Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Outside the Phoenix Pavilion, before the Emperor Emeritus could even speak in response to Princess Zhaoyang's statement, Consort Li couldn't help but loudly rebuke him:

"Nonsense!"

Empress Dowager Li stood atop the Emperor Emeritus's imperial carriage, her eyes wide with anger, and shouted at the palace maid who had previously disturbed the imperial procession, "Speak, what did you see earlier?"

The palace maid's face was deathly pale, but under the intimidation of Consort Li, she hurriedly said, "This servant... this servant saw the Empress Dowager enter the Phoenix Pavilion, and then... then I saw the Marquis of Zhenyuan also go in..."

His words caused a stir among those around him.

Princess Zhaoyang frowned and said indifferently, "She must be seeing things. When I slipped out, my grandmother was still in Weiyang Palace, how could she have come here? Besides, I've been here for so long and I've never seen my grandmother, how could she have seen her!"

"Whether it exists or not, just search it up and you'll know!"

Consort Li harbored resentment in her heart. This Princess Zhaoyang was clearly her son's princess, yet she didn't value her, her blood relative's grandmother, and protected that vile woman at every turn!

But after enduring so much and painstakingly planning this day, how could we let the other party escape so easily?

Although she didn't know why Princess Zhaoyang was there, she was certain the Empress Dowager was still inside the pavilion. While the Phoenix Pavilion appeared tranquil, she had actually placed her own people all around, keeping it under tight surveillance!

Therefore, as long as she dragged the Empress Dowager out in front of the Emperor Emeritus, no matter how they tried to deny it, she had a way to make sure that they were guilty of having an affair with a foreign official.

Consort Li's aggressive behavior disgusted the Emperor Emeritus, but at this moment, the Emperor Emeritus's doubts and suspicions were even stronger.

Therefore, after giving a look to the old eunuch Feng Cheng beside him, the retired emperor took the initiative to step down from the imperial carriage, away from Consort Li, and came to Jia Lian.

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

"Your Majesty, I am guilty. I entered the Forbidden City to see the Princess without permission, which is contrary to the teachings and warnings of the Emperor Emeritus. I beg the Emperor Emeritus to punish me."

But all of this has nothing to do with Her Highness the Eldest Princess. I beg the Emperor Emeritus to punish only me.

"Oh."

The retired emperor let out a cold laugh, then suddenly looked at the palace maid who had been guarding the entrance to the Phoenix Pavilion, "Tell me."

Qin Mi, who had been kneeling before the steps, kowtowed and said, "This servant knows nothing. This servant was only ordered to bring the Marquis of Zhenyuan here. I know nothing else."

"On orders? On whose orders?"

Qin Mi hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's the Empress Dowager..."

Princess Zhaoyang then said, "My grandfather has confined me to Weiyang Palace. I know that if I directly order them to do things, they will not dare to agree. Therefore, I can only falsely convey my grandmother's imperial decree."

The granddaughter admitted her guilt.

Consort Li could not stand by and watch Princess Zhaoyang try to deny it. She stepped forward and questioned Qin Mi, "Tell me, did the Empress Dowager personally order you to bring Marquis Zhenyuan here?"

Qin Mi looked up, and just then Princess Zhaoyang was also looking at her.

Faced with the other party's calm and composed expression, Qin Mi was filled with fear. She lowered her head and dared not reply to Consort Li.

On the other side, a eunuch from the Emperor Emeritus's side had already led a group of people into the pavilion and searched it. The leading eunuch whispered some instructions to Feng Cheng, and Feng Cheng then whispered them to the Emperor Emeritus.

The Emperor Emeritus remained noncommittal after hearing this. Seeing that Consort Li was still interrogating the palace maid, he coldly said, "Princess Zhaoyang has been having an affair with a foreign official. Her conduct is immoral. She is hereby stripped of her title as Princess."

If they continue to disobey the imperial decree, they will be severely punished without exception.

Princess Zhaoyang quickly replied, "Granddaughter will remember. But Grandfather, as I said, this matter was all due to my willful and reckless behavior, and has nothing to do with Marquis Zhenyuan. Please, Grandfather, do not punish him any further. I beg you."

Princess Zhaoyang raised her head and looked at the Emperor Emeritus with a pleading expression.

Jia Lian quickly confessed his guilt and begged the Emperor Emeritus to punish him but not to make things difficult for Princess Zhaoyang.

