Chapter 2: Scheme of the Wicked Consort
Script Viewing Tower was a three-storey tall building hidden within a patch of greenery. It was Emperor Xianzong"s (贤宗皇帝) most frequented spot during his leisure hours. Yu Xiaoxiao brought along w.a.n.g momo as she walked through one of its large halls. A few court retainers were in attendance, but there was no sign of the emperor inside.
"Your Royal Highness is here, ah," a beautiful woman beckoned towards Yu Xiaoxiao as soon as she arrived. "Quick, come sit by my side."
Yu Xiaoxiao didn"t need an introduction to know who this woman was. She was a beauty with charming looks, the soon-to-be-empress Consort Zhao.
"My dad–I mean, where"s my imperial father?" Yu Xiaoxiao asked Consort Zhao.
Consort Zhao said, "His Majesty had to leave because of other matters. He said for Your Royal Highness to wait for him here."
"Then I"ll come back later," Yu Xiaoxiao turned to leave.
Consort Zhao hastened to say, "Look at you, child. Why are you so hasty today? Hurry and have a seat, I have something to tell you."
Yu Xiaoxiao took a few steps forward and said, "Go ahead."
Consort Zhao used her handkerchief to dab at her eyes. "Over the past few days, I"ve had sleepless nights on account of Your Royal Highness."
Yu Xiaoxiao didn"t say anything, but simply looked at Consort Zhao. If she"s been missing sleep all these nights, she must be cooking up some plot.
Consort Zhao said, "You and the third young master of the Gu family still have a betrothal agreement, after all. It was the empress dowager who decreed it in the past. Over the past few years, esteemed empress has always seen the Gu Clan as your future fiancé""s family, but now that they"ve committed such a huge crime, are you still willing to marry, princess?"
There was too much information in that last statement for Yu Xiaoxiao to process immediately. The emperor consort of that tyrannical female emperor was a ethereal, celestial-looking man named Wen Fenglin (文枫林), ah. Where did this Gu family fiancé pop out from? Looks like Emperor Consort Wen wasn"t the original goods either!
w.a.n.g momo panicked at Consort Zhao"s words. She fell forward on her knees and cried, "Esteemed Consort Zhao, the third son of the Gu Clan has already lost the use of his legs. Her Royal Highness could never marry such a man!"
Yu Xiaoxiao reviewed her memories. The female emperor seemed to have lovers that spanned every possible surname, but not one of them was surnamed Gu.
Consort Zhao didn"t let w.a.n.g momo rise, but only looked at Yu Xiaoxiao and said, "Your Royal Highness, why do you think esteemed empress left just like that? I–when I think of that now, I just want to cry."
As Consort Zhao recounted how much she missed the empress in a continuous stream of words, Yu Xiaoxiao looked behind her to the lofty window beyond. Outside was a jade-hued pond. Right now, it was just the beginning of autumn, so the water was filled with bits of lotus blossoms past their prime. A slight breeze ruffled the surface of the water.
There were no fresh ponds like this in the polluted environment of the apocalypse. Thus, even small details in the landscape caught Yu Xiaoxiao"s eye. Consort Zhao rambled on until she realized Yu Xiaoxiao wasn"t reacting. Feeling rather doubtful, she wondered what had happened to the princess who always greeted her with enthusiasm while cozying up to her. Wasn"t she being too cold right now?
"Princess, ah, I"m doing this for your own good too," Consort Zhao tugged at Yu Xiaoxiao"s hand with red-rimmed eyes. "The Gu Clan has committed a capital offense, so it"s only natural for you to marry someone else. But for a girl to switch her husband would naturally affect her reputation. I"ve thought it over the past few days and decided it"d be better for Your Royal Highness to retreat from public scrutiny awhile until the Gu Clan"s matters pa.s.s over. Your Royal Highness can come back afterwards."
Yu Xiaoxiao looked at Consort Zhao as she sniffed the beginnings of a scheme.
Consort Zhao said, "Let His Majesty confer a fief to Your Royal Highness. You can go there first. If you"re worried about His Seventh Highness, you can take him with you. Don"t worry, it won"t take very long. Once His Majesty gets rid of the Gu Clan, I"ll definitely remind him to summon you back to the capital nice and early."
Balderdash!
Forget about all the beautiful scenery, now Yu Xiaoxiao was mad! She was wondering why that unvirtuous Emperor Xianzong would raised his little wife to the status of official one while chasing his daughter out of the house. As it turned out, the stupid girl got herself swindled by this woman!
"Your Royal Highness," Consort Zhao"s wiped away her tears with her delicate, orchid like fingers. "I"m really unwilling to see you go, ah."
Yu Xiaoxiao narrowed her eyes at the woman. If she told her she agreed, then the woman would definitely say she"d take care of everything related to the fief. By the time she was on her way, she would have discovered that Consort Zhao had only left her a few rolls of cloth in her traveling chest. If she tried to go back and find Xianzong, she would have found out that the capital"s four gates were all guarded by Consort Zhao"s people, making it impossible to return home. Her only choice would be to die from starvation during her trip.
"Your Royal Highness, you can"t leave the palace, ah," w.a.n.g momo cried as she prostrated herself in front of Yu Xiaoxiao. She knew enough to understand that the princess couldn"t marry into the Gu Clan, but neither should the eldest princess leave the palace. If she wasn"t by His Majesty"s side, Consort Zhao would definitely find a way to scheme against the empress"s daughter.
Yu Xiaoxiao strode in front of Consort Zhao. Such a deliberate plan against two children who lost their mother. It"s no wonder the female emperor skinned her alive. "Are you seeking death?" she asked.
Consort Zhao saw Xianzong walking through the door and didn"t have time to consider what Yu Xiaoxiao meant by her question. She only sobbed, "I want to die! I really wish I followed the empress down to the Yellow Springs, ah!"
Yu Xiaoxiao picked up Consort Zhao by the collar and threw her out the window. If the woman wanted to die so much, then she"d grant her wish.