Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight

Chapter 62: Birthday

Zheng Biyu's heartstrings trembled. A long while later, she sat up briskly: "Complete nonsense!"

Empress Xie was an influential clan's di daughter. How could she have an affair with someone?

The maid did not dare to utter a word.

Zheng Biyu was lost in thought for a while then asked, "Who else heard Concubine Rong's nonsense?"

The maid replied: "Only Noble Consort Xue and a few palace maids beside her heard. Noble Consort Xue laughed, saying Concubine Rong had gone insane and had begun to spout nonsense. However, these days, she had quietly sent away the palace maids who were present, leaving only one trusted confidant."

That trusted confidant happened to be this maid's godsister, one of the Eastern Palace's spies.

Zheng Biyu's fingers were numb. She instructed the maid: "Concubine Rong is crazy. She hated Princess Wenzhao. Before dying, she deliberately said such nonsense to discredit Empress Xie. Noble Consort Xue handled it well; this matter must not be spread."

The maid bowed her head and answered yes.

Zheng Biyu's eyes flickered, and asked in a low voice: "What did Concubine Rong say?"

The maid replied: "Before she died, Concubine Rong was raining curses on Princess Wenzhao, saying that all the sons and daughters of His Majesty were strong and sturdy, all the girls tall and plump. Why was Princess Wenzhao the only one who was weak since birth and could not stand until she was three years old? Why was she unable to stop taking medicine since she was a child, and must take Ninglu pills every month? Why are Princess Wenzhao's eyes the only ones that do not resemble those of the Li family?

"Noble Consort Xue refuted Concubine Rong, saying it was because Princess Wenzhao was born naturally weak.

"Concubine Rong laughed heartily and said that Princess Wenzhao was fundamentally not the bloodline of His Majesty, because she was not born to Empress Xie."

Zheng Biyu's mouth opened slightly, completely surprised.

She thought Concubine Rong was implying that Empress Xie was unfaithful, but it turned out that she was saying that Li Yaoying was not born to Empress Xie.

The maid continued on: "Concubine Rong said that in those days, the clansmen all supported the Second Prince... Xie Zhongqian as shizi. Empress Xie's maid made some sarcastic comments to Empress Tang and Empress Tang killed herself in anger. His Majesty's hair turned white overnight. His Majesty even left in the middle of battle, rushing back to Wei County to take care of Empress Tang's funeral. At that time, Empress Xie was also pregnant, so His Majesty could not punish her.

"Concubine Rong told Noble Consort Xue that Empress Xie was not, in fact, even pregnant at that time. Empress Xie's wet nurse, fearing that His Majesty would take his anger out on the Empress, told the Empress to lie that she was several months pregnant. Empress Xie did as she was instructed."

Because Li De returned to Wei County a few months prior and stayed in Empress Xie's courtyard every night, and also considering that Empress Xie lived in deep seclusion, no one suspected a thing.

"Concubine Rong said that Princess Wenzhao was by no means a golden branch and jade leaves. She was a child brought back by the Duke of Wei."

The Duke of Wei was Xie Wuliang.

Li Yaoying married to the Yelu tribe. Li De decreed that Xie Wuliang be posthumously conferred Duke of Wei. Li Zhongqian would be adopted to the Xie family and would directly inherit the title of Duke of Wei-the name was weighty, but it carried no real power.