The story of the Beloved Concubine's Ascension

Chapter 131-140

Chapter 131

Shen Ji did not panic, stood up and said: "There is an unexpected incident on the Queen Mother's Holy Birthday Festival. As one of the organizers, I have no shirking responsibility. I also ask the Queen Mother to punish the crime. I am willing to accept the punishment."

"However, the concubines inside and outside the Liangyi Palace have been inspected by their own hands. The Queen is not at ease. Yesterday, she even asked Yun Lan to come and check together. There were no problems. If someone is deliberately framed, it is the concubines and Yun Lan. There is still a short time for what happened after Lan left. If I can find out everything one by one, I will definitely give an explanation to the Queen Mother and Zhao Cairen."

Her words, neither humble nor overbearing, not only appeased the Queen Mother by directly taking the blame on herself, but also cleared the relationship, which reflected her good intentions.

Contrary to Concubine Yide, she directly opened her mouth to investigate the crime and made judgments.

These words were so beautiful that Qin Yuan glanced at her sideways, with undisguised admiration in his eyes. She admitted her mistake directly and did not ruin the royal family's face by crying and pushing back. The Queen Mother was not dissatisfied at all. Instead, she looked at Concubine Yide with a slightly displeased look. Her words were really petty.

The Queen Mother said solemnly: "He dared to do this on the Ai Family's Holy Birthday Festival. It shows that this person has very evil intentions. Since you said so, the Ai Family will give you time to find out carefully."

"sit down."

Shen Ji bowed slightly and said respectfully: "Thank you, Queen Mother."

A not-so-small incident was resolved by Shen Ji with just a few words. Not only did it not have the effect it was supposed to have, but Concubine Yide was left with the impression in the high position that she was a petty person who didn't understand the general situation.

Being defeated by a general, her face suddenly became a little unsightly.

But Concubine Yi De did not lose her composure because of this. She quickly regained her composure and said with an apologetic smile: "The Queen Mother's birthday is really important, and something like this happened again. My sister was anxious and said the wrong thing. Concubine Yu Gui Don't worry about it. We sisters are organizing the Holy Birthday Festival together, and we should all bear the responsibility for any mistakes. How can you be punished alone? If it is really wrong, my sister cannot escape the responsibility."

Shen Ji smiled calmly and raised his hand to smooth the broken hair from her temples, which made her look even more charming and charming: "Sister De Fei advances and retreats appropriately, which can be regarded as an example for the concubines."

She neither said who was responsible for this nor agreed that Concubine Yi De should be punished together. She only praised her for advancing and retreating appropriately. At first glance, it sounded like a compliment, but in reality she was saying that she was quick to change her face, flexible and flexible, and anyone with a discerning eye could hear it. It means coming out of the inside.

Shen Ji was sharp-tongued today, and Concubine Yide frowned without a trace, but sat down calmly and said no more.

It would be wrong to say so. She had more important things to do today, and she couldn't really fall for the trap of the noble concubine and argue with her.

Seeing that Concubine Yide could keep her composure, Shen Ji raised his eyebrows slightly.

The Shengshou Festival is the first major event that Shen Ji and Concubine Yide do after taking over the palace. Anyone who makes a mistake cannot be underestimated.

Once you make a mistake, it means that you are not careful enough, have insufficient ability, and cannot bear the big responsibility.

If there are any mistakes in the future, it is very likely that they will be ignored and rely on another person instead.

Although Concubine Yide has always been gentle and kind on the surface and has never argued with Shen Ji, her thoughts have never been pure with Shen Ji.

It's just that Shen Ji felt a little confused. Concubine Yide was a smart person. Even if she wanted to make her feel that she was not worthy of such a big responsibility in the hearts of His Majesty and the Queen Mother, she shouldn't have chosen it today - the Queen Mother's Holy Birthday.

Especially when he used such despicable means to tamper with the beams.

,

Let the concubine who performs perform unexpectedly,

In this way, everyone felt that she was treating the palace banquet perfunctory and not paying enough attention, which put Zhao Cairen in danger.

What's more, there are many loopholes in this matter, not to mention that Zhao Cai and her have no hatred, and they have never had any grudges with anyone in the palace. She is an unloved concubine, and Shen Ji has no reason to do anything. In addition, she is planning the concubine's performance. Concubine Yide is in charge of the matter. No matter how you think about it, it is not a foolproof idea.

If it were anyone else, they would probably think that this was Concubine Yide's purpose, but Shen Ji had suffered a lot at her hands and knew her methods.

Concubine Yi De is the one who loves to leave herself a backup. She always likes to dispel the enemy's wariness and then divert the attention to achieve the real goal.

Just like that winter, she and Lin joined forces to first harm Yuya and make her worry about Yuya, and then pointed the finger at her, almost causing her to have a miscarriage.

Shen Ji couldn't guess what Concubine Yide wanted to do, but she knew what effect she must be trying to achieve through this matter.

If Shen Ji had fallen into Concubine Yide's trap, he would not have been able to resolve today's troubles.

So no matter what the outcome is, she can't completely clear away her involvement today. Her Majesty and the Queen Mother will definitely not give her a good look today on people who are suspected of being suspected, and she will have no room to speak.

Shen Ji's thoughts gradually became clear.

Concubine Yi De wanted her to be speechless in front of His Majesty and the Queen Mother today because she had something to say, and Shen Ji would not let her do so easily.

Recalling the way Wen Shu lowered his head to talk to Concubine Yide just now, she raised her eyes and stared at Concubine Yide, with a slightly sarcastic coldness gradually filling her eyes.

It turns out that I took the time to talk about Lin.

Unfortunately, her plan failed.

After Zhao Cairen's incident passed, the atmosphere in the palace quickly returned to its original state. Although someone was injured, this palace has always been very realistic. Zhao Cairen has been unfavored for a long time, so no one cares about it, and it has no impact at all.

Amidst the singing and dancing, and after a few rounds of delicious food and wine, the family banquet gradually came to an end.

The Queen Mother knew that the Emperor was thinking about Mrs. Lin's death and gave him a look with her eyes.

When Qin Yuan saw this, he knew that what his mother meant was that the Holy Birthday Festival was almost over and the banquet would be dismissed soon. Talking about Taifu Lin at this time could not only tell the world about the emperor's benevolence and righteousness, but also show the royal kindness. , is the best time.

What's more, Lin's connections and power in the court are deep-rooted, but most of them come from the old master's meritorious service. Your Majesty personally arranges the old master's funeral, which can also make important ministers feel happy.

Qin Yuan looked around and coughed lightly.

The sound immediately faded away like a tide, the palace became quiet, and everyone's eyes were focused on His Majesty.

The death of the old lady only happened this evening. The officials outside the palace had already prepared to enter the palace for the banquet. They had no news from outside, so they were very curious as to what important events His Majesty had to announce.

Qin Yuan said solemnly: "Today is the Queen Mother's Holy Birthday Festival, and the whole country is celebrating it. It should be a beautiful thing, but there is also a sad thing today, which makes me very sad."

"Mr. Lin unfortunately passed away in the Lin Mansion today due to the attack of his blood and heart. He is now resting in the Lin Mansion. Mrs. Lin wrote to me, saying that she was afraid of disturbing the Queen Mother's Holy Birthday and did not want to make a big deal. She was preparing to be buried tomorrow. But Taifu Lin had an upright life and was well-known throughout Chang'an. He was the teacher of the late emperor and me. He was full of meritorious service and was a hero of our dynasty. He was buried in a hurry like this.

I feel very sorry. "

Speaking of this, Qin Yuan paused.

When the courtiers below heard the news, they all looked at each other with surprise in their eyes, but besides being surprised, they seemed to have expected it.

But His Majesty is kind and values ​​friendship, and is willing to take good care of this senator even if it happens to be a holy birthday festival. This is really good news for these ministers.

The ministers stood up one after another, knelt down and said: "Your Majesty is merciful--"

Qin Yuan lowered his eyes and looked at them, with a look of regret and reminiscence in his tone: "The teacher's funeral must be held in a beautiful manner. Seven days after the funeral, I will personally go to the Lin family to bury the teacher, and give the teacher the posthumous title of "Wen" "Ding" to show mourning and honor."

"The rest of the matters will be left to the Ministry of Rites to supervise."

The people below were kneeling together, some were happy and some were worried, but Taifu Lin's reputation was here, and His Majesty valued it. No matter what the emotions were in his heart, his face always showed sorrow.

After the family banquet was over, the ministers left one by one. When there were no more courtiers, Concubine Yide Rourou wiped away two tears, stood up and said: "Your Majesty, I have a merciless request. Please give me a favor." Permitted."

Qin Yuan was about to get up and leave, but when he saw Concubine Yide acting like this, he gave up the idea of ​​getting up. He had just finished talking about Mrs. Lin, and she got up now only because of Mrs. Lin.

"explain."

Concubine Yide wept with gratitude and said meekly: "Your Majesty, I am very saddened by the passing of Taifu Lin. My concubine's mother's family is related to the Lin family. When she was young, she also called Taifu Lin grandpa. Now she is He is no longer here, and I feel very sad every time I think about him."

"I know that my grandfather's favorite one was Lin Shuren, his granddaughter. I think it was because of Lin Shuren that he fell ill." She knelt down and said, "Lin Shuren's sins cannot be forgiven. I am not saying this to excuse Lin Shuren. Please plead for her, but for the sake of your grandfather, your majesty can allow Lin Shuren to have a little dignity in the second half of his life, so that he will not die silently in the palace. This will be considered as a way to save the lives of grandfather and Lin Shuren. Friendship, I think I can feel more relieved when I come to my grandfather's Huangquan Road, and I am even more grateful for His Majesty's kindness."

What he said was reasonable and reasonable, and because of the emotional sustenance of Taifu Lin, a deceased person, and what he had just said in front of the ministers, it was difficult for Qin Yuan to refuse.

In other words, it would be best for him to agree to Concubine Yide's request. It would not affect anything, and it would also get the best of both worlds and add some good reputation to him.

But he hesitated.

For no other reason than because of Shen Ji.

Mrs. Lin repeatedly framed Shen Ji, verbally insulted her, tit for tat, and went so far as to murder her in the palace frantically, and she deserved to be executed for the crime.

It was because her surname was Lin, and she was Taifu Lin's favorite granddaughter, and because of his past friendship, he spared her life without mercy and only let her stay in Changxin Palace for the rest of her life.

Qin Yuan knew that Shen Ji must be feeling uncomfortable, but she was always considerate and would not express her emotions aloud, silently fulfilling his considerations.

Are we going to show her extra mercy now?

So what should Shen Ji think?

In fact, Qin Yuan knew that as an emperor, everything should be based on state affairs, and everything else should be secondary.

But he just couldn't see Shen Ji feeling sad.

His Highness Shen Ji's expression was stunned for a moment, his beautiful red lips trembled slightly, and he looked at Concubine Yide in disbelief: "Common Lin assassinated my concubine in the palace not long ago, and it is Your Majesty's mercy to not die! Even Concubine De is right. No matter how dissatisfied I am, I should never give such a reason!"

Concubine Yide slowly turned her eyes over, still twirling her handkerchief to wipe her tears: "My sister can't forgive you for this matter, but the deceased is gone, so I can only mourn. Although Lin Shuren's crime is unforgivable, His Majesty has also punished you severely. And my sister has not been hurt in any way, so why be aggressive? My sister just wants Lin Shuren to live a decent life in the future, so that he will not die silently without being cared about, that's all. Could it be that my sister is thinking about the old master's face and refuses to relax even a little bit? Mouth?"

She kept using Mrs. Lin's posthumous mourning as a raft. Shen Ji knew that it was useless to be too aggressive, but he still felt aggrieved. His red lips tightened and he refused to speak when he saw his majesty.

Seeing this, Concubine Yide lowered her eyes, but a smile quickly flashed in her eyes.

On the throne, Qin Yuan had not yet spoken, but the Queen Mother spoke: "Lin can be exempted from death, but she cannot escape from living. But Mrs. Lin has passed away, so this request is not a big deal. But she made a big mistake after all. It doesn't matter if it's too respectable."

"In accordance with the wishes of the Ai family, a palace maid from the hard labor force will be sent to the Changxin Palace to serve the Lin family, and there will be no need for the others."

Concubine Yide was grateful for the Queen Mother's grace and thanked her for her blessings, while Shen Ji endured her grievances and bowed her knees with red eyes.

But no one saw that there was actually no displeasure in Shen Ji's eyes. What she wanted to achieve was the same goal. !

Chapter 132

After the family banquet on the Holy Birthday Festival is over, Your Majesty will accompany the Queen Mother back to the Palace of Longevity. The concubines will get up to see her off, wait for her to leave, and then one after another get up and return to their own palaces.

Shen Ji didn't leave until the end. His expression was cold and indifferent, and he didn't want to talk to anyone. Anyone who saw this look would think that she was unhappy.

Concubine Yi De led the second prince to her and said with apologetic expressions: "Sister, I'm really sorry. My sister and the Lin family had an old relationship in the past, and my grandfather is deceased. I really can't bear it."

"If you feel bad, blame it all on my sister. My sister will never blame you."

Shen Ji twitched the corners of his lips coldly and smiled softly: "What did the Concubine De say? How dare I disrespect the Queen Mother's will?"

