Chapter 500: Conferred As the Imperial n.o.ble Consort
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Emperor Ling Hui did not tell Chu Mingxuan directly if he should send Bai Shining to the southern frontier. Instead, he asked in a low voice, “I heard that you’ve taken in eight concubines recently?”
Chu Mingxuan did not expect Emperor Ling Hui to care about his backyard. He was even more afraid that Emperor Ling Hui would realize that he was impotent. He was also afraid that Emperor Ling Hui would urge him to have a child. He broke out in cold sweat and lowered his head. “I have eight concubines, but they were all given to me by other people.”
He had taken in these concubines firstly to hide from others and prove that he was very capable, and secondly, to win over the ministers in the court.
At this moment, when he met Emperor Ling Hui’s deep eyes, he regretted it for a moment.
Emperor Ling Hui had not had any other children for so many years. Perhaps he had long understood that there was something wrong with his body and was counting on him to carry on the family line.
If he could not give birth to a son or daughter despite having so many concubines, it would definitely arouse Emperor Ling Hui’s suspicion.
Chu Mingxuan’s imagination ran wild to answer Emperor Ling Hui’s question about why he had not had an heir for many years. He heard Emperor Ling Hui suddenly flare up. “Your mother is not feeling well. You’re not worried at all, but you’re only focused on playing with women. Look at you, you’re not decent at all!”
Chu Mingxuan hurriedly knelt down with a plop. He wanted to refute that he had just been thinking for the Imperial Court and suggested sending Bai Shining to the border to persuade Bai Wutong to surrender. Emperor Ling Hui did not give him a chance to speak. “You’re unfilial and dirty. Get lost. 1 want you to tidy yourself up!”
Chu Mingxuan was shocked. Could it be that Emperor Ling Hui already knew that Quan family had sent people to kill Chu Tianbao and n.o.ble Consort Ling and deliberately punished him?
If he knew that he had sent someone to a.s.sa.s.sinate n.o.ble Consort Ling and Chu Tianbao, but only punished him to go to the temple to reflect on his mistakes, it seemed that Emperor Linghui was not completely heartless to him.
Chu Mingxuan accepted the order respectfully. “I know my mistake. I will definitely reflect on myself in the temple and pray for Father and Mother, and bless the Ling Kingdom to be peaceful and prosperous.”
Emperor Ling Hui waved his hand. “Get lost!”
Chu Mingxuan rolled away. Emperor Ling Hui sneered. “You’re not my son after all, you coward.”
Emperor Ling Hui thought for a moment, summoned Eunuch Fu, and threw him an imperial edict.
Eunuch Fu picked it up and walked out of the imperial study to open it. He was immediately stunned. Emperor Ling Hui had actually conferred the t.i.tle to Consort Chu, and she was even the Imperial n.o.ble Consort second only to the Empress.
Could it be that after n.o.ble Consort Ling lost her favor, Consort Chu had regained her favor?
If she had regained his favor, why didn’t Emperor Ling Hui bestow the Empress conferment or remove Consort Chu’s ban? The gaze he threw at him when handing over the imperial edict was also so disgusted.
Eunuch Fu thought about it carefully. He still had to wait and see for the time being. If he hugged the wrong thigh and provoked Emperor Ling Hui, he would be finished.
He led everyone carefully into the Hanxiao Palace. When Granny Xu saw them, she immediately ran into the room and exclaimed, “Consort, Consort, Eunuch Fu has brought an imperial edict and court clothes!”
Since he had brought the court clothes, that vixen must have completely fallen out of favor. Emperor Ling Hui was about to confer the t.i.tle of Consort Chu.
Everyone in the entire Hanxiao Palace smiled happily.
They had finally made it.
Quan Qiaorong revealed a rare smile and thought to herself, ‘Chu Shixiong still has some conscience.’
She combed her hair proudly and asked Granny Xu, “What color is the imperial robe?”
Granny Xu did not take a closer look just now. It was generally yellow. She smiled and said, “Wife, I just took a look. It’s yellow.”
Quan Qiaorong immediately could not hide the smile on her face. She knew that Chu Shixiong only had one son, Xuan’er. Sooner or later, the position of Empress would be hers.
