Chapter 23: A Stab in the Back
“Yes, we must get a clear answer!”
The remaining elders chimed in, agreeing.
The First Elder lowered his head, remaining silent.
The Second Elder, seeing that the Third Elder and the others were dead set on questioning the truth, anxiously looked back at the First Elder.
“First Elder, are we really not going to stop this?”
“What if it displeases the Phoenix Empress?”
At best, they were just clan elders with no real power. Questioning her so rashly would likely cause trouble.
The First Elder pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, “The Phoenix Empress is not an unreasonable person. It probably won’t be a big deal if the Third Elder and the others go and ask. After all, the matter of having difficulty with heirs is a major affair for the Phoenix Clan. The Phoenix Empress should be able to understand.”
Xihe Hall
“My child, what on earth is going on?”
After hearing the news, Huashan was so anxious he couldn’t even eat his lunch and immediately had someone summon Li Xuanyue from Fenghe Hall.
“How is it that your Mother Empress never mentioned to your Father Consort that you have difficulty bearing children?” Huashan gripped Li Xuanyue’s hand, pressing her for an answer.
Although he hadn’t stepped forward to ask about the recent events in the clan, Li Feng came to his bedchamber every night to tell him everything.
Although he had been somewhat against Li Xuanyue dismissing the consorts and attendants in her palace, it was her own choice, and as her father, he had to respect it.
He thought that his daughter was grown now, with her own independent thoughts and ways of handling matters. As her father, he should step back when needed and not hold on to everything so tightly, pressuring her.
But he never imagined that during the days he refrained from interfering, such rumors about Li Xuanyue’s infertility would spread.
How could he not be anxious?
“Is someone deliberately stabbing you in the back?” Huashan continued to press.
No matter what, he refused to believe that Li Xuanyue would have difficulty with children.
He knew his daughter best. She was usually full of life. Aside from being a bit unwell recently and taking some medicine, none of it was enough to affect her fertility.
How could such a rumor have spread?
However, before Li Xuanyue could explain, Xiao Ce suddenly walked in from outside the hall.
He glanced up at Huashan, who was seated above.
“Empress Consort, someone has come from the Phoenix Empress’s side.”
“They say there is a matter and have summoned Princess Xuanyue to the Hall of Central Harmony.” He lowered his head, speaking with a respectful yet hesitant expression.
As for why Li Xuanyue was being summoned to the Hall of Central Harmony, everyone knew. It was certainly to inquire about the matter of her heirs.
Moreover, just as Huashan was sending his own people to fetch Li Xuanyue, he heard the news that the clan elders had gone to see Li Feng.
Li Feng was likely summoning her now to have her give an explanation to those elders.
“Let’s go. Father Consort will accompany you.” Fearing the clan elders would give Li Xuanyue a hard time, Huashan took her hand and stood up.
With him there, he figured those old geezers wouldn’t make things too difficult for Li Xuanyue.
“There’s no need, Father Consort.”
Huashan’s kindness made Li Xuanyue’s heart ache.
She was already so grown, yet she was still making her father worry so much.
She truly was not a good daughter.
“This child can handle this matter,” Li Xuanyue said with certainty. “Just stay here in Xihe Hall and wait for this child’s good news.”
If Huashan were to appear, the clan elders would surely be resentful. To avoid them mistakenly thinking she was being protected by Huashan and causing trouble behind her back, Li Xuanyue chose to go alone.
At this moment, in the Hall of Central Harmony, several elders were red in the face from arguing with Li Feng about the matter of heirs.
No matter how Li Feng had explained or what she had said, they all felt the rumors were not baseless.
They were all convinced that Li Xuanyue would have difficulty with children in the future.
Li Feng was so angry she wanted to curse.
If these old fools were so certain, then why did they come to ask her? Wasn’t it redundant?
Li Feng felt extremely frustrated. So, while the old fools were in the heat of their discussion, she directly sent someone to summon Li Xuanyue.
In a moment, when the solid evidence was laid out before them, let’s see what they would have to say.
And this small gesture of Li Feng signaling her confidant with her eyes to summon someone naturally did not escape Li Qinghe’s notice.
Although she was puzzled, she still showed the respect of a subject to her sovereign.
“Mother Empress, although sister’s situation is shocking, as the elders have said, if there were no substance to it, who would be so bold as to start such a rumor?” Li Qinghe stepped forward righteously. “In this child’s opinion, why not summon Imperial Physician Fang?”
“He is the imperial physician who usually diagnoses and treats my sister. As long as he can come forward to testify and explain, all problems will be solved.”
Imperial Physician Fang had been bought by Li Qinghe three years ago.
He had never disappointed her in any matter she entrusted to him.
In Li Qinghe’s eyes, this time was no different.
She had made such a big move, even stirring up the elders. She was certain she could destroy Li Xuanyue.
If she had known beforehand that Li Xuanyue had already discovered Imperial Physician Fang, she would not have spoken with such confidence in front of Li Feng.
Li Feng had never taken a close look at this second daughter of hers.
Seeing her kneeling so straight in the hall today, she had thought she was one of the elders’ granddaughters.
It wasn’t until she heard the words “this child” from Li Qinghe’s mouth that Li Feng realized that besides Li Xuanyue, she seemed to have another daughter.
It was just that this daughter had been sent to the Cold Palace with Noble Consort Zhao back then.
It wasn’t until three years ago, when Li Xuanyue came to her and begged her to release Li Qinghe, that the father and daughter were able to leave the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
However, in these three years, even though Noble Consort Zhao was out, Li Feng had never set foot in his bedchamber, let alone visited this daughter, Li Qinghe.
If it weren’t for Li Xuanyue mentioning Li Qinghe’s name from time to time, Li Feng might have forgotten about her long ago.
Now, looking at her so strikingly, Li Feng felt a dislike for this daughter from the bottom of her heart.
She always had a feeling that while her daughter’s words seemed to be defending Li Xuanyue, they were full of calculation.
Just like on the wedding night three months ago, without any concrete evidence, a maid had claimed that Li Xuanyue had gone mad.
“Are you very familiar with Imperial Physician Fang, Qinghe?” Li Feng suddenly asked Li Qinghe, though she wasn’t sure what prompted her.
Li Qinghe’s eyes shot up, her heart jolting in alarm.
Could the Mother Empress have discovered something?
“This Imperial Physician Fang was assigned to Xuanyue by your Father Consort. To question him, we must first have your Father Consort’s consent.”
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