lcionline Chapter 369: The Ministry of Punishment Finds Out All the Truth
Chapter 369: The Ministry of Punishment Finds Out All the Truth
Shen Zhinian leaned in Nangong Xuanyu's arms, smiled with satisfaction, and said softly: "Then your majesty promised me that if there are similar things in the future, don't hide it from me, and don't make me sad in vain."
"OK?"
Only by having more information can she know what is the best next move!
Nangong Xuanyu touched Shen Zhinian's hair, with intoxicating tenderness in his eyes: "Okay."
"...In fact, I plan to posthumously confer the title of Imperial Madam on your mother after this matter is over."
Shen Zhinian raised his head, his eyes showing undisguised surprise: "Are you serious?!"
She knew that the "mother" the emperor referred to was not Zhou, but her biological mother, Madam Meng!
Nangong Xuanyu pinched Shen Zhinian's face: "I never joke. When did I ever lie to you?"
My mother was obviously a girl from a good family, but Zhou always liked to humiliate her, saying that she was a lowly concubine. Even if she was loved by the master, she was just a plaything that was not presentable and was no different from a prostitute in a brothel.
But now, my mother first became a co-wife, and then she was going to become a royal lady. When Zhou saw her tablet, she had to bow her head.
If my mother in heaven knew about this, she would definitely be very relieved!
Shen Zhinian's eyes were slightly hot, and she said with sincere gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
……
The second day of May is the emperor’s birthday festival and also the day when Consort Wen is enthroned.
It’s the Queen Mother’s birthday, celebrated by the whole world!
The capital city and various Zhili provinces have already built Taoist temples in advance, and will chant sutras together today to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday.
Officials of all ranks in Zhili Province would line up according to their status and rank, and at the designated time, salute in the direction of the imperial palace.
In the palace, the emperor would first bring the princes and ministers to the Cining Palace to pay respects to the empress dowager, and then all of them would go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the empress dowager would receive congratulations from the civil and military officials.
Minor officials who were not qualified to attend the banquet, elders from various provinces, gentry and ordinary people would usually gather inside the Dazhou Gate, the area outside the Wumen Gate, to pay their respects and congratulate the empress dowager from afar.
The Queen Mother would also personally reward ministers and elderly ladies with tea, fruit, wine, food and other treasures.
Finally, the emperor approved the compilation of the "Saintly Birthday Canon" by his ministers, and the celebration of the empress dowager's birthday was finally over.
Today, the emperor still got up before dawn.
The princes and ministers were all on their way to the palace.
Li Changde hurriedly walked in from outside and handed over the confession in his hand: "...Your Majesty, Fanghua and the palace maids in Kunning Palace have confessed."
"All the evil deeds that the Queen has done over the years, as well as the relevant evidence, are here..."
Today is the third morning since the Kunning Palace maids were sent to the Ministry of Punishment. It is reasonable to say that so many complicated matters cannot be fully interrogated so quickly.
However, Queen Dowager Liu had begun collecting evidence of Queen Jiang's evil deeds a long time ago, in order to wait for the right time to give her a fatal blow!
Only after Queen Jiang vacated her position could Concubine Liu ascend to the throne!
This time, with Empress Dowager Liu secretly fanning the flames, the investigation by the Ministry of Punishment was going more smoothly than ever before!
The emperor picked up the confession and took a look at it, his face becoming increasingly gloomy!
Although he had long known that the Queen's hands were not clean, Nangong Xuanyu never expected that the evil things she had committed were much more than he imagined!
He ordered Liu Ruyan to cause Concubine Kang to have a miscarriage during the Emperor's Birthday last year!
Using the secret medicine Suhe Pills from outside the Great Wall, he made Liu Ruyan fake pregnancy to win favor, intending to frame Concubine Rou after the "miscarriage"!
He ordered Shangguan Shuren to set fire to the cold palace in order to punish Concubine Rou for poor management!
Gao Yunhuai, the eunuch in charge of Kunning Palace, was asked to put a needle in Concubine Rou's shoes on the day of her enthronement ceremony and put the blame on Concubine Meng!
Order Gao Yunhuai to cause Concubine Meng to have a miscarriage!
Even...the eldest prince fell from a tree and died; the second prince choked to death from broad beans, all of which were the Queen's doing!
Not only that, in the past in the palace, those concubines and maids who were pregnant either had miscarriages or died during childbirth, and it was all done by the queen!
There are countless things like this, one after another...
Even though the emperor was in this position and had seen too many evil people, he still felt that Queen Jiang's behavior was simply outrageous!
"This vicious woman is so vicious!"
In the past years, he actually married such a vicious woman and spent so many years together.
When he thought of it, Nangong Xuanyu actually felt a chill!
Li Changde was also terrified!
Perhaps the Empress is suffering from a serious illness at such a young age and will not live long, this is karma...
"Li Changde!"
The emperor said in a deep voice: "Grind the ink, I want to draft an imperial edict!"
"After the Saint's Birthday Festival is over, this matter will be announced to the world!"
Li Changde immediately stepped forward: "Yes!"
After writing the imperial edict in a fluent manner, the emperor, filled with anger, stamped the imperial seal heavily on it!
……
Kunning Palace.
Although all the palace maids were thrown into the Ministry of Punishment, the guards did not dare to ignore Queen Jiang and let her die without the emperor's order.
Therefore, every day a little palace maid would come in to feed Queen Jiang some water and porridge.
Queen Jiang didn't eat much, but at least she didn't starve to death.
The maid was only responsible for feeding her water and food, and didn't care about anything else. Queen Jiang's bowel movements were all on the bed, and no one cleaned up.
The mother of a country, at this moment, is covered in filth. As soon as you enter, you can smell a foul stench...
In the past two days, Queen Jiang has been a little confused. Sometimes she feels like this is the time when she just married into the palace; sometimes she feels like this is the time when His Majesty first ascended the throne and she just sat on the throne of Queen.
Seeing Li Changde walking in from outside with a group of young eunuchs, Queen Jiang showed a self-righteous smile on her face and said with difficulty: "Li... Li Changde... But, but His Majesty sent you to deliver... what reward?"
"What's that noise outside?"
Li Changde looked at her expressionlessly and said, "Your Majesty, today is the Holy Birthday. Your Majesty is leading the princes and ministers to the Cining Palace to celebrate the birthday of the Empress Dowager."
Queen Jiang's eyes were dull for a moment before she gradually came back to her senses.
She remembered that it was now her second year as queen.
His Majesty had abandoned her, and all her confidants had met with misfortune. She was also about to reach the end of her life...
Queen Jiang's eyes were filled with turbid tears, but she still held on to her last hope: "Li Changde, Your Majesty... Why did Your Majesty send you here at this time?"
"Are you...are you asked to come and pick me up to...go and celebrate the Queen Mother's birthday?"
"That's right. I am the queen and the mother of a country. How can I... How can I not be here on such a big day?"
-
Note: 1 The process of the Empress Dowager’s birthday was based on the article “Birthdays and Birthday Celebrations of Qing Dynasty Emperors” by Baijiahao.