After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 655: Calm Down

Inside the Imperial Study.

The Emperor was reading a book.

The little eunuch approached and reported, "Your Majesty, the Empress has arrived."

"Let her in."

The little eunuch withdrew.

Soon, the Empress entered.

The Emperor casually flipped a page, glanced at the Empress, "The palace banquet is over?"

"It ended unpleasantly," the Empress replied.

The Emperor frowned.

The Empress sighed, "In order to please you, Consort Li used the pretext of the palace banquet to have Marchioness Wu’an lead the donations, forcing the wives of the officials to follow suit."

"Previously in court, Marquis Dongxiang had already led the officials to donate once. With the Imperial Concubine doing this, the wives of the officials have some grievances."

"I have lost the Phoenix Seal, so my words hold no sway. But Consort Li’s action is undoubtedly forcing these officials to resort to corruption."

The court’s salaries barely cover the officials’ living expenses, certainly not providing them with luxury.

And whenever there is a natural disaster, they are asked to donate again and again.

If they don’t donate, they fear displeasing the Emperor and harming their careers.

To have enough money to keep the Emperor happy, they are forced to accept bribes and engage in corruption.

Consort Li, in her eagerness to please the Emperor, ignores the lives of the officials, which is very inappropriate.

Moreover, the jewelry those officials’ wives wear is worth little, chilling their hearts is truly inappropriate.

The Empress suggested returning the donated jewelry.

The news of the Empress visiting the Imperial Study reached Consort Li’s ears, and fearing that the Empress would make things difficult for her, she rushed there.

The eunuch stopped Consort Li wanting to report to the Imperial Study, but was pushed aside by Consort Li.

Consort Li stepped in just in time to hear what the Empress was saying, and she almost choked with anger.

Taking several deep breaths, she finally suppressed the anger welling up in her chest, and looked at the Empress, "Sister, you surely know how to win hearts!"

The Empress hadn’t expected Consort Li to come and said, "Why would you say I am winning hearts?"

"Isn’t it so?" Consort Li said coldly.

She stepped forward to greet the Emperor and then said, "Your Majesty, my sister-in-law, Marchioness Wu’an, suggested donations, and before I even knew what was happening, the Empress had already taken off her Jade Bracelet and said it was for the poor people."

"At the banquet, she praised the donations, yet when she comes to you, Your Majesty, she claims it inappropriate, chilling the hearts of the officials. How can such duplicity define the mother of the empire?"

The Emperor looked towards the Empress.

Consort Li dared to accuse the Empress of duplicity right to her face, which showed she was speaking truthfully and boldly.

The Empress was momentarily panicked, then said, "The Imperial Concubine wanted those noble wives to donate, and if I didn’t help, outsiders would say the Empresses are not in harmony."

"I couldn’t blatantly disgrace the Imperial Concubine, but having Your Majesty return those donations would show that you care for your officials, which is not contradictory."

A fine example of non-contradiction!

Consort Li felt like biting the Empress to death.

This made her the villain, offending those noblewomen, then she convinced the Emperor to return the jewelry, making her seem thorough and considerate!

She merely wanted to show the Emperor that if she were the Empress, in control of the Phoenix Seal, she wouldn’t make such mistakes!

However, Consort Li was not easy to provoke. To have contended with the Empress for so long and still hold her position as the Imperial Concubine speaks volumes.

Before long, a little maid came in from outside, whispering a few words into Consort Li’s ear.

Consort Li coldly said, "Have her flogged to death immediately!"

Due to her anger, Consort Li spoke a bit loudly.

Not only the Empress, but the Emperor also heard it.

The Emperor inquired, "What happened?"

This was just what Consort Li wanted— the Emperor’s attention. She looked at him and said, "Your Majesty, I am in charge of the Phoenix Seal, handling the palace affairs in the Empress’s stead for so long without any errors."

"I did consider seeking donations from the noble wives, but I hadn’t arranged anything before Marquis Dongxiang led donations in court, so I dismissed the idea."

"Today’s banquet for those noble wives had been set earlier, with no intention of donations. A lowly maid from my palace passed a message to my sister-in-law to lead the donations..."

Consort Li, looking aggrieved, recounted how she was manipulated and then said, "After I returned to the palace, I had that lowly maid captured. She confessed it was the Empress who instructed her. Thinking about how the Empress wholeheartedly supported me, otherwise, could Marchioness Wucheng make so many noble wives donate alone?"

"In my rage, I had the maid hung up. She pleaded that it was indeed the Empress who instructed her, swearing to God if she lied, she would not die a good death."

Not reporting this to the Empress felt uncomfortable to Consort Li.

But directly accusing her might cause the Empress to retaliate.

Thus, Consort Li chose to superficially align with the Empress while indirectly accusing her.

The Empress couldn’t say much since no matter how the palace maid swore, Consort Li hadn’t believed.

The Empress gritted her teeth and said, "Thanks to the Imperial Concubine Sister for trusting me."

Consort Li, with a half-smile, said, "Whenever Sister sees something I’ve done improperly, please tell me directly. Now that the donations are collected, opposing the return appears to be Sister caring for the overall situation, yet others, unaware of Sister’s intentions, might see Sister as a backstabbing villain."

The Empress’s face faintly turned green.

The Emperor sat there watching Consort Li and the Empress exchanging words, with a clear mind.

Yet knowing was useless, Consort Li had been set up by the Empress, and she dared not openly accuse since she lacked evidence.

Without evidence, the Emperor couldn’t help her.

The Emperor looked at the Empress and said, "Though I have let Consort Li handle the Phoenix Seal and palace affairs in your stead, you are still the Empress. When Consort Li does something wrong, you should point it out directly instead of indulging her mistakes. Since the jewelry has already been donated, it won’t be returned. You may both leave now."

The Empress and Consort Li both curtseyed and withdrew.

Outside the Imperial Study, Consort Li, unwilling to say another word to the Empress, walked away supported by a palace maid.

But Consort Li didn’t leave it at that.

Nothing in the palace could be hidden; rumors spread like wildfire.

"Calm down, Your Highness, don’t upset yourself," the palace maid advised.

"How can I not be angry?!" Consort Li gritted her teeth.

"She used dirty tricks to set me and Marquis Wucheng Mansion against so many noble wives, then persuaded the Emperor to return the jewelry to win those noblewomen’s favor!"

"Good thing the Emperor didn’t listen to her, or I would be furious to death!"

Consort Li cursed as she walked.

Soon, these words spread.

To get timely palace news, those officials had bought off palace staff as informants.

So these words spread outside the palace.

Those noblewomen and ladies who had just returned from the palace, distressed over the lost jewelry, became extremely indignant.

Struggling in the feud between Consort Li and the Empress, they became the sacrificial lambs.

They were puzzled, wondering how Consort Li could be so foolish as to offend them just to curry favor with the Emperor.

Even if the Emperor loved her, without the officials’ support, he wouldn’t appoint the Third Prince as the Crown Prince. Unexpectedly, it was the Empress scheming behind the scenes.