eurekapd Chapter 265: Fight with reason
Chapter 265: Fight with reason
The servants of Cuiweixuan were very nervous at this time. Although they were extremely scared, they suppressed their fear and opened the main door in order not to embarrass their master.
Several servants from Yuquan Palace who were blocking the door rushed in, only to see Concubine Zhao still lying on the ground, trembling in pain, her face covered with tears and snot, looking in a miserable state.
Shen Zhiyao straightened her clothes and combed her hair, then she led the servants of Cuiweixuan out of the main hall to pay their respects to the emperor and the empress.
"I pay my respects to the Emperor and the Empress, and wish you good health and longevity." Shen Zhiyao knelt down properly but did not admit her mistake first.
"Alas..." The emperor frowned and sighed: "Jin Shuyi, no matter what the reason is, you shouldn't violate the palace rules... Do you know your mistake?"
"Your Majesty, that day at Taiye Lake, the Empress and the unborn prince almost got into trouble. I was so scared that I am still upset to this day. Isn't Your Majesty heartbroken?"
"Your Majesty, can you understand how I felt when I ran over like crazy, only to see the Empress lying there wet and alone? If I didn't know some folk remedies, if I didn't risk my life to save her, what would have happened?"
When Shen Zhiyao talked about her sad moments, tears couldn't stop flowing down her cheeks. Her peach blossom eyes looked at Bo Muxi with tears in them, revealing an indescribable sadness.
Bo Muxi had never seen her cry so sadly. This woman had always been strong and had never shown such a fragile side no matter how big the problem was.
"Your Majesty, please look at the Empress standing beside you. Take a closer look... She has already started to show signs of pregnancy! The one she is carrying is your legitimate son! Whether it is the ministers or the people, everyone is looking forward to the safe birth of this child. Your Majesty, you are also looking forward to it, right?"
"The Queen was pregnant and suffered so much injustice. Has she ever complained to you? If you were to punish her according to palace rules and family laws, shouldn't you have severely punished the eldest prince long ago?"
"The eldest prince is still young, so it may be understandable that he cannot discipline his personal eunuchs. But if that eunuch had not been influenced by Concubine Zhao, would he have dared to push the queen? I don't believe that saving someone would lead to pushing others down!"
"If someone dares to push the Empress today, will there be someone who dares to push us concubines in the harem in the future? If we continue to tolerate this, will the Emperor's safety be guaranteed?"
Every word Shen Zhiyao said was full of gems, but she was accusing Concubine Zhao from the perspective of the public, and in the end she even dragged the emperor into it.
Concubine Zhao had been supported by Dai Tao standing in the crowd. When she heard this, she could no longer remain calm. She knelt at the emperor's feet and explained, "Your Majesty, Jin Shuyi is really harboring evil intentions. She actually wants to frame me! I have followed Your Majesty for many years and am deeply in love with you. The eldest prince is also respectful and filial. It is just as she said..."
"Respectful and filial? Haha... No matter how good a child is, he can't withstand your dedicated 'teaching'! Now he dares to hurt his mother and siblings, I'm afraid he may even dare to disobey the Emperor in the future!" Shen Zhiyao sneered.
"You... you are slandering me! Regardless of whether I am right or wrong, it is not your turn as the Zhaoyi to teach me a lesson! Don't pretend to be righteous and teach me a lesson first, first talk about your rebellious behavior today! You think you are a good guy? In my opinion, you are the rebellious lunatic in this harem!"
Concubine Zhao became furious and ignored the pain in her body, pointing at Shen Zhiyao's nose and cursing.
"presumptuous!"
Just when the two were about to quarrel fiercely, the queen suddenly attacked.
Concubine Zhao was so frightened that she trembled, and quickly shut up and glanced at the Queen out of the corner of her eye.
"Noble Concubine Zhao, look at how you looked just now. You were like a shrew scolding in the street! How can you behave like a noble concubine at all?" The queen looked at Noble Concubine Zhao with her phoenix eyes full of contempt.
