeniable responsibility on your part. Guards, drag Madam Liu out and administer thirty strokes of the rod."
The Emperor immediately ordered the punishment of Madam Liu.
"Yes, this lowly woman accepts the punishment!" Concubine Liu shrewdly accepted the punishment.
Then, the Emperor's piercing gaze turned back to Leng Ruoshuang and said, "Leng Ruoshuang, since you are carrying Prince Qing's child, and seeing that the Empress has interceded on your behalf, I shall grant you the title of wife in Prince Qing's manor. Tomorrow, Prince Qing's manor shall send a sedan chair to fetch you from General Leng's manor to reside in Prince Qing's manor to carry your pregnancy."
As the words fell, Leng Ruoshuang's vision went black, and she immediately fainted. Her entanglement with Prince Qing was not to become a concubine; she had her sights set on the position of Prince Qing's Consort.
Seeing that she had fainted.
The Empress immediately instructed the palace servants to carefully carry Leng Ruoshuang away.
Witnessing the fate of Madam Liu and her daughter.
Leng Ruoli could not help but feel a touch of sympathy. The status of women in ancient times was truly too humble. Leng Ruoshuang and Prince Qing's clandestine affair was not a matter of one person alone; yet the Emperor only held Leng Ruoshuang accountable from beginning to end. For women, this was too unfair.
What if Prince Qing had forced Leng Ruoshuang into intimacy? Would that still be Leng Ruoshuang's fault?
Although she did not approve of women cohabiting or getting pregnant before marriage, if some women could not endure loneliness and slept with men, and then became pregnant, it did not warrant sending the woman to her death, did it?
Just as Leng Ruoli was lost in thought, the Emperor called her name.
"Leng Ruoli, why did you strike Concubine Wu from the Empress's palace tonight?"
"Your Majesty, your servant went to the manor's kitchen tonight to fetch some ingredients for cooking. I saw Concubine Wu wasting a great deal of fresh vegetables and meat, so I angrily reprimanded her a few times and asked her to pay the food expenses for our manor. When she refused, she attempted to ambush me from behind with a dagger. Your servant, unable to endure it further, exchanged a few blows with her, and thus we had a dispute."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor instructed Eunuch Li to summon Concubine Wu through another palace gate to verify the account.
"Concubine Wu, is what the eldest young lady of the Leng family said true?"
The Emperor questioned her with an angry gaze. The thing he valued most in his life was food. This was because when he was still a prince, the former Emperor had sent him to the border to lead troops into battle. One winter, the grain sent by the court was delayed, and they were surrounded by enemy forces. He and Leng Jinyu almost starved to death in the icy wilderness. /
If Leng Jinyu had not saved his life by leaving him his only steamed bun and a few pieces of beef jerky, he might have starved to death long ago...
"Your Majesty, this servant... this servant, was not wasting those ingredients, but rather..."
Seeing Concubine Wu still attempting to quibble, the Emperor became even angrier.
"Guards, throw Concubine Wu into the imperial prison and sentence her to execution on an appointed day."
"Yes, your subordinates obey!"
Then, two imperial guards entered and dragged Concubine Wu away.
"Your Majesty, no! No! This servant knows her mistake... I beg you to spare me this once. Your Majesty the Empress, Your Majesty the Empress, please save me!"
Concubine Wu never dreamed that the Emperor would kill her for such a minor matter. If she had known this would happen, she would not have complained to the Empress. She never expected the Empress to not save her...
Subsequently, Concubine Wu's voice grew fainter and fainter.
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