Chapter 207 Instigation

At dusk, in the Yiku Palace.

It was the Lunar New Year, and the imperial city was festooned with lanterns and colorful decorations, window paper-cuts and precious couplets, creating an atmosphere of auspiciousness and joy. After the concubines in the harem paid their New Year's greetings to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, those familiar with each other would gather in groups of three or four for tea and chat. Only the Yikun Palace was deserted, and even the newly-painted Spring Festival couplets at the palace gate were shrouded in a gloomy haze.

Liang Chengbi got drunk and caused a scene at the palace banquet on New Year's Eve. Although the Empress Dowager and the Emperor did not punish her, she felt ashamed after she sobered up and had no face to see anyone. She simply feigned illness and did not even attend today's New Year's celebration.

"Your Majesty, this is the wild duck porridge sent from the imperial kitchen. Would you like to try it?"

Chunqing was holding a carved lacquered mahogany tray with a small doucai porcelain covered cup on it, and whispered to her master who was reclining on the Arhat bed.

Liang Chengbi was wearing a half-new apricot-red silk jacket and a plain Qiuxiang-colored cotton skirt. She had her hair tied up in a bun without any hairpins or rings. She lay reclining on the rosewood bed, looking unhappy and listless, without any joy for the New Year.

She just lowered her head and fiddled with the ashes in the hand stove, not even looking at Chunqing.

Chun Qing was getting impatient, so she tried to appease him, "Your Majesty, you haven't eaten all day. If you don't eat something, how will your body handle it? Don't let yourself get sick, or you'll suffer."

"Oh,"

Liang Chengbi didn't even raise her head, and snorted softly, "It's better to be sick, so that those people won't laugh at me. Those rumors have been spread all over the harem these past two days, right? They think I'm deaf!"

She had caused such a disturbance at the banquet that the emperor personally expelled her, even losing one of her shoes. Even if the emperor hadn't punished her, it would have been a profound humiliation. Her father, who had usually paid little attention to her misbehavior in the palace, heard about it and sent a message to the palace, scolding her severely, saying that she was so unruly and unworthy of being a daughter of the Liang family. He then urged her to quickly find a way to bring Liang Chunrong into the palace. Now that the emperor no longer favored Concubine Meng, she should seize the opportunity.

A letter made her upset.

She had always looked down on this concubine sister. She was born with a coquettish appearance and acted like a lapdog in front of her and her mother. How come after not seeing her for a while, she had won her father's favor!

Father's letter was so light-hearted, he didn't even consider her current situation in the palace!

Lu Haozhi no longer favored Meng Yan, but a new favorite from Tishun Hall emerged, and he still ignored everyone else. How could she have the ability to flatter others?

Furthermore, even if Liang Chunrong was forced into the palace and luckily won her favor, wouldn't she have no place to stand?

Liang Benwu also said in the letter that he didn't care about whether the child was born legitimately or illegitimately. As long as he could bear the Liang family's surname, give birth to a crown prince, and win a phoenix crown for the Liang family, he didn't care about anything else.

When Liang Chengbi saw these words, he felt his hands trembling and his blood froze into ice.

This is her father, her biological father!

Although Liang Chengbi had already understood in her heart before entering the palace that this was the responsibility of the daughter of a noble family, she was still heartbroken when she saw these cold words written by her father.

"Empress!"

Seeing that Liang Chengbi was unmoved, Chunqing couldn't help but persuade him again.

“Take it!”

Liang Chengbi was a little impatient, so he simply leaned against the soft pillow and closed his eyes to rest.

Chunqing had no choice but to take the bowl of meat porridge down again.

Just as I reached the door, I suddenly saw Lin Yanrong coming.

She quickly bowed and saluted, then announced inside, "Your Majesty, Concubine Lin is here."

After saying that, it was a long while before Liang Chengbi groaned weakly.

Chun Qing smiled at Lin Yanrong and said, "Just go in, Concubine Lin. There's no one else here."

Lin Yanrong didn't move yet. She glanced at the tray in her hand and smiled slightly, "Did the Queen withdraw this?"

Chun Qing sighed, "That's right, the Queen has refused to eat all day. If this continues, what can we do? When Concubine Lin sees the Queen later, she must persuade her."

Lin Yanrong curled the corners of her lips and stepped into the room.

When he walked into the room, he saw Liang Chengbi lying on the Arhat bed, exhausted.

There were two braziers on the ground, covered with copper wire mesh, and the charcoal fire was burning vigorously.

