CHAPTER 399: CHAPTER 394: IMPERIAL CONCUBINE

"Where is my beloved princess?" Ji Fei shook his head slightly, his voice weak and pained.

"I am here, I won’t leave Your Majesty again," Qiao Qingyue exclaimed emotionally as she embraced Ji Fei’s head, thinking that he had recognized her.

"Your subordinate pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Marquis Weiyuan flicked the curtain aside and, sure enough, saw Ji Fei lying weakly in Qiao Qingyue’s arms, and immediately knelt down.

Seeing Marquis Weiyuan affirm the Emperor’s identity, the guard of the Imperial City and the surrounding soldiers were all startled, and knelt down together, "Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!"

"Where is my beloved princess?" Ji Fei opened his turbid eyes, glanced at Qiao Qingyue then looked away, struggling to speak.

"Your Majesty, I am here!" Qiao Qingyue turned Ji Fei’s head back, a look of urgency on her face.

"You’re not her. I want to find the Imperial Concubine, where is my Qiu’er?"

Ji Fei’s voice grew louder, even Marquis Weiyuan outside the carriage heard it, and without regard to Qiao Qingyue’s stiff expression, drew his sword and pointed it at her: "Where did this brigand come from? Release the Emperor at once, or you cannot blame this official for being rude. Your Majesty, your subordinate is coming to rescue you."

Qiao Qingyue ignored Marquis Weiyuan, grasping and shaking Ji Fei’s shoulders as if to awake him: "Your Majesty, do you not recognize your servant anymore? I am Yue Zhaoyi, your Little Moon!"

"Release me, someone come, save me!" Ji Fei, shaken even more uncomfortably, shouted with all his might.

"How dare you, brigand, not release the Emperor," Marquis Weiyuan thrust with his sword, and Qiao Qingyue, a fragile woman, was no match for him. Despite her attempt to dodge, she could not avoid it and her shoulder was immediately stained with a swath of blood.

"Ah!" She cried out in pain, and due to the pain, Ji Fei fell from her arms. When she tried to embrace Ji Fei again, Marquis Weiyuan intervened once more with his sword.

"How dare you! I am Yue Zhaoyi, personally conferred by His Majesty. Release us at once, or I shall see to it that His Majesty claims your dog life," Qiao Qingyue shouted fiercely at Marquis Weiyuan, desperation creeping into her voice. From the Emperor’s expression just now, he seemed not to recognize her? How could that be? Was the medicine of the Evil Concubine that domineering? She must leave quickly; if the Evil Concubine’s people arrived, she would not be able to escape.

Although Marquis Weiyuan was shocked by her identity, he was in no way intimidated: "This official only knows you as the traitor who kidnapped the Emperor. Surrender yourself immediately. Your Majesty, your subordinate has already dispatched people to notify the Imperial Concubine. I’m here to rescue you."

"Save me, where is the Imperial Concubine? I want to see my beloved princess," Ji Fei struggled out of the carriage, his face pale, steps unsteady, as if he might collapse at any moment.

Qiao Qingyue watched Ji Fei walk out helplessly as the sword of Marquis Weiyuan was still at her throat.

Ye Qiu received the news and hastened over, accompanied by Liu Guang, Commander of Imperial Forest Army, and several Ministers who were discussing state affairs in the Imperial Study Room.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had been secretly transported out of the palace and was then held hostage by villains, all the officials were shocked out of their wits. Who would dare such an audacious act?

However, Mr. Zhang stole a glance at Ye Qiu, finding it hard to believe that someone could have transported the Emperor out from under her watch without her backing.

Mr. Zhang sighed deeply, unsure whether his earlier actions were right or wrong, but he had chosen his side and there was no turning back now.

"My beloved princess, you’ve come," Ji Fei saw Ye Qiu and was very excited, stumbling over to her.

Ye Qiu stepped forward quickly to support him: "Your Majesty, are you alright, are you injured?"

"No, just a bit tired."

"I will summon the Imperial Physician to check on you immediately."

