Cheng Zheng waited outside the Imperial Study until the sun set in the west before there was movement inside. The palace maids went in to serve Zhao Yong, and someone went to invite Duanmu Xiu over. This went on for another hour before he was called in. He saw Zhao Yong, who looked to be in good spirits.
"Have you waited long?" Zhao Yong's long and narrow eyes looked at Cheng Zheng darkly. He could roughly guess what Cheng Zheng wanted to say. From his expression, it should be the result of the matter he had asked him to investigate.
"Not long." Cheng Zheng answered in a low voice. "Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Zhao Yong sent away all the palace maids in the study, leaving only Song Aoran and Cheng Zheng.
"Speak." Zhao Yong's voice was slightly cold. He knew that Cheng Zheng went to the palace to find his daughter today. Now it was impossible for him to stop Cheng Zheng from seeing San 'er. He just wanted to know what Cheng Zheng was going to do.
Cheng Zheng looked up at Zhao Yong. "Your Majesty, I found Beauty Wang in Yeting. I have already found out what happened that year."
"It has something to do with Concubine De?" Zhao Yong asked lightly. He had already vaguely guessed the answer, but he could not confirm it.
"Yes, the miscarriage of the former Empress is indeed related to Concubine De." Cheng Zheng said calmly. "In addition to the former Empress, Concubine Chen Shufei's death is also related to Concubine De."
Zhao Yong closed his eyes and sighed silently. He had indeed underestimated Concubine De. He had thought that she was just a maid. Using her status to suppress the former Empress was already an honor for her. Who would have thought that under her gentle appearance was such a vicious heart?
"Speak." Zhao Yong said in a low voice.
Cheng Zheng looked at him again, and then in a low voice, he told him the truth that he had found out.
According to Lu Wushuang, he found that Beauty Wang was still alive in Yeting. Beauty Wang, like Concubine De, used to be a palace maid serving the former Empress. The difference was that Concubine De was favored by the Emperor himself, while Beauty Wang was sent to the Emperor's dragon bed by the former Empress to please him. Beauty Wang was not as favored as Concubine De. After the death of the former Empress, she also disappeared from the palace. She was thrown into a well by Concubine De. Even Concubine De did not expect that Beauty Wang was rescued from the well by an old woman in Yeting and gave birth to a child in Yeting. For so many years, Beauty Wang had been living in Yeting and dared not appear in front of Concubine De.
If he found Beauty Wang, it would be easier to find out what happened to the former Empress. Cheng Zheng continued to investigate from Beauty Wang's description and finally found out the real cause of the former Empress' death.
"… Concubine De is good at making incense. The honey locust and hair oil that the former Empress used since she was a child were made by her. Because she was used to it, she never changed it. Honey locust and hair oil are not poisonous, but the two scents are incompatible. No pregnant woman can use them. The reason why the former Empress had a miscarriage … was because of these two things. I have checked and found that the concubines who later had miscarriages in the palace had used the things given by Concubine De." Cheng Zheng's voice was neither high nor low, and there was not even a little emotion. But what he said made people's emotions surge.
"So, for so many years, Concubine De has killed many of my concubines and children. The death of the former Empress was not an accident, but a deliberate murder?" Zhao Yong's face was cold. In recent years, he did not allow the concubines in the palace to get pregnant. He did not take much precautions before. He thought it had something to do with himself. Even those concubines who died, he thought he had too much energy and they died because they could not bear it.
It turned out that it was all because of Concubine De!
The woman beside him turned out to be so vicious.
Song Aoran, who was beside him, was also stunned. He had also seen Concubine De. For so many years, Concubine De had been bullied by the Eldest Princess. He used to feel pity for Concubine De, but he did not expect … it was such a truth.
Cheng Zheng replied, "The truth that I found out is indeed so."
"What about Beauty Wang and her child?" Zhao Yong suppressed the anger in his heart. He had always felt that every move of everyone in the harem was under his control, but now he found that it was not the case.
Even Beauty Wang secretly gave birth to a child in Yeting for so many years.
Cheng Zheng said in a low voice, "I have already asked people to protect them."
"Beauty Wang gave birth to a son?" Zhao Yong narrowed his eyes slightly. Apart from him, only eunuchs could live in the harem. How did Beauty Wang protect her son so that no one found out?
"Yes, but Beauty Wang dressed the little prince as a palace maid, so she was able to hide it for so many years." Cheng Zheng said in a low voice, "That child is eight years old this year."
Zhao Yong narrowed his eyes slightly. He could not remember what Beauty Wang looked like, but he did vaguely remember that there was a woman who followed the late Empress. She was extremely beautiful, and after the late Empress left, he would occasionally dote on her. Later, as there were more and more women in the palace, he did not remember such a woman.
"Go and bring the mother and son here." Zhao Yong said in a low voice.
Cheng Zheng nodded lightly and turned to whisper a few words to the chief eunuch outside. The chief eunuch looked shocked and looked at Cheng Zheng before nodding and leaving.
Zhao Yong looked at Cheng Zheng calmly as he walked back, "Have you told Liao 'er about this?"
"Not yet." Cheng Zheng said, "When I went to see Liao 'er today, I was not sure if Beauty Wang's child was the Emperor's child. Now that I have confirmed it is the prince, I came to report to the Emperor."
Zhao Yong frowned slightly. How was he going to tell Liao 'er about this? She had always thought that her mother's death was related to Concubine De. If it wasn't for him being conceited and not taking her words to heart, Concubine De would not have been able to live freely in the palace for so many years.
He had once felt that Concubine De was wronged, but now he knew that the one who was truly wronged was Zhao Rao.
It was him who caused this daughter to lose her mother at a young age and abandoned her for so many years.
"Your Majesty, this matter … it's best not to hide it from Liao 'er." Cheng Zheng said. He did not want to know how the Emperor would deal with Concubine De, but he felt that it was best to tell the truth to Liao 'er. At least it would open up the knot in her heart for so many years. She had always suspected the late Empress' death. Now that the truth was out, she should know the truth.
Zhao Yong also knew that he should tell his daughter, "Go tell her."
Cheng Zheng frowned slightly, "Your Majesty does not dare to face Liao 'er?"
"Zhen has wronged her." For the first time, Zhao Yong spoke of his guilt towards Zhao Rao.
"Good." Cheng Zheng nodded lightly. He would tell the truth to Liao 'er. However, he was worried about how Liao' er would react when she found out.
After a while, the voice of the chief eunuch came from outside. Beauty Wang and her child had arrived.
Zhao Yong looked up and saw a charming woman walk in with a pale face holding a child. The child's skin was fair and tender. Although he was dressed as a boy, he looked a little shy like a young girl.
The child looked like Beauty Wang, but his long and narrow phoenix eyes were exactly the same as Zhao Yong's.
...
(Nine-headed Bird Academy)
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