Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C115

Mingyi Hall

After seeing Mei shi being led away by the palace maid, the Madam of Duke Zhao appeared slightly uneasy.

"Your Majesty..."

Seeing her hypocritical appearance, Consort Changhui revealed a mocking smile.

"Madam of Duke Zhao, this daughter-in-law of yours is a rare beauty. With a little dressing up, she looks even more radiant. This Majesty just can't understand why such a woman would be placed in a corner and ignored by you."

Chen shi's face stiffened slightly.

You know perfectly well why, yet you insist on bringing up the past. She could see that Consort Changhui deliberately meant to ridicule her, but the other woman had always been this way. Moreover, ever since the Empress Dowager's death, she had become increasingly irritable and acerbic. Chen shi neither wanted to nor dared to argue with her.

"She has a timid personality and comes from a humble background. How can she compare to Your Majesty, who is of noble birth and possesses a dignified bearing?"

Consort Changhui nodded without hesitation, "That's true. But whether this will succeed depends on her luck. His Majesty has always had lofty standards and may not take a fancy to such a woman from a small family. By the way," she asked the palace maid beside her, "Does the Empress know about this? Did you pass on the message to the Empress's side? I really want to see what kind of face the Empress is making now."

To put it bluntly, even if Consort Changhui personally brought Mei Wushuang into the palace, she didn't think this woman could catch Emperor Qianwu's eye. She did this, as she said before, to deliberately disgust the Empress.

"The message has already been sent, the Empress must know," the palace maid said.

Consort Changhui revealed a satisfied smile, "Alright, then let's just wait and watch the show."

Little did she know that the Empress was also waiting for news, but Consort Changhui was waiting for the Empress to be disgusted, while the Empress was waiting for Mei Wushuang to die.

How could the Empress not see Consort Changhui's plan? So, after Consort Changhui had someone lead Wushuang to Chenhui Hall, she quietly led her to Rouyi Hall.

Seemingly, the two halls were separated by only a wall, and she took advantage of that very wall.

Therefore, when the person returned and said that everything had been taken care of, the Empress waited.

***

Waiting was undoubtedly difficult.

The Empress had always felt that her self-cultivation was better than most, but perhaps because this matter was too important, perhaps because she could finally get rid of a hidden danger in a legitimate way, the Empress appeared somewhat restless.

Even though she had shown a calm and composed appearance in front of her confidants, she was still uneasy.

To alleviate this unease, she instructed a palace maid to prepare paper, intending to transcribe Buddhist scriptures for a while.

The Empress did not believe in Buddhism, yet everyone in the palace knew that Her Majesty the Empress devoutly worshipped Buddha, possessing a compassionate heart. After transcribing a page of Buddhist scripture, the Empress indeed felt much calmer.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside, and Hupo frowned as she went out.

"What is it? Why such alarm?"

"Sister Hupo, someone just came to... to report..."

"Report what?" It was the Empress who had walked out from within.

"They say that Little Quanzi from Chenhui Hall had people prepare the palanquins used by the palace consorts and sent someone out of the palace."

"Sent someone out of the palace? Who?" The Empress blurted out.

Was there even a need to ask who? Everyone understood who it was.

Hupo looked at Her Majesty with some worry; at this moment, the Empress's face was slightly pale.

"Investigate, have people investigate, to see what exactly is going on!"

***

In Mingyi Hall, this news was also received.

Consort Changhui was astonished, surprised, and shocked, and Chen shi beside her wore almost the same expression. But in the end, Consort Changhui revealed an amused smile, while Chen shi's face turned completely dark.

Consort Changhui stood up, smiling as she patted Chen shi's shoulder, "This concubine underestimated her. It seems the Zhao family's good fortune is yet to come."

Chen shi left the palace, hurrying back to the mansion.

From the moment she entered the Duke Zhao's mansion, she revealed the anger she had suppressed for so long.

"Bring Mei shi to me!"

The old women and servant girls on the side looked at each other, only Granny Huang, who had followed Chen shi into the palace, said, "If you're told to go, then go."

Before long, Mei shi was summoned.

Ever since Wushuang returned, she had been bathing and changing, and it took her a long time to regain her composure. Before she could figure out what was going on, she was summoned by Chen shi.

Having steadied herself, Mei Wushuang observed the atmosphere in the hall, noting that it was her mother-in-law, Chen shi, who seemed most consumed by a fierce anger.

What was she so angry about?

"What did you do after entering the Palace?" Chen shi demanded, pressing her.

