After the edict was read, the envoy handed the golden certificate and seal to the chief eunuch, who was about to pass them to Ming Yi, when suddenly someone rushed forward.
“Madam Zhou is not chaste! How can she bear the title of ‘Consort Zhen’?”
“I am the true Heaven’s Mandate Maiden! I am the only one who can bear a child for His Majesty!”
“I implore the Empress Dowager and Consort Chen to investigate this thoroughly!”
The hall erupted in an uproar.
Zhou Mingyi feigned panic, but her gaze was cold as she glanced at the woman kneeling in the hall. The woman wore the attire of a low-ranking palace consort, prostrating herself on the ground, her face obscured.
“Host, this is the woman Xie Jinghong favored at Hanshan Temple in your previous life.”
Zhou Mingyi understood.
So it was her.
She then glanced at Consort Chen, who quickly curled her lips into a smug smile.
Ming Yi quickly lowered her head.
She heard the woman say, “Not only is Madam Zhou unchaste, but she has also entangled with multiple men. During the long journey to Qingzhou, she lost her chastity to a lowly carriage driver. Later, she prostrated herself beneath a Hu man and spent several hours alone with General Shen at the foot of a cliff. Who knows what they might have done together!”
The crowd erupted in shock once more.
Shiliu was so angered she burst into tears.
“Slander! This is pure slander!”
As the crowd buzzed with discussion, the Empress Dowager’s expression suddenly darkened.
Although Madam Jin was also brought into the palace by her, who could blame her for lacking fortune?
It was Madam Zhou who consummated with the emperor in the temple’s side chamber.
She had ordered Zhulan to inspect the side chamber at the time, and it was found in disarray.
The evidence of the woman’s chastity on the bed had long been preserved as proof.
She would not allow anyone to falsely accuse her.
The Empress Dowager was not biased toward Zhou Mingyi.
It was simply that she carried her hopes, and she still longed for her grandson to be born from her womb.
Moreover, the enthronement ceremony was already more than halfway through. If a scandal about Consort Zhen losing her chastity were to erupt, it would concern the dignity of the royal family. She would never allow such a thing to happen.
Seeing the Empress Dowager’s expression, Zhulan immediately shouted sternly, “How dare you! Disrespect before the throne and slander a palace consort! Seize her!”
The guards swiftly stepped forward and subdued Chuntao in one move.
Chuntao widened her eyes in disbelief.
In her limited understanding, since she was brought into the palace by the Empress Dowager, she naturally held more dignity than ordinary women.
Moreover, she was indeed the woman the Empress Dowager had arranged for His Majesty from the start.
During her time in the palace, Chuntao had regretted her actions every moment.
She had also come to realize the wealth and status within the harem.
After experiencing such luxurious days for a while, she no longer wanted to leave the palace and live a poor, laborious life with her so-called childhood sweetheart, toiling from sunrise to sunset.
She wanted to become His Majesty’s woman, the true mistress of this palace.
Zhou Mingyi was the thorn in her side, the bane of her existence.
The worst outcome she had anticipated was that after she “stated the facts” publicly, the Empress Dowager might not believe her but would still investigate the matter thoroughly.
Zhou Mingyi’s enthronement ceremony would be ruined, and her position as a consort would be illegitimate, perhaps even inferior to her own status as a Baolin.
That thought alone brought her satisfaction.
But she never expected that the Empress Dowager would, without a word, have her seized and gagged.
Pinned by the guards to one side of the hall, her pupils dilated, but she could not utter a single sound.
She heard the Empress Dowager announce publicly, “The Enthronement Ceremony is a ritual of the court and the law of our ancestors. How can it be interrupted by such reckless words?”
“Let the ceremony continue!”
With the Empress Dowager’s strong support, Zhou Mingyi successfully received the title of Fei.
After the ceremony concluded, Consort Zhen ascended to her seat, receiving congratulations in turn from the inner court ladies and palace attendants present.
The atmosphere on the scene appeared lively, but in reality, everyone harbored their own thoughts.
The Empress Dowager gave Zhou Mingyi a deep look, then glanced at Chuntao, who was gagged and forced to kneel to the side. Her voice was full of authority, “This woman’s words and actions are deranged, tarnishing the palace’s reputation. There must be hidden circumstances behind this.”