"Lin has repeatedly wanted to kill my concubine. Concubine De must also know in her heart that assassinations in the palace should be executed according to the law. Your Majesty has already shown mercy outside the law."

Concubine Yide covered her lips with a handkerchief and coughed lightly, and said innocently: "That being said, since the Queen Mother agrees, it means it is right. No matter how dissatisfied my sister is, don't talk about it."

After saying that, she glanced tenderly at the second prince who was following him: "Zirong is also tired today. Let's go back to the palace with my mother and concubine to rest."

Concubine Yi De led the second prince away, and finally looked back at Shen Ji's expression. Seeing that her expression was still cold, the smile in her eyes seemed to be getting deeper.

Shen Ji took all this into consideration and said quietly: "Go back to the palace."

The Empress Dowager gave an order tonight, and the hard laborers will be sent to Changxin Palace tomorrow. Although time is tight, there is still time to arrange it.

After returning to the palace, Shen Ji screened away everyone and called Qingtan.

After she lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, she explained: "Qingyun Road is the bait, they will always be careful."

"Go ahead."

*

On April 12, it was a cloudy day in Chang'an with no sunlight.

The cold wind in the morning was bleak, and there were a few drops of light rain, as if a rainstorm was coming.

After the morning court, His Majesty put on his regular clothes and went to the Lin family in person to pay his respects to Taifu Lin.

At the same time, in Chenyou Palace, the reward arrived in front of Shen Ji along with the news that His Majesty went to pay homage to the Lin family.

There was a dazzling array of fine objects, many of which were treasures from His Majesty's private treasury. Shen Ji picked up one at random and heard that it was an authentic work by a calligrapher and painter from the previous dynasty. It was a landscape painting with a beautiful artistic conception.

Shen Ji remembered that His Majesty liked it very much and would take it out for viewing from time to time. She just said casually that it looked good, and now she sent it to her without hesitation.

Although she didn't really need this much, she knew what His Majesty meant.

Yesterday, the Queen Mother decided to reward Lin with a hard worker as a palace maid. She was unwilling, and Her Majesty was using it to coax her.

It was the Queen Mother's Holy Birthday. In full public view, it was impossible for him to offend the Queen Mother, not to mention that it was not a big deal.

It's just that His Majesty thought she might be unhappy, so he carefully selected so many good things for her.

Shen Ji was not unhappy at all, but His Majesty's kindness was rare.

She smiled: "Shuangying, please put it away. I will thank Your Majesty in person someday."

It was Zhang Pu who came to deliver the gift. He did not follow His Majesty out of the palace. Instead, he was sent to Shen Ji. I am afraid His Majesty also wanted to see what her attitude was.

Seeing Shen Ji smiling now, Zhang Pu's heart dropped. He quickly bowed and said with a smile: "Your Majesty will be happy if your Majesty likes it."

"In this case, the queen will rest first, and I will retreat now."

Shen Ji smiled and waved his hand: "Send the eunuch out personally."

*

But the calm didn't last long. In the afternoon, news came from the palace that Lin had a big problem.

It is a very honorable thing for Your Majesty to go to the Lin family today to pay homage to Taifu Lin. However, in front of His Majesty, Minister Lin expressed his desire to bury the old Taifu as soon as possible, saying that he did not want to offend the Queen Mother's holy life. Moreover, as a minister, Lin could not embarrass His Majesty.

Before His Majesty could express his position, Lin Shangshu's third brother hurriedly came to His Majesty and begged Your Majesty to make the decision for the old master. He said that the old master must have died of illness and that someone must have tampered with him. His words were truly true, so Your Majesty sent People invited Wu Zuo and the imperial doctor to diagnose together, and it turned out that something was wrong.

Taifu Lin was not ill at all, but poisoned, but the symptoms of the poison were just like the symptoms of sudden death caused by qi and blood attacking the heart, which coincided with Taifu Lin's previous fainting.

As soon as the news came out that the old master had been assassinated at home, all the civil and military officials in the hall were shocked. His Majesty was furious and sent people to seal off the Lin family and strictly investigate the person who poisoned the house. The person behind it must be found out.

Such a big event spread throughout Chang'an City before lunch was finished, and everyone was waiting to see Lin's joke.

His Majesty ordered a strict investigation into Mrs. Lin's poisoning, which caused panic in the Lin family. Especially Lin Shangshu was restless and frightened all day long.

In just two days, the entire Lin family was divided into two factions. They became increasingly fragmented, arguing constantly, and almost became a mess. There was no sign of working together to organize the funeral.

His Majesty was furious and ordered the Ministry of Rites to take care of everything. When the seven days of mourning came, he would arrange a grand funeral for the old lady.

This investigation lasted for nearly a month. The front secretary was responsible for this matter and investigated Lin's case thoroughly.

Apart from the busy government affairs, the harem seemed much calmer.

Because he always felt in his heart that he owed Shen Ji, Qin Yuan sent rewards to Chenyou Palace every now and then, and often accompanied her whenever he could. Although she was not his only favorite, her honor and status were unmatched by anyone in the palace.

But even so, Qin Yuan still felt that Shen Ji was not very happy.

Although she always smiled softly, she seemed to be the same as before. She never argued with him and showed a cold face, and more often expressed that she was not dissatisfied when he asked.

But Qin Yuan just felt that she was unhappy.

He couldn't tell what was wrong, but he had an intuition.

There was indeed something wrong between Shen Ji and him.

If you really want to talk about it, it seems that there is a layer of distance between them, and there is no real sense of closeness.

But Shen Ji didn't want to say more, and Qin Yuan didn't want to force her, so he kept his concerns deep in his heart. As time went by, he would eventually understand why.

*

On May 11th, the matter of Taifu Lin's poisoning was finally revealed.

The poisoner was Lin Shangshu, Taifu Lin's son. When he found out about the matter, he also found out many secret and dirty things about Lin family.

There were no less than a dozen serious crimes including corruption and bribery, raping women, and forcing girls into prostitution. There were also high-ranking officials who used their official positions as a guide to exchange beauties for their money.

These charges were read out one by one in court. His Majesty was furious and Lin Shangshu was dismissed from his post.

Executed to death, all those involved should also be beheaded, exiled, and the Lin Mansion's finances were confiscated.

Mindful of the old master's merits, he preserved the Lin family's mansion and did not deal with the female family members or the Lin family's children who were not involved in the matter, but only dealt with the relevant people.

But it was these people in high positions who supported the Lin family. Now that people have died and their wealth has been wiped out, the huge Lin family is left with such an incompetent support. From now on, there will no longer be a Lin family among the famous families in Chang'an. I'm afraid This life will never be the same.

It is sad that such a large family collapsed in an instant, but even though the disaster was caused by the death of the old master, people with a discerning eye can also see that His Majesty was happy to see the outcome in this matter.

Not only did he save Tai Fu Lin's face, but he also took this opportunity to deal with Mr. Lin. The principle of killing a chicken to scare the monkeys, after all, these old fritters in the court were like a mirror.

In the Lin Mansion, Mrs. Lin looked at the messy rooms and courtyard, feeling sad and resentful in her heart. She felt indescribable desolation. The women and children in the courtyard were so frightened that they had tears in their eyes and did not dare to say a word.

The men in the family were dealt with, and it was His Majesty's mercy that they were able to survive and still live in this big house. They did not go into exile with them. No matter how sad they were, how frightened they were, they could only swallow their grievances. in stomach.

Now that Mrs. Lin has become like this, Mrs. Lin is the only one who can take charge of the overall situation. Several bold women went over to support Mrs. Lin and said in a trembling voice: "Sister-in-law, with the current situation at home, you must think of something new." Cheer up... If not, how will the rest of us live!"

Mrs. Lin looked at the sky in despair. She was no longer as domineering as before, and burst into tears: "How to live...Do I know how to live?"

"Who else can I count on now!"

The people around him were quiet for a while, and cried: "Now Lin is like the fish in the case, anyone can take a bite of it. If there is no one to protect and support this family, then we..."

"Now we can't count on anyone else, but I heard that Concubine Yide in the palace still misses Lin. She has the right to assist in managing the harem. If she is willing to miss her old relationship--"

"Yes, sister-in-law, just go and give it a try! This is your only hope now!"

Her father-in-law died, her husband died, and her sons committed crimes and were exiled or imprisoned. Her daughter was also deposed as a commoner and imprisoned for life.

Everything that Mrs. Lin was most proud of in her life turned into dust. She had nothing left, and she almost fainted from crying. At this time, Concubine Yi De would still help Mrs. Lin because she was her aunt. A horse?

After a long silence, Mrs. Lin shed tears of regret.

"Please help me pass the invitation to the palace. This is Lin's greatest hope now."

*

Inside Bixiao Palace.

Concubine Yide was smiling as she watched the second prince write, when Wen Shu took the greeting card from outside and walked into the palace.

She presented the invitation to her empress and pouted: "My empress, this is from Mrs. Lin. I want to see you."

Concubine Yi De glanced at her, walked out of the study where Zi Rong was practicing calligraphy, and sneered coldly: "Lin is like a street rat now, everyone is afraid to avoid her, but she has the face to climb the high branch of this palace. "

"It was just to use her to gain face in front of the queen. She has really forgotten how she and her precious daughter treated me."

Concubine Yi De raised her hand and tore up the greeting card, and sneered: "I think back then, I hinted that she should deal with the noble concubine Yu. Fortunately, she didn't have the guts to do it and survived until now. It's really stupid."

"Just say that I am sick and should not see guests."!

Chapter 133

Mrs. Lin was waiting in front of the palace gate for news about Concubine Yide, but unexpectedly she received the news that she was ill and could not recover. Then she turned pale and looked like she was waking up from a dream.

Aunts and relatives are all lies. How could someone who had been trampled down like mud be so kind? How could she expect this woman to help them.

When the Lin family was in glory, many people fawned over them, but now when trouble comes, they all go their separate ways!

The little eunuch who delivered the message at the door carefully looked at her expression, and knew what happened to Mrs. Lin recently, so at least she didn't say any evil words: "Now that I have received the news, Madam, it is better to come back early. It is an inconvenient place in the palace gate." Long stay."

The people who came with her were very anxious when they heard that Concubine Yi De did not want to see her. They hurriedly grabbed Mrs. Lin's arm and begged her to try again. Mrs. Lin looked forward blankly, threw away their hands, and turned a deaf ear. Walking in the direction of Lin Mansion, he felt as lost as a dying old man.

Nothing is gone... nothing is gone...

...

"Plop!"

With a splash of water, there was completely no sound.

-

Now the attention of the former harem is all on the Lin family, and the Lin family house was confiscated just now. Everyone wants to see how the Lin family can survive in this situation. Unexpectedly, the next day, the news spread that Mrs. Lin committed suicide in the Lin family well. Come, not only is it surprising, but it is also inevitably sad.

We were both ministers in Chang'an, we were married to each other, and people came and went. We watched his tall buildings rise and entertain guests. Now we also see his tall buildings collapse with our own eyes, and his glory is gone.

How can one not be moved?

When the news of Mrs. Lin's suicide reached Shen Ji's ears, she was looking through the banquet list sent from the Shangshi Bureau. She did not feel the slightest pity for the news of Mrs. Lin's suicide.

I remember how arrogant and arrogant she was when I first met Mrs. Lin. After only a short time, isn't it all gone?

Shen Ji pulled his lips and sneered, and continued to look at the list in his hand.

Although Concubine Yide was in charge of the Shangshi Bureau, this was the second prince's birthday party, and she had to personally check every detail. Concubine Yide knew that it had nothing to do with her, and there was nothing to grab.

On Zizhao's first birthday, His Majesty originally wanted to organize a banquet in the palace and set up a few tables. However, the Lin family incident made a big fuss, and Your Majesty is busy with government affairs. It is not a good thing to be too conspicuous at this time. , not to mention that if there are too many people coming, they will inevitably have to deal with them one by one. Shen Ji has limited energy and is unwilling to do that face-saving work.

So she discussed with His Majesty that the peonies on the Baihua Path were blooming just right today, so she would set up a few tables at the Qionghua Terrace. In addition to the chief of the palace and the concubines with whom she had made friends, she would also have a banquet for a few of the ladies who came and went frequently. That's it.

Your Majesty will come by then, even if it is not such a big occasion, it will still show that His Majesty attaches great importance to Zizhao.

There's nothing wrong with getting the best of both worlds.

There was nothing wrong with this banquet list. After reading it, Shen Ji handed it to Yun Xue beside him and asked her to inform the Shangshi Bureau in person now and she would follow this tomorrow.

Yunxue hesitated for a while while holding the order, then whispered: "The Shangshi Bureau is in charge of Concubine Yi De. Madam, please tell me whether she will..."

Shen Ji turned his head to look at her, curled his lips and smiled: "You are more thoughtful now, and you know how to prepare for a rainy day."

Being teased by the empress, Yunxue bowed her head in embarrassment and said coquettishly: "I am worried, the empress is still teasing me.

"

Thinking of Concubine Yide,

Shen Ji smiled meaningfully: "Don't worry,

She is a smart person and would not do such a stupid thing. "

"Besides, her mind should be on someone else right now."

