"Empress Dowager, the Emperor went to Deng Jieyu’s palace for a while, then went back to the Imperial Study to handle state affairs," the nanny reported to the Empress Dowager.
Empress Dowager: "Is the evidence against Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi real?"
"Yes, there is evidence." The nanny nodded, giving a definite answer.
The Empress Dowager pondered for a while, "Don’t bother with the matters concerning Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi."
"Yes."
"Do you think the Emperor’s actions are genuinely seeking justice for Deng Jieyu, or is it because Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi’s mistake is too serious?" The Empress Dowager suddenly questioned.
The old nanny, who had served the Empress Dowager for decades, pondered for a mont and replied, "To this servant girl, it seems the Emperor has a thirty percent chance of taking actions for Deng Jieyu’s sake, and a seventy percent chance of dealing with a misbehaving palace concubine as per usual."
"Hmph, at least he retains so sense. Being led by a palace concubine is not in the Emperor’s nature." The Empress Dowager let out a light snort, sowhat satisfied with this answer.
Speaking of this topic, the old nanny recalled the rumors in the palace and nervously told the Empress Dowager, "By the way, Your Majesty, before leaving, Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi insisted she did not harm Deng Jieyu’s child and even claid that Deng Jieyu practices witchcraft."
"This matter of Gu technique has caused rumors to spread throughout the Imperial Harem, with everyone gossiping, creating quite a commotion."
"Deng Jieyu has not taken action against those gossiping servants due to this incident. She only claid to have fainted from anger and is still confined to bed."
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes, "The witchcraft of Gu... I didn’t expect it to appear in the palace again."
"Your Majesty?" The old nanny was sowhat surprised, "Do you also believe that Deng Jieyu has dabbled in witchcraft?"
"There’s a possibility. Such things appearing in the palace could quickly lead to chaos. Let’s wait and see, I trust the Emperor will handle it."
The old nanny didn’t say anything further, but she took note of the matter, growing wary in her heart.
Upon learning the news, Minister Qi directly smashed a fine inkstone, "The Deng Family, well, well done!"
Gritting his teeth, he hurried out intending to enter the palace.
But he was stopped right at the palace gates, and at the sa ti, King Qi was also barred from entering.
King Qi worked in the Ministry of Rites, and upon learning the news, he hurried as Qi Zhao Yi had sent soone to beg him for rescue, thus arriving even earlier than Minister Qi.
However, when he reached the palace gates, he was unexpectedly stopped from entering. Even before he could deliver the letter to the Empress Dowager, informants passed on news of Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi’s fate.
He only felt as if the sky had collapsed.
His mind could not believe it; he could not accept that his own mother concubine had been sent out of the palace, abandoned, losing all status and face, and only managing to keep her life in disgrace.
The tension snapped in his mind, and he kneeled at the palace gates, insisting on seeing his father, the Emperor.
Minister Qi knelt beside him as well.
The two were not far apart.
Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Prince, what exactly happened?"
"Uncle, did Mother Concubine truly commit those deeds?" King Qi’s eyes reddened, still hoping to clear his mother concubine’s na, hoping that it was all soone else’s plotting.
Minister Qi, upon hearing this, answered him with silence.
King Qi covered his face with his hand; in truth, he already had an answer, but he had hoped for a better outco than what he suspected.
Yet the facts rendered him powerless.
"Prince, even you, Your Majesty still has a chance." Minister Qi was unwilling to give up; even though sending another daughter into the palace might not earn Emperor Xuanming’s favor, he was prepared to try.
But losing Imperial Concubine Qi Zhao Yi as such a strong ally undoubtedly carried significant future implications.
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