Chapter 391: Chapter 386: Imperial Concubine
"Lady, Consort Hui seems to have guessed something? Shouldn’t we warn her?" Qing E has become increasingly astute under Xiao Guizi’s instigation, deeply understanding what should be spoken and what shouldn’t, and directly asks Ye Qiu for decisions on any uncertainties.
Ye Qiu’s eyes were shadowed: "No need, Consort Hui is a smart person, she won’t do anything that harms herself and the child in her womb."
"But, Lady, how could you, with such a soft heart, strike against an innocent child?"
Ye Qiu lightly laughed: "Only you all think I’m soft-hearted, others certainly don’t think so."
After returning to the palace, Consort Hui pondered much. The irregularities of the previous dynasty’s harem that had emerged over these months gradually surfaced in her mind. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed amiss.
The Emperor seems to have fallen under the control of the Imperial Concubine!
The moment this thought surfaced, Consort Hui was greatly startled by her own realization.
How could that be? Although the Emperor has only ascended the throne for two years, his prior actions have already shown that he is determined and capable of wielding great power. Consort Hui could not believe that the Emperor would succumb to the influence of the Ye Family; otherwise, he would not have allowed Marshal Ye and the Pingyang Marquis to enter the capital. When the Emperor initially ordered Marshal Ye and the Pingyang Marquis to the capital, it was definitely with the intention to weaken their power.
But now, although Marshal Ye and the Pingyang Marquis are still in the capital, one has inherited the superior Duke rank of the former Duke Zhen, and the other has taken over the Military Camp; however, they have not relinquished their military rights at the border. It is said that the Emperor’s dispatched Martial Arts Champion was severely injured in a skirmish with the Liao People and won’t recover any time soon. Currently, the Ye Family Army is still controlled by the brothers and cousins of the Imperial Concubine.
Consort Hui took a sharp breath. If what Mr. Liu Guang had come for was truly to express gratitude to the Imperial Concubine, then not only does the Ye Family control the largest army of Daxin, but have they also taken control of the Imperial City? Wouldn’t rebelling be a walk in the park for them?
What about her father, who oversees the defense of the capital? When facing threats from both inside and outside, does her father stand a chance?
"Hiss!"
"Lady, what’s wrong?" the palace maid asked worriedly.
"It’s nothing, the child just kicked me." Consort Hui gently caressed her belly. If chaos truly breaks out, what will happen to her and her child?
Consort Hui’s mind was in turmoil, wanting to write to her father to explain the situation so that he could be prepared, yet fearing the Imperial Concubine might discover something and harm her and the child in her womb.
Yet, Ye Qiu is not the least bit afraid of Consort Hui revealing anything, as the Firearms Camp under her uncle’s management has recently developed something new, allegedly extremely powerful and wants her to see it.
"Lady." Ye Xiuming saluted Ye Qiu; given that Ye Qiu now harbored great ambitions, the Ye Family could no longer treat her with the same courtesy as other concubines. Even the elder Duke Ye Xing, when he met Ye Qiu, was extremely formal.
"Hmm!" Ye Qiu nodded at her uncle, signaling him to rise.
"Is this the new cannon you have developed?" Ye Qiu looked at the dark, cylindrical object and asked, "Will it accidentally harm our own troops?"
Ye Xiuming’s expression was one of excitement. Having grown up in the military, he obviously understood the importance of weapons to an army. They had firearms at the border, but not only were they bulky and not very powerful, but they also were prone to friendly fire, making them of little practical use.
However, the formulations and blueprints provided by the Imperial Concubine have greatly improved these aspects. He excitedly explained to Ye Qiu: "Based on the Lady’s suggestions, the craftsmen have now developed two types of cannons. This one, though cumbersome, is extremely powerful and has a range of two kilometers. Most importantly, it does not harm our own forces. We have tested it. If aimed correctly, a single cannonball can shatter city walls."
Ye Qiu nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the other, smaller cannon.
Ye Xiuming’s enthusiasm didn’t wane as he continued to explain: "Although this type of cannon is not as powerful as the previous one and has a range of only a few hundred meters, it is very agile, and has a higher and more precise rate of fire, with even greater applicability."
"How many have been produced now?"
"Ten of the previous type have been produced so far, whereas thirty of these have already been made, with an ample supply of gunpowder."
"Very well, I will order someone to send five of the larger ones and ten of the smaller ones to the border, in addition to sending two of the larger ones and five of the smaller ones to the Southern Border, and one of the larger ones and five of the smaller ones to Fujian; the rest will remain in the capital."
Upon hearing that the majority were to be sent to the border, Ye Xiuming knelt and kowtowed: "Your humble servant thanks the noble concubine for her grace."
"No need to thank me, we can still produce more in the future. They will be put to great use. Remember, you must absolutely not leak the blueprints or formulas."
"Your Ladyship, rest assured that currently, only myself and a few key craftsmen know the formula and designs. The parts are all manufactured separately."
"That’s good."
After finishing the official business, Ye Xiuming then thought of the task his father had given him. He dismissed the Palace Attendants and craftsmen around him and whispered to Ye Qiu: "Father said that recently, the civil servants close to Old Qiao are very active and seem to be gathering some evidence."
A ruthless look flashed in Ye Qiu’s eyes: "I understand."
Of course, she knew what evidence Old Qiao was gathering; it was nothing more than evidence of the Ye Family’s treason and rebellion. She didn’t believe that in her previous life, Ji Fei would have executed the Ye Family so quickly without the help of others. Had Old Qiao managed to hide behind the scenes in her previous life? This life wasn’t going as he’d expected, and now he could no longer restrain himself, could he?
"Why can’t we meet with His Majesty when we ask for it?" Just as Ye Qiu returned to the palace, she encountered Fang Pin and Qiao Qingyue blocking the palace gate of Changchun Palace. Qiao Qingyue stood behind, but Fang Pin was yelling at the palace maids and eunuchs of Changchun Palace.
Although Fang Pin was usually somewhat arrogant because she had borne the Eldest Prince, she had always been very respectful to her. She didn’t believe that today’s events weren’t instigated by Qiao Qingyue.
How nice must they have thought it would be? If they succeeded in seeing the Emperor, Ji Fei would certainly not blame her. Instead, he might even feel more pity for her, and if they failed to see the Emperor, she was just a backdrop, and the one to be reproached would surely be Fang Pin.
When Fang Pin and Qiao Qingyue saw Ye Qiu’s sedan chair, their expressions stiffened, followed by an awkward salute.
"What are you doing blocking the way here? You know the Emperor is resting, yet you cause such a ruckus, how indecent is that?" Ye Qiu didn’t come down, and scolded them with a cold face.
Fang Pin turned pale, but Qiao Qingyue maintained her usual calm demeanor. After saluting, she was about to explain, but then saw the murderous coldness in Ye Qiu’s eyes.
Qiao Qingyue’s heart trembled. The one causing the commotion was Fang Pin, so why was the Imperial Concubine looking at her with that kind of gaze?
She reassured herself that it was nothing, that she had done no wrong, so why should the Imperial Concubine punish her?
"Replying to the Lady, the Eldest Prince has not seen Your Majesty for a long time, so he suddenly started crying today and couldn’t be consoled no matter what," Qiao Qingyue explained softly.
"I was speaking to Fang Pin, why are you interrupting? Fang Pin outranks you and has more experience. Is it your place to speak?" Ye Qiu said harshly.
Qiao Qingyue was left feeling so embarrassed and furious by Ye Qiu’s words that she struggled to maintain her composure.