The Empress was so furious she was grinding her teeth.
However, she quickly felt grateful to Eunuch Fu, for although the Imperial Study was large, its soundproofing wasn’t very effective.
The Empress knelt in front of the door, and even without noise, one could carefully hear the transmission of voices inside the Imperial Study.
Eunuch Fu persuaded the Emperor to consider the Second Prince and Princess Shouning’s sake, giving the Empress a little face.
The Empress, as the mother of the nation, having her mother executed in public was indeed a real disgrace for her.
Old Madam Duke Chong’s cris were unforgivable, and she couldn’t be pardoned, but delaying her execution for a while, Prince Zhenbei would not deny the Emperor this little favor.
The fake Old Madam from Prince Zhenbei Mansion is even more hateful, yet the Prince spared her life.
When it cos to execution, the fake Old Madam should be dealt with first, for she killed her sister for wealth and glory; she deserves it even more.
After a round of earnest persuasion, the Emperor relented, "Let her live another month."
"Your Majesty is wise, the poison in Old Madam Duke Chong is such that if no antidote is found, she has about a month to live anyway," said Eunuch Fu.
Eunuch Fu went out to invite the Empress to leave.
The Empress looked grateful.
The palace maid supported the Empress back to Phoenix Palace.
As a token of thanks, the Empress sent five thousand silver notes.
Eunuch Fu accepted the money readily but didn’t dare to keep it; he silently handed it over to the Emperor.
He just received the favor in vain, as he absolutely dared not embezzle it.
Looking at the silver notes, the Emperor remarked, "It seems I am still the poorest of all."
Eunuch Fu, "...."
Being the one who managed the Emperor’s secret treasury and knowing the amount of the Emperor’s private money, Eunuch Fu also sympathized with the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, you have an empire thousands of miles wide," said Eunuch Fu.
The Emperor waved his hand, and Eunuch Fu went to store the silver notes in the small treasury.
When Eunuch Fu returned, Su Jin ca in with Xingxing.
Her elegant dress, seen from afar, did resemble Consort Yun a bit.
However, when Su Jin raised her eyebrows, the gentle grace turned into a lively charm, making her unlike Consort Yun.
Su Jin bowed to the Emperor, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Not addressing him as ’Father Emperor’ disappointed the Emperor a little.
But considering it was possibly the Marquis Dongxiang who forbade her, and knowing the difficulty of defying paternal command, the Emperor said nothing further.
Eunuch Fu sent all the little eunuchs away.
The Emperor looked at Su Jin, "The Duke Mansion forcing to imprison you, yet you wish for Old Madam Duke Chong to live longer?"
Xingxing also looked at Su Jin.
She had asked the girl this question several tis, but the girl hadn’t given a reason.
Now that the Emperor asked, she wondered if the girl would answer.
Su Jin found it inconvenient to tell the truth as she only spared Old Madam Duke Chong to validate her own suspicions.
Whether the suspicion was correct, Su Jin wasn’t entirely confident.
Gazing at the Emperor, Su Jin said, "The poison afflicting Old Madam Duke Chong is the sa as Old Duke Chong. So dicines I dare not give Old Duke Chong recklessly; since she’s to be executed, I thought...."
Su Jin’s words stopped there.
The Emperor and Eunuch Fu understood that Su Jin intended to use Old Madam Duke Chong as a test subject for the dicine.
The thought wasn’t bad, but Eunuch Fu felt it unnecessary.
In the Ministry of Justice Prison, there were innurable condemned criminals who could be used as test subjects as long as the princess was willing; she didn’t have to wrong herself by sparing Old Madam Duke Chong’s life.
However, Eunuch Fu only dared to say such thoughts in his heart as everyone has monts of oversight.
Now that the Emperor had already decided to prolong Old Madam Duke Chong’s life, should Su Jin regretted it, the Emperor would be in a predicant.
The Emperor gestured for Su Jin to co closer.
As Su Jin moved nearer, her nose twitched.
The sll of dicine on the Emperor was strong and seed odd...
Su Jin was about to ask when a person from the Imperial Kitchen ca to inquire if the al should be served.
Even serving now was already a quarter of an hour later than usual.
"Serve the al then."
The Emperor ordered, looking at Su Jin, "Stay and dine with ."
It was indeed ti for lunch, and since the Emperor invited her to dine, there was no reason to refuse.
She didn’t have urgent matters to return to the mansion.
Su Jin nodded in agreent.
Xingxing was so pleased that her eyes curved into crescents.
Phoenix Palace.
After returning, the Empress summoned the Imperial Physician.
Her knees were bruised after kneeling all night.
This happened after the Emperor returned to Hanyuan Hall and the Empress got up.
The Imperial Study was not far from Hanyuan Hall, but the Empress took more than half an hour to walk there, which was easier than kneeling.
Fortunately, her all-night kneeling was not in vain, as the Emperor finally agreed to let her mother live another month.
However, thinking that the Emperor relented because he didn’t want her kneeling to ruin Princess Consort Zhenbei’s good mood upon entering the palace, the Empress felt displeased within.
Princess Shouning, having been slapped by the Empress, was vexed and didn’t kneel along.
Now as the Empress returned to Fengyang Palace, palace maids tried to persuade Princess Shouning to visit the Empress.
After all, they are mother and daughter; no overnight grudges exist between them.
The palace maids earnestly persuaded for a long ti before Princess Shouning finally rose.
However, upon stepping out of Fengyang Palace, she learned that Princess Consort Zhenbei was dining with the Emperor.
Princess Shouning imdiately beca angry.
Why could Princess Consort Zhenbei do sothing she couldn’t?!
In all her life, she had never dined with her father in the Imperial Study!
Princess Shouning decided not to visit her mother, the Empress, but to go to the Imperial Study.
She too wanted to dine with her father!
With her stubborn nature, once Princess Shouning set her mind on sothing, no one could stop her.
The palace maids were anxious and on edge.
Facing Princess Consort Zhenbei, the princess would only suffer losses. Even before the Emperor knew Princess Consort Zhenbei was his daughter, he was already protective of her, and now he could only be more so.
The prospects of the princess against Princess Consort Zhenbei were slim.
Moreover, the Emperor was in a bad mood.
This imperial al was causing the Emperor great distress.
By the ti the imperial al was set, the Emperor instantly noticed half of the dishes were his favorites while the other half were Consort Yun’s favorites.
Arranged neatly, half and half.
Initially, the Emperor thought the arrangent by the Imperial Kitchen was excellent, as he wanted to see if Su Jin’s taste would follow him as her Father Emperor or Consort Yun as her Mother Consort.
However!
The entire table of exquisite dishes, whether from the air, land, or water, couldn’t compare to Su Jin’s fondness for a plate of pig intestines.
This was clearly the heavy taste of the Marquis Dongxiang!
Su Jin hadn’t thought much of it; she didn’t know what the Emperor liked to eat. It was said that the Emperor never took more than three bites of a single dish to avoid others discerning his preferences.
The dishes made by the Imperial Chef were certainly flawless.
Moreover, Su Jin wasn’t picky; she ate anything.
Especially the pig intestines, which were flavorfully done, so she ate more, simply for this reason.
Who would have thought that eating a few more pieces would unintentionally pierce the Emperor’s heart?
Had she known, she would have eaten half the plate.
Just as they were eating, a little eunuch approached, whispering a few words to Eunuch Fu.
Eunuch Fu looked at the Emperor, "Your Majesty, Princess Shouning is outside, saying she wants to dine with you and the Princess Consort."
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