Chapter 17 Birth Mother Consort Li

Chapter 17: Consort Li, His Birth Mother

Hearing this, Ji Yuntang felt much more at ease.

She stood up, her tone relaxed. "What would you like for dinner tonight, Your Highness?"

After two days with Ji Yuntang, Luo Junhe was starting to get a read on her. Wanting something but not saying so wasn't his style.

He didn't stand on ceremony either. "Hmm, I really enjoyed the steamed egg custard this morning. Thank you for your trouble, Miss Ji."

"Your Highness, although steamed egg custard is tasty, it's not good to have too much in one day. I'll make you a perch milk soup and prepare some yam and pumpkin millet paste. These are all beneficial for your wound healing."

Luo Junhe hadn't eaten them before, but his mind had already conjured up their deliciousness. He was already looking forward to it. "Then this prince thanks Miss Ji in advance."

Ji Yuntang raised an eyebrow slightly. After all, she had to cook for herself too; making an extra portion was just a matter of convenience.

She slipped into her space. Ji Yuntang first went to the stream in the farm to catch a plump perch, then headed to the small kitchen to start cooking.

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The Imperial Palace, Weiyang Palace.

Inside the hall, carved beams and painted rafters adorned the structure. The roof was covered with glazed jade tiles, and night pearls the size of eggs embedded in the walls illuminated the entire palace. On the low-legged table, orchid-scented incense smoke curled slowly, all showcasing the refinement and luxury of the palace's resident.

The resident here was none other than Luo Junhe's birth mother, Consort Li, Cao Wan'er.

After bathing and changing clothes at his residence, Luo Sinian hurried straight to Weiyang Palace, only to be informed by a palace maid that Consort Li had gone out of the palace to Huayang Temple to offer incense and would return very late.

Luo Sinian was determined to get to the bottom of this matter today. He promptly sat down on the stone stool at the entrance of Weiyang Palace and waited.

He waited for two full hours.

It wasn't until the sun set, the afterglow of the sunset dyeing half the sky red, that Consort Li's sedan chair finally appeared at the entrance of Weiyang Palace.

Luo Sinian's eyes lit up. He immediately stood up and quickly stepped forward to bow. "Greetings, Consort Li."

The sedan chair was set down. Consort Li, dressed in a blue lotus-patterned pleated long skirt, elegantly stepped down from it.

Although she was already a mother of two children, her oval face was still radiantly beautiful, showing no trace of the passage of time. Her hair was styled into an elaborate and intricate 'flowing clouds' chignon. The plum blossom gold hair ornament on her forehead was bright red and dazzling, making her skin appear even more fair as snow.

Consort Li looked at Luo Sinian, her voice very gentle. "What brings Prince Chen to Weiyang Palace to see this consort today?"

"Consort Li, this prince came unannounced today because there is a matter I wish to consult you about. It concerns Third Brother's health..."

Hearing Luo Sinian mention Luo Junhe's name, Consort Li's charming face darkened for an instant, but it was quickly masked by her gentle smile.

"What about He Er's health? Isn't this consort sending ice from the palace every day to help him combat the fire poison?"

Seeing the fleeting change on Consort Li's face, Luo Sinian thought it was just his eyes playing tricks due to the dim light and didn't think much of it.

In his impression, Consort Li was a virtuous, kind, gentle, and talented woman.

Her reputation in the palace was excellent. Although her rank was not as high as the Empress or Consort Chu and others, she had never quarreled or turned hostile with anyone, nor did she ever engage in jealousy or rivalry for favor.

Whether dealing with princes, princesses, or servants, Consort Li was consistently gentle and dignified, making people feel comfortable and unable to get angry with her.

Because of Luo Junhe, Luo Sinian also respected Consort Li greatly and often visited her Weiyang Palace with gifts.

Today, he had left in a hurry and hadn't had time to prepare any gifts.

He followed behind Consort Li as they walked. "Consort Li, did Third Brother really contract fire poison? But why is it that after soaking in ice baths for three years and sleeping on an Ice Stone Bed for three years, aside from his body growing weaker, there hasn't been any improvement at all?"

"Could it be that Imperial Physician Zhu misdiagnosed him back then? Perhaps Third Brother didn't actually contract fire poison and was only burned by that fire? Maybe the course of treatment all these years has been wrong?"

Consort Li suddenly stopped in her tracks. The gentle smile on her face faded as she turned around.

"Imperial Physician Zhu is the Director of the Imperial Hospital, the most skilled physician in the entire Imperial Hospital. He is the one who manages His Majesty's health. His diagnosis for He Er absolutely cannot be wrong."

"This consort knows you and He Er are as close as brothers. You have worried endlessly about his health over the years. How could this consort not feel the same? Whether it was sending people to find that Ice Stone Bed or transporting it to the capital to be crafted into a bed, this consort invested immense effort."

"He Er is this consort's son. This consort hopes for his recovery more than anyone. For so many years, this consort has often left the palace to pray for him at temples, reciting sutras for entire days. Just for seeking a marriage to ward off his bad luck, this consort sought out the daughters of no less than five high officials, going to beg His Majesty to grant him a marriage. This consort has done everything possible. If he still cannot be saved, this consort doesn't know what else to do."

Consort Li looked up, gazing at the colorful glow on the horizon. Her voice grew increasingly sorrowful, and a trace of pain spread across her charming face.

Luo Sinian immediately felt he was wrong, terribly wrong.

How could he doubt Consort Li?

She was Luo Junhe's birth mother! Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its own cubs. How could such a gentle and magnanimous person possibly harm her own son?

Over the years, Consort Li had indeed done a great deal for Luo Junhe. Even the extremely precious ice from the palace icehouse was something she knelt outside the Golden Luan Hall for three days to beg for on Luo Junhe's behalf.

This maternal love, meticulous and all-encompassing, was truly moving.

Luo Sinian opened his mouth, speaking somewhat shamefully. "Consort Li, I'm sorry. This prince misunderstood you."

"I know you have sacrificed a lot for Third Brother. Everyone has witnessed this. Today, this prince was presumptuous. Another day, Sinian will definitely come personally to apologize."

Consort Li shook her head, but a dark glint flashed deep within her eyes.

"Enough. You also acted for He Er's sake. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just, I wonder why Prince Chen suddenly started investigating this matter today?"

Luo Sinian's gaze suddenly turned sharp. He gritted his teeth and said, "In reply to Consort Li, that Ice Stone Bed you spent a fortune to have made for Third Brother was given to this prince by Princess Ye. It was covered entirely with disgusting, filthy, foul substances."

Thinking of this, Luo Sinian was filled with anger. He now strongly suspected that the excrement, urine, and bloodstains on that Ice Stone Bed were deliberately splashed there by Ji Yuntang.

If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have angrily rushed to the palace to question Consort Li.

Everything was that ugly freak Ji Yuntang stirring up trouble!

And then thinking about how he had even lain down and slept on that bed mixed with excrement and urine, he felt sour liquid churning in his stomach, nauseous and wanting to vomit.

Hearing this, Consort Li's eyes widened slightly, and she frowned a little. "Oh, there is such a thing?"

"The Princess Ye you speak of, is she the young lady from the Marquis Yongning's residence, Ji Qingqing?"

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