Is the Empress Sick

"Your Majesty, tricking Princess Ling Consort into the palace? What exactly are you planning...?" The Empress looked suspicious, her face full of shock.

Emperor Jin Xuan whispered privately in the Empress's ear. The Empress's expression shifted rapidly before she finally replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. I will not fail you."

After giving his instructions, Emperor Jin Xuan left with Prince Ling to take care of his own affairs.

The Empress took Emperor Jin Xuan's orders very seriously. Soon, word spread from the Empress's Quarters that she had suddenly fallen ill.

"What? The Empress is sick?" At this critical moment, the Emperor, Empress, and Prince Ling had all forgotten about Princess Ling Consort.

At that moment, Princess Ling Consort was strolling in the garden behind the Empress's Suite, waiting for the Emperor and Empress to finish their conversation so the Empress could summon her again.

But after waiting and waiting, all Princess Ling Consort got was a message from the eunuch at the Emperor's side, asking Prince Ling to attend the imperial audience.

Prince Ling hurried off, but no one came to make arrangements for Princess Ling Consort.

So Princess Ling Consort waited and waited in the garden, only to see the attendants from the Empress's Suite suddenly bustling about in a hurry.

Princess Ling Consort found it odd. Everything had been perfectly fine just moments ago, so why had things changed so suddenly? Everyone looked worried and tense.

Princess Ling Consort was baffled. She stopped a young palace maid and asked, "What happened? Why is everyone in such a panic?"

The little maid bowed respectfully to Princess Ling Consort and replied, "Your Highness, the Empress suddenly fell ill just now. She collapsed all of a sudden."

The Empress has fallen ill?

Princess Ling Consort found the whole situation extremely suspicious. She’d just seen the Empress moments ago—her complexion rosy, her health perfectly fine. How could she suddenly be sick in the blink of an eye?

But Princess Ling Consort had grown up in the palace. Though she wasn’t the most favored, she’d witnessed plenty of palace intrigue and knew this had to be more than it seemed.

Still, with the Empress ill, and herself as Princess Ling Consort in the palace, it was only proper to go and attend to the Empress.

So Princess Ling Consort headed for the Empress’s Suite. As soon as she entered, she saw the Empress standing in the room, issuing secret instructions to her trusted lady-in-waiting and a few guards.

Sensing something was off, Princess Ling Consort quickly stepped back, retreating to the doorway.

After a short while, those maids and guards left the Empress’s room. Only then did Princess Ling Consort re-enter, now seeing the Empress lying in bed, a cloth bandage wrapped around her head, dressed up like a patient.

But judging by her face and energy, the Empress wasn’t sick at all. Hadn’t she just been lively and issuing orders to the palace staff moments ago?

Still, since the official word was that the Empress was ill, Princess Ling Consort played along, pretending to know nothing. She gently offered, “Since the Empress is unwell, please allow me to stay and take care of you.”

The Empress glanced at Princess Ling Consort—this princess, sent for a political marriage, was little more than a decorative figure. At this critical moment, it was best not to let her complicate things. So the Empress waved her hand and said, “No need, Princess Ling Consort. Return to your manor. I wish to rest.”

Princess Ling Consort was tactful. Seeing that the Empress wanted her gone, she didn’t insist on staying. She bid farewell and went to look for Prince Ling in the palace.

But after asking around, Princess Ling Consort learned Prince Ling wasn’t in the palace—he’d already left.

Princess Ling Consort pressed her lips together, thinking to herself how strangely the palace had changed today. She had a feeling something big was about to happen.

Since Prince Ling wasn’t in the palace, Princess Ling Consort left and returned to Ling Manor.

That evening, Prince Ling still hadn’t come home. While Princess Ling Consort was strolling in the garden, she suddenly saw Prince Ling secretly dispatching his three thousand Red Tassel Army, handing command of them over to the head of the Imperial Guards.