Chapter 125: Chapter 125

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the wound on the maid must have been there for three days. The reason why it’s suddenly bleeding so much, according to my speculation, is because she dragged something, which must have aggravated the wound in her palm, causing it to bleed profusely."

"I have applied medicine and bandaged it; naturally, it will stop bleeding."

"As for the lost blood, I prescribe her a tonic, and it will be replenished without much trouble."

The Chief of the Imperial Hospital, seeing the many people involved in this case and the Emperor’s considerable attention, dared not fabricate anything, and truthfully explained Hong Niang’s current situation.

Emperor Yongning, after hearing the physician’s words, turned his cold gaze towards Hong Niang.

That one glance made Hong Niang tremble with fear; she never thought that for such a minor injury, His Majesty would actually heed Jun Ning’s request to summon the Imperial Physician.

And this Imperial Physician was so skilled that he immediately saw that her wound had been there for three days.

She had miscalculated.

Taking a deep breath, she quickly explained, "Your Majesty, I lost so much blood because the surrounding servants pulled me, causing me to struggle violently. My injury worsened because of them."

"We did not touch her," the surrounding maids immediately defended themselves.

"Ha!" Emperor Yongning let out a cold laugh, "Hong Niang, I remember you didn’t say that just a moment ago."

Just now, Hong Niang had insisted that the wound in her palm was caused by Qiong Hua and Jun Ning, not because she was trying to evade the maids’ dragging, aggravating an old injury.

"Is that so?" Hong Niang forced a smile, explaining, "Perhaps in the heat of the moment, I misspoke. This injury in my palm was not caused by the sisters, but by someone they sent."

Hong Niang’s words were inconsistent and full of loopholes.

She appeared to be explaining but was really just making excuses for her previous slip to muddle through the situation.

Alas, this Hong Niang, relying too much on her little cleverness, underestimated others’ intelligence.

Did she truly believe that someone who has stood at the pinnacle of power for years, witnessing worldly changes and human nature, could not see through her ploys?

Emperor Yongning simply chose not to expose her.

No, more precisely, Emperor Yongning couldn’t be bothered to expose her. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⚑𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥

To Emperor Yongning, Hong Niang’s explanation was merely a cover-up, and a cover-up meant the event truly happened.

She wanted to shift the blame for her inexplicable wound onto Qiong Hua and Jun Ning, hoping he’d punish the mother and daughter duo.

"Hong Niang, how dare you plot against the noble concubine and the princess?" Emperor Yongning spoke the cruelest words in a calm tone, "...Someone, drag Hong Niang down, beat her to death!"

A mere civilian woman who committed such a grave mistake stood no chance of survival, even if she was the princess’s birth mother.

Emperor Yongning spared no mercy for Hong Niang.

Only when she was being dragged out by the Imperial Guard did Hong Niang truly understand what it meant to live with the tiger by the tail.

She was wrong, she never should have harbored hopeful cunning, using her old injuries as a pretext to frame Hua Pin and Jun Ning. She should have steeled herself, inflicting a genuinely fatal new wound on herself.

If she had done so, she surely wouldn’t have been discovered and would have avoided such a dire fate.

Her and the Empress’s plan would certainly have succeeded.

If she had succeeded, the concubine position promised to her by the Empress would have been hers.

Her future was originally bright, with wealth and glory within reach, but now, all was destroyed by her slight miscalculation.

How could Hong Niang not resent her own hopeful cunning? How could she not blame herself for making such a mistake?

Pounding her chest, she cried out in regret, yet it did not stop her from being dragged out and beaten to death by the Imperial Guard.

Hong Niang was thus executed, abruptly and surprisingly. Yet, upon reflection, it seemed almost inevitable.

Hong Niang’s downfall was ultimately due to her impatience and greed, bringing it upon herself.

Hong Niang died, but her only daughter, after all, was Emperor Yongning’s child.

Even a tigress doesn’t eat its cubs; Emperor Yongning would not kill her over this incident.

Emperor Yongning pondered on finding her a new home.

Meanwhile, during the time Emperor Yongning dealt with Hong Niang, the Imperial Physician had already completed Yao Yao’s diagnosis and prescribed medicine.

The Imperial Physician confirmed that the pain in Yao Yao’s body was not due to a fall but rather seemed to stem from some elusive ailment, with the pain being a symptom.

However, the exact nature of the ailment was uncertain and would require further investigation.

The Imperial Physician relayed all this to Emperor Yongning.

After listening, Emperor Yongning sighed and gazed at Yao Yao for a long time.

After all, this was his daughter, whom he had long been searching for. Now that she was found and brought to the palace, despite any discontent, he could only accept it.

Moreover, this child was truly pitiful, being ill, used by her mother, and now with no mother left. As her only relative, he couldn’t simply ignore her.

Emperor Yongning pulled Yao Yao to him, holding her delicate, small hands, saying, "Yao Yao, let’s consider what happened this time as you being young and naive, used by your mother, and not hold it against you for the moment. But if there’s a next time, don’t blame Father Emperor for being unkind."

After a pause, he added, "From now on, you must lead an upright and honest life and get along well with your Sister Ning, understand?"

Whether Yao Yao understood or not, she nodded with tears in her eyes, "Father Emperor, I understand."

Emperor Yongning released Yao Yao and turned to the Imperial Physician, "Please do your best to cure Yao Yao’s illness."

The Imperial Physician replied, "I will certainly do my utmost."

"There is also one more thing..." Emperor Yongning looked toward Qiong Hua, "Hua Pin, would you be willing to raise Yao Yao until she marries?"

Now that Yao Yao had no mother, he had to find another for her.

Since Yi Yi and Yao Yao were about the same age, for the sisters to develop a good relationship in the future, they must play together from a young age to foster those feelings.

Thus, Emperor Yongning found Qiong Hua the most suitable person to be Yao Yao’s mother.

Upon hearing this, Qiong Hua, as if avoiding the plague, immediately refused, "...I am unwilling."

Although Hong Niang brought her doom upon herself, without blame on anyone else, Yao Yao was still her daughter.

Even though Yao Yao was young, with poor memory, unable to distinguish right from wrong, she might temporarily not blame her. But what about when she grows up? Upon learning of these affairs, what will she do?

Qiong Hua did not believe Yao Yao would overlook these matters when she grew older.

Qiong Hua did not wish to nurture an enemy.

Moreover, she had her own children and had no interest in raising someone else’s.

Therefore, her refusal was very straightforward.

"Wouldn’t having her accompany Yi Yi be good? Why are you unwilling?" Emperor Yongning questioned in confusion.