klisemfg Chapter 383 Consort Liang Denies
Chapter 383 Consort Liang Denies
The accident happened unexpectedly.
When Consort Liang was arrested, she looked completely bewildered.
There was no warning whatsoever.
Just yesterday, the Emperor had specially visited her palace for a meal, and in his words he had been comforting her, telling her not to be saddened by Liang Yusong's death.
The Emperor also said that the matter must be thoroughly investigated so that Liang Yusong would not die without knowing the truth.
Why did the world change so drastically in just one night?
Imperial Palace, Zichen Hall.
The bright light illuminated the emperor's face clearly. He sat upright on the dragon throne, his fingers lightly tapping the armrests, each tap feeling like a gentle tap on the heart.
The crown prince stood with his hands at his sides in the hall, his face solemn and serene like a still well.
Consort Liang, dressed in plain clothes and without makeup, knelt side by side with the Second Prince Murong Xiao, her forehead pressed against a gold brick.
"Father, you are wise!"
Murong Xiao kowtowed heavily, his voice hoarse, "Your subject swears to Heaven that I have absolutely no intention of treason!"
Consort Liang raised her tearful eyes, the stray strands of hair at her temples adding to her sorrow: "Your Majesty... I have served you for over twenty years, when have I ever harbored any disloyalty? Xiao'er is someone you watched grow up, he has always been honest and dutiful, how could he possibly plot rebellion..."
The emperor snorted coldly and slammed his teacup down on the table: "No disloyalty? Consort Liang, even now, you still refuse to tell the truth?"
"Do you think I'm senile and would issue an edict rashly without solid evidence?"
"The reason I am still willing to see you and your son here today is to hear how heartless, utterly disrespectful, and utterly unfilial you are."
"Say!"
Consort Liang trembled, but she refused to admit defeat.
She handled many things very well, so where did the evidence come from?
She doesn't believe it.
Perhaps, all of this is a conspiracy by the Crown Prince.
Lacking evidence, the Crown Prince deliberately conspired with the Emperor to thwart the mother and son's plot.
Consort Liang's heart settled, and she burst into tears, crying, "Someone must have framed us! This is clearly someone trying to harm my child and me!"
She crawled a few steps on her knees, her plain white dress leaving messy marks on the gold bricks: "Your Highness..."
She turned to the Crown Prince, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Do you remember? When you were little, you caught a cold, and I stayed by your bedside day and night... Now my son and I have been wronged. I beg you to speak the truth..."
The crown prince frowned slightly, but did not utter a word.
Seeing this, Murong Xiao quickly kowtowed as well: "Your Majesty! Although I am foolish, I have always respected you. You are the Crown Prince, the future ruler of this land. If I follow you, what good days will I not have? I truly have no intention of rebelling!"
The Crown Prince calmly said, "Second Brother, be careful with your words. The ruler of this land is Father."
"I am merely my father's eldest son."
The Emperor glanced at the Crown Prince indifferently, without saying anything more.
Consort Liang suddenly pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve, embroidered with crooked bamboo leaves: "Your Majesty, look, this is something Xiao'er specially learned to embroider when he was six years old, saying he wanted to give it to you..."
"You even scolded him, saying that boys shouldn't learn these things. He has always respected his father the most, how could he..."
The emperor's gaze lingered on the old handkerchief for a moment, and his expression softened slightly.
Seeing this, Consort Liang wept even more bitterly: "I swear on my life that Xiao'er would never do anything so rebellious. If Your Majesty does not believe me..."
She suddenly pulled out a gold hairpin and held it to her throat, saying, "I will now prove my innocence with my death!"
"Mother!" Murong Xiao rushed forward to snatch the golden hairpin, and the mother and son burst into tears.
Consort Liang's hair was disheveled, but she still forced her back to stand straight: "If Your Majesty truly wishes to punish someone, then punish only me. Xiao'er... he is truly innocent!"
Murong Xiao kowtowed deeply, blood seeping from his forehead: "Father! Your son is willing to accept any punishment, only begging you to spare Mother. She has managed the harem all these years; even if she hasn't achieved anything great, she has certainly worked hard!"
The emperor squinted and tapped his fingers lightly on the dragon desk.
Seeing that the Emperor remained silent, Consort Liang suddenly turned to the Crown Prince and kowtowed, pleading, "Your Highness! You know Xiao'er best. He is straightforward; how could he be so scheming? I beg you, for the sake of our past relationship..."
The Crown Prince finally spoke, his voice calm as still water: "Consort Liang, this matter is of great importance; let us await the Emperor's decision."
He slightly turned his head, avoiding the wailing mother and child in the hall, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes.
Seeing the Crown Prince's expression, the Emperor understood and was unwilling to watch this clumsy performance any longer.
“That’s enough.”
The Emperor interrupted coldly, his voice as icy as ice, "I have no patience to listen to your continued sophistry."
Consort Liang's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition surged into her mind.
"Since you refuse to tell the truth, then let others tell it for you."
The Emperor raised his hand and waved, "Bring them up!"
The palace doors burst open, and two imperial guards escorted in a hunched-over man with a weathered face.
The man was ragged and walked with a faltering gait; Consort Liang didn't recognize him at all. But she heard him say, "This sinful subject, Tang Bo, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Tang Bo?!
Consort Liang trembled all over and almost collapsed to the ground.
impossible!
Tang Bo is clearly dead!
How could he still be alive? !
Tang Bo slowly turned his head, his gaze fixed on Consort Liang like a venomous snake, a chilling smile curling at the corner of his lips: "Consort Liang, it's been many years. How is your health...?"
"No...it's impossible..." Consort Liang's voice trembled, her face as pale as paper, as if she had seen a vengeful ghost.
Murong Xiao also suddenly looked up, staring intently at Tang Bo's face.
He recognized Tang Bo; the man before him did indeed bear a striking resemblance!
Murong Xiao's pupils suddenly contracted.
"Father!" he cried out urgently, "This person could not possibly be Tang Bo! Tang Bo has long been executed and his remains have not been found. This person must be an imposter!"
The Emperor sneered, "I also thought he was dead, but alas—the net of Heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it."
He slowly rose to his feet, the gold thread on his dragon robe gleaming coldly in the candlelight. "If he weren't alive, I would still be kept in the dark by you and your son!"
Consort Liang trembled violently, her nails digging deeply into her palms, yet she still stubbornly insisted on her defense: "Your Majesty is wise! This person's origins are unknown; someone must be deliberately framing me!"
"Framed?"
The Emperor, enraged, laughed coldly and slammed his fist on the table. "Tang Bo, tell me everything that happened back then!"
Tang Bo slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse yet each word sharp as a knife: "Back then, the late Empress was always in poor health, and I always found it strange. After much thought, I finally discovered the clue."
"The Empress is not sick, nor is she poisoned; she must be under the influence of a curse."
“My junior brother Gao Peng is quite knowledgeable about Gu. After I consulted him, I was soon accused of plotting to murder the Empress and committed suicide out of fear of punishment.”
Consort Liang shrieked, "Even so, what does that have to do with me, Your Majesty? This matter has absolutely nothing to do with me!"
The Emperor's gaze was like a knife, piercing directly at Consort Liang: "Now that things have come to this, do you still dare to deny it?"
"Gao Peng has already confessed."
"Speak!" he demanded sharply, "Why did you plot to murder the late Empress?!"
The hall was deathly silent. Consort Liang slumped to the ground, her lips trembling, but she could no longer utter a single word.