Chapter Seven, Unforeseen Changes

Ah? With a loud "bang," Ye Susu could hardly believe her ears and trembled as she asked, "Was it the Empress who caused their deaths?"

Wang Qingjun raised her head to meet Tang Tianzhi's gaze, hurriedly turning away, and looked outside the hall, not seeing Chen Wen'an's figure. Just as she was puzzled, she soon realized that Chen Wen'an was naturally at the Chen residence for a reunion tonight, so how could he possibly come here

The sound of hooves clattering was urgent and loud, and Wang Qingjun felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her throat

"Walk towards the direction of the charity temple, and leave the capital at dawn." Wang Qingjun said to Ye Susu with a pale face: "Susu, the noble Consort Shu has passed away. You cannot go to the Sun residence, as doing so would only bring trouble to others."

"You secretly place this in the cups of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince without anyone noticing, and I will admire you for it." Tang Tianyou took out a packet of powder from his pocket, opened the packaging, sniffed it discreetly in front of his nose, and subtly induced Tang Tianning.

Did he ever consider helping me leave the palace? Wang Qingjun was overjoyed, her lips parted in surprise, and unexpectedly, Chen Wen'an was drawing near. In an instant, she found herself touching Chen Wen'an's lips, her heart racing; seizing the moment, she kissed him briefly before quickly stepping back two paces, whispering, "Actually, I have thought about it."

Two boys were playing and talking under the high platform, while Wang Qingjun sat beside Sun Shufei, feeling somewhat restless. She always sensed that the atmosphere was extremely strange, as if something was about to happen

Chen Wen'an said: "Tomorrow evening, a banquet will be held at the Sanqing Hall, and the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and others will all be in attendance. It is expected that the position of Crown Prince will soon be settled, but..." He paused for a moment and instructed Wang Qingjun: "During the banquet, be attentive to everything. If the Emperor wishes for you to serve him in bed and you truly do not wish to, you may feign illness. With the Empress and the Noble Consort present, they would not be pleased to see you serving in that capacity."

Chen Wen'an shook his head and said: "The Empress controls the palace, and as a mere noble, if you wish to leave the palace, it is undoubtedly a path to death"

The people of the Sima Bureau momentarily thought that it was instructed by Consort Sun for Ye Susu to handle the matter, and naturally did not dare to be negligent. In just a short while, they had prepared the carriage and were about to arrange for a coachman, when they heard Ye Susu say: "No need for a coachman." Saying this, she took her place at the driver's seat.

Really? Wang Qingjun was about to ask again, but saw Chen Wen'an placing a finger on his lips in a gesture for silence, and hurriedly stopped speaking

The incident occurred suddenly, catching Tang Ruolong somewhat off guard. When he wanted to stop the consul, he found himself too weak to speak. In a moment, he took out a piece of ebony from his pocket and handed it to Wang Qingjun, pointing outside the hall.

The eunuchs carried Tang Ruolong up to the moon-viewing platform, and soon brought over a blackwood couch, assisting Tang Ruolong to sit on the blackwood couch before they withdrew.

The guard commanded Mother Mo to drink, and she involuntarily stepped aside. The other guards, seeing her step aside, also refrained from asking further questions

As the carriage exited the palace gates, Ye Susu's hands trembled uncontrollably. She turned to Grape and asked, "Grape, do you know how to drive a carriage?"

Wang Qingjun's eyes lit up; Chen Wen'an had previously jumped through the window to see her, which had captivated the emperor and secured the imperial edict. However, this time his tone had changed. Was he truly concerned about her?

Taking advantage of the moment when Tang Tianzhi and Tang Tianyuan had left their seats, Tang Tianning quickly shook out the powdered medicine he held in his palm. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he swiftly sprinkled the powder into the cups of Tang Tianzhi and Tang Tianyuan. With a little left over, he poured it into Tang Tianyou's teacup, muttering to himself: "You want to make the eldest and second princes lose face in front of Father, right? Then let you lose face once too!"

