Emperor Mingxian waved his hand in annoyance: "Get him out of the Imperial Study!"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Fu Shun hurriedly waved, ordering the guards to drag Baili Chen away. As soon as the door opened, they threw him out. Baili Chen rolled on the spot, stood up abruptly, and snorted at the Imperial Study. Seeing the Imperial Guards beside him, Baili Chen coldly sneered, "What are you looking at? Looking for death!"
"Slap, bang!" Then, kicks and slaps were delivered to the faces, legs, and buttocks of the Imperial Guards. Prince Chen, who was beside Baili Chen, was worlds apart from these soldiers. Although these people were wronged and suffered an undeserved calamity, they dared not dodge. Prince Chen used to be a little tyrant in the palace. Whoever offended him would be beaten and scolded. If you did not dodge and remained silent, he would not stop. If you begged for mercy, it would only provoke his viciousness.
Sure enough, after fighting for a while, Baili Chen got tired and left with his head held high like a victorious rooster.
Emperor Mingxian had already dismissed the guards from the Imperial Study, leaving only Emperor Mingxian and Fushun in the vast room. Fushun stood quietly to one side with his head bowed, while Emperor Mingxian sat there in a daze. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally said, "He's right. It's all my fault, all my fault!" Emperor Mingxian then slammed his fist on the table.
Yes, when Baili Chen was cursing him, Emperor Mingxian did have murderous intent. But gradually, he felt guilty. Seeing Baili Chen break down in tears, for a moment his mind went blank. He had never seen Baili Chen cry before. Whether it was being tortured by palace maids, poisoned, molested, bullied by princes and princesses, or even the agony of trying to commit suicide when poisoned, Baili Chen always gritted his teeth and never showed the slightest weakness. He truly hated Baili Chen's appearance. Whenever Baili Chen looked at him with those pure eyes, he wanted to gouge those eyes out and crush them. More than once, he had the wicked thought of killing him, of making him stand in front of others, becoming the object of resentment of the concubines, princes, and princesses in the harem, repeatedly framing and plotting against him. But he stubbornly survived, as if he had always been mocking him. He hated Baili Chen even more.
Emperor Mingxian had always wanted to hide, cover up, and bury his mistakes from back then, but today, when Baili Chen mentioned it, those memories surged up like a tide, making it impossible for him to refuse or continue deceiving himself.
If we're talking about love, Emperor Mingxian did indeed have a lover in his life: the deceased Empress Bai. They knew each other from a very young age, practically childhood sweethearts. The Bai family was one of the five great families at the time—not fifth, but second. The Leng family ranked first, and the Lin family, due to the Empress Dowager's influence, ranked third. The Sun and Ning families weren't even considered among the five great families then, merely hovering on the edge. His relationship with Empress Bai was natural. She was greatly favored by the Empress Dowager and was often summoned to the palace to keep her company. However, at that time, Empress Bai was just a young girl; what could she say? Most of the time, Emperor Mingxian played with her. Growing up like this, their relationship naturally became very strong. Coupled with the Bai family's power, it was practically no surprise that Empress Bai became Emperor Mingxian's wife after reaching adulthood. Later, the struggle for the throne was bloody, and Emperor Mingxian ultimately succeeded in ascending the throne, making Empress Bai the obvious choice for empress.
However, Emperor Mingxian went through many events and received help from many people to succeed when he became emperor. One was the famous Master Minghui, another was Princess Shuangxia Xuanyuanjun, and the third was the Empress Dowager.
As the eldest daughter of a prominent family and holding the highest status, the Empress Dowager was greatly favored by the late Emperor and held a strong and powerful position in the palace. Without her assistance, he would have been in great trouble. Emperor Mingxian was very grateful for this. In addition, the Empress Dowager and Empress Bai had a relationship like that of mother and daughter, so the atmosphere in the palace was very good at this time.
However, with a new emperor ascending the throne, the dynasty was not yet stable. Therefore, a thorough selection process was needed to bring the daughters of important officials into the palace to consolidate their power. Thus, Empress Lin entered the palace, and not long after, Consort Sun and others followed. With so many concubines, for the sake of power and to ensure a more even distribution of favors, Empress Bai's presence was naturally less frequented.
Of course, Baili Chen was right. It was indeed Emperor Mingxian's deliberate scheme to bring Empress Lin into the palace.
