Chapter 223 Part 2 - The Death of Consort Jing (Part 2)
Chapter 223: The Death of Consort Jing (Part 2)
Shen Miao almost wanted to laugh out. From Lu Zheng Chun’s words, it was like he was attacking Emperor Yong Le with condemnations. With such an arrogant attitude, was it truly only from a position of Emperor Shun Wu? One feared that from the very beginning Emperor Yong Le had never be placed in his eyes and for an official that did not have the heart, there would be some disrespect to the Monarch revealed in whatever one spoke or did.
Emperor Yong Le said plainly, “The matters of the Imperial descendants are important. It is an additional and not necessary move for General Lu to remind Zhen again.”
Lu Zheng Chun signed. Previously Emperor Yong Le would always treat him with some traces of politeness but now did not even give him a little face. He also knew that the Imperial family had started to deal with the Lu family secretly and initially thought that with Consort Jing pregnant, the Lu family would have more leverage but who knew that now that the basket of eggs were smashed, so how could he not be mad? However he could no longer go against Emperor Yong Le like before. The initially toothless youth had become the Emperor and was now more resourceful that he had imagine and the Lu family’s power has weakened.
There was such a type of people in the world where one would bully the weak and fear the strong. When you threatened him when he tried to act tough with one, they would give up. Lu Zhen was like this, and Lu Zhen Chun was also like this.
Coincidentally Lu Furen finished crying but looked towards Shen Miao to speak, “When Jing-er was in trouble, you were present. Did you see the culprit?”
Shen Miao shook her head.
Lu Zhen Chun said solemnly, “When you were there, Jing-er could still speak and it was not long after the person took action so how could one not see?”
Before Shen Miao could speak, Emperor Yong Le spoke first, “WangFei of First Rank was only passing by and it is not a crime not to have seen the culprit. General Lu did not investigate the culprit but blame those that should not be blamed. It is truly too much care had caused one’s mind to be chaotic.”
Shen Miao had not expect that Emperor Yong Le would speak up for her as she knew that Emperor Yong Le had always looked down on her.
Lu Zheng Chun laughed coldly, “Your Majesty, in this world, there are many matters where a thief can call others thieves.”
Empress Xian De frowned, “WangFei would not do such a thing. BenGong is willing to use the Empress’s position to guarantee it.”
Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xian De took turns to speak out for Shen Miao so Lu Zheng Chun could not say anything and only smile. It was just that his smile was very fierce.
Shen Miao said, “Even though I saw Consort Jing in the accident, it is the Young Lady from Ye family that was accompanying Her Ladyship Consort Jing. General Lu can also question her.” Who did not know how to divert the troublesome waters to the north? This matter was Ye Mei that created so Shen Miao was not willing to carry this blame for Ye Mei.
Lu Zheng Chun looked towards Ye Mei who was kneeling on the grown and there was a glimmer of light in her eyes but he did not speak.
Shen Miao was able to see clearly. This Lu Zheng Chun looked like a coarse person but he had his smarts. Now that the Lu family was being besieged by the Imperial family, and each day was more tensed than before, naturally one had to search for an ally. This Ye family was the best one. It was just that Ye Mao Cai was more intelligent than him and the Ye family had not decide where to stand at. Lu Zheng Chun naturally hoped that the Ye family would stand with him. Anyways his daughter and grandchild were all dead and the future was more important. Comparing both, he was more unwilling to let a dead person offend a potential ally.
In the face of power, a family could even sacrifice one’s children in vain. One could still take consideration for sons but for daughters, there was no need to bother as she would belong to someone else’s family.
Shen Miao had thought like this but she saw a guard walking over to Emperor Yong Le and spoke, “Emperor, someone had said that they had seen the culprit that pushed Consort Jing down the stairs.”
When those words were spoken, everyone was in shock. Before Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xian De could speak, Lu Zheng Chun spoke, “Who is it? Did that person say who the culprit was?”
Lu Furen put her hands together and said heartbrokenly, “There is a God in Heavens. Finally one know who harm my Jing-er. When I find out who that person is, one will definitely make them pay in blood for blood!”
Lu family’s behaviour was just too exaggerated. Emperor Yong Le said coldly, “Bring the person in.”
Shen Miao looked at Ye Mei, who was on the ground.
