The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 1153 - 1153 562 Original Form Revealed (Two Updates)

Chapter 1153: 562 Original Form Revealed (Two Updates) Chapter 1153: 562 Original Form Revealed (Two Updates) “Little brother, something happened to your mother!”

Little Jingkong looked anxiously at Huangfu Xian, “Don’t be sad.”

“I’m not sad,” Huangfu Xian said calmly.

Little Jingkong scratched his head in confusion. How could he not be sad? If something had happened to Jiaojiao, he would be very, very sad.

Huangfu Xian slowly withdrew his hand, which the little one had grasped: “Maybe they heard wrong, my mother hasn’t had an accident. You should go back first.”

Little Jingkong: “Oh.”

This time, Princess Ning An had indeed encountered trouble; the incident occurred in the Imperial Study Room, and as soon as the news spread, the entire Imperial Harem was alarmed.

Empress Xiao, along with Noble Consort Zhuang and Consort Shu among others, hurriedly went to the Imperial Study Room, only to find it surrounded by the Imperial Guard, with no one allowed to enter.

“Is this consort not permitted to enter as well?” Empress Xiao asked coldly.

The leader of the Imperial Guard, whose surname was Fu, bowed in salute and said, “There’s a search for an assassin inside. For the safety of the Empress and all the consorts, please wait here momentarily.”

“How is His Majesty’s condition?” Consort Shu asked anxiously.

Commander Fu said, “His Majesty has evacuated through the back door and returned to Huaqing Palace.”

Noble Consort Zhuang rolled her eyes, “Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

Did they come here to catch an assassin or what!

Empress Xiao and her party then hurriedly proceeded to Huaqing Palace, which was also encircled by the Imperial Guard, though fortunately, there was no sign of an assassin, so no one stopped Empress Xiao.

Seeing her go, Noble Consort Zhuang and Consort Shu also rushed to follow.

Empress Xiao’s status was stable without question, her son firmly seated as the Crown Prince, and her brother fighting in the South Island as Marquis Xuanping.

Although Noble Consort Zhuang lost favor for a while because of King Ning’s affairs, she still had the support of the Empress Dowager and the Zhuang family. As long as the Empress Dowager didn’t discipline her and the Zhuang family didn’t abandon her, she would always have a place in the Imperial Harem.

The same was true for Consort Shu, whose two nephews had recently distinguished themselves on the frontier; she too rose with their success, daring anyone to block her path.

The fourth consort to enter Huaqing Palace was Consort Yu, the mother of King Rui.

Last October, King Rui’s consort gave birth to a Little Princess, adding branches and leaves to the royal family, which was considered a commendable contribution.

The other consorts were not so fortunate.

All the palace maids in Huaqing Palace knelt with bowed heads, and the entire palace was infused with an aura of cold and solemn heaviness.

For some reason, Empress Xiao felt a sense of ominous foreboding at the bottom of her heart. As she passed through the Chuihua Gate, she suddenly paused and said to a little palace maid kneeling on the ground, “Did His Majesty return alone?”

The little palace maid nervously replied, “To respond to the Empress, he returned together with Princess Ning An.”

Empress Xiao’s brows furrowed.

Ever since Qin Chuyu had repeatedly been bullied to tears by Huangfu Xian, Empress Xiao’s affection towards Princess Ning An had also diminished.

It was only because the Emperor occasionally came to soothe her that she hadn’t found fault with Ning An.

But deep down, she certainly had no fondness for her.

The Emperor and Princess Ning An had arrived at the door of the Sleeping Palace by the royal carriage. These little palace maids and eunuchs were unclear about the Emperor’s condition, only hearing that Princess Ning An was injured, her body covered in blood.

Empress Xiao did not ask any more questions and quickly walked towards the Sleeping Palace.

At the entrance to the Sleeping Palace, palace maids and eunuchs were kneeling on the ground, scrubbing the mottled bloodstains. Empress Xiao felt a tightness in her chest.

She stepped inside, and a strong scent of blood mixed with the smell of medicinal herbs for treating wounds assaulted her nostrils, making her scalp tingle.

“Your Majesty!”

But Noble Consort Zhuang rushed past her, heading straight for the Dragon Bed!

Consort Shu and Consort Yu glanced at Empress Xiao but held back. Despite their worry for His Majesty’s health, they didn’t have the audacity to run ahead of Empress Xiao.

Princess Ning An sat in a chair beside the bed, with an injury on her forehead and her face covered in blood. Her right arm was also injured, and a royal physician was treating her.

Meanwhile, two other royal physicians were congregated at the front of the Dragon Bed, examining the Emperor’s injuries, with Eunuch Wei beside the bed anxiously wiping tears.

“Your Majesty, your consort has come to see you!” Noble Consort Zhuang couldn’t wait to reach the bed, but she discovered that the Emperor’s forehead was wrapped in thick bandages, his face was pale, and he seemed to be unconscious.

Noble Consort Zhuang’s face drained of color as she asked, “What happened to His Majesty!”

Physician Liang, having finished examining the Emperor’s right arm and beginning on his left, heard her and bowed in respect, “His Majesty has sustained a head injury. We are carefully diagnosing whether there are injuries in other areas.”

Empress Xiao stopped in the center of the Sleeping Palace and commanded authoritatively, “Noble Consort, come here. Do not disturb the royal physicians treating His Majesty.”