Ning Wang and Yan Jinqiu exchanged some pleasantries and then entered Chaoyang Hall one after the other. Those who were more sensitive couldn't help but mutter in their hearts. Was Ning Wang trying to push Xian Wang onto the throne? But looking at Xian Wang's expression, he didn't seem to want to accept Ning Wang's favor?
Some busybodies deliberately looked at Prince Sheng's expression. Seeing that he still had a serious expression as usual, they instantly felt bored. Especially the younger generation who were often compared to Yan Boyi by their elders. Whenever they saw Yan Boyi's serious expression, they would feel suffocated.
Some of the younger generation liked to be called "other people's children" by their elders. If they were to speak, this Yan Boyi was a hypocrite and a hypocrite. What about respecting the wife? Jun Wang had many concubines in his fu. They didn't know how he could accept such praise.
Everyone sat down. Soon, a eunuch came over and clapped his hands to open the way. Everyone stood up again to welcome the arrival of the Emperor and Empress.
The Empress, wearing a dress of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, walked beside the Emperor and past the officials. Hua Xi Wan saw that her steps were very steady. The phoenix gold buyao in her hair swayed rhythmically, but the angle of each swing was basically the same.
"Rise."
After the Emperor and Empress sat down, everyone stood up. Hua Xi Wan heard an official from the Ministry of Rites come out and read a thousand-year congratulatory speech that the Emperor had specially written for the Empress. The general idea was that the Empress was good, the Empress was wonderful, the Empress was virtuous.
After the congratulatory speech, the Emperor and Empress drank three cups of wine to the heavens and the earth. After drinking a cup, everyone raised their cups to toast the Empress. After going through the motions according to the rules, everyone was able to sit down and enjoy the wine and watch the singing and dancing. They also had to pay attention to their manners.
Hua Xi Wan used a handkerchief to cover the corner of her mouth and whispered in Yan Jinqiu's ear, "Why isn't the Empress Dowager here today?"
Yan Jinqiu calmly picked up a piece of pickled duck tongue for her. "The Empress Dowager is not feeling well, so she is resting in the palace."
Hua Xi Wan fell silent. In previous years, even if the Empress Dowager was not feeling well, she would show her face before going back. She did not expect that she would not even show her face this time. She had not heard of any news of the Empress Dowager being unwell. This …
The Empress Dowager's actions were equivalent to purposely disgracing the Empress. The Emperor had the Imperial Guards surround the Fang family a few days ago, and now he wrote a congratulatory letter to the Empress in the blink of an eye. He even read it out in front of so many people. This display of affection was really not reserved.
However, were Celestial Empress and Celestial Empress really that loving, or were they purposely putting on a show for others to see?
The banquet was tasteless. Hua Xi Wan couldn't be bothered to watch the Emperor and Empress act. She relied on Yan Jinqiu to cover for them, which saved her a lot of effort. When the banquet was about to end, something happened.
Although the banquet was fake and lively, at least it looked good on the surface. However, if a eunuch suddenly fainted and died during the banquet, then it was not a good thing.
Although the eunuch's body was quickly carried out, in the eyes of everyone, it was not a good omen for something like this to happen at the Empress' banquet. Who would suddenly die without any illness or disaster? Was this a warning from the heavens?
Hua Xi Wan had heard of this situation in her previous life. The doctor said that it was a problem with the heart and brain. However, the people now did not know, so it was easier to blame it on the supernatural.
The person who felt the most unlucky was probably the Empress. Although Hua Xi Wan could not see any emotions on the Empress' face, as a woman, she could be sure that the Empress was very upset.
Princess Duan He walked out of Chaoyang Hall with a gloomy face. Because the eunuch who had just died suddenly fell to the ground while serving her, it was hard for anyone to be calm when something like this happened to them. The servants behind her shrunk their heads, afraid that the Princess would vent her anger on them.
"Don't you think this is strange? Why did the eunuch who served Princess Duan He suddenly die?"
"Could it be retribution? Have you heard of that rumor?"
"Which one?"
"The rumor that Duan He's son-in-law died mysteriously. Maybe he was killed by Princess Duan He …"
On the second day after the banquet, there were rumors outside. The general idea was that Duan He's son-in-law died mysteriously, and now he came back to take revenge on Princess Duan He.
When Hua Xi Wan heard these rumors, she was speechless. Not to mention whether Duan He's son-in-law was killed by the Princess, even if he was, he should come back to take revenge on Princess Duan He. What was the use of killing a eunuch?
In less than two days, the rumor changed again. The general idea was that this was a warning from the heavens. The heavens were not satisfied with the Empress, so such an unlucky thing happened at her banquet.
Then there were officials who reported that the Empress' paternal family had done evil, and there was a warning from the heavens. The Empress did not have the virtue of being the mother of the nation, and was not fit to be the Empress.
In just a few days, a very simple matter became related to the matter of deposing the Empress. Hua Xi Wan felt that if there was no one behind the scenes, how could it have developed to this point?
Not just her, even Yan Jinqiu did not think that things would become like this. After he discussed with his disciples, even though they did not come to a conclusion, they chose not to make a move.
For him, a childless Empress was better than a favored Empress who might not have children in the future. If the Empress was deposed, the Emperor would definitely appoint a new Empress. This was not a good thing.
At night, he and Hua Xi Wan finished eating together. When the two sat comfortably in the blankets and chatted, Hua Xi Wan said: "I heard that many officials in court have requested to depose the Empress. Is that true?"
Yan Jinqiu nodded.
"Does the Emperor want to depose the Empress?" Hua Xi Wan frowned. "If the Emperor did not have this intention, he would have suppressed the matter when the first official spoke. Why would he allow the matter to develop?"
Yan Jinqiu laughed softly: "Who knows, maybe."
In Zhu Que Palace, the Crown Princess and the Empress sat facing each other. Because the longer she was pregnant, the more obvious the bulge in the Crown Princess' abdomen became. But the Crown Princess, who used to be careful in front of the Empress, had become casual.
"What business does Muhou have with erchen?" The Crown Princess held a small piece of clothing in her hand and asked the Empress with a smile, "What do you think of this clothing?"
The Empress laughed coldly and said, "What tricks did you use?"
"Muhou, what are you saying? What tricks?" The Crown Princess smiled brightly, her index finger gently stroking the fabric of the clothing. "Erchen does not understand what you are saying."
"You know whether you understand or not," the Empress laughed coldly. "You are too inexperienced to fight with me!"
"Haha," The Crown Princess covered her mouth and laughed. She only stopped when the Empress showed an impatient expression. "This is so strange. You want to leave the mother and keep the child. Can't I resist?"
In other people's eyes, the Emperor and Empress were the noblest couple in the world. But in her eyes, these two were the most disgusting man and woman. One took her innocence when she was drunk, the other treated her like she was made of mud. Even if she was made of mud, she still had a temper.
She hadn't lived long enough. She didn't want to die.
"Good, very good," hearing this, the Empress said in a deep voice, "I want to see what tricks you have!" After saying this, the Empress turned and left.
The crown prince consort clutched her stomach and suddenly cried out in pain. "Guards, guards!"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