She raised her chin arrogantly. She was definitely going to make everyone who saw her make a fool of herself to drop their jaws.
When Eunuch Fu announced the imperial edict, she knelt down to receive it.
“By the will of the heavens, the emperor has declared that the Quan family is virtuous and has specially conferred the t.i.tle of Imperial n.o.ble Consort.”
When she heard that the she was only conferred t.i.tle of Imperial n.o.ble Consort, Quan Qiaorong suddenly stood up with a questioning expression.
Eunuch Fu did not care so much. “Your Highness, accept the decree and thank Your Majesty.”
Quan Qiaorong’s expression darkened as she looked at the jade seal in the tray. Thinking about how the Imperial n.o.ble Consort was already the highest-ranking consort second to the Empress in the palace, and she also had the right to manage the harem.
As long as her son was well and she managed the harem well, someone would naturally request for her to be conferred the t.i.tle of Empress in a few days.
Quan Qiaorong thought it through and knelt down to receive the imperial edict.
As soon as Eunuch Fu left, she couldn’t wait to change into the Imperial n.o.ble Consort uniform.
The calm yellow color on her body and the heavy crown made her look even more luxurious.
Granny Xu and the servants shouted in unison, “Congratulations to the Imperial Consort. Congratulations to the Imperial Consort!”
Quan Qiaorong raised her armor and smiled. “Prepare a carriage for me to go to Yangxin Palace.”
Granny Xu sent someone to call for a carriage. The servant returned after a while, but his face was pale as he said, “Granny, they said… there’s no carriage for Her Majesty. The only one is exclusive to n.o.ble Consort Ling.”
When Quan Qiaorong heard this, she suddenly threw a box of high-quality rouge. “How dare you? I’m the Imperial n.o.ble Consort. How can 1 be worse than a s.l.u.t!”
The servant trembled and did not dare to say another word.
Quan Qiaorong stood up. “I’ll go personally!”
Quan Qiaorong walked out of the Hanxiao Palace angrily. As soon as she reached the door, she was stopped by a guard. “Her Majesty can’t leave the Hanxiao Palace!”
Quan Qiaorong slapped her. “I’m the Imperial n.o.ble Consort. You want me to stay in the cold palace? Get lost!”
No matter how high the Imperial n.o.ble Consort’s status was, she could not beat the emperor. The guard was unmoved after being slapped and stopped her firmly.
Quan Qiaorong could not break through several times and finally understood it.
Emperor Ling Hui had only conferred her the t.i.tle of Imperial n.o.ble Consort to stop the world from gossiping. He had no intention of handing over his harem to her at all.
Quan Qiaorong pulled off her crown and threw it to the ground. “Chu Shixiong, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
Quan Qiaorong scolded him at the palace gate. When Emperor Ling Hui heard the news, not only was he not angry, he even asked Eunuch Fu, “What are the commoners saying now?”
Eunuch Fu hurriedly said, “The commoners all think that you love the Imperial Consort very much.”
Emperor Ling Hui raised his eyebrows again. “What else?”
Eunuch Fu’s neck stiffened. “And you have no regrets about being deeply in love with Consort Ling. Even if she doesn’t have any children, you are still doting on her only…” He didn’t hesitate to let Quan Qiaorong, who should have become the Empress, only get the t.i.tle of Imperial n.o.ble Consort.
Emperor Ling Hui suddenly smiled, and it was a sincere smile.
“Very good!” When Chu Tianbao and the others returned in a few days, she would be able to go where she really should go.
Eunuch Fu only felt that Emperor Ling Hui was unfathomable and too terrifying.
The person he had slept with for so many years had only ended up being placed under house arrest.
Bai Shining thought that it was already the Bai family’s greatest blessing for a daughter to marry the Eldest Prince as a secondary consort.
He never expected that not only would his eldest daughter marry Chu Tianbao, who had the royal bloodline, but she would also become the Great Empress of the Southern Frontier.
While he was still in a state of shock, he was poisoned by Chu Mingxuan.
This was a secret medicine specially used by the royal family to control the dark guards before the Yan Kingdom was destroyed. As long as he dared to be disobedient, it would make his life a living h.e.l.l..