bookrandom Chapter 141 The Virtuous Consort Becomes the Scapegoat
Chapter 141 The Virtuous Consort Becomes the Scapegoat
In less than half an hour, Liu Guangyu summoned three imperial physicians of different ages—old, middle-aged, and young—to the imperial study. After examining Consort Xian's pulse, the three physicians unanimously concluded that she was indeed more than a month pregnant, but the pregnancy was not very stable.
When Emperor Huizong heard that the three imperial physicians had confirmed Consort Xian's pregnancy, he frowned and looked at Ning Weizhi, asking, "Minister Ning, what do you think should be done with Consort Xian? Should we let her give birth to the imperial heir or stop the pregnancy in her womb..."
“Your Majesty, the imperial heir must not be interrupted. The punishment can be carried out after Consort Xian gives birth to a prince or princess.” Seeing the emperor’s hesitation, Ning Weizhi interrupted and boldly suggested.
Emperor Huizong did not blame Ning Weizhi upon hearing this, as he was waiting for his minister to give him a way out. Consort Xian was overjoyed upon hearing the imperial physician's news that she was pregnant with the emperor's child, and now, hearing Ning Weizhi defend her, saying that she would only be punished after Ning Weizhi gave birth to the child, she was even more delighted.
Consort Xian excitedly stood up abruptly, put her hands on her hips, stuck out her pregnant belly, and stared at Emperor Huizong and Ning Weizhi with her eyes, which were red from sobbing. She shouted loudly, "I am carrying the imperial heir! Let's see who dares to take me to the Imperial Clan Court! Help me back to rest! I still want to eat bird's nest soup, hehe!"
Consort Xian's smug and arrogant laughter echoed in everyone's ears. Gao Can and Ning Weizhi exchanged a glance, both feeling a bit indignant at this woman. Was Consort Xian overjoyed? Did she think she would definitely rise in status because of the imperial heir in her womb? Whether she could even safely give birth to this imperial heir was still unknown. Besides, the prince she gave birth to was to be raised by Consort Hui; she was merely doing someone else's bidding. What was there to be proud of?
Du Shiniang and Chen Jinhuan exchanged a helpless glance. Chen Jinhuan dared not show her hatred for Consort Xian, but bit her lip hard, then looked at Chen Ge with resentful eyes. Chen Ge sensed from Chen Jinhuan's expression that she was trying her best to suppress her hatred, so while everyone's attention was focused on Consort Xian, she winked at Chen Jinhuan, signaling her to stay calm and maintain a dignified image as a concubine in front of Emperor Huizong.
Chen Ge took a deep breath, suddenly walked up to Emperor Huizong of Song, knelt down, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, just now I sent the imperial guards to search the palace of Consort Xian and found something. I would like to present it to Your Majesty and Lord Gao for their inspection. This item may be related to the case of the assassination of the Jin envoy."
"What object? Show it to me quickly!" Emperor Huizong asked Chen Ge with a puzzled look.
"Commander Chen, what do you want to show His Majesty and me?" Senior Advisor asked curiously.
Under the questioning gazes of the crowd, Chen Ge pulled a metal cuju (ancient Chinese football) from his sleeve. Gao Can immediately recognized it as a modified version of the Netherworld Ball. He rushed forward, snatched the Netherworld Ball from Chen Ge's hand, and sniffed it. Sure enough, it smelled of sulfur.
Gao Can then handed the gnome ball to Liu Guangyu and reported to Emperor Huizong of Song: "Your Majesty, I have just carefully examined this cuju ball, and it is indeed the gnome ball invented by Ning Zhanyan. I also smelled the gnome ball, and it smells of sulfur water. I am certain that this gnome ball and the gnome ball that appeared on the cuju field when the Jin envoy was assassinated were made by the same person."
"A sphere soaked in sulfur water? How could this be in Consort Xian's palace? Could it be that Consort Xian is connected with the assassin who killed the Jin envoy?" Emperor Huizong was startled. He stood up and took the sphere from Liu Guangyu, then sniffed it himself.
