Chapter 293: Chapter 293. Meat on The Sticky Board
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The butler hurriedly replied,
“Chief Zhu and the others have already been on the road for ten days. It will take them five to six days to reach Mo City from the capital.”
“Something happened.”
Prime Minister Wan suddenly opened his narrowed eyes and said with certainty. With the great killing weapon, he no longer had to worry about anyone. He was determined to obtain the excellent killing weapon.
“Probably-yes,”
The butler knew the Prime Minister was temperamental, so he spoke carefully.
“Send someone to investigate.”
Prime Minister Wan’s face was gloomy, and his wine-soaked eyes flashed with a ruthless light. Whoever dared to ruin his plans did not need to be in this world.
“Yes.”
The butler agreed to leave Minister Wan alone in the huge room. He paced back and forth, his mind full of schemes and schemes.
“Prime Minister.”
The butler returned with an even more nervous expression than before.
“What is it?”
Prime Minister Wan looked up at the butler. His deep and cold voice was devoid of emotion, and his big fat face was terrifyingly gloomy.
The butler was alarmed but had no choice but to continue reporting.
“Reporting to the Prime Minister, the secret agents of Jin City have sent a secret letter. An Guanglu has captured Zhang Song and the others.”
“What?”
Prime Minister Wan flew into a rage and swept all the fruits and snacks on the table to the ground. The butler was so frightened that he trembled, afraid that Prime Minister Wan would vent his anger on him.
“How dare you ruin the Empress’s plans? Has the An family lived enough?”
Prime Minister Wan was so angry that his stomach was heaving back and forth, like an angry toad with a bulging belly.
“I’m just afraid that the An family will use this matter to harm the Empress.”
The butler reminded the Prime Minister in a low voice. Prime Minister Wan narrowed his eyes and sneered,
“Humph, humph, as long as my son is at the border, the Emperor will not dare to touch the Empress in the slightest. As for the An family’s reliance, it is nothing more than Concubine An in the Palace. Since they cannot behave, tell the Empress who ruined her plans.”
“Yes, this servant will order people to enter the palace to inform the Niangniang.”
The butler was about to go out when Prime Minister Wan called out,
“Also, send someone to the entrance of the capital to search strictly. Those children must be captured and brought back. Not a single one can be missing.”
“Yes.”
The butler agreed to leave the room and immediately sent someone to confirm it.
In the palace
Concubine An had been weak after her miscarriage. Her body had been injured by the bowl of red flowers that Concubine Wan had fed her. Even if she recovered, she couldn’t conceive a dragon child.
Fortunately, she was young, beautiful, and knew how to pretend to be weak. The Emperor felt sorry for her, so he treated her even better. He would come to her palace a few days a month and order people to send her all kinds of tonics every day. He did not neglect her at all because she had miscarried.
“Consort An Niangniang, the emperor, ordered the imperial kitchen to send over a bird’s nest.”
The palace maid Xiao Lan carried the tray into Concubine An’s bedroom. She avoided looking at Concubine An and placed the tray on the table before coming over to help her eat.
“Leave it there. I don’t want to eat it.”
Concubine An waved her hand tiredly. She was so sad that she couldn’t eat anything. Her eyes were filled with hatred. She hated Concubine Wan for killing the Dragon Son and hated the Emperor for not punishing Concubine Wan.
Moreover, she knew that if she refused to eat, the Emperor would rush over to coax her to eat. During this period, she used this method to keep the Emperor by her side and was deeply favoured.
“Niangniang, you didn’t eat in the morning; eat something.”
Xiao Lan urged An Fei to eat the bird’s nest in a low voice.
“Report to the emperor that my son’s death has made me refuse to eat.”
Consort An shook her head and refused, ordering her to go and invite the Emperor.
“Niangniang, haven’t you been doing this a little too frequently recently? Don’t let it backfire.”
Xiao Lan told her in a low voice as she stubbornly picked up the bird’s nest bowl.
“Niangniang should take care of her body and restore her former glory. Only then will the Emperor love Niangniang more.”
Consort An looked at Xiao Lan coldly and knocked over the bird’s nest bowl in her hand. She scolded her angrily,
“I don’t need you to teach me how to do things.”
“All!”
Xiao Lan was shocked when she saw the bowl of bird’s nest fall to the ground. She hurriedly went to clean it up. Mrs Yang, who Concubine An had brought from the An Residence, suddenly stopped Xiao Lan. She looked anxiously at the bird’s nest on the ground and pulled out the silver hairpin from her head to check the bird’s nest. She saw that the silver hairpin quickly turned black. Mrs Yang looked up and exclaimed,
“Empress, there’s poison.”
Xiao Lan was so scared that she was kneeling on the ground. Her body was trembling as she shouted,
“Empress, please spare my life.”
“Xiao Lan, 1 have treated you well, but you want to harm me?”
Consort An looked at the silver hairpin that had turned black and covered her chest in fear. Her pair of flowing peach blossom eyes were filled with fear and anxiety. Fortunately, she had no appet.i.te and did not want to eat it. Otherwise, she would have died long ago.
Consort An might be young, beautiful, and pure, but which one of those nurtured by aristocratic families wasn’t a ruthless person? She stabbed the silver hairpin at Xiao Lan fiercely and squeezed out a vicious sentence from between her teeth,
“Tell me, who told you to do this? If you don’t say it, I’ll give it to you today…”
This was a form of torture that was even more terrifying than death.
Xiao Lan was so frightened that she fell to the ground when she heard that Consort An would use this kind of punishment on her. Her pale little face was filled with tears as she crawled towards Consort An and begged desperately,” “Empress, spare my life!”
Nanny Yang called for a guard with a knife to stop Xiao Lan from approaching Consort An.
“Speak! Who told you to poison me? If you tell me, I’ll make you an intact corpse because you are your master and servant. 1 won’t pursue your family. If you dare to hide anything, I’ll bury your entire family.”
Consort An’s beautiful face was covered with dark clouds. She had said such vicious words at such a young age. There was no longer the gentleness that could make men dream of her. She was an utterly fierce woman.
Xiao Lan became even more afraid when she heard Consort An would hold her family accountable. Her tears rolled down her face, and she kowtowed hard on the ground. Her smooth forehead was soon covered in blood, and she trembled from crying.
“Niangniang, Imperial Concubine Wan captured my family and threatened me. She would kill my entire family if I didn’t do as she said. This servant had no choice but to make a big mistake. Please, Niangniang, save my family for the sake of me serving you. Even if this servant dies, I will pray for Niangniang and bless you with a long life.”
“You could have told me. If you did, I would have saved your family.”
Consort An’s stern expression changed. She ordered Nanny Yang to bring Xiao Lan a handkerchief to wipe her tears and comforted her gently.
Xiao Lan looked at Consort An in fear. After serving her for so long, how could she not understand? Consort An was also a person with the mouth of a Buddha but the heart of a snake.
What was the use of telling her? Consort An couldn’t even save her child; how could she protect her own family?
“How about this, you do as 1 say. 1 beg the Emperor to save your family, spare your life, and send your entire family out of the palace.”
Consort An sat on the bed and looked at Xiao Lan with charming eyes. She promised to save Xiao Lan’s family but demanded that Xiao Lan listen to her orders.
“How…What should we do?”
Xiao Lan was like a piece of meat on the carpet now. She had to do whatever she was told and was powerless to resist.
“You just…”
An Fei had just said two words when she heard the eunuch outside shouting,
“n.o.ble Consort Wan has arrived..”