-

After the Lin incident happened, the Lin family was punished, and accordingly there were officials who were rewarded by His Majesty for their successful performance.

In the investigation of the Lin family, the Palace Chief made an indispensable contribution, and His Majesty rewarded him based on his merits. Among them was the brother of Rao Guifei, the Deputy Commander of the Palace Division.

It seems that Concubine Rao's fate is good. She was favored when she first entered the palace. Later, even if the favor gradually faded, she did not suffer much. Her father and brother outside the palace served the court one after another and were appreciated by His Majesty. The mother family is honored. , she is in the harem, so she can naturally rise with the tide.

Today, His Majesty only rewarded his brother in the early morning. As soon as he left the court, the reward arrived at Yihua Palace. Zhang Pu personally brought someone to deliver it, which shows that Your Majesty attaches great importance to it.

Since the fifth year of Cheng'an, when this group of new people entered the palace, the favor of concubine Rao has become less and less favorable year by year. Although she has the support of her natal family outside the palace, her life in the palace is quite comfortable, but His Majesty's treatment of her As they moved further and further away, Yihua Palace became deserted, which always made her feel uneasy.

Especially since she has been in the palace for several years, but she has never had an heir. It will not be good for her future to be lonely without love.

Among the concubines currently in charge in the palace, Concubine Zhuang has the eldest prince and Princess Changle, Concubine Yide has a prince, and Concubine Yu Gui also has a second prince. She is the only one who has no favors and no children. She can barely hold on to her position with the help of her father and brother. Location.

It's okay for now, but as time goes by, it's hard to guarantee that something will not happen.

The most important thing is that Concubine Yu is so popular in the palace now that the other women in the palace are not as favored as she alone. Now that she has the power to control the palace, she should not be underestimated.

There was also Concubine Yide, who was originally just a dog that belonged to Lin's side. She was appreciated when she came out and jumped around, and I don't know how many people in the palace fawned over her.

If she doesn't think of a way out, she may have to rely on others in the future. She has been noble all her life, and of course she is not willing to bow to these people.

She Mu Miaochun asked herself, it was only because of the Lu family that she had been silent for so long. Now that the limelight has long passed, I am afraid that His Majesty cannot even remember this person. It is time to think of a solution.

Concubine Rao politely sent someone to send Zhang Pu away, and asked the maid in charge Xi Ling to arrange for people to collect all the rewards from His Majesty. She sat at the table and fell into deep thought.

With her current situation, it is not easy to get a place in the palace. If she can have help, she can have a chance of winning.

This helper--

She does have a suitable candidate in mind.

It was Ke Meiren who had only been in the palace for less than half a year.

But she had invited Ke Meiren several times before, but Ke Meiren always made excuses not to see her. She was an arrogant girl and did not have a deep relationship with her cousin, so she had no choice but to give up.

But lately, Ke Meiren's Majesty Mingguang Palace has been visiting less and less, which is not much different from her Yihua Palace. She doesn't believe that Ke Meiren is not in a hurry.

After thinking about it, Concubine Rao said: "Xiling, go and pick out some young women who will like it from His Majesty's reward just now. I want to go to Mingguang Palace."

Hearing this, Xi Ling hesitated and said with some reluctance: "Your Majesty, your Majesty will not reward us from Yihua Palace easily now. He sent it to Mingguang Palace as soon as it was delivered to us. That beauty Ke may not appreciate it."

Concubine Raogui's phoenix eyes were slightly raised, and her red lips raised a smile: "Meimei Ke is arrogant by nature, and she won't let it go."

Will it be collected or delivered?

Xi Ling wanted to say something else, but after seeing the empress's expression, she kept silent and went to choose.

After a while, Xi Ling selected a pair of white jade earrings, a silk lotus pearl hairpin, and a ruby ​​​​begonia gold walking stick. They each selected golden brocade boxes and put them in them, and asked the two palace maids to hold them respectively. He followed the concubine Rao's chariot with dignity.

When the honor guard of Concubine Rao passed through the long street and stopped in front of the Mingguang Palace, the maids in front of the Mingguang Palace were stunned for a moment.

Concubine Rao sat on the chariot, raised her hand to stroke her hair, shook her head, and said with a loud smile: "I am here to see Miss Ke, why don't you hurry up and tell me."

Xi Ling helped Rao Guifei slowly walk down the chariot, raised her head and took a good look at Mingguang Palace.

It all shows that the Guanggong Palace is gorgeous and spacious, and it is indeed well-deserved when I see it today. It is much more eye-catching than her Yihua Palace.

But after seeing Yu Gui's Chenyou Palace, the Mingguang Palace would be overshadowed.

She didn't believe that Ke Meiren would feel happy.

Inside the palace.

Ke Meiren was originally sitting drinking tea with a calm expression. Unexpectedly, the palace maid who came in from the door announced that Tao Rao, a noble concubine, had arrived, and her expression became even more pale.

After many days, Concubine Rao came to visit with gifts in person, and Ke Meiren couldn't refuse even if she didn't want to see her.

Regarding this cousin, Kemeiren originally insisted on the idea of ​​​​hiding as much as possible and never collaborating with others, but she did not expect that she would be so persistent. After failing once or twice, she actually came to the door in person this time.

No matter how you say it, they are related to each other, and they are the head of the palace. She has been criticized many times and her face is never good.

Ke Meiren breathed a sigh of relief and spoke reluctantly: "Please come in."!

Chapter 134

After the palace maid informed Raogui, she was not surprised at all. She smiled slightly, lifted her skirt and walked into Mingguang Palace.

A high-ranking visitor came, and Ke Meiren had to get up and wait at the door even if she didn't want to see her. She stood at the door of the palace and knelt down, watching the concubine Rao getting closer and closer with a complicated expression, and her emotions were a bit complicated.

It was no secret that His Majesty rewarded the former ministers and related personnel of the palace in many ways. Kemeiren naturally knew that her cousin was appreciated by His Majesty, but looking at the satisfied look of Concubine Rao today, she felt it was an eyesore.

Not to mention that the concubine Rao is not favored in the palace. Even if she is favored, there is no need to show off to her as soon as she gains power.

It's like telling her, look, you didn't associate with me in the past, but today I came to see you in such a beautiful way, letting you know that what you did at the beginning was wrong, and you should come to me.

Ke Meiren felt a sense of depression in her heart, and her face became cold: "Greetings to Concubine Rao."

Concubine Rao walked up to her quickly, unaware of what the beauty was thinking, and praised with a smile: "You have been in the palace for so long, and this is the first time I have come to your Mingguang Palace. This shows that the Palace of Light is very impressive. , today I saw it was indeed the case."

Ke Meiren got up and followed her into the palace, saying quietly: "Did the empress come here today just to visit my side hall?"

Sensing the cold tone of Ke Meiren's tone, Raogui took the initiative to sit down on the main seat, raised her phoenix eyes slightly, and said angrily: "I am your cousin after all. It's just that you haven't seen me in the past six months. Why do you do this today when you see me?" Cold and indifferent. It is difficult for others to have a companion in the palace. You and I are already ready, so why are you still unwilling to have one?"

After all, she also knew that Ke Meiren's temperament had been a little weird since she was a child, and she had big ideas. She didn't like to get together with others, and was not easy to talk to. She smiled and greeted her, "Your Majesty just sent you the reward from Yihua Palace. I asked Xi Ling to pick out a few good ones and send them to you, please take a look. These are the things that Second Brother has done well for His Majesty, and I am just taking advantage of them."

Xi Ling smiled happily and raised her hand to signal the palace maid behind her to come forward and present several pieces of jewelry in the brocade box. They were all exquisite and the materials and workmanship were very good.

Kemeiren's eyes slowly fell on the two brocade boxes, and finally looked at the golden begonia inlaid with rubies. She frowned slightly and looked away.

She looked unhappy and her tone was cold and emotionless: "Forget it, what are you going to do with this step?"

After a while, she seemed to have remembered something. Her slender and white neck became straighter and straighter, as if she was unwilling to bend at all. She said bluntly: "Bu Yao can only be worn by the master. Even if you send it, it won't suit me."

Seeing how Ke Meiren was holding on to her self-esteem, the smile on Raogui's red lips deepened.

When she asked Xi Ling to choose this step just before leaving the palace, she knew that with her cousin's character, she would never want such an unexpected meal. What's more, this Jin Bu Yao can only be used by the main position. When she sees it, she will be reminded of her current status and concubine, and her heart will become even more panicked.

But without these incentives, it would be even more difficult for Concubine Raogui to win over Kemei to join forces with her.

At this time, Xi Yu, who was beside Ke Meiren, personally served the tea. Concubine Rao didn't speak so quickly. Instead, she picked up the tea and took a sip. When the time was almost up, she said leisurely: "It's just a shake. There's nothing wrong with it."

"I asked Xi Ling to choose the ones that are suitable for you. The styles and patterns are young and expensive.

Awesome and delicate,

It won't weigh down your age. As for that step-"

Raogui concubine put down the porcelain cup,

He said with a smile: "I know you have liked Begonia flowers since you were a child. Although you can't use this step now, you will definitely use it in time. With my cousin's family background and appearance, why worry about not being able to use it?"

She spoke slowly and step by step: "Even a concubine of Yu Gui's background can be promoted to the throne in just two years. As long as we sisters work together and run the business well, we will definitely have a place in the harem."

"When you give birth to an heir in the future, the throne will not be easy to come by."

Kemeiren looked at Concubine Rao coldly, pursed her lips and said nothing.

Ke Meiren actually knows what the situation in the palace is now.

When she first entered the palace, she was full of confidence and ambition, thinking that with her appearance, talent, knowledge, and family background, it was only a matter of time before she wanted to please His Majesty and gain favor.

But she didn't expect that, apart from the fact that His Majesty would come a few more times at the beginning, the times he would see her became less and less, and now, it was only once a month, which was obviously just for perfunctory purposes.

But no matter how much she thought about it, she didn't understand why she had displeased His Majesty.

She is the youngest concubine in the palace. She is beautiful and talented. She is not a rigid and ignorant person in front of His Majesty. She asked herself that she is not inferior to anyone, so why does His Majesty dislike her?

His Majesty considers a woman like her to be dispensable. What is so special about that noble concubine that makes His Majesty continue to favor her.

This problem has never been solved for Kemei people.

But as time passed, Ke Meiren was not in a hurry.

Now the palace is almost divided into two factions, Concubine Yide and Concubine Yugui. The Queen is suppressing them, but the Queen has never participated in these, so Concubine Yide and Concubine Yugui are the only ones to fight against each other.

The rest of the people don't even have names, just like her.

But to be fair, she was unconvinced.

She asked herself that she was no worse than anyone else, and she deserved her place in this palace. But to join forces with Rao Guifei...

Ke Meiren was still reluctant in her heart.

Her cousin has liked to wear gold, silver, red and green since she was a child. She is a very tacky person. The two families have been together many times, and she does not want to have much contact with the concubine Rao.

People who have not been close to each other since childhood will even less want to get close to them in a place like the harem.

What's more, she, Luo Yuhan, has been arrogant since she was a child. If she can't achieve anything, does she have to rely on others? Wouldn't it be possible if we didn't join forces with Rao Guibi?

The original Yugui concubine did not rely on her to get to where she is today.

She wanted to try it on her own again, but if it didn't work, it wouldn't be too late to go back and join forces.

After paying attention, Kemeiren stretched out her hand and pushed the brocade box on the table: "Rao Noble Concubine, it's better to take it back. Although Your Majesty has come less recently, Mingguang Palace still has no shortage of these things."

Concubine Rao didn't expect her to be so stubborn and unwilling to join forces at this time. She was a little anxious: "You are really so stubborn, what's wrong with joining forces with your cousin?"

She frowned and said, "Do you really think this was a few years ago? Nowadays, the Jade Concubine holds a very important position in Your Majesty's heart. If it weren't for the Queen Mother's pressure, I'm afraid you and I wouldn't even be able to show such meager kindness now." All the favors are gone. If we don't work together to find a solution, only one person can

Change what? "

Ke Meiren was a little unhappy and asked: "Then according to my cousin, what can we change if we work together?"

"I would like to hear what my cousin has to say?"

Concubine Rao was stunned for such a straightforward question. She quickly regained her composure and said: "It is untenable in the final analysis because we don't have an heir to the emperor. If you and I join forces, as long as you are pregnant with the emperor, Hey, we sisters are of one heart and one mind, so are we still worried about not being able to survive?"

Mentioning the emperor's heir, Ke Meiren's heart suddenly felt a little blocked.

Emperor's heir, emperor's heir, who doesn't want to be pregnant with the emperor's heir? Without His Majesty, would she have been able to conceive him out of thin air?

Besides, if she is really pregnant with the emperor's heir, it will also be her biological child. No matter how good she and Rao Gui's concubine are, after His Majesty's death, it will be she, not Rao Gui's concubine, who will be able to live with the prince in his mansion after His Majesty's death.

Kemei has made up her mind. She will not stand on the same side as Concubine Rao at the moment, and it is useless to say more.

She stood up and said with a cold face: "My Majesty, there is no need to say any more. I am not feeling well, so I won't keep you here any longer. Xiyu, see you off."

Xi Yu was startled by such a blatant chase, but Ke Meiren had already turned around and entered the inner room, so she could only shout in a low voice: "Mother... Cousin, don't care about the little master's temper. You know that too."

