Abandoned Woman Busy Farming-Chapter 1659: The Emperor’s Soft Heart
Chapter 1659: Chapter 1659: The Emperor’s Soft Heart
The Grand Princess was stunned, how was she to choose? If she chose Du Zhongshu, what would the Emperor think of her previous actions? Wouldn’t he think she was selfish and cold-hearted?
But if she chose to let Duke Zheng investigate the cause of death, can a dead person compare to a living one? Even if Duke Zheng were alive, he couldn’t compare to Du Zhongshu!
Tang Yin saw she remained silent for a long time and sneered, "Aunt, isn’t Du Zhongshu younger than me by a few years?"
"Probably, probably." The Grand Princess blushed at being questioned like this by her Emperor nephew.
"He’s over ten years younger than you, and women age more easily than men. How sincere do you think he is towards you?" Tang Yin continued to ask.
The Grand Princess suddenly raised her head and said, "He is truly sincere towards me, willing to do anything for me. I’ve always been displeased with Bai Ruozhu. To help me vent my anger, he didn’t hesitate to get himself involved in a lawsuit."
"So, in order to be together with you smoothly, he plotted to kill Duke Zheng?" Tang Yin’s voice suddenly grew loud.
"No!" The Grand Princess exclaimed, "This matter truly has nothing to do with him. I mentioned wanting to divorce Zheng Yi and marry him instead as my consort, but he rejected. It’s something easily within his grasp, why would he risk harming others for such great danger?"
Tang Yin laughed coldly, "Perhaps he has other motives, such as revenge, or to better exploit this series of events."
"Impossible, I believe he’s not such a person." The Grand Princess shouted, though in truth she was already panicked. If she were fully confident, why would she shout so loudly?
"Someone, summon the Imperial Doctor." Tang Yin ordered the Inner Attendant.
Soon, an eunuch went to the Imperial Medical Hospital, while the Grand Princess was vigilant, "Your Majesty, what are you summoning the Imperial Doctor for?"
"To see if you are pregnant." Tang Yin said coldly.
The Grand Princess took two steps back, wanting to run, but found guards outside, making escape impossible!
She turned to Tang Yin, her eyes pleading and resentful. She didn’t want her nephew to push her to such a point.
Soon the Imperial Doctor arrived, it was Mao Xingcai and Bai Ruozhu.
"What is Bai Ruozhu doing here? Isn’t there an Imperial Doctor in the Palace?" The Grand Princess was as if a cat whose tail was stepped on, instantly bristling.
Bai Ruozhu was secretly pleased, yet showed no expression, bowed to the Emperor and the Grand Princess, and said, "Since His Majesty has summoned, Minister Mao and I should come together. Also, as a woman, it is more convenient for me."
Tang Yin glanced at Bai Ruozhu, slightly furrowed his brows, hesitated for a moment, but then spoke, "Check the Grand Princess’s pulse to see if her body requires any adjustment."
Bai Ruozhu and Mao Xingcai each checked the pulse, Mao Xingcai’s brows furrowing tight enough to kill a mosquito, while Bai Ruozhu remained calm. She had asked Jiang Yichun before and knew the news of the Grand Princess’s pregnancy was true, and most likely the child was Du Zhongshu’s.
Of course, she was very surprised; she never thought of Du Zhongshu and the Grand Princess having a bed relation, only that they were in cahoots. The Grand Princess is over ten years older than Du Zhongshu; Du Zhongshu really went for it.
Well, the Grand Princess, despite being somewhat base, was still a mature woman with lingering charm.
"Reporting to the Emperor, the Grand Princess’s health is fundamentally good, just a bit tired these days. She needs to rest well and care for the fetus." Mao Xingcai said, gritting his teeth.
"Exactly, the first three months require extra care." Bai Ruozhu timely echoed.
The Grand Princess wanted to deny, but looking at the Emperor and at the stern, meticulous Mao Xingcai, she realized defending was useless.
Besides, unless she did not want this child, as the belly grows day by day, it can’t be concealed.
Mao Xingcai wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "If there’s no further need, Your Majesty, we shall take our leave."
The Emperor waved his hand, "Leave."
Bai Ruozhu did not move, instead knelt on the ground. Mao Xingcai was taken aback when he saw her doing this, secretly gesturing to her not to speak recklessly.
Bai Ruozhu found it amusing, and felt warm inside; Mao Xingcai previously hated her, but now acknowledged and even helped her. Life was truly strange.
"I beg Your Majesty to act justly regarding the Bai Family’s defamation case. It’s been delayed these days, and the malicious miscreants should be severely punished." Bai Ruozhu said righteously.
"Bai Ruozhu, you!" The Grand Princess glared, as if she wanted to bite Bai Ruozhu.
Bai Ruozhu remained unfazed, still kneeling, "Heavenly justice is clear, and villains should be taught a lesson, lest they harm the Bai Family and others in the future."
Tang Yin originally wanted a heavy sentence, but due to the Grand Princess’s plea, he couldn’t refuse. Now he put on a difficult front, saying, "What Bai Ruozhu says is reasonable. Du Zhongshu and Wang Chengen must be punished, twenty lashes and sent to the North Pass."
Wang Chengen too had bad luck, initially twenty lashes weren’t much, but after the Grand Princess’s riot, was treated the same as Du Zhongshu.
"Your Majesty!" The Grand Princess exclaimed, biting her teeth, resigned, "Are you willing to let your cousin be born without a father? I’ve married for years without sons, surely this time it’s a boy. Are you willing for him to be born and not see his father?"
Her words, full of tears, moved Tang Yin a little.
Thinking this over, Tang Yin said, "Aunt, Du Zhongshu indeed broke the law, I sentence him to one year of hard labor at the North Pass but promise his safety, okay?"
His meaning was he wouldn’t harm Du Zhongshu secretly. Bai Ruozhu sneered inside, the Emperor softened after all.
The Grand Princess cried, "One year? Doesn’t that mean he can’t be by my side when I give birth? Your Majesty, you are too heartless!"
Tang Yin squinted, anger accumulating in his eyes, "Or does Aunt want to be demoted to commoner, so you can accompany him to the North Pass?"
"You actually..." The Grand Princess turned pale with anger but couldn’t finish her sentence.
Mao Xingcai hurried his pace, grateful for having taken his leave earlier, pretending he heard nothing, considering his old age.
"Your Majesty only blames me for setting fire to a residence, but the matter is unclear, it’s Bai Ruozhu’s setup. How can you not believe your own aunt?" The Grand Princess was very emotional, Bai Ruozhu slightly frowned, thinking the Grand Princess didn’t actually know the truth, otherwise her acting was too great.
"Everything requires evidence. You setting fire was witnessed by many. Testimonies and physical evidence are abundant, whereas you say I set you up, but do you have evidence?" Bai Ruozhu asked.
"That porcelain bottle is the evidence!" The Grand Princess exclaimed.
Just then, the eunuch’s voice came from outside, the Grand Princess’s face turned even paler...
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