inspire-indiana Chapter 131 Metamorphosis
Chapter 131 Metamorphosis
A carriage slowly traveled along the palace road. The palace, which was still adorned with red silk and colorful ribbons, was now completely silent, with only the sound of the carriage wheels turning.
The disheveled young man in the carriage remained silent, but a storm was brewing in his eyes. The palace maid, her eyes red with sadness and fear, dared not make a sound to disturb the young man beside her, and could only lower her head and weep silently.
"Wanqing, how did my sister die?"
Jiang Se ultimately failed to see Jiang Qin one last time. When he arrived at the Iris Palace, all that awaited him was his sister's still-warm body and the grieving Emperor Yongxi.
By His Majesty's grace, in accordance with the late Consort's wishes, her personal maid has been bestowed upon Jiang Se.
“Your Majesty…she…” Wanqing’s lowered eyes twitched slightly, and she seemed to hear the words of Her Majesty’s last words echoing in her ears.
"Don't tell Deyin. He's heartbroken now. If he knew, he would fight to the death to avenge me."
"Her Majesty was admiring the plum blossoms on the terrace when she encountered Consort Rong and Consort Xiang. They chatted with Her Majesty for a while, and for some reason, Her Majesty slapped Consort Rong, but lost her balance and fell down the steps..."
Jiang Se rolled her eyes and stared at Wan Qing. "Admiring plum blossoms? You mean, sister, you have the leisure to admire plum blossoms today?"
Under Jiang Se's piercing gaze, Wan Qing's voice trembled slightly, "Your Highness was on your way back from seeing...the princess off from the palace, and you passed by Chaotai Terrace. You took the opportunity to enjoy the flowers and relieve your frustration. We servants dared not disturb Your Highness, so we waited at a distance."
Jiang Se's eyes darkened for a moment, then her gaze sharpened again. "Even so, my sister has always been cautious and prudent. Consort Rong has been domineering for a long time. How could my sister be provoked by her with just a few words and then take action?"
"Perhaps it's because Her Majesty is pregnant and already emotionally unstable, coupled with the worries about the princess, that Consort Rong couldn't help but make sarcastic remarks at this time. Besides, Her Majesty is no longer what she used to be; her rank is higher than Consort Rong's, and she is also favored by the Emperor..."
"Are you saying that my sister is spoiled and arrogant?"
"The slaves dare not!"
Wanqing shrank her neck, trembling slightly. She wouldn't say she was arrogant because of the emperor's favor, but the empress had indeed been careless.
"My life has been like walking on thin ice; one moment of carelessness and the ice would shatter, and I would sink into the lake, never reaching the shore."
Jiang Se closed her eyes to calm her surging hatred. Wan Qing was her sister's confidante and must know the inside story. Her silence must have been at her sister's behest. Before her death, she was given to him to save Wan Qing's life, and also to tell him the truth when he had the power to do so in the future.
"How should Your Majesty deal with Consort Rong?"
"Consort Xiang testified that Consort Rong had only offered a few words of comfort to Her Highness, and Her Highness then attacked her. It seems that she got up too quickly and lost her balance, causing her to fall. We servants were standing far away and couldn't hear what they said, but it was indeed Her Highness who suddenly got up and struck Consort Rong first... Therefore, His Majesty... punished Consort Rong by confining her to her quarters for three months to copy scriptures and pray for Her Highness's well-being..."
"Heh~" Jiang Se sneered, the emperor's love was so cold and indifferent.
The Rong family was a prominent clan in Yaozhou and a powerful force guarding the western border. While His Majesty relied on the Rong family, he also feared them. This is why Consort Rong was a Consort from the moment she entered the palace, but she remained a Consort even though her elder sister had already become a Noble Consort.
Even if Wanqing didn't say it, he could guess that this was a scheme devised by Consort Rong. In the past, she didn't take her sister seriously, simply because her sister was just a lowly concubine and was careful, humble, and ingratiating. Who would have thought that her sister would be promoted to Imperial Concubine? How could someone as proud as her tolerate her sister climbing over her head and having to bow to her?
She finally seized this opportune moment, with perfect timing, location, and people. Given the current situation, even if there were conclusive evidence, His Majesty would not punish Consort Rong.
"Did my sister... have any last wishes?"
"The Empress said that you must bring the Fifth Prince back to Xuan Kingdom safely, and he can live a life of wealth and leisure."
Jiang Se felt a lump in her throat, and tears blurred her vision. "Sister, even at this time, you still haven't forgotten to find a goal for me to live a good life."
"Wanqing, is this the name your sister gave you?"
"Yes, I am the daughter of a disgraced official. I was punished at the age of ten and sent to the inner palace to do menial work. Her Majesty was kind and took me to serve her. Her Majesty said that even if it was later, as long as I was alive, I could wait for the clouds to part and the sun to shine. It has been eight years now."
Jiang Se looked at the swaying car roof, lost in thought, then closed her eyes and sighed softly, "From now on, you'll be called Wanwan."
Wan Qing was taken aback, but quickly realized that he was always one step too late, and there would be no more sunny days for the rest of his life.
"promise."
As the carriage drove out of the palace gates, when Jiang Se opened her eyes again, there was no longer any sign of dejection in them; something had undergone an invisible transformation.