EWRN - Chapter 34
Chapter 34: The Consort Selection Controversy (VI)
A palace maid walked in from outside the great hall. She passed the prostrate Noble Consort Bai, Bai Qing, and knelt directly before the court. "This servant greets Your Majesty!" The maid performed a deep kowtow. It was none other than Bi Luo.
Lying on the floor, Bai Qing watched Bi Luo slowly walk past her. How could she not understand what was happening?! This wretched servant had sold her out! This damn maid was actually one of Emperor Huo Jinyu's people! Noble Consort Bai's heart lurched with panic, wondering just how much Huo Jinyu knew.
"Bi Luo, you damn maid! Selling out your master for personal gain! You're truly shameless!" Noble Consort Bai began to curse loudly, attempting to draw everyone's attention to the matter of betrayal in hopes of finding a way to escape her predicament.
Before the head palace maid, Bi Luo, could respond, Huo Jinyu spoke first. "Selling out her master for personal gain? In this great hall, is there any master other than Us? This entire realm is Ours. Is there anything improper about Us wanting a maid to be Our servant? Or are you saying that your Bai family, you, Noble Consort Bai, and you, Bai Qun, are the true masters here?!" Huo Jinyu's tone grew sterner with every word.
Hearing this, Bai Qing immediately fell silent, merely shooting a vicious glare at Bi Luo. Unfortunately, Bi Luo didn't have eyes in the back of her head and couldn't see it. Bai Qing's hands were clenched into tight fists, her nails digging into her flesh, yet she felt no pain.
Unwittingly, more than an hour had passed in the throne room, and the ministers had been kneeling for some time. "Our beloved ministers, you may rise." Seeing a few of the older officials beginning to falter, Huo Jinyu waved her hand, allowing them to stand. This bunch of officials is so easily frightened, she grumbled to herself. All I did was slam the table and they all dropped to their knees. She had no idea how terrifying she was when she lost her temper.
Now, only Prime Minister Bai remained kneeling on the floor, trembling, and Noble Consort Bai was still sprawled ungracefully on the ground.
"Bi Luo, come and tell Us what 'good deeds' your fine master has been up to." Huo Jinyu cheerfully tapped her index finger on the desk, but her expression remained unreadable.
"Your Majesty, this servant has been attending to the Noble Consort for several months. I know that as a servant, I should not speak ill of my master, but... but Her Ladyship's actions are truly a violation of female virtue!" After saying this, Bi Luo kowtowed forcefully, her head hitting the floor with a thud.
The Noble Consort had violated female virtue?
The words struck like a clap of thunder, shattering the composure of the old ministers. To violate female virtue meant she had committed one or more of the Seven Grounds for Divorce! Bai Qing had once been a celebrated lady from a noble house, renowned throughout the imperial city! They wondered which of the seven grounds the Noble Consort had violated. Based on what the consort and Prime Minister Bai had said earlier, it was most likely "jealousy" and "gossip."
Who would have thought? The Bai family, with its generations of prime ministers, such a scholarly and respected household, had raised a daughter like this. Now, hearing that Noble Consort Bai had violated female virtue and committed one of the seven grounds, the last shred of pity they felt for her completely vanished. To put it nicely, she was immoral. To put it bluntly, she was a wretched woman!
"I never would have imagined!"
"Indeed, how could Noble Consort Bai be such a person?"
"And to think Prime Minister Bai always prided himself on raising his children well. His whole family is always so arrogant. Now they've finally incurred the dragon's wrath, haven't they?"
"It's true what they say, you can know a person's face but not their heart!"
"Committing one of the seven grounds is a serious crime!"
...
"You damn girl! What nonsense are you spouting? This Consort has always treated you so well! Is this how you repay me? Shut your mouth this instant!" Bai Qing finally realized how embarrassing her current posture was. She quickly scrambled into a sitting position and snarled viciously at Bi Luo.
"Bi Luo, do not be afraid. Tell Us everything. How exactly has this Noble Consort Bai violated female virtue?" Huo Jinyu offered the maid a semblance of comfort, encouraging her to continue. "Start with the most recent events and work your way back."
Having received the Emperor's command, Bi Luo paused as if to organize her thoughts, then slowly began to speak. "Your Majesty, the most recent incident was just yesterday. The Noble Consort secretly investigated Your Majesty's whereabouts and the identity of the new consort. She also privately corresponded with someone outside the palace. Earlier yesterday, Her Ladyship took a large group of palace maids to the new consort's Yuzhe Palace, where she tried to force the new wife to kneel and nearly scratched her face. Fortunately, Your Majesty arrived in time to control the situation." At this point, Bi Luo swallowed hard. She was nervous. After all, speaking ill of her master to her face was truly frightening, especially on such a grand stage. But when she looked up and saw Huo Jinyu's encouraging gaze, she remembered that everything happening today was part of the Emperor's plan. As long as she followed the Emperor's wishes, she would surely not be punished. If she performed well, she might even be rewarded.
Composing herself, Bi Luo continued, "Some days ago, the Noble Consort, without being summoned by imperial decree, trespassed into Your Majesty's imperial study and nearly overheard state secrets. Further back, when Your Majesty married Princess Yan, the Noble Consort also led a large group of maids to the princess's Jinxiang Palace and almost slapped Her Highness. That time, too, Your Majesty's timely arrival prevented a disaster." With that, Bi Luo fell silent, following a signal from the Emperor's eyes. Though she didn't understand His Majesty's intention, she knew it was not her place to guess.
