After faking my death, the male lead’s cousin went crazy - Chapter 16

Originally, they had thought they would enter the palace the next day to have an audience with the emperor. However, they received news that the emperor had taken the palace women to the hunting grounds for a hunt, and Consort Rong was also among those accompanying him.

Thus, the matter of seeking an audience could only be delayed a few days, until His Majesty returned to the palace.

But what came even earlier than His Majesty’s return was the news that Consort Rong had miscarried.

It was said that during the hunt, Concubine Jing’s arrow had startled Consort Rong’s horse, causing Consort Rong to fall from horseback. Blood appeared beneath her on the spot. His Majesty was furious and immediately stripped Concubine Jing of her title, then ordered her maternal family’s home to be confiscated.

Concubine Jing’s surname was Zheng. Because her father held the high post of Minister of Personnel, even her uncle, who lived in Furong City, had received no small amount of protection. Locally, they could be said to have the final say in everything. Even the magistrate’s office of Furong City had to look at the Zheng family’s expression.

After this incident, the emperor ordered a thorough investigation into the Zheng family. Once they began investigating, one corruption case after another was exposed. The Ministry of Personnel oversaw the appointment and removal of officials, so private dealings behind the scenes were common. There were also many people who, after being promoted and becoming wealthy, returned some “gratitude” to the Zheng family.

In some sense, this could be considered human nature. But the prerequisite was that such things could not be brought into the open. Once exposed, the meaning changed completely.

It could be called adding crime upon crime.

For a time, the entire Zheng family was convicted, falling from the heights of the sky into the mud beneath their feet.

The Shen family, meanwhile, had an entirely different situation. In order to comfort Consort Rong, the emperor made an exception and promoted her to Noble Consort Rong even though she no longer had a child. The rest of the Shen family also benefited. Shen Rong’s father and elder male cousin were both promoted together.

Finally, after everything settled, Gu Wan and Su Zhaoyun arrived at the imperial city.

Over the past few days, Gu Wan had traced Qian Kui’s superior contact, and every clue pointed toward the Zheng family. According to the confession, Concubine Jing had been jealous of Shen Rong’s pregnancy and wanted to find an opportunity to eliminate both mother and child. As for those poisonous apricots, they had accidentally fallen into Gu Wan’s hands by mistake.

“Vicious woman!” After the emperor learned of this, he was so furious that he swept all the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones on the desk to the floor. Ink splattered everywhere, staining the carpet that had originally been embroidered with auspicious clouds until its original pattern could no longer be seen.

Afterward, he ordered that the entire Zheng clan be sentenced to death and publicly beheaded at noon the following day.

After leaving the emperor’s Chengyang Palace, Gu Wan went straight to Consort Rong’s Xiuchun Palace.

When the palace servants reported her arrival, Shen Rong was sitting on the couch doing needlework. Gu Wan’s visit surprised her greatly.

This older female cousin of hers lived in the military camp for long periods, so they could only barely see each other during festivals and holidays.

They usually did not have much contact. Why had she come especially to see her today?

No matter what, she was still her aunt’s daughter. When they were young, the two of them had spent time together. Hearing that Gu Wan had arrived, Shen Rong still felt some joy in her heart. After Gu Wan saluted her, she quickly helped her up, calling her “Older Cousin” with every sentence.

“Older Cousin is being so thorough with etiquette. Are you treating your younger cousin like an outsider?” After all, Gu Wan was considered the youngest general of the current dynasty. Although Shen Rong did not know where she was stationed, it would not be wrong to win her over.

Even if not for herself, it would still be good for her elder male cousin.

Thinking of that elder male cousin, the smile on Shen Rong’s face became even sweeter.

“Older Cousin, sit quickly.” After saying this, Shen Rong instructed her maid to brew tea and bring over newly made pastries.

Ever since her mother passed away, her uncle had also taken fairly good care of her. As for this younger female cousin, Gu Wan truly cared for her.