This matter was also initiated by the Empress Dowager. She subtly and overtly hinted at it. Although she was Emperor Mingxian's mother, she also had a large family to manage. The Lin family was only the third largest family at the time, but unlike Empress Bai's military family, they were mostly civil officials with many protégés in court. At that time, the most troublesome figures in the court were the civil officials, who, with nothing better to do than think about impeaching this person or that person, were causing Emperor Mingxian the most headaches. Royal power politics are complex. Although the whole world belongs to the emperor, and all the people are his subjects, to make someone willingly serve you, you have to offer them something. The Lin family needed to send a woman into the palace. At that time, Emperor Mingxian and Empress Bai had a very good relationship, and although Empress Bai was gentle and dignified, she was somewhat domineering in matters of the heart. When the Empress Dowager revealed this information, Emperor Mingxian, after much deliberation, felt guilty towards Empress Bai, but ultimately made his decision.
As the ruler of a nation, he had to be true to the woman he loved, but even more so to the people of the country. The turmoil in the court directly led to widespread panic, with murders, robberies, and banditry breaking out among the populace. As the saying goes, "to quell external aggression, one must first pacify the internal strife," and he had no choice but to make this decision. Empress Lin had long harbored feelings for Emperor Mingxian. Even now, the aging emperor retained a refined and scholarly air, and in his youth, he was exceptionally handsome. As the ruler of a nation, he was enough to drive any woman in the land wild. Therefore, when Empress Lin attempted to seduce him while drunk, he readily agreed to the plan.
Empress Lin came from an extraordinary background, and Empress Bai was favored by the Empress Dowager after entering the palace. Regardless of whose fault it was, the Emperor ultimately ruined Empress Lin's reputation. Even if Empress Bai was unwilling, she had no choice but to let Empress Lin enter the palace.
As for how Empress Lin, no longer a virgin, entered the palace, given the Empress Dowager's presence and Emperor Mingxian's tacit approval of Empress Bai, it was far too easy. Consequently, Empress Bai's favor was gradually taken away by one woman after another. At that time, Emperor Mingxian was preoccupied with how to stabilize the court and was constantly dealing with so many women, so naturally he couldn't attend to everyone's needs and gradually became somewhat distant from Empress Bai.
Seeing this, the concubines in the harem felt that Empress Bai had lost favor and gradually became arrogant, even daring to criticize her to her face. Empress Bai, being gentle and kind, did not take offense. However, at this time, Empress Lin became pregnant. While other concubines had been pregnant before, none had given birth. The Empress Dowager was overjoyed by Empress Lin's pregnancy and immediately brought the then-Zhaoyi (a low-ranking concubine) to Chengxiang Palace. Although this was somewhat against protocol, the palace could not support a child at that time, and Empress Lin was the Empress Dowager's niece; no one would dare to cause trouble. Thus, Empress Lin was cared for by the Empress Dowager. Surprisingly, she gave birth to a son, the eldest son of Emperor Mingxian, who is now the Crown Prince Baili Cheng. Subsequently, in the court, the ministers submitted memorials one after another, because the number of children in the harem was small and the previous ones could not be raised, so it was necessary to have someone to keep order. Moreover, this was Emperor Mingxian's eldest son, so he needed to be given a title. Emperor Mingxian's future throne should naturally go to Empress Bai's child. However, the ministers pressed on step by step, and in the end, even Empress Bai came to request the imperial decree. Emperor Mingxian then made Baili Cheng the Crown Prince. But at that time, he also noticed that Empress Bai was weak. He consulted the imperial physicians, but they found nothing wrong with her, so he was no longer worried.
Subsequently, good news came one after another in the palace. Although the second prince died young, Empress Bai gave birth to the third prince, Baili Zhi. This made Emperor Mingxian very happy, and the court officials used this to elevate their own status, saying that the establishment of the heir apparent had shaken Emperor Mingxian's resolve and that it would not be so easy for him to change the heir apparent.
Just then, the Bai family, the maternal family of Empress Bai, suffered a series of mishaps, each causing Emperor Mingxian considerable trouble. Emperor Mingxian, angered, naturally became somewhat cold towards Empress Bai during that period, favoring instead the exceptionally beautiful and elegant Consort Sun. In truth, Emperor Mingxian also felt that the power struggles among the aristocratic families of the Great Zhou were gradually spiraling out of control, and he needed to make some changes. Both the Sun and Bai families were composed of military figures, and their rivalry naturally raged. However, Empress Bai held the highest position in the harem and was Emperor Mingxian's childhood sweetheart. Although Consort Sun was favored, she was not as powerful as Empress Bai. Furthermore, the Bai family had a deeper foundation, so the Sun family could only engage in minor skirmishes. Emperor Mingxian naturally made the Bai family suffer some minor losses to serve as a warning to himself.
