Chapter 81: Prove that there is a long way to go for her and him

Qingzan was almost exhausted and fainted, and Xiao Fang was the one who saved her in the second half.

But she did enjoy undeniable happiness. Even the beauty she had heard many people praise in the past had never been as convincing as what she saw in the mirror at this moment.

In this diamond-shaped silver mirror, half her height, her damp, curled hair twisted like little snakes around her cheeks, and the sweltering heat emanating from her bones burned into rouge on her cheeks. She swayed, misty with tears and sweat, her exhausted black hair unable to grasp the scattered hairpins and earrings. Following the forsythia flower, they vanished from her head one by one, leaving behind only a face that had returned to its original purity.

The dazzling sounds of pearls and jade falling to the ground were no longer noticed by anyone, just like the love, hate, sorrow and pain, who can pick them out from the paste.

Qingzan actually didn't want to open her eyes.

Xiao Fang, however, stretched his hand from behind to the front, clamped his palm under her chin, and gently lifted it up: "Why don't you dare to look?"

The moment she opened her eyes again, she saw the person behind her lowering his head and holding her shoulder.

She was thrown high into the air again.

…

Qingzan was carried into the bath room, and she vaguely saw the palace servants come in to wash her and help her dry her hair.

I thought the day was still long, but when I woke up it was already past lunchtime.

The room was tidied up, and the items that had been thrown away were neatly placed on the dressing table.

Qingzan held her forehead with her hand, her voice hoarse, and was too embarrassed to ask anyone to come in to help her dress and do her makeup. She was about to get out of bed when the emperor came in at the perfect time.

"woke up?"

He seemed to be in a good mood.

Qingzan was a little surprised: "Why hasn't your Majesty left yet?"

The emperor smiled faintly and said, "I'm not busy today. You won't chase me out as soon as I wake up?"

He opened the bed curtain for her and hooked it in mid-air. Qingzan saw that there were still marks from her teeth on his clean palm...

The emperor turned around and took her clothes from the clothes hanger. It was obvious that they were new clothes that the palace servants had prepared long ago. Qingzan tilted her head, and while she was stunned, the emperor had already walked over and wanted to put the clothes on her himself.

Qingzan vigilantly recalled the ugly and crooked knot he had tied for her when she went to Fangxin Palace last time.

As her clothes fell down her shoulders, she pushed the emperor's hand away and said, "I can do it myself."

Suddenly, she realized that she hadn't called herself "concubine" for a long time. During that time, she didn't want to be the emperor's concubine, nor did she want to be his concubine, so she rebelled against this simple title. But even after today's tenderness, she still didn't change her words.

We have to leave anyway.

The emperor would never argue with her about this. He just wanted her to feel more at ease with him.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked. The small kitchen had already prepared her favorite meals. While she was asleep, he asked the palace servants to report to him about her recent diet and daily life. When he learned that she liked sweets even more than before, he knew that his arrangement was correct.

"I've also picked out two new cooks for you. They're both good at making pastries and were hired from the common people. Shall I have them come and meet you later?"

Qingzan subconsciously wanted to refuse, but then she thought about how she had already entered the palace and how her tastes had become more sophisticated recently. So, while picking out a bamboo-colored brocade skirt from the cabinet, she said, "Let them go find Pei Da. He will make the arrangements."

The emperor responded with a "yes" and sat beside her bed, watching her walking around from afar, feeling a bit of hard-earned peace and tranquility.

Suddenly he said, "Once your mother's affairs are made public, your identity will no longer be hidden. Are you afraid?"

Qing Zan was stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly: "What are you afraid of?"

Was she afraid of being criticized for being the daughter of a concubine? But she had no choice in her birth, so what was her fault? Her mother's identity as a concubine was also deceived by Duan Ruoxu, so what was her mother's fault?

She turned around gracefully, and for the first time in a long time she showed the emperor such a calm and bright smile: "It may be a bit unlucky to be associated with the Duan family, but I am only honored to be your daughter."

Being her mother's daughter is enough to make her not afraid of what people say.

Even the emperor felt a sense of relief when he saw people with such expressions.

When he faced her a few days ago, he felt embarrassed and bitter.

So he jokingly said, "Well, being a concubine of the Heavenly Family is a bit unlucky, but being my wife isn't such a loss, either."