"The Queen..."
Concubine Zhao was about to explain but was interrupted by the Queen again.
"Jin Shuyi is assisting me in managing the affairs of the six palaces. This is the order from the Emperor himself. Since she represents me, if any concubine in the palace oversteps her bounds, she naturally has the right to teach her a lesson on my behalf..."
“But…” The Queen changed the subject and looked at Shen Zhiyao, her tone softening as she said, “Jin Shuyi was so radical because she was frightened by my behavior a few days ago… People inside and outside the palace were also speaking up for me. I am very touched by this…”
"However... the emperor has always been fair and he will definitely give justice to me and my unborn child, even if the one who made the mistake was the prince. You... are still too impulsive..." The queen pretended to sigh.
"The Queen is right to criticize me. Now that I think about it, I was just anxious to seek justice for the Queen, so I was a little impulsive." Shen Zhiyao was also a smart person. She understood what the Queen meant in an instant and immediately admitted her mistake with her head lowered.
"Empress, you are being unfair! The one who pushed you was the eunuch beside the eldest prince, not the eldest prince himself. Moreover, whether the eunuch did it on purpose remains to be investigated. Jin Shuyi brought people to Yuquan Palace to humiliate the high-ranking official without knowing right or wrong. How can such evil deeds be easily forgiven!"
Concubine Zhao was also determined to go all out. Even if she had to confront the Queen, she could not let Shen Zhiyao go.
"Is it unfair?" The Queen looked at Concubine Zhao coldly: "You keep saying you want justice, then shouldn't I, the biggest victim, be the one who deserves justice the most?"
"..." Concubine Zhao was speechless after being rebuked by the Queen. In front of the Queen, she was always in the wrong.
Thinking of the day when the queen drowned and two lives were almost lost, he dared not argue anymore.
"Your Majesty, I always say that sisters in the palace should care and look after each other. But how many people can take my words to heart? Considering that Jin Shuyi has no selfish motives and is speaking up for me, Your Majesty should not pursue the matter..." The Queen looked at Bo Muxi and said sincerely.
Bo Muxi didn't want to pursue the matter in the first place, but since Shen Zhiyao was able to speak and the Queen pleaded for mercy, he had an even more plausible reason.
Bo Muxi sighed, helped Shen Zhiyao, who was kneeling upright, to stand up, and said softly: "The queen is my first wife. She has been with me without regrets since the previous residence, and has suffered a lot... How can I not protect her? I have been investigating this matter these two days, and just ordered the execution of Yuping, the servant, and the extermination of all nine generations of her family."
"After all, I am the king of a country, and I must be fair in everything. My beloved concubine is so anxious that she is unwilling to give me more trust and time." Bo Muxi sighed.
"Your Majesty, I know you will definitely give us an explanation. But after all, it was Your Majesty who did it. I just want to be at ease. I want to seek justice for the Empress according to my heart. If I have offended Your Majesty, I will accept the punishment."
Shen Zhiyao spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, with a clear attitude, almost saying explicitly that she felt the emperor would not severely punish the mother and son, and that this action was purely to vent the queen's anger and revenge. She accepted the punishment but not her mistake.
"Your Majesty! Listen to what she said, it's too much! Your Majesty!" After hearing this, Concubine Zhao was angry and shocked. She really couldn't tolerate it anymore.
Faced with Concubine Zhao's accusations, Shen Zhiyao no longer explained, but just held the emperor's hand tightly.
She knew that this time she had made quite a big mess, but she also wanted to try whether the man in front of her would protect her.
The concubines who were watching also held their breath and looked at the two of them.
Shen Zhiyao's behavior could be a big deal or a small one, now it all depends on how the emperor defines it.
"Your Majesty, I have been following you wholeheartedly! I almost gave you my heart! I am so ashamed and angry that I am about to die after being beaten like this by this woman! Please, Your Majesty, help me!"
Concubine Zhao tearfully accused Shen Zhiyao of her "evil deeds", also playing the emotional card.