However, Empress Bai misunderstood. Emperor Mingxian was not particularly enthusiastic towards her, and he treated her family poorly. She was already weak after giving birth to the emperor and fell seriously ill. Emperor Mingxian was a capable man, at least he was able to rise from the palace to become emperor. He was quite shrewd, even managing to manipulate the court officials. He was intelligent, but when it came to relationships, he was just like most men. Women were merely for warming the bed. Even Empress Bai was different; she was just someone he could confide in. His pride and self-esteem were evident.
However, Emperor Mingxian had already treated Empress Bai quite well in his eyes. From then on, he frequently visited her, and whether it was truly effective or not, Empress Bai's condition improved considerably. Not long after, news spread that she was pregnant again, which overjoyed Emperor Mingxian, who eagerly anticipated this second child. Although Empress Lin was only a concubine at the time, she had given birth to the eldest son, the Crown Prince, which made Empress Bai's position somewhat awkward. Therefore, this second child would be enough for Empress Bai to solidify her position in the palace.
Who could have imagined that Empress Lin would be so bold as to secretly drug Empress Bai? Although Empress Bai managed to give birth to Baili Chen despite facing near-death experiences, her health was completely ruined as a result. Emperor Mingxian felt extremely guilty and hated Empress Lin. He searched for evidence, but even though he knew that Empress Lin was responsible, he had no proof whatsoever, and in the end, the matter was left unresolved.
Emperor Mingxian began to reflect on his actions. He had been truly happy with Empress Bai when he was young. In the corrupt and chaotic palace, Empress Bai was a haven of peace, a source of solace and contentment for his soul. However, Empress Bai was too understanding, gentle, and kind. She never vied for favor in front of Emperor Mingxian, and even behind his back, she remained respectful of her status and never overstepped her bounds. Emperor Mingxian gradually took this for granted, believing that he deserved to be treated this way by Empress Bai. He even took it for granted that he would sacrifice their love to stabilize the court. Later, when the arrogant concubines during the imperial concubine selection caused trouble for Empress Bai, he always felt that the mother of the nation should act like one. If she lacked even this much authority, how could she maintain order in the harem? He forgot that a woman's love is finite, her energy is finite, and her desire to compete is finite, especially for someone as gentle as Empress Bai.
It can be said that Empress Bai's downfall was partly due to Emperor Mingxian's efforts to balance power in the court, which led to the flourishing of women in the harem. If he hadn't accepted the Empress Dowager's suggestion to bring Empress Lin into the palace, Empress Bai wouldn't have ended up in this situation.
However, Empress Bai was so kind that she was almost hateful; in the end, she never resented Emperor Mingxian.
Emperor Mingxian still remembered that last night. He held Empress Bai in his arms and sat by the window looking at the moon. They talked a lot. Before she died in his arms, Empress Bai only asked him for two things. She followed him for the rest of her life and only asked for these two things.
One wish was for Baili Zhi to inherit his throne, and the other was for Baili Chen to grow up smoothly. This was because Empress Bai and the imperial physician discovered that Baili Chen was thinner and smaller than other children and would be difficult to raise. This was also the biggest effect of Empress Bai's poisoning. Emperor Mingxian agreed, and then Empress Bai left with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. Emperor Mingxian held her and sat up all night, vowing that he would definitely do it for her.
From then on, Emperor Mingxian felt no more affection for Empress Lin, only boundless hatred. He deliberately groomed Consort Sun, intentionally making her an enemy of the Empress, using this as a means of open and covert struggle. He wished all the women in the palace would fight to the death so he could join Empress Bai in the afterlife. Emperor Mingxian was also true to his word, paying close attention to Baili Zhi's education. He not only enrolled him in the Imperial Academy early but also secretly found renowned scholars to tutor him. As for Baili Cheng, he deliberately flattered him, frequently showing him affection and praise. Unfortunately, Baili Cheng had a not-so-smart wife and a more cunning grandmother. Although Baili Cheng was somewhat arrogant, he ultimately couldn't escape the mold and failed to achieve the results Emperor Mingxian desired. So, Emperor Mingxian changed his ways and promoted Baili Jian.