Lin Yanrong saw this and bowed first, "Your Majesty, I greet you and wish you a happy new year. I wish you all the best in everything."

"Humph, such a thing happened at the beginning of the year. How can we expect happiness in the future?"

Liang Chengbi said this randomly and told her to sit down.

Lin Yanrong thanked him and sat down slightly with her body leaning sideways. Without saying anything else, she pointed at the brazier on the ground and started talking, "There are floor heating systems everywhere in the palace, and Your Majesty has two braziers in your room. You are really afraid of the cold. I just came in and I'm sweating all over. Your Majesty, please be careful. This room is too dry and people will get angry. No wonder Your Majesty is so angry today." As she spoke, she laughed a few times.

Liang Chengbi listened to her cheerful words and could not help but look up at her. He saw that she was dressed very pretty today. She had changed her usual light makeup and plain clothes. She wore a light red satin bodice embroidered with peony patterns, and a white silk jacket with gold cuffs inside. Although it was the standard clothing for young people, it looked festive after all.

She laughed, "What's so joyful that it's worth dressing up like this!" Then she glanced at Lin Yanrong's head and said casually, "This white jade hairpin is really beautiful. I've never seen you wear it before."

Lin Yanrong's heart tightened slightly. She raised her hand and touched the hairpin, then smiled calmly, "Your Majesty, you're joking. What good things could I possibly have? I brought this from my mother's family before entering the palace, but I've never had the chance to wear it. Now that it's New Year's Eve, I'll wear it to add some novelty."

The white jade hairpin with a carved magpie on a branch was sent to her by Prince Shen Lu Su as a reward for her good performance in her previous job.

The old concubine finally did not dare to disobey her words, and stole the map of the capital's garrison forces from the Empress Dowager's palace and gave it to her.

With this map, the prince's rebellion should be almost certain to succeed.

She had worked hard for Prince Shen, and when he ascended the throne in the future, she would be the first to contribute, so she was not afraid that he would not give her a high position.

After two years of peace and quiet, she will give birth to a prince, and then she will no longer have to worry about the phoenix crown falling on her head.

Lu Su did have a first wife, but she had already inquired about him. The previous emperor, in his lifetime, had arranged for him this wife to prevent him from becoming overly ambitious. While she had a good reputation and seemed noble, she was actually already frail. The woman was also a sickly woman, constantly suffering from various illnesses and pains throughout the year. It was unclear how long she would live. Even if she managed to hold on, a dose of medicine would be enough to get rid of her.

Lin Yanrong smiled calmly, even with a hint of satisfaction, as if everything was under control.

Only now did she begin to feel like a heroine.

Liang Chengbi looked at her, feeling a little strange in his heart. He felt that Lin Yanrong in front of him was no longer as timid as usual.

She asked, "You didn't come here today to tell me these gossips, did you?"

Lin Yanrong smiled faintly, "I can't hide it from Your Majesty." Then she lowered her voice, "I have something to say, I wonder if Your Majesty has heard anything."

Liang Chengbi was a little impatient. "I haven't left the house for a day, how could I have heard anything? If you have something to say, just say it now, don't keep me in suspense."

Lin Yanrong said, "It's all over the place. This morning, after the Emperor received the homage of his ministers at the Qianqing Palace, he hurried to the Shoukang Palace. Not long after, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor left for the Yangxin Palace and went straight to the Tishun Hall. They even brought Princess He'an with them. They had lunch in the Tishun Hall and lingered until the afternoon before dispersing."

When Liang Chengbi first heard it, he was about to curse the vixen for her amazing abilities, but when he heard the following few words, he felt something was wrong.

Anyway, she was just Lu Haozhi's new love. She was so kind as to trouble the Queen Mother to come and even bring the little girl along, and even have lunch together...

Is there something going on here?

Lin Yanrong studied her expression and smiled, "Your Majesty, I heard that the Empress Dowager brought many gifts, including several large boxes, and moved them into Ti Shun Hall with great fanfare. I'm thinking that perhaps there's some happy event happening in Ti Shun Hall that's what makes the Empress Dowager so happy."

Liang Chengbi sat up straight suddenly, as if a bucket of ice and snow was pouring down from above his head.

What happy event could make the old lady so happy in this palace now?

In the past years, Meng Yan had enjoyed all the benefits, and she had never been afraid of anything, because Meng Yan had been childless for many years.

Even the upstart Tishuntang was probably just a lowly palace maid, so Liang Chengbi never took her seriously.