Concubine Raogui was humiliated, and her face became colder: "She has such a bad temper!"

After saying that, Concubine Rao turned and left. Xi Ling also hurriedly called on the palace maid to take the brocade box away and left Mingguang Palace together.

When it got quiet outside, Kemei slowly walked out of the inner room.

She looked in the direction outside the palace and said with difficulty: "Xi Yu, send someone to check where His Majesty usually goes during these days, and then prepare a new dress for me, and have it tailored by the Shangfu Bureau according to my requirements."

-

Within a day, Mrs. Lin committed suicide, and the news of Lin's complete disintegration soon spread in the palace.

As a once prominent family, the thunderous collapse of the Lin family has also become a topic of conversation among the palace people after dinner. There are many places where the masters cannot see, and there is no shortage of palace people talking about it in low voices.

In the evening, after dinner, it was time for the maids to return the used dishes to the Shangshi Bureau.

Dusk is gradually rising, and the lanterns are beginning to turn on. There are only a few people on the long street in front of the Nansi Palace Gate. Occasionally, a row of palace ladies walks through. It is quiet everywhere, and you can occasionally hear a few insects.

Since these days, Lin Xuanji likes to sit in the yard and stare at the sky.

Originally, she was the only one in Changxin Palace, but these days, there was another maid serving her.

Sweeping the courtyard, washing and drying the bedding, doing the decent work that every lady has to do to serve her master, as if she could live a decent life.

But who is she--

An abandoned woman who was completely rejected by His Majesty, a woman who died in embarrassment and was not worthy of being buried in the concubine's mausoleum.

If she hadn't been worried about her grandfather being ill and her mother's heartache, she might as well have jumped into a well and died, rather than living like this.

The sound of washing water from the palace maid nearby broke the silence, and the sound of conversations in the courtyard floated in from the long street.

"With Mrs. Lin's death, the Lin family is completely done with it. The backbone of the family is gone. The remaining people will probably divide the remaining family property and leave Chang'an in despair."

"Isn't it? Almost all the officials of the Lin family were beheaded and exiled. Even Lin Shangshu was beheaded and scattered to pieces. The remaining women and children who stayed in Chang'an were laughed at and could never stand up again. of."

"I think how noble the Lin family was back then, but now they have become a prisoner overnight..."

The sound reached her ears more and more clearly. Lin Xuanji's eyes suddenly widened and her whole body trembled violently.

How is it possible...how is it possible...

The laughter outside was so lingering that she couldn't believe it. She ran to the gate of Changxin Palace like crazy and didn't even step back when she bumped into the guard's sword scabbard.

Lin Xuanji's tears fell one after another, and she shouted hysterically: "You bitch! What nonsense are you talking about! What nonsense are you talking about!"!

Chapter 135

Mrs. Lin suddenly jumped out and shouted, startling the maids who were whispering under the wall. It was a serious crime to be caught talking nonsense in the palace. The maids were worried that they would be blamed for disturbing their masters, so they screamed and ran away in a hurry.

Changxin Palace is located in the South Fourth Palace, and any movement will be known immediately. The guard guarding the door quickly stopped Lin, blocked her back into the palace door with a sword scabbard, and closed the door tightly.

Lin Xuanji struggled to no avail and was severely pushed to the ground. She collapsed on the ground at the palace gate and shed tears.

She couldn't believe that such a prominent Lin family would lose everything overnight, and she couldn't believe that her mother, father and grandfather were all gone. They were obviously still fine. How could it be possible that she was still worried about her being imprisoned a while ago? Sudden death? She would never believe it!

Lin Xuanji cried hysterically, her eyes were red, and she coughed so much that she almost retched. She got up from the ground and slapped the door hard: "Open the door! Let me out! Open the door!"

However, the guards on duty at the door did their duty and turned a deaf ear. She was left alone at the door, heartbroken and desperate.

The moon is above the willow branches, and the night is getting darker.

When she slapped the door with both hands until she was red, swollen, numb, and lost all strength, Lin Xuanji finally couldn't cry anymore, and leaned softly on the edge of the door. The vermilion palace door in front of her eyes was immersed in the night, and it was dark and gloomy.

After living in Changxin Palace for seven years, she had never felt that the lacquered red palace door, which symbolized nobility, was as heavy as it is today. It was like a huge stone that could not be moved, pressing on her body, crushing her insides. It wanted to break into pieces, leaving her desperate and unable to breathe.

The palace maid who had been washing clothes in the courtyard looked up at her coldly, lowered her eyes, spread out her clothes, and hung her hands and feet on the hemp rope in the courtyard. Then she clapped her hands and came over, grabbing Lin who could no longer cry. Shira returned to the desolate courtyard of the apse.

"Common Lin, you have cried enough. Why don't you listen to what I have to say."

Lin Xuanji looked at her warily and said tremblingly: "What do you want to do?"

"Who are you! Who sent you!"

Hearing this, the slave labor maid suddenly laughed, with a ferocious expression: "I am a slave sent by the Queen Mother to serve you. I have committed crimes in the past and cannot be used, so I was assigned to serve you. Don't you know?"

"I was able to save my life just so that I could kill you one day. You have done many evil things and are ruthless. If you fall into my hands today, this is your retribution."

The palace maid laughed, grabbed Mrs. Lin's neck and said, "But when things come to an end, no matter how many things you say about me, you won't be able to remember them. But you won't survive today. I'm telling you so much just to let you do it." A clear guy."

"Don't you believe the news about your Lin family? I will tell you today."

"Your grandfather was poisoned to death by your father. People in the Lin family realized that something was wrong and asked Your Majesty to make the decision. They also discovered many of Lin's capital crimes and were beheaded and exiled. None of your father and brothers were spared. Even your mother committed suicide by throwing herself into a well. Gone. Everything you were proud of is gone, and now you are the daughter of a guilty minister and a commoner, worse than a slave like me."

The bloody truth was laid out in front of her, and Lin Xuanji was heartbroken.

She was pinched by the neck and couldn't breathe. Her face flushed, but she still shed tears uncontrollably. She slapped the palace maid's arm hard and said with difficulty: "Kill me, and you won't survive...!"

"I won't bother you," the palace maid said coldly, "just become a water ghost with your mother!"

After that, in order to prevent the traces of being pinched from being left on her neck, the palace maid let go of her hand, but before Lin Xuanji could say anything else, she kicked her into the well. , after struggling twice and losing his voice and sinking to the bottom of the water, he was ready to pick up the basin and go to the back hall.

The guard on duty outside the palace stood at the door, pricking up his ears and listening to what was going on inside, his heart pounding.

The crying inside seemed to have stopped. Maybe it was because Lin Shuren was tired, but there seemed to be no sound at all.

He looked at the other guard on duty next to him. The two looked at each other with a hint of suspicion in their eyes.

The other guard is naturally keeping an eye on what's going on in the palace. Today's matter is related to their respective futures, and success or failure depends on today. They didn't dare to forget a single word of what the girl told them back then, they kept it firmly in their hearts.

Although the life of the common man inside who committed the crime is not valuable, we must not let him die right now. We must save him at the critical moment. As long as he can be saved, it is a great achievement.

Today, the long-tongued palace maid outside the palace wall told about the genocide of the Lin family. Lin was once the legitimate daughter of the Lin family. She would be sad to hear the tragic situation in her family. If she couldn't think about it and wanted to commit suicide, it would probably be at this time.

The two of them listened attentively to the sounds inside. After a while, they suddenly heard the sound of water splashing in their ears, which made them feel bad.

"What's wrong! Something seems to have happened to Lin Shuren!"

One of them shouted loudly, and the two of them pushed the door open. The unaware guard next to them hurried over to guard the door, and watched as the two rushed in.

The guards were strong and agile, and they quickly found the source of the sound as soon as they entered.

But the well mouth is narrow and rescue is inconvenient. They

Shouting loudly, a group of people joined hands and quickly rescued Concubine Lin from the deep and cold well water. She choked on the water and lost consciousness. The two guards understood and hurriedly pointed to the palace maid next to them who had not had time to leave and said: "Detain her and send someone to inform His Majesty!"

*

When the news reached the Jianzhang Hall, Qin Yuan was reading a pile of unfinished notes. Zhang Pu stood in the hall and recited the news word for word with a low eyebrow.

The guards sent word that the palace maids were talking about Lin, and Commoner Lin knew about it. Commoner Lin was so sad that she was pushed into the well by the palace maid assigned to serve her. They sensed something was wrong, so they rescued the person and waited for instructions.

After Zhang Pu repeated his story, he bowed and asked for instructions: "Your Majesty, look - what should we do with these people?"

Lin common people, hard laborers, palace maids who spread news.

In just a few words, Qin Yuan got a lot of unusual information from it.

He put down the book, leaned lazily on the soft pillow behind his back, and rubbed his sore eyebrows.

There were a lot of people talking about Lin in the palace, and he didn't want to hide it, but it couldn't be such a coincidence. Mrs. Lin had just died, and someone dared to talk about it on the long street of Nansi Palace, and Lin happened to hear it. , someone must have deliberately wanted her to hear it.

After hearing this, he ordered the palace maid to push her into the water, so as to make it look like she had no love in her life and committed suicide by throwing herself into the well.

Qin Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and slowly opened his eyes.

Who in the palace would think so, except Lin.

I'm afraid, it was the person who was behind Shuren Lin who was fueling the flames and wanted to kill Shen Ji.

This person is thoughtful and ruthless. This incident should be investigated carefully.

After a long time, Qin Yuan said quietly: "Let the imperial doctor on duty tonight go to Changxin Palace to have a look, and then find a clean maid to serve in Changxin Palace. To the outside world, what happened tonight is just that Lin Shu was too sad and fell into the water. No mention of murder."

After that, he added: "Send a few capable people to investigate privately. I want to know the whole story."

"yes."

Zhang Pu nodded, and when he was about to retreat, he hesitated for a moment, and then asked after careful consideration: "Your Majesty, don't you plan to--"

Your Majesty is so considerate of Lin Shuren, but you don't plan to go to Changxin Palace in person?

Qin Yuan raised his eyes and looked over, obviously unhappy.

"Not going."

Zhang Pu immediately lowered his head: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was my slave who overstepped my bounds."

Qin Yuan stood up and said, "Go to Chenyou Palace."

*

When His Majesty's grace reached Changxin Palace, Lin Shuren was hugging a shabby quilt to keep warm. His wet hair was still sticking to his cheeks in strands, making him indescribable embarrassment.

She stared forward with red eyes, filled with sadness and despair.

She had already guessed who wanted to kill her.

But what really made her heartbroken was the news about Lin that the palace maid told her.

My father was so stupid that he actually killed his grandfather in an attempt to regain control of the Lin family. This was an unforgivable crime because of his stupidity. But if it was just this incident, Lin would never have ended up like this.

His Majesty said he would make the decision for his grandfather...

Oh, if you are really just making the decision, how can you investigate the Lin family and bring them all to justice?

I'm afraid His Majesty has been prepared for this and just used this opportunity to thoroughly investigate the Lin family. Not only did he protect his grandfather's honor during and after his death, but he also merged the Lin family and eliminated them completely.

Your Majesty, you are so hateful.

She suddenly didn't understand why she had admired His Majesty in the past, and why she had admired such a cruel and cold-blooded emperor.

The little eunuch in front of the emperor came to deliver His Majesty's oral instructions, and also brought decent palace maids and imperial doctors to diagnose and treat her. Lin Xuanji looked at them and suddenly smiled with red eyes.

He was clearly ruthless and cruel enough to thoroughly investigate and eliminate Mrs. Lin, but now he still wanted to treat her with old feelings.

This is the heart of an emperor... Is this the heart of an emperor!

She suddenly wanted to ask, if he had ever loved her, who did he think of her, and why did he treat her like this.

Just give a sweet date a slap. Is she, Lin Xuanji, so mean?

She clearly hated him at this moment, hated him for being cruel, hated him for being unkind, hated that he used to be doting and indulgent, but now turned his back on her, hated him for how he dealt with Mrs. Lin, and hated that he never really cared about her.

But once she remembered all the things she had done in the past, she felt a mixture of love and hate, which made her miserable and unable to live or die.

The person she admired to death had always only regarded her as a commodity that was weighed in the court. She would pamper her if she was happy and let him go if she was unhappy. He was no different from anyone else and had never shown her any sincerity.

Even this little kindness at this time did not come from his heart, it was just a trace of mercy from his fingers.

It's really ridiculous. She, Lin Xuanji, has been proud all her life, and the biggest mistake she made was falling in love with His Majesty!

Her whole life has been a complete joke, and she should have repaid her parents for their upbringing with her own life.

Changle is the only one she can't let go of now.

But she knew that Changle was still young and did not need a biological mother like her. Only if she is completely dead and a good concubine is found for her can Chang Le gain a firm foothold in the harem in the future.

She will use her current body to earn the last bit of merit for Changle.

Lin Xuanji's eyes gradually turned cold, Concubine Yide, even if she wants to die, she will definitely drag you into the water!

"Please also ask your father-in-law to tell your majesty."

Lin Xuanji slowly raised her eyes and looked at the little eunuch who was delivering the instructions, her tone was surprisingly calm.