As for Empress Bai's other request, Emperor Mingxian felt very complicated whenever he thought about it, because Baili Chen was becoming more and more like Empress Bai.
Unlike Empress Lin's feigned elegance, and unlike Consort Sun's glamorous beauty, Empress Bai's beauty was divine, and her personality was gentle. It seemed that all the virtues of women in the world were concentrated in her. Her beauty was truly worthy of being called the most beautiful woman in the world. Apart from her eyes, Baili Chen resembled Empress Bai ninety percent!
Looking at Baili Chen every day, Emperor Mingxian felt as if he were a mirror, constantly reminding him that he was the one who killed Empress Bai, that he had personally sent his most beloved woman into the clutches of wolves and tigers. Emperor Mingxian found himself utterly ridiculous. Because of the Empress Dowager's subtle and overt guidance, he understood that her primary goal was to bring her niece into the palace. The Empress Dowager was a self-serving person, and he feared that Empress Bai would face trouble after Empress Lin entered the palace. Although he had to admit that the selection of concubines was partly for his own benefit and partly to protect Empress Bai, he believed that having more women would bring more trouble, but he wouldn't allow the Empress Dowager and Empress Lin to target only Empress Bai. Empress Bai, after all, disliked conflict, and he felt this was enough to ensure her a peaceful life.
He simply underestimated women's pettiness. Sometimes, even for the most absurd reasons, they could be ruthless. The White Empress's position drove women across the land mad; how could she possibly escape unscathed? Emperor Mingxian ultimately failed to understand women, leading him to personally kill the woman he loved.
Emperor Mingxian knew all this, but seeing a child who looked exactly like his beloved woman every day, he found he couldn't bear the self-reproach of living in constant torment. He felt that Heaven had sent Baili Chen to punish him, and he couldn't accept it. He often had nightmares at night, in which the White Queen came to take his life. Emperor Mingxian's personality became extremely irritable. In the end, he discovered that as long as he hated Baili Chen, he could alleviate his pain and it seemed to lessen his sins.
Yes, if it weren't for Baili Chen's birth, the White Empress wouldn't have suddenly become ill and died. It was all Baili Chen's fault, and he had to pay the price for his mistakes. He kept using this to hypnotize himself, thinking that as long as he hated Baili Chen, there was nothing wrong with it.
Afterwards, he watched coldly. When others doubted his true preferences, he would deliberately show Baili Chen excessive pampering in front of others. He felt relieved to see Baili Chen in pain, but every time he felt that he was the one suffering, that he should be the one suffering. Emperor Mingxian gradually did not understand what he wanted to do. He even felt that he had become a pervert and his mind had become twisted, but he still enjoyed it. Until Baili Chen could not bear it and said these things, Emperor Mingxian was stunned.
Was I wrong?
As Baili Chen stepped out of the palace gates, he looked at the sky and suddenly burst into laughter, tears streaming down his face. He then frantically bypassed the carriages guarding the outside and began running wildly through the imperial streets. His expression was eerily terrifying; he laughed maniacally, yet also cried incessantly: "Well said! So satisfying! So satisfying!"
Seeing this, the servants of Prince Chen's residence immediately followed. What could they do with the prince's frantic state? One of them cried out urgently, "Quick, quickly go and fetch the Princess Consort! The prince's condition is not good!"
Meanwhile, at the Prince Zhi's residence, Ouyang Yue had just arrived and hadn't even seen Baili Zhi when Sun Meng'er, smiling broadly, was helped out by servants. A cold smirk played on her lips: "Oh, what wind has blown today, bringing the Princess Consort of Chen to the Prince Zhi's residence? I've heard the Prince Chen's residence has been quite lively lately; there must be another joyous occasion soon. I've heard that Prince Chen and Princess Jiang Xuan have secretly pledged their lives to each other. It seems the position of Princess Consort of Chen will soon be taken by someone else."
Ouyang Yue ignored Sun Meng'er and simply said, "This princess requests an audience with my third brother. Please trouble Consort Sun to inform him."
Sun Meng'er sneered, "I heard that Prince Chen was summoned to the palace by the Emperor. I'm afraid it's about this marriage. Princess Chen, there's no need to rush. The Prince can't make this decision. Princess Chen, please go back." They knew perfectly well that Baili Chen's entry into the palace would likely lead to disaster, but Sun Meng'er deliberately said this, clearly intending to leave him to die.