The ten-year-old Tang Tianyou and the nine-year-old Tang Tianning, being quite young, found it difficult to sit still. They quickly exchanged glances, quietly slipped down from their seats, and ran to play beneath the moon-viewing platform

Madam Mo was acutely aware that a grave situation had arisen. Upon hearing that Concubine Sun Shufei and Tang Tianyuan, along with Tang Tianning, had died, she was so shocked that she could not utter a word. She understood that a significant upheaval was imminent, and if she did not leave quickly, her life would be in jeopardy

Tang Tianzhi took his seat, glanced at the wine cup in front of him, and suddenly said to Consort Sun, "Your Highness, you have mistakenly taken my cup of wine"

Fei Gonggong was already urging at the door, saying: "The time is almost up"

Having been taken advantage of! Chen Wen'an, wanting to take action, hesitated due to the presence of Eunuch Fei at the door. For a moment, he merely touched his lips and chuckled lightly, saying: "There are indeed ways to leave the palace."

Wang Qingjun saw that the princess was about sixteen years old, dressed in splendid garments, with beautiful features, arched eyebrows, and a delicate nose, truly a beauty. However, her haughty expression indicated that she was not an easy person to get along with, which made him secretly smile wryly

Madam Mo, in a moment of urgency, whispered sharply: "Dog servant, our master has received a secret edict from the Emperor and is leaving the palace on official business. Why do you need to ask so many questions? If something goes wrong, can you bear the consequences?"

Wang Qingjun could no longer afford to hesitate, so she grasped the牌子, leaped down from the moon-viewing platform in a single bound, and rushed towards the palace gate, shouting: "The Emperor has issued an edict, the guards outside the palace gate are to enter and await orders."

Sun Shufei did not wait for Wang Qingjun to respond and said, "Although there are many women in the harem, when it comes to the Emperor's favor, who can surpass the Princess? Only the Princess can visit the Emperor at this moment, and the Emperor will be pleased. If others go to see him, it is likely to disrupt the festive atmosphere and displease the Emperor"

"So, if one is not pregnant, one must be buried alive, and if one is pregnant, one cannot live either?" Wang Qingjun gritted her teeth, suddenly raised her head, and said firmly: "We must escape the palace, I want to live well, and I absolutely cannot die like this for no reason."

Tang Tianzhi and Tang Tianyuan had not seen Tang Ruolong for a long time, and could not help but step forward a few paces, kneeling on the ground and saying: "Father Emperor ... ... "

Tang Tianning is not a fool either, he snorted and said: "You want me to harm the First Prince and the Second Prince? I am not crazy, why would I do that?"

Wang Qingjun held in her hand a total of five ebony tokens, which the guards at the gate naturally recognized. However, seeing that their group consisted of four people—three delicate beauties and one matron over forty years old—all appearing flustered, they could not help but feel puzzled and inevitably had to ask a few questions.

When the day slid to August 14, Wang Qingjun finally received a letter from the Wang clan members. The letter advised her to serve the Emperor well and not to think too much. After reading the letter, Wang Qingjun realized that she had lost her last shred of support. After remaining silent for half a day, she asked Mama Mo, "Mama, if the Emperor dies, should I be buried with him"

Hmm? Tang Tianning was somewhat puzzled

Tang Tianning would have been better off not saying this; once he did, Tang Tianzhi cast a more suspicious glance at Sun Shufei. However, Sun Shufei was certain in her heart that she had not tampered with anything. Wang Qingjun had been by her side the entire time, leaving no opportunity for any foul play. Empress Chen and Princess Qianjin were seated far away with Tang Tianyou, making it impossible for them to meddle with their wine cups. What could possibly be wrong with this cup of wine? She said, "No need to change it!"

Empress Chen glanced at Tang Tianyou, who hurriedly stepped forward, squeezing between Tang Tianzhi and Tang Tianyuan, and also called out, "Father Emperor"

Wang Qingjun was stunned. Upon seeing the consul shout, the guards rushed up to the moon-viewing platform to capture Tang Tianzhi. It was only then that she regained her senses and quickly ran to the emperor's side. At this moment, any rash movement would surely lead to her death; only by crouching beside the emperor could she ensure her safety.

