The Eldest Princess’s eyes were bright, she truly wanted to have a daughter.
If not for the accident that happened back then to Lu Jintang and the Prince Consort, with no news for so many years and their lives or deaths unknown, she would surely already have had a daughter by now.
Moreover, especially a daughter like Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan herself had not expected the Eldest Princess to make such an inspired proposal, and for a moment she widened her eyes, rarely failing to react in time.
It was Old Madam Qi who coughed sharply several times: “Th-this may not be appropriate, right?”
Yuan Jie’er was going to become the Imperial Grandson Consort!
If she became the Eldest Princess’s daughter, then her generation rank would be the same as the Crown Prince and Lu Jintang.
That would throw the generations into chaos!
Only after Old Madam Qi reminded her did the Eldest Princess react, and after thinking it over she found it both laughable and absurd.
Yes, how had she forgotten?
That child Yunting’s intentions toward Qi Yuan were known even to passersby.
If she accepted Qi Yuan as an adoptive daughter, then what about Yunting?
She could not help laughing: “It was this palace’s lack of consideration. If I accept her, it should be as my granddaughter.”
That way the generations would match.
Qi Yuan smiled and shook her head: “I accept Your Highness’s kindness, but there is no need for this.”
The Eldest Princess still felt she should give Qi Yuan something more.
But Qi Yuan instead brought up Zeng Wenxiu: “Has this matter been handled?”
Speaking of this, the Eldest Princess felt angry.
Her expression involuntarily cooled: “Confusing the royal bloodline and showing contempt for the imperial clan, how could it be simple? Zeng Wenxiu has already been ordered punished by the Imperial Clan Court. As for the Zeng family, the entire clan is exiled to Lingnan, and for ten years their descendants are not permitted to take the imperial examinations.”
Do not underestimate these ten years.
Not being allowed to take the examinations for ten years meant that for at least ten years, there would be no officials from the entire Zeng clan.
Once inheritance of official status is cut off, it is not easy to continue it again.
But even this could not calm the Eldest Princess.
The Eldest Princess took a sip of tea and sneered: “Truly courting death, again and again plotting against this princess. Do they really think I am made of clay?”
Even a clay figure has some temper.
How long had it been since the matter of Zeng Wenxiu?
Yet the Song family had already rushed to counterattack.
What did they take them for?
Did they really think they would not fight back and could only sit and wait for death?!
She recounted to Qi Yuan what had happened when she entered the palace today, her expression calm: “Yuan Jie’er, rest assured, this princess will definitely vent this anger for you.”
Qi Yuan had already placed the evidence before them; of course they had to seize the opportunity and not disappoint Qi Yuan.
Old Madam Qi had been quietly listening beside them. Hearing all this, she surprisingly no longer felt any shock.
Forget it, so many members of the imperial clan had been killed already, she might as well treat them as ordinary people.
Nanan County Prince was merely the Crown Prince’s son.
So what if he was the Crown Prince’s son?
Qi Yuan had even killed Emperor Yongchang’s son, would she still fear the Crown Prince’s son?
Qi Yuan herself also smiled lightly: “Your Highness need not be anxious, just wait to watch the good show.”
At this time, the palace was in the midst of a coming storm.
Especially in the Eastern Palace, where people were particularly uneasy.
Generally speaking, wherever the Imperial Guards appeared, it would not be anything good.
Especially inside the palace.
The last time the Imperial Guards had run rampant in the palace was when the concubines accused one another, saying someone had poisoned a certain palace consort, which led to mutual tearing and exposure of even more disgraceful matters, with batches of people dying one after another.
The stone tiles of the imperial city had been washed for who knew how many days.
This time, when the Imperial Guards appeared again in the Eastern Palace, Song Liangdi’s heart jumped. She felt unwell all over and suddenly raised her eyes to look at her son.
With that look, she instantly felt as if the sky had collapsed.
Because she had never seen Xiao Jingzhao like this before!
Xiao Jingzhao’s face was deathly pale, his whole body trembling, and the hands behind his back were shaking uncontrollably.
She immediately realized something. While the Imperial Guards were taking batches of eunuchs away from the palace, she immediately pretended to feel unwell and had Xiao Jingzhao accompany her to the inner chamber.
Then she sternly asked, “What exactly is going on? What have you done? Why are there so many Imperial Guards in the Eastern Palace?”
Xiao Jingzhao had always been calm in all matters, but this time he could not stop his fear.
Looking at Song Liangdi, his lips pale, he said, “Royal Mother, it’s about avenging Grandfather…”
He lowered his voice and told Song Liangdi the course of events.
Song Liangdi looked at him in disbelief, then with a slap struck his face and asked anxiously and angrily, “Where has your reason gone?! I told you to avenge him, not to go seek death!”
Acting so rashly for quick success, and even using the northwest deserters!
Wasn’t that openly telling everyone that this matter was done by the Song family, that the Song family could not escape involvement, that in fact it was all under my instruction?!
Song Liangdi simply could not understand why Xiao Jingzhao had been so careless this time.
Xiao Jingzhao himself also regretted it deeply.
He indeed had not thought things through, and had been blinded by anger. In a moment of indignation, he had someone come up with such a method.
In fact, this matter could not entirely be considered his mistake.
After all, he had calculated everything very clearly.
He had even found Luochuan County Lady to take the blame.
He had only not expected that several hundred people storming the Eldest Princess’s villa estate would fail.
That had been several hundred people!
And they had launched suddenly in the middle of the night.
Logically, the plan should definitely have succeeded.
At that time he would manipulate things from the middle, erase the traces of the deserters, and push Luochuan County Lady and the household servants of Zhou Wang’s residence to the front.
Then there would have been no flaws at all.
So although his method had been risky, it had the advantage of being direct.
But who would have thought that in the end, even with both groups combined, the matter was not accomplished.
Instead, all of them died!
It was precisely because Luochuan County Lady and Little Pingzi had both died that this matter became so troublesome!
With a thud he knelt on the ground: “It is your son’s fault, everything is your son’s fault.”
What meaning was there in saying this now?
Song Liangdi’s heart had already turned cold.
Clutching at her clothes, she could hardly catch her breath.
At this point, even if she beat Xiao Jingzhao to death, what use would it be?
Would Emperor Yongchang spare them?!
And the Crown Prince, now that he had been dragged into this matter, even if he doted on their mother and son, he would still feel they were a burden!
She understood the methods of the Imperial Guards better than anyone.
Moreover, Little Pingzi’s corpse had fallen into the hands of the Imperial Guards, leaving evidence behind. From the eunuchs, the Imperial Guards would surely extract many things.
Distraught, she looked at her son. Seeing him rise as if to leave, she immediately asked, “Where are you going?!”
Xiao Jingzhao lowered his voice: “Your son will go confess. Royal Mother, this matter must not implicate Royal Father, otherwise what will you do?”
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