20demayo Chapter 208 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 21
Chapter 208 The Legend of Zhen Huan, Consort Qi 21
Ever since Wen Yuan gave birth to Hong Xi, Yi Xiu's schemes have never stopped. Unfortunately, every one of her plots was thwarted by the Emperor, and even the Empress Dowager intervened to stop some of them.
The Emperor's suspicions about the Imperial Household Department grew stronger, after all, the fact that the Imperial Household Department dared to target Hongxi under his protection made him extremely uneasy.
At the beginning of the year, the Emperor arranged for several princes of the imperial clan to enter the Imperial Household Department to conduct a thorough purge.
Haitang, the palace maid who served Wen Yuan, was originally assigned to the palace with Xia Ju. She was also expelled from the palace during this cleanup. The atmosphere in the harem was tense from the beginning of the year until March. Almost all the eunuchs in charge of the Imperial Household Department were beaten to death. The emperor also issued an edict stipulating that bondservants could not be promoted to the rank of concubine, and bondservants in princes' mansions could only be princesses and had no right to raise their children.
As the most authoritative woman in the Uya clan, the Empress Dowager had helped the Uya clan embezzle a great deal of wealth. During this investigation, the Uya clan was caught red-handed. The Empress Dowager tried her best to dissuade them, and in the end, apart from the execution of the Empress Dowager's own brother's clan, all the rest of the clan members were exiled to Ningguta. The Empress Dowager was greatly affected by this incident, and her health completely collapsed. She is still recuperating in Shou Kang Palace.
When Wen Yuan received the message from her father that Zhen Yu Rao's face had been accidentally scratched, she smiled with satisfaction. Eliminating these unstable factors was indeed a happy thing. As for Zhen Yu Rao's future life, Wen Yuan didn't care at all.
"Sigh, it's been almost half a year since Consort Wan left the palace. This harem is getting more and more boring. My sister is deeply favored by the Emperor, and we can't take her away from her." Feng Ruozhao sighed softly.
"Sister should be content with raising Wenyi. Judging from the Empress's words, it seems that a selection of beauties is about to be held, and some new beauties will probably be brought in then." Wen Yuan's eyes were cold, and she was annoyed by Yi Xiu's troublemaking.
"Forget it, who cares? As long as Wenyi grows up safely, I'll be content," Feng Ruozhao said with a smile.
Wen Yuan and Feng Ruozhao teased Hongxi, who was such an angelic baby that he never cried no matter how they teased him and was always smiling.
"His Majesty has arrived!" Su Peisheng's voice came from the doorway.
Wen Yuan and Feng Ruozhao quickly stood up and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, may Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
"Get up, what were you talking about just now?" The Emperor took Wen Yuan's hand and led her to sit down next to the main seat.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Feng Ruozhao's eyes. The Emperor really did favor Consort Jin the most.
“We were talking about Hongxi, saying he couldn’t wait to stand up, but the child’s bones are too soft, so we didn’t dare let him stand.” Wen Yuan’s voice was soft and her tone gentle.
The Emperor gazed at Wen Yuan quietly, unaware that his eyes were filled with tenderness and the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.
Seeing this, Feng Ruozhao wisely got up and took his leave.
After Wen Yuan became a favored concubine in the harem, Yi Xiu was naturally unwilling to accept it. However, after Zhen Huan was overthrown, the Imperial Household Department also encountered problems, resulting in the loss of most of her personnel. Recently, she has not dared to make any major moves.
In May, Yixiu remembered that Zhen Huan had been practicing at Ganlu Temple for almost eight months, so she suggested taking the concubines of the harem to visit her. In reality, she wanted to take the opportunity to ridicule Zhen Huan. Wen Yuan had no interest in such things, so she declined on the grounds that Hongxi was still young and could not be separated from his mother.
After the concubines returned from Ganlu Temple, Consort Xin immediately went to Wen Yuan for gossip.
She said that Zhen Huan had lost a lot of weight at Ganlu Temple, and the people the Emperor sent to protect her were always by her side. The Empress originally wanted to humiliate Zhen Huan, and Consort An also wanted to kick her while she was down, but when they saw the Emperor's people were present, they had to restrain themselves. The Empress's trip was in vain this time, and she did not gain any advantage.
