Eliminating the Male Consort
Less than a quarter of an hour after Servant Zhang’s report, Qin Muwen arrived at the waterside pavilion. The scene before him left him quite surprised.
Seeing the Yuan brothers present wasn’t shocking as he already figured they had anticipated his arrival. What puzzled him was why the consort was here, and more intriguingly, why Zhao Qirong wasn’t wearing his mask.
He’d only been gone for a month—what on earth had happened? Had His Highness grown so affectionate with his nominal wife that he was willing to reveal his true face?
Before Qin Muwen’s thoughts could spiral further, Yuan Shaochang broke the silence.
“Muwen, why are you just standing there? Come, sit down.”
Regaining his composure, Qin Muwen quickly approached and greeted His Highness and the consort according to protocol.
“Qin Muwen pays respects to His Highness and Consort.”
The four friends, seeing Qin Muwen’s formal demeanor, decided to tease him a little. They exchanged subtle glances and played along with his ceremonious greeting.
“Hmm,” Zhao Qirong replied with a low hum. Usually, when the four of them were together, they dispensed with such formalities. While they didn’t behave as casually as they had at Hall of Lu Yue, they also didn’t take protocol too seriously.
Unaware of the changes that had occurred in the past month, Qin Muwen wasn’t sure how to act around the consort. To be cautious, he chose to behave properly.
“You just returned yesterday. Why were you so eager to come see me?” Zhao Qirong asked, pouring tea for his friend before taking a sip himself.
“Well... it’s just that...” Qin Muwen glanced at the consort, who remained quietly seated beside Zhao Qirong. He couldn’t shake the strange sense of familiarity he felt.
“Speak your mind. We are husband and wife, so there’s nothing to hide between me and Aifei,” Zhao Qirong declared casually.
Hearing this, Chen Luxian raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, ‘Such a sweet-talker, hm?’
The Yuan brothers, on the other hand, were already accustomed to such remarks. Ever since the incident at the consort’s residence, Zhao Qirong had changed so much it was like he was a completely different person. Whenever there was an opportunity, strange, unexpected words seemed to spill from the prince’s mouth.
But the most baffled of them all was, without a doubt, Qin Muwen. What had happened to the Fourth Prince in the single month he’d been away?
Regardless, Qin Muwen had concluded that today’s discussion would definitely involve the consort, so he got straight to the point. After all, no matter what he said, the consort wouldn’t possibly know Divine Doctor Xian...
“I came today because I remembered that tomorrow is the day you and Shaochang are scheduled to visit Luxian. It’s been over a month since I last saw him, so I wanted to meet with Your Highness first and then visit him together tomorrow.”
The four friends exchanged covert glances at this. The man in question, Luxian, couldn’t suppress a smile under his veil.
“It’s been over a month since you’ve seen him. How is he? Has Wangmu Niangniang finally stopped being jealous and sending people to spy on her husband?” Qin Muwen asked innocently.
“Cough! Cough!” Zhao Qirong suddenly choked on his tea so violently his face turned red.
Luxian, meanwhile, couldn’t hold back his laughter. And the consort’s laughter only made Qin Muwen feel even more unsettled.
“Why are you laughing, Your Highness?” Qin Muwen stared at Luxian, his growing suspicion betrayed his respectful demeanor. The more he observed, the more familiar both the consort’s appearance and voice seemed to him.
“I’m laughing at Wangmu Niangniang,” Luxian replied honestly. Zhao Qirong, who had just recovered from choking, turned red again—this time out of embarrassment.
“My apologies for my rudeness, but have I met Wangfei before?” Qin Muwen asked, still puzzled. Though he was certain that the Eldest Young Master Chen had never attended any social gatherings, he felt inexplicably sure they had crossed paths.
“And where does Deputy General Qin think you’ve seen Ben Wangfei before?” Wangfei asked, his voice calm and composed.
“...At... Hall of Lu Yue,” Qin Muwen blurted out, quicker than his thoughts could catch up.
The moment he said it, the consort’s laughter rang out even louder.
“You two, look at this. Muwen only spoke with me for a few sentences, and he recognized me immediately. Yet you two spent ages eating with me back then and still had no idea,” Luxian teased. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
The Yuan brothers sighed in defeat, shaking their heads. They had to admit—Muwen had beaten them soundly this time.
“Your Highness, are you implying...” Qin Muwen began, still trying to process the situation. Was what he suspected actually true?
Luxian provided his answer with action, reaching up to remove his veil, revealing his face to Qin Muwen.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“Luxian!” Qin Muwen exclaimed in shock.
Chen Luxian then recounted everything that had transpired over the past month to Qin Muwen, who sat and listened, dumbfounded by the revelations.
“So that ‘Wangmu Niangniang’ I was talking about is...”
“Me,” Zhao Qirong helpfully filled in the blank for his friend.
“Sigh. And what about your stepmother? What will you do about her?” Qin Muwen asked after taking some time to recover from his astonishment.