Qingzan turned around, facing the wall. Seeing him so playful and joking, she felt a strange discomfort. Was she really going to forgive him so easily? If it was a daughter, it would be fine. From now on, they would never see each other again. For now, she could just treat this as a pleasure and not dwell on it too much. But if it was a prince, could she really put aside her grudges and reconcile with him?

The corners of her lips sank: "I didn't promise you that day."

The emperor leaned against the head of the bed and looked at her casually: "It's okay, I can wait."

After all, she and he have a long way to go.

*

After lunch, someone came to Ziquan Palace for some reason.

Qingzan and the Queen Mother haven't seen each other for a long time. If this matter is not resolved yet, she probably won't be able to be respectful and humble to the Queen Mother.

Just like last time, when the Empress Dowager scolded her for injuring the Emperor's body, she only said dryly that she was guilty of a capital crime, with an air of being ready to be dealt with at will. The Empress Dowager felt that it was neither too harsh nor too mild to say anything, so she quickly ordered the giant Buddha to be sent away.

The Queen Mother said, "You should have taken good care of your pregnancy, but you need to listen to what happened today so that you won't be groping in the dark when you try to handle it yourself. While you can still walk, come with me."

Qingzan was confused when she heard this, but the empress dowager had already stood up, so she just followed her out. The two of them, accompanied by their processions, arrived at Ruizhu Palace one after the other.

Concubine Hui had spent considerable effort these days, getting everyone to report on each other and comparing their confessions, only to confirm that none of the palace maids had ever touched plum blossoms. Furthermore, they discovered that Xue Ronghua had visited both the White Snow Garden and the Red Plum Garden, specifically to pick plum blossoms for Concubine Yang and Concubine Ming Shu.

There was no way. If no one related to Concubine Ming Shu could be found, then there would be almost no suspense about this matter - only Concubine Ming Shu and Concubine Zhao approached the little princess without a body search, and only Concubine Zhao had been to the Red Plum Garden. Even if Concubine Hui was unwilling to believe it or thought it was absurd, she would inevitably point the finger of suspicion at her own cousin.

Therefore, when Xue Ronghua was found, Concubine Hui felt relieved.

It’s okay if she’s not one of us, it’s okay if she’s not my cousin.

Qingzan followed the Empress Dowager into the main hall, and Concubine Ming Shu was soon invited in. The Empress Dowager naturally sat at the most honorable seat at the head of the table. The concubines who had come to watch the trial, seeing that Concubine Ming Shu was about to be questioned in the hall, none dared to sit down, and stood on either side. The Empress Dowager raised her hand and pressed them down, "Sit, everyone."

When it was Qingzan's turn, she said softly, "Good boy, let them make a place for you."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Qingzan sat on the left side of the Empress Dowager. This was supposed to be the seat of the Queen. Even Concubine Hui, who was in charge of the affairs of the six palaces, would be overstepping her bounds if she sat there.

Everyone still didn't know she was the surviving daughter of the woman whose Yuan Gong was robbed by the Yongning Marquis. However, they had heard that the emperor had gone to Chengluan Palace today, and they suspected that the two had reconciled. They thought the empress dowager was simply showing some mercy for the sake of her son and grandson.

Concubine Ming Shu glanced at Concubine Zhao, who was standing with her to attend the trial, with deep contempt in her eyes.

She asked Concubine Hui, "Since both Zhao and I had contact with the little princess and plum blossoms that day, I wonder how Concubine Hui plans to judge the case. Who will be found guilty and who is not guilty, or will both be found guilty or not guilty?"

Concubine Hui simply responded, "I will never wrongly accuse Concubine Shu."

After asking the Empress Dowager for instructions, Concubine Hui summoned the palace maids and wet nurses who served the princess to identify them one by one. She never allowed outsiders to be alone with the little princess, so when Concubine Shu and her cousin entered the princess's bedroom, there must be someone accompanying them.

The palace maids and wet nurses who accompanied the two men stepped out of the line separately, and the two men confirmed that there was nothing wrong, but the palace maids insisted that the two men did not behave in any unusual manner.

This is actually expected. Pollen can be hidden in the sleeves or fingernails and then spread in the princess's cradle without being noticed. This does not mean anything.