As for whether Zhen Huan regrets it, it seems that time will tell. Although the Emperor's people won't help her with chores, they also won't let her suffer too much.
Wen Yuan still had her father send people to monitor Ganlu Temple and Lingyun Peak. Although Zhaerjia Emin didn't understand, Wen Yuan was well-informed in the palace, so he didn't dare to ask too many questions.
Zhen Huan and Prince Guo were deeply in love at Lingyun Peak, and Consort Shu also supported them. As for what Consort Shu was planning, Wen Yuan was too lazy to investigate.
When Ama received the news, he was also incredulous. If Wen Yuan hadn't asked him to monitor Ganlu Temple and Lingyun Peak, who would have thought that Zhen Huan had an affair with Prince Guo?
Although the person arranged by the Emperor was a threat, Prince Guo would always send the person away whenever he met Zhen Huan. Zhen Huan and Prince Guo seemed to enjoy this secret rendezvous, and their feelings for each other grew stronger.
Wen Yuan stayed quietly in the harem for two years. Last year, a new batch of concubines entered the palace. Among them, Consort Kang and Noble Lady Zhen were the most favored. An Lingrong fought them to the death, but her favor gradually diminished.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the Emperor came to Chuxiu Palace, Wen Yuan ostentatiously invited the imperial physician. After the physician announced her pregnancy, the Emperor immediately bestowed upon her the title of Consort Jin. After all, there had been no good news in the harem for two years, so Wen Yuan's pregnancy was undoubtedly a joyous occasion.
Wen Yuan smiled and thanked the emperor, but secretly sneered. If the emperor knew what she was thinking, he would probably roll his eyes in anger. The emperor was getting old and his energy was not what it used to be. If she hadn't been prepared, she probably wouldn't be able to get pregnant for several more years.
Yes, Wen Yuan had always wanted to give Hong Xi a younger brother, but the emperor's sperm quality needed time to recover; otherwise, the child would be weak after birth, and she wouldn't allow his future children to be sickly.
When Yixiu learned that Wen Yuan was pregnant again, and that the Emperor had even bypassed her and directly promoted Wen Yuan to the rank of Consort Jin, she was so jealous that her face twisted in anger.
An Lingrong could only kneel down and apologize, but she had a new plan in mind. She had been in the palace for almost six years, and Wen Yuan had been pregnant twice, but she had not conceived. Now that she was getting older, the emperor did not visit her Yanxi Palace often. If she could have a child, she would not have to worry about the rest of her life.
Consort Jing and Consort Duan were able to have their palaces visited by the Emperor from time to time, even though he didn't stay overnight. An Lingrong secretly made up her mind and had already developed a conflict with Yixiu.
Yi Xiu ordered An Lingrong to abort Wen Yuan's pregnancy. An Lingrong obediently agreed on the surface, but who could guarantee whether it would succeed?
Nine months later, Wen Yuan gave birth to the Seventh Prince. The Emperor stayed by her side the whole time, and even when Su Peisheng intentionally or unintentionally mentioned Zhen Huan, the Emperor impatiently interrupted him.
Yixiu couldn't get involved. The Emperor's protection of Wenyuan, coupled with her fake pregnancy making her immune to all poisons, meant that although the Seventh Prince wasn't as robust as Hongxi, the Emperor still doted on him. At the full moon banquet, the Emperor bestowed upon him the name "Hongxu," meaning the rising sun.
Hongxi is almost three years old. He is intelligent and quick-witted, and is deeply favored by the Emperor, even more so than the Third Prince.
Consort Li's Changchun Palace has become almost a cold palace, with only the Third Prince visiting her from time to time. Consort Li wants to find a wife for the Third Prince, but Empress Dowager Yixiu and the Empress Dowager both want Qingying from the Ulanara clan to be the Third Prince's primary wife. Therefore, the Third Prince is still studying at the Ministry of Rites, and his marriage has been delayed.