As Ji Zizhao strode forward, not only Consort Xi but even Xie Jingzhou’s heart pounded with apprehension.
There was no need to ask why.
The answer was simple: whenever Ji Zizhao made a move, it was never for good!
Ji Zizhao reached out, pulled the Eighth Prince’s Consort up from the ground, gently brushed the dust off her clothes, and then took her wrist. "Just now at the Wei family’s, I noticed Eighth Sister-in-law’s skin was rough and her complexion sallow, so I guessed she wasn’t feeling well. Now, feeling her pulse, it’s smooth like a pearl, its beats extremely fluid. This clearly indicates she’s pregnant!"
"You, you’re talking nonsense!" The Eighth Prince’s Consort, startled, quickly pulled her hand away.
"There are other imperial physicians in the palace. Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, you can ask other imperial physicians to examine Eighth Sister-in-law’s pulse and find out," Ji Zizhao said with a faint smile. A child in the womb couldn't be hidden if one wanted to.
The Eighth Prince, who was contemplating how to escape, heard these words, and it was like a bolt from the blue!
Empress Zhong was also startled, but she quickly turned to the Emperor and said, "How can the Eighth Prince’s Consort be so naive and rash? Although she has been betrothed by Your Majesty, she hasn't officially married yet. To behave like this with the Eighth Prince... it is indeed inappropriate!"
Emperor Xiaochang’s already unpleasant expression worsened.
Ji Zizhao looked at the Emperor’s expression and lowered her gaze in silence.
No matter how audacious the Eighth Prince’s Consort was, she wouldn't dare to secretly forge a tiger-head banner from the Western Rong to frame the current Emperor and the princes. To put it more deeply, she even wanted to trap the Empress and others. This matter, which originally might have had room for negotiation, was now completely out of the question.
Empress Zhong repeatedly emphasized the Eighth Prince’s Consort’s innocent nature. If she could do such a thing, she must have been instigated by someone behind the scenes. As for who that person was, given the life still breathing within the Eighth Prince’s Consort’s belly, only a fool wouldn't figure it out.
This clearly showed that the Eighth Prince had taken the Eighth Prince’s Consort first and then used the child to coerce her into helping him scheme and frame others!
The Eighth Prince, terrified, immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately. "Father Emperor, Father Emperor, your son is wrongly accused, wrongly accused..."
Empress Zhong sneered, "No one said anything. Why is the Eighth Prince in such a hurry to exonerate himself?"
Consort Xi quickly tried to intercede, "Your Majesty..."
But before Consort Xi could finish speaking, Emperor Xiaochang’s furious roar interrupted her, "Investigate! Investigate thoroughly for me!"
When the Son of Heaven’s wrath is roused, a million heads will roll.
Facing the Emperor’s fury, even Consort Xi dared not speak further.
Zuo Xiuhua quietly looked in Ji Zizhao’s direction, her mind either too chaotic or too clear to describe, her chest thumping incessantly.
Although today’s events seemed to be entirely orchestrated by them from beginning to end, upon closer inspection, it was not difficult to see that every word and even every action of Ji Zizhao was guiding the entire situation. Otherwise, why would everyone be standing here now?
Could someone truly be able to plan ninety-nine steps ahead with just one step?
No, it was impossible.
Zuo Xiuhua shook her head. They were all young ladies raised within the imperial city. Ji Zizhao could not possibly possess such intellect and scheming. She supposed today’s events were merely a coincidence.
Empress Zhong understood that the situation had reached a satisfactory point. The Emperor was now furious, and no matter how much power Consort Xi and others possessed, they would never dare to act under the Emperor’s nose.
Soon, the news spread throughout the palace that something had happened in the Imperial Study.
A short while later, the Minister of Justice, drenched in sweat, stepped into the Imperial Study.
No one knew what the Emperor had instructed the Minister of Justice. Everyone only knew that from the moment the Minister of Justice left the Imperial Study, the entire imperial palace was shrouded in an invisible gloom.