If there was no other solution, they could only torture the maids of Concubine Shu and Concubine Zhao, but Concubine Hui couldn't bear to use harsh torture, fearing that innocent people would be wronged. Just as the situation reached a stalemate, a palace servant suddenly entered and said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty Hui, a palace servant from Chaoyun Palace has arrived, claiming to have a clue!"

The Queen Mother nodded and asked Qing Zan, "What do you think about this?"

Qingzan never thought that Concubine Ming Shu would do such a thing, if for no other reason than the love of all parents in the world. If it was said that Concubine Ming Shu wanted to harm Concubine Hui, she might still remain impartial. But if it was said that Concubine Ming Shu wanted to harm the little princess, as long as she thought of the relationship between the eldest prince, Xue Ronghua and Concubine Yang, Qingzan thought it was impossible.

However, everything required evidence, so Qing Zan could only say as impartially as possible, "You came at the right time."

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "What a coincidence! Let's pass it on."

The palace maid's name really contained the word "qiao" (Qiao). Her name was Liuqiao, and she was originally a palace maid cleaning the Chaoyun Palace.

Liu Qiao knelt down and trembled, "I dare not lie. I only pray that the truth can be revealed and the little princess will not be harmed innocently. I did hear Concubine Shu and Aunt Chuntiao discussing. They said that if Concubine Hui didn't take good care of the little princess, His Majesty would definitely record a serious offense with her, and she would most likely lose the chance to become Empress!"

Chun Tiao, who was beside Concubine Shu, had a kind face and a gentle heart, but she was not one to be afraid of trouble. She immediately stepped out from behind the crowd and asked, "Where did this traitor come from who falsely accused the master?"

Since this matter concerned her master, she kowtowed in desperation and said, "Empress Dowager, how can the testimony of such a traitor be trusted in the slightest?"

Liu Qiao quickly argued, "I just saw that the princess was ill, and my conscience was uneasy, tormenting me day and night. That's why I'm willing to bear the infamy of betraying my master and tell everyone the truth!"

Concubine Ming Shu sneered: "I didn't know you were so eloquent."

Chuntiao looked up and saw that her master was also looking at her.

Ming Shufei glanced at her, and she was stunned for a moment. Then she thought of something, and as if she had taken a reassurance pill, she said to the Empress Dowager, "Please allow me to ask Liu Qiao a few questions, Your Majesty."

The Queen Mother nodded: "Alright."

Chun Tiao looked at Liu Qiao with a rather aggressive expression, as if she wanted to eat her alive. "Let me ask you, Your Majesty has been so busy with the eldest prince's studies lately that she's never had time to appreciate the plum blossoms. Only Xue Ronghua has ever sent plum blossoms to Zhaoshui Palace, right?"

Liu Qiao felt guilty when she looked at her, and whispered, "Yes..."

Chun Tiao asked again angrily, "The plum blossoms are enshrined in the palace by the Empress. So are the plum blossoms enshrined in the palace white or red?"

Liu Qiao remembered that Xue Ronghua had been to both the White Snow Garden and the Red Plum Garden, and she didn't know how to answer for a moment.

She was just a palace maid sweeping the courtyard and had never even entered the main hall, so how could she know!

Chun Tiao also noticed this and taunted him, "You haven't even been near the main hall, how would you know? Could it be that you have extraordinary hearing like everyone else? Then we can just test it out. Go out right now and see if you can hear what we're saying in the hall from outside!"

Liu Qiao didn't have that ability, so at this point she could only close her eyes and point at something randomly: "Hongmei, it's Hongmei!"

Chun Tiao smiled slowly and didn't ask Liu Qiao any more questions. She simply kowtowed to the Empress Dowager and said, "Your Majesty, please excuse me. Although Master Xue treats our Majesty kindly, she has never accepted his plum blossoms. Neither red nor white has ever been displayed in the palace. This shows that Liu Qiao is nothing but a liar and slanderer of the Majesty!"

Liu Qiao's body immediately softened, and she crawled a few steps on her knees, approaching Concubine Hui and said, "No, no, although I didn't see the plum blossoms, I did hear them."

Seeing that she still refused to give up, Chun Tiao asked again, "Then do you know why the Queen didn't accept the plum blossom?"

Liu Qiao felt a chill in her heart and turned around: "Why..."

