Ji Zizhao watched Baili leave the room, and she didn't delay. She quickly inquired about the specific location of Wenhui's sleeping quarters and also hurried out of Fengyi Palace.
Meanwhile, as Ji Zizhao was rushing to Wenhui's sleeping quarters, Empress Zhong had already taken a step towards the imperial presence.
Emperor Xiaochang was somewhat surprised to learn that the Empress had arrived. After all, the Fourth Prince was raised by the Empress, and now that he was suppressing the Fourth Prince's accomplishments, the Empress must be uncomfortable. However, the Emperor was still the Emperor, and as long as he harbored suspicions about the Fourth Prince, no one could shake his position.
But it was impossible to say that Emperor Xiaochang felt no guilt towards the Empress. Therefore, upon hearing that the Empress had arrived, he quickly sent someone to invite her in.
"This concubine pays her respects to Your Majesty."
Empress Zhong bowed and greeted the Emperor as soon as she entered.
"Why has the Empress come at this hour?" Emperor Xiaochang quickly helped her up personally.
Empress Zhong looked at the Emperor's face and sneered inwardly. She had come to help her son secure the time to return to the city. Could it be that she was eagerly seeking to see his wrinkled old face?
"I heard that some commotion has occurred at Wenhui's place, so I thought I'd come with Your Majesty to take a look."
Emperor Xiaochang, however, said, "Since it's a matter of the harem, I naturally trust the Empress to handle it."
This statement was clearly a rejection.
Empress Zhong did not insist. Before leaving and bowing, she added, "Your Majesty has been working tirelessly for the war in Tonglin, and you haven't visited the harem in a long time. I originally hoped to accompany Your Majesty to relax. I suppose I was being too meddlesome. This concubine will take her leave."
With that, she turned and left directly, cleanly and decisively.
Emperor Xiaochang: "..."
The guilt in his heart surged another degree.
Gazing at Empress Zhong's retreating back, Emperor Xiaochang suddenly felt that Wenhui's sleeping quarters were not too far from his own.
Wenhui's sleeping quarters were arranged alongside those of other princesses. However, as the few remaining princesses in the palace were either married off or had married into distant lands, only Wenhui resided in the West Sixth Residence now.
As Ji Zizhao stepped into the courtyard, she heard Wenhui's intermittent sobbing. Upon entering the room, she discovered that many imperial consorts had already arrived, including the birth mother of the Eighth Prince, Consort Sun Xian, and Noble Consort Xi.
Noble Consort Xi's eyes met Ji Zizhao's, and she said with a half-smile, "The Fourth Prince's Consort is a rare visitor."
Ji Zizhao acted as if she hadn't heard the hidden meaning in Noble Consort Xi's words and respectfully bowed. "Greetings, Noble Consort Xi."
Noble Consort Xi hadn't expected Ji Zizhao to be so calm and composed. Her throat tightened, and she turned to Consort Sun Xian beside her and said, "Speaking of which, Consort Sun Xian and the Fourth Prince's Consort have the most connection. It's a pity Consort Sun Xian has never had a good look at the Fourth Prince's Consort."
Consort Sun Xian had seen Ji Zizhao a few times, but only a fleeting glance from afar. She had dismissed her as an unremarkable junior. Yet, she never dreamed that such a person, whom she had never paid attention to, would eventually drive her son out of the imperial clan.
Thinking of her son no longer holding the status of a prince, Consort Sun Xian's gaze towards Ji Zizhao burned with fury. "Why has the Fourth Prince's Consort come here? Did you not only snatch the Fourth Prince from Wenhui's side, but now you've come to show off your arrogance?"
Ji Zizhao seemed not to hear Consort Sun Xian's sarcasm. She slightly lowered her gaze and said, "This minister was merely passing by. Hearing that something had happened at Princess Wenhui's sleeping quarters, I thought I'd come to see if I could help. After all, I heard recently that Princess Wenhui was not well. As for my marriage, it was approved by the Empress and decreed by the Emperor."
Consort Sun Xian snorted coldly, "Stop pretending. Who knows what underhanded means you used behind our backs."
Hearing this, Ji Zizhao looked up with curiosity and surprise. "Aren't all imperial princes granted marriage by the Emperor himself in the palace? Or did Consort Sun Xian use some unsavory methods to facilitate the Eighth Prince's marriage?"
Consort Sun Xian hadn't expected Ji Zizhao to retort and her face turned green with anger. "How dare you!"
Ji Zizhao quickly bowed her head. "To dare to tamper under the Emperor's nose, Consort Sun Xian's audacity is even greater."
Consort Sun Xian: "..."
How could this be explained clearly!
The marriage of imperial princes was indeed decided by the Emperor. However, to secure a good marriage for her son, which consort in the harem wasn't secretly planning for a long time? But a tacit secret was one thing, and now Ji Zizhao revealing it was another matter entirely.
Consort Sun Xian was so furious she felt as if she could die. She wished she could tear Ji Zizhao apart, but outwardly, she could only bite her red lips tightly and dared not speak further.
If she continued to speak, and the matter reached the Emperor's ears...
How many lives did Consort Sun Xian have to bear the consequences?
Noble Consort Xi hadn't expected Consort Sun Xian to yield so quickly and averted her gaze awkwardly. Su Dan Fiction Network.
Seeing this scene, Ji Zizhao couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion. No wonder the Eighth Prince ended up taking the blame. With Consort Sun Xian's intelligence, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was completely outmatched by Noble Consort Xi.
"Speak, why did you slander the Fourth Prince?" Wenhui's angry roar drew everyone's attention.
At this moment, in the sleeping quarters, Wenhui was leaning on the edge of the bed, her face as pale as paper, her lips devoid of color. She looked indeed like someone who had been ill for a long time. It was precisely because of this that her reddened eyes were even more striking.
She tremblingly raised her hand and pointed at a palace maid kneeling not far away, as if angry or heartbroken. "I know I am not a legitimate princess in this palace. But since my return, I have always treated everyone in this sleeping quarters as my own. Where have I treated you badly that you would spread rumors about the Fourth Prince's background behind my back!"
"Wuwuwu... Wuwuwu..."
The palace maid continuously made choking sounds. It wasn't that she didn't want to speak, but she simply couldn't. Her mouth had long been sewn shut with thread.
"Even if you know you were wrong and sewed your own mouth shut, what use is that? Stop begging me. You slandered the Fourth Prince, and I cannot forgive you." As Wenhui spoke emotionally, she simply buried her head in her knees and began to cry.
Her heartbroken and powerless appearance truly made listeners sympathize and viewers shed tears.
Granny Zhang, seeing this scene, quietly glanced at Noble Consort Xi beside her.
Noble Consort Xi let out a cold snort and stood amidst the crowd, watching the spectacle.
"Dong dong dong... Dong dong dong..."
The palace maid knelt on the ground, tears and snot streaming down her face, continuously kowtowing to Wenhui.
Wenhui heard the sound and looked up. Upon seeing the palace maid's actions, she suddenly threw off the quilt and got out of bed. She staggered to the palace maid's side and bent down abruptly, embracing the palace maid as she cried, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have talked about the Fourth Prince's matters with you every day. I know you are kind-hearted, but you really shouldn't have done this..."