When Noble Consort An turned and saw her captor, her mind went blank. She trembled uncontrollably, unable to even speak.
Just then, a palace servant’s voice was heard from outside, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Concubine Jiang of the Duke of Ning’s residence requests an audience!"
As the weapon drew closer to her neck, the Empress Dowager knew that if she didn't say something, the person behind her might end her life with a single blow.
She took a deep breath, trying to appear as calm as possible, and asked in a low voice, "Does this Empress see her or not?" "See her!"
Though startled, the Empress Dowager still complied, "Let her in!" Da Feng Novel Network
Suddenly, she was roughly shoved to the ground. A chilling voice from behind her said, "I can come in, and I can leave. Your Majesty the Empress Dowager should carefully consider what to say and what not to say."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but choke out, "Xing Yue, are you alright?"
"Whether I'm alright or not, does it have anything to do with you?" As the words fell, footsteps could be heard from the outer hall.
When the palace servant brought Jiang Xiu Yi into the hall, she found that the chill behind her was gone.
"Your concubine pays her respects to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!" Jiang Xiu Yi knelt on the ground.
The Empress Dowager tidied her disheveled clothes and walked to the noble couch, sitting down. "Concubine Jiang, what brings you to see this Empress?"
Jiang Xiu Yi looked up at the Empress Dowager and asked, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, the matter you asked me to handle, I have done it. Then, should you not also fulfill what you promised me?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager glanced at Jiang Xiu Yi and said coldly, "Isn't it a bit too early to ask now?"
Jiang Xiu Yi was taken aback. Looking at the Empress Dowager, she boldly asked, "Does Your Majesty the Empress Dowager intend to go back on your word?"
The Empress Dowager said coldly, "How could this Empress go back on her word?"
"Then, I request Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to fulfill your promise to your concubine."
"You..."
Jiang Xiu Yi suddenly said, "After all, the crime of colluding with the enemy and treason is no minor offense. I just don't know what His Majesty the current Emperor would think if he knew that the letter of collusion with the enemy and treason was placed in the Duke of Ning's study by me. What would His Majesty think of Your Majesty the Empress Dowager?"
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager looked at Jiang Xiu Yi and sneered, "Jiang Xiu Yi, do you have any evidence for what you say? You say this Empress asked you to do it, why would this Empress do that? Is this Empress foolish? The current Emperor is this Empress's child. Whether the Duke of Ning's residence is exterminated or beheaded, this Empress's position will not be shaken in the slightest. Therefore, why would this Empress do such a thing?"
Jiang Xiu Yi bit her lower lip upon hearing this. This was also something she didn't understand.
Why would the Empress Dowager do this?
"See, even you don't know, you don't understand, yet you want to push such a heavy crime onto this Empress. Jiang Xiu Yi, who do you think will believe you?"
Jiang Xiu Yi looked at the Empress Dowager, biting her lower lip. "So you planned it all along, you calculated against me..."
The Empress Dowager sneered, "Concubine Jiang, what benefit would it be for this Empress to calculate against you?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xiu Yi looked up and said, "Your concubine doesn't know either. Your concubine also wants to ask Your Majesty the Empress Dowager your intentions for doing this."
The Empress Dowager walked down from the noble couch. "Concubine Jiang, you are very smart, but when smartness exceeds its bounds, it is no longer smart."
Jiang Xiu Yi trembled all over. She looked at the snake-like glint in the Empress Dowager's eyes, which were slowly creeping towards her.
She felt as if all her blood had frozen. She knelt there, wanting to retreat, but she couldn't move at all.
"Your Majesty, do you think your concubine has no means of her own?"
The Empress Dowager looked at her and sneered, "Then tell me, what means have you kept?"
"The Crown Prince knows that your concubine came to the palace today."
"So what? You are merely a concubine. Even if this Empress executes you now, he cannot fault this Empress."
"When your concubine left, she left a letter for the Crown Prince, informing him that Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is the instigator of all this."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager sneered, "Concubine Jiang, do you think Jiang Ming will believe you?"
"He will," Jiang Xiu Yi said with absolute certainty.
The Empress Dowager, however, was somewhat taken aback. Jiang Xiu Yi continued, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager must not know that not long ago, the Crown Prince sought out your concubine."
"What did he want with you?" the Empress Dowager asked coldly.
Jiang Xiu Yi chuckled softly upon hearing this. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager thinks the Crown Prince is easily deceived, but I tell you, the Crown Prince is not. He is very smart and has already begun to suspect that the letter of collusion with the enemy and treason was placed by your concubine in the Duke of Ning's residence. When the Crown Prince sees the letter you wrote, Your Majesty, do you think he will believe your concubine?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager looked at Jiang Xiu Yi and said coldly, "This Empress did not know you were so cautious."
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, your concubine does not wish to be at odds with you. Your concubine merely wishes to leave this place, to stay away from the court. I implore Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to grant my wish." With that, Jiang Xiu Yi kowtowed to the Empress Dowager.
"Jiang Xiu Yi, this Empress can let you leave, but not now."
Hearing this, Jiang Xiu Yi stood up. "Since that is the case, then your concubine has nothing more to say to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Saying this, Jiang Xiu Yi was about to walk out.
The Empress Dowager sneered, "You've come this far, can you really leave?" With that, the Empress Dowager gave an order, and palace servants already blocked the entrance.
Seeing this, Jiang Xiu Yi said coldly, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, aren't you afraid of the matter being exposed?"
"This Empress will now send someone to fetch Jiang Ming. Jiang Xiu Yi, you are too naive. Do you think this Empress has no one in the Duke of Ning's residence?"
Jiang Xiu Yi trembled all over. "You..."
"Arrest her..." the Empress Dowager commanded coldly.
Jiang Xiu Yi shielded her chest and suddenly shouted, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, you cannot treat me like this! I am carrying the Duke of Ning's child."
The Empress Dowager trembled all over and asked, "You... you say that again?"