On the other side, Consort Li's confidante approached her, saying worriedly, "Your Highness, the people we arranged behind the Phoenix Pavilion have all disappeared..."

Consort Li felt a chill run down her spine. She roughly guessed why Princess Zhaoyang was here.

Furious at Qin Mi's lack of self-respect, Consort Li naturally wouldn't let Princess Zhaoyang cover up the matter.

After all, this is her only chance. After this, that bitch will be on her guard, and she won't have another chance.

Then, after I pass away a few years later, will I just watch that vile woman continue to sit on the throne of Empress Dowager and receive my son's filial piety?

Seeing that the Emperor Emeritus was about to close the case, Consort Li hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you are wise. They are lying all along. How could Zhaoyang alone have managed to move all the eunuchs and maids away?"

This place is so far from Weiyang Palace; if the Empress Dowager truly came here, someone must have seen her. I urge the Emperor Emeritus to issue an edict summoning everyone who was between Weiyang Palace and the Imperial Garden today for questioning. This will surely bring the truth to light!

Seeing that even in this situation, Consort Li still refused to give up, Princess Zhaoyang felt a pang of pity.

Perhaps the Empress Dowager was right: there is no such thing as a thousand days of guarding against thieves, only a thousand days of being a thief.

This time, we really can't let her get away with it.

Faced with Consort Li's suggestion, the Emperor Emeritus simply looked at her coldly, and after a long while said, "I have my own arrangements for this matter."

After speaking, the Emperor Emeritus glanced at Jia Lian, but ultimately said nothing, turned around, boarded the imperial carriage, and left.

Although the Emperor Emeritus left, Feng Cheng stayed behind. He not only took Qin Mi and the palace maid who brought the news away, but also issued an edict to seal off the Imperial Garden and arrest all those involved.

Clearly, the retired emperor did not believe Princess Zhaoyang's statement.

"This is, after all, the Forbidden City. If Your Excellency has nothing else to attend to, please leave the palace," Feng Cheng said politely as he approached Jia Lian.

Jia Lian glanced at Princess Zhaoyang and received a reassuring look from her.

So he nodded, then bowed slightly to Consort Li, who was standing there blankly with a look of resentment, before turning and leaving.

……

When the retired emperor entered Weiyang Palace, the empress dowager also came to greet him.

The Emperor Emeritus remained calm until he led the Empress Dowager into the inner chamber and dismissed all the onlookers. Only then did he composed himself and ask, "Speak, what exactly happened in the Imperial Garden today?"

"What is it that Your Majesty is referring to? I have stayed in the palace all day and have not gone anywhere. Has something happened?"

The retired emperor stared at the empress dowager, but he couldn't discern anything from her face.

"You need not worry. Tell me the truth. Why were Zhaoyang and Jia Lian in the Imperial Garden? And why did Li Lingrong and the others insist that you were also there?"

The Empress Dowager looked flustered, and after a long while, she shook her head: "Your Majesty, I don't know what you're referring to. Zhaoyang? What happened to Zhaoyang and Jia Lian? Did they upset you again?"

"snort!"

The retired emperor slammed his hand on the table and said coldly, "Do you think that I am truly too old to protect you, so you are unwilling to even tell me the truth?"

The Empress Dowager was so frightened that she quickly stood up, her face full of grievance: "Your Majesty, please calm down."

Seeing this, the Emperor Emeritus said gently, "You can't hide what happened today, even if you wanted to. Such a big thing involved countless people. As long as I arrest them all and interrogate them one by one, how can I not find out the truth?"

"You dare not speak the truth to me now; could it be that you, like the others, have become disloyal to me?"

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager knelt down, deeply moved.

"I am well aware of the Emperor Emeritus's affection for me. But, but..."

With tears welling in her eyes, the Empress Dowager cried, "I have been favored by the Emperor Emeritus all these years, and it is common for others to be jealous of me. I do not wish to tell the Emperor Emeritus about these private matters, lest I anger you."

"As long as the Emperor Emeritus knows, I have never done anything to betray him, nor would I dare to do anything that violates personal morality or damages the face of the Imperial Family."

The retired emperor's expression was grim, his tone devoid of any emotion: "Is it Li Lingrong?"

The Empress Dowager's eyes widened immediately, seemingly shocked, before she nodded helplessly.

"Since the Emperor Emeritus has already guessed, I dare not hide it any longer."

