Because of a letter delivered from the palace, An Sheng's rest days came to an abrupt end. He had to depart for the palace immediately.
A Mei pursed her lips, her previously good mood completely swept away. She grumbled with great reluctance, "Honestly, didn't they say you had seven days off? It's the New Year, and today is only the third day. Yet His Majesty insists on making you go work in the palace. You work too hard, my husband."
"Hmph, you clearly promised to spend quality time with A Mei today."
An Sheng coaxed her softly, "Oh my, it is all my fault. I will escort you back to the manor first, then head into the palace to take a look. As long as there is nothing major, I will immediately return to keep my wife company, alright?"
A Mei fetched An Sheng's outer garment from the folding screen and pouted her small mouth. Understanding her cue, An Sheng hurriedly stretched out his arms to make it easier for A Mei to dress him.
As she fastened his buttons, A Mei gave An Sheng a reproachful glare. "You only know how to coax me. His Majesty has already summoned you back to the palace, how could it be nothing?"
Then, A Mei's tone softened. Her delicate voice carried a trace of helplessness. "Husband, A Mei is not angry, nor am I blaming you for not accompanying me. I just feel distressed that you cannot even have a comfortable New Year and still have to worry about this and that. However, since our whole family relies on His Majesty, it is only natural to do our utmost for him."
A hint of gratification flashed through An Sheng's eyes. With a face full of doting affection, he looked at A Mei's coy and helpless appearance with both love and tenderness. Then, his narrow eyes squinted slightly, a flash of sharpness passing through their depths, and he explained his thoughts to A Mei in detail:
"His Majesty did not issue a formal decree, nor did he send a palace attendant to deliver the message. Instead, he sent a personal guard rushing over to our home. I suspect something disgraceful has happened in the palace. Since they need me, handling it shouldn't be too troublesome."
A Mei let out an oh, a trace of curiosity appearing on her face as she stared at An Sheng. "Husband, what do you mean by a disgraceful thing?"
An Sheng gave a short laugh, his tone full of mockery and sarcasm. "There are plenty of filthy, disgraceful things in the palace. Who knows."
Saying this, An Sheng took the cloak from A Mei's hands and draped it over himself. Then, he fetched A Mei's cape from the screen, helped her put it on, and finally took hold of her small hands.
"Let us go. I will enter the palace first. When I return to the manor later tonight, I will tell my wife everything I saw and heard, alright?"
A Mei's eyes curved into a smile, and she obediently hummed in agreement.
Unexpectedly, upon entering the palace, the matter turned out to be quite thorny.
Some time ago, the palace held a draft selection according to regulations, and Emperor Chengde conferred titles upon several concubines. Among them was Consort Yun.
The young Consort Yun could not endure the loneliness. Using some unknown means, she actually engaged in an illicit affair with a prince.
And this prince was none other than the second legitimate son of Emperor Chengde and the Empress, Prince Yu, who had moved out of the palace to establish his own estate just before the New Year.
The Emperor was furious and immediately ordered Consort Yun to be put to death. However, in order to survive, Consort Yun simply blurted out in front of everyone that she was already one month pregnant...
As soon as An Sheng arrived at the main hall, Prince Yu's sorrowful pleas reached his ears.
"Imperial Father! It was not Yunniang who seduced your son, but rather your son who forced himself upon her. It is just a trick of fate that things have come to this point! Your son is ashamed to face you and our ancestors, but I truly love Yunniang. I beg Imperial Father to spare her life!"
Immediately following that, Consort Yun's sobbing could be heard. "Your Majesty, this subject concubine truly has no face left to live, but the child in my womb is innocent. It is, after all, of royal blood. I beg Your Majesty for mercy to spare the child's life. Once the child is born, I will absolutely not live on in disgrace."
Consort Yun lay prostrate on the ground, weeping like rain on pear blossoms, a pitiful sight to behold. Kneeling beside her, Prince Yu revealed a heartbroken and pained expression, shedding tears on the spot. "Imperial Father! Whether the child in Yunniang's womb is yours or mine, it is still the flesh and blood of our royal family. I beg Imperial Father to spare Yunniang!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Emperor Chengde's face turned a mix of blue and black, becoming even more gloomy and terrifying!
The Empress's face was equally ashen. Boiling with anger and pushed beyond her limits, she swung her hands left and right, viciously slapping Prince Yu twice across the face. "You wicked son, shut your mouth this instant!"
Despite taking two slaps, Prince Yu still did not give up. As if grasping at a lifesaver, he pleaded with the Empress for help. "Imperial Mother! You have always doted on me the most. I beg you, please plead with Imperial Father on Yunniang's behalf!"
"You! I do not have a son as reckless as you!" The Empress trembled with rage. The glare she directed at Consort Yun looked as though she wanted to slice her into a thousand pieces.
