Сhаpter 15: I Was Sеvеrеlу Injurеd Тodау, Нow Will Yоu Mаke It Up tо Мe?
Хiaо Lin stерpеd оut of thе саrriаgе, still роndering Imрeriаl Рhysician An’s wоrds from еarliеr.
“Yоur Нighnеss had seаled the mаttеr, аnd this humblе offiсial undеrstands its gravitу. I wоuld nеvеr rеveаl it to others, but… but Qiu Мing’s fаthеr hаs bеen boasting wildlу in thе gаmbling den, sаying thаt Secоndаrу Сonsort Lin hоlds аbsolute рower in thе Рrinсе’s residеnсe, and even managed tо esсаре unsсathеd after framing thе Prinсess Сonsоrt…”
“This matter has already spread through the gambling dens. It was precisely because of this that the Imperial Censor took notice of him and subsequently approached me. Even if I remain tight-lipped… it’s useless.”
As Xiao Lin stepped through the gate, a sense of absurdity washed over him.
How could she be so foolish?
He had clearly sealed the matter to protect Lin Zhao. Even as he left the Golden Hall, he had been thinking that he had been outmaneuvered by Prince Jin today… Yet the truth was that Lin Zhao herself had been foolish enough to hand her own weakness to others!
“Your Highness!”
Qiu Wen suddenly knelt before him, weeping, “The Secondary Consort has fainted! Please go see her… She had already suffered severe punishment, yet the Princess Consort still provoked her… She was so enraged that she fainted!”
Xiao Lin frowned, a surge of urgency instinctively rising within him.
But Cui Jin provoking Lin Zhao?
She knew he cared for Lin Zhao and would never deliberately provoke her.
He paused for a moment, turned to give Qing Xi a few instructions, then hurried to the Pearl Jade Courtyard. A heavy scent of blood wafted from the inner chamber.
He quickened his pace and sat down by the bed.
Lin Zhao lay pale and lifeless, sprawled on the bed, barely clinging to life.
Xiao Lin resented her, his heart filled with anger, but seeing her so weak and in pain, he couldn’t bring himself to utter any reproach.
“Why hasn’t the Imperial Physician arrived yet? Go and hurry them, summon the female physician!”
After speaking sternly, he took out a pair of scissors and carefully cut away the clothing that had stuck to Lin Zhao’s wounds.
Below, Qiu Wen sobbed, “Your Highness, you must seek justice for the Secondary Consort! That day, it was clearly the Princess Consort who framed her. It was already an act of mercy that you didn’t punish her, yet she deliberately spread the matter, leading to His Majesty’s punishment. The Secondary Consort was beaten half to death!”
“Even so, the Princess Consort stood by, sneering and saying the Secondary Consort deserved it, even insulting her for coming from a humble background and lacking manners…”
“Qiu Wen!”
Lin Zhao’s hoarse, weak voice rang out, carrying a warning tone, “When did you become a gossip-mongering busybody?!”
“This servant couldn’t bear it! You’ve already suffered so much, yet she remains aggressive. Why shouldn’t I report her?!”
Qiu Wen wept bitterly. Lin Zhao looked at her disapprovingly but seemed too exhausted to speak further.
Xiao Lin remained silent for a moment before saying, “No rush.”
Both Qiu Wen and Lin Zhao were taken aback, not understanding his meaning.
A moment later, Qing Xi returned and reported from outside the screen, “Your Highness, earlier in the main hall, the Secondary Consort accused the Princess Consort of ‘a fox borrowing the tiger’s might.’ The Princess Consort only replied that it was the Secondary Consort who had done wrong herself…”
He recounted the earlier conversation word for word.
The remarks about coming from a humble background and lacking manners were all spoken by the eunuch in His Majesty’s presence.
Lin Zhao’s pupils constricted sharply, while Qiu Wen’s face turned ashen.
“You actually investigated me?” Lin Zhao looked at him in disbelief, her eyes filled with hurt.
Xiao Lin’s gaze was complicated, “If not, how would I know the truth?”
Deep down, he had trusted Lin Zhao… but he no longer trusted those around her.
Qiu Wen hurriedly said, “It was this servant’s fault! This servant believed the Princess Consort was responsible for the Secondary Consort’s suffering and couldn’t bear it, so I exaggerated the situation. Please punish me!”
Xiao Lin glanced at her, “Thirty heavy strokes.”
Qiu Wen’s face paled as she was led away by the matron.