Ouyang Yue no longer stood on ceremony: "This princess wishes to see the Third Prince. The Zhiwang Mansion seems to have quite a grand scale, but the mistress of this mansion can even make decisions for the master—a rare sight indeed. Does the Third Prince know of this? Does Father know? Or does Consort Sun think that the Third Prince's favor allows her to act with impunity, even disregarding this princess? Consort Sun is one rank below me; why doesn't she kneel to pay her respects?"
As she spoke, Ouyang Yue looked at Sun Meng'er, her eyes flashing with a cold light: "Kneel down before this princess!"
Sun Meng'er's face immediately turned ashen, but Ouyang Yue said expressionlessly, "Kneel down immediately!"
...
☆、233、The Third Prince's Murder Case at the Crown Prince's Residence!
Sun Meng'er's face was extremely ugly. She gritted her teeth and said, "Princess Consort Chen, after all, I am your sister-in-law. How dare you show me such disrespect? Do you think I'll let you in today? You can just wait to collect Prince Chen's corpse."
Ouyang Yue sneered, "My sister-in-law? You think you're worthy?! A mere concubine dares to threaten and intimidate me? What audacity! And for a concubine to dare call herself my sister-in-law, she clearly disregards royal etiquette and laws." Sun Meng'er's face paled even more. In her heart, this concubine was a sore spot. The Emperor had personally decreed that she be granted the title of secondary consort. Unless there was some great contribution or some unforeseen event, even if Prince Baili Zhi had personally gone to the palace to request the decree, Emperor Mingxian would not have so easily changed his mind and made Sun Meng'er the principal consort. It could be said that this imperial decree was like a hat placed high on Sun Meng'er's head, making it hard for her to breathe. As the legitimate daughter of the Prince Zhi's mansion, Sun Meng'er had grown up in luxury since childhood. She never thought that one day she would be someone's concubine. Even if there were no naive people in the Prince Zhi's mansion, and even if she was the one in charge of the mansion now, when she went out, she would only be a concubine. She would never be able to hold her head high in front of the principal wives of other princes' mansions. This was the hatred in her heart. Ouyang Yue actually said it like that.
"How dare you insult me like this! From now on, it's either you or me, Xuan Yuan Yue! You'll never set foot in the Prince Zhi's mansion again! When you chased Princess Baili Nan out of the Prince Chen's mansion, did you ever think you'd suffer the same fate? The wheel of fortune really does turn!" Sun Meng'er smiled maliciously. "I heard Prince Chen has entered the palace. These past few days, there have been countless rumors about him and Princess Jiang Xuan. This concubine was hoping for a happy occasion, but I heard Father Emperor is furious. This trip is likely to end badly. Princess Chen, you should probably wait to prepare for Prince Chen's funeral." Sun Meng'er's words were extremely malicious, clearly cursing Baili Chen to never return from the palace and to die in Emperor Mingxian's rage.
Ouyang Yue's eyes were deep and dark, eventually turning into a deep black. There was a vortex of madness in her eyes. Sun Meng'er, who had been sneering, suddenly shuddered when she saw Ouyang Yue's eyes. A strong chill rose from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. She felt cold all over and was terrified.
Ouyang Yue slowly walked towards Sun Meng'er, who retreated in fear, a terror that seemed to shake her to her core. Sun Meng'er thought to herself, what's so scary about Ouyang Yue? She's just a woman, a pregnant woman, and while she's a princess, her title isn't entirely legitimate. Others call her "princess" out of respect, but in Emperor Mingxian's eyes, she's nothing. And although she's the Princess Consort of Chen, her position as the principal wife is about to be usurped. The Prince of Chen might even be killed or harmed because of Emperor Mingxian's suspicion. What does being the Princess Consort of Chen even mean? What's so scary about Ouyang Yue?
But a trace of fear lingered in her heart. Ouyang Yue was looking at her calmly, but her whole body exuded a sharp and domineering aura that struck her heart and pierced her soul: "What are you going to do!" Sun Meng'er suddenly felt her voice was a little hoarse.
Ouyang Yue had already walked to her side, suddenly raised her head, and slapped Sun Meng'er hard across the face. Sun Meng'er was completely caught off guard. Even if Ouyang Yue was angry, she would at most curse a few words to vent her anger. How could she have expected that Ouyang Yue would be so bold as to slap her face like that? She had never been hit like that before!