Tang Ruolong took the elixir tonight, and for a short time, he still felt energetic. He simply waved his hand to signal Tang Tianzhi and the others to rise, and instructed the guards to step back a bit further before saying: "On this Mid-Autumn Festival, it is a time for family reunion, there is no need for excessive formalities"

The grape nodded slightly, lifted the curtain, and exchanged places with Ye Susu. Ye Susu climbed into the carriage and asked Wang Qingjun, "Noble Lady Wang, what exactly is going on?"

Upon seeing Wang Qingjun, the precious princess inexplicably felt displeased. Moreover, as she waited anxiously for the emperor's appearance, she glanced at Wang Qingjun and said, "Wang Guiren, are you not the new favorite of Father? Why don't you go check if Father has come out?"

It is unclear how long they have been traveling, when suddenly a voice from outside the carriage called out, "Noble Consort Wang, you cannot escape!"

"If you dare to do one thing, I will admire you. You won't need to call me 'Third Brother of the Three Sovereigns' anymore; I will just call you 'Elder Brother of the Sovereign.'" Tang Tianyou provocatively looked at Tang Tianning and leaned over, saying: "Do you dare?"

Everyone expressed their gratitude, and only then did they each take their seats

At the same moment, Empress Chen was filled with both shock and anger. She embraced Tang Tianyou and turned back, shouting with all her might: "Come quickly, someone! Hurry and summon the imperial physician! Quickly!"

Empress Chen was dismissed, and upon witnessing the close relationship between Consort Sun and Lady Wang, the princess, who was worth a thousand gold pieces, could not help but let out a cold snort

Seeing Mo Mama in silence, Wang Qingjun chuckled and said, "Is there no exception?"

The lantern hanging outside the palace gate was extremely bright, illuminating the plaque in Wang Qingjun's hand clearly; it was the ebony plaque specially bestowed by Emperor Tang Ruolong.

Wang Qingjun, upon hearing the message from the eunuch, could not help but feel extremely anxious. When the time comes to meet, will Tang Ruolong still require her to serve him in bed? Should she feign illness now and have Li Songbai prepare another pill for her?

Wang Qingjun said: "This matter requires a detailed plan, and we also need assistance. In short, we must leave before the Emperor passes away"

The carriage soon arrived at the palace gate. Wang Qingjun lifted the curtain of the carriage, poked her head out, raised a blackwood plaque, and proclaimed loudly: "Authorized to leave the palace!"

The four quickly arrived at the Sima Bureau. Ye Susu, relying on her frequent visits to the side of Consort Sun, was recognized by the people at the Sima Bureau. Upon entering, she instructed, "Prepare a horse-drawn carriage, sturdy and durable, without any insignia. Hurry, it is urgent!"

Madam Mo and the grape could not enter the palace, but waited outside the Sanqing Hall. At this moment, they gazed at the full moon hanging in the sky, inevitably recalling their family, which stirred feelings of melancholy.

When Sun Shufei led Tang Tianning into the palace, Wang Qingjun, being of lower rank, had no choice but to step forward and pay her respects

The crowd stood up from their seats, took a step forward, and greeted Tang Ruolong with a bow.

Chen Wen'an looked around and, suddenly stepping forward, pulled Wang Qingjun close, whispering in her ear: "Have you missed me?"

"Wang Guiren, we meet again," Chen Wen'an said with a smile as he looked at Wang Qingjun, noticing that she had lost some weight. He couldn't help but shake his head and said, "With good food and accommodation, how have you become so thin?"

In the days that followed, Tang Ruolong no longer summoned Wang Qingjun to his bedchamber. While Wang Qingjun secretly breathed a sigh of relief, she couldn't help but wonder if the Emperor's illness had worsened.

After Tang Tianning took the medicine powder and hid it away, Tang Tianyou pulled him up to the moon-viewing platform, and everyone returned to their seats

Hmph, saying that you want to amuse Father Emperor, but in fact, you just want to embarrass Eldest Brother and Second Brother in front of him! Tang Tianning was just about to walk away when he suddenly heard Tang Tianyou say: "I heard that you have secretly hidden a few spring palace paintings in your study? Tsk, at such a young age, to be so lewd and depraved, this is unacceptable!"

