Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C107 pt1

It was the coldest time of winter, when even dripping water turned to ice.

Dongkui, within the Punishment Department, finally felt a touch of warmth.

Zhao Quan not only prepared a brazier for her, but also brand new, warm cotton clothes, as well as wound medicine and food.

The charcoal fire warmed her icy limbs, but it made the wounds on her body burn fiercely. Fortunately, someone applied medicine to her, and the cool ointment took away the pain that penetrated deep into her bones, giving her temporary relief. The warm soup noodles soothed her rumbling stomach, making her feel a little more comfortable.

She felt like a rag doll, already torn apart by whips and branding irons dipped in salt water. Now, because of this preferential treatment, she was pieced back together. Therefore, no matter what sandalwood was shouting at her in the neighboring cell, she could lower her eyes and ignore it.

When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; in the face of disaster, everyone flies away on their own.

She was just a palace maid, only having followed Consort Dowager Hu for a little longer. There was really no need to risk her life for it. Most importantly, Dongkui didn't think she could withstand the severe torture of the Punishment Department.

Who didn't know that the Punishment Department had countless methods of tormenting people? No one who entered ever came out intact! When Dongkui was escorted to the Punishment Department before, she also wanted to play the part of a loyal servant. Just because others couldn't withstand it didn't mean she couldn't either. But the reality proved she was overthinking it.

Now, hearing Tanxiang screaming over there, she was still thinking how foolish she was. She should have confessed before the torture even started, saving herself so much suffering.

"They also used that kind of medicine on Prince Wei, but it is said that His Highness Prince Wei didn't take much. This medicine is not easy to detect, but its effects are small and need to be taken continuously over a long period of time to take effect. Consort Dowager Hu used to have someone in the Imperial Hospital, but later, for some reason, they were gone. I also heard Tanxiang and Consort Hu say a word or two, saying that if they still had their own people in the Imperial Hospital, why would they be so troubled?" Dongkui held the bowl filled with hot soup, drinking as she whispered.

Her hands were trembling, and her voice was trembling as well. These were all reactions from just having been tortured.

Zhao Quan quickly instructed his apprentice to write this down.

These words seemed simple, but they revealed several layers of meaning. They had used the Imperial Hospital to harm people before, which was why they lamented 'no one in the Imperial Hospital, otherwise why would we be worried' when they targeted Prince Wei. Who had they harmed before? Why were the people in the Imperial Hospital gone?

Zhao Quan thought to himself, but on the surface, he smiled and poured Dongkui another bowl of hot soup.

"This old one likes smart people like Aunt Dongkui. As the saying goes, under the entire sky, there is no land that is not the Emperor's. The greatest person under this sky is His Majesty. Why be so stubborn as to oppose His Majesty? His Majesty doesn't bother with you because you are ants and not worth it. But if he really wants to deal with you, you won't be able to bear even a finger."

"Not to mention using torture on you, but in fact, this old one has people torture you for your own good. This suffering is borne on your body. Maybe you will understand after suffering a little? But if we don't torture you..."

Speaking to this point, he drew out the end of his sentence, making people's hearts rise for no reason.

"Don't you think about it? If you keep being stubborn and don't shed tears until you see the coffin, and keep your mouth shut even when you're about to die, if you anger His Majesty, won't they investigate your ancestors for eight generations when you entered the palace? Did you just pop out of a rock? If your family is implicated, then your ancestors for eight generations will truly suffer."

With his words, Dongkui couldn't control her body from trembling. Also trembling was Tanxiang, who was being tortured in the next cell. Zhao Quan didn't lower his voice when he spoke, so Tanxiang also heard him.

"Therefore, this one thought, it's good for you to suffer a little, so that your families won't have to. Maybe you'll see things clearly then, eh?"

Dongkui hurriedly said, 'What Chamberlain Zhao says is true. Dongkui was just thinking, if only I had spoken up when the instruments of torture were applied, I wouldn't have had to suffer so much.'

Zhao Quan said with a kind expression, 'That's why this one says Aunt Dongkui is a smart one. Suffering is nothing to fear; with the Imperial Hospital here, what injury can't be healed? It's never wrong to think more of oneself. For trusted confidantes like you, preserving your life isn't difficult.

