The Legend of Concubine's Daughter Minglan

Chapter 64

The snow that had been accumulated for the whole winter melted in the early spring of April. Though the buds on the branch had nudged their heads out, the tripod inlaid with two golden characters "Shou" (longevity patterns) was still burning with silver charcoal, making the room warm. On the pearwood table before the bed placed several bowls of herbal concoction held in palace porcelains painted with beauties. Besides the bed placed a wooden armchair covered by fur with leopard print, on which sat a middle-aged man in extravagant clothes who looked genial and grew short beads.

"Heng'er has been in the exam for a whole day. I wonder how he is doing?" A soft voice of woman came from the bed.

Lord Qi replied, "Heng'er has been studying hard for months on end without rest, he is sure to earn a degree. Don't worry about him, your top priority is to tone your body. You've been on medicine since the beginning of winter. On account of your sickness we didn't even celebrate the Spring Festival."

Junzhu Pingning leaned against a brocade cushion inlaid with golden peonies, her face yellow, her cheekbone protruding. She looked gaunt with not the slightest of her previous high spirit to be seen. Sickly she said, "Heng'er is blaming me."

"Don't overthink. Mother and son would never bear grudge overnight," Lord Qi comforted. "The coup before the Spring Festival has caused much loss for all departments. Nearly half of the officials in Imperial Academy and Cabinet were killed as their offices were quite near to the imperial palace. Therefore, His Majesty granted a new session of exams early this year. Heng'er has been working hard to try and earn a degree this time."

Junzhu Pingning signed heavily, "Don't try to cheer me up. Heng'er has been praised for his decorous appearance and erudition. Now he is not only widowed but also laughed at by all. It is all my fault."

Lord Qi went silent while in heart he thought that her wife was not wrong. She took the right bet but just lacked a bit of luck.

Eyes reddening with tears, Junzhu Pingning choked with sobs, "I sensed something wrong when learning what happened to the girl of Rong family. Yet that time...we had no choice. I don't like Xianzhu either. Her arrogance and disregard for life were by no means blessing to the family. Yet I still forced Heng'er to intimate with her. However, even so, I never expected her to die so miserably."

With that, Junzhu Pingning couldn't help sobbing while Lord Qi, unable to manage any comforting words, only patted lightly on his wife's hand and wiped her tears gently with handkerchief.

Junzhu Pingning said in a low voice, "The scene that Rong Xian forced into the palace would frequently come into my dreams these months. The ferocious-looking rebels, the blood-dripping swords, the palace maids crying and struggling, and Sixth Princess and Xianzhu being pulled away right in front of me..." Her eyes were filled with undisguised fright... "It was at that very moment I finally realized that several lives were costed behind this marriage."

With that, she could no longer contain herself and cried in her husband's arms.

Lord Qi and Junzhu were couple from young. Though they would bicker in life, his heart couldn't help softening a bit when seeing her wife crying her heart out. So he consoled in a gentle tone, "The recklessness of Sixth Princess and her daughter well indicated the villainy of Sixth Prince in his conferred land. His Majesty was infuriated and stripped him of the noble title, making him only a powerless royal member. If not for pitying that the third imperial consort has only this son, even the heir would be deprived of the title. Little Consort Rong and Consort Shu committed suicide while Fourth Prince was sentenced to death with all his children degraded as plebeians. Ay! Ten years of power struggles yet ended in vain overnight. The implicated nobles and aristocrats couldn't even be numbered. Thanks for His Majesty's mercy and wisdom that father-in-law and our house are much favored. We...should take it easy."