In truth, judging by her appearance, Chen shi, with her noble origins, possessed the countenance and bearing befitting a woman of her standing. Yet, she had acted against her conscience, committing deeds that defied moral principles, leaving her heart uneasy and apprehensive. Moreover, she had been subjected to various forms of ridicule and humiliation by Consort Changhui after entering the palace.

This would have been acceptable, as she never truly believed anything would come of it, but now it seemed something might. How could Chen shi not understand the meaning behind Consort Changhui's words, 'The Zhao family's good fortune is yet to come?'

She was simultaneously alarmed, fearful, and ashamed. Bursting with anger, she summoned Wushuang to interrogate her. Her usually well-maintained, fair, and delicate face was now twisted, appearing particularly ghastly.

Wushuang truly did not understand what her mother-in-law was so angry about. If anyone should be angry, it should be her. She had endured so much, nearly losing her life.

Yet, her long-standing habit of yielding to her mother-in-law's every whim prevented her from becoming enraged; instead, she felt a strange sense of calm.

"What is Mother saying? This daughter-in-law does not understand."

Seeing that she was still feigning ignorance, Chen shi rushed forward and gripped her shoulders.

"Did you, did you serve... His Majesty?"

The last two words were practically spat out from between her teeth. Her distorted face and bulging eyes made it impossible to discern whether those words filled her with dread or excitement.

"What is Mother saying? This daughter-in-law truly does not understand," Wushuang said, feigning pain. "Mother, you're hurting me..."

Chen shi shoved her away. "If not, why would the palace Chamberlain send you out of the Palace in a sedan chair reserved for imperial concubines?"

These words astonished many of the old women and servant girls in the hall who had not accompanied them to the Palace. Their gazes flickered with unease as they all turned towards Wushuang.

This Second Madam who, for so long, had been ignored by everyone.

"This daughter-in-law did not know that it was a sedan chair used by the palace concubines..."

Chen shi interrupted, "Then did you or did you not?"

Wushuang raised her head, meeting the gaze of her mother-in-law, whom she had always feared and respected.

Perhaps because she had anticipated her return, Chen shi's current behavior caused her disappointment, but not shock.

Was that person truly His Majesty?

Those black boots embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons.

Mei Wushuang had no time to ponder why the dignified Emperor Qianwu was like this; her suspicions were finally confirmed by Chen shi's reaction.

Her face was cold, her eyes flashing with humiliation, her lower lip pressed into a tight line, pushed to its limit.

"This daughter-in-law does not know what Mother wishes to ask. Mother should be most clear as to why this daughter-in-law entered the palace, and why, after entering the palace, she was led to an unfamiliar palace. Why ask this daughter-in-law now?"

"You—" Chen shi was shocked and enraged. "You dare to speak to me so insolently?!"

Indeed, this was the first time Wushuang had contradicted her mother-in-law. She had always been respectful and even subservient to Chen shi. Even when she was disliked and rejected, she still fulfilled her duty as a daughter-in-law.

Perhaps everything that happened today was a great shock not only to Chen shi, but also to her.

Her marriage into the Zhao family had been marked by constant neglect, stemming from her improper behavior and violation of womanly virtues when she schemed to marry Zhao Jianzhi. She could understand the Zhao family's aversion and hatred towards her, after all, the Zhao family was a respectable household.

But now, even respectable families engaged in vile deeds, even more despicable, shameless, and base than her own, actually sending their daughter-in-law into the palace…

"This daughter-in-law is not speaking insolently to Mother, but since Mother is clearly aware of what might happen, why ask this daughter-in-law instead?"

In truth, Wushuang also harbored a doubt. Her mother-in-law believed she had been favored by Emperor Qianwu, which corresponded with the palace maid deliberately leading her to that unfamiliar palace earlier.

She did not yet fully understand what her mother-in-law and Consort Changhui were plotting, but she was later led to another place, where she saw a His Majesty who was completely devoid of reason, even wantonly killing palace maids.

Was that truly His Majesty?

Dragon boots were not something anyone could wear.

She suddenly recalled long ago, before she had married Zhao Jianzhi, the rumors she had heard about Prince Wei. Although Mei Wuxia later proved them to be perhaps just rumors, deliberately spread by someone with ulterior motives, by marrying in her stead.

And since then, she had not heard anyone speak of Prince Wei or Emperor Qianwu's licentious and immoral deeds. She only knew that this His Majesty was cold and capricious. Yet, the scene she witnessed today aligned with those rumors she had heard long ago.

"Isn't this still contradicting me?!"

Chen shi, consumed by shame and anger, slapped Wushuang across the face.

The loud sound of the slap shocked everyone and brought Chen shi back to her senses.