Empress Chen waved her hand and said: "No need for formalities!"

After being pulled along by the grape for a while, Ye Susu finally came to her senses and said with a trembling voice: "Yes, we must leave the palace and report to the Sun residence. We cannot let Consort Shu and the Fourth Prince die in vain"

Someone has poisoned the Second and Fourth Princes, and the Eldest Prince has fled. Those present in the Sanqing Hall tonight will surely be implicated and cannot survive. You are favored by the Noble Consort, but staying in the palace is also a dead end. Wang Qingjun, still in shock, lifted the curtain and exclaimed, "Wow," before vomiting, yet did not allow the grapes to slow down, whispering, "Hurry, hurry, we cannot slow down!"

Sun Shufei, around thirty years of age, may not possess the striking beauty of Empress Chen, yet her demeanor is gentle, exuding a unique charm. Upon meeting Wang Qingjun, she warmly inquired a few questions and took Wang Qingjun's hand to ascend to the seat together

Tang Tianyou said leisurely: "Just imagine, everyone enjoying the moon and drinking wine, with Father Emperor giving them some guidance, and suddenly, the Eldest Brother and Second Brother frowning in disgust, what a scene that would be, tsk tsk!"

The favored eunuch of the emperor, Eunuch Fei? Upon hearing this, Wang Qingjun suddenly recalled the scene in the Imperial Garden where Eunuch Fei was colluding with Chen Wen'an, and in a moment exclaimed: "Let him in!"

Wang Qingjun saw the eunuch usher in Empress Chen, Princess Qianjin Tang Tianqing, and Prince Tang Tianyou, and hurriedly went forward to pay her respects

Madam Mo held her hand without speaking. The Emperor summoned the Seven Skills Girl to the palace during the Qiqiao Festival, originally intending to bring good fortune. If the Seven Skills Girl had not been in the palace for four months, the Emperor would face misfortune. According to the palace rules, the Seven Skills Girl would then have to accompany the Emperor in death.

Ye Susu, who was waiting outside the palace gate, was somewhat perplexed and hurriedly approached Wang Qingjun to ask, "What has happened inside the palace?"

Tang Tianzhi set down the body of Tang Tianyuan, kicked away several eunuchs, jumped down from the moon-viewing platform, and rushed towards the palace exit, followed by a group of people who chased after him

Madam Mo came to her senses and reassured the grape, "I believe nothing will happen, at least while the Emperor is still around, the master is safe"

Empress Chen and Consort Sun noticed that Tang Ruolong had not summoned Wang Qingjun, and thus they no longer held Wang Qingjun in high regard. The Jade Steps Hall became much quieter, and the presence of Eunuch Cao and Ye Susu was no longer seen.

The family of Grape has passed away, and now the closest person is Wang Qingjun. Xiao Xiao said: "Mother, will the master be alright?"

Wang Qingjun witnessed the commotion between Tang Tianzhi and Sun Shufei, took a sip of wine, but ultimately dared not swallow it, instead spitting it onto her handkerchief. When she looked up, she saw Sun Shufei's expression suddenly change, and she screamed: "Tian Ning ... ... "

"Where are you going?" asked the grape.

Sun Shufei let out a shrill cry, and Tang Tianzhi also roared: "Tian Yuan ... ... "

At that moment, an inner servant emerged from the sleeping quarters and approached the moon-viewing platform, loudly announcing: "The Emperor has arrived!" Not far away, four inner servants carried a palanquin, in which a person dressed in a dragon robe was reclining at an angle; it was none other than Tang Ruolong.

Tang Tianyou sighed and said to the high platform: "Elder Brother Emperor and Second Brother Emperor do not like me, I do not dare to approach them"

Wang Qingjun's heart skipped a beat as she waved her hand towards Putao and the others, saying: "Everyone, get down!"

"You, how do you know?" Tang Tianning was flustered this time

Wang Qingjun was puzzled when she saw the eunuch who had followed Master Fei enter, straighten his back, and raise his head; it was none other than Chen Wen'an.