Chun Tiao raised her head and said, "Empress Dowager, recently our little prince knew that he would be going to school after his birthday, so he has been very clingy to you all the time. The day you went to see the little princess was the seventeenth day of the first lunar month. I remember it very clearly. When you came back, the eldest prince came out to greet you, and you even held him in your arms! There were palace maids passing by Guanju Palace at the time, and they can testify to that!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qiao's body had already slumped over, not daring to utter a single word. Concubine Zhao glared at her with disdain and said, "What does this even mean?"

Chun Tiao bowed to her and said, "Don't worry, my lady. This is exactly why Her Majesty refused to accept Master Ronghua's plum blossoms. We never use incense or flowers in our palace, only tea leaves. This is because the eldest prince almost had a pollen allergy in the spring when he was two years old. If Her Majesty's hands were not clean that day, even if there was a speck of pollen, how could she dare to hold the eldest prince!"

Even Concubine Xue didn't know about this, so the Empress didn't use incense, only tea leaves. Any strange smell would be detected immediately. Therefore, there would be no plum blossoms in Chaoyun Hall, and it was even more impossible for the Empress to have pollen on her hands.

Seeing that the situation was settled, Concubine Ming Shu finally said, "Empress Hui, it may have been difficult to solve the case just now, but isn't it much easier now? Thoroughly examine this servant and find out who bribed her. That person is most likely the one who implicated the princess in this crime."

Ming Shufei's words were subtle and obscure, but in fact everyone present already knew it. Apart from Shufei, there was only Zhao as a suspect. Why would they need to go through the trouble of interrogating her?

Moreover, by falsely accusing Concubine Shu, Concubine Hui might have benefited from it.

When Liu Qiao heard that she was going to be strictly interrogated, she thought of the methods used by the Palace Justice Department and was so frightened that her scalp went numb. She hurriedly grabbed the edge of Lady Zhao's skirt with both hands and said, "Lady, please save this servant!"

She confessed herself without asking, and Concubine Zhao naturally couldn't hide: "What does it have to do with me? You slandered your master, and now you slander me?"

The Queen Mother straightened her back and said in a thunderous voice, "That's enough, Zhao. Do you admit your guilt?"

Concubine Zhao nearly fainted, not daring to speak again. After a while, she began to cry miserably and beg for mercy from the empress dowager, cursing the palace maids around her from time to time: "Didn't you say that the fragrance of the red plum blossoms is so light that no one would notice it?"

*

At the end of this incident, the empress dowager issued an order to demote Concubine Zhao to a commoner, and took back Concubine Hui's palace power, and left the rest to the emperor to deal with.

After the order was given, he set out to return to Ziquan Palace.

She didn't let Qingzan follow her, so Qingzan walked out slowly, step by step.

In early spring, all things begin to grow, the grass and trees are green but not lush, and there are also some spring mosses on the palace roads, growing out of the cracks.

Behind her, Concubine Ming Shu's voice rang out: "Noble Concubine, please stay."

She walked forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Qingzan. Both of them were dressed simply, and their figures blended in with the gentle spring light.

When Qingzan saw her, she suddenly understood why Concubine Ming Shu always wore very few hairpins on her head and rarely put on rouge and powder on her face. It turned out that it was not only because she didn't like red makeup and loved military uniforms, but also because she wanted to take care of the eldest prince more conveniently and not hurt her son.

He joked with her, "Congratulations to the Empress on clearing her name. This time, can it be considered that the eldest prince is helping his mother?"

Concubine Ming Shu pondered for a moment, thinking of the recent turmoil, the Duan family, and the concubine. She was well-informed and had long known that the surname of that extraordinary woman, Suo Yun, was Cheng. Isn't the surname of the noble concubine Ying in front of her also Cheng?

It was a waste of her time to explore in the past, because she didn't even dig up the deepest and most crucial roots.

The Queen Mother had just asked someone to sit there.

After going around in circles, it seemed that I still missed a step and failed to defend against the person I should have defended the most.

She smiled and said, "In fact, even if it wasn't Huaixuan, I still have reasons to excuse myself. Because——"

"If I were truly worried about someone competing with me for the position of empress, the first person I would be wary of would definitely not be Concubine Hui."

"It's you. Right?"

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The author has something to say: I'm finishing up this. I'll probably update it once every one or two days, around midnight, so you can check it out now! It should be finished in about a week.