Seeing the palace maid stop her account, the ministers assumed she was finished and another wave of hushed discussion broke out.
Huo Jinyu then took over, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "Noble Consort of the Bai clan, you are jealous, you sow discord in the household, you gossip and spread rumors. You have committed two of the seven grounds: jealousy and excessive talk. Prime Minister Bai, do you have anything to say? What punishment do these actions deserve?" Huo Jinyu stared intently at the Prime Minister.
"This consort has been wronged..." Before Noble Consort Bai could finish, Huo Jinyu cut her off. "Did We give you permission to speak? Be silent!"
The officials of the court were dumbfounded. Could these deeds truly have been committed by the gentle, reasonable, and intelligent second daughter of the Bai family? This woman was truly terrifying! The ministers were all men, the pillars of their households. Who didn't appreciate a virtuous, capable woman who could manage a home? Who would want their own rear courtyard thrown into chaos by the squabbles of women? Thus, they utterly detested women like Bai Qing, who stirred up trouble in the inner quarters. They felt fortunate that their own sons had not married a daughter of the Bai family, otherwise who knew what state their peaceful homes would be in? In an instant, the gazes of the assembled officials on the kneeling father and daughter turned hostile.
At that moment, a minister stepped forward from the ranks. "Your Majesty," he reported, "this subject believes that a wicked woman like this one from the Bai family, having committed the seven grounds, should be stripped of her consort title and divorced from her position. Furthermore, this wretched woman should be beheaded as a public example!" This particular minister had always been at odds with Prime Minister Bai, and seeing a chance to kick a man when he was down, he had eagerly stepped forward.
"This subject agrees!"
"This subject agrees!"...
In a moment, all of Prime Minister Bai's sworn enemies, along with ministers who had been oppressed by him, stepped forward one by one to second the motion.
Prime Minister Bai, still kneeling, felt his head was about to split in two. He never imagined his precious daughter could have done such things in the palace! It was enough to make him worry his beard off. He shuffled forward a step on his knees and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please see clearly! I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness, it is this subject who failed to raise his daughter properly! It is my failure! I implore Your Majesty, for the sake of this old subject who has served three dynasties, to spare my daughter's life! I beg you, Your Majesty!" Prime Minister Bai began to slam his head against the floor, the thuds echoing in the hall.
"Very well. For the sake of you being an old minister of three dynasties, We will spare you one more time. But what about the next time?" To everyone's surprise, Huo Jinyu did not make things difficult for Prime Minister Bai and agreed with ease.
"If there is a next time, this subject will accept ten thousand deaths!" Prime Minister Bai replied, believing he had just saved his daughter Bai Qing's life.
The court below erupted into discussion once more. Some of the more senior ministers secretly felt that things were not so simple. It was well known how much the Emperor enjoyed making things difficult for Prime Minister Bai. How could she let him off so easily now? Perhaps only Prime Minister Bai, caught in the middle of the affair, couldn't see it clearly. It seemed the Emperor still had another move to play. She had allowed the Prime Minister to use his status as a three-dynasty minister to atone for a crime twice in a row. As the saying goes, a mistake can be forgiven once, maybe twice, but not a third time. It seemed Prime Minister Bai would not escape his fate today!
Below the dais, Bi Luo stared at the Emperor, utterly bewildered. How could Noble Consort Bai be let off without punishment? If she returned to the consort's side, wouldn't she be beaten to death? This would not do! She had to reveal the most important piece of information. Surely, the Emperor was just deliberately making her wait a little longer.
"Oh? Why does this palace maid look as if she has something more to say?" Huo Jinyu raised an eyebrow, signaling for Bi Luo to continue.
"Your Majesty, this servant does indeed have one more thing to report!" Bi Luo kowtowed again.
"You wretched servant, stop your malicious slander! Your Majesty, have this wretch dragged out! Just hand her over to this consort for punishment!" Noble Consort Bai also kowtowed twice with loud thuds, forcing a laugh. She knew what Bi Luo was about to say! It could only be that one thing. She absolutely could not let her say it!
"Continue speaking!" Huo Jinyu commanded sharply. Noble Consort Bai's heart pounded with fear. The ministers were also curious what else this lowly maid could possibly have to say. They knew that if she fabricated anything, it would be the crime of deceiving the sovereign, punishable by beheading!
"Your Majesty, the Noble Consort has been hiding something from you," Bi Luo said, having steeled herself. She let the words out in a single rush. "Ever since half a month after Her Ladyship was married into the palace by Your Majesty, she has been carrying on a secret affair with Manager Wang of the Emerald Gold Pavilion in the imperial city! It continues to this day! The reason Her Ladyship was so elaborately dressed today was to go and meet that Manager Wang! This servant has accompanied the Noble Consort every time and knows this matter better than anyone! I implore Your Majesty to investigate!" The palace maid Bi Luo prostrated herself completely on the floor, her voice ringing out.
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire court was in an uproar!
The very first noble consort married by the current Emperor was having an affair with a commoner behind His Majesty's back! The Noble Consort was now nearly four months pregnant, and who knew if the child in her belly belonged to the Emperor or to that commoner!
The ministers were utterly shocked. What kind of scandal was this?!
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