"Let's just say that Mrs. Lin, the guilty woman of Changxin Palace, wants to see His Majesty for the last time."!

Chapter 136

The little eunuch who sent the message did not dare to delay after receiving the message, and hurriedly sent it to Chenyou Palace where His Majesty is currently located.

Chenyou Palace and Changxin Palace were adjacent to each other in the South Fourth Palace, so as soon as Qin Yuan entered Chenyou Palace and took a bite of the cherry cake made by Shen Ji himself, the news about Changxin Palace arrived. Zhang Pu repeatedly After careful consideration, I said it in front of His Majesty and Concubine Yu.

When he learned that Lin wanted to see His Majesty for the last time, Qin Yuan put down the cake in his hand and took a look at Shen Ji first.

Lin had harmed her several times. Just the fact that he had only ordered to be demoted to a commoner but not executed had already made Qin Yuan feel guilty. Now that Lin was killed, would he have to visit Shen Ji's enemy again?

Although he was an emperor and no one in the harem dared to raise any objection to his decision, he always wanted to care about and consider Shen Ji's thoughts and ideas.

He didn't know what Shen Ji was thinking or caring about, but he could clearly see her recent alienation and defensiveness, her forced smile.

So even if there was only a slight possibility, he didn't want her to be upset about it.

Sensing His Majesty's intention, Shen Ji was a little surprised.

But she had no time to think about His Majesty's intentions. Her mind was filled with the news that Lin had been rescued, and she couldn't help but feel happy.

His Majesty was in front of him, but her face remained calm. Instead, she persuaded softly: "Your Majesty, don't worry about me."

Qin Yuan couldn't help but glance at her again.

Shen Ji has always been virtuous, generous and considerate recently, but he still felt that she had been wronged so much.

Unexpectedly, before the words of rejection were spoken, she heard her say again: "No matter how many things Lin Shuren had with my concubine, she has been demoted to a commoner now, not to mention that she just fell into the water and her life was in danger. The relationship between Your Majesty and Lin Shuren is After all, there is an old relationship between us, so it doesn't hurt to take a look."

"Besides, I always feel that this is a bit too coincidental. Maybe - she has something to say to you."

Qin Yuan looked at her deeply, raised his head and touched Shen Ji's face: "I've wronged you."

Shen Ji curled his lips and smiled. After getting up, he got down: "It's getting late and it's no time to delay. Your Majesty, please go down."

Having said this, Qin Yuan has to go whether he wants to or not. He was quite helpless, but he had no choice but to stand up, ponder for a moment, and then said: "Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I go."

Shen Ji nodded and said yes, bowed his slender waist, and watched His Majesty leave Chenyou Palace. The people in front of him, Hao Hao, followed behind him and disappeared into the dark night.

Qingtan walked over lightly and whispered: "This is the last time your majesty will see you. After Lin Shuren escaped from death, she already knew who wanted to harm her. When she saw your majesty, she must have vomited everything clean." net."

"I'm just thinking... Based on Lin Shuren's one-sided words, will Your Majesty really condemn Concubine Yide for this? When Your Majesty came, I also secretly inquired about it. Just then, Lin Shuren fell into the well. To the outside world, he only said that he was overly sad and accidentally fell into the well. , and we can't use the excuse that Lin fell into the well to catch the person behind it. If there is no excuse, even if Lin has a confession, I'm afraid it won't change anything."

Looking at the night outside the door, Shen Ji said lightly: "I don't expect Lin alone to be able to get rid of her stumbling block."

"Sometimes seeing through a person but not touching her is more terrifying than raising an army to accuse someone."

Qingtan understood, lowered his head and retreated.

*

Qin Yuan came out of Chenyou Palace and headed east. Next to it was Changxin Palace.

The night is getting thicker and thicker, and the palace lanterns in front of Changxin Palace seem to be more dilapidated than Chenyou Palace, swaying in the wind and emitting turbid light.

He stopped and looked up at the door plaque of Changxin Palace.

Although there are not too many emotions in my heart, and there is no emotion or sadness, when I think of Lin's past appearance and her who are separated by a wall, this is the last time, there is always some inexplicable meaning in my heart.

"There is no need to follow me, I will go in by myself."

Qin Yuan started to leave, but Zhang Pu looked at him and said hastily: "Your Majesty, it is always inappropriate for you to go in alone. Why don't you let me go in with you? If anything happens, I can help you in time."

Qin Yuan looked calm and looked back at him: "Falling into the water hurt her body, what else can she do to me?"

After saying that, he raised his hand to signal, and the guard beside him hurriedly handed the sword in his hand to His Majesty.

"Just wait at the door."

His Majesty had made up his mind, so Zhang Pu had no choice but to wait at the door. However, when he came to see Lin at night, he was always uneasy. He was worried that the common people in Lin would have murderous intentions for His Majesty because of the Lin family, so he had to repeatedly inform the accompanying imperial guards. Be extremely careful and rush in to rescue the driver as soon as there is news.

There were no lights in the Changxin Palace courtyard at night, and the dark and lightless courtyard looked particularly dilapidated and desolate.

I still remember that when Changxin Palace was originally allocated to her, it was gorgeous, exquisite, and extremely noble. It turns out that as long as it loses popularity, it can become such an overgrown area in just a few months.

He suddenly understood why Shen Ji was so afraid of giving his heart to him.

A woman's gains and losses are all tied to her emperor and husband, and honor and disgrace are just a matter of thought.

She couldn't believe it, and couldn't believe that there would never be a time in this life when he would dislike her.

But Shen Ji and Lin Xuanji are different.

From beginning to end, he had never been moved by Mrs. Lin.

Qin Yuan walked to the palace door slowly and opened the closed door.

The imperial doctor and palace maids who were sent were not present at this time. In the bright bedroom, the screen was moved away, and Lin Xuanji slowly walked out.

Her hair was still shiny with moisture, but it was neatly arranged, and the dress she wore was clean and tidy. She must have just put it on, and she looked much more decent than he imagined.

Qin Yuan originally thought that after experiencing these things, she would be very embarrassed and pitiful when she fell into the water again, but she didn't.

Lin Xuanji looked at His Majesty in front of her steadily, feeling in a trance.

It's only been a few months, but somehow it still feels like it's been years since we've seen each other, as if we haven't seen each other for a long time.

His Majesty's facial features were still the same as in her memory. She was the only one who was sad.

She took a step back and calmly saluted His Majesty: "Sinful woman Lin, please give your regards to Your Majesty."

But before Qin Yuan could say anything, she straightened up and spoke again: "In these years of serving His Majesty, the guilty woman knows that she has done many wrong things and has a lot of blood on her hands. She has also framed many people for all her mistakes. People, even some things are so long ago that even I can't remember them clearly."

"The sinful woman does not ask for your Majesty's forgiveness, but in her heart she cannot let go of Chang Le. I hope that my words today can make some contribution, and that in the future your Majesty can find a mother who loves her for Chang Le."

After saying that, Mrs. Lin's lips moved slightly and she shed a tear: "The sinful woman knows that she is not a good mother. I beg your majesty not to vent your anger on Changle because of the sinful woman."

Qin Yuan looked at her condescendingly and said quietly: "Concubine Zhuang has a kind and gentle temperament and will be a good mother."

Lin Xuanji looked at His Majesty for a long time and murmured: "Concubine Zhuang... she is very good... she is very good..."

Concubine Zhuang has the eldest son of the emperor under her knees, and he is a person who does not cause trouble and loves his children wholeheartedly. Changle is under her knees, which not only protects her children, but also has the title of the eldest son of the emperor to protect Changle when he grows up. He is indeed the most suitable candidate.

Lin Xuanji knelt down and kowtowed three times to His Majesty, telling in detail everything she remembered about the time when the harem was in turmoil.

He caused the concubine to have miscarriage three times, pushed her into the water twice, and murdered the concubine more than ten times. He could not even think of the palace maid and eunuch who bullied others, beat and scolded them at every turn, and executed them.

Even the death of Qi Guiren, Yi Baolin being investigated for red pollen, and Yu Gui's concubine almost having a miscarriage and being assassinated were all at the hands of Lin Xuanji.

The source of all these disasters was Lin Xuanji's actions, with Concubine Yide making suggestions from behind.

The empress was kind-hearted and unnoticed, and the emperor ignored many connivances in the harem. The two of them were embarrassed and did not commit adultery, causing trouble in the harem.

As soon as the words fell, the hall fell into a thick dead silence.

Lin Xuanji didn't dare to raise her head to see His Majesty's expression, but she could guess it without looking. He must be extremely angry.

Everything that needed to be said was said, and now that it was over, she actually had nothing to fear.

Lin Xuanji raised her head: "Although Concubine Yi looks respectful and docile on the surface, she has been forced by me, but I know her ambition best. Everything she does has her purpose. Although she is forced to be my lackey, That's just a stop-gap measure."

Looking at His Majesty's gloomy and sullen face, she suddenly laughed, using a very calm and determined tone, as if she was just describing a fact: "It's just that even if I don't exist in this palace, there will never be peace."

"Qin Yuan, the thing I regret most in my life is meeting you and falling in love with you."

Lin Xuanji stood up slowly and looked at him equally. This seemed to be the first time she looked at the man she had loved for ten years from such a new perspective. It looked like he was not as expected. It was so good, so tempting to him.

She whispered: "If I could do it again, I would never make the same choice."

"It's a pity that I can't do it again."

Qin Yuan opened his mouth, but was silent for a few breaths. After a while, he said softly: "If you hadn't lost your true nature due to love and fear, and became cruel and ruthless, you and I might not have reached this stage today."

Lin Xuanji smiled.

"Do you know what love is? Do you know what it feels like to love someone?"

Qin Yuan frowned and looked at her without saying anything.

Of course he knew what it was like to love someone. Even if Shen Ji had not loved him yet, he would not have changed beyond recognition like Lin Xuanji.

But these matters were between him and Shen Ji, and he didn't think he needed to tell Lin.

"You are the most noble person, surrounded by beauties. There is never a shortage of people rushing to give their hearts to you. Everything you want is at your fingertips. Of all the women in the world, anyone you want can be given to you. In front of you, even if her heart does not belong to you, you can still possess her whole person. If you are like this, you will naturally not understand what true love is."

Lin Xuanji slowly approached him and said word by word: "Love is selfishness, possession, the greed of two people for a lifetime, and the vision of staying together day and night. It is to see Chang'an flowers together, to join hands and grow old together, not in I will bear it with gritted teeth in the harem, not to be jealous of any other woman."

"Everyone who loves you will be as miserable as me as long as they are in the harem."

She walked closer and closer, as if she could touch him if she took another step forward.

"If you live a good life, are not jealous or resentful, are virtuous and virtuous, and have clean hands, then it is definitely not love."

When you truly love someone, how can you not want to possess them?

If you don't want to possess someone like crazy, then it's not love.

There were too many people in the harem, and it was too hard to fall in love with His Majesty. She had already sacrificed everything and lost everything.

She is tired.

Lin Xuanji smiled and took another step forward. She raised her hand and pulled out the sharp long sword from the scabbard held by Qin Yuan. She turned around and put the long sword against her neck.

"Qin Yuan, never see you again."

As soon as the words fell, Lin Xuanji pulled her neck and killed herself.

With the sound of a sharp weapon cutting through flesh and blood, warm blood sprayed all over the ground and splashed on Qin Yuan's body and skin.

Qin Yuan looked stunned, looking at her limp fallen body, and kept recalling all the words she had just said in his ears, feeling indescribable shock in his heart.

Lin Xuanji used the most decisive way to say goodbye to him. !

Chapter 137

Hearing the strange noise, Zhang Pu and the imperial guards hurriedly rushed into the palace to rescue him. Unexpectedly, when they opened the palace door, they saw this scene.

Lin Shuren fell to the ground, and next to him fell the sword that His Majesty had just brought in. The huge wound on his neck was bloody and bleeding, and His Majesty stood in front of Lin Shuren's body, with a pool of blood flowing continuously at his feet, and his face was full of blood. His body was spattered with blood.

Such a tragic situation made even people like Zhang Pu, who had been immersed in the palace for a long time, unable to bear to look at it anymore and quickly looked away.

But His Majesty didn't seem to feel scared at all. He stood still, looking down at the corpse of Lin Shuren, his expression surprisingly calm.

After all, when it comes to the imperial concubine, no matter how good the Lin family is, she did have a long time with His Majesty in the past. Now that people are dying like a light, no one can guess what His Majesty's mood is now.

The smell of blood on the tip of his nose was getting stronger and stronger. Even if His Majesty didn't speak, Zhang Pu really couldn't let His Majesty stay with the corpse like this anymore. If the Queen Mother found out, she would be severely punished.

"Your Majesty..." He considered it carefully and said carefully, "This person has passed away, and your dragon body is important."

After the reminder, Zhang Pu tightened his mouth and did not dare to say any more words, and the hall fell into silence.

I don't know how long it took, but Qin Yuan's footsteps began to move slowly as if taking root. He withdrew his gaze, looked very calm, turned around and walked out.

"Take Lin's body away and secretly return it to Lin's family. Let me fulfill her wish."

Zhang Pu finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly followed His Majesty to leave Changxin Palace: "Yes, I will send someone to handle it now."

