Empress with no Virtue

Empress with No Virtue – Chapter 7
JULY 28, 2015 ~ LAMLAM1990
Ji Wu Jiu is a good emperor, every day after lunch, majority of his time is spent on dealing with the incoming reports and to meet up with ministers at his Palace.

That’s why becoming an emperor is not as easy as it seems, and not as good as it sounds, not something most people can handle. Therefore in history there is equal amount of wise and good emperor, but most of them are useless..

Ji Wu Jiu is an ambitious, and responsible emperor, he wants to be a wise emperor, and the cost of being a good emperor is to spend more time in Yang Xin Dian then his inner palace. Therefore everyone knows, if you want to look for the emperor, go to Yang Xin Dian.

But today, after looking over the documents and report, he wants to drop by Kun Ning Palace to admire Ye Zhen Zhen’s troubled face.

However, before he can even leave he saw a little eunuch kneeling in front, looking very anxious wanting to report something. “Your majesty I have something to report”

Though, Ji Wu Jiu ignored him as he was attracted by something else.

Who can tell him, what on earth is the Empress doing?

From far, Ye Zhen Zhen was sprinting in her red robe, that was flowing with the wind, looking almost like a pretty cloud that appears during sunset. This cloud was floated towards Ji Wu Jiu, ignoring the look from Ji Wu Jiu, without saying anything she knocked out the little eunuch.

After that only was Ye Zhen Zhen calmed, taking deep breaths. There was little sweat droplets forming on her forehead, and have a natural blush that comes after exercising, like the blooming plum blossoms in March.

The group of eunuch and maid servants finally reached, from far they already saw what Ye Zhen Zhen did, they all touched their necks, as if they were they one to receive the blow from her.

Ji Wu Jiu, looked at Ye Zhen Zhen.. “Empress, after your meal you have nothing better to do?”

Then only did Ye Zhen Zhen start greeting the Emperor, “Your ma..jest… y..”

“Its ok, “ waving his hand, Ji Wu Jiu was getting impatient. Glancing at the fainted eunuch “Empress, shouldn’t you give me an explanation for this”

Ye Zhen Zhen, after finally catching her breath, “Your majesty, this eunuch is involved in the poisonous mooncake case at Lu Hua Palace, I need to investigate him”

“O..? then why must you knock him out, Is there something that I shouldn’t know?”

“I wouldn’t dare to hide anything from you, its just that the inner palace should be under my control, I wouldn’t dare your majesty to be concerned about it, however if you are still worried, you can listen but you must not show your face”

“Why?”

“You will know after the interrogation”

***

The little eunuch was awoken with a splash of water.

Looking at the eunuch carefuly, Ye Zhen Zhen figures that he is around 15 years old, with a white face, looked quite weak as well. When he first opened his eyes, he was abit out of place, but when he saw Ye Zhen Zhen, surprisingly he was not shocked or anxious, he even properly bowed to Ye Zhen Zhen.

Ye Zhen Zhen, was sitting, stiffen her expression and placed her tea cup down, “Wang Xiao Hu, do you admit your fault?”

“Replying to your majesty, I do not know what mistake have I done”

“Ding Da Xiang didn’t die, he already admitted.” Even though Ding Da Xiang already died, but Kun Ning Palace has managed to keep it down, and even if the news was leaked, the person here now won’t even have the chance to know.

His expression changed and returned back to normal in a split second. Though even this slight action was caught by Ye Zhen Zhen.

“I do not understand what Niang niang has said, I hope niang niang can explain”

“Your Shi Fu, works in the imperial kitchen, and is in charged of the snacks department, this year the snow skin shrimp mooncake was made by him. However the day he made the mooncake you were not on duty, that’s why when I was catching people I missed you out, allowing you the chance to go report to the emperor. Today, what did you want to tell the emperor? To tell how the empress ordered someone to force you to put the Xiang Fei Zi into the mooncake ??”

