Chapter 30
"As a mare consort, you shouldn't talk when the emperor and the empress are talking"
"Your majesty" Consort Mei whined while clinging to the emperor's robe like an afraid kitten. Any man will fall and decide to treasure such a fragile figure. Xiao Feng chuckled mockingly.
"Empress, are you going against me? Are you also trying to kill me as well!?"
"Your majesty, there should be evidence for a crime"
"Empress, this is the evidence" Left prime minister showed an account book. Xiao Feng looks at the book in his hand and Weining took the book and open it in front of the empress. Empress looks at the book and then with a smile she throws it right to the left prime minister's head.
"Do I look like a fool to you? Though you could fool your majesty, you can't fool me. Minister Qing, go back" Empress glared at the noble consort when saying "You". Minister Qing quickly kowtowed a few times thanking and went out running while continuing to fall while exiting the room as the emperor slapped the empress making the whole hall silent.
"Are you going against me?" Noble consort Mei's lips formed a small smile. Empress looks back at the emperor.
"When you get the right decision, when you don't become ridiculed, I will never go against you like in the past" Empress turned back and exited. Empress's servants didn't waste any energy bowing toward the emperor as he boiled with anger.
He called out empress and even her maiden name a few times and finally, he kicked a table and it went away flying and broken into two pieces.
"Your majesty," Consort Mei said seductively touching his soldier as he took a breath to calm down.
"Everyone, dismiss," the Left prime minister said and everyone bowed and quickly left the chamber for emperor and consort Mei. Liuyang quickly ran to catch up with the empress.
"Empress" Empress stopped midway and wait for him to catch up as he went forward and greet the empress.
"Empress, it's all because of noble consort Mei, she misleads the emperor"
"I knew it when emperor promote her father who was a third rank official from a merchant family to a 1st rank prime minister"
"Empress, if this keeps going on sooner or later Sui kingdom will decline"
"I know Liuyang, I know I have to do something"
"Please feel free to order me if there is something. I don't want your majesty to get cursed by people" Empress nodded.
"Tell me what consort Mei tell your majesty, it's enough" Liuyang nodded and bowed then went away. She was going back to peony palace when a maid came and greet her.
"Empress, everything is ready" Empress nodded and went to peony palace she dismissed the other maids and went to the back side of peony palace with Weining and Linlin. They went to a road with walls and then they came to the West gate of the palace. There were 5 carriages and Shi Lin was waiting behind the carriages. Everyone greeted after seeing the empress. 2 maids were holding the little prince and little princess. Empress caresses the princess's head and plants a kiss on who was sleeping and did the same to the little prince who was awake he grabs his mother's finger she faintly smiled and plants a kiss on his head and took her finger away.
"Go now" They all kowtowed and get on the carriages. Shi Lin and the guards get into the horses and went away.
"They can go without any problem, right?"
"Everything is prepared"
"Shi Lin had already contacted his army to join when they left the capital. After passing the capital one will go to Dongluo and one turn to go towards the south. From West border city other two carriages will go to Bai Qiuang while Shi Lin will enter West with little prince and little princess" Empress nodded and turn to go back to the palace. Linlin stayed.
"Nothing could be known by anyone," Linlin said sternly and soldiers who were on the guard in the West entrance bow then Linlin caught up empress. Empress was sitting as imperial consort Huan and Kang came inside and bow.
"Empress, noble consort Mei is lower than us but because of the favor of the emperor, she always orders us around" Imperial consort Huan complained.
"Yes, empress. A few hours ago, she was mad and punished prince Sheng and nanny Gu"
"Prince Sheng?" Both nodded.
"Nanny Gu, even can't stand up after getting beaten" Empress stood up to visit nanny Gu.
"Ask consort Mei to come to Sheng'er's palace"
Prince Sheng was crying nonstop when the empress reached there. Prince Sheng ran to the empress after seeing the empress.
"Imperial mother"
"Don't be afraid, imperial mother is here"
"Nanny Gu, she," Prince Sheng said while pointing toward nanny Gu. Empress looked at nanny Gu, an imperial physician who stood up and shook his head.
"Nanny Gu got beaten badly that she had broken a few ribs" Empress went towards her.
"Empress, I am so happy that empress came to came to visit me in my last breath"
"Nanny Gu" Xiao Feng held her hand. In her hand, she has held from a beggar to an emperor, everyone's hands.
"You know your majesty well, tolerate him a little bit more"
"I will" Nanny Gu smiled.
"Empress, can I call you by name for the last time" Empress smiled and nodded.
"Xiao Feng, take care of yourself and prince Sheng" Nanny Gui's hand felt as she took her last breath. Empress closed nanny Gu's eyes and stood up. Maids that were sent to take consort Mei came in with another maid.
