Three days later, on July 28th

A letter sent to the palace in Xie's name was delivered to Xu Lejin. Xu Lejin looked at the contents of the letter, her face so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Her 'good father' really is someone who takes advantage of a little kindness and becomes completely disoriented.

After she gave birth, her family was elevated to the Manchu banner and granted the surname Xu Muer. Her father, Xu Lu, began to get arrogant and was instigated by several concubines and half-brothers to start vying for power with her mother, Xie.

Not only that, the father also condoned his eldest half-brother Xu Huai'an's bribery of court officials, attempting to get that incompetent, cunning man into a government position...

Her father even set his sights on her own sisters.

Xu Lejin slammed her hand on the table and said in an icy tone, "Good, good, good indeed. My good father and good elder brother, how could they be so foolish as to bribe an official of the court and violate the laws of the court?"

"Welcoming Spring?"

Xu Lejin called out towards the outside of the hall, and a moment later Yingchun bowed and entered the hall.

Yingchun ground the ink, while Xu Lejin frowned and pondered for a long time, spending half an hour writing two long letters.

With a serious expression, Xu Lejin looked at Yingchun and said in a deep voice, "Yingchun, go to the Imperial Stables and find your uncle. Give this letter to your uncle and have him pass it on to your mother."

"This letter is my apology to the Emperor. Please deliver it to the Qianqing Palace and personally hand it to the Emperor."

Yingchun glanced at Xu Lejin with a solemn expression, then nodded seriously in agreement.

Watching Yingchun leave with two letters, Xu Lejin slumped down, leaning against the soft couch.

Although Zhishu and Ruhua didn't know what was going on, they knew the matter was serious and served her with utmost care.

With a deep sigh, Xu Lejin murmured, "Father, elder brother, it's not that I'm heartless or disregard the bond between father and daughter or brother and sister. It's that you've gone too far and forced me into this situation."

"The Xu Muer family has worked so hard to get to where it is today, and I can't let you mess around and ruin it all."

They were knowledgeable and talented, but when they looked at each other, they lowered their heads, wishing they could disappear into a crack in the ground.

How could they possibly know such a thing?

Your Highness trusts them and doesn't shy away from them, but they cannot guarantee that they will keep quiet about what Your Highness said today.

Xu Lejin then said softly, “Father, elder brother, if you go to Shengjing and herd horses there, at least you can keep your lives. If the emperor shows mercy in the future, you can come back to the capital. But if you bribe court officials and sell official positions and titles, once the matter is exposed, not only will your lives be in danger, but your whole family will also be doomed.”

"Father, elder brother, I hope you understand my good intentions!"

In the west wing of Yikun Palace, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, while in the east wing, it was a chaotic mess with chicken feathers everywhere.

Consort Chu Yun, who had suffered a miscarriage, was bedridden and pale. She glared at the palace maid Xiao Lian with a sinister look in her eyes.

"Nonsense, you're talking nonsense."

With a shrill voice, Consort Chuyun gripped the arm of the head palace maid Shiman tightly, her nails digging into the flesh of Shiman's arm, drawing bright red blood.

"How could such a perfect plan be discovered? How could Father do such a thing? For the sake of the Erde family, I didn't hesitate to use secret medicine, risking my life, and even became pregnant during the Empress's mourning period, plotting against the Emperor... cough cough..."

Releasing the hand of the palace maid Shiman who was gripping her tightly, Consort Chuyun covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed violently twice.

Bright red blood was clearly visible on the pristine white silk handkerchief.

With a self-deprecating laugh, Consort Chu Yun said coldly, "I injured my body for the sake of the Erde family, was disliked by the Emperor, and earned the reputation of being disloyal, unjust, unkind, and unfilial. But what about my father?"

"Father actually let everything fall apart at the last minute, and even the Xu family and Xu Mu'er's family discovered the flaw."

Shiman and Xiaolian exchanged a glance, suppressing their fear.

With trembling hands, Shiman spoke softly, "Your Highness, please be careful what you say, lest the walls have ears."

“What’s there to be afraid of? I’m already a dying man. I’m just venting my frustrations in my own bedchamber. Over the years, I’ve given everything for the Erde family, but they despise me for being useless and I’ve never been able to become a formal concubine in the Emperor’s harem.”

"Now that I have been made a concubine by the Emperor, my father thinks I am too old and that I have been taking contraceptives which have harmed my health. My father is planning to send my younger sister into the palace after I die."

He laughed wildly twice, looking up at the sky.

Consort Chu Yun said in a sinister tone, "If I'm not having a good time, no one else will either. The Erde family, Father, my younger sister, and all the other concubines in the palace will not be able to live in peace..."

With a look of madness on their faces, Shiman and Xiaolian trembled with fear.

Emperor Kangxi stood outside the East Annex Hall, his face ashen and looking extremely unpleasant.

Chu Yun, once such a gentle and tender woman, has turned into this.

Where is the timid, cowardly, gentle, and considerate Chu Yun of today, when she was first recommended by the Empress to be a palace maid serving the Emperor?

Chu Yun nowadays is deranged and acts more like a madman.

He admitted that Chu Yun had served as a palace maid for eight or nine years but had never been promoted to the rank of concubine, and that he owed her a debt.

The Empress has always forbidden Chu Yun from having children. Every time Chu Yun served the Emperor, she was given a contraceptive. The Empress has wronged her.

But,

Even if Chu Yun harbored immense hatred, she shouldn't have disregarded family ties and attempted to drag the entire Erde family and the concubines in the palace down with her.

In particular, Xu, who had just given birth to a son and two daughters for him and was a meritorious official, lived with Chu Yun in Yikun Palace.

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