Ye Mei was kneeling on the ground and her back was slightly buckled and she still had a look of grievance but Shen Miao noticed her hands. The long sleeves had hid her palms but her fingers were revealed. The fingertips were truly very beautiful but her left thumb and index finger was in a circle, gently rubbing against one another.
Shen Miao had been dealing with Mei Furen for an entire lifetime and naturally knew the meaning of her every action. Shen Miao knew very clearly what this action was. When Ye Mei was scheming against another, when her goal was about to be reached, she would involuntarily do this action.
Shen Miao’s heart jumped. That witness that would be testifying is part of Ye Mei’s scheme? She was going to achieve her gold? Or was it that Lu Zhen’s death was really not related to Ye Mei? Why?
Afterwards a sound was heard from outside. It sounded like the wound of wheels rolling on the ground. Shen Miao’s eyes narrowed as she looked over at the doors.
A servant entered while pushing someone in.
That person was sitting on a chair with wheels and there was a blanket covering one’s legs as the pair of hands was folded on top of the knees. He did not seem to be able to walk and was pushed over by that servant effortlessly over.
Upon walking nearer, one could then see clearly that the person had an appearance of eleven or twelve years old and he had a delicate look. The person was a youth, wearing an ivory robes and seemed to be somewhat shy but his gaze was filled with traces of shock.
Shen Miao stood in shock on the spot and almost became a stone sculpture. Her eyes filled with tears in an instant and it almost overflow.
Fu Ming!
Time went on reverse and she could see through the beautiful youth on the wheelchair and saw that youth who was wearing bright yellow robes in the Inner Palace, holding a large bouquet of red plum blossoms, smiling and speaking very considerately, “Imperial Mother, ErChen (formal way of saying ‘this son’ that is used by Princes to their parents in the Imperial family) saw that the plum blossoms in the courtyard had bloomed and climbed up to cut a big bouquet. Now Imperial Mother can see this red plum blossoms every day in the room and one’s heart will feel comfortable and will recover from one’s illness faster.”
He said, “Even though Older Sister is not here, ErChen will always be by Imperial Mother’s side.”
He said, “Rest assures Imperial Mother. ErChen will study well from Imperial Teacher and when ErChen become stronger in the future, no one will dare to bully Imperial Mother.”
Now that beautiful and delicate youth was pushed by others to Ye Mei and he softly called out, “Eldest Sister.”
Shen Miao eyes widen.
He was… That cripple Young Master from the Ye family that was born from a concubine and placed under Ye Furen, Ye Hong Guang.
The Ye family’s people?
The servant pushed Ye Hong Guang to the front and Ye Hong Guang faced Emperor Yong Le. He was somewhat nervous and seemed not to know where to place his hands and feet in front of the Monarch of Great Liang, “Hong Guang greets His Majesty. Please forgive Hong Guang for being unable to perform the customary bows due to one’s legs.”
Emperor Yong Le waved his hands indifferently.
When Ye Hong Guang saw that there are so many people in front, he was somewhat afraid and could not help but move the chair’s mechanism to be closer to Ye Mei.
When Shen Miao saw it, her gaze became ferocious.
How could Fu Ming be this close with Ye Mei? There was a sudden impulse from the bottom of her heart to pull Fu Ming over from Ye Mei’s side. However she could not… Now she and Fu Ming were strangers.
It seemed that her gaze was too persistent that Ye Hong Guang noticed it. Ye Hong Guang glanced over with a curious gaze. Seeing Shen Miao’s persistent and non-blinking stare, he seemed to have been shocked and lowered her head before rubbing the edge of the blanket that was on his knees.
“Young Master Ye?” Lu Zheng Chun frowned and asked, “You saw the culprit that killed Consort Jing?”
Ye Hong Guang was stunned and became shock upon seeing Lu Zheng Chun’s ferocious appearance before looking over at Ye Mei for help. Every time he used that dependent gaze at Ye Mei, Shen Miao’s heart was like stabbed with knives.
Empress Xian De spoke amiably, “Hong Guang, you said that you saw the person who pushed Consort Jing. Is it true?”
Empress Xian De seemed to have a good impression of Ye Hong Guang, thus she spoke to him warmly. Ye Hong Guang looked at Empress Xian De and he did not seem to be that afraid and thus nodded his head.
“Then who is the person?” Empress Xian De asked.
