Chapter 251: Kicking Someone When They're Down
Ever since the Eighth Prince "died of illness," all sorts of rumors had been circulating in the palace.
Some said that after losing her son, the Imperial Consort's temper grew more violent by the day, smashing things and cursing in the palace. Others said the Imperial Consort was ill, that she had developed hysteria.
Gossip was the one thing the rear palace never lacked. Soon, the rumors reached the ears of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager reportedly went to find the Emperor with a stern face, scolding him for a full hour, telling him to pay more attention to the rear palace, lest his poor choice of consort tarnish the imperial family's reputation and make them a laughingstock.
The Emperor was naturally heartbroken over the loss of his son. It was only because he feared being reminded of his grief that he hadn't flipped the Imperial Consort's nameplate for some time. After being reminded by the Empress Dowager, he naturally rushed to the Imperial Consort's palace at the first opportunity to see what the situation was, and if it was really as serious as the rumors claimed. But he had barely stepped into the Imperial Consort's palace when he heard her smash a vase on the floor, berating a palace maid. Her disheveled, terrifying appearance scared the Emperor into turning around and leaving immediately.
The next day, the Emperor sent an Imperial Physician to the Imperial Consort's palace to diagnose her.
The Imperial Physician had long since been bribed by the Crown Prince. After the examination, he reported back to the Emperor, saying that the Imperial Consort was heartbroken over the loss of her son, constantly felt that someone had murdered the Eighth Prince, and had developed hysteria due to this obsession. He said it was best to isolate her for a period of observation and treatment, which would be beneficial for her condition.
The Emperor was fooled by the Imperial Physician and, with a wave of his sleeve, allowed the physician to proceed.
It was called observation and treatment, but this rear palace was filled with people who fawned on the powerful and trampled on the weak. Seeing the Imperial Consort confined to her palace for treatment and lacking the support of a son, everyone assumed she had fallen out of favor. They became increasingly neglectful of the people in the Imperial Consort's bedchamber. The side palace, once bustling with visitors and splendor, instantly became even more desolate than the Cold Palace.
The Imperial Consort was not mad. How could she tolerate this treatment? She sent people to pass messages to her father and brothers, demanding they pressure the Emperor to thoroughly investigate the Eighth Prince's death, lift her confinement, and inform everyone that she did not have hysteria. But her father and brothers had lost many of their allies during the Crown Prince's earlier search of the capital. Their strength had not yet recovered, and seeing that the Imperial Consort had lost her son and had no hope of a comeback, they were anxious to curry favor with the Emperor. They actually disregarded the Imperial Consort's fate and sent their own sister from the same clan into the palace, hoping to replace her, regain favor, and restore the family's fortunes.
The Imperial Consort wasn't mad, but she was angered to the point of near-death by her own family.
The Empress was childless and had been suppressed for years by the favored Imperial Consort over this matter. She had suffered no small amount of grief from the Imperial Consort during her arrogant days. Now that the Imperial Consort was in a situation where she could call to the heavens and earth for help and receive no answer, how could the Empress not kick her while she was down? Before long, the Imperial Consort truly fell ill. After a detailed examination, the Imperial Physician only reported a few words to the Emperor, to the effect that the illness had come on bizarrely. Perhaps it was due to excessive pining for the Eighth Prince, and the sickness had attacked her vitals. It was coming on aggressively, and he feared she did not have long.
Except for the easily fooled Emperor, no one believed that the Imperial Consort, who came from a military family and had always been robust, was wasting away from missing the Eighth Prince and was suddenly on the verge of death.
When the Crown Prince received the report from the palace, he smiled as if he understood everything perfectly. He waved his hand, acting as if nothing was wrong.
He didn't bother to hide it from Sun Jiaojiao.
As soon as the spy left, Sun Jiaojiao clung to the Crown Prince and asked curiously, "The Imperial Consort is no longer a threat. Why does the Empress still want to poison her and put her to death?"
The Crown Prince glanced at Sun Jiaojiao indifferently. "In the rear palace, which woman's hands do you think are not stained with blood?"
Sun Jiaojiao had only ever seen how formidable palace-scheming women were on TV.
A woman like her, if she really entered the palace, probably wouldn't survive three episodes.
She trembled, acting spoiled with the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, Jiaojiao is ignorant. I can't scheme, and I don't want to stain my hands with blood. You absolutely must not fill the rear palace with a flock of other women to trap Jiaojiao..."
The Crown Prince looked at her playfully. "You don't want This Prince to take other consorts?"
Sun Jiaojiao said decisively, "I don't!"
The Crown Prince: "That depends on your performance."
Sun Jiaojiao: "How does Your Highness want Jiaojiao to perform?"
The Crown Prince: "It depends on how you perform in bed."
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