"Those people are stubborn because they have no way out; they created their own sins. But you are different. You are merely instigated and coerced by others. The more you say, the more useful the things you reveal, the safer your lives will be. Perhaps the higher-ups will be pleased and even reward you.'"

"What Chamberlain Zhao says is true; this servant was coerced by Consort Dowager Hu." Dongkui condemned Consort Dowager Hu for being insidious and vicious, and then said, "This servant will certainly recall everything carefully and expose the evil deeds that poisonous woman has done, but the time is too far in the past, and this servant needs some time to remember."

Zhao Quan smiled and said, 'No rush, take your time.'

At this moment, the eunuch in charge of administering the punishment next door came over.

"'Grandpa, she's willing to confess.'"

Zhao Quan revealed a satisfied smile, clicking his tongue and saying, 'Why did it have to come to this? You have to suffer before you learn to be smart.'

That night, more than just one or two people were sleepless.

***

Originally, there was a morning court session today, but Emperor Taihe did not attend. The court officials thought His Majesty was protesting the abdication and was at odds with them, and they were contemplating who should submit a memorial to lecture His Majesty on some great principles. Little did they know that Emperor Taihe was not busy with these matters at all. From last night, when Zhao Quan relayed the message that Consort Chen's death had hidden secrets, he had not slept a wink.

The various emotional journeys during that time were difficult to describe. When Prince Wei arrived, he saw that Emperor Taihe looked much older overnight, with a hint of ferocity and ruthlessness in his eyes.

Having been emperor for too long, he always kept his emotions hidden, but now, because it involved his beloved, his ferocity was finally revealed.

"'Take a look.'"

Emperor Taihe threw the dossier to Prince Wei, who took it and opened it. The contents were shocking, with countless appalling misdeeds.

In particular, the old palace maid named Tanxiang confessed the most. She was not the first person to follow Consort Dowager Hu, but she had been with her the longest.

According to Tanxiang, for more than fifty years, Consort Dowager Hu had used her position to plant countless spies in the palace, either through bribery, coercion, or enticement, spanning the Jiacheng and Taihe reigns.

These spies and planted nails, with the gradual attrition over the years, were now few in number, but the evil deeds they had committed were too numerous to record.

From helping her pass messages to helping her plot to harm people.

According to Tanxiang, after Concubine Li became pregnant with Prince An and moved out of Empress Wenxian's residence, she had always kept a low profile. When Empress Wenxian was still alive, she used Empress Wenxian to shield her from the wind and rain, and used her relationship with Empress Wenxian to ingratiate herself with the late Emperor.

After Empress Wenxian's death, she further ingratiated herself with Virtuous Consort, who was then raising the Sixth Prince and Princess Changhe.

Over the years, she had used Empress Wenxian and Virtuous Consort to make various arrangements in private and to engage in some small, clandestine actions. Prince An seemed to have inherited his birth mother's personality, acting in much the same way.

He appeared to be on good terms with all his brothers, avoiding involvement in disputes, but how could that be? In reality, he stirred up no small amount of trouble among them. However, he always remained hidden behind the scenes, acting discreetly, and coupled with the pretense of being frail and sickly, he went unnoticed.

A mother is honored through her son, and a son is honored through his mother, but Consort Dowager Hu and Prince An had neither.

Therefore, during the years when the princes vied for the throne, although the two of them stirred up no small amount of trouble, it was, in reality, merely a game. Naturally, there was no question of a when a snipe and a clam grapple, it is the fisherman who profits situation.

Of course, this was the outsiders' perspective.

According to Tanxiang, Consort Dowager Hu and Prince An were quite dissatisfied. In their mouths, Prince Ying, Prince Chun, and the others were all hopeless. Prince An also frequently used his childhood friendship with 'Sixth Brother' to sell out 'Sixth Brother' behind his back.

Later, his submissive behavior towards 'Sixth Brother' was a habit of many years, and also stemmed from the knowledge that there was no turning back. In reality, he often cursed 'Sixth Brother' behind his back, saying that everything he had achieved was thanks to Empress Wenxian's good fortune.