“Niang niang, I was framed, framed…”

“Framed? Okay, then why don’t you tell me, as a cook in the kitchen, what is so important that you have to go report to the emperor personally?”

“i.. i…”

“This is clearly a good show that you have planned with Ding Da Xiang! That day you sneaked into the kitchen, and placed the Xiang Fei Zi into the mooncake. Ding Da Xiang has also worked with you, that he will commit suicide today, and to purposely place some Xiang Fei Zi on him, afraid that no one would find out that I would be definitely linked to the case. And on the other hand, you act liked you found out about me being suspicious and wanted to report to the emperor, and because this involves me, after listening to you, surely he will come to Kun Ning Palace to ask me about it, and he will surely find the evidence on his body then. By that time, even if I were to jump into the yellow river, I would be able to prove my innocence, is that right???”

“….”

“If this plan was successful, not only can you get rid of Li Concubine, you will also make me take on this blame, and perhaps to even vacate the empress’s position. This, plan, so detail planned,… “

“….”

Hitting the table loudly Ye Zhen Zhen continued loudly “ Speak the truth, who is the one who made you do this!”

Looking at the situation Wang Xiao Hu, realize he will die anyway, therefore he harden his heart and said “I admit, but it has nothing to do with others, I have always disliked Li Concubine, therefore I could not stand it anymore and made such a mistake, whether you want to kill me or not, I will accept”

“How loyal”, Ye Zhen Zhen laughed, she stood up, circling Wang Xiao Hu twice, then slowly continued “Wang Xiao Hu, it doesn’t matter what Hui Consort gave you” looking at the kneeling eunuch who started shivering with a terrified expression, and super pale. Closing her eyes a little, “You only need to know, what she can do, I can also, but what she can’t do, I will be able to do”

Her husband is the current emperor, her grandfather is the prime minister, the most powerful 2 person in this empire is also related to her, that’s why she is able to say so, not to scare anyone especially.

The current Wang Xiao Hu, already has tears streaming down his face, bowing non-stop, hitting his head to the floor. “Empress, Hui Consort used my parents, brother and sister’s life to forced me, that’s why i… I .. I will speak the truth, but I beg your majesty to help me, I deserve death, but my family is innocent”.

Sitting back down, Ye Zhen Zhen, shook her head, “ Stand up first, Hui Consort must have just scared you, you are still young, easy to be fooled, Whatever that happens in the palace does not implicate what is happening outside. Hui Consort’s father is not foolish, if your family is really innocent, he definitely won’t help her daughter to harm the innocent, to use his own job as a wager to try to win something so small.”

Finally calming down, Wang Xiao Hu ceased crying, initially he thought that he would not be able to escape death, and was only thinking to safe his family, but after listening to the empress, he finally can be more calm.

“After your death, I will make sure your family gets compensation” Added Ye Zhen Zhen warmly. Ji Wu Jiu who was sitting behind the screen can’t help but wonder if that is the proper way to console someone. Furthermore an eunuch that dares to harm an imperial concubine, was it necessary to even console him.

Ready to face everything, Wang Xiao Hu, who was initially not someone who lies too much hope in his life, now that he knows his fate from the empress, he was actually touched. “Thank you for your mercy your majesty, in my next life I would be willing to work as a cow or horse for you, to pay back your mercy…. Niang Niang, I still have a question, how do you know it was Hui Consort that made me do this?”

Ye Zhen Zhen, laughed, “ I was just guessing, who knew one trial and I got it”

“…”

Wang Xiao Hu was speechless, thickened his face and praised Ye Zhen Zhen a little. Ye Zhen Zhen’s mood became better and start some small talk with, asking how many people are there in his family, what do they do, how did he enter the palace, how many years has it been …..

Wang Xiao Hu, thinking that he will die soon anyway, he answered her honestly, while adding a lot of outside news and stories for Ye Zhen Zhen, whom thought it was very interesting, and was always letting out a small laughter here and there.

The atmosphere was very good.

The atmosphere behind the screen was not good.