His Majesty's steps were very fast. He followed His Majesty in small steps and waved his hand quickly behind him.

The eunuchs behind him were ordered to enter the hall, put the body on a stretcher, and then covered it with a white cloth.

Under the dim candlelight, the black shadows of the palace people were scattered on the wall. The corpses were wrapped in white cloth, and blood was splattered everywhere. It was indescribably eerie and terrifying.

Cannibalism in the deep palace is nothing more than that.

*

After returning from Changxin Palace, Qin Yuan did not mention going to Chenyou Palace, but got on the dragon chariot and went straight back to Jianzhang Palace.

Zhang Pu and several master attendants helped His Majesty change his clothes and take a bath, and sent the dirty clothes to be washed. The cream on his body was slowly spread on his back, and a very faint fragrance could be heard.

Finally, the blood that lingered everywhere on the tip of his nose was driven away a little.

Qin Yuan must admit that what Lin said before his death set off huge waves in his heart.

Her words surprised him, and her death shocked him.

Lin Xuanji proved to him that what she said was right by committing suicide in front of him.

Falling in love with him as an emperor in the deep palace will not be a blessing, it will only be a mistake.

He is the emperor, and everything in the world is at his fingertips. Even if you are reluctant, you must submit to his feet.

So even though he was frustrated and displeased when he knew Shen Ji didn't love him, he never panicked at all.

Because he knew clearly in his heart that even if she didn't love him, she would only be his woman for the rest of her life and not belong to anyone else.

But if you put yourself in Shen Ji's shoes and think about it, if he was just one of Shen Ji's many men, he would have to watch her being intimate, talking and laughing with other men, and he could only be considerate and obedient. How sad it would be.

And all this is just because her wealth and life depend on her.

This taste is simply heartbreaking,

Eat his blood.

Shen Ji could only be his woman, no one else could even lay a finger on her.

But even he has such a strong possessive desire for the people he loves, and so do others. Thinking about it carefully, Qin Yuan even somewhat understood Mrs. Lin. If he were her, he would probably be more ruthless and crazy than Mrs. Lin.

Love is selfish, possessive, and unreasonable.

There was nothing wrong with what she said.

That's why a calm and intelligent person like Shen Ji is so restrained.

To put it bluntly, this was the only self-protection she could control as a woman, and he didn't understand it until now.

In the past, he only thought that even if there were three thousand beauties in the harem, it was just a matter of expediency. In his heart, only Shen Ji was enough.

She didn't need to be afraid or hesitant, as long as she felt at ease by his side.

Now that I think about it, it's just his self-righteous superficiality.

Being together for the rest of your life is a woman's wishful thinking, but a man is unlucky, sentimental, and selfish.

It was because he thought too little before that she didn't dare to get close.

"Zhang Pu."

In the hot mist, Qin Yuan closed his eyes and said, "Let's say to the outside world that Lin's rescue failed and he drowned in the well. The news is kept tightly, and irrelevant people are not allowed to talk too much."

"Send someone to tell Concubine Yu that I will not go to Chenyou Palace tonight, so that she can rest early without waiting."

"yes."

After giving the instructions, Qin Yuan felt a little tired and slowly opened his eyes.

He will handle the hidden dangers in government affairs and give her an answer that makes her feel at ease.

*

The next morning, Qin Yuan went straight to the longevity palace after going down to court.

The news of Mrs. Lin's unfortunate death by drowning last night has spread, and the Queen Mother is very smart, so she must have heard about it a long time ago.

So as soon as Qin Yuan entered the longevity palace, he got straight to the point and said, "The Queen Mother must have known about Lin's incident yesterday."

After saying that, he lifted up his robe and greeted the Queen Mother: "My son, please give my regards to the Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother was originally pruning the twigs in front of her with golden scissors. When she heard the emperor's question, she raised her head and said slowly: "I heard."

"Lin's misbehavior is subject to this treatment. It is true that she is heartbroken and cannot bear it. Recently, the harem has not been peaceful. She should be dealt with according to the rules. There is no need to make it public, so as not to spread the uproar in the palace again. It is too unfair. Like words."

The Queen Mother has never heard anything she shouldn't have heard, which means that Zhang Pu handled the matter properly. Qin Yuan nodded slightly and said quietly: "What the Queen Mother said is that my son had ordered someone to deal with her quietly last night." , there won't be any gossip in the palace."

After that, he waved his hand gently, and all the palace people in the palace retreated outside.

"My son did not come here today to talk about Lin's affairs, but there is an important matter that cannot be weighed. I would like to ask my mother's opinion."

The Queen Mother looked slightly sideways: "Oh?"

Qin Yuan took a sip of the tea next to him and said in a calm voice: "Ms. Lin didn't really drowned yesterday, but committed suicide by committing suicide."

"It's just that she had a lot of words with her son before she died, and he felt that

It's time to let the queen know about it so she can make decisions. "

After hearing that Mrs. Lin did not drown but committed suicide, the Queen Mother looked surprised for a moment, but she quickly calmed down and asked patiently: "But what about Concubine Yide?"

Qin Yuan nodded and sighed softly: "Just as the queen thought."

"Lin has been in the palace for many years and has done many evil things. She killed the emperor's heirs, murdered concubines, and there are too many incidents, large and small, to mention. But these were not all done by Lin alone. Concubine Yide was behind her to make suggestions. Lin was ruthless Spicy but not very scheming, which shows that Concubine Yide is very scheming."

"Leaving such a vicious and ulterior person in the harem is always a hidden danger."

The Queen Mother glanced at him and said slowly: "But Lin's incident has caused turmoil in the court and the public, and the harem is uneasy. Besides, there is no concrete evidence. The Ai family remembers that Concubine Yide's brother Song was in the court recently, and he should be very Is it necessary to use it?"

"The queen's wisdom/eyes are like torches."

The Queen Mother smiled faintly: "You are right to weigh things like this."

"But Concubine Yide is indeed too restless."

She put down the golden scissors in her hand and said warmly: "At this critical moment, dealing with Concubine Yide in a big way will only arouse people's imagination and make the palace more uneasy. It is not a safe time. Besides, she is the only one in charge of the palace. , if it is changed again and again, it will not only make people speculate, but also make people think that the queen is not capable."

"Furthermore, Concubine Yide is the biological mother of the second prince after all. The number of heirs in the harem is already very few, and the biological mother is closer to her than the adoptive mother. She usually teaches the children well. Ai Jia means - don't move for the time being. she."

"Wait until things calm down, and then support others to help the queen. The concubines of Yugui have nothing to do and cannot monopolize power." The queen mother looked at the emperor and said in a tone of voice, "If Concubine Yide is restless again in the future, I will take this opportunity to deal with her." , to avoid constant turmoil in the harem."

The Queen Mother's arrangement is the safest way now. As for Concubine Yide, she is so scheming that she cannot stay in the palace for a long time.

Let her live to see the future.

Qin Yuan hummed in agreement and then said: "The second son of the Mu family has made great contributions to Lin's affairs. His son has already awarded him a reward. He also thought that Concubine Rao has been sitting in the position of Concubine Rao for more than a year. What's the matter? As it is my duty to be honest, I might as well take this opportunity to advance to the next level. In this way, I can also suppress Concubine Yide."

The Queen Mother nodded slowly and said thoughtfully: "Although Concubine Yide has a lot of thoughts, she may not be so smart to understand this meaning."

"Concubine Rao has to be promoted to a certain rank, but many of the concubines in the palace may not have been promoted for a long time. It is better to take this opportunity to reward each palace, so that Concubine Yide can restrain herself."

"In the opinion of the Yi Ai family, this matter will be left to Concubine Yu Gui." The Queen Mother no longer looked at the emperor, closed her eyes and moved the beads in her hand rhythmically, "pass the Ai family's decree to her, and ask her to follow Among the concubines in the palace who have not been promoted for a long time, select a few honest and responsible concubines to be promoted to the throne."

"Such a great thing has happened to Yugui Concubine. It can not only win her hearts, but also frustrate Concubine Yide. It's the best of both worlds."!

Chapter 138

The Queen Mother's decree was quickly delivered to Chenyou Palace, and within two hours, it was spread throughout the palaces.

Although the Queen also has the right to confer concubines, in fact the only people who can really decide the status of concubines are His Majesty and the Queen Mother. Even the Queen Mother has little control over it and almost entirely depends on His Majesty's wishes.

But it is not easy to please your majesty in the palace and get promotions once or twice in the harem. How many people can't see your majesty even once a year, let alone be promoted once.

But if someone who is also a concubine has such rights, it will be a great opportunity for most people who have not seen Tianyan for a long time.

What's more, tomorrow is the third prince's first birthday. They took this opportunity to send a generous gift and sit in Chenyou Palace. If they can win the favor of the noble concubine, they might be able to go further.

In the deep palace, a person who is half a level above the rest can be killed, and everything in terms of food, clothing, housing, and transportation depends on his position, except that his life can be much easier. Besides, if you can win the favor of the noble concubine, the minions below are not stupid. Of course they know who to please.

Many benefits were at hand. Chenyou Palace was bustling with people, and many concubines came to give gifts in person to congratulate the third prince on his first birthday.

What's more, I sat and sat in Chenyou Palace and drank a cup of tea again and again. I had to find something to say when I had nothing to say.

Shen Ji has never been a arrogant person. Even if she is not acquainted with him, she knows how to avoid hitting the smiling person.

She knew very well what these people were thinking. They were all pitiful people, so there was no need to care about them.

What's more, some people are really honest and live a very difficult life, she has heard a little about it.

Just remember one person if you can. The empress dowagers of the left and right are grateful for the grace and will not be stingy about the status of these low-level concubines.

A bunch of concubines came and went, Chen Yougong's tea was used up a lot, Shen Ji's mouth was dry when he talked, and even Zizhao was carried out several times and was praised for half a day.

It's funny to say it, but life in the palace is not like this.

In order not to let others pinch her lifeline, she worked so hard to climb to the position where she could decide her fate.

That's how the weak eat the strong.

*

At the same time, inside Bixiao Palace.

The sunlight approaching noon was warm and bright. Through the open window lattice in the palace, it fell on Concubine Yide's side face, making half of her beautiful face white and translucent.

Ms. Lin drowned last night and Your Majesty didn't even have time to see Ms. Lin for the last time.

The serious problem in her heart was successfully solved, and she had not experienced such leisurely time for a long time.

Concubine Yide was wearing a pure purple palace dress, leaning on a soft pillow and sipping tea. Looking up, the peonies planted in the courtyard were in full bloom, creating a vibrant scene.

It was soon time for lunch. Wen Shu was in the courtyard directing several palace people to go to the Food Bureau to get meals. Suddenly there was a rush of footsteps on the palace road, mixed with a few laughter, and the dull collision of wooden boxes. The sound is exceptionally clear.

The noise on the palace road at this time really affected her mood. Concubine Yide didn't know, so she frowned and shouted, "Wen Shu."

Wen Shu immediately understood what the empress meant and quickly went out to inquire about the situation.

After a while, Wen Shu came back with a somewhat ugly expression, Fu Shen said: "Your Majesty..."

Concubine Yide glanced at her lightly: "What's the matter? Just say it."

Wen Shu lowered his head and murmured in a low voice: "It's...the masters from Zhaochun Palace in front of us went to Chenyou Palace to send gifts..."

"My servant heard... I heard that the Queen Mother issued an order to ask Concubine Yu to draw up a list of concubines who have not been promoted to the throne for a long time."

"These masters are in a hurry probably because of this..."

Concubine Yi De sat up straight suddenly, frowned and said, "Are you sure you heard correctly?"

Wen Shu shook his head: "How dare you misunderstand me? I asked you this several times and you kept saying this."

"The Queen Mother is too partial to the Jade Concubine!" Concubine Yi De certainly knew that this was a good thing. It not only showed the Queen Mother's importance to the Jade Concubine, but also won a lot of people's hearts!

Moreover, if the Queen Mother really wanted to reward the various palaces, she could have issued the order herself or left it to the Queen to do it. But she named Yu Gui's concubine to do it. Isn't this a slap in her face?

She didn't believe that the Queen Mother didn't know the direction of the rumors in the palace during these days.

No matter how you calculate it, she is more qualified and more prestigious to do this. Why would the Queen Mother target her like this when she is so good?

Concubine Yi De was angered by the Queen Mother's actions and took deep breaths for a while before she gradually calmed down.

She slapped the table hard and muttered to herself: "Something's wrong...something's wrong!"

She has performed quite well recently. Even on the Holy Birthday Festival, she did well, leaving no excuses and never causing displeasure to the Queen Mother or His Majesty. For more than a month, she has been keeping her peace. The Queen Mother should not be so unfavorable to others.

Unless...unless the Queen Mother noticed something and reminded her deliberately.

But Mrs. Lin has drowned, and dead people cannot speak. Since she can't tell, the Queen Mother has no reason to be suspicious of her.

Could it be...could it be that she had sent people out for a walk a while ago and there were too many rumors, which made the Queen Mother displeased?

The more Concubine Yide thought about it, the more likely she felt that this was possible, and she couldn't help but panic.

The Queen Mother is your Majesty and your biological mother, and Your Majesty respects the Queen Mother extremely. Although she does not hold any power on the surface, her Majesty and the Queen will never go against the Queen Mother's wishes once they have to deal with anything that the Queen Mother does not see.

