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Chapter 61: The Plot, Ruined
Huan Caier was silently standing at the side calmly. She had been like that from the moment Huan Heng walked into Pure Flowers Palace. Yao Mowan knew that dependence like that was born from trust. They were both fathers – Yao Mowan looked at the one on this side – but she didn’t dare to imagine what would happen if she wholeheartedly depended on Yao Zhenting. If she had, she probably would have already died thousands of times.
“Audacious! Is ben gong‘s resting place someplace you can casually search? Does General Huan no longer feel need to respect His Majesty and ben gong just because you grasp strong military power!?” Yao Suluan intentionally raised her voice to remind Ye Hongyi.
“General Huan, zhen hopes that you’ll think more clearly. Zhen has yet to decide on a new Empress so Imperial Noble Consort currently holds the most honor in the Inner Palace. This Pure Flowers Palace isn’t something you can do with as you wish!” Ye Hongyi seemed to realize that he had been silent too long and looked toward Huan Heng coldly.
“Your Majesty, this subject is willing to use this subject’s military seal as collateral. If this subject does not find saffron in Imperial Noble Consort’s resting place, then this subject will return the military seal to Your Majesty and leave politics with this subject’s wife and children.” Huan Heng’s words were exactly what Ye Hongyi wanted so he didn’t even think before he agreed to the request.
Yao Suluan also felt much more at ease once she heard this. She knew her palace best; there has never been any saffron in here.
“Imperial Noble Consort, excuse this humble subject for this offense!” When Huan Heng obtained Ye Hongyi’s nod, he started searching all around. Although he had gotten the information, he didn’t immediately head towards the bed and properly put on a convincing act.
In reality, Huan Heng was extremely uneasy as well. This news had come from Yao Mowan, that imbecile, so it was hard to tell if it was true or not. However, things have already gotten to this point so he no longer had any roads of retreat. In addition, he knew that this incident was actually targeting him. His Majesty had started suspecting him of harboring disloyalty!
After about half an incense stick’s worth of time, Huan Heng slowly walked to the bed. He bowed with his hands cupped and said, “This subject apologizes for the offense!”
Following that, he climbed under the bed. When Yao Suluan saw that Huan Heng seemed confident as if he had a card up his sleeve, she couldn’t help but look towards Ye Hongyi who was sitting next to the bed. However, she found that his gaze was completely fixed on Yao Mowan and filled with gentleness.
Right at this moment, a creaking sound suddenly came from the bed. When Huan Heng came out from under the bed, he was grasping a bunch of blood-colored saffron.
“How does Imperial Noble Consort plan to explain this!?” Huan Heng looked towards Yao Suluan with his stern eyes.
“How… how is that possible? Those do not belong to ben gong! Ben gong‘s palace does not contain saffron! You’re framing ben gong! Your Majesty!” When Yao Suluan saw the saffron in Huan Heng’s hands, her eyes widened with terror.
“Where did General Huan find this saffron?” Ye Hongyi’s expression turned slightly frosty as he asked in a cold voice. He slowly directed his eyes towards Yao Suluan. Her carelessness had messed up his carefully-made plan. She really deserved to die!
Yao Mowan coldly enjoyed this drama from within Ye Hongyi’s arms. She could sense the heartbeat of the man beside her speeding up. She couldn’t help but think with a sigh, pair of imbeciles! There were plenty of methods to deal with Huan Heng, yet they just had to choose the stupidest one. The Inner Palace was a place where incidents and misunderstandings easily occured. Even if she hadn’t gotten involved, Huan Heng would have naturally found a scapegoat to use!
“Replying Your Majesty, this humble subject found it in the hidden drawer beneath Imperial Noble Consort’s bed!” Huan Heng’s expression was grim. Ye Hongyi looked to the side towards Imperial Physician Zheng. Imperial Physician Zheng naturally understood and took the saffron.
“No… Your Majesty! This consort doesn’t have any hidden drawers beneath the bed!” At this time, Yao Suluan already couldn’t be bothered to care about dignity and drove under the bed. What was tragic was, she indeed did see a hidden drawer about the size of a palm beneath her bed, and it still contained some saffron powder inside.
“Niang niang! You must be careful of your health! Please get up!” Cai Ying didn’t expect that the situation would suddenly turn on them and for a moment didn’t know what to do. She could only bend down and pull Yao Suluan out.
Yao Mowan saw that Cai Ying’s face was pale as paper when she got back up, and knew that Yao Suluan had found someone to shoulder the blame for her. The fact that Yao Suluan had been able to react in such a short time showed that Yao Suluan also wasn’t dumb. It was good. She really didn’t want Yao Suluan fall this quickly, she hadn’t play enough yet!
“Well?” Ye Hongyi was breathing hard and his thin lips were tightly pursed as he coldly spat out this word.