“I’ll need His Highness’s help for that. But there’s no rush. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold. Let’s wait until His Highness’s ‘illness’ act is over first. I haven’t yet returned to my home for the customary post-marriage visit. If I bring my handsome, powerful husband back with me to make a statement, I wonder if that old fox will die of anger. Your Highness, would you be willing to help me?” Luxian turned to Zhao Qirong, feigning innocence as he asked.
“Whatever Aifei wishes to do, this prince will fully support you,” Zhao Qirong replied without hesitation.
Then, the five friends continued chatting about various topics until the evening. Qin Muwen shared vivid accounts of his time in the Xinan region, much to the group’s amusement.
...
In a lavishly decorated palace within the imperial city...
“Qi’er has grown too infatuated with that male consort. This won’t do. As the only legitimate heir, he must have an offspring to inherit the throne,” said a regal woman with an air of authority. Her elegant attire and dignified presence belied her age, as even the strands of gray in her hair could not diminish her beauty. She appeared far younger than her fifty-some years.
“What are your orders, Your Grace?” asked her maidservant, who stood at her side, ready to act.
“A male consort cannot bear an heir. He must be eliminated so that Qi’er can marry a proper main consort,” the noblewoman declared coldly.
“Order our people to handle it discreetly. Leave no traces. After all, there are already rumors of his serious illness, are there not?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the maid replied and quickly left to carry out her orders.
...
The following morning, chaos erupted in the inner quarters of the Qi Wang Manor—a rare occurrence in a place typically known for its tranquility. A heated argument among the concubines had escalated to physical conflict. The Seventh Concubine, the only male concubine in the manor, rushed to seek the Primary Consort’s intervention in resolving the dispute.
“Your Highness, the Seventh Concubine requests an audience,” reported Qing Hai, one of the consort’s trusted maids, conveying the urgent matter.
Chen Luxian raised an eyebrow as he listened, his mind already pondering the peculiarity of the situation. Why had this quiet corner of the manor suddenly descended into such uproar?
“Let him in,” he finally said, allowing the Seventh Concubine to enter the chambers.
“Your Highness, please help settle the conflict among the concubines at the waterside pavilion,” the Seventh Concubine pleaded.
“The waterside pavilion? Why would there suddenly be a dispute there? If you wish for Ben Wangfei to intervene, you’d best explain the situation clearly,” Luxian replied, his tone firm yet composed.
As always, Zhao Qirong was by his side, never straying far. Whether under the guise of a devoted husband who acted coquettish asking for his wife’s care or in the role of a guardian under Qi Wang’s command to protect the consort, Zhao Qirong remained ever-present—even though he had yet to fully recover from his illness.
Seeing the way his wife looked at him, Zhao Qirong, the master of the Qi Wang Manor and husband of the people causing all the commotion, slumped his shoulders like a guilty child. Luxian found himself caught between laughter and exasperation before finally deciding to sit and listen as the Seventh Concubine explained the situation.
“Leave for now. I’ll follow shortly. If I haven’t arrived by the time they stop causing a scene, have the guards detain them. Whatever happens, Ben Wangfei will take responsibility,” Luxian instructed firmly.
“But, His Highness...” The Seventh Concubine hesitated. After all, those beautiful troublemakers were also concubines of Qi Wang.
“His Highness is still unwell and should not be troubled with such nonsense. The authority to manage Qi Wang Manor now rests with me. You may go now,” Luxian stated decisively. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
Hearing the consort’s words, the Seventh Concubine couldn’t find a way to argue. He bowed and left to carry out the instructions.
Once he was gone, only trusted individuals remained in the chamber. The commanding and authoritative demeanor of the consort was now gone, replaced by the childish mannerisms of Divine Doctor Xian, who now pouted like a three-year-old spoiled child.
“Your Highness, Qi Wang, look at this! Your lovely concubines have caused another mess...” Luxian grumbled, throwing Zhao Qirong an exaggerated look of exasperation.
“It’s all my fault for troubling Aifei. I promise I’ll find a way to send them back to their families when I get the chance. Actually, I never intended to take anyone into the manor in the first place,” Zhao Qirong replied, blinking innocently, looking genuinely pitiable.
“Are you coming with me?” Luxian asked when he noticed Zhao Qirong following him as they approached the waterside pavilion. Was Qi Wang himself really going to intervene in such a minor matter?
“Today, this humble bodyguard Rongqi has the honor of escorting Your Highness,” Zhao Qirong quipped playfully. It wasn’t the trivial issue in the rear courtyard that concerned him—it was his Aifei who commanded all his attention.
“Hmph. If you dare use your martial arts again this time, you’ll be in that wheelchair for the rest of your life!” The Divine Doctor Xian growled in mock anger, baring his teeth as if to threaten him. But the Eastern General wasn’t one to be intimidated so easily. Zhao Qirong merely feigned fear, playing along.
“I wouldn’t dare... Aifei, please don’t be angry...” Zhao Qirong murmured, his tone soft and pitiful. Seeing this, Luxian was left speechless.
