Chapter 496: They Had Run Away
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
n.o.ble Consort Ling had been missing for months.
There were rumors in the palace that n.o.ble Consort Ling had fallen out of favor or was dying of a terminal illness. That was why she had not appeared for so long.
When many Madams of the Imperial Court heard the news, they thought that Emperor Ling Hui had come to his senses and was preparing to confer the t.i.tle to the Eldest Prince’s biological mother and him as the crown prince. They all worked hard and used their connections to prepare to send their daughters into Chu Mingxuan’s backyard.
When Zhang Youcai returned to the residence, Madam Zhang pulled him into the room and discussed carefully, “Our daughter has also reached the appropriate age. I think a.s.sistant Minister Li’s eldest son is not bad. What do you think?”
Zhang Youcai suddenly objected. “No, i have my own plans for Yanyan’s marriage. Don’t interfere!”
Madam Zhang knew Zhang Youcai’s ambitions to become an Exalted One. She sensed that he had the intention to use her daughter as a bargaining chip, so she wanted to get Yanyan engaged as soon as possible.
Zhang Youcai directly warned her to stay out of it. Madam Zhang forcefully suppressed the anger in her heart and said nicely, “Then which family’s Young Master does my husband like? Why don’t you tell me? If you don’t tell me, as her mother, I won’t be at ease.”
Zhang Youcai glanced at her and suddenly smiled. “I’ve read our daughter’s fortune. She has a lot of luck!”
Madam Zhang’s heart was trembling. She expressed her conjecture, “You want to marry your daughter to the Eldest Prince as a concubine?”
She would rather her daughter be a poor man’s wife than a n.o.ble Lady concubine.
Not to mention the royal family, how could Madam Zhang bear to let her daughter be a thing that could be sold at any time?
Zhang Youcai smiled proudly and said, “What Eldest Prince? What right does he have to marry my daughter!”
“Our Yanyan is going to be the Empress of Ling Kingdom!”
Madam Zhang asked in shock, “You want to bring her into the palace?”
Zhang Youcai’s face was filled with greed. “Of course!”
Their Yanyan was somewhat similar to n.o.ble Consort Ling. She was young and delicate. As long as she could enter the palace, she would definitely be doted on by Emperor Ling Hui.
Emperor Ling Hui was at an age where he was strong. Even if there was really something wrong with him and could not let Yanyan give birth to a son or daughter, he could also advance to the next level.
Madam Zhang cried, “Yanyan is so innocent. How can she enter the palace? No!”
Suddenly, a pleasant voice like a yellow oriole sounded. “Mother, I’m willing to enter the palace.”
Madam Zhang was stunned. Zhang Yanyan had already pushed the door open and entered with snacks.
Madam Zhang thought that Zhang Yanyan was forced by Zhang Youcai. When she met Zhang Yanyan’s ambitious eyes, she was shocked.
She was really willing.
Zhang Yanyan said confidently, “Mother, don’t worry. I will definitely become the emperor’s wife!”
She looked like n.o.ble Consort Ling, which meant that Emperor Ling Hui loved beauties like her.
She was young and would definitely be able to seduce Emperor Ling Hui.
Thinking of the handsome and n.o.ble man in the portrait, her heart could not help but race.
Zhang Youcai said happily, “Father has arranged everything for you. You can enter the palace in a few days.”
Madam Zhang took a long time to react and questioned, “I didn’t hear that there was a consort selection. How are you arranging for your daughter to enter the palace?”
Since the family had already made things clear, Zhang Youcai did not hide it. “I bribed a eunuch in the palace. Yanyan will enter the palace as a palace maid first and he will think of a way to arrange for Yanyan to meet the emperor.” Madam Zhang said in panic, “What if someone finds out?”
Zhang Youcai chuckled. “There are only a few elders from the Chu royal family in the palace. n.o.ble Consort Ling, who is doted on, has already lost her favor. No one will be able to find out.” Moreover, only by taking high risks would there be high returns.