A loud "smack!" echoed through the main hall of the Prince Zhi's mansion. Not only was Sun Meng'er stunned, but the servants of the Prince Zhi's mansion were also stunned. Chuncao and Dongxue were completely caught off guard. The Princess Consort had come today to ask for a favor, but she had just arrived and hit Sun Meng'er. It would be difficult to handle this situation. Of course, they didn't care. Since the Princess Consort had hit her, so be it. Anyway, Sun Meng'er deserved it.
Sun Meng'er froze, then screamed like a madwoman, "You dare hit me! You dare hit me! I am the concubine of the Prince Zhi's mansion! Even if you are the principal wife, you have no right to do so! Guards, throw her out of here!"
The servants of the Prince Zhi's mansion dared not do so. Even if it was Sun Meng'er who gave the order, they were as lowly as they were. If the Princess Consort of Chen wanted to cause trouble in the future, they would only have to wait to die.
However, after being beaten, Sun Meng'er was now unable to even summon the servants of the Prince Zhi's mansion. She was so angry that she was almost fainting. She shouted, "Anyone who dares not to move will suffer a terrible death!"
The servants were finally moved upon hearing this. After all, the Princess Consort of Chen could not come to govern the Prince's mansion at will, but Sun Meng'er was now in charge of the entire mansion. If she held a grudge against them, they would really be waiting to die.
Ouyang Yue said expressionlessly, "You audacious Sun Meng'er! How dare you disregard your rank and even attempt to criticize and command the Emperor! You are utterly rebellious and deserve to be severely punished and executed!"
Sun Meng'er was taken aback, then sneered, "Stop beating around the bush. When has this concubine ever been so rebellious? Don't think you can stay in the Prince Zhi's residence just because of this. You have no choice today."
"Slap!" The next moment, Ouyang Yue raised her head and slapped Sun Meng'er hard again. The sound was so crisp and loud that it shocked everyone once again. Sun Meng'er's delicate face quickly turned red and purple, with a large red handprint on each side.
Sun Meng'er suddenly erupted, yelling "Ah!" and lunging at Ouyang Yue. Dong Xue reacted quickly, flashing in front of her and blocking Sun Meng'er. Sun Meng'er struggled and shouted, "Damn it, you dare hit me! I'll show you what I'm capable of!"
Ouyang Yue, however, feigned pity and said, "How can Consort Sun be so ungrateful? Didn't you know I was just trying to help you? Are you going to judge me with such petty suspicions? Consort Sun is even blaming me! Don't you know that everything about the Prince—his birth and future—is decided by the Emperor? Although the Prince was summoned to the palace by the Emperor, you don't know why, and I don't know why. The Emperor is so high and mighty, not allowing anyone to criticize him. Now Consort Sun acts as if she knows everything, as if she knows exactly what the Emperor is going to do. Is Consort Sun some kind of mind reader? Or is the Emperor, so high and mighty, the ruler of the country..." "Your Majesty, we still need to hear the opinion of a mere concubine from the Prince's residence before deciding on the Prince's affairs. When did a concubine of a prince's residence come to wield such influence in the court? If outsiders were to find out, it would be a capital offense. I, the Princess Consort, am related to Consort Sun, and I have been so kind to her. How could she be so inconsiderate, blaming and cursing me? Is there such an unreasonable thing in the world? It's utterly disheartening. Consort Sun, from a noble family like the Sun family, is so ungrateful. Who raised her like this? I will go to the palace right now to demand an explanation!"
Ouyang Yue looked aggrieved, dissatisfied, and indignant. She described how unwilling she was to hit Sun Meng'er, but how she had no choice but to do so due to the circumstances. Sun Meng'er was so angry that her teeth felt like they were being ground down, but she couldn't vent her anger. She knew perfectly well that Ouyang Yue was just talking nonsense and making excuses for herself, but she couldn't utter a single word against it. Because if Ouyang Yue seized on her words, she would be unable to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River. Regardless of anything else, cursing Baili Chen would likely bring her no good, and if she were to be associated with Emperor Mingxian, she would be in deep trouble.
The two slaps to her face were for nothing. No matter how angry she was, she had to put on a friendly face: "Look at what Princess Chen is saying, it was all just a joke. Why did you take it seriously?"
Ouyang Yue sighed, "Consort Sun is right. What we said was indeed a joke. You said cursing my prince was a joke, and me hitting you was also a joke. We know these things in our hearts and don't need to tell anyone. But I, the Princess Consort, have to advise Consort Sun. We can treat these things as jokes, but such jokes cannot be made in public. Out of friendship and kinship, I, the Princess Consort, will not hold it against you or tell anyone, but if you say such things in public, others will not think you are joking. I think Consort Sun should know very well what will happen to her next." If someone with ulterior motives seizes this opportunity, Sun Meng'er will either die or be severely punished. Moreover, the Lin family has always regarded the Sun family as a thorn in their side. How can Sun Meng'er possibly fare well then?