"I haven't had much of an appetite lately," Wang Qingjun turned her head to look around and asked in a low voice, "What brings you here, Sir?"

Eunuch Fei requests an audience with Noble Consort Wang

Sun Shufei was taken aback, and without saying a word, she exchanged the glass of wine in her hand with that of Tang Tianzhi.

Chen Wen'an glanced at Wang Qingjun once more, then bent down again, lowered his head, and followed Eunuch Fei out of the palace

As they were speaking, an inner servant came to deliver a message, instructing Wang Qingjun to make preparations for a banquet at Sanqing Hall tomorrow evening. It turned out that Tang Ruolong, feeling his health improving and in high spirits, decided to have a family reunion during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and had sent word for Empress Chen and Consort Sun Shufei to bring their children to Sanqing Hall for the gathering. At that moment, he also granted special favor, allowing Wang Qingjun to attend the banquet as well

His Royal Highness the Eldest Prince and His Royal Highness the Second Prince have arrived! At the same time, Tang Tianzhi and Tang Tianyuan have also come.

"I really didn't expect it," Chen Wen'an leaned closer to Wang Qingjun's lips and chuckled softly, "You are truly heartless. After all this, you actually don't think about it? You don't even think about me, yet you still hope that I will help you leave the palace, hmm?"

If the Third Prince ascends to the throne, I will guarantee your life. Chen Wen'an smiled and said, Do you know what to do now?

"Grapes, take Susu with you and leave the palace as soon as possible." Wang Qingjun said while instructing Mama Mo, "Mama, you are familiar with the roads in the palace, so you will lead the way."

Wang Qingjun paused for a moment and said softly: "Once the Emperor passes away, even if the imperial physician diagnoses that I am pregnant, I will not need to be buried with him. However, will Her Majesty the Empress allow me to give birth to the child? Will she allow me to live?"

Tang Tianning saw that Sun Shufei had swapped wine cups with Tang Tianzhi, and he felt a surge of anxiety. It was not easy for his mother to meet the Emperor, and if she suddenly spat out wine due to sourness, it would be too embarrassing. He said, "Mother, why not change to another cup of wine before drinking?"

Wang Qingjun gasped for breath, released Mo Momo, turned to pull Ye Susu, and whispered: "Your Highness the Second Prince, both Consort Shu and the Fourth Prince have died, please run away with us!"

In that brief moment, Sun Shufei suddenly released Tang Tianning and charged towards Tang Tianzhi. Tang Tianzhi, holding Tang Tianyuan, swiftly dodged and forcefully stepped forward. Sun Shufei was unable to evade and collided headfirst with the corner of the table, falling to the ground motionless.

Old Madam Mo casually remarked: "The Empress has her own son, how could she allow another's child to vie for the throne?"

Before Sun Shufei could retort, Empress Chen lightly cleared her throat, prompting everyone to fall silent and cease their quarrel

On the evening of the second day, as Wang Qingjun was keeping track of the time, she hurriedly led Putao and Granny Mo to the Sanqing Hall. Upon seeing them, the palace attendants merely stated that it was a family banquet, and that aside from the masters of each hall, no palace maids were allowed to enter. Wang Qingjun, with no other choice, had to leave Putao and Granny Mo waiting outside the hall while she entered alone.

What is it? Speak!" Tang Tianning furrowed his brows

Tang Tianning, seeing this, could only say: "Mother, let me exchange with you! On the Mid-Autumn Festival, please allow me to taste what this wine is like!" As a child, it doesn't matter if I lose a little face.

Tang Ruolong waved his hand, signaling everyone to rise

Soon, the grape led the person over, and upon seeing that Wang Qingjun was safe and sound, they finally breathed a sigh of relief

Eunuch Fei led a bent-over courtier into the Jade Steps Hall and said with a smile, "The Emperor has a secret decree; I kindly ask the noble one to dismiss the others."

Empress Sun Shufei, however, was no match for Tang Tianning, and could only exchange with him. Upon witnessing this, Tang Tianzhi said no more.

