My Liege And I

Abandoned

Chapter 53

Grand Dowager Empress Wu
The Palace

“What is she doing?”

“Answering to Her Highness. She has been kneeling at the Dragon Palace since the previous night. She is asking for mercy on behalf of Her Highness Wei.”

The Grand Dowager observed Grand Consort Shu in disapproval. “Has the emperor left for the morning court?”

“Yes, Your Highness. It is believed he shall announce his decree on Her Highness Wei’s fate about now.”

The Grand Dowager led her entourage to where Grand Consort Shu knelt.

“Greetings to Her Highness!” Grand Consort Shu’s entourage greeted the Grand Dowager. Only the entourage of the lower ranked person was supposed to pass greetings.

“Greetings, Your Highness.” The Grand Consort Shu stayed on her knees and bowed a little.

“What is taking place here?”

Grand Consort Shu shrugged.

The Grand Dowager felt irritation knife her. It was unbelievable how the lowly woman was still indecent. Surely, a pig was always a pig, even if you took it into the palace.

“You are asking for mercy on behalf of a past palace maid, who so happened to be from a traitorous nation. Grand Consort Shu, have you no fear? Have you not thought about what would happen if people got wind of it? Obviously, you would be acquitted with her.”

Grand Consort Shu frowned, clearly taken back. “I am the mother of the emperor. Why would I be charged for treason?”

The Grand Dowager smirked. “Firstly, you used to call her Li’er. The meaning is ‘disloyal’.”

Grand Consort was quick to shake her head.  “Disloyalty? That was not the character I was using. Li Lian has been nothing but loyal.”

“Do not take me for a fool. You knew she was not loyal. That was why you nicknamed her that. Secondly, you privately asked the servants who treated Her Highness Wei in Yi Yuan to observe her. Clearly, you believed there was something amiss about her.”

“Yes… I mean no. I did not…” Grand Consort Shu stumbled on her words.

“If you suspected something about her, why did you not share that with your beloved son?”

“I tell everything to Yu’er.”

“Yes, but you did not tell him this because you and your palace maid were conspiring against Nevoria.”

“Never!” she shrieked.

“Where is the evidence?”

“How dare you! It is despicable.”

The Grand Dowager grinned in enjoyment. “Now, Grand Consort Shu, I have evidence and witnesses, but where are yours?”

“You wretched old woman!” she lashed.

“Good. Hao. Even those words will be held against you. How dare you speak to me like that? You think you are untouchable just because you are the mother of the emperor?”

The Grand Consort shu began to cry. “You are a wicked old woman!”

The Grand Dowager Empress laughed. What a scene it was for her.

“Your sins can be counted on more than one hand, so how dare you dress in white? You are well aware that Noble Consort Qi committed a serious crime against the emperor, as the woman of the Inner Court, yet you still mourn her?”