“Physician Liu, how is FùqÄ«n’s condition..?”, a thin voice, filled with worry was heard in noble consort Yi’s chambers.
“The torture wasn’t severe but the Prime minister isn’t young anymore..”, The young physician frowned slightly before continuing his speech, “I will prescribe some ointment for the wounds and medicine for the prime minister’s low qi.”
“Thank you, Physician Liu.”, the male consort spoke, his face still filled with worry for his father.
“..It’s an honor to serve, your highness.”, the physician was taken aback by the noble consort’s behavior.
Noble consort Yi is rumored to be composed and very good with words.
Physician Liu has grasped a glimpse of the male consort and the rumour was indeed true. He thought the male consort was probably calculative, one without a conscience.
There were many consorts alike. However,after the physician saw the noble consort cry and worry like this, he now knew that the male consort was human.
One who tries to live a good life in a place filled with traps.
As soon as the young physician gave the prescription to Meihui, the gugu rushed to get the medicine, while Yaozu stood by his father’s side.
“..Do you feel better now, that the wounds have been cleaned, FùqÄ«n?”, the consort asked while grabbing his father’s hand gently.
The minister just looked at his son intently, without even blinking. As a frown plastered across his face.
“..Zu’er, please forgive your useless FùqÄ«n..”, the man spoke in a weak voice, filled with sadness.
“FùqÄ«n, what are you saying”, Yaozu frowned, not understanding his father’s sudden words.
“..I just let you enter the gates of hell.”
“FùqÄ«n, It was me who wanted this. Please don’t blame yourself.”, the consort smiled weakly at his father, trying to reassure him.
“..Even so, I shouldn’t have had you marry the emperor. You’re suffering because I was too weak to refuse you, knowing well how the palace is..”, the man lowered his eyes, ashamed of himself.
“FùqÄ«n…-“
Lord Xiao smiled weakly at his son, making up his mind to get his Zu’er out of this hellish place. He won’t let his child suffer anymore.
“Your Highness, I brought the medicine!”, the handmaid dressed in a blue uniform dress entered hurriedly.
“Meihui, give me the ointment.”, Yaozu turned to his dowry maid and extended his hand towards her.
The handmaid did as she was told and handed the ointment to the male consort quickly.
“Meihui, help FùqÄ«n sit up, so I can apply the ointment.”, The noble consort took the opened the container carefully as he spoke in a soft voice.
“Your Highness, let me do it.”, Meihui tried to reach for the ointment in the consort’s hands.
“There’s no need. I will do it myself.”, the handmaid then, did as told and helped lord Xiao sit up.
“Zu’er.You don’t have to do this.”, lord Xiao didn’t want to let his child tend to him. How could he let his child dirty his hands for him?
“It’s alright, fùqÄ«n. Please let me tend to you.”
Lord Xiao sighed, smiling gently at his son’s stubbornness.
Meihui took off the bandages from lord Xiao’s back before Yaozu applied ointment gently on the wounds.
“Please bear with the pain for a while, fùqÄ«n..”, the male consort said after seeing the distorted face of his father.
After the handmaid and consort were done wrapping the bandages around the prime minister’s back someone suddenly burst into the chambers.
An elder woman dressed in a refined silk dress and with extravagant head ornaments adorned in her hair entered alongside her Momo.
“Greetings, Your Highness, the empress dowager.”, The three persons who had been in the chambers before, knelt before the royal woman.
“You may rise.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”, The noble consort helped his father stand up, as it was quite difficult because of the wounds.
“..I know that you’ve been wronged by the emperor, but his majesty had his reason, may you be forgiven.”, the elder royal spoke in a soft, thin voice knowing that the kingdom most likely lost the most loyal subject.
“We’re not someone that can question his majesty’s choices but we hope his majesty will be just.”, The prime minister bowed with an indifferent expression on his face.
Truthfully, he didn’t care if the emperor had him released from his position and divorced his son. It would be for the better.
And if his son will suffer mockery they will just move to the neighbouring kingdom. They have relatives there so it will not be hard to adapt.
“The emperor sacrificed the prime minister for the time being, but the Xiao family won’t suffer for long, please be patient.”
The empress dowager doesn’t want to lose such a loyal subject. Most of the officials were corrupt, but with Lord Xiao being prime minister, the court was bearable.
“What does Your Highness mean the Xiao family won’t suffer for long..? What is his majesty planning exactly?”, though the consort’s voice was calm, his eyes were filled with anger.