Now that the Queen Mother is dissatisfied with her, she may have to walk on thin ice in the palace in the future.

It took a lot of effort to get to where we are today, and we got rid of the Lin family silently, but it happened to make the Queen Mother unhappy. Concubine Yide rubbed her forehead irritably, trying her best to control her emotions.

The more times like this, the less urgent it is to be impatient. Once anxious, one will get into trouble and it will be even worse when the time comes.

The Queen Mother was just dissatisfied with her now, so she asked Concubine Yu to do this to deliberately stimulate her, just to warn her.

If not, if the Queen Mother and Her Majesty really knew something, they would definitely attack her immediately and definitely not keep her.

Although the current situation is a bit bad, it is not completely unbreakable. As long as she stays calm for a while, helps the queen by the rules, and doesn't do anything out of the ordinary, then in time, the queen mother won't keep staring at her.

What's more, she also has Zirong, and the Queen Mother likes Zirong very much.

Concubine Yide's mood gradually calmed down, and she clenched her sleeves tightly: "Prepare a generous gift to Chenyou Palace, and tell me that I will go to the third prince's first birthday banquet tomorrow, and deliver the congratulatory gifts first."

Wen Shu hesitated for a moment: "But the empress... the queen mother..."

Concubine Yide scolded in a cold voice: "What are you doing standing there?! Go quickly!"

"yes!"

Wen Shu was startled by the sudden reprimand. She subconsciously took a step back, looked at the empress in front of her with some strangeness, lowered her head and quickly retreated.

*

In the evening and dusk, the burning clouds in the sky of Chang'an are like fire and clouds.

The most beautiful scenery in a day is the morning glow and sunset glow. The golden and slightly hazy colors make the red walls and gold tiles of the palace shine particularly noble and bright.

Ever since Sister Yu moved to Chenyou Palace, she was very far away from Roufu Palace where Ban Yuya lived.

One is in the northwest corner, and the other is in the southeast corner. Banyuya has a low status and cannot ride on the chariot. It takes a long time to walk back and forth. There are fewer people coming and going.

But tomorrow is Zizhao's first birthday party, and Ban Yuya has prepared a gift early. At this moment, the concubines who came to congratulate me should probably have left, and the sisters could have a good chat with each other.

The maid on duty at the gate of Chenyou Palace saw Yi Baolin coming from a distance, and immediately smiled on her face. She quickly asked the people inside to call the empress, and she went up to greet her in person, saluted, and had people accept the gift she brought. Congratulatory gift: "Yi Baolin is finally here. Your Majesty has promised her a long time ago that if Yi Baolin comes, she will just come in. There have been many people all afternoon. I'm afraid my throat is dry by now. Please go in with me." ."

Ban Yuya smiled lightly and walked in with the palace maid who greeted her.

Shen Ji was talking to Shuangying and the others at the moment. When he saw Yuya coming, his expression immediately relaxed: "Yuya, come quickly, I'm waiting for you."

"Sister." Ban Yuya smiled and saluted, then sat next to Shen Ji, looking at the gifts that had not yet been counted, she joked, "Zizhao celebrated his birthday, and my sister received a lot of it. I don't know if Zizhao will return the treasures collected by his mother and concubine when he grows up."

Shen Ji deliberately responded: "Now that it's in my hands, Zizhao will never take it away even if he cries!"

The masters and servants in the palace laughed together, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

After joking for a while, Shen Ji talked about serious matters with Yuya: "Yuya, you must have heard about the decree issued by the Queen Mother today, right?"

Ban Yuya nodded and said hurriedly: "There are many concubines in the palace. Sister, there is no need to promote me specifically for the sake of our friendship. If word spreads, the Queen Mother will know that you promoted me on an errand, and I am afraid she will be unhappy." "

"Of course I understand what you said, but the opportunity is rare, so I naturally have to think carefully for you." Shen Ji said warmly, "Your current position is from the seventh-grade Baolin. Although it is usually promoted by one level, Your Majesty is not There is no precedent for promotion beyond the next level, so if you want to go up a higher level, you should start from the sixth level."

Speaking of this, Shen Ji paused for a while and continued: "But I am selfishly thinking that I want to give you one more level, two levels, directly to the sixth level beauty."

"Although it is a little conspicuous to go two levels, I have my own considerations. When you reach the rank of a true sixth-grade beauty, and you are promoted to a title in the future, you can easily cross the shunyi from a fifth-grade noble to a true fifth-grade. Once you become Shunyi, you will be the concubine. Not only can you live in the side hall, but you can also ride on the chariot. It will be much more convenient for you to travel in the palace in the future."

She patted Yuya's hand and said comfortingly: "Don't worry about me. The Queen Mother gave me this grace, didn't she just want the people in the palace to know who is most proud of it? Since she gave this grace, she is not afraid of me using it, so this Zhengliu I have decided to give you the position of Pinmei Ren."!

Chapter 139

Although Sister Yu said it lightly, Ban Yuya knew very well what she would bear for giving herself this position.

Concubine Yide was even more dissatisfied. The concubines secretly felt that she was partial, but His Majesty and the Queen Mother knew about it. They didn't say anything openly, but they still had some emotions in their hearts.

If something like this happens again next time, I'm afraid it won't easily fall on my sister again.

The most important thing in the palace is the rules. Ban Yuya knows that Sister Yu has thought carefully about her, and she feels extremely grateful.

She stood up and saluted her sister solemnly, with red eyes: "Sister has always been so kind to Yuya, and Yuya can't repay her. I can only help my sister more in the palace in the future, and be a leader for her."

"I have been in the palace for more than two years. I am so lucky to have my sister to join hands with me. We have gone through ups and downs together and have not changed our original intention. I still remember Yuya in everything. All of this is Yuya's blessing."

Shen Ji hurriedly helped her up and said angrily: "Sisters, you and I support each other, and you have helped me a lot. Why do you need to say such unreasonable words? There are so many concubines in the palace, but you and I are from Lingzhou and are the most intimate. I regard you as my sister, and I should consider everything for you."

Ban Yuya picked up the handkerchief and wiped away the tears that fell from the corners of her eyes. She turned her head to control her emotions and prevent herself from crying anymore.

Today is a great day, my sister doesn't want her to cry, she can't spoil the fun.

When Yuya turned around again, she laughed softly, with a rare hint of embarrassment in her cold eyebrows.

I still remember that when Yuya first entered the palace, she had such a carefree and innocent temperament. In just one year, she became cold, taciturn, calm and demure. Now it is rare to see her more coquettish, which seems to make Shen Ji again Seeing myself who had just entered the palace, I couldn't help but feel emotional.

When Shuangying came over to change the tea, Ban Yuya took a look and whispered: "Sister, I have something to say to you."

Shen Ji was a little surprised, but he still asked everyone waiting in the palace to leave first, and said warmly: "But what happened?"

Ban Yuya shook her head: "It's not that something happened, but there were some things that I never told my sister before. Now that the dust has settled, I shouldn't hide them from you anymore."

Hiding something from her?

Shen Ji's pupils shrank slightly, hiding the surprise in his heart.

When Yuya was bullied by An Cairen, she didn't even know how to resist. She only dared to come to see her in the rain. Now, just how long has passed, she has a secret that even she can't know.

Shen Ji's heart suddenly pounded, and several doubts immediately popped up in his mind.

Could it be that those things--

She became serious and observed the current Yuya in a new light for the first time.

Every time I see Yuya, she always has a calm expression. Sometimes she is clearly smiling, but deep in her eyes there is a coldness and unpredictability, as if she has disappeared and been replaced by an eternal iceberg.

Shen Ji used to think that it was because Yuya was so scared about the red pollen that her temperament changed drastically, but even though she felt distressed, she never thought that her change was much more than that.

"I'll listen to whatever you say."

Ban Yuya lowered her head slightly and looked at her fingertips, unhurriedly, but as if she was talking to herself.

She didn't mention a word about the humiliation she suffered, how she vowed to take revenge, how her temperament changed drastically, and her mentality became twisted. She only said slowly: "I was the one responsible for An Cai's death, and then I blamed Lin. On his body."

Shen Ji was shocked.

She always felt that An Cai Ren's incident was a bit strange, because she did not arrange for An Cai Ren's palace maid Fenzhi to die.

But the incident happened suddenly. Although Shen Ji was interested in investigating, there was no evidence. Moreover, the palace was uneasy at that time. It was difficult to continue the investigation to avoid attracting attention after the purpose was achieved. Therefore, even if she was suspicious, she suppressed it.

Who would have thought that it was Yuya who did all of this, and yet she was so meticulous and so ruthless.

She said nothing and looked at Yuya quietly, only listening to her continue talking.

"I picked up the jade pendant that Mrs. Lin dropped at the palace banquet, and I hatched a plan to use this jade pendant to frame her. The place where An lived at that time was on the same road as Roufu Palace, so I followed An. The master and servant of the family saw with their own eyes the scene where Fenzhi killed An Cairen." Yuya slowly raised her eyes and met Shen Ji's eyes, "I can probably guess what my sister wants to do, but keeping that palace maid will always be a disaster. It had to be clean. Besides, that jade pendant was a God-given opportunity, and it would be a waste not to use it. So I asked Qiu Fei to kill Fenzhi, and then disguised the scene before going back to rest. My sister knew everything that happened the next day. "

Before Shen Ji could speak, Ban Yuya continued, "Lin went crazy not long after the confinement was lifted, and the theory of ghosts and gods in the palace was prevalent, which has something to do with me."

"I guessed that she was resentful and suspicious of ghosts, and deliberately sent people to spread rumors near Changxin Palace in order to make her mentally unstable and make big mistakes again. But I didn't expect that it would go so smoothly. She really believed in ghosts and gods. This statement also affected Princess Changle, and she even met His Majesty."

"But last time in Fengyi Palace, I tested a few words from Concubine Yide. Only then did I know that the reason why the rumors about ghosts and gods went so smoothly must have been her handiwork. It was she who had done something to make it so. Ms. Lin is getting more and more crazy, and that's why she believes in the rumors so much. Concubine Yi De and I both felt that someone was involved, but we just tacitly understood it."

After saying these words, Ban Yuya breathed a sigh of relief, as if the toxins that had been lingering for a long time were discharged, and her spirit became relaxed.

She became visibly lighter, and the depression in her eyes melted a bit: "When I was tortured by her back then, I vowed to take revenge. Now that Mrs. Lin is dead, I no longer have any secrets to hide from my sister."

After the words fell, the hall was silent for a long time. Ban Yuya was a little nervous. She twisted her handkerchief and asked, "Sister, do you blame me for being cruel and ruthless? Didn't I discuss it with you beforehand?"

"I just feel that it is very difficult for my sister to be in the palace. I should learn to grow up on my own and share my worries for my sister, so I made my own decision..."

"Yuya, you did a good job," Shen Ji looked at her and said softly, "It's just that these things are too dangerous. If you are not careful, you will be shattered into pieces. Just listening to it makes you feel like your life is hanging by a thread."

"Also...sister feels guilty. She dragged you into the palace whirlpool but couldn't save you, and she didn't know you were carrying so much."

Ban Yuya couldn't help but be moved to tears, shook her head and said: "I will keep in mind what my sister taught me back then. As long as I can continue to walk with my sister's support in the future, I don't care what the price is."

After that, she wiped her tears and said with a smile: "Let's not talk about this anymore. I still have questions to ask my sister."

"What is my sister going to do with Concubine Yide in the future? Although Mrs. Lin has fallen, she is not a light-saving lamp. Especially after today's promotion, she will definitely hate my sister even more and use you as a thorn in her flesh. There is such a person secretly Isn't it dangerous to keep an eye on you and Zizhao?"

Speaking of Concubine Yide, Shen Ji's eyes gradually turned cold: "There's no rush now."

"At this juncture, if anything happens in the palace, it will be too conspicuous and will not benefit anyone. The Queen Mother uses me to suppress her. She is a smart person. Of course she can figure out what it means."

"So in the short term, Concubine Yi De will definitely not take action and will wait for the time to pass. After a while, to avoid the limelight, I will find a way to make her unable to sit still and expose her flaws."

Ban Yuya hurriedly asked: "If my sister can help me in this matter, please tell me. The risk of doing things with two people is much less than one person, and it is not conspicuous."

Shen Ji sighed softly and shook his head: "The grudge with Concubine Yide is between me and her, so why bother involving you? Besides, the more people involved, the more mistakes there may be. This matter You don't have to get involved, I'll just do it myself."

"But...!" Ban Yuya was a little anxious.

That Concubine Yide is so thoughtful, how can she be so easy to deal with? Together, the sisters will be able to get rid of her without any pain.

Unexpectedly, before she finished speaking, Shen Ji stopped her: "If you treat me as your sister, just listen to me on this matter and don't get involved."

Seeing that Sister Yu had made up her mind, Ban Yuya couldn't resist her and had to agree.

*

After leaving Chenyou Palace, Ban Yuya kept thinking.

Although Sister Yu didn't want her to get involved, it just showed that her sister was worried about her and didn't want her to put herself in danger. In this case, she can't just watch Sister Yu plan alone.

