To Be A Virtuous Wife

101

"Niangniang," Fine sweat beaded Huang Yang's forehead as he looked in trepidation at the Empress who was partaking in her meal. He didn't even dare to breathe hard, as though any movement would enrage the Empress.

"What is it?" Qu Qing Ju slowly ate a bowl of chicken porridge. Matched with the crisp pickled cabbage, it was flavourful. She saw Huang Yang refraining from speech in a panicked manner as she rinsed her mouth with the tea that Jin Zhan handed over and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief from Yin Liu, "Say it, what has made you so panicked?"

Huang Yang dropped to kneel at Qu Qing Ju's feet: "Han liangdi was found this morning in the lotus pond of the Imperial Garden, already swollen."

Qu Qing Ju stilled. Han Qing He died?

"How can you mention such a matter in front of niangniang?" Mu Jin's brows furrowed. Now that niangniangwas pregnant, this kind of matter would scare niangniang and the small Highness in her belly, "Shut your mouth."

"It's fine," Qu Qing Ju's left hand slowly caressed her slightly upraised belly, "Your expression wouldn't be this terrible for this kind of minor matter. Is it related to the cause of Han liangdi's death?"

Huang Yang saw niangniang's calm composure and could only say through gritted teeth: "The people of the Department of Household Affairs found a white jade hairpin on Han liangdi's body. Someone recognized that it was niangniang's."

When Jin Zhan and Yu Zan heard the words, their faces paled in fright. The clothing and hair ornaments of niangniang were under their management. If niangniang's things were lost, the most suspicious people would be them. The two knelt down, faces terrible as they said: "Niangniang, nubi wasn't able to look after the ornaments properly and begs for mercy."

Qu Qing Ju laughed out loud, motioning for the two to stand up. Then she stood, uttering: "Such a cold and desolate month but such a good play. They could even find the white jade hairpin that ben gong had lost half a month ago. Since right now, it's the two muhou who are in charge of the hougong, let us go visit Fu Shou Palace. Ben gong is very curious about this matter."

Huang Yang looked in puzzlement at the Empress. Niangniang didn't even seem to be the slightest bit angry.

Mu Jin was perplexed and then recovered, "That's so true. Huang Yang, go prepare the phoenix carriage. From last night, the snow had been coming down. Zhuzi is pregnant with His Highness. She can't endure the wind."

"Yes," Huang Yang cheerfully stood and turned to let the servants prepare the phoenix carriage.

In Fu Shou Palace, the two Empress Dowagers, He Heng, Jin An Princess Royal, the three other feipin and the main and assistant supervisor of the Department of Household Affairs were gathered for the matter of Han liangdi's drowning.

Empress Dowager Wei's expression finished listening to the report the palace maid kneeling had reported. With a grave face, she repeated: "You mean to say that yesterday in the late evening, Han liangdi went out of her residence alone. An hour later, you felt that it was strange, and started to search with the other servants and eventually found Han liangdi's corpse?"

"Yes," The one that answered was Han liangdi personal maid. She looked frightfully at the room full of powerful people, "Before zhuzi left, she said … …"

"What did she say?"

"Said that if the Empress could put importance on her, then in the future, she would receive the Emperor's favor." When the palace maid finished speaking, she pressed her forehead to the floor, so afraid she trembled all over.