Chapter 890: Side Story: Xia Hongming and Tang Huaixiao 9
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
When they returned to the palace, Xia Hongming was already so cold that he could not speak. Tang Huaixiao helped him down. It took him a while to steady himself. He stared at Tang Huaixiao and did not say anything. Tang Huaixiao took down the pheasant and rabbit. “If you want to eat them, take them.”
Tang Huaixiao went straight back.
Xia Hongming sneezed and instructed the palace servants to cook the prey.
Ever since Tang Huaixiao entered the palace, his head no longer hurt.
After the palace servants brought over the fragrant rabbit pot, Xia Hongming ate in satisfaction. The pheasant was used to stew soup. The soup was delicious. He drank three bowls of it.
Just as he finished eating, he heard the young eunuch rush in. “Your Majesty, something bad has happened.”
Xia Hongming was in a good mood and asked lazily, “What’s the matter?”
The young eunuch replied, “It’s Teacher Tang. Her teaching was too strict. She hit the Fifth Prince’s arm and dislocated it. Consort Zhen Bin went to argue with Teacher Tang, but Teacher Tang scolded her. Now, the Fifth Prince has a high fever and is critically ill…”
Xia Hongming’s good mood was ruined. He stood up with a livid face. “Where’s Zhen Bin?”
The young eunuch trembled. “Consort Zhen Bin is in Zhenbao Palace.”
Xia Hongming’s face darkened. “I’ll go over immediately. Also, go and invite Teacher Tang as well as the empress and all the consorts.”
Xia Hongming walked out with a dark expression. The eunuch knelt down, shivering with a pale face.
The news spread quickly. Everyone in the palace immediately sent the news back to their masters, so the palaces began to get busy.
Tang Huaixiao, Xiang Hong, and the others lived in the Plum Blossom Pavilion. The eunuch who delivered the message rolled his eyes and raised his voice sarcastically. “Teacher Tang, please. The princes and princesses in the palace are all delicate. They are not people you can hit casually.”
Xiang Hong, Xin Lan, and Tong Xia’s expressions were very cold.
Although they were not mentioned, no one stopped them from following.
Needless to say, the three of them were on Tang Huaixiao’s side. If they weren’t allowed to be strict, why did they ask them to teach at all?
If Tang Huaixiao was punished because of this, they would quit and go back home.
In the Zhenbao Palace.
The Fifth Prince cried loudly, and Zhen Bin hugged him and coaxed him.
Zhen Bin was just putting on an act. The Fifth Prince was really crying. His hand hurt. His swollen left hand was itchy and painful. How could a child withstand it?
Zhen Bin comforted him. “Don’t be afraid. 1 won’t let you suffer for nothing.”
Her precious son was not someone a woman could beat at all. If anyone dared to hit him, they would have to pay the price.
The Zhenbao Palace had never been so crowded.
Xia Hongming did not have many children yet. Zhen Bin was extremely proud to have a son. She touched her stomach. There was a piece of good news she wanted to tell Xia Hongming. She was pregnant again. At that time, she would be able to fight for the position of a noble consort.
Zhen Bin quickly stopped her mind from drifting away and pinched herself hard. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes as she continued to hug the Fifth Prince.
The empress frowned. “Zhen Bin, stop crying. His Majesty will be here soon.”
The other consorts also comforted her, but they weren’t very sincere. This was because they did not know the emperor’s attitude yet, so before that, they would always hold back from expressing their true feelings. This way, if things turned out differently, they could quickly get themselves out of trouble.
The other princes and princesses leaned against their mothers and did not dare to speak.
The eldest prince born to the empress was already 12 years old. Among all the children, he was considered stable.
As soon as Xia Hongming stepped into the Zhenbao Palace, Zhen Bin began to cry. “Your Majesty, you have to seek justice for my son. He was beaten up badly by Teacher Tang just because he failed to meet her standards.”
Zhen Bin cried as she raised the Fifth Prince’s hand, showing the abnormally red and swollen hand to Xia Hongming.
Xia Hongming’s face darkened, and he could not suppress his anger.
Zhen Bin felt that it was time to add fuel to the fire. She pointed at Tang Huaixiao with a trembling hand. “Teacher Tang, if you also had a son, would you do this to him? You, you…”
Before Zhen Bin could finish speaking, she fainted.
The empress instructed calmly, “Go and get the imperial physician.”
The imperial physician was already in Zhenbao Palace. He immediately came to take her pulse and said with a solemn expression, “Congratulations, Your Majesty. Consort Zhen Bin is pregnant. She’s too sad and can’t take it for a moment, so she fainted. It’s not good if she hurts her body because of this.”
Countless consorts were jealous that Zhen Bin was pregnant.
Even the empress was a little jealous. After giving birth to the Eldest Prince, she had never had another one. Now that she was getting older, it was even harder for her to get pregnant. Zhen Bin was not young either, but she was pregnant. If this child was a boy, she would probably be promoted to a noble consort.
Xia Hongming looked a little flustered. He quickly looked at Tang Huaixiao. For some reason, he felt that he was not worthy of Tang Huaixiao.
However, Tang Huaixiao was expressionless. She just stood there quietly, as if all of this had nothing to do with her.
Xia Hongming was disappointed. In the eyes of others, he appeared to be angry.
The empress was about to take a stand when Xia Hongming said coldly, “Teacher Tang, tell me what happened at that time. The other teachers should be present. What did you see? Tell me.”
Xia Hongming did not punish her directly. When the empress heard this, she felt a lingering fear and was glad that she didn’t speak up for Zhen Bin.
Tang Huaixiao walked forward and reached out to grab the Fifth Prince’s hand. When the Fifth Prince saw her, he immediately struggled and cried. However, Tang Huaixiao held him tightly. He couldn’t break free. Tang Huaixiao said calmly, “I just hit him with a ruler. How can his hand be swollen like this? It looks like it was scalded..”