"Empress, consort Mei is busy, she said that if there's any emergency empress can tell it to Huian" Empress looks at the maid who had an arrogant look.
"You are, consort Mei's?"
"Maid-in-waiting"
"Your name's meaning is obliging and quiet"
"Yes"
"Then why did I find you talkative? Beat her to death to justify nanny Gu"
"Empress, you!! You can't beat me. If consort Mei knows it, she will sad, if she is sad his majesty will be angry"
"Are you reminding me that his majesty favor consort Mei?"
"Isn't it correct? Even though you're the empress you're below to his majesty. It doesn't matter rank as long as consort Mei has emperor's favor" Huinan said arrogantly.
"Everyone here witness how a low-rank maid talked to the mother of the nation so it's indeed a death for you. Though his majesty favor consort Mei, I don't think consort Mei will blame me for punishing a maid" Prince Sheng was crying while wiping his tears.
"Sheng'er in the cruel palace if you became soft hearten you will never survive here"
"Imperial mother" Prince Sheng wiped his tears away.
"I want to take revenge for nanny Gu"
2 soldiers take maid Huian to kneel and prince Sheng walked to his study and took his sword and came back then stabs maid Huian whose mouth was closed by a soldier from screaming. Prince Sheng killed a person for the first time when he was only 4 years making other maids startled and to be careful of prince Sheng. Maid Huian fell dead.
"Sheng'er, don't be afraid to consort Mei, he is just a consort while you're the eldest prince," Empress said wiping the blood on his face with a beautifully embroidered handkerchief as he nods. Empress was like a witch who manipulate others but she has to do that. Every villain has their own story of becoming a villain. Empress went back to the peony palace.
It was the next day morning and consort Mei and the emperor just ended up eating. Emperor was sickly.
"Your majesty, it's time for the morning court" Consort Mei reminded.
"I don't want to go, Ministry Qing is alive, he will kill me anytime"
"Your majesty"
"I said I don't want to go!!" Emperor shouted.
"Then your majesty, how about I go there like always?" Liuyang and Huo Hong looked at the emperor and Huo Hong was going to say something but swallow the words back like a fish.
"Okay, you go from now on you will go to the court on behalf of me" Noble consort Mei escort him to the bed.
"Let your majesty sleep. Don't disturb him" Liuyang and Huo Hong bowed and went out and after consort went away but she stopped halfway.
"Liuyang go to the south entrance of the palace, I heard there was found a corpse. Go and take a look" Liuyang hesitantly nodded. Liuyang feels something is wrong.
"Yes," Liuyang nodded to Huo Hong.
In the morning court, there were only half of the ministries in the court. Half was empty.
"Noble consort Mei is here" Eunuch announced and everyone who was whispering to each other became silent.
"His majesty is ill so he asked me to handle the court till he will became healthy again" Everyone's whispers went wild as she sat down on the throne.
"Is anyone dare to go against the emperor's will?" No one dared to question her since everyone knows that noble consort Mei was favored over others.
"You can start the morning court" Everyone look at each other as if they want to do it or not.
"Is everyone waiting for me?" Empress entered the hall and walk to the front.
"Empress, his majesty asked me to handle the morning court till he becomes healthy"
"Right, the emperor said so because he was thinking about me. Last days I was ill and yesterday emperor also caught a cold while accompanying me making his majesty's fever became server" Empress sighed. "It's all my fault for making the emperor ill. So noble consort Mei no need to worry. After the morning court, I will personally take care of the emperor" She was speechless. She can't say that is the cause of the emperor's illness. She glared at the empress.
Everyone in the court knows that the empress has made up it and the emperor wouldn't leave consort Mei but they were relieved if it is the empress who take this chance and get hold of the situation there will be no more problems. Though most of the ministries here are not loyal most of them just want to live a peaceful life.
"Noble consort Mei" Consort Mei stands up and slowly walks toward the empress and the empress went towards the throne. When they were face to face as empress smiled.
"You're new to this life as someone who trained to become empress since birth, I am so far from you, you will never win over me," Empress said only to be heard by consort Mei. Consort Mei gripped her dress as the empress walked forward and gracefully sat down and everyone kowtows.
"Long live the empress"
"Rise"
"Noble consort Mei, wait" Consort Mei looks back while gritting her teeth.
"Imperial eunuch Huo! Imperial guard Liu!" Weining called out and Huo Hong and Liuyang came inside as they kowtow. Noble consort glared at her maid as she looks down.
An hour ago, after consort Mei send Liuyang away, he went directly to the peony palace.
"Empress, I think consort Mei is giving something to the emperor that he slowly became ill and delusional. Now she should be going towards the court as she is going to host it. She deliberately sent me to the South entrance" Empress stood up.
"Where's Huo Hong?"
"He is still- oh no"