After Transmigration, I Snag a Stunning Bigwig as My Husband-Chapter 664 Misunderstanding

The Empress’s mind went blank, and she suddenly stood up, shouting, "This is impossible!"

The Empress vehemently denied it.

Nanny Zhou also didn’t want to believe it was true.

Without knowing, she’d been pampered by the Emperor as much as if she’d been Yun Consort’s child.

If he knew the Princess Consort Zhenbei was his and Yun Consort’s daughter, wouldn’t the Emperor elevate her to the heavens?

But it wasn’t something they could change just by not wanting to believe it.

The Empress didn’t know about Yun Consort’s daughter’s birthmark, but she did.

And the same allergy to Lizhi...

Nanny Zhou looked at the Empress and said, "I also don’t want to believe it, so I added Lizhi to the pastries. After the Princess Consort Zhenbei ate them, a rash appeared on her face."

The Empress swayed and fell back onto the phoenix couch.

Lizhi...

Yun Consort was allergic to Lizhi — eating it caused a rash.

Back then, she used this trick against her, and after Yun Consort ate it, she nearly miscarried.

Nanny Zhou was afraid the Emperor would see the rash on Su Jin’s face, recall Yun Consort, and become suspicious, thus she desperately tried to prevent the Empress from letting the matter escalate, alarming the Emperor.

She had served the Empress for a long time and knew she wished to eliminate the Princess Consort Zhenbei.

She was truly forced.

Although the Princess Consort Zhenbei had entered the palace numerous times, she never went to the Phoenix Palace, leaving no opportunity to act.

Following the Emperor to pray for rain was her only chance to test, a chance she couldn’t miss.

She hadn’t expected to find results from her test while also saving the Princess Consort Zhenbei from the hardship of the rain prayer.

The Empress, sitting on the phoenix couch, shook her head, "Wrong, you must have gotten it wrong!"

"It’s your old eyes mistaking the birthmark!"

"Marquis Dongxiang and Yun Consort are cousins, it’s perfectly normal for his daughter to be allergic to Lizhi!"

Nanny Zhou, kneeling, moved beside the Empress, shaking her in an attempt to snap her out of it, "Your Highness, this isn’t something where we can deceive ourselves."

...

Hanyuan Hall.

The Emperor, after bathing, changed into a brocade robe and stood outside the hall, watching the torrential rain.

Princess Shouning ascended the steps, shook the water off her skirt under the eaves, and then stepped forward to pay respects.

The Emperor nodded and asked, "How is your mother?"

"Mother is seriously injured and worries about Father, asking me to come and see you," Princess Shouning said obediently.

"I’m fine, go accompany your mother," the Emperor said.

...

The distance between Hanyuan Hall and Phoenix Palace was considerable.

At this late hour, she had already traveled back and forth twice, and having finally arrived, only to pay respects briefly, her father was sending her away.

Princess Shouning was in a foul mood.

But she didn’t dare disturb the Emperor’s enjoyment of the rain, so she stomped her foot and left.

Afraid the Emperor might catch a cold, Eunuch Fu went back to the bedroom to fetch a cloak, and the little eunuch approached, "Eunuch, there’s something I’m not sure whether I should tell you."

"Speak directly if you have something to say," Eunuch Fu said.

"Today, during the rain prayer, I saw a palace maid from the Empress’s side acting suspiciously, so I followed her and found her burying a plate of pastries."

"After the palace maid left, I dug up the pastries."

Saying this, the little eunuch drew out a small brocade box from his bosom.

Inside the brocade box, wrapped in oil paper, were a few pieces of pastry, mostly broken.

"Are the pastries poisoned?" Eunuch Fu asked.

"Not sure if they’re poisoned. I tested them with a silver needle, and it didn’t turn black. I also fed them to a cat, and the cat was fine."

"If they’re fine, why report to me?" Eunuch Fu glared at the little eunuch.

"But today, the Princess Consort Zhenbei got a rash on her face and returned to the court before the rain prayer could start," the little eunuch replied.