It's true that the Sun family spoiled Sun Meng'er too much. The eldest branch of the Sun family had four children, three of whom were older brothers. Sun Meng'er was pampered from a young age, so naturally, whatever trouble she caused was always covered up by her superiors. This led to Sun Meng'er becoming somewhat reckless, impulsive, and disregarding the consequences. Ouyang Yue was certain that if she wanted to deal with Sun Meng'er, she wouldn't survive. She could find a hundred ways to make her suffer terribly. However, she wasn't foolish enough to confront her head-on; what good would that do her?
But her personality would never allow Sun Meng'er to bully her. If Sun Meng'er dared to speak out, she would make her taste the power and see her true status.
"I've taken note of what Princess Consort Chen said." Sun Meng'er's face was as black as charcoal. She forced a smile, but it looked worse than a grimace.
"Princess Consort Chen has arrived." Just then, a group of people walked out from the inner hall. Baili Zhi was followed by several guards and attendants. Ouyang Yue and Sun Meng'er quickly greeted them.
Baili Zhi looked at Sun Meng'er's face, somewhat surprised: "What's this about the concubine?"
Sun Meng'er forced a smile, but her face burned with pain: "Your Highness, it's alright. I was just about to greet Princess Chen, but I was walking too fast and bumped into a pillar. Please forgive me, Your Highness. I need to step back and apply some medicine."
Baili Zhi looked concerned: "How did you end up bumping into a pillar? Quickly, summon the imperial physician to the residence to take a look."
Seeing this, Sun Meng'er looked grateful and said, "Your Highness, there's no need. It's nothing serious. I'll take my leave now." Before leaving, she couldn't help but glance at Ouyang Yue, a look that contained both threat and hatred, before finally leaving indignantly.
Baili Zhi stared intently at Ouyang Yue for a long while before saying, "You dared to enter my palace and injure my concubine? You've gone far too far."
"Does Third Brother think his sister-in-law is wrong? If you think she is wrong, then his sister-in-law will admit it." Ouyang Yue was unusually easy to talk to.
Bai Lizhi gave a wry smile: "Sit down."
Ouyang Yue thanked him and sat down. Without further ado, she got straight to the point: "Third Brother, you've probably guessed that my sister-in-law's visit to the Prince's residence wasn't just for idle chatter."
"It's because of the seventh brother, isn't it?" Baili Zhi sighed.
"That's right!"
Baili Zhi sighed, "Recently, Jiang Xuan and the Seventh Prince have been getting close, which has indeed caused a lot of rumors. Moreover, I heard that Jiang Qi came to the palace not long ago, and he must have said something, which is why Father summoned the Seventh Prince to the palace."
Ouyang Yue paused for a moment, then said, "Princess Jiang Xuan has absolutely no relation to the Prince, and the fact that Prince Jiang Qi of Da Gan entered the palace proves this point. It's just that I'm afraid someone is deliberately stirring things up, making this matter more complicated, and making Father Emperor wary of the Prince."
Baili Zhi paused for a moment, then said, "You don't need to worry too much. As far as I know, the Seventh Prince's visit to the palace is just to argue with Father Emperor; there won't be any real danger."
Ouyang Yue, however, disagreed. Perhaps Emperor Mingxian treated Baili Zhi this way, but it was hard to say about Baili Chen. The inexplicable hatred in Emperor Mingxian's eyes bothered her greatly. Seemingly sensing Ouyang Yue's disbelief, Baili Zhi hesitated for a moment before saying, "This matter is a long story, but I can guarantee that the seventh prince will be alright."
"Is that so? What does my third brother's guarantee mean? My sister-in-law is six months pregnant. If something really happens to the prince, even if this child is born, how will this widow and orphan survive? I don't know how many people on the author's Twitter are bullying me. Third Prince, you might as well just say what you know, so that I won't suffer without understanding why." Ouyang Yue said with a look of loss.
Baili Zhi looked at her, a bitter feeling rising in his heart. This woman really knew how to exploit loopholes. After thinking for a moment, he spoke up: "Back then, after Mother's death, Father Emperor harbored a deep resentment towards the Seventh Prince. This is why Father Emperor has been so distant from the Seventh Prince all these years. At that time..."