"Cough! Cough!" Emperor Huizong was choked by the smell of sulfur on the funerary ball and couldn't help but cough twice. Seeing this, Chen Jinhuan quickly and considerately stepped forward to pat the emperor's back gently and asked with concern, "Your Majesty, are you alright? I am very familiar with this funerary ball. It is the same kind of funerary ball that appeared on the football field in the palace that day and almost burned me, Du Shiniang, Chai Nianci and other sisters to death."
Emperor Huizong knew that no one in the world was more familiar with the ghost ball than Chen Jinhuan; she had once been the "Cold-Faced Queen" of the Cuju (ancient Chinese football) field at Mingfu Cave. Now, even she was certain that the Cuju ball before her was the "Ghost Fire Ghost Ball" used by the assassins. He didn't need to interrogate Consort Xian to know that this vile woman was definitely colluding with the assassins who killed the Jin envoy. No wonder that group of assassins dared to ride their horses so boldly across the Cuju field in the palace on the day the Jin envoy was assassinated; no wonder those assassins didn't touch a single hair on Consort Xian's head—it turned out they were on his side.
Thinking of this, Emperor Huizong of Song erupted in anger, pointing at Consort Xian and cursing: "Consort Xian, how dare you collude with assassins to openly assassinate the Jin envoy in the palace! Guards, take Consort Xian to the Imperial Clan Court. Do not be polite to her. Do not give her any good food or drink. Let her experience what it's like to be a prisoner."
After the emperor finished speaking, he waved his hand, signaling Chen Ge to take Consort Xian away. Chen Ge stood up, rushed to Consort Xian's side, grabbed her hands and pulled them behind her back, forcing her to leave with him. Consort Xian was terrified, her face pale, and she cried out in her defense, "Your Majesty, that orb of the underworld is not mine! Someone must have framed me! I beg Your Majesty to investigate the truth and clear my name!"
Hearing Emperor Huizong's angry shouts and seeing that Chen Ge had already pinned down Consort Xian's hands, the two guards standing outside the Imperial Study rushed forward to help. One of them used his knee to push Consort Xian's calf, forcing her to kneel down, while the other took out a rope from his pocket and tied the woman's hands together.
Consort Xian's eyes widened and turned bloodshot as she glared at Chen Jinhuan and shouted, "Chen Jinhuan, did you frame me? I knew your purpose in entering the palace wasn't pure; you just wanted to take revenge on me. But I won't die so easily!"
"I am carrying the emperor's child, you can't do anything to me, otherwise I'll smash my head against the prison wall and die, then how will you explain to the emperor?"
"Your Majesty, Chen Jinhuan is no innocent little rabbit; she's a cunning tiger, a master at seducing men. You mustn't be fooled by her appearance!"
"Your Majesty, I am innocent, I..."
Chen Ge lost patience with Consort Xian's death throes. He tore off one of her sleeves, stuffed the cloth into her mouth, and, together with two guards, carried her out of the Imperial Study. Consort Xian could not speak, only making muffled noises in her throat in protest.
Seeing Consort Xian escorted out of the Imperial Study, Gao Can finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart. He had been worried that Consort Xian would drag him down with her, but fortunately, Chen Ge, also known as Ning Zhanyan, had secretly conspired with him to find a scapegoat for the murder of the Jin envoy, so that Emperor Huizong would agree to release Zhang Ruowen. He had thought Ning Zhanyan would find someone to testify against Consort Xian, but unexpectedly, he directly framed her. It just goes to show how ruthless Ning really is!
When Emperor Huizong saw that Consort Xian was still slandering Chen Jinhuan—her own younger sister—before leaving, he shook his head and said to Chen Jinhuan with remorse, "Consort Luo, I think your older sister is really heartless. She committed a capital crime and still didn't forget to bite you before she died. I really don't know how I could have favored such a vicious woman. I was really blinded by her for a moment."
"Your Majesty, I don't blame you. If you want to blame someone, blame my sister for being too ambitious. She dared to collude with the Wolf King to assassinate the Jin envoy. Perhaps the child in her belly..." Chen Jinhuan stopped there, deliberately covering her mouth with her hand, as if belatedly realizing that she had said the wrong thing. She quickly stopped herself from saying that the child in Consort Xian's belly was not the emperor's child but a bastard. She glanced awkwardly at Emperor Huizong.