Madam Zhang felt fl.u.s.tered. “What if something goes wrong? It’s a capital crime to impersonate a palace maid and enter the palace!”
Zhang Yanyan’s smile froze and she said unhappily, “Mother, Father has arranged it so well. How can anything happen? Don’t scare me. When I see the emperor, he will definitely like me very much.”
Zhang Yanyan was completely bewitched and did not heed any advice.
Madam Zhang could not persuade Zhang Youcai to give up on his plan to send their daughter into the palace. She could only pray that everything would go smoothly.
After a few days, Zhang Yanyan successfully sneaked into the palace.
She had been washing clothes in the laundry bureau for a few days, and her delicate fingers had become as thick as radishes, but she still did not have the chance to meet Emperor Ling Hui.
She had suffered a lot in the past few days. If not for the fact that she had the intention to become the Empress, she would have quit long ago.
After waiting for a few more days, not only did she not have the chance to meet Emperor Ling Hui, but she also used up all the money she had brought into the palace. The eunuch who had brought her into the palace no longer took care of her. Zhang Yanyan finally understood that this was true h.e.l.l.
From morning to night, there were mountains of clothes that she could not finish washing. The food they ate was even worse than dogs.
What was worse was that she had a fever. If she didn’t see Emperor Ling Hui soon, she would die in the palace first.
Zhang Yanyan was indignant. That night, she changed into the palace maid’s clothes and ran out of the laundry bureau.
Coincidentally, she arrived in front of n.o.ble Consort Ling’s palace.
Coincidentally, she met Emperor Ling Hui, who had come to the palace to see n.o.ble Consort Ling.
When Zhang Yanyan discovered the figure, she thanked the heavens for not letting her down. She immediately pretended to fall and screamed.
Emperor Ling Hui looked over. The moment his gaze landed on Zhang Yanyan’s face, his expression changed.
He walked towards Zhang Yanyan. Just as Zhang Yanyan was thinking about how to talk to Emperor Ling Hui, Emperor Ling Hui grabbed her chin and questioned coldly, “Who sent you into the palace?”
Zhang Yanyan was forced to look up. Her palm-sized face and red eyes made her look pitiful.
She was slightly similar to her when she was young.
However, she would never have such a dirty gaze!
Emperor Ling Hui was even more handsome than in the portrait. His aura was astonishing, but his cold gaze was like a fatal knife that was about to fall at any moment.
Zhang Yanyan was a little afraid and stammered, “No one sent me into the palace. I was originally a palace maid in the palace.”
She was a palace maid in the palace to begin with. How could Emperor Ling Hui believe such nonsense?
“Someone, cut away her tongue!”
Even if she didn’t say it, Emperor Ling Hui had a thousand ways to find out.
Zhang Yanyan did not expect that Emperor Ling Hui, after meeting her, to not like her, but also wanted to pull out her tongue.
She shouted in fear, “Your Majesty, please spare me. Your Majesty, I really admire you, that’s why 1 want to enter the palace. Your Majesty—”
Emperor Ling Hui sneered, his eyes filled with disgust. “Rip off her face!”
Zhang Yanyan shouted in horror, “No—Please, Your Majesty. 1 know my mistake. Please don’t—”
“Ahhh —”
On the night Zhang Yanyan’s tongue was cut off and her face was peeled off, the Zhang family was surrounded by the imperial guards and their entire family was executed for a.s.sa.s.sinating the emperor.
When the Zhang family was suddenly executed, the entire court was alerted that something was wrong and secretly asked around.
After learning that someone had impersonated n.o.ble Consort Ling and entered the palace, they were immediately shocked. They once again realized n.o.ble Consort Ling’s status in Emperor Ling Hui’s heart.
For a moment, no one dared to admonish Emperor Ling Hui about conferring the t.i.tle of Consort Chu.
Emperor Ling Hui waited and thought to himself that since he had already sent Zeng Sanshui to intercept Chu Tianbao, he would definitely be able to bring the mother and son back with so many people.
In the end, Commander Zhang, this piece of trash, returned and told him that they had run away!