Ye Hong Guang lowered his head and seemed to be somewhat timid. After much hesitation, he then raised his head up and looked towards Shen Miao’s direction and his gaze also landed on Shen Miao. Afterwards Ye Hong Guang slowly raised his hands and pointed towards her before softly speaking, “It is her.”
Shen Miao seemed to have been stuck by lightning.
Empress Xian De’s expression changed and she asked sharply, “Hong Guang, do you know that if you are lying, it is the offence of deceiving the Monarch. One’s head will be lost!”
Emperor Long Ye also said coldly, “Are you sure you saw clearly?”
It was clear that the Emperor and Empress did not believe in Ye Hong Guang’s statement of events. Ye Hong Guang looked timid but under the Emperor’s and Empress’s pressure, he became firmer. He looked at Shen Miao and said surely, “It is this Furen.”
Shen Miao stumbled a step back as she almost could not believe her ears at all. This Furen. Fu Ming would actually address her as ‘this Furen’. Her son would actually stand by her enemy’s side and help her enemy to testify against her!
How preposterous!
When her actions were seen by others, it seemed to have confirmed her guilty conscience.
Lu Zheng Chun’s eyes narrowed and without another word, he reached out to Shen Miao to drag her over in front of everyone. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang saw it and immediately went in front of Shen Miao to protect her. No one had expected that Lu Zheng Chun would suddenly take action. The guards quickly protected Emperor Long Le and Empress Xian De first and Emperor Yong Le shouted out, “Lu Zheng Chun, you dare to take action in Jing Hua Palace. Are you rebelling!”
As Lu Zheng Chun was fighting with Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang, he spoke loudly, “Emperor, my Lu family has lost Jing-er and the culprit is in front. Let this Old Man take revenge for killing my daughter first! This old man’s crimes can be determined later. Even if the matter is spoken to the entire world, one fears that the commoners would say that this old man is doing the right thing!”
This Lu Zheng Chun was truly an annoying troublemaker that Emperor Yong Le’s face turned ashen due to anger.
Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang had to take into consideration their identities and Shen Miao but every move from that Lu Zheng Chun was vicious as they were all killing moves that the two females almost could not match for. Shen Miao’s gaze was however fixed on Ye Hong Guang, who was by Ye Mei’s side. Ye Hong Guang seemed to dodge her gaze and was not willing to look at Shen Miao and instead whispered to Ye Mei some stuff.
Just at this moment, Lu Zheng Chun’s legs suddenly soften and he fell onto the ground. Everyone did not see clearly what was going on and only heard a ‘pa-da’ sound and two gold ingots fell onto the ground.
Lu Zheng Chun fell onto his knees on the ground.
A calm voice sounded from outside.
“Whatever dogs and cats can bully this Prince’s woman when this Prince is not present?”
More brassy than Lu Zheng Chun and even more arrogant. In the calm voice, everyone could hear who was the person one was angry at.
Upon seeing Xie Jing Xing appearing at the doors with a gold ingot in his hand, obviously it was he that used it to injury Lu Zheng Chun’s kneecap.
He strode over to Shen Miao, saw her pale look and thought that Shen Miao was frightened and became more aggravated. He turned around and looked at Lu Zheng Chun, who was being supported up, and said indifferently, “Master Lu, what are you dissatisfied with of this Prince?”
His looks were handsome and beautiful but his tone was so cold that it mad one’s back shiver.
Lu Zheng Chun was not willing to show any weakness. Even though he was angry that Xie Jing Xing made him look shameful, he had reason at his side and did not let the other go. He said, “Jing-er was killed by other! The Young Master of the Ye family saw it personally that it was Shen Miao’s doing. This old one is taking revenge for one’s daughter. It is entirely justified!”
“The Young Master of the Ye family?” Xie Jing Xing’s gaze swept the room and landed on the wheelchair Ye Hong Guang.
He slowly approached Ye Hong Guang and looked down at the other party.
Xie Jing Xing already had a pressuring aura to others thus when Ye Hong Guang was being stared by him, he uncomfortably dodged his gaze.
Xie Jing Xing looked at him with a smile but not a smile, “Which eye did see her killing another with?”
Not waiting for Ye Hong Guang to answer, Xie Jing Xing spoke indifferently, “Whichever eye you use, I will dig that eye out.”