Her Power and Favor Span the World

Chapter 44

"Turn around!" he said softly.

Yuan Qingling leaned her chin on the bed and smiled with tears, "Welcome back from the brink of death."

"Weren't you hoping for this king to die?" Yuwen Hao looked at her bright and colorful face, the bruises on her forehead, and her swollen eyes that looked like peaches. Her tears washed away some of the dirt on her face, revealing some fair skin underneath.

He really had not expected that just a few days ago, they were still at odds with each other.

"Yes, I did hope that you would die," Yuan Qingling wiped away her tears, revealing some childishness, "But not dying right in front of me. I'm a doctor. Having a patient die before me is dereliction of my duty."

Yuwen Hao looked at her and smiled slowly.

Gu Si watched from the side, sighing in relief with a smile. After smiling, he looked at Yuan Qingling complicatedly.

This consort was not as annoying as he thought after all.

Yuwen Hao took a deep breath, feeling the effect of the Purple Gold Elixir in his body as his dantian qi slowly rose.

He looked at Gu Si and asked, "What poison did the Retired Emperor take?"

Gu Si stepped forward and said, "I'm not very clear either. I only know that last night, the Retired Emperor suddenly coughed up blood and lost consciousness. The imperial physician diagnosed it as poisoning."

Yuwen Hao looked at Yuan Qingling, "Could the medicine you gave the Retired Emperor have caused him to cough up blood and faint?"

Yuan Qingling said, "Absolutely not."

"Then we'll wait for Father Emperor's investigation. There will surely be a result," Yuwen Hao said.

"I ask that His Majesty allow me to go see the Retired Emperor," Yuan Qingling said.

Gu Si shook his head. "Consort, remain calm. His Majesty will surely make arrangements. I'm sure that Prince Rui will also help intercede."

Outside, Jing Hou, who was waiting, had already cursed his daughter Yuan Qingling a hundred times in his heart. He had schemed with all his might to marry her into the royal family, but unexpectedly, instead of helping her, she had caused trouble for him first.

He reckoned Yuan Qingling must have done something wrong to anger His Majesty so greatly, otherwise he would not have summoned him to the palace so early in the morning and made him wait a full hour.

Finally, the eunuch Mu Ru came out and said, "Jing Hou, His Majesty summons you."

Jing Hou's legs went soft, and he nearly knelt down.

Trembling, he went in, knelt down, and pressed his forehead and face to the ground. "This minister Yuan Balong pays respects to His Majesty!"

"No need for excessive courtesy in the Yuan family!" Emperor Ming Yuan said.

Hearing the emperor's very amiable tone, Jing Hou's hanging heart fell by half. He slowly stood up and waited to the side for the emperor's orders.

Emperor Ming Yuan smiled and said, "I summoned you to the palace for no other reason than to ask how things are at home?"

Yuan Balong's heart hung again. With the Retired Emperor seriously ill and court affairs busy, how could His Majesty be so free and idle as to summon him to the palace to ask about things at home?

There must be another intention.

It must be that rebellious daughter causing some trouble again.

He trembled and said, "Replying to His Majesty, all is well at this minister's home."

"That's good, you may leave."

Jing Hou was stunned and speechless.

After leaving the imperial study, he asked around and spent a tael of silver to find out that Yuan Qingling had been summoned to the palace early this morning and there was still no news.

He was furious. It must be her causing trouble!

Returning home, he yelled at his wife for a while. "Look at the good daughter you raised. With the full might of this household helping her become the principal consort, what has she given back to this family? If His Majesty was in a good mood today and didn't interrogate me, I'd probably be stripped of my position by now!"

Yuan Furen was without her own opinion. Hearing her husband scold their daughter, she also secretly resented her. "From now on, just let her fend for herself. We shouldn't care about her anymore."

"Care about her? From now on, if she comes home asking for silver, absolutely do not give her any," he said, recalling the silver he had previously given her to curry favor at the Ministry of War. That silver was like throwing meat buns at dogs - gone without any return. Just thinking about it made his heart hurt a little.

Yuan Furen repeatedly said, "I understand."

Jing Hou drank a cup of tea but was lost in thought to himself. With Yuan Qingling unable to gain King Chu's favor, even with the position of consort, she was useless. It seemed he had to find her a good next match.

He had been serving as an assistant minister in the Ministry of War for many years, watching as the Minister position changed hands three times, yet he still didn't get a chance to take that position. He couldn't wait any longer.

The Chu family had been putting out word that with the high chance of Prince Qi being named Crown Prince, many people in court had already started currying favor with them. If he approached the Chu family and greased some palms with silver, perhaps it could happen.

"How much usable silver do we have now?" Thinking of this, he asked his wife.

"Around twenty thousand taels," Yuan Furen said.

"Take three thousand taels for me later. I'm going to go make some contacts at the Chu house."

Yuan Furen was stunned for a moment. "The Chu house? I fear that would be inappropriate. After all, Chu Mingcui, the Chu family's eldest daughter, was originally going to marry King Chu before being thwarted by Qingling. The Chu family hates us enough as it is. How could they entertain us?"

Yuan Furen had not forgotten the scornful, disdainful look from Madame Chu.

"What does a woman from a fold know? Just take it when I tell you to," Jing Hou angrily said.

Yuan Furen didn't dare to speak again and personally went to the accounting room to retrieve the silver for Jing Hou.

The current head of the Chu house was the chief councilor of the court and the emperor's father-in-law.

The Minister of War over the years were mostly his people.

Jing Hou saw clearly that in order to become Minister of War, he first had to be on good terms with the Chu house.

Clutching three thousand taels worth of silver notes, he brought gifts and rode straight to the gates of the Chu estate.

The Chu house was very lively today. Carriages were parked all outside. After inquiring, he found out that today was the day Prince Qi's consort was returning to her maternal home.

He was overjoyed. It was perfect that the consort was here. He could first apologize to her. He had heard that this eldest daughter was generous and magnanimous. If he apologized, she probably wouldn't hold a grudge against the Jing Hou household anymore.

He submitted a greeting card, but unaware to him, after the gatekeeper notified them, he came out and relayed that there was a family banquet today and no outside guests would be received. Jing Hou left feeling angry and humiliated.

In the study of the Chu house, Premier Chu sat in the Grand Tutor's chair while Chu Mingcui prepared the tobacco pipe for him, sending away all the attending servants so that only the grandfather and granddaughter were left in the study to talk.

"Grandfather, why do you think Jing Hou is desperately coming to our door today?" Chu Mingcui sat down and asked.

"What else could it be for?" Premier Chu blew out a puff of smoke and glanced at Chu Mingcui. "He must be here because of King Chu's consort."

"Yuan Qingling?" Chu Mingcui laughed. "I'm afraid begging anyone would be useless. With suspicion of poisoning the Retired Emperor, His Majesty will surely not let her off even without evidence."

Premier Chu looked at her displeased. "You just won't listen. Right now you have no need to offend anyone. King Chu's consort is not worth fearing, nor is King Chu himself. Why avoid provoking them? If you make a mistake, just directly harm Prince Qi. The costs outweigh the benefits."

But Chu Mingcui was nonchalant. "Grandfather, don't worry. My aunt told His Majesty about this. I heard that Yuan Qingling also admitted to secretly treating the Retired Emperor. She can't escape this crime."

Premier Chu slammed his pipe pot on the table and coughed. He was even more displeased. "Your biggest mistake is letting your aunt get involved in this matter. Have you thought that if Yuan Qingling is exonerated and has nothing to do with the Retired Emperor's poisoning, she would become a hero for saving the Retired Emperor? And His Majesty would become suspicious of your aunt because of this."

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