eurekapd Chapter 252 Evil comes with evil consequences
Chapter 252 Evil comes with evil consequences
When the Empress Dowager arrived at Zhenlan Garden with everyone, the Emperor was snuggling up with Consort Lan, enjoying a sweet and intimate time together.
Seeing this, the Empress and all the concubines gritted their teeth in anger, while the Empress Dowager angrily rebuked them:
"Your Majesty, a major incident has occurred in the palace. How can you still be in the mood for romantic strolls under the flowers and moon?"
The Emperor, who was dozing off, was suddenly awakened. Consort Lan, who was about to fall asleep, also sat up with a start. She quickly supported her belly and stood up carefully.
At this moment, two old women pushed Cui Shi in front of them. Lan Hua pretended to be frightened and stepped forward to ask,
"Mother, what happened? Who tied you up? Who hit you?"
When Cui saw her daughter, she burst into tears.
"Daughter, I'm innocent! I kindly gave Consort Zhen a fertility-enhancing formula, but she falsely accused me of poisoning her with arsenic. Where would I get arsenic? Daughter, please save me!"
Upon hearing this, Ling Lanhua immediately turned to look at the Emperor, knelt down with a thud, and began to sob and plead her case, tears streaming down her face.
"Your Majesty, my mother is innocent! Please, I beg you, save her!"
The Emperor, who had just dozed off, was somewhat bewildered by the scene before him. He glanced at the Empress Dowager, whose face was ashen, and quickly rose to greet her, bowing respectfully.
"Mother, what brings you here? What did Cui do to upset you?"
"Snapped!"
Seeing the Emperor's listless appearance, the Empress Dowager became furious and suddenly slapped him, then scolded him:
"They're getting more and more incompetent. Where did the emperor go?"
The Emperor, over fifty years old, was suddenly slapped by the Empress Dowager, and in front of all his women. He felt utterly humiliated and immediately flew into a rage.
"Mother, how could you hit me? I am the Emperor, after all."
The Empress Dowager snorted without any regret.
"You still remember you're the Emperor? How long have you been staying in this Zhenlan Garden? How long has it been since you attended court and dealt with state affairs?"
The Emperor, swinging his arms in a fit of rage, replied loudly with a cold gaze:
"My Northern Wei Kingdom is peaceful and prosperous, and the people live a rich life. Even if I go to court, the ministers will still report these things every day. What does it matter whether I go to court or not? As long as the memorials are processed, that's enough."
"Is this something a monarch should say?"
The Empress Dowager's face had turned ashen with anger. The Empress quickly stepped forward, gently patted her back, and whispered a reminder in her ear:
"Mother, we are not here today to question the Emperor. Don't forget the important matter."
The Empress Dowager then lowered her gaze to look at Lady Cui, who was kneeling on the ground.
"This woman poisoned Consort Zhen and was caught red-handed. How could a country woman like her dare to do such a thing? I suspect she was instructed by someone else. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."
The Emperor glanced at Ling Lanhua, who was sitting there weeping, then at Consort Zhen, and frowned as he said:
"I see no abnormality in Consort Zhen. Even if Cui really tried to poison her, she failed. And look at how badly you've beaten her; you've already made amends. Let's just let this matter go!"
"no……"
Seeing that the Emperor was so biased towards Consort Lan's mother, the women unanimously refuted him.
This greatly displeased the emperor.
"I am the ruler of this country, and a ruler's word is law. Do you dare to disobey me? Are you plotting a rebellion?"
Seeing the Emperor's angry expression, the women lowered their heads and dared not utter a sound. The Empress Dowager spoke again:
"Your Majesty, let's put aside Cui's matter for now. Tell me about Ling Lanhua's identity first. What is her relationship with Lan Zhi? Do you know?"
Upon hearing this, Ling Lanhua immediately turned pale and looked at the Emperor.
The Emperor, however, made no attempt to conceal his thoughts and snorted:
"Of course I know, she is Lan Zhi's cousin."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was taken aback at first, then let out a cold laugh.
"Your Majesty is mistaken. She is not Lan Zhi's cousin, but her younger sister. However, I do not understand. Since you know that she and Lan Zhi are sisters, why did you still allow her to enter the palace? Don't you know that this is unethical and shameful?"
"Please be careful with your words, Your Majesty."
The Emperor was still shaken by the Empress Dowager's slap, and now, hearing her openly and subtly berate him for being shameless, he became even more furious.
He is, after all, the ruler of a country. Even his own mother cannot speak to him like that. Otherwise, how can he save face?
"Mother, I am the Emperor. Am I not even allowed to favor a woman if I wish?"
"But you can't favor your daughter-in-law's sister, that's against ethics."
Seeing this, Cui quickly chimed in:
“Your Majesty, Lan Hua and Lan Zhi are not biological sisters. Lan Zhi was picked up by my son from the foot of the mountain. She has no relation to Lan Hua at all.”
Upon hearing this, the emperor became even more arrogant.
"Since that's the case, then there's absolutely no problem with me favoring Lan Hua. Mother, I've said before that you shouldn't interfere too much in my private affairs. But now you've come to Zhenlan Garden to interrogate me. Aren't you being a bit too nosy?"
Although the Empress Dowager was the Emperor's mother, she was, after all, an elderly woman in her seventies. Being reprimanded like this by the Emperor made her feel humiliated, and she immediately reminded him sternly...
"I may not concern myself with your private affairs, but I cannot allow you to continue living such a muddled life. You are the Emperor, and you have three thousand beauties in your harem. You should treat them all equally, instead of just lingering in the Zhenlan Garden."
The emperor, however, did not think he was wrong and immediately retorted:
"I will stay in the palace of whoever makes me feel comfortable. They are not capable of keeping me here. Even if I go, it will only be a formality. It is better not to go."
"you……"
The Empress Dowager was so angry that her face turned ashen, and the Empress and several imperial concubines also looked very unpleasant.
Seeing that she couldn't reason with the Emperor, the Empress Dowager knew that, judging from the Emperor's unjustified favoritism towards Consort Lan, even if she wanted to investigate further, the final result would be the same.
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager spoke and gave the order:
"Even if the Emperor spares Cui's head out of consideration for Consort Lan, she cannot escape punishment. By imperial decree, she shall be given twenty strokes of the cane and banished from the palace, never to return."
"emperor……"
Upon hearing this, Ling Lanhua knelt down again.
"Your Majesty, my mother is old and cannot withstand twenty strokes of the cane. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and spare her!"
Before the Emperor could speak, the Empress's cold and angry voice reminded him...
"The Empress Dowager's treatment of her is already an act of leniency beyond the law. If you dare to plead for her again, you are truly disregarding the Empress Dowager's words."
These words were not only spoken to her, but also to the Emperor.
Even if the emperor wanted to favor the Cui family, he still had to consider the Empress Dowager's feelings.
He nodded solemnly.
"Let's do as Mother wishes in this matter!"
Upon hearing this, Cui collapsed to the ground and burst into tears.
At this moment, two old women came forward and took her arms to walk outside. Ling Lanhua wanted to go and help her, but in order to protect herself, she ultimately held back.
A moment later, Cui's painful wails came from outside. Ling Lanhua trembled at the sound and could only clutch her chest tightly, not daring to utter a word.
Lan Zhi remained calm in the face of this scene.
Because she had absolutely no connection with this mother and daughter.