“How did things become like this?” This time, Gu Wan did not call Shen Rong “Your Ladyship.” Instead, she asked with concern, just as she had when they were young.

Although they had not spent much time together, Gu Wan had still heard some things.

Back then, the person this younger female cousin liked was the emperor’s nephew, Gu Wan’s younger male cousin, Zhao Shuheng. Even the dance that had won the emperor’s favor had originally been practiced for Zhao Shuheng.

Unfortunately, the concubine had feelings, but the gentleman did not. Shen Rong’s devastatingly beautiful dance failed to earn Zhao Shuheng’s glance. Instead, by strange twists of fate, it sent her into the imperial harem.

Shen Rong was just about to speak when she was interrupted by a maid suddenly entering to deliver tea.

It was a pot of excellent Longjing tea, pale in color and fragrant. Seeing that Shen Rong was drinking the same tea as her, Gu Wan said, “Longjing is cooling in nature. Your Ladyship’s body has not yet recovered, so it is better not to drink this.”

As she spoke, she had Su Zhaoyun come forward and take out the supplements they had prepared earlier.

“This is warming tea I specifically had Su Zhaoyun prepare according to proper proportions. It is meant to nourish Your Ladyship’s body. I hope Your Ladyship will not disdain it.”

Before coming, Gu Wan had thought that Shen Rong, as a noble consort, would likely have plenty of bird’s nest, donkey-hide gelatin, and other such supplements around her. So she simply had Su Zhaoyun prepare warming tea for daily drinking to boost qi and nourish the blood.

Since it was something Gu Wan had given her, Shen Rong immediately ordered her maid to brew a pot. Before long, sweet brown sugar and longan tea was brought over. It also contained red ginseng, goji berries, red dates, motherwort, and other nourishing ingredients.

Seeing that Shen Rong liked it, Gu Wan’s expression softened somewhat.

Gu Wan looked around and did not see any green apricots. The fruit plate held only common fruits like apples and grapes. It seemed that after the miscarriage, everything in Xiuchun Palace related to children had been put away.

Gu Wan saw the half-finished embroidery still placed on the small table by the couch and smiled.

“I have long heard that Your Ladyship’s embroidery skills are excellent. May I trouble Your Ladyship to embroider a sachet for me as well?”

With maids present, Gu Wan’s address toward Shen Rong returned once more to the relationship between Consort Rong and a subject.

“As long as the General does not disdain it. I only wonder what pattern the General likes?”

Gu Wan thought for a moment and answered, “Begonia, then.”

Begonia flowers were not considered overly alluring, and their fragrance was refreshing and soothing. When the wind blew, even the air carried a sweetness. They could also be worn in the hair by the temples. No wonder so many scholars and poets liked begonias.

Gu Wan continued, “A few days ago, I obtained a fine piece of warm jade. Its color is lustrous and translucent. In a few days, it will be Your Ladyship’s birthday. I have already had someone turn it into a bracelet, and in a few days, I will have it delivered to Xiuchun Palace. I only need to trouble Your Ladyship by measuring your wrist.”

“How can I let the General spend so much?”

Although Shen Rong said this, Gu Wan still signaled for Su Zhaoyun to come forward. A red thread was wrapped around Shen Rong’s wrist, and after marking the measurement, Su Zhaoyun withdrew outside the hall to wait for Gu Wan.

Here, Gu Wan exchanged a few more pleasantries with Shen Rong, then excused herself on the grounds that there was military business to attend to.

After leaving the palace gates and confirming that no one was following them, Gu Wan turned back and glanced at Su Zhaoyun.

Su Zhaoyun stepped forward and replied softly, “Just as the Young General expected, Noble Consort Rong was never pregnant at all, let alone had a miscarriage.”

Gu Wan had deliberately used the jade bracelet as an excuse merely to let Su Zhaoyun take Shen Rong’s pulse.

Sure enough, just as she had expected, this younger female cousin of hers was far more complicated than she appeared.