"Since the beginning of the year, Consort Li seems to have become a different person. Not only has she become much kinder, but she has also taken the initiative to befriend me and comes to talk to me every few days."

I was overjoyed, thinking that she had finally put aside her prejudice against me and was willing to accept me.

Therefore, today she invited me to admire the flowers in the Imperial Garden, and I went without giving it much thought.

Who knew that after drinking a bowl of osmanthus wine that she had sent over, I felt extremely dizzy and soon fell asleep.

When I woke up, what I saw was Zhaoyang.

It turns out that Zhaoyang was bored in the palace and sneaked out to find me. But she happened to overhear... overhear people in the Empress Dowager's palace plotting to harm me.

Therefore, Zhao Yang sneaked into the Phoenix Pavilion and rescued the concubine.

Zhao Yang was furious and wanted to take me to you to seek justice.

However, I think that Consort Li is, after all, the Emperor's birth mother. If this matter were to spread, it would not only be a huge blow to the imperial family's reputation, but the Emperor would also find it difficult to face himself in the future.

Therefore, after discussing it with Zhaoyang, I secretly escaped back to Weiyang Palace, leaving Zhaoyang in Fengluan Pavilion. When Consort Li leads Your Majesty to Fengluan Pavilion, we will make Zhaoyang and Zhaoyang bear all the blame.

Only in this way can this disaster be averted.

Your Majesty, I am foolish and could only think of this solution at the time. I beg Your Majesty to consider that Zhaoyang suffered in my place and to punish the two of them leniently.

The Emperor Emeritus also knew that Zhaoyang had lost her mother at a young age. Although she was a bit willful, she had a good heart.

"Waaah, if it weren't for her, I'm afraid... I'm afraid I would have had to atone with my death..."

As the Empress Dowager knelt before him, sobbing as she recounted the whole story, the Emperor Emeritus's face darkened.

He finally helped the Empress Dowager up and comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, I won't punish Zhaoyang anymore. After you've chosen a husband for her, let her leave the palace. And..."

The retired emperor stood up, his eyes flashing with murderous intent: "I will give you an explanation for this matter."

After saying this, the retired emperor left Weiyang Palace.

After seeing the retired emperor off, the Empress Dowager returned to the inner palace with a cold and indifferent expression.

Having known Consort Li for over ten years, she knew exactly what kind of person she was. How could she possibly believe that Consort Li had "turned over a new leaf" and suddenly repented?

Therefore, from the moment she began to deliberately try to please her, the Empress Dowager knew in her heart that the other party was about to do something bad again.

She was not surprised at all by what happened today; in fact, she had been prepared for it.

Just as Consort Li was able to bribe her people to lure Jia Lian into the palace, she had also long ago placed her own confidants around Consort Li, and her methods were far more sophisticated than Consort Li's.

Therefore, the scheme of Consort Li to lull her into complacency and then frame her with insidious means was doomed to fail from the very beginning.

The reason she caused such a big commotion today is simply because she seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack.

She had carefully considered how to retaliate.

If she were to confront Consort Li face-to-face at the Phoenix Pavilion, based on the evidence she possessed and Consort Li's clumsy actions, she could easily convict Consort Li before the Emperor Emeritus, and in a way that would be irreversible.

But in doing so, the fact that she was drugged and placed in the same room as a foreign official had already occurred.

Even if the final result proves that she was framed, it will be bad for her, for Jia Lian, and for anyone else.

Therefore, confronting each other directly is a poor approach.

Furthermore, if she were to act too obviously, like Consort Li, the Emperor Emeritus might suspect that she was doing it intentionally.

Having served the emperor for many years, she knew all too well the emperor's suspicious nature.

It's much safer to let him guess some things himself than to tell him directly.

Now, her apparent retreat and compromise may actually leave an impression on the Emperor Emeritus and others that she is magnanimous and prioritizes the overall situation.

And it would not arouse the suspicion of the retired emperor.

The only pity is that if the retired emperor also wanted to settle things peacefully, he would not be able to put Consort Li to death.

But this was not important to the Empress Dowager.

To her, Consort Li was nothing. If it weren't for the fact that she was Emperor Ningkang's birth mother, and that her actions might incur Emperor Ningkang's wrath, she would have long ago utterly destroyed her.

In fact, if the other party hadn't been constantly provoking her, she wouldn't have bothered fighting with him at all.

This time, it's simply their own fault.