C195 (2/2)
As expected, after Qin Ruxue left the imperial garden, he went straight to Imperial Concubine Fu's quarters. ”Imperial Concubine Fu, I'm worried about Wan Er's body, and I wanted to come and see him.”
Qin Ruxue smiled gently, as if she was really here to visit him.
However, just as he entered the palace, Qin Ruxue took a glance at the stove that Imperial Concubine Su usually used to light her own incense. Qin Ruxue saw that the furnace was filled with ashes that had been burned by the Calming Incense, and the handle at the bottom of the incense was still lying there.
Peach Blossom immediately went close to Qin Ruxue's ear and whispered, ”It's our incense, it's already burnt completely. It's very clean, there's no evidence left behind.”
Qin Ruxue couldn't help but smile, looking even more intimate towards her.
”It's unfortunate that you came, Ruoxue. Nangong Waner was just taken away by the Prince Zhang and has not been gone for long. My body shouldn't be too injured from the looks of it, there's no need to worry.”
Although Qin Ruxue understood in his heart, after hearing that Nangong Waner had been taken away by the Prince Zhan, his face showed a moment of displeasure, but quickly returned to normal again. ”Consort Su really has a good nature.
”Then thank you very much, Ruxue, for your beautiful words in front of the empress dowager.” Imperial Concubine Fu's smile was rather magnanimous.
Qin Ruxue pretended to understand and led Peach Blossom away. On the other side of the imperial garden, the atmosphere was a little weird.
When the empress dowager saw that Qin Ruxue had left, she scolded the emperor somewhat unhappily. How could the emperor decide the marriage of Prince Zhan? Since ancient times, marriage had always been ordered by parents, the words of a matchmaker were, ”Do you take it that I don't care about it, and don't put me in your eyes?” The empress dowager was very displeased as she rebuked the empress dowager.
The Emperor opened his mouth, hesitating to explain, but then seemed to consider what to say to make the Empress more acceptable.
The empress dowager seemed to sense that the emperor was hesitating to speak, but the empress dowager misunderstood. The empress dowager thought that the emperor was teaming up with the Prince Zhan and was currently thinking of a way to convince her.
The empress dowager was even more displeased as she frowned, her eyes filled with rage. ”Your majesty! Do you not see this old man in your eyes?! ”
Seeing that the empress dowager could only let out a quiet sigh, the emperor dejectedly and slowly said, ”Imperial Mother, Chu Xiuhan directly asked me for an imperial decree to marry Nangong Waner and make her an imperial concubine. I know what Imperial Mother meant, I had wanted to refuse, but Chu Xiuhan asked me directly.”
”What did he say?” Her Majesty asked anxiously when she saw the emperor's tone falter.
The emperor lowered his eyes and said softly, ”Chu Xiuhan asked me, did I forget how Concubine Chen died thirteen years ago?”
”This …” The empress dowager's face was filled with fear and guilt. In the blink of an eye, tears filled her eyes again. ”It was my fault, I shouldn't have forgotten how Consort Chen died. It was my fault, Han'er. I let him down, I know he always hated me, always hated me …”
The emperor wanted to comfort the empress dowager, but didn't know how. He could only allow the empress dowager to fall into her deep guilt.