But, if she got pregnant...even if she gave birth to a boy...

Her father's letter, her half-sister entering the palace, the crown prince, Ti Shun Hall, and the pregnancy...all these things came one after another and swirled around in her mind.

"Mother?"

Lin Yanrong's cry woke Liang Chengbi up.

She forced a smile and said, "Mrs. Lin, you can still be patient after such a thing happened. I have a new respect for you."

Lin Yanrong smiled, as if she didn't care at all. "Look at what your majesty said. I understand the emperor's temper and personality. Anyway, I am not someone who can stand up to the public, so I just want to live a quiet life and wish for the best."

Enjoy the quiet days and wish for good fortune?

How can you live a peaceful life in this harem?

Liang Chengbi was impatient and said, "It's getting late, and I'm tired, so I won't stay here any longer."

Lin Yanrong smiled slightly and stood up to leave.

As soon as she stepped out of the door, Liang Chengbi quickly summoned Chunqing, his trusted maid, and whispered a few instructions, "Send people to keep an eye out for the next two days. Make regular inquiries about the Imperial Hospital, the Imperial Kitchen, and even the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Workshops. If there are any connections with the Emperor, try to get them involved. Don't be afraid of the expense."

Chunqing felt a little strange, but still agreed.

Liang Chengbi collapsed on the Luohan bed, staring blankly at the brass maid's palace lantern that flickered in the corner of the wall, and his body trembled like a dead leaf in the autumn wind.

Is someone finally pregnant in this palace?

Lin Yanrong walked out of Yiku Palace without taking a sedan chair. She only brought the palace maids with her and walked along the long street to Chengqian Palace.

There is a new moon tonight and the sky is dark.

In the dark night, a sinister smile appeared on Lin Yanrong's lips.

It wasn't that she could predict the future, but according to the original book, Meng Yan was supposed to have a baby. Now that she was waiting to die in Shanghe Garden, the pregnancy must have been caused by that bitch from Tishun Hall.

She and Lu Su could not be seen in public, and had to take a contraceptive pill every time they made love.

This pill was given to her by Lu Su. It was extremely potent and her menstrual period became a little irregular.

As a time traveler, Lin Yanrong certainly understands the harm this medicine can cause to the body, but what can she do?

She could only hope that after the matter was settled and she followed Lu Su, she would be able to recover.

She couldn't get pregnant, but the woman in Ti Shun Hall could.

If she got pregnant, she would die without a burial place; if a woman in Tishun Hall got pregnant, she would be loved by the two most honorable masters in the palace.

Meng Yan deserves to die, and the women of Tishuntang deserve to die even more.

What would happen if Liang Chengbi, who dreamed of becoming the queen, learned the news?

Her previous words must have worked.

During the year, there was nothing to do. The concubines in the harem either paid their respects to the Empress Dowager and chatted with her, or drank and played cards. Xianfei Ren Shuyi had been ill and recuperating since the beginning of the year, but Bai Yuxin had visited her several times during the year, and the two of them had quite a pleasant conversation.

When Meng Yan became pregnant, Lu Haozhi moved his study into Tishun Hall. Since they didn't have to attend court meetings during the year, the two of them were together from morning to night.

While Lu Haozhi was reviewing the memorials, he kept an eye on Meng Yan. He was afraid that she would trip when she walked, and he thought the chair was too hard when she sat down. Meng Yan felt very uncomfortable all over, and she complained to him that being pregnant was like being in jail.

What's more, Empress Dowager Jiang sent people to inquire about her every morning and evening, and sent supplements three times a day. Meng Yan ate so much that she had to look in the mirror every day to see if her face had become rounder.

That afternoon, Lu Haozhi woke up from his nap, saw that the bed next to him was empty, and got out of bed, put on his clothes.

When I walked into the main room, I saw Meng Yan sitting on the kang, concentrating on sewing something.

He walked over, held her shoulders and sat down next to her, smiling, "What are you doing?"

Meng Yan showed him what she had in her hand. "Since it was winter when the baby was born, I made a small hat for the baby. Your Majesty, please take a look."

Lu Haozhi looked at the wrinkled ball of cloth in her hand, which could barely be seen as the shape of a hat. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, he coughed, and said with a smile, "Yan'er, our child is the most noble child in the world. I will ask the most skilled embroiderers in the Needlework Bureau to make the best clothes, shoes and hats for you, as many as you want. You really don't have to work so hard, or you will hurt your eyes." As he said that, he wanted to pull the needle and thread out of her hand.