She then shifted her tone, “What does Consort Zhen think would be the appropriate way to handle this?”
The Empress Dowager intended to test Zhou Mingyi, taking the opportunity to observe her reaction.
This woman was the “Heaven’s Mandate Maiden” spoken of by Master Jingming. Her gaze subconsciously fell on Zhou Mingyi’s abdomen, hoping she would not disappoint her, not just possessing a pretty face.
Zhou Mingyi gently bit her flower-like lips, her expression solemn.
“Reporting to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this humble consort is overwhelmed with trepidation.”
“This humble consort has never met this sister before and has never seen her. How did she come to know of my experiences? And how did she learn of them in such detail?”
She paused, her gaze slightly grave, “It’s as if she witnessed them with her own eyes.”
After speaking, she glanced at the Empress Dowager and then observed the reactions of everyone in the hall.
Especially Consort Chen.
Although the latter tried hard to appear nonchalant, Zhou Mingyi was highly sensitive to people’s emotions.
She suddenly smiled.
This smile was like a peony blooming in spring, radiant and glowing.
Truly a stunning beauty capable of toppling cities.
Consort Chen stared blankly at such a delicate and youthful appearance, then gritted her teeth in secret hatred.
From the moment she saw this Consort Zhen, she knew she would be locked in a life-and-death struggle with her!
She instinctively looked at Consort Rong, who appeared ordinary and showed no particular reaction.
Consort Chen felt somewhat disappointed.
She had specifically arranged for people to spread the news of Consort Zhen’s loss of chastity until everyone knew, but unfortunately, Consort Rong did not take the bait.
The one who took the bait was a fool…
Zhou Mingyi lowered her eyes, appearing gentle but not the kind of soft persimmon to be easily manipulated.
“This humble consort has heard that this sister also encountered His Majesty by chance at Hanshan Temple. Presumably, someone with a connection to Buddha would not be a person of malicious intent. Perhaps she has some misunderstanding about me?”
The Empress Dowager said with interest:
“So Consort Zhen means to let her go?”
Zhou Mingyi smiled, “Today is my conferment ceremony, yet this sister suddenly rushed out, nearly ruining my important occasion. If I said I didn’t mind at all, it would be hypocritical.”
“However, since both she and I belong to His Majesty, it would be better to seek His Majesty’s opinion before deciding on the punishment.”
“If His Majesty also finds her words and actions improper, unfit to be a palace consort, and unworthy of serving His Majesty, then let her be punished, to vent my anger on my behalf!”
“His Majesty is wise and mighty, and Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is discerning. This humble consort believes that His Majesty and Your Majesty will surely give me a satisfactory resolution.”
It must be said that her words hit exactly what the Empress Dowager had in mind.
Although the Empress Dowager had already determined in her heart that Zhou Mingyi was the “Heaven’s Mandate Maiden” spoken of by Master Jingming.
After all, Madam Jin was also someone she had ordered to be found herself. Her family lived near Hanshan Temple, her background was clean, and her appearance was somewhat delicate, barely fitting Master Jingming’s description.
Therefore, the Empress Dowager wanted to give her another chance.
If Zhou Mingyi insisted on punishing her and putting her to death, the Empress Dowager would inevitably consider her malicious and vengeful!
If in the future she could not bear children, this Madam Jin would become a sharp thorn embedded in the hearts of her and Emperor Qianwu.
They might then recall that Madam Jin who had been punished because of Zhou Mingyi.
They would think that Zhou Mingyi had deliberately eliminated dissidents back then, removing the true Heaven’s Mandate Maiden.
Consort Chen suddenly laughed.
“Sister Consort Zhen is truly magnanimous, no wonder you have won the unanimous favor of His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, who brought you back from Hanshan Temple.”
Since the Empress Dowager has already said that Madam Jin’s words and actions were insane and improper, the words of a madwoman naturally cannot be believed.
But Consort Chen truly could not accept this.
“Although Jin Baolin’s words and actions were somewhat inappropriate, there is no smoke without fire. I believe that to protect Consort Zhen’s innocence, it would be best to conduct a thorough investigation to clarify the truth!”