While everyone was on tenterhooks and living in fear, Ji Zizhao had already returned to Fengyi Palace with Empress Zhong.
As soon as she entered Fengyi Palace, Ji Zizhao’s taut nerves finally relaxed.
Seeing that the Fourth Prince’s Consort was injured, Baihe immediately prepared to summon an imperial physician. Ji Zizhao initially wanted to refuse, but the Empress directly ordered, "Since you are injured, why not seek an imperial physician?"
Ji Zizhao: "..."
It was really unnecessary.
Empress Zhong knew that Ji Zizhao was not seriously injured, but if she didn't show concern this time, who knew how others in the palace would bully Ji Zizhao in the future. She wanted to set an example, to make everyone open their eyes and see clearly that she still doted on Ji Zizhao.
The imperial physician arrived quickly. By chance, it was Zou Hansheng!
Zou Hansheng had not expected Ji Zizhao to be the one injured, and he was utterly dejected.
He had always been inferior to Ji Zizhao at the Imperial Hospital. Now, being both imperial physicians, he had to treat Ji Zizhao?
Just thinking about it made him depressed for a whole year!
However, with the Empress sitting before him, no matter how depressed Zou Hansheng was, he had to quickly examine Ji Zizhao. When he finally left with his medicine box, even though the sun was shining brightly outside, it couldn't illuminate his extremely dark and gloomy face.
After Zou Hansheng left, Empress Zhong signaled Baihe to send away the palace staff in the sleeping quarters. Then, holding Ji Zizhao’s hand, she sat with her on the Luohan bed. "How exactly did you hide the tiger-head banner in the Eighth Prince’s Consort’s sleeve?"
Ji Zizhao quickly explained that she had arranged for Mo Hen to go to the Sixth Prince’s Consort’s side in advance, and then, when the Eighth Prince’s Consort fell to the ground, Mo Hen had stealthily placed the tiger-head banner into her sleeve. "It’s not exactly a brilliant technique; it’s just taking advantage of the element of surprise."
Empress Zhong knew that Ji Zizhao was merely downplaying it. If it were truly that easy, Consort Xi would not have been planning for so long.
"This incident will serve as a lesson for those people. Do they really think they can do whatever they want in front of His Majesty just because they drove the Fourth Prince away from my side?" Empress Zhong felt a sense of vindication whenever she thought of Consort Xi’s defeated expression just now.
"If someone hadn't known something, they wouldn't have used the Fourth Prince’s identity as leverage. To completely suppress this matter, it needs to be eradicated from the roots." Ji Zizhao narrowed her eyes slightly. There were many ways to scheme against people. Why did those people insist on clinging to Xie Jinglan’s origins?
She suspected they had learned something.
However, it was likely that the evidence they held couldn't prove Xie Jinglan was truly a hostage of the Western Rong, or perhaps it was just a suspicion. Therefore, they set up this scheme to try and verify the truth.
Speaking of which, Empress Zhong was also a little puzzled.
The Fourth Prince had grown up in the palace with the other princes since childhood. The imperial palace was not that large; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he grew up under Consort Xi’s watchful eye. Why hadn't Consort Xi suspected anything before, but now she was digging up old grudges?
Ji Zizhao looked at the Empress’s furrowed brow and ultimately did not utter the name Wenhui.
Wenhui’s identity was already special. Whether the Emperor was acting for the benefit of outsiders or for his own peace of mind, he had taken good care of Wenhui. To put it plainly, it wasn't that easy to get rid of Wenhui.
Moreover, Ji Zizhao had not yet found any concrete evidence against Wenhui. To rashly voice her suspicions to the Empress at this time would undoubtedly agitate her, especially since, for Empress Zhong, Xie Jinglan was already like her own flesh and blood.
Now, the Empress was the only one holding up the fort in this palace. Ji Zizhao absolutely could not let the Empress be distressed by groundless matters.
As for Wenhui...
As long as this matter was related to her, she would eventually reveal her true colors.
"Right, let me show you this." Empress Zhong, as if presenting a treasure, took out a letter from her embrace.