The couple bantered lightheartedly all the way to the waterside pavilion, accompanied by two maids and Chun Gong Gong. Initially, Chun Gong Gong had no intention of getting involved. As Qi Wang’s trusted eunuch, he typically refrained from interfering in trivial household matters unless directly commanded. However, Zhao Qirong, suspecting something unusual about today’s events, used the excuse of wanting to observe the consort’s management skills to send Chun Gong Gong along. Ultimately, Chun Gong Gong found himself joining them.
When they arrived at the pavilion, the commotion was still ongoing. Following the consort’s earlier orders, the Seventh Concubine had summoned the guards to detain the instigators. Two of the concubines, the Third and Sixth, stood in disarray, their hair tangled and faces bruised with clear handprints.
“How dare you!” A commanding voice rang out from a distance, halting all movement in the pavilion.
“Do you think Qi Wang Manor is some common place where you can brawl like dogs fighting over scraps?”
This was the first time Zhao Qirong had seen this side of his wife. Until now, Divine Doctor Xian had simply been a peculiar young man with strange ideals whom Zhao Qirong had befriended in the martial world. As for the Eldest Young Master Chen, notorious for being a worthless outcast, no one had ever witnessed such a commanding aura of authority and decisiveness emanating from him.
It was a mystery Zhao Qirong couldn’t yet unravel.
Chen Wangfei, on this day, was dressed in light green robes embroidered with bamboo leaves bending gracefully in the wind. Atop his head was a coronet adorned with a small phoenix design. He walked to the principal seat in the pavilion and sat down without waiting for an invitation. Zhao Qirong, playing the role of a dutiful bodyguard, stood protectively by his wife’s side. To the consort’s left was Guard Rongqi, while his right was flanked by two maids and Chun Gong Gong. Their presence further amplified the consort’s commanding and authoritative aura.
“What reason do you have for summoning Ben Wangfei here?” Luxain asked, his voice calm but laced with a faint edge of authority.
The Eighth Concubine, who had so far stayed out of the conflict, stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and began recounting the events from the beginning. It took her half an hour to explain, but Luxian managed to summarize the situation succinctly: The Sixth Concubine had invited the other concubines for afternoon tea and conversation. Somehow, the topic veered to a discussion involving toads. The Third Concubine, feeling self-conscious about her origins as the daughter of a merchant, believed the Sixth Concubine was deliberately mocking her and took offense. This led to the brawl that had ensued.
“Utter nonsense! You dare summon Ben Wangfei over such trivial matters? You’re lucky I’m not having you dragged away to be flogged for disturbing the peace!” Luxian’s tone was sharp, though he didn’t truly intend to resort to such harsh measures—his principles as a doctor would never permit him to harm others unless absolutely necessary.
“Third Concubine, you’re overthinking things. If the Sixth Concubine truly meant to insult you, she wouldn’t have stopped at merely mentioning toads. Your rashness is unbecoming. Your punishment will be to copy The Virtues of Women one hundred times.”
“Your Highness...” The Third Concubine tried to protest, but Luxian cut her off.
“As for you, Sixth Concubine, as a member of the Qi Wang Manor, you should know what to say and what not to say. Since you seem unaware of basic etiquette, your punishment will be to copy the household rules one hundred times.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” the Sixth Concubine replied without resistance, a stark contrast to the Third Concubine.
At that moment, Consort Chen suddenly felt dizzy, his chest tight, and his breathing labored. In truth, he had been feeling nauseous and unwell since the morning. Initially, he thought it was just food poisoning and paid it little mind, taking some medicine to manage the symptoms. However, with the chaos caused by the concubines, he had pushed his discomfort aside. Now, the worsening symptoms felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing his heart.
“Return to the chambers,” Luxian suddenly commanded, his tone urgent. Zhao Qirong, who stood nearby as a bodyguard, couldn’t act overly familiar in his current guise, but even from this distance, he could see that his wife’s face was pale and strained.
Before anyone could react further, the consort rose to leave, but just as he did, the beaded bracelet in the Sixth Concubine’s hand snapped, scattering round beads across the ground. Chen Luxian stepped on one and nearly slipped into the lake. Fortunately, his martial training allowed him to regain his balance.
Zhao Qirong’s sharp eyes narrowed like a hawk locking onto its prey. He immediately grabbed the Sixth Concubine, whose body slackened unnaturally, as though she had no bones. To his surprise, the seemingly delicate Sixth Concubine struck him with a qi energy from his palm. While Zhao Qirong engaged her in combat, chaos erupted. The Eighth Concubine accidentally stepped on a bead and slipped, dragging the consort into the water with her.
It all happened in the span of a single breath—so quickly that no one could react in time.
SPLASH!
“His Highness has fallen into the water!”
“The Eighth Concubine is in the water! Help!”
“Chun Tai, summon the guards!” Zhao Qirong, still dressed as a guard, barked orders at his eunuch before diving into the lake after them.