Upon hearing this, the cold gaze Xiao Wenyi directed at Zhang Wanyin softened slightly.
Jiang Yunfu sneered inwardly; Nanny Rong was right after all!
This Zhang Wanyin was nothing but a silver-tongued liar!
She stepped forward and said to Xiao Wenyi, "Your Majesty, it is true that I punished Consort Zhang, but I never intended to take her life!"
"After Consort Zhang fainted, I summoned an Imperial Physician, but before he could arrive, the Empress Dowager sent Nanny Chu to carry out the caning!"
"The Empress Dowager did not even inform me before proceeding with the punishment! Even if I had wanted to stop it, I could not have done so."
Xiao Wenyi looked at the Empress, his gaze deep and cold. "Are you saying, Empress, that you have no control over the affairs of the Harem?"
"If that is the case, why not hand over the responsibility of managing the Harem to the Empress Dowager? You could simply remain in Kunning Palace as an Imperial Concubine with nothing to do and no burdens. Wouldn't that be more comfortable?"
Jiang Yunfu stiffened, the color draining from her face instantly, her eyes filled with disbelief. "Your Majesty, what... what did you say?"
For the sake of a lowly Consort, he was actually going to strip her of her authority over the Harem?
"Did you not hear me, or do you not understand what I said?"
Jiang Yunfu truly did not understand Xiao Wenyi's meaning, assuming he was blaming her and the Empress Dowager for punishing Zhang Wanrou.
Unwilling to accept this, she argued, "Your Majesty, this matter was caused by Consort Zhang bewitching the Monarch in the first place. I punished her according to the rules; what wrong did I commit? Furthermore, my Aunt ordered the caning for your own good, Your Majesty. Can you not see that?"
"Bewitching the Monarch?" Xiao Wenyi narrowed his eyes slightly, his entire body radiating an unpleasant pressure. "She is a Consort, she is my woman. If I favor her, does that mean she has bewitched me? Empress, does that mean you have also bewitched me in the past?"
"Your Majesty!!" Jiang Yunfu’s face turned pale, her chest heaving with uncontrollable anger. "I am your wedded wife; how can you compare me to the other Imperial Concubines in the palace?"
She was the Empress, the Mother of the Nation, the very embodiment of dignity and elegance! How could he use the word "bewitching" to describe their relationship?
"Consort Zhang offered herself to you in broad daylight, causing you to abandon state affairs to be with her..."
The pressure radiating from Xiao Wenyi intensified, and he interrupted her directly, asking, "So, when I handle state affairs and when I favor an Imperial Concubine must now be subject to the Empress's approval?"
"Perhaps you would like to be the Emperor instead? Should I hand the state affairs over to you?"
His voice was calm, yet it felt as if he had pierced a hole through the Empress's heart!
"Your Majesty, I would not dare!!" She knelt down in a hurry, her eyes filled with unconcealable shock and panic.
She truly had not expected Xiao Wenyi to say such things! How was this any different from suspecting her of plotting to usurp the throne?
Zhang Wanyin did not dare to remain standing either and knelt to the side, though her heart was filled with shock and doubt.
It seemed she had not expected the Emperor to say such harsh words to the Empress for the sake of Zhang Wanrou!
Xiao Wenyi sat on the dragon throne, his voice indifferent: "Issue the decree! The Empress is unwell and unable to bear the burden of heavy duties. Temporarily hand over the affairs of the Harem to the Noble Consort, Consort De, and Consort Shu to manage! When the Empress has recovered, she shall resume her duties!"
"All of you, withdraw!"
After saying this, he stood up and headed toward the inner chamber.
Jiang Yunfu and Zhang Wanyin both remained frozen in place; one was chilled to the bone, while the other was burning with excitement.
Zhang Wanyin could never have imagined that Zhang Wanrou being punished would lead to such a massive argument between the Emperor and the Empress! And it had resulted in her obtaining the control over the Harem she had dreamed of!
This was no different from a pie falling from the sky!
Most importantly, the Empress, who had always acted arrogantly in front of her, was now pale and utterly disheveled. It was truly a refreshing sight to behold!
She could not suppress the joy in her eyes, and her voice turned sweet, "Empress, the Emperor is only acting in the heat of the moment. Please do not be angry; ruining your health over this would be a loss that outweighs the gain!"
It would be best if she just died of anger; wouldn't the position of Empress then be within her grasp?
Jiang Yunfu looked at her coldly, flicked her golden peony-patterned sleeves sharply, and rose to leave.
Zhang Wanyin’s eyes lit up, "Why is the Empress still angry? Your younger sister is truly worried about you!"