What's more, she had already secretly told herself that she could no longer live solely relying on Sister Yu's protection. The deep palace is dangerous, and you have to take the initiative if you want to survive.

How could she be afraid of this if she was not even afraid of death?

On the way back to Roufu Palace, Ban Yuya kept thinking about what her sister said. When she thought of the sentence "let her show her flaws", her eyes lit up slightly.

People like Concubine Yide are most meticulous in their calculations. Waiting for such people to reveal their flaws would be extremely difficult and the risk would be too great.

But what if she loses her cool and loses her mind?

After the idea was finalized, Ban Yuya's eyes gradually became cruel.

Isn't Concubine Yi De the best at making people go crazy silently?

Then she would treat him the same way as he did, and let her have a taste of what Lin felt like before.

"Qiu Fei."

Ban Yuya shouted softly.

"I remember that there were still a lot of good things that Mrs. Qi sent you, and there were a lot of gadgets that we hadn't opened yet. Ms. Lin is now dead, and Ms. Qi has finally got what she wanted. These things are just in time. Other uses."

Qiu Fei paused and looked at Ban Yuya with some fear.

"Little Master... Lin is already dead, do we still have to bother doing these things?"

Ban Yuya glanced at her lightly: "When did the fighting in the palace stop? We are in the middle of the situation and we can't help ourselves."

"I remember that Wen Shu, who was close to Concubine Yide, was the most trusted by Concubine Yide. It was the dowry she brought from her natal family. She was a well-deserved confidant."

"Give her the red pill when you get a chance, and she will do things for us."

The red pill? !

Qiu Fei's eyes widened, and his hands and feet trembled subconsciously.

Ban Yuya laughed and patted her shoulder gently: "After this is done, next year the palace maids will be released. I will ask Sister Yu to let you out of the palace."

"Don't worry, our hands are not clean, and you won't be able to survive if those things are revealed. So I'm not afraid of you leaving. You can leave the palace with peace of mind next year, and you don't have to worry about me killing people and silencing you."

"But this matter must be done - beautifully."!

Chapter 140

The next day, May 13th, was the birthday of the third prince.

The willows are green and the peonies are thick. It is a beautiful day with clear wind and bright sun.

The third prince has been extremely favored by His Majesty since he was born, and his biological mother is a concubine of the powerful Jade Noble. Therefore, although the New Year's Eve banquet is just a few tables on the Qionghua Terrace rather than a big event, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Monk Food Bureau Don't dare to be negligent in the slightest.

This time, in addition to His Majesty, the Queen Mother and the Empress, all the principals in the palace were present at this small banquet, as well as several concubines who were personally invited by the noble concubines.

It not only shows that Jade Noble Concubine is unparalleled in honor and favor, but also allows everyone in the palace to see who the Jade Noble Concubine values.

The Qionghua Terrace is close to the Baihua Trail. From the Baihua Trail to the edge of Taiye Pond, a large area of ​​peonies is planted.

April and May every year are the seasons when peonies are in full bloom. Looking from the Qionghua Terrace, the lake is sparkling, large peonies are in bloom, and colorful butterflies are flying. The scenery is naturally charming.

What's more, the Qionghua Terrace was originally a place where His Majesty and his ministers would have a drink and enjoy the scenery after fishing. Concubines were not allowed to use it privately, so His Majesty specially set aside it to host a banquet for the third prince, which shows his favor.

Shen Ji specially wore the "Moon Fairy" silk gauze palace dress made by His Majesty for her today. She held Zizhao high and sat on the chariot. Along the way, the ceremonial guard at the head of the throne was very loud. The palace people and low-level concubines passing by All the concubines bowed down and saluted.

In particular, the gorgeous palace dress she wore was really eye-catching, and many people secretly looked at her. Although wearing it during the day is not as bright and quiet as the beauty under the moonlight, it reveals a more dazzling light under the sunlight, making every move dazzling.

Such gorgeous clothes, fragrant hair and shadow are the pomp and splendor that a beloved concubine should have.

Not long after His Majesty came to court, he went to Qionghuatai to accompany Concubine Yu and the third prince. The exquisite and beautiful lakeside pavilion, the children laughing and the emperor's concubine were harmonious, envied many people.

As lunch time approached, people attending the banquet arrived at Qionghua Terrace one after another, and the first one was Concubine Yide.

She specially brought the second prince to the banquet, firstly to show the deep brotherhood, and secondly to let Zirong show more face in front of His Majesty and the Queen Mother, so that Zirong could be favored and not fall behind too much.

But as soon as she led Zirong up the wooden steps, she saw His Majesty holding the third prince and standing against the railing. He let the third prince, who was young and ignorant, grab his clothes and wipe his face.

Concubine Jade smiled softly. She was wearing a shark gauze that was so expensive and beautiful that it almost dazzled her eyes. She was pulling off a willow branch next to her and handing it to the third prince, hoping to get His Majesty's collar back from him.

What a happy picture of a loving father and a filial son.

Concubine Yide held the second prince's hand tightly and steadied her steps.

In the past, she only knew that Concubine Yu was favored, but she had never seen with her own eyes how His Majesty got along with her. When I saw it today, I realized that the gap between people can be so big.

In front of His Majesty, she has always been cautious and considerate. Even Rong'er is respectful and fearful in front of His Majesty.

His Majesty has never hugged Rong'er like this, and has never treated their mother and son with such affection and gentleness. She and Rong'er were just concubines and royal heirs in front of His Majesty, never a family, but the three people in front of them looked like a folk couple and children...

She has never obtained these things, and even Zirong is not so favored by His Majesty.

A sudden sourness rose up on the tip of her nose. Concubine Yi De quickly blinked and looked away, taking a deep breath to calm down the emotion.

The life and death was suppressed.

She chuckled lightly, led Zi Rong up the stairs, walked to His Majesty and saluted, "I thought I was the earliest to arrive, but it turns out that Your Majesty and Sister Yu came so early too."

"My concubine pays your respects to Your Majesty."

Qin Yuan looked back lightly and saw Concubine Yide holding the second prince with a smile, her expression was cold and cold, without any emotion: "Get up."

His Majesty treated Concubine Yide so coldly, and Shen Ji knew why. She slowly turned her head to look at Concubine Yide, stood beside His Majesty, gave her a blessing, and said with a slight smile: "Concubine Yide is diligent and is indeed a model in the palace."

After saying that, she moved her gaze down to the second prince: "No wonder the second prince can be raised to be so smart and well-behaved."

She raised her hand to touch the third prince's face and said with a chuckle: "If Zizhao can be as smart and lovely as the second prince in the future, my sister will be satisfied."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Yuan frowned slightly, and even Concubine Yide's smile froze on her face.

Concubine Yi De knew very well that the Queen Mother had a problem with her now, but she did not expect that His Majesty would be so alienated from her. It can be seen that the Queen Mother and His Majesty had told her that the rumors in the palace were related to her.

If Your Majesty doesn't like yourself, you will definitely dislike Rong'er as well. This noble concubine is really tricky! She deliberately mentioned Rong'er at this juncture, obviously to make His Majesty dislike her even more. She also reminded him that Rong'er had such a restless mother-in-law.

Shen Ji smiled innocently and naturally took Zizhao from His Majesty's arms and carried him into his arms.

She did say that on purpose.

Both His Majesty and the Queen Mother do not like Concubine Yide now. Of course they will be dissatisfied that the prince is still raised by her, a vicious biological mother. The reason why they have not found another concubine for the second prince is because of those considerations.

But even if he hasn't thought about changing the second prince's mother and concubine for the time being, he still feels dissatisfied every time he thinks of her. What's more, the biological mother is so hateful, what if she leads the prince into trouble?

She just wanted to bring it up deliberately so that His Majesty would be even more dissatisfied with her when he saw the prince next to Concubine Yi De.

Your Majesty is dissatisfied. Concubine Yide's cautious temperament will become more sensitive and uneasy, and she will be in fear of the second prince day and night.

People are most likely to make mistakes when they cannot stay clear and rational.

The smile on Concubine Yide's face froze: "My sister is really disappointing to her. The third prince is smart, charming and lovable."

Shen Ji smiled and said nothing, and handed Zizhao to his grandmother who had been waiting beside him.

The concubines, the Queen Mother and the Empress who were invited to the small banquet came to the Qionghua Terrace one after another. Since it was a small banquet, there were not so many rules, so everyone served the dishes and sat down.

It's the third prince's birthday, and Shen Ji is the undisputed protagonist today.

In particular, the shark gauze on her body was unspeakably valuable, prompting the concubines to praise it repeatedly. Even the Queen Mother looked at the emperor with suspicion, saying that it was indeed rare.

But besides Concubine Yide, the one with the ugliest face was Concubine Rao.

She had been favored mediocrely for more than a year, and now she was on an equal footing with Shen Ji. You can imagine how unbalanced she felt.

They are both the lord of the first palace, and they are also the noble concubines. Whoever is favored more will naturally receive more good things to whose palace.

Chenyou Palace is as beautiful as a jade palace, and His Majesty gives her rewards every now and then. Although they have the same status, in the hearts of the people in the harem, her concubine Rao is incomparable to Concubine Yu.

like

That's all, but Raogui's concubine is extravagant, how could she not be jealous when she saw such a priceless gauze on her body.

Without His Majesty's favor, all the honors and luxuries she wanted were just to fulfill her status.

But today is the third prince's first birthday, and His Majesty and the Queen Mother are right in front of her. Even if Concubine Rao is unhappy, she does not dare to show off her face, so she can only endure it.

There were not many low-level concubines here today. There were Chang Guiren, Yi Baolin, and three concubines who were usually well-behaved and quiet. Qin Yuan didn't even remember their names.

Concubine Rao Gui took one look at Shen Ji's smiling face and felt increasingly unhappy.

Ke Meiren did not receive a message today, so she is not qualified to come to Qionghua Terrace. Naturally, she cannot understand her mood, but she still has the right to be angry. However, Ke Meiren is not even qualified to see it with her own eyes, and she does not know what is in her heart. taste.

What a stubborn girl!

If the two of them could join forces, it wouldn't be like this!

A small banquet passed peacefully and harmoniously.

Near the end, Zhang Pu asked for instructions and said that a minister was waiting for His Majesty in the imperial study. There were government affairs to deal with, and it was inconvenient for Qin Yuan to stay for a long time, so he got up and left first.

The imperial chariot departs from Qionghuatai. It is the fastest to cross the bridge and go straight through the imperial garden back to Jianzhang Hall. Zhang Pu did not dare to delay government affairs, so he ordered the chariot driver to move faster. The imperial driver and his entourage quickly crossed the bridge and reached the imperial garden.

The Royal Garden in late spring and early summer is naturally beautiful. The exotic flowers and plants are fragrant, and the delicate flowers and stamens are graceful. In addition, the weather is clear, and the journey is quite pleasant.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the imperial driver passed an arch, a beautiful figure appeared in front of him.

The woman is wearing a gentle and bright pink palace dress, holding a gauze net in one hand, and holding a fluttering butterfly in the green fingertips of the other hand.

She seemed frightened when she heard the sound, and the butterfly in her hand suddenly flickered its wings and fell into the flowers nearby.

"I send my regards to Your Majesty."

She is a beautiful woman.

Qin Yuan was a little surprised.

Ke Meiren usually doesn't go out often in Mingguang Palace, and she doesn't interact with the concubines in the palace much. This is the first time I see her go out.

He quietly motioned for her to get up, and his eyes fell on Ke Meiren.

She had obviously dressed up carefully today, and compared to her previous appearance, it really made people's eyes brighter.

To sum it up, it seemed that he had not seen Ke Mei for quite some time.

The beautiful woman stood up, raised her hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and said softly: "Your Majesty, are you going back to Jianzhang Palace?"

Qin Yuan felt somewhat good-natured towards this daughter of a hero, and chuckled: "If I hadn't been busy with government affairs, why would I have let the third prince go today?"

Knowing that today was the third prince's birthday, Ke Meiren smiled shyly: "It's a pity that I have a low status and am not familiar with Yu Gui's concubine, so I can't accompany you."

"Your Majesty is going to Jianzhang Palace... I wonder if I can accompany your Majesty..."

"Red sleeves add fragrance for once?"

With such a blatant hint, Qin Yuan raised his eyebrows lightly.

When he didn't understand his own feelings before, he didn't care about women.

It's nothing more than a difference in appearance and personality. No matter how much it is, it's just family background. In the final analysis, it's nothing special.

If Ke Meiren had invited her like this at that time, he would have been happy to fulfill her request.

But it's different now.

Like Ke Meiren, all they want from him is honor and dignity to maintain the glory of the clan. It's not him as a person, let alone his true love.

So it's okay not to do those superficial things.

As long as she behaves honestly, he can give her whatever she wants.

Qin Yuan calmly averted his eyes and said lazily: "There is no need to compromise like this in the future."

"I know very well what you want today, but I can't give it to you. But as long as you understand what I'm talking about, I won't be stingy."

Ke Meiren realized something, and the blush on her face instantly faded away.

She raised her head and looked at His Majesty, but His Majesty did not give her another look.

The imperial chariot stood up under the command, and the vast ceremonial guard passed by her in a hurry, leaving only an inaccessible shadow.

Your Majesty, is he so deeply in love with Jade Concubine...!