In the past, whenever something happened in the residence, the Prince had always trusted the Secondary Consort and her words, never investigating deeply.This only emboldened her further, allowing her to openly slander the Princess Consort.
Who would have thought that this time…
An overwhelming sense of foreboding suddenly gripped her heart.
Lin Zhao continued to stare fixedly at Xiao Lin: “You actually investigated me? You don’t trust me?”
“It is precisely because I trusted you too much that I allowed you to disregard the law and even engage in such acts of framing and false accusations!” Xiao Lin’s voice was cold.
Lin Zhao was incredulous: “Framing and false accusations? You clearly said you believed me. Just because Qiu Wen misspoke a few words, you’re going to dismiss me entirely? Is your trust in me that flimsy?”
Xiao Lin stared at her intently and suddenly asked, “Did you know about Qiu Ming’s family seizing fertile farmland?”
Lin Zhao’s heart skipped a beat, but she sneered, “What, trying to pin another charge on me? Whenever someone from my Pearl Jade Courtyard makes a mistake, does it all have to be blamed on me? They are independent individuals with their own thoughts and actions. Even if I had three heads and six arms, could I possibly ensure that so many people never make a single mistake?”
Xiao Lin remained silent for a long time.
Lin Zhao felt a wave of relief and softened her tone, though she remained unyielding: “Since you realize you’ve wronged me, won’t you even offer an apology? Today, I was severely beaten and utterly humiliated. How do you intend to make it up to me?”
“Then let us be disgraced together.”
Xiao Lin stood up, his voice weary: “To be so lax in managing your subordinates… Today, I kept wondering, are you truly the meticulous, careful, and resourceful Lin Zhao from the battlefield?”
He was merely lamenting, but Lin Zhao’s expression abruptly changed.
She stared fiercely at Xiao Lin’s retreating back, her hands unconsciously clenching the quilt so tightly it nearly deformed.
Qing Xi had intended to follow Xiao Lin out, but after a moment’s hesitation, she turned toward Lin Zhao behind the screen and said, “Qiu Ming’s father has been spreading word outside that the Secondary Consort framed the Princess Consort and got away with it. This caught the attention of the Imperial Censor-in-Chief. After investigating the truth, he impeached the Prince during today’s morning court session for favoring a concubine over his wife, and for allowing you to tamper with an imperial gift to frame the Princess Consort.”
Lin Zhao snapped back to reality, unable to comprehend: “Just because of that, I had to suffer such humiliation… and instead of sympathizing with me, the Prince is angry with me?”
Her thoughts and behavior were out of sync with the Great Zhou, and due to the limitations of her former status and perspective, even after two years in the capital, she still did not fully grasp certain taboos.
In her view, framing Cui Jin was nothing significant, and besides, she had been wrongfully accused.
As for the imperial gift, it was even more absurd—how dare Cui Jin’s grandmother’s worthless trinkets be compared to something from Emperor Yonglong?
Qing Xi took a deep breath: “Tampering with an imperial gift is a crime equivalent to contempt for the sovereign and one’s father. According to the law, it warrants house arrest.”
Lin Zhao’s face paled slightly.
“And the Prince…” Before she could finish, recalling that Xiao Lin remained unscathed, she sneered self-mockingly, “The Prince is so favored, at most he’ll receive a few reprimands…” Just like on the day they returned to her maiden home.
All the blame had fallen on her, Lin Zhao.
Yet even so, Xiao Lin still blamed her.
Qing Xi’s voice turned cold: “The Prince was publicly rebuked by His Majesty for being unfilial, stripped of all his duties at the Ministry of Justice, and nearly lost a third-rank official to Prince Jin’s faction… Consort Shu was also implicated, punished for failing to properly educate her son and placed under house arrest for three months.”
This time, Lin Zhao’s face turned completely pale.
No matter how ignorant she was of the rules, she understood what these punishments meant.
Xiao Lin had suffered severe penalties, yet he came to see her immediately. And what had she done?
Qiu Wen had used underhanded means to frame Cui Jin, and she had argued and quarreled with Xiao Lin, ultimately dragging up those matters from the battlefield…And… what if Xiao Lin truly loses the emperor’s favor?
Before leaving, Qing Xi finally said, “If the Secondary Consort still cares, then from now on, restrain your servants. They may have their own actions and thoughts, but they are not an excuse for you to evade responsibility… Failing to manage subordinates strictly is a sign of incompetence and can also lead to fatal consequences.”
“If you do not care for the Prince, you should at least think of yourself.”