“This is all I can tell you for now. But you have to keep silent.”, the royal spoke softly before exiting the chambers leaving the three shaken people behind.
“We see you highness off..”, the three people knelt, following the etiquette.
“Your Highness..!?”, Meihui rushed to the male consort who fell on the floor helplessly.
“..Zu’er, everything will be fine. Please be at ease now.”, lord Xiao hugged his son gently, trying to soothe him.
“FùqÄ«n..I’m scared.”‘The male consort leaned in the hug closing his eyes.
******
“Your Highness, please have some tea.”, the handmaid put a fresh cup of tea beside the male consort, who kept rubbing his red eyes.
“Jasmine tea is good for reducing stress levels, please have a some sips.”
The male consort sighed and took the cup to drink some tea.
“Oh, Meihui I forgot to tell you.”, the male consort widened his eye slightly, “Before this unfortunate incident, my father organised some permanent charity for commoners.”
The handmaid’s eyes sparkled with joy after hearing her master’s words.
“Your Highness..Then, the letter sent to lord Xiao..?”
“Yes, I plead to my father to do something the commoner’s poor life.”, Yaozu smiled weakly at the maid, who was filled with joy.
“I don’t understand why his majesty would treat such a good minister like this..”, Meihui frowned deeply thinking about what happened not long ago.
“Emperors tend to do stupid things because of pretty smiles. I just hope he doesn’t go too far.”, Yaozu continued to drink his tea quietly.
Meihui noticed the disrespect towards the sons of heaven but didn’t feel the need to correct them anymore. Her master was right about the emperor, so she would just follow her master diligently.
The two turn their head to the intruder who came into the chambers. They aren’t even surprised at his point.
“Your Highness is asked to come to court.”
The master-servant duo looked at each other with tired expressions. Obviously, already done with this incident.
~~~~
“Greetings, your majesty.”, the consort gave a quick bow to the royals before him.
“It seems the torture of the prime minister didn’t affect you too much, so I brought the maid who has switched the tea.”
The noble consort turned around to see a handmaid who kept her head slightly bowed.
“..You switched the tea?”, the consort questioned confused.
“Yes,I did. I saw a maid from the palace of heavenly grace a few times around the palace of eternal harmony and I harbored suspicions.”, She looked at the emperor with eyes filled with anger, “Therefore I always checked the tea and food of her Highness, consort Yu.”
“..And you found the tea poisoned and thought I was the culprit?”, the noble consort looked at the maid in disbelief.
“There is no one else who has bad intentions besides you.”, the maid looked at the consort with a look of disgust.
“You and consort Yu are indeed daring”, the handmaid in blue uniform snickered.
“Why would I have bad intentions towards your mistress? She’s after all my cousin..”, Yaozu smirked at the maid who started to frown and hesitate.
“So, you’re telling me that you just assumed it was noble consort Yi because a maid has been around the palace of harmony?”, the emperor fixed the maid with a cold look.
“Your majesty! Please have mercy, my handmaid was just worried about me.”, A woman dressed in a pink hanfu came rushing into the court.
“Consort Yu, please be careful on your steps.”, Meihui looked at the woman with a mocking smile.
“Consort Yu, how can I have mercy when I made my prime minister and noble consort suffer?”, the emperor mimicked a sad face.
The consort knelt before the emperors knowing she had messed up.
“Your majesty, it’s true there’s no evidence against noble consort Yi but we do not have a good relationship and that’s why my handmaid was quick to accuse his highness.”, the consort spoke in a thin voice.
“Do you think that no one in the harem would harm you?”, Yazou looked at the consort with a tired expression, his eyebrows raised.
“..Well..-“
“It seems you are too naive for the position of consort. Hear my decree!”, the emperor fixed the kneeling woman with a cold look.
“Consort Yu couldn’t control her servants and didn’t act accordingly, therefore she will be demoted to Noble Lady Xiao and noble consort Yi will be moving to Jiniang palace as he has been compromised.”
Yaozu knelt before the emperor to receive the decree.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace.”
Yaozu wasn’t happy at all, he wanted to ask for a divorce, but he didn’t want to anger the emperor now.
He didn’t want his family to suffer, the empress dowager’s words still buried in his mind.
“And the handmaid who dared to accuse a noble consort would be crippled and expelled from the palace.”
The maid fell on the ground after hearing the words of the emperor glancing at the consort.
The noble consort and his maid couldn’t help but smile at the two idiotic persons.
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