“Your Majesty, this consort is wrongly accused! Huan Heng had probably prepared this saffron in advance to frame ben gong!” Yao Suluan shouted angrily. She couldn’t bring herself to abandon Cai Ying, this chess piece, without trying until the last moment. This personal servant had already served her for seven years after all, Yao Suluan couldn’t help but feel a bit reluctant to part.
“I believe the imperial physician would be able to tell whether it was prepared by Huan Heng!” Huan Heng inwardly sighed in relief as he turned to look towards Imperial Physician Zheng.
“Reporting, Your Majesty. The saffron inside the palace’s Imperial Medical Institute are carefully ground by the imperial doctors and definitely cannot be found outside of the palace. This humble subject has inspected it. This saffron had come from the Imperial Medical Institute,” reported Imperial Physician Zheng factually.
Imperial Physician Zheng’s voice had just faded when there was the sound of a hard slap. A shockingly clear handprint appeared on Cai Ying’s face and blood seeped out from the corner of her mouth.
“You lowly servant! Ben gong treated you quite well, why did you frame ben gong?” Yao Suluan hardened her heart and pushed Cai Ying to the ground.
“Niang niang, please have mercy. This servant… knows her wrong!” Cai Ying cried like a fountain and her thin body quivered uncontrollably. Yao Mowan inwardly sucked in a breath, feeling a bit of pity for Cai Ying.
However, there was a sentence that put it well. The people who were pitiful also had parts to be hated for. Based on the position Cai Ying held in Yao Suluan’s heart, she definitely had a part in those past utterly heartless schemes.
“Since this matter has nothing to do with this consort, this consort shall withdraw.” Huan Caier who hadn’t made a sound for a while lifted her eyebrows as she glanced at Yao Suluan, before turning around to curtsy towards Ye Hongyi.
“Zhen has wronged Consort Chen. Zhen will definitely give Consort Chen a satisfactory explanation for this matter.” Ye Hongyi’s voice was low and didn’t have a trace of warmth. His entire body emitted a dense killing aura. Yao Mowan had a sense of deja vu when she felt this murderous intent. Once Huan Caier left, Huan Heng also bowed and withdrew from Pure Flowers Palace.
“Your Majesty… Wan er‘s scared…” Yao Mowan shrank into Ye Hongyi’s arms as she looked fearfully in Yao Suluan’s direction.
“Zhen will walk you back to the palace.” Ye Hongyi didn’t even bother to glance at Yao Suluan before he got up and left with Yao Mowan. Yao Zhenting who was standing at the side shook his head, then withdrew silently. The entire Pure Flowers Palace immediately turned chillingly quiet.
Within Guan Osprey Palace, Yao Mowan languidly stroke Fluffy. Her lively eyes were as pure as a clear spring. She would blink from time to time, which added more charm to those eyes.
The incident in which the dragon fetus had been poisoned to death had been resolved. Before Ye Hongyi even gave a punishment, Cai Ying drank a jar of poison wine. Like this, at least she could avoid the fate of being beaten to death. For the sake of appeasing Huan Heng, Ye Hongyi demoted Yao Suluan and she fell from the rank of Imperial Noble Consort to simply being Consort. That rank was lower than her own by two levels. Originally, Ye Hongyi had the intention of making Huan Caier Imperial Noble Consort, but Huan Caier had respectfully declined. Yao Mowan knew that it was due to Huan Heng’s instructions. From the looks of it, this matter had caused some disloyalty to arise in Huan Heng’s heart!
“Yin Xue.” Yao Mowan exhaled, then softly called for Ying Xue.
“Master, please give your instructions.” Yao Mowan had felt the urge to ask Yin Xue where she hid many times, and she had also paid careful attention each time, but could never figure it out.
“Tell Ben Lei to find a person to get close to Huan Heng with the identity of a secret envoy from the nation of Shu. Also have him send someone to secretly monitor the general’s residence and stop the true envoy of Shu from infiltrating. Chu Mobei, that person… Haa!” In their past exchanges, she hadn’t been able to get any cheap benefits. However, the good thing was that she also didn’t end up suffering any losses.
“This subordinate will get to it right now!” Having obtained instructions, Yin Xue immediately left. Her movements were light as a snowflake; it was to the point that Fluffy, who was in Yao Mowan’s arms, didn’t react at all.
“You’re seriously becoming more and more lazy!” Yao Mowan gently stroked Fluffy and affectionately tugged on her ear.
“Meow!” Fluffy cooperatively cried out before falling back asleep.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira
[Chiyomira’s Corner]
8.19.18 I’m recruiting translators for this series with plans to make it my next main project around Winter Break. However, to do that while not failing my college classes, I need at least 2 translator helpers. Please check out this [[recruitment page link]] for more details and let me know if you’re interested!
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The perfect plan to corner consort Huan Caier backfired right at the true culprits.
Thank you so much for your translation!
Thank you for the chapter~
i just fell in love with fluffy….
meow