Looking at the other woman staring directly into her eyes, Chen shi turned her face away and said angrily, "Someone, drag this impudent woman who dares to defy her mother-in-law to the corridor to kneel! Let her reflect properly!"

***

This was not the first time Mei Wushuang had been punished to kneel.

Chen shi, who prided herself on her noble birth, certainly disliked Wushuang, but she maintained her status. Even if she disliked her, she rarely used methods that would diminish her own standing, such as beating, scolding, or forcing her to kneel.

Only once, Zhao Jianzhi's favored concubine and cousin, Chen Yunshang, falsely accused her of breaking Chen shi's most beloved white jade Guanyin statue. At the time, they had entered together, and the white jade Guanyin was already broken. Wushuang didn't quite understand why Chen Yunshang wanted to frame her, but she knew she was taking the blame for someone else, so she defended herself.

Unfortunately, Chen shi didn't listen to her explanation at all, and instead punished her with kneeling.

Of all the people in the room, only Meifang rushed over to see how Wushuang was, and when she heard that Chen shi was going to make Wushuang kneel as punishment, this usually silent maid immediately burst out, wanting to say something, but Wushuang pulled her back.

"Help me up."

Wushuang was helped up.

"If it were any other time, if Mother is angry, then it is only right that this daughter-in-law kneels. But today, this daughter-in-law is also very angry, so I will not kneel. When Mother's anger has subsided, this daughter-in-law will come to pay her respects again."

Having said that, Wushuang turned to leave, just as she met the two maids who were about to take her down to kneel.

Perhaps it was the Second Madam's unusually cold face, or perhaps it was Chen shi's words just now, but the two maids didn't dare to say anything and stepped aside.

Chen shi watched helplessly as Mei Wushuang left with her maid.

"How dare she? How dare she..."

Granny Huang, who was beside her, pulled her and said, "Madam, before we came back, didn't we agree to test her intentions first? If she was truly favored by His Majesty in the palace, and then sent out like that, the current her is really not someone we can scold or punish as we please."

"Are you saying that I won't be able to do anything to her in the future?" Chen shi said, turning around in place. "No, I'm going to find Master, I'm going to find Master."

Regardless of what was happening outside, at this moment, the Rouyi Hall maintained absolute silence.

Fusheng had already entered and exited the bedchamber several times, but the person on the bed still showed no signs of waking up, and even maintained a face-down sleeping position.

Seeing that it was already dark outside, Fulai also came from the Department of Palace Affairs.

"How is His Majesty?"

"Still sleeping."

"Is the Master also asleep?"

His Majesty can refer to two people, both are His Majesty, but Master only refers to one person, which is Emperor Qianwu; it is used by the two to distinguish between them.

Ever since His Majesty's illness grew more severe, those on the outside remained unaware, but absolute confidants such as Fusheng and Fulai knew the true situation.

As His Majesty's secondary personality gradually lost its rationality, it also affected him; from being able to handle state affairs at the beginning, the time he could maintain consciousness gradually shortened.

Left with no choice, Fulai emerged as the leading eunuch of the Chamberlain's Office, becoming a powerful eunuch known throughout the court and beyond. As for Fusheng, he remained by Emperor Qianwu's side, attending to various matters.

Of course, this isn't to say that Emperor Qianwu could no longer control the court; it was just that as the time he could maintain consciousness grew shorter, he inevitably couldn't appear before people at will.

Therefore, Chenhui Hall became the place where he spent more and more time recently, so he chose Fulai and Fusheng, one inside and one outside, to assist him, and at the same time, to conceal this matter that could not be known by outsiders.

"Has Imperial Physician Song been summoned?"

Just as he spoke, Song You arrived.

After Song You inquired about the situation and pondered for a moment, he said, "His Majesty has been unable to sleep peacefully for many days; being able to fall asleep is a good thing."

"But His Majesty has been asleep for almost an entire afternoon."

This was indeed rare. Just as the three were still unsure whether to intervene, some movement came from the inner hall.

Entering the hall, they saw Emperor Qianwu sitting on the bed with disheveled hair, clutching his forehead.

"Your Majesty?"

Because his posture was somewhat off, Fusheng's call was not certain, tinged with hesitation.

The person on the bed, wearing a dragon robe, suddenly turned his head.

His eyes were bloodshot and turbid, seemingly devoid of all reason.

The three of them felt a sudden thump in their hearts.

"Where's she?"

"Where's she?"

A gust of wild wind swept across their faces, but it was the person on the couch who lunged directly towards the three of them.

Just a moment before reaching them, he suddenly stopped, hunching over and clutching his forehead.

After a while, he slowly exhaled and straightened his body.

"What happened? Fusheng, tell me."