inspire-indiana Chapter 449 The Outcome of Consort De
Chapter 449 The Outcome of Consort De
Chapter 449 The Outcome of Consort De's Handling
The second princess merely glanced at her coldly before ignoring Consort De.
Seeing that she couldn't reason with her, Consort De had no choice but to give up, but her hatred only grew stronger.
Emperor Zhou watched this scene with a cold eye, but in his heart he approved of what the Second Princess had done. If the Second Princess had really softened her heart, he would have been disappointed in her.
"Consort De, a life for a life, you should know what to do now." Emperor Zhou's words sent a chill down Consort De's spine. How could she not know? But she didn't want to die yet; her daughter was still unmarried.
"Your Majesty, please give me some more time. Qing'er is currently seriously injured and unconscious. Once Qing'er recovers, I will accept whatever punishment you may give me." Consort De knelt down and moved in front of Emperor Zhou, her eyes filled with pleading.
"If only I had known this would happen, I would have done better in the first place." He believed he had treated Consort De well. Although he did not love her, he had never asked for anything in return for the sake of the Empress Dowager. As long as she did not make any mistakes, she would be able to live a life of wealth and honor. However, she had killed someone out of jealousy, which was absolutely intolerable.
"Your Majesty, I beg you, just one month, just one month."
"Alright, I will have someone take care of Qing'er, you don't need to worry about it." There was not a trace of pity in Emperor Zhou's eyes.
"Haha, Your Majesty, I really regret it, I regret entering the palace back then." Consort De couldn't help but laugh. Back then, the Empress Dowager was actually unwilling to let her maternal relatives enter the palace, but she begged the Empress Dowager to let her enter the palace for the sake of wealth and honor, and also for this cousin. In the end, this was the result. When she first entered the palace, she was also a kind girl, but the loneliness and struggles of the harem forced her to scheme.
If... if she hadn't entered the palace, perhaps she could have married someone who truly loved her.
Consort De looked around the vast palace with a somewhat lost expression. There was no one here to plead for her. She felt like she had truly failed in her life.
"Guards, take Consort De away."
"Wait a minute." Just as Emperor Zhou finished speaking, a voice came from outside. Everyone looked towards the door and saw the Empress Dowager rushing over in a hurry.
Emperor Zhou hurriedly stepped forward: "Empress Dowager, why have you come here?"
"How did I get here? What do you think?" The Empress Dowager was a little out of breath from walking so fast.
"Empress Dowager, please don't be anxious. Please sit down and talk first." Emperor Zhou knew why the Empress Dowager had come, but he hadn't expected it to happen so quickly.
"Aunt." Consort De was overjoyed to see the Empress Dowager. Her savior had arrived. The Empress Dowager would certainly not let her die.
The Empress Dowager glared fiercely at her troublesome niece. How come she had never noticed that her niece had done so many things behind the scenes? And Qing'er, that girl, she thought she was just selfish, spoiled and willful, but she never imagined that she was both stupid and wicked.
To be honest, she was too ashamed to come for her sake, but she couldn't just watch her niece die. Sigh, this is all a debt she owes.
"Kneel down properly, you have some nerve."
After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, she looked at Emperor Zhou.
"Your Majesty, what are your plans for dealing with Consort De?"
Emperor Zhou was somewhat displeased to learn that the Empress Dowager had come to plead for him, but she was his own mother, the one who had protected him when he was a child, and he couldn't afford to embarrass her.
"Mother, what do you think?"
When the Empress Dowager heard Emperor Zhou say this, she knew there was still some room for maneuver: "Your Majesty, I know that Consort De has committed an unforgivable crime and should atone with her death. However, she is, after all, my niece. If possible, could you spare her life?"
"Mother, I know you are soft-hearted, but this is unfair to Consort Rong and also to Xue'er."
The Empress Dowager sighed inwardly. She still remembered Consort Rong to some extent. She remembered that Consort Rong was an extremely gentle woman who was favored by the Emperor for a period of time. However, she soon fell ill and died. At the time, she thought that Consort Rong was short-lived. Who would have thought that she was actually murdered by her own niece.
There's also Xue'er. The Empress Dowager felt a little guilty. After Consort Rong died, she thought about taking the child with her to care for her. But later, Consort De took the child away. At that time, she was very pleased to see Consort De taking such good care of the child, so she didn't care anymore. Now she knows that the girl has suffered so much.
Now she has to protect the murderer who killed Consort Rong in front of that girl. The Empress Dowager looked at the Second Princess with these thoughts in mind.
The second princess stood expressionlessly to one side. Ever since the Empress Dowager entered, she knew that there was no way to avenge her mother. How could her mother's life compare to that of the Empress Dowager's own niece?
The second princess suddenly felt a sense of disgust towards the palace and wanted to return to her princess residence.
"Xue'er, it is the Empress Dowager who has wronged you and your mother, but Consort De is the Empress Dowager's niece. The Empress Dowager cannot bear to watch her die. I hope you can spare her life. As long as you spare her life, you can do whatever you want."
"Aunt!" Upon hearing this, Consort De stared wide-eyed at the Empress Dowager in disbelief. How could she entrust herself to Xuan Yuanxue? They were enemies!
"Shut up! Do you even have a place to speak here?" the Empress Dowager snapped. She was only saved because the Empress Dowager was the Emperor's birth mother; otherwise, Consort De would have been dead long ago.
"Alright, since Grandmother has said so, how can your granddaughter refuse?" The Second Princess hadn't expected the Empress Dowager to say such a thing. Spare her life, huh? She would.
After thinking it over, the second princess said to Emperor Zhou, "Father, let's keep Consort De."
"Are you sure you won't regret it? You're in the right in this matter. If you're not willing, you have no choice but to compromise yourself." Zhou Di felt guilty towards his daughter.
"Yes, I'm sure." The second princess nodded.
"Very well, Father Emperor will spare Consort De's life as you wish."
Before Consort De could even feel happy, the Second Princess said, "However, I have conditions."
"Tell me, Father will do whatever you say, as long as it's within your power."
"I want my father to strip Consort De of her title and banish her to the Cold Palace. I also want my father to posthumously confer the title of Consort on my mother," the Second Princess said, looking at Consort De and enunciating each word clearly.
"Alright." Emperor Zhou nodded. This was the proper thing to do. Consort De was no longer suitable to be a consort, and Consort Rong had indeed died unjustly and should be posthumously honored.
"Thank you, Father! Your son is deeply grateful! I have one more small request, which I hope Your Majesty will grant. I wish that Consort De would copy scriptures for my mother every day thereafter, so that my poor mother's soul may find peace in the afterlife. In this way, perhaps my mother can find peace in the other world, and it will also slightly alleviate the endless longing and guilt I feel for my mother. I beg Your Majesty to grant my request!"
"Alright, your father promises you. You are a filial child, and I believe your mother will rest in peace." Emperor Zhou agreed immediately without hesitation.
"Any other requirements?"
"Thank you, Father. No, that's all."
"Yes, you heard everything. From now on, you shall stay in this cold palace and diligently copy scriptures to atone for your sins." Emperor Zhou looked at Consort De in front of him expressionlessly, his cold gaze seemingly able to penetrate Consort De's soul.