网络助手

This old lady still wanted to argue with her!

Jiang Xinyue\'s temper flared up instantly.

The Dowager Empress, pampered and privileged all her life, couldn\'t match Jiang Xinyue\'s strength even if there were three of her.

She tried to grab Jiang Xinyue\'s hand and kick her stomach, but Jiang Xinyue caught her foot, forcing her into a standing split.

"Ahhh!"

The Dowager Empress cried out in tearing pain, reluctantly releasing Jiang Xinyue\'s hand to push her away. "You insolent slave, for your actions today, I will have the Emperor sentence you to death!"

"Crack!"

The sound of bones cracking echoed as Jiang Xinyue gritted her teeth and applied more force. "Go ahead then, let\'s see who the Emperor believes, you or me?"

"Your Highness! Your Highness! The Emperor is coming this way!"

The Dowager Empress thought that by blocking the people of Hexi Palace, no one would inform the Emperor. But she forgot that the guards at the entrance of Hexi Palace were the Emperor\'s men. They had long been ordered to seek him immediately if Concubine Zhen was in danger.

"Bang!"

"Crash!"

"Slap!"

The sounds of falling objects and slaps came from Concubine Zhen\'s chambers. The Xuanwu Emperor, anxiety-ridden, went from walking fast to running, leaving Wang Dequan and the others far behind.

"Concubine Zhen, you vile woman, you dare to..."

"Boom!"

Just as Jiang Xinyue had let her hair down and found a comfortable position to lie on the floor, the door was violently kicked open.

The scene that greeted them was one of chaos. Concubine Zhen\'s chambers looked as if they had been ransacked. Tables, chairs, and shattered vases lay scattered about haphazardly.

Xi Que and Shuang Jiang held the fallen Concubine Zhen, the three of them huddled together, crying in fear. "Dowager Empress, please spare our lady! It was us... it was us who told Guard Jin to elope with Consort Shu. If you want to beat or kill someone, take it out on us. Our lady is carrying the Emperor\'s child! Please, no more beating, please!"

Xi Que, having spent time with Jiang Xinyue, had witnessed her acting skills and was now improvising along.

Shuang Jiang protected Jiang Xinyue\'s belly. "No... it was me... I had an affair with Jin Wuyong. It was I who asked him to frame Consort Shu. Dowager Empress... if you want to sentence anyone to death, let it be me! It has nothing to do with our lady!"

The name "Jin Wuyong" was a clever touch.

Calling the guard\'s name wrong because of unfamiliarity – if they truly had an affair, how could she possibly get her lover\'s name wrong?

"What is the Dowager Empress doing? Unsatisfied with my handling of Consort Shu, you\'ve come here to force a false confession from my beloved concubine?" The Emperor didn\'t even address her as mother, showing how angry he was.

The Dowager Empress felt dizzy, her vision blurring. She spoke weakly, "I... how dare I beat her? She threw herself on the ground, and now I\'m blamed for it. She... she\'s perfectly fine! Emperor, it was she who hit me, she hit me!"

It was rare to see the Dowager Empress so hysterical and losing her composure.

The Xuanwu Emperor frowned, looking at Jiang Xinyue on the ground. He quickly walked over and, with the help of Xi Que and Shuang Jiang, helped her up.

"This..."

Earlier, with her head lowered, the Emperor couldn\'t see clearly. But now as she raised her head, he saw a bloody scratch on her neck and face, her hair in disarray, and a handprint on her cheek.

"Is this what you mean, Mother, when you say Concubine Zhen hit you?" The Emperor\'s eyes widened as he pointed at Jiang Xinyue\'s neck. "Or is the Dowager Empress going to lie blatantly and say Concubine Zhen injured herself? She\'s carrying my child, and yet you lay such a vicious hand on her. Have I been too lenient with you, Mother, that you think you can beat and kill my women as you please?"

The Dowager Empress was so angry that tears streamed down her face. Just as Concubine Zhen had said, even if she claimed Concubine Zhen had done this to herself, would the Emperor believe her?

Between a Dowager Empress with a history of violence and a pregnant, seemingly innocent beloved concubine, of course the Emperor would believe Jiang Xinyue.

He was both heartbroken and furious. "Mother, didn\'t you always talk about the beautiful scenery in Jiangnan? Tomorrow, I\'ll arrange for people to escort you to the Jiangnan palace. You can return after Concubine Zhen gives birth to the child."

"You\'re driving me out of the palace?" The Dowager Empress looked at the Xuanwu Emperor in disbelief. "You like this lying woman so much? Enough to drive your own mother out of the palace?"

"I\'m already being very merciful," the Emperor glared at her angrily. "Mother, do you dare swear to heaven that you didn\'t come here today to make Concubine Zhen miscarry? Mother, swear on Wu Chengyi\'s life."

Jiang Xinyue thought: Truly, the Emperor knows how to twist the knife.

Wu Chengyi was the only male heir of the Wu family. The Dowager Empress\'s greatest wish in life was for Wu Chengyi to return from exile, continue the Wu family bloodline, and bring glory to their ancestors.

And that kick of hers earlier was aimed straight at Jiang Xinyue\'s belly. If not to cause a miscarriage, then for what?

The Dowager Empress had realized that no scheme or plot worked against Jiang Xinyue. She was always so lucky, escaping every time.

Since subtle methods didn\'t work, she decided to be direct.

Even if she kicked Jiang Xinyue so hard it caused a miscarriage, what could the Emperor do to her?

She was the Dowager Empress of the Great Yan Dynasty. The concept of filial piety alone could crush the Xuanwu Emperor.

Now, the Emperor had also found her weakness, making her swear an oath.

She darkened her face, not understanding why the Emperor, as her own son, didn\'t understand her at all and instead pushed her to this point for the sake of a concubine.

"It seems Mother doesn\'t dare to swear," the Emperor said, flicking his sleeve. "Tang Shiliang, escort the Dowager Empress back to Kunning Palace. Go to the Internal Affairs Department and assign some efficient servants to help the Dowager pack her belongings. Early tomorrow morning, I will arrange for guards to escort her from Kunning Palace."

He left no room for the Dowager Empress to object.

"Wait!" Jiang Xinyue called out to the Dowager Empress, who was being supported by palace maids. She walked out from behind the Emperor and picked up the Dowager Empress\'s arm guard that had fallen to the ground. "This fell off when the Dowager Empress was hitting me earlier. It looks quite valuable, don\'t forget to take it back with you."

The peacock green, jewel-encrusted arm guard indeed belonged to the Dowager Empress. Jiang Xinyue had pulled it off her fingers earlier when she grabbed her foot.

The Dowager Empress\'s gaze fell on Jiang Xinyue\'s clean, round, and fair fingers. Her pupils contracted violently, leaving her speechless.

Concubine Zhen, she was too meticulous. No wonder Consort Shu couldn\'t compete with her.

No, it should be said that anyone in this harem who could outmaneuver Concubine Zhen probably hadn\'t been born yet.

The Emperor must have seen the arm guard on the ground and that\'s why he was certain Concubine Zhen had been beaten by her!

After all, Concubine Zhen wasn\'t wearing an arm guard, so how could she have injured herself?