Because Prince An had established his own mansion outside the palace after coming of age, Tanxiang did not know much about his actions. What she did know was mostly from Consort Dowager Hu instructing her to do things, and from listening to Consort Dowager Hu and Prince An discussing matters.

In the years after 'Sixth Brother' ascended the throne, Prince An appeared unaffected, but in truth, he was depressed and resentful, and his health deteriorated further.

Consort Dowager Hu had by then become a Consort Dowager, but because Emperor Taihe had to attend to matters at the imperial court, sweeping away the remaining partisans and remnants of the rebellious princes, he had no time to deal with matters in the harem. And the Empress Dowager, newly ascended to her position, was wary and afraid that Emperor Taihe would overthink things, so she acted cautiously. Therefore, the harem was initially in great disarray.

Consort Dowager Hu took the opportunity to plant her people everywhere and to stir up trouble among Emperor Taihe's concubines. The First Prince, born to Emperor Taihe's primary wife, died young during this time. Whether Consort Dowager Hu was the one who did it is no longer clear, but she certainly had a hand in it.

Later, after everything at the imperial court entered the right track, the harem gradually quieted down a bit. But then Consort Chen appeared. As soon as Consort Chen appeared, she received all of Emperor Taihe's favor, and immediately became the target of everyone in the palace. During this time, Consort Dowager Hu stirred up no small amount of trouble as well.

Emperor Taihe, disliking the commotion in the palace, took Consort Chen to the imperial villa to play. He did not know that Prince An, who was recuperating from illness at Yuquan Palace, had taken a palace maid as his lover, and that this palace maid happened to be pregnant.

Knowing that he would not live long, Prince An cleverly decided to pass the child off as Emperor Taihe's, seeking nothing more than to complete his long-held dream of 'great achievements' through an alternative route.

It is said that because of this idea, Prince An was greatly invigorated for a while. After arranging everything, he peacefully closed his eyes and passed away, waiting only for his son to return to the palace as Emperor Taihe's eldest son and seize the throne many years later.

It was a pity that although the idea was good, it was clear that everything in the world did not operate according to his wishes. Consort Chen did not give birth to the first prince after the early death of the First Prince; instead, Noble Consort Sun took the lead.

In addition, Emperor Taihe harbored resentment towards Prince Jin because of Consort Chen, and had not welcomed him back to the palace. By the time Prince Jin returned to the palace, many years had passed.

And these years were enough for too many things to happen, and enough for many princes to be born in the harem. How could the birth mothers of these princes allow a half-way wild child to be above their own sons?

Therefore, even after Prince Jin returned to the palace, he did not receive the lofty status he had imagined. Instead, his situation was very awkward.

Left with no other choice, Prince Jin could only continue to slowly plot with his grandmother, Consort Dowager Hu, who was hidden behind the scenes.

***

After reading the dossier, Prince Wei's anger was replaced by amusement.

"Though ferocious, wild beasts often confront you directly. It is these snakes and rats who are the most treacherous and vile, making it impossible to guard against them.”

If one were to enumerate, what did Consort Dowager Hu and Prince An have?

They possessed neither background nor status, only the flattery and ingratiation of clinging to the wings of others, feigning weakness, and then using the power of others to slowly gather their own support.

Their lives were thinner than paper, yet their ambitions soared higher than the heavens. Everything they had was bestowed by others, yet they dared to covet what they could never obtain, even harboring jealousy and hatred for their inability to acquire it.

Regarding the poisoning of Consort Chen back then, it was said to be the work of Consort Dowager Hu, but that was not entirely the case.

The poison came from a chance encounter she had in the palace. Its success was due to the actions of other concubines in the harem. At the time, Consort Chen was the target of public criticism; too many people wanted to deal with her. Thus, Consort Dowager Hu found an opportunity to quietly eliminate Consort Chen, who made the women of the entire palace uneasy.

What benefit did harming Consort Chen bring to Consort Dowager Hu?

None. She merely wanted to retaliate against Emperor Taihe.