Watching the group of people, including the grapes, leave, Master Fei said nothing more, took a few steps back, and stood guard at the door.

But how can we leave the palace? The defenses are so strict; it is not easy to get out.

Wang Qingjun could not help but sigh, it turns out that she still had to help the Third Prince obtain the imperial edict herself

Tang Tianning was infuriated and huffed, "You are the coward!"

As she watched Chen Wen'an walk away, Wang Qingjun buried her head in her knees and remained still for a long time

Tang Tianning exclaimed, "Then why don't you secretly pour it into the cups of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince yourself?"

Wang Qingjun shouted and rushed to the front of the grape, pulling her up with one hand and pulling up Granny Mo with the other, saying: "Hurry up!"

At this moment, Tang Tianning had already agreed to Tang Tianyou's request. Seeing that Tang Tianning had consented, Tang Tianyou carefully unfolded the paper package in his hand. Just as he finished unfolding it, it fell to the ground. He bent down to pick it up, half of his body blocking Tang Tianning's line of sight. With his left hand covering the powder, he quickly took out another package of powder from his pocket with his right hand and handed it to Tang Tianning, saying: "Here, hold it well"

Wang Qingjun was not polite and took the lead in getting onto the carriage, after which she helped both Grape and Granny Mo up as well

The princess, worth a thousand gold pieces, let out a scream and rushed over to check on Tang Tianyou, then shouted loudly, "Come quickly, someone!"

Returning to the Jade Steps Hall, Wang Qingjun pondered for a moment and finally understood that Noble Consort Chang and Noble Consort Li had invited her to stroll through the Imperial Garden, likely on the orders of Consort Sun, to create an opportunity for her to meet Tang Tianzhi. However, she did not expect that Chen Wen'an would act as a hidden threat, effectively sabotaging her agreement with Tang Tianzhi

Amidst the clamor, Consort Gong forcefully pushed Eunuch Zeng, who was beside Tang Ruolong, off the high platform and shouted loudly: "It is terrible, His Highness the Crown Prince has poisoned His Highness the Second Prince, the Third Prince, and the Fourth Prince. Hurry, someone come!"

Old Madam Mo avoided Wang Qingjun's gaze and said in a low voice: "Unless the master is pregnant. If there are signs of pregnancy, and if the dragon vein is conceived, then naturally..." The emperor is old, suffering from a serious illness, and the master has only shared a bed once; how could she possibly be pregnant?

The consul was entirely focused on Tang Tianzhi, neglecting Wang Qingjun, and simply pointed at Tang Tianzhi, shouting: "His Highness has poisoned his brother!"

"Could you assist me in leaving the palace, my lord?" Wang Qingjun pondered for a moment before finally speaking.

Wang Qingjun remained frozen, her voice barely above a whisper as she said, "Of course not"

The princess, who was worth a thousand gold pieces, scrutinized Wang Qingjun and coldly remarked: "You are the new concubine Wang who has just entered the palace? You seem rather ordinary, yet you are able to attend the banquet at the Sanqing Hall."

Long before, an inner servant had welcomed her, arranging for her to sit at the side of the desk, and then went to greet Empress Chen and others

Two little boys were playing when a dispute arose. Tang Tianyou mocked Tang Tianning for being timid, saying that he only knew how to be afraid of his two older brothers, Tang Tianzhi and Tang Tianyuan, calling him a coward.

Upon seeing this, all the guards responded with a loud "bang" and, except for the four guarding the palace gate, the rest all entered the hall

"The noble consort is so supportive of Lady Wang that those who are unaware might think you are colluding together," remarked the princess with a sarcastic tone.

"Is the Master not willing to help me?" Wang Qingjun felt somewhat disappointed, and just as she was about to say something further, she stopped herself.

Tang Tianyou picked up a pinch of powder with his fingernail and placed it on his tongue, immediately contorting his face in a sour expression. He then cast a dismissive glance at Tang Tianning and said, "This is sour powder, not poison." As he spoke, his voice lowered, and he half-bowed his head, saying, "I merely wanted to amuse Father Emperor."