An Sheng quietly moved to Emperor Chengde's side. With his usual calm expression, he bowed and paid his respects. "Your Majesty, your subject has arrived."
Emperor Chengde appeared gloomy and unmoving as a mountain, as if he were not that angry. But in An Sheng's eyes, he knew this was the precursor to Emperor Chengde's explosive fury.
Emperor Chengde slightly raised his eyelids and twitched the corners of his lips. "My beloved subject An, what do you say to such a royal scandal?"
An Sheng's mind raced, and then his gaze darkened. His sharp voice was neither loud nor soft, falling perfectly into the ears of everyone present. "Your subject has a general understanding of the situation. However, the inner palace has strict rules. For such a thing to happen, it could not possibly have been accomplished by just a concubine and a prince who lives outside the palace alone. Others might believe it, but your subject does not. Whether it is a mere coincidence, a deliberate scheme, a long-planned conspiracy with ulterior motives, or even worse, an attempt to confuse the royal bloodline and endanger the state, it is hard to say. Your subject requests an edict to conduct a thorough investigation."
Emperor Chengde's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Granted! This matter must not be made public!"
Consort Yun's heart jolted, and she spoke between sobs, "What nonsense are you spouting? What confusing the royal bloodline and endangering the state? Whether the child in my womb belongs to His Majesty or Prince Yu, it is proper royal blood!"
Prince Yu also wanted to say something, but he was fiercely slapped again by the Empress beside him. "Shut your mouth!"
An Sheng curled the corners of his lips, his eyes dark and deep. "Do not worry, Your Ladyship. Whether it is or isn't, I will naturally find out the truth."
The palace was brightly lit. His Majesty had granted An Sheng full authority to handle the matter. In just a few hours, An Sheng's swift and ruthless methods were fully displayed.
All the maids and eunuchs in Consort Yun's palace were beaten to death with staves. The several attendants accompanying Prince Yu were also granted death. Imperial Physician Sun, who had taken Consort Yun's pulse today and diagnosed a one-month pregnancy, committed suicide. In the end, the Head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine personally took Consort Yun's pulse and revealed that she was not pregnant for one month, but rather for over two months.
At these words, Emperor Chengde cast a subtle glance at An Sheng. His expression then loosened slightly, and he let out a deep sigh.
Prince Yu was instantly dumbfounded, his face full of disbelief.
But the one with the biggest reaction was undoubtedly Consort Yun. She cried and screamed mournfully, pointing to the heavens and wailing to the earth to prove her innocence.
"Your Majesty, this subject concubine is wronged! Wronged! This is nonsense! I have only been in the palace for two months, how could I be pregnant for over two months!"
The Head of the Imperial Academy of Medicine immediately knelt on the ground. "I have practiced medicine for decades. I dare to guarantee with my life and the lives of my family that this pulse reading is not false!"
Consort Yun suddenly lunged at the Head Physician, tearing at him with all her might as she cried out, "Why are you framing me like this! What are your intentions! Even as a ghost, I will not let you off!"
...
"Heavens, it was actually like that." A Mei looked amazed, her expression revealing an unspeakable sense of pity. She stared with wide eyes and asked An Sheng, "Then, what happened to this Consort Yun in the end?"
An Sheng rubbed his temples, his face full of exhaustion, and said, "She has already been buried."
A Mei looked sorrowful: "A perfectly fine person, gone just like that. It is true she made mistakes, but the child was truly innocent. I just wonder whose child she was actually carrying."
An Sheng sneered and said faintly: "Heh, whose else could it be? Naturally, it belongs to either His Majesty or Prince Yu."
A Mei widened her eyes in shock: "Didn't they say she was over two months pregnant?!"
An Sheng shot A Mei a half-smile: "Do you believe everything others say?"
A Mei opened her mouth, at a loss for words for a moment. After a long while, she stammered: "But, but, wouldn't that make it royal blood?"
An Sheng's expression was indifferent: "So what if it is? Under these circumstances, this is the best possible outcome."
Unable to hold back, A Mei whispered: "Oh my. Then didn't Consort Yun die an unjust death?"
An Sheng raised an eyebrow, his tone meaningful: "No, her death was not unjust in the slightest."
"She had to die."
A long silence followed.
A Mei asked again.
"Then, husband, are you playing the villain in this matter?"
An Sheng let out a cold chuckle. His expression remained aloof, seemingly unchanged, yet a palpable, almost eruptive malice seeped out. He scoffed:
"The villain? The true villain is not me, but the imperial power that pushed me to the forefront."
"I originally wanted to think highly of Prince Yu, but the moment the Head Physician spoke, he was the first to believe it. Heh, it truly is the imperial family that is the most heartless."
