Marrying a concubine and swallowing her dowry? The mistress turns around and marries a high-ranking

Chapter 197

Consort Jing had all the fruit teas she had saved since becoming pregnant brought up.

“Your Majesty, this is fruit tea sent by the Imperial Household Department after I became pregnant. I didn’t like it very much, so I haven’t drunk it. But not long ago, I discovered that it contained Yelu fruit. I heard that Yelu fruit comes from the southern border, and that eating too much of it during pregnancy will cause the child to be born with skin as black as charcoal, no different from a monster.”

As Consort Jing spoke, she knelt down again, tears streaming down her face, and said, "If I hadn't avoided touching this fruit tea, I'm afraid the child Jing'er I gave birth to now wouldn't be a normal child. He would have been regarded as a demon or monster, and both mother and child would have been in grave danger!"

Consort Jing kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I beg you to thoroughly investigate this matter! Give me and Jing'er justice!"

Consort Jing had been thinking of finding a suitable opportunity to report this matter to the Emperor, and now is the most opportune time.

The emperor now feels guilty and wants to make amends to her. Moreover, the incident of Empress Chu framing her has just occurred, and the emperor is currently dissatisfied with and suspicious of Empress Chu. He will certainly not let this go easily!

The emperor's face was indeed extremely grim.

How come another thing has popped up?

He examined the fruit tea sent by the Imperial Household Department and indeed found a type of dried fruit inside that resembled hawthorn but was slightly different from it.

The emperor then sent someone to invite the imperial physician to identify the cause.

Empress Chu stood nearby, and from the moment she heard Consort Jing utter the words "Yeluo fruit," her whole body tensed up, and her face turned slightly pale.

That bastard actually knew about the existence of the Yarrow Fruit!

Previously, when Empress Chu saw that the little prince's complexion was normal, she thought that the fruit tea made from the yarrow berries was not effective enough. It turns out that Consort Jing had not drunk the fruit tea at all!

Empress Chu tried her best to maintain her composure, but beads of sweat still seeped from her forehead.

The imperial physician arrived, carefully examined the fruit teas, and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, these dried fruits are indeed jicama fruit. Long-term consumption will lead to abnormal skin color in the fetus."

The emperor was furious: "Summon all the relevant officials from the Imperial Household Department! I will find out the truth today!"

Consort Jing kept her eyes fixed on Empress Chu. Noticing the obvious abnormality in Empress Chu's expression, she chuckled and pointed out directly, "Why does Your Majesty look so pale? Are you feeling unwell? Perhaps we should have the imperial physician examine you?"

Upon hearing this, the emperor turned his gaze to Empress Chu.

Empress Chu trembled, quickly concealing the panic and tension in her eyes, but her pale face and the beads of sweat on her forehead still couldn't hide it.

She could only force a smile and say, "I am feeling a little unwell. My chest started hurting a few days ago, and now it's started again."

In the past, the emperor would have believed it, but now he was suspicious of Empress Chu and didn't believe her at all.

The emperor said coldly, "Empress, please bear with it. Go back to the palace to rest after this matter is resolved."

The emperor rarely displayed such fury, and the Imperial Household Department quickly uncovered the truth.

This fruit tea is nothing special, and it's not something people drink often. Only a young eunuch is in charge of purchasing and taking care of it.

Currently, the Imperial Household Department's stock of fruit tea no longer contains any Yelu fruit. However, Yelu fruit is extremely rare, clearly not something a concubine in the inner palace could obtain; it must indeed come from the Imperial Household Department.

The young eunuch was summoned and was so frightened that he wet himself, but he insisted that he knew nothing. He said that he was the one who purchased the fruit tea and that it was put into storage normally after purchase. He did not know why there was such a thing as yarrow fruit in the fruit tea. He only admitted that it was indeed his negligence that led to his failure to check and supervise properly.

The emperor ordered him to be dragged away and severely tortured, but half a day passed and they still couldn't get anything out of him.

The emperor grew increasingly furious. This feeling of helplessness—knowing there was a problem but being unable to find anything—was simply intolerable for the supreme ruler.

"Summon Mo Chonggui here!"

Mo Zhonggui arrived quickly.

The emperor gritted his teeth and said, "You shall thoroughly investigate the entire harem for me, and find out all those who harbor such treacherous intentions! I want to see just how many demons and monsters are hiding in this palace, plotting to harm my children and concubines every day!"

He doesn't have that ability, but Mo Zhonggui does!

This is one of the reasons why he relies so heavily on Mo Zhonggui.

Mo Zhonggui accepted the order: "Yes, Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail Your Majesty's mission."

Empress Chu, standing beside her, was already trembling slightly.

Over the years, she and the Chu family have gone to great lengths to place members of the Chu family in almost every department of the palace.

That's why everything she's done over the years has been covered up and erased.

Now that the emperor has delegated power to Mo Chonggui, it means that Mo Chonggui can take the opportunity to carry out a major purge and easily remove the Chu family's hidden influence and power in the palace for many years!

From now on, she will face great difficulties in the palace and will no longer be able to make any moves easily!

Empress Chu was filled with hatred, but she was currently in the eye of the storm and could neither say nor do anything.

He could only sit there stiffly, watching helplessly as Mo Chonggui took his orders and left.

A violent storm was about to break out in the palace.

The Changxin Palace was filled with ups and downs throughout the day, with one thrilling event after another. As a result, Shen Lingjun and Madam Wen were unable to leave the palace and stayed by her side all day.

As dusk approached, the Emperor, Empress Chu, and the others finally left. Shen Lingjun and Lady Wen then hurried to leave the palace before the gates were locked.

Consort Jing, disregarding the fact that she was still in postpartum confinement, personally escorted Shen Lingjun and Lady Wen to the outside of Changxin Palace.

If it weren't for Shen Lingjun, she would have been thrown into the West Third Prison and would have been waiting to die long ago. Where would she have had any chance to turn the tide?

Seeing that no one else was around, Consort Jing lowered her voice to the lowest level and asked Shen Lingjun:

"Lingjun, how did you replace that doll? Where did you hide it? Is it safe?"