While listening to the both of them outside, Ji Wu Jiu can’t help but wonder how did the 2 person who was having a strict and tense interrogation session now turn to be a story sharing session with laughter? Even if he heard the entire conversation he still couldn’t understand.. this two… are they idiots?

The most important thing was, she placed him here and seems to have totally forgotten.

Waiting for a while more, still Ye Zhen Zhen did not come to escort him, he stood up and headed outside.

“Niang Niang, the things outside although not as intricate as the ones in the palace, but they are better because things are always new, there is many things that you can try, like at that famous restaurant, with various types of cuisines from all over the world, not that I want to praise them overly but in terms of variety they can totally fight with the ones in the palace”

“Really? Have you tried them?”

“I have only been there once, I ate Japanese cuisine, the fish are eaten raw, some people can’t take it, but I think it is still not too bad, it’s rather fresh.”

“Can raw fish be eaten?”

“Can, there is many things to eat there, there is also a deep fried prawns, it is too bad that I am going to die soon, if not I would be able to bring back some for your majesty to try”

“Even though you did something grave, but since you were forced by someone, I will try to ask the emperor to change your…..thats right the emperor!” Ye Zhen Zhen suddenly remember that person, immediately stood up and looked back, only to find that Ji Wu Jiu was already standing outside the screen.

Immediately Wang Xiao Hu kneeled down to greet the emperor. “May the emperor live for tens of thousands of years”

Ji Wu Jiu looked at the both of them coldly, “the both of you are very compatible”

Ye Zhen Zhen, turned to Wang Xiao Hu and said “You may leave first”

Ji Wu Jiu, sat down. Ye Zhen Zhen asked Su Yue to bring a cup of tea, and she served him personally.

“Since when did you get the clue about this case” After everyone left, he asked..

“When I saw Ding Da Xiang’s corpse”

Normally if someone were to commit suicide out of guilt, they would not purposely put the evidence on their body, it was obvious he was trying to frame someone. Furthermore even the time to commit suicide was too matching, and if not because someone went back to sneak a nap, afraid only when the emperor arrives only we will know about him. And if want to frame the empress, then the only person to report the case to will be to the emperor.

“Why did you think it is Hui Consort?”

“The dogs that normally bite doesn’t bark”

Framing the empress is not as easy as to try to murder Li Concubine, to face two woman of high rank at the same time, will require a lot of courage, intelligence, and relations in order to do so. Of course, by doing this that person must be able to get something with the fall of the empress. That’s why Ye Zhen Zhen reduced the size of the suspects to those with the Consort rank and above. Zhuang Consort sides Li Concubine, so she was eliminated, Xian Concubine has not stabilized her position, and with her behavior she would not do something as rash as this, Xi Consort, is someone who just knows how to bark but doesn’t bite. As for Li Concubine herself, as per her simple mind, the person she dislikes most now should be Xian Concubine who stole the emperor’s doting, that’s why it is not her as well.

The last one left is Hui Consort.

“Why did you not suspect Xian Concubine?”

“Xian Concubine is your favourite now, how would I dare to suspect her?”

Hearing this type of sour words, Ji Wu Jiu felt very good, “But Hui Consort does not have any grudge against you?”

Ye Zhen Zhen looked at him “Your majesty, I am a very straight forward person, always speaks what comes to mind, this time when I finally decided to talk less, are you sure you want me to tell you everything?”

Hui Consort, actually won’t be so daring to find trouble with Ye Zhen Zhen, but then, one should know, the person behind Hui Consort is the Empress Dowager.

“Its fine”.. Ji Wu Jiu shook his head. His eyes met hers, her gaze has no expression. “You are clever”, he then took a sip of tea.

“Not only clever, actually I am very clever”

“Pu——“

The tea could not be stopped from coming out from his mouth. Looking down at his robes, and looking at the still calmed Ye Zhen Zhen, he shook his head while wiping his robes with a handkerchief, and sighing tiredly at the same time…..