"This humble official pays his respects to Your Majesty." Seeing that Ji Fei was unharmed, several Ministers sighed with relief.

"Has the Emperor become muddled? These are Mr. Zhang of the elders, Lord Chang from the Ministry of Personnel, Mr. Lin from the Ministry of War, and Mr. Du from the Ministry of Revenue." Ye Qiu gently reminded him.

Ji Fei suddenly realized: "Oh, my loyal subjects, please rise!"

"Thank Your Majesty!"

"An Fu, help the Emperor back to Changchun Palace to rest. Please call for the Imperial Physicians to examine the Emperor." Ye Qiu instructed.

Seeing that Ji Fei was about to leave, Qiao Qingyue, controlled by Marquis Weiyuan, became agitated: "Emperor, you cannot leave, I am Qingyue, do you not remember me? Please snap out of it! Esteemed Ministers, are you really going to stand by and let Imperial Concubine, that Evil Concubine, control the Emperor?"

Qiao Qingyue cried out in heart-wrenching pain, she must awaken Ji Fei quickly, otherwise wouldn’t all her efforts be in vain? Moreover, she might even be convicted by the Imperial Concubine, no, it cannot be this way, the promises the Emperor made to her cannot simply vanish into thin air.

"Who dares to be so presumptuous, it turns out to be Yue Zhaoyi." Ye Qiu sneered coldly, "Old Qiao stirred up trouble in the previous dynasty, inciting students, and now his granddaughter is kidnapping the Emperor in the harem. What is the Qiao Family trying to do? Rebel?"

"You’re talking nonsense!" Qiao Qingyue retorted loudly, "I think you are the one plotting rebellion, otherwise, how could you control the Emperor?"

Ye Qiu looked at her sarcastically: "I’m talking nonsense? How have I controlled the Emperor? Today, all the Ministers have also seen that the Emperor is unharmed and standing here. I am but a mere concubine, how could I control the Emperor?"

"If you didn’t drug the Emperor, then why would he rather trust you than recognize me?" Qiao Qingyue glared at Ye Qiu.

"What a joke, it is well-known that I am the Emperor’s Favored Concubine, while you, Yue Zhaoyi, have been favored by the Emperor less than twenty times. The Emperor would naturally trust me. Besides, the Emperor has been severely ill several times this year; it is normal for him to not recognize people momentarily. Haven’t all the Ministers just now recognized the Emperor? Whether I have drugged him or not, the Imperial Physicians have a clear understanding. Since the Emperor fell ill, I have been toiling and worrying; everyone is aware, how could your groundless query as a minor concubine be valid?"

"Marquis Weiyuan, Yue Zhaoyi has committed the crime of kidnapping the Emperor and should be punished. Take her and her accomplices to the prison. The Qiao Family has committed the crime of lese-majeste and plotting rebellion; arrest them all together."

"Yes, Lady!"

"Evil Concubine, you can’t treat me like this, I am Yue Zhaoyi personally conferred by the Emperor, he promised to make me the Empress, how dare you treat me this way?" Qiao Qingyue struggled, perhaps realizing the fate of herself and her family after today, she started to speak rashly.

"Look, she denies having ill intentions, yet she aspires to be the Empress while I am still here. Even if it weren’t me, there are still Lady and Consort Hui; whether in seniority or virtue, how could it be her turn? Old Qiao’s ambition is not small indeed!" Ye Qiu laughed as she said to the Ministers.

"Lady speaks the truth."

Today, with conclusive evidence and witnesses, although many doubts still remain, everyone knows the Qiao Family is finished.

After dealing with this messy affair, Ye Qiu prepared to return to the palace. Before leaving, she glanced at Marquis Weiyuan: "Congratulations, Mr. Han, when I was on my way here, Consort Hui has safely given birth to a Princess. No doubt the Emperor will be overjoyed upon hearing this."

Marquis Weiyuan’s expression eased, his demeanor sincere: "This humble official thanks Lady."