...
When Zhang Wanrou woke up, she found herself in a misty place, with the sound of faint, intermittent crying appearing by her ears.
Just as she was wondering where she was, a woman in tattered clothes appeared in the distance and shouted at her: "Rou'er, run! Don't come back! Never come back!!"
She called out in a daze: "Mother?"
There was a deep, bloody gash on the woman's neck, as if something had sliced through it, and fresh blood stained the clothes on her chest red.
Zhang Wanrou rushed over, wanting to hold her and ask what had happened, but the next instant, the woman vanished!
She stumbled a few steps, only to suddenly arrive above the Capital City, in front of the gate of the Pingxi Marquis Manor.
Two teenage boys, who looked exactly alike, had bright and gentle smiles on their faces.
They reached out to her, "Eldest Sister, you're back!"
"A-Xing, A-Chen..."
Zhang Wanrou smiled and ran toward them, but the next second, the two boys were covered in blood, their faces filled with pain.
"Eldest Sister... save us, Eldest Sister..."
Zhang Wanrou was so terrified that all the blood in her body turned cold. She stood frozen in place, her face wet. She reached out to touch it, and it was covered in tears...
But in the blink of an eye, the tears on her hands changed color, turning from pink to blood-red, and then spreading in all directions... Her hands were covered in blood, and everything before her eyes turned a deep, scarlet red...
She suddenly saw a woman covered in blood standing opposite her, together with the two boys. The corners of her mouth were torn and mangled, and below her abdomen, blood was gushing out, blindingly bright!
She was holding an infant in her arms, and the infant was crying heart-wrenchingly...
Who was that? Why was that person so familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before?
But no matter how hard she tried, she could not remember who that woman was...
She only knew that the woman was looking at her, her eyes bloodshot, seemingly filled with resentment, yet also seemingly smiling at her...
At that time, Xiao Wenyi asked with a gloomy face: "Didn't you say she would wake up soon? Why has it been three days, and she still hasn't woken up?!"
Hua Ning bowed to the side, his face also showing a hint of doubt.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have observed that the Consort's pulse has stabilized. Logically, she should have woken up yesterday..."
Xiao Wenyi did not want to hear this nonsense. "Then why hasn't she woken up yet? She..."
"No, don't!!"
A scream from the inner chamber cut Xiao Wenyi's words short.
He rushed behind the screen, only to see the person on the bed covered in tears, her brows tightly furrowed, shouting something.
"Yatou? Are you awake? I am here, open your eyes and look at me!!"
But Zhang Wanrou could not hear his voice at all; her body seemed to be restrained, and she could only shake her head incessantly, as if trying to avoid something.
Seeing this, Hua Ning immediately stepped forward to check Zhang Wanrou's pulse.
Xiao Wenyi was even more worried. "What is happening?"
"Your Majesty, the Lady has fallen into a nightmare! But this is a good sign; as soon as the nightmare passes, she will wake up soon!"
After saying this, he hurriedly opened his medicine chest and took out silver needles to perform acupuncture on Zhang Wanrou.
As the silver needles were inserted, the look of fear and panic on Zhang Wanrou's face eased slightly.
A quarter of an hour later, Zhang Wanrou slowly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with confusion.
"Yatou, are you awake?"
Seeing her open her eyes, a smile appeared on Xiao Wenyi's face that even he had not noticed.
Zhang Wanrou looked at him, dazed for a moment, before panic filled her eyes: "Your Majesty... save me... I am in so much pain... I don't want to die..."
"You will not die! You will not die!!" He held her in his arms with heartache, gently patting her back to soothe her: "I am here, no one will dare to hurt you again!"
"Qing Ning... they are going to beat Qing Ning to death, Your Majesty, save Qing Ning." She cried sorrowfully, her tears soaking his Dragon Robe.
Qing Ning had been waiting outside, and upon hearing this, she rushed in without a second thought, kneeling by the bed and crying out: "Lady, Qing Ning is here, Qing Ning is fine! You must take care of your own body!!"
Zhang Wanrou saw that Qing Ning was safe, and then she fainted again.
Xiao Wenyi was shocked and turned to shout: "Hua Ning!!"
Hua Ning hurriedly stepped forward to check her pulse again, the sweat on his forehead involuntarily forming beads.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. Consort Zhang has just woken up and her body is still very weak. She was likely frightened by her previous memories and could not hold on, which is why she fainted again."
At this moment, Cheng Fang walked in from outside and said: "Your Majesty, the Noble Consort has arrived, saying she wishes to see Lady Jieyu."
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