Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Emperor Qingde was seriously ill, and the reason behind his condition was quite embarrassing. Therefore, it was said to the public that the emperor fell ill due to his overwork.

The emperor fell into a coma at the hands of Noble Concubine Chen, and the Empress Shen took advantage of the situation.

On the first day of the emperor’s unconsciousness, Empress Shen ordered the servants to move the emperor back to Qianyuan Palace. Then she restricted people from visiting the emperor except the Crown Prince, five cabinet ministers, and herself, claiming that the emperor needed peace. No other concubines or officials were allowed to enter the palace.

With the emperor incapacitated, Empress Shen quickly rose to the top of the palace hierarchy, and everyone complied with her commands without question.

After this incident, the entire capital fell into a different state. Ministers had their own agendas, while the citizens quietly anticipated the unfolding drama.

Meanwhile, at the Pingxi Marquis’ Mansion, Shen Qingqing felt a bit lost. The tensions between Noble Concubine Chun, Li Zhi, Empress Shen, and the Crown Prince were well-known to her before marriage. Although Noble Concubine Chun had always been favoured by Emperor Qingde and was the sister of Li Zhi, Shen Qingqing didn’t feel overly threatened. However, with Empress Shen now controlling the emperor’s side and Noble Concubine Chun unable to see him, Shen Qingqing began to feel increasingly uneasy.

If Emperor Qingde couldn’t pull through and the Crown Prince took the throne, Li Zhi would definitely be in trouble. The more Shen Qingqing thought about it, the more she felt scared. She knew that if something happened to Li Zhi, it would affect not only her and their newborn daughter but also her parents.

“Qingqing, has Zhongchang ever shared anything about what’s happening in the palace?” Old Lady Zhu asked with a troubled heart.

The old lady wanted to have a serious discussion about the situation with his grandson, but he wasn’t interested in talking. For three nights in a row, Old Lady Zhu waited for him, but he always claimed to be too tired to chat. With no other option, she turned to her grandson’s wife for information.

Shen Qingqing gave a wry smile and replied softly, “I asked once, but the Marquis told me to focus on the children and not to worry about politics, so I didn’t press further.”

That was the truth. Li Zhi didn’t show any annoyance; instead, he reassured her gently, saying he would handle everything.

However, Old Lady Zhu couldn’t wait like that. “You two are married, and he’s closest to you right now. If you sweet-talk him and ask nicely tonight, he’ll definitely share what he knows. This is a serious issue for our whole household, so don’t act like it doesn’t concern you.”

Shen Qingqing: “…”

Shen Qingqing found herself confused. ‘Logically, this old lady is older and has more life experience than me, so why isn’t she as calm as me at such a crucial time?’

Late at night, while everyone else was asleep, Shen Qingqing nestled into Li Zhi’s arms and shared her thoughts.

“Grandmother was pampered before marriage and lived a comfortable life afterwards. Aside from losing her eldest son in middle age, she hasn’t faced many challenges. Once I gained power, she also enjoyed a rise in status. The higher she climbed, the more she feared falling into trouble,” Li Zhi explained.

‘That made sense.’  After pondering for a while, she lifted her head looked at her husband’s handsome face and asked curiously, “Grandma is scared, and what about you?”

Li Zhi smiled, gently brushing his fingers over her delicate eyebrows. “I’m even more worried. But the only thing that can happen to me is losing my official position. If that happens, I can always return to Yangzhou and pick up my business again. What’s there to fear?” 

Shen Qingqing studied his face for a while but couldn’t detect any other feelings. So she also let go of her worries for now.

Empress Shen was well-known for her virtue. Therefore, after Zhao Ji ascended the throne, they would treat Noble Concubine Chen in a good way. But if they kill Li Zhi, it would be a black mark for the new emperor, so it was justifiable to remove Li Zhi from his position. To the public, Empress Shen was seen as a virtuous queen, and she would never resort to such extreme measures that could tarnish her image as narrow-minded.

As Li Zhi pointed out, Shen Qingqing fell into silence. ‘It is quite miserable to be transformed from the wife of a first-rank marquis into an ordinary merchant’s wife, but compared with any other thing, this was the best result.’

“Are you scared?” looking at his silent wife, Li Zhi asked.

Shen Qingqing shook her head, brushing her soft hair against her husband’s chest. “As long as our little family is safe, I’m not afraid of anything.” 

Even if Li Zhi lost his position, she still had her grandfather, a cabinet minister. Therefore, others wouldn’t dare to look down on her or their daughter.

Though she was usually pampered, she remained sensible in such a critical situation. This made Li Zhi proud of his wife.

He gently kissed her hair before falling asleep.

