The Noble Consort is the most favored in the harem

Chapter 130 - The Villain Complains

Xia An analyzed the situation from the side. Lin Wanyi felt the same way and was even more grateful in her heart. As a ruler of the nation, managing state affairs was already enough to keep him busy. Yet, he still had the time to summon her father and inform him of this matter, even arranging for her mother to enter the palace.

Lin Wanyi thought it would be insincere to say she wasn't moved, so she still hoped to express her gratitude in person. However, the news that Qiu Ming rushed back to deliver made it hard for her to feel any joy.

Because the Emperor was with Lin Guifei.

In the Yaotai Pavilion, Lin Guifei was the first to complain.

"My mother has never been treated this way since marrying into the Prime Minister's family. When my grandmother came, she said that we in the Second Branch were beaten and bruised by the evil servants brought by my aunt. Even the wet nurse who served my mother for many years was killed. Is there still a law under the heavens?"

As she spoke, she began to cry, her entire being seeming to lose its strength as she slumped to the ground, weeping uncontrollably.

The Emperor sat in his high seat, listening to her lament, but his expression remained inscrutable. Once upon a time, this Guifei was also a gentle flower, but what had happened to bring about such a transformation, making her increasingly ambitious and suspicious?

After crying for a long time without receiving any response from the Emperor, Lin Guifei felt even more anxious. She wiped her swollen eyes with a handkerchief and cautiously spoke up.

"Your Majesty..."

The Emperor looked at her, his eyes as deep as still water, revealing no emotion. He stared at her for a long time, causing Lin Guifei to feel a chill run down her back.

Finally, the Emperor spoke slowly. "What Princess Rongkang mentioned does not quite match what was reported by the Prime Minister."

As he said this, he had Dong Yuzhong hand over a memorial.

Lin Guifei took it in surprise and examined it closely, her cold sweat increasing with each word. She could never have imagined that her own grandfather would turn against her, revealing all the matters directly to the Emperor!

"Being a family, why are we speaking as if from two different families? Guifei, who do you think is lying in this matter?"

If this were a complaint from the First Branch or from Lin Wanyi, she would have had something to argue with. But this was her own grandfather, the esteemed Prime Minister Lin. Both sides were his own children; no one outside would believe that he was intentionally favoring the First Branch.

"Could it be that my grandfather was deceived by someone?"

Upon hearing Lin Guifei's words, the Emperor suddenly let out a laugh of scorn. "Ignorant woman, do you think Prime Minister Lin is like you? Always stirring up trouble in my harem! I see the affairs of the Six Palaces are more than enough for you to handle; yet you still stretch your hands too far!"

This reprimand from the Emperor caused Lin Guifei to immediately sit up straight and kneel before him, no longer daring to utter even a hint of a sob. If she had known her grandfather would take this route, she would have rather died than report this complaint! And her grandmother, instead of mentioning good matters, was stirring up trouble right in front of her!

Now she had offended the Emperor—what was she to do? "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I... I was only thinking of my mother and hoped for a good family reunion. Since she didn't arrive, I asked my grandmother a few questions."

"Hmph! I never would have thought that Princess Rongkang could stir up trouble so well!"

With such a serious charge hanging over her, Lin Guifei was terrified and hurried to explain. "My grandmother didn't plan to tell me at first; it was I who pressed her for details. She wasn't even present at the scene; it must have been the servants below who were making things up! Please see through this, Your Majesty!"

Princess Rongkang was her hope and support. She couldn't let anyone down!

Thus, it was clear how much Lin Guifei wanted to defend her position.

Watching her act, the Emperor felt a deep sense of disdain. When she was first chosen to enter the palace because she was the granddaughter of the Prime Minister, he had held some hope. He thought that a consort nurtured by a minister like Prime Minister Lin would surely be virtuous and wise.

But unexpectedly, it didn't take long for her true colors to emerge. Gradually, his feelings towards her turned negative. If it hadn't been for the later birth of Princess Mingruo, which helped mend their relationship, this arrogant Lin Guifei would have simply been another consort serving in the palace.

Thinking of Princess Mingruo, the Emperor found his heart still softening. After a moment, he said, "Since your mother is seriously injured, it's not fitting for you, as her daughter, to wander about; you should stay in the Yaotai Pavilion and pray for her. As for Mingruo..."

Lin Guifei found herself unexpectedly placed under house arrest, leaving her in a daze. She had thought that her complaint would lead to consequences for Lin Wanyi; instead, she was facing the repercussions of her own actions.

"Your Majesty! I spoke thoughtlessly in a moment of impulse; how could it end up like this..."

"A moment of thoughtlessness? You should take a look at how much you've done! Do you think I'm a fool who can be spun around by you? With your kind of character, you're even fit to be Mingruo's mother? If I ruin my good daughter because of you, what will you use to make amends?"

His words were urgent and stern, leaving Lin Guifei so chastised that she didn't dare to respond. Yet it was her mother who was most injured, and it was the Second Branch that lost face. Why was the Emperor only protecting the Dong family and Lin Wanyi?

At this moment, she completely forgot that it was her grandfather's memorial that had revealed the truth of the matter to the Emperor. Instead, she placed all the blame on Lin Wanyi and the First Branch.

"It's not like that! It's not like that, Your Majesty..."

She initially wanted to argue further, but then she caught a glimpse of the Emperor's disgusted gaze. In an instant, she woke from her delusion. She knew that if she continued to cling to the Emperor and weep for mercy, the consequences would likely be worse than house arrest!

And Mingruo!

Right! Mingruo!

Thinking of her only daughter, Lin Guifei immediately devised a plan. She decided to use her daughter as a bargaining chip and said, "I implore Your Majesty to show mercy. I was incited by others and wrongfully accused someone without knowing the truth; it's all my fault. But Mingruo has been raised by my side since she was little and has never suffered any hardship. I, as her mother, have made mistakes, but please don't involve the child."

"I implore Your Majesty to show mercy!"

"Please, Your Majesty, show mercy!"

The eunuch Jiang Heqing and the court maids Qin He and Qin Liu, who were close to Lin Guifei, all knelt down to plead with the Emperor.

Seeing her plead for her child, the Emperor's anger gradually subsided. For a moment, he couldn't find a suitable way to send the child away. He could only swallow his anger and then warned, "Mingruo is my only daughter. From now on, keep outsiders from speaking bad things in front of her. If I hear it, don't blame me for being ruthless—I'll have to send her away!"

In the Emperor's eyes, sending the daughter away would be a far more devastating blow to Lin Guifei than house arrest. She had only this one child; although she was merely a princess, she had been cherished and nurtured.