"I’ve checked, and the Princess Consort Zhenbei ate hawthorn cake."

If the pastries were fine, why did the palace maid sneakily bury them?

These pastries are from the Imperial Banquet, not something easily accessible.

To simply bury them is a waste, isn’t it?

Now, not only the little eunuch, but Eunuch Fu also found it suspicious.

When things deviate from the norm, there’s usually a hidden reason.

"Investigate thoroughly," Eunuch Fu instructed.

Eunuch Fu took the cloak he prepared to leave, seeing the little eunuch still standing, "What are you still dawdling for? Hurry up."

"...I’m afraid to investigate," the little eunuch shrunk his neck and said.

He wanted to earn merit.

But this matter involved the Empress.

He feared he wouldn’t even uncover the truth before dying inexplicably.

Eunuch Fu was exasperated.

Yet, he didn’t blame him.

In this deep palace, caution leads to longevity.

"Later, call the Imperial Kitchen Steward to me," Eunuch Fu instructed.

The little eunuch readily complied.

After serving the Emperor his meal, Eunuch Fu went back to his quarters to dine.

The Imperial Kitchen Steward waited there.

Seeing Eunuch Fu, the Imperial Kitchen Steward quickly said, "So late, I’m unsure why Eunuch Fu has summoned me?"

"The Imperial Kitchen is truly bold, daring to tamper with the Princess Consort Zhenbei’s pastries, courting death?!" Eunuch Fu harshly reprimanded without preamble.

The little eunuch, standing behind, was greatly impressed.

The Imperial Kitchen Steward was shocked, continuously pleading innocence, "Even borrowing a few tiger gallbladders from the Imperial Kitchen, we dare not provoke the Princess Consort Zhenbei."

After speaking, he sensed something was amiss, "The Imperial Kitchen never made anything specifically for the Princess Consort Zhenbei to eat."

Eunuch Fu glanced at the little eunuch.

The little eunuch hastily handed over the brocade box.

The Imperial Kitchen Steward opened the oil paper and saw the cakes mixed with a bit of mud.

"The Princess Consort Zhenbei ate this pastry and developed a rash on her face. Today, the rain-praying was successful, making the Emperor joyous, so I did not report it. Were it exposed, how many heads do you think you have to chop?!" Eunuch Fu’s voice was chillingly cold.

The little eunuch standing by felt he learned several new tricks.

The Imperial Kitchen Steward’s hands trembled.

Because the pastries were indeed made by the Imperial Kitchen, and the molds were designed by him personally, no fakery could have occurred.

He looked at Eunuch Fu, "Eunuch Fu, please calm down, I’ll go back and investigate who made these pastries."

The Imperial Kitchen Steward wiped his sweating forehead as he exited the room, hurriedly heading back to the Imperial Kitchen.

Just as Eunuch Fu finished his meal, the Imperial Kitchen Steward returned.

Accompanying him was an Imperial Chef.

Upon entering, the Imperial Kitchen Steward said, "Eunuch Fu misunderstood, these pastries aren’t poisoned."

Eunuch Fu frowned deeply.

"If not poisoned, why did they cause a rash?" he asked.

The Imperial Chef brought by the Imperial Kitchen Steward said, "Those pastries were specially ordered by a palace attendant from the Empress’s side, telling me to add Lizhi juice into the hawthorn cake, as the Empress loves it. I’ve made it several times lately."

"If Eunuch Fu doesn’t believe it, I’ll eat it to show you."

The pastries with some mud mixed in were chewed a few times and swallowed by the Imperial Chef.

The little eunuch frowned.

No problem, then why did the Empress’s palace maid throw away the pastries, and so secretively at that?

The Imperial Kitchen Steward said, "This is just a misunderstanding. The Princess Consort Zhenbei is the daughter of Marquis Dongxiang, and thus a maternal cousin to Yun Consort. It’s possible she takes after Yun Consort in being allergic to Lizhi, no?"