Once the matter of a false pregnancy was discovered, it was a capital crime. This time had truly been extremely dangerous. Not only Shen Rong herself, but the lives of the entire Shen family could have been lost if she made one careless move.

“But if Noble Consort Rong only wanted to bring down Concubine Jing, isn’t this making too big a fuss over a minor issue?” Su Zhaoyun asked.

Concubine Jing had entered the palace much earlier than Shen Rong, yet after all these years, she had only barely obtained the rank of concubine. It was clear she was not favored. Meanwhile, ever since Shen Rong entered the palace, her rank had already been above Concubine Jing’s. Why would someone with the rank of consort specifically target a mere concubine?

Clearly, the Zheng family behind Concubine Jing was Shen Rong’s true opponent.

As for the so-called green apricots, they were merely to make everyone believe that the dragon fetus in Shen Rong’s belly was a prince. That way, when she miscarried, it would provoke the emperor’s anger even more.

The emperor was already old, yet he did not have many princes. The crown prince was frail. The third prince’s birth mother had been a palace maid, and now he had achieved such great merit that he overshadowed his master and was feared by His Majesty, so he had been sent to the border to fight Gaoji. There had also been a seventh prince, but he had died in a fire at the age of three, and not even his body had been found.

Just from the fact that fresh green apricots, a fruit out of season, had been prepared every day, one could see how much the emperor valued the child in Shen Rong’s belly.

As for those green apricots, Shen Rong had probably deliberately spread the news to arouse jealousy and dissatisfaction throughout the palace. Among them, aside from the empress, Concubine Jing had the most prominent family background. If Shen Rong deliberately showed off in front of her and added a little guidance, provoking her into poisoning someone would not be difficult.

Speaking of which, Concubine Jing’s method of poisoning was clever, but her execution was full of mistakes. She actually had her own family servant disguise himself as a petty merchant and deliberately lower the price, all to lure the palace buyers into taking the bait.

She simply had not expected that those apricots would, by strange coincidence, fall into Gu Wan’s hands.

“Young General, why do you think Noble Consort Rong was so eager to eliminate the Zheng family?” Su Zhaoyun asked, somewhat puzzled.

Gu Wan replied, “What else could it be? Think about it. Who benefited the most from this matter?”

“Master Shen?”

Gu Wan shook her head. Her uncle was already advanced in age. Even if he was promoted, his official career likely would not make much further progress. The true beneficiary was only her younger male cousin, Zhao Shuheng.

Moreover, Gu Wan had seen the unfinished embroidery on Shen Rong’s small table. On the lotus-white brocade was clearly a pair of green bamboo stalks.

Green bamboo was Zhao Shuheng’s favorite pattern. Even the tea constantly prepared in Shen Rong’s palace was Zhao Shuheng’s favorite Longjing.

Su Zhaoyun had always followed by Gu Wan’s side, so she had heard a little about the matter between Zhao Shuheng and Shen Rong.

“Speaking of which, some time ago, Little Prince Yi fell seriously ill. Even the imperial physicians in the palace were alarmed,” Su Zhaoyun said. “After he recovered, the Little Prince seemed like a changed person. Aside from studying, he did not neglect riding, archery, or martial arts. Old Princess Consort Yi saw that her grandson’s thoughts had all gone to proper matters and thought the Bodhisattva had manifested, so she donated five hundred taels of incense money to the temple outside the city.”

Zhao Shuheng’s branch of the family had developed to this point with only the title of prince remaining. The entire Prince Yi household was counting on this younger male cousin to distinguish himself and revive the family’s prestige. Five hundred taels was not a small amount for their family.

For Princess Consort Yi to be this happy, it seemed this younger male cousin had truly matured a great deal.

Gu Wan and Su Zhaoyun rode their horses toward the city gate. As they passed by a cloth shop, the inside was packed with people, and the sound of arguments rose continuously.

Gu Wan lifted her head and looked. On the plaque were four striking characters:

Li Family Cloth Shop.