As Baili Zhi recounted his story, Ouyang Yue's expression grew increasingly grim, eventually becoming somber and terrifying. She slammed her hand on the table, completely disregarding Baili Zhi's presence, and shouted, "Bullshit! This is just making excuses! His own negligence led to the death of his beloved woman, and now he's blaming the Prince? I haven't even blamed him for his negligence causing the Prince to be infected with a curse right after birth, and he has the nerve to blame others? Utterly shameless! What a despicable person!"
Baili Zhi was stunned by the table-slamming action, and even more terrified by Ouyang Yue's cursing. By the time he reacted, Ouyang Yue had already uttered a curse. He exclaimed in alarm, "Shut up! How dare you say such things? Aren't you afraid of being implicated? Shut up!"
"Shut up! I'm not happy right now, so nobody else is. And you, my brother, are something else! The Prince has suffered so much over the years, taken so many bullets for you, and you still have the nerve to come here and try to reason with me? You owe my Prince so much, it breaks my heart. The Prince is still in the palace, his life hanging in the balance, and you can sit comfortably in your mansion. You... you're utterly opportunistic, showing no regard for brotherhood whatsoever! Shameless!" Ouyang Yue, hands on her hips, pointed at Baili Zhi and cursed.
Baili Zhi's face turned pale and then flushed red. His guards were all his most trusted confidants; although they wouldn't speak of what had happened today, they couldn't bear to see Ouyang Yue insult their master like that. They shouted, "How dare you!"
Just as she was about to rush out, Ouyang Yue, clutching her waist, thrust forward forcefully: "Come on, hit me! Hit me here! Every one you kill is one less to worry about. I, the princess, don't want to carry this heartless royal child for ten months. Come on, hit me! Every one you kill is one less to worry about. I'm happy to have some peace and quiet." After saying that, she thrust forward again, pointing to her stomach with her other hand, her face displaying an expression that said, "Hurry up and hit me, so I don't have to suffer," and "Hit me! Kill me already!" She showed no fear whatsoever.
The two guards' faces turned pale and then red. If they really managed to get Ouyang Yue pregnant, not only would they be in trouble, but Baili Zhi would also be finished. What they did would only put Baili Zhi in an unjust position.
Baili Zhi looked at Ouyang Yue with a bitter expression, and finally said, "Yes, what you said is all correct. You were just concerned about the seventh prince, so what you said is all correct. I accept these accusations."
Ouyang Yue, supporting her aching back, sat back down. Wasn't it easy for her? Using her pregnancy as leverage, she had already prepared her hidden weapons when the two guards rushed over. If they dared to move, she would have killed them first. At least Baili Zhi understood the situation. As brothers, Baili Zhi and Baili Chen had many things that couldn't be explained. This blood ties weren't something Ouyang Yue could interfere with, but Baili Zhi owed Baili Chen something, and as his wife, Ouyang Yue had to fight for it for him.
Since Emperor Mingxian intends to pass the throne to Baili Zhi, it is essential to obtain a promise from the future emperor of the Great Zhou. If this opportunity isn't seized now, and Ouyang Yue feigns madness and begs for it, there won't be another chance. Her face flushed, she looked furious, but after sitting for a while, tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, "Your Highness has suffered so much these past years. Just hearing about it makes my heart ache, let alone experiencing it firsthand. Your Highness, this is..." How did he grow up? If it weren't for the prince's strong will, if it weren't for his brotherly love and maternal duty, he would probably have taken his own life long ago. Did our prince have it easy?" She glanced at Baili Zhi again, "Brother, please forgive me. After hearing about the prince's tragic childhood, I couldn't help but cry. Please don't blame me. Women are always made of water, and they always shed tears more easily than men. I, the princess, don't want to be so sentimental, but when I think of the prince's childhood... sob sob sob..." She cried again.
Chuncao's eyes were also red. She wasn't faking it; she genuinely felt sorry for Baili Chen. Of course, it wasn't that Ouyang Yue was lying, but it certainly wasn't as dramatic as she appeared. Ouyang Yue was never weak, and it was extremely difficult to get her to cry. But that didn't mean she didn't care about Baili Chen; it just meant her way of showing concern wasn't necessarily through tears. Otherwise, how could this whole charade continue?
Only Dongxue looked somewhat dazed; no wonder her master seemed like a madman back then.