The Female Psychology PhD Who Time Traveled to the Royal Harem - Chapter 209

She was unwilling to let the grudges between adults affect the relationships between children.

However, this did not mean she would tolerate the people in Consort De’s palace being suspicious, distrustful, and speaking ill of her child.

If her son was constantly viewed with prejudice by those in Consort De’s palace, it would not only affect the relationship between the third prince and Fourth Prince, but also cause his personality to become overly cautious, sensitive, and insecure.

She had worked so hard to heal her Little Man, turning him into the sweet, sensible, and cheerful boy he was today. She couldn’t let anyone ruin him now.

The third prince was indeed a good child, but he had his own mother. Every royal consort should stand by and protect their own children.

Jiang Xinyue hugged the Fourth Prince and smiled at him, “What would our Little Man like to eat for lunch today?”

“Braised pork, big chicken legs, pork knuckles, lion…”

“Stop!”

Jiang Xinyue cut off his list: “You’ve been eating too much meat lately. Today you can only have vegetarian dishes.”

“Aww…”

The Fourth Prince looked at her pitifully: “Can I have just one chicken leg, please?”

Who could resist a soft, white little boy’s pleading?

Jiang Xinyue pinched his chubby cheek: “Alright, you’re allowed one chicken leg.”

Qian Sheng, who was always by the Fourth Prince’s side, laughed: “Your Highness, don’t spoil him too much. The Fourth Prince already sneaked a chicken leg this morning.”

“Oh no, Grandpa…”

The Fourth Prince wrinkled his nose and mouth, making an angry puppy-like growl: “You promised not to tell Mother.”

After lunch, the nanny took the Sixth Prince away to burp and put him to sleep. The Fourth Prince went to his own courtyard, led by Qian Sheng, to take a walk and digest their meal.

“Your Highness… Your Highness…”

Xiao Xuanzi came running in from outside: “It’s terrible, Your Highness… the third prince… the third prince has been poisoned!”

“What did you say?”

Jiang Xinyue stood up abruptly: “Explain clearly, why has the third prince been poisoned?”

Xiao Xuanzi tried to keep his voice as calm as possible, taking a breath before continuing: “Shortly after returning to the Imperial Garden, the third prince vomited blood and fainted. His personal maid, Aunt Ning, said… said it was because the Fourth Prince gave the third prince some candy, which caused the poisoning.”

“That’s nonsense!”

Jiang Xinyue said angrily: “That piece of candy was knocked away by that Ning woman. The third prince didn’t even eat it, how could it be from eating candy?”

Despite her anger, she still asked with concern: “How is the third prince now?”

Xiao Xuanzi frowned deeply: “In response to Your Highness, the Emperor has brought all the physicians from the Imperial Hospital. The third prince is still unconscious. Imperial Physician Yan secretly informed this servant that the third prince has been poisoned with a rare toxin. The situation is extremely dangerous. If… if he doesn’t wake up, it might be a matter of tonight.”

“How can this be?”

He was perfectly fine when he was here this morning.

“Xique, prepare the sedan chair. I’m going to Yanqing Palace to see him.”

She took a few steps, then turned back to address the palace staff: “Guard the house well. If anyone comes demanding you hand over the Fourth Prince, don’t allow it under any circumstances, understand?”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

At Yanqing Palace—

A heart-wrenching cry came from inside. Jiang Xinyue paused for a moment, then continued walking in.

As she reached the door of the third prince’s room, Consort De’s anguished voice came out again: “Emperor, is it because you gave me the golden book that Senior Concubine Xian became dissatisfied and harmed our son? Emperor… Emperor… I don’t want this golden book anymore, I really don’t. Can you please tell Senior Concubine Xian to give me the antidote? I don’t want anything else, I just want our son to live.”

The Xuanwu Emperor held Consort De’s elbow, pulling her up from the ground, saying: “To accuse Senior Concubine Xian based solely on a servant’s claim is too hasty. Consort De, I am equally heartbroken that our son is in mortal danger. But if you say it was Senior Concubine Xian who did this, I don’t believe it.”

Even if Yue’er used schemes or ruthless methods, it would only be against those who wronged her. She would never plot against children.

On this point, he was absolutely certain.

“Perhaps the former Concubine Zhen wouldn’t have…”

Consort De grabbed the Xuanwu Emperor’s robe, her face streaked with tears. Shocked by the third prince’s terrible state, she lost all restraint and loudly questioned: “That’s because at that time, Concubine Zhen didn’t have a son. Now she has her own son and has also adopted the Fourth Prince. Emperor, can you guarantee that the current Senior Concubine Xian is still the same as the former Concubine Zhen?”

“Emperor, people change.”

Especially women who enter the palace and taste the power of being in a high position, it’s impossible not to have ambitions.

Senior Concubine Xian is also human, how could she control her desires?

The Xuanwu Emperor wanted to tell Consort De that even the phoenix seal was his own scheme that Senior Concubine Xian reluctantly accepted. How could she possibly harm the third prince to eliminate competition for her own children?

“Emperor.”

Jiang Xinyue couldn’t listen anymore and walked in, interrupting Consort De’s instigation: “This consort pays respects to the Emperor.”

The Emperor’s grim expression softened slightly: “Why have you come?”

“If this consort didn’t come, would you let Consort De continue to spread baseless rumors and throw mud on this consort’s name?”

She stood before Consort De with a cold face, unflinchingly meeting her with clear, icy eyes: “First, Aunt Ning claims the third prince was poisoned by candy given by the Fourth Prince. May I ask, what kind of poison takes a full two hours to take effect after being consumed? Second, there were many palace servants present at the time. Aunt Ning, being wary of me, slapped the third prince’s arm, causing the candy to fall to the ground. The third prince never ate it, so how could he be poisoned by eating candy?”

Jiang Xinyue questioned logically: “Lastly, if the third prince was poisoned by eating candy given by the Fourth Prince, isn’t it reasonable for this consort to assume that the poison was originally intended to kill the Fourth Prince?”

She gave a cold laugh: “From any perspective, this consort and the Fourth Prince are the victims. The incident just happened, and the investigation hasn’t even begun. Yet based on a servant’s one-sided account, you’ve already condemned this consort. It seems you’ve been suspicious of this consort for a long time. Consort De, if you distrust this consort so much, you shouldn’t have allowed the third prince to always come play with me. On one hand, you suspect this consort, but on the other, you let the third prince be close to me. Were you perhaps waiting for this consort to poison the third prince so you could use the opportunity to accuse me?”

Consort De cried even harder: “Senior Concubine Xian’s words are truly cruel. How could I use my son’s life to frame you? We are both mothers, put yourself in my shoes and think…”

Jiang Xinyue ignored her and addressed the Xuanwu Emperor directly: “Emperor, do you see now?”

The Xuanwu Emperor’s gaze towards Consort De instantly turned cold.

Consort De was stunned, not knowing which of her words had been wrong, when she heard Jiang Xinyue calmly say: “It’s clear that Consort De’s usual kindness and magnanimity were all an act.”