*****

Five days later, Emperor Qingde awoke and found only Empress Shen, the Crown Prince, and five cabinet ministers by his side. Without waiting for the imperial doctors to check his pulse, he weakly commanded someone to summon Noble Concubine Chun.

Hearing that, Crown Prince Zhao Ji frowned discreetly, lowering his head to hide his thoughts.

“Your Majesty, you’re unconscious for days, and I’m just as worried as everyone else. Please let the imperial physician check your pulse and treat you first. That way, I can feel more at ease,” Empress Shen spoke earnestly.

Emperor Qingde didn’t even glance her way; instead, he shot a sharp look at his chief eunuch, Eunuch Shi. “Noble Concubine Chun”.

Eunuch Shi quickly stepped back.

Emperor Qingde then summoned the imperial doctors.

Hu Yong, the head of the Imperial Hospital, personally checked Emperor Qingde’s pulse and solemnly stated, “Your Majesty has drained your vitality. Your Majesty needs to rest in bed and avoid any exertion.”

Empress Shen, filled with concern, asked, “When will the emperor recover?”

Hu Yong instinctively lowered his gaze before responding, “Illness can strike suddenly and leave just as quickly. I will do my utmost to care for the emperor’s health, but I can’t guarantee when his majesty will get better.”

Hearing this, Empress Shen turned her gaze to Emperor Qingde.

He had closed his eyes, seemingly unaware of his surroundings.

The five ministers nearby exchanged glances, as each lost in their thoughts. For the past five days, Emperor Qingde had been surviving on ginseng soup. His complexion became yellow, and his skin became as wrinkled as tree bark. Judging by Hu Yong’s words, it seemed unlikely that Emperor Qingde had much time left.

Before long, Noble Concubine Chun arrived.

Emperor Qingde finally opened his eyes again, turning his head to see Noble Concubine Chun approaching in simple attire. She looked pale and wore no makeup.

When their eyes met, Noble Concubine Chun burst into tears.

Emperor Qingde suddenly shut his eyes and wearily said, “Everyone, please leave.  Everyone, please leave.”

The room fell into silence. Empress Shen exchanged a surprised glance with Noble Concubine Chun and couldn’t help but ask, “Your Majesty, do you want my sister to stay?”

Emperor Qingde simply shook his head.

Trying to hide her happiness, Empress Shen turned to Noble Concubine Chun and said, “In that case, sister, you should head back for now. Come back when the emperor feels a bit better.”

Noble Concubine Chun nodded, bowed, and exited the room.

Once everyone had left, only Eunuch Shi remained. He watched Empress Shen leave the palace, and when he turned back, he noticed tears at the corners of Emperor Qingde’s tightly shut eyes.

Eunuch Shi was taken aback and knelt beside the bed. “Don’t worry, Your Majesty. You will definitely recover…” his voice trembled as he said.

Emperor Qingde managed a bitter smile.

He sensed that his time was short, and Hu Yong’s words only deepened his fears.

Regret washed over him as he thought that he couldn’t give his beloved concubine a son. If she had a son, he would be willing to pass the crown prince title to that child. Now that it was the best choice among his three princes to take the throne…

When he was healthy, Emperor Qingde only thought of himself, but now, facing death, he had to think about the future of the Great Zhou.

“Get me a pen and ink. I need to write an order.” 

Eunuch Shi quickly fetched the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, along with Emperor Qingde’s jade seal.

Emperor Qingde forced himself to sit up with Eunuch Shi’s help. As Emperor Qingde trembled while writing, Eunuch Shi tried to resist the urge to peek but eventually stole a glance. What he saw was: …The Noble Concubine Chun has to be buried alive with the emperor…

Eunuch Shi was so taken aback that his hands shook.

Emperor Qingde noticed his reaction but was too heartbroken to offer an explanation. It wasn’t that he was heartless; he believed that keeping Noble Concubine Chun alive would only lead to Queen Shen seeking revenge on her and her two daughters once he was gone. Rather than allowing them to endure such suffering in the palace, he thought it better to take her with him. However, to ensure his two daughters’ safety, he also needed to maintain Li Zhi’s power. But this also worried Emperor Qingde, as he feared the crown prince might not be able to overcome Li Zhi…

For the sake of his country and its people, Emperor Qingde felt he had no choice.

Three days later, he looked into the memorials from the censors who had accused Li Zhi over the years. As a result, the emperor issued an edict stripping Li Zhi of his title and position, demoting his entire family to commoners.

In the courtroom, Li Zhi stayed composed, unaffected by either praise or criticism. He calmly accepted the emperor’s commands.

After that, Emperor Qingde left the court, leaving the Crown Prince to handle state matters.

Meanwhile, Emperor Qingde issued another decree, appointing the Crown Prince’s father-in-law, Duke Huguo Zhou Xian, as the head of the imperial guards.

End of chapter 51

Have a nice day!