Chapter 126 Chapter 126

[Chapter 126]

Ji Juebai tightly grasped the wine cup in his hand, as if he did not hear clearly what his colleague said, and asked:

"Chongzhi just said that she is the Imperial Concubine?"

"That's right." The man who was called Chongzhi blocked her with his wide sleeves and whispered, "This is Concubine Ying, who is now in the emperor's favor. Brother Mingji, please stop looking at her and look carefully at your head."

Ji Jubai didn't know how much willpower he mustered to retract his gaze. He didn't know how the wine in the glass went down his throat, but he only felt that the aged wine tasted bitter.

He lowered his eyes slightly. He was a man of few words, so his appearance did not attract the attention of others. He just kept drinking, thinking about how he saw her just now. A few years later, she became more beautiful, but she became the emperor's concubine.

Ji Juebai felt a pain in his chest and it took great effort to restrain himself from looking at Ruan Jun.

…

Ruan Jun didn't notice anything unusual over there, her mind was completely focused on the lady.

After the old lady bowed, he quickly helped her up and called her softly, "Grandma."

The lady patted Ruan Yun's hand, wiped her tears and said, "I was very worried when I heard that the queen had given birth prematurely, but I couldn't go to the palace to see the queen. I finally put my heart at ease when I knew that the queen gave birth to a little prince."

Ruan Yun couldn't help but think of the scene when she gave birth, and said coquettishly, "It's all fine now."

The lady's trembling hands finally calmed down when she grabbed Ruan Yun.

Her Yangyang was replaced when she had a difficult delivery. Now when she heard that Ruan Yun also had a difficult delivery, her heart was filled with pain.

"I'm glad you're alright."

The lady wiped away her tears quietly, "There are infightings in the palace, Your Majesty must be more careful, and taking care of yourself is the most important thing."

The dragon boat race outside was intense, but Ruan Yun no longer cared to watch. She leaned her head on the lady's shoulder and said softly, "Don't worry, grandma. I will."

She said a little embarrassedly: "The emperor asked me if I wanted to recognize my own identity——"

After saying this, she first raised her head and looked at the lady-in-waiting, with a faint smile on her lips. She looked more and more like the woman in the portrait that the lady-in-waiting had seen.

"I agreed." The lady almost thought she had misheard. She even lost control of the teacup in Yang's hand, causing some of the tea to spill. The maids said anxiously, "Madam, be careful."

She quickly put the teacup back on the table and stood beside the lady.

At this time, the only thing the lady could say was "OK". "It's OK if you are willing."

Ruan Yun wiped the tears from the Madam's eyes and said, "I used to have many concerns, but I also understand that my sitting in this position is a very good thing for me and the Duke's Mansion. Move... The Third Prince is still young, and the Duke's Mansion is only supported by my cousin. If this is the case, it will be even better."

The Madam shook her head and said, "The Yu family has never needed to send their daughters to the palace to preserve the family's honor. The Third Prince is still young, but we should always prepare for a rainy day. Your Majesty is right. It is much better for him to have his maternal family than to have nothing. Your Majesty is now favored by the Emperor, so naturally you should get something useful for yourself during this period of time."

Yang listened to the words of the old lady and looked around. Standing outside the waterside pavilion were eunuchs and guards from the palace. Once the old lady's words reached the ears of the emperor, it would be considered as treason.

"Mother."

The old lady knew that she was speechless, but her daughter was gone. She could only pay more attention to the only bloodline left by her daughter. Her own body could not hold on for much longer, and she always wanted to do more while she could still move.

Ruan Yun shook her head gently, hugged the lady and said: "Things in the harem are ever-changing. Even when I gave birth, there were people plotting behind the scenes. I know how my grandmother feels about me, but since I have chosen to become the emperor's concubine, I have to take every step by myself. I just..."

Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with tears. Although she had not met the old lady many times, they were connected by blood, and she always relied on the old lady.

I just miss my mother.

If my mother were still alive, she would not have the heart to see my grandmother die at such an old age with a heart full of regrets.

The old lady hugged Ruan Yun tightly, just like she had wanted to hug her daughter for many years. That was the few thoughts she and the old Duke had left in this world, but fate played a trick on them, and they were never able to see each other until they died.

Yang kept looking around and was extremely nervous, fearing that her crying would leak out and reach the emperor's ears, which would be a disaster.

The lady wiped away her tears first and said, "It's my fault. I made the queen sad. The queen has just finished her confinement. Crying like this will easily hurt her eyes."

Ruan Jun said with red eyes: "Grandma, stop crying soon."

The Madam had seen too many storms and waves, so she was able to keep her composure at this moment. "It's rare for the Majesty to leave the palace, so it's best if you are happy."

After hearing what Madam Jing said, Ruan Yun finally remembered what the cover was.

She casually took off the white jade and ruby ​​brocade on her head, tilted her head slightly, and looked at the emperor with her watery eyes. She couldn't see clearly through the curtains. Ruan Yun's voice was a little tearful, and she said, "Thank you, auntie, for finding someone to place the bet for me."

Only now did Yang understand how the emperor agreed to let Ruan Yun come, but it was enough to make her happy. Since the emperor doted on Concubine Ying so much, her mother could always rest assured and her health would get better.

Yang asked her personal maid to go and asked with a smile, "Does your majesty have a team you want to escort?"

Ruan Yun looked at the water and saw that the dragon boats were all in the same boat. She pursed her lips and said, "I think the third dragon boat is doing well in the water. Let's go with that one."

Yang waved her hand and the maid went over immediately.

The people in the surrounding pavilions were observing the situation in the Duke's Mansion from time to time. They were all very curious as to why the Imperial Concubine chose to go to the pavilion in the Duke's Mansion.

I heard that the royal concubine was from a humble family. If we could win her over at this time, that would be a great thing. It's a pity that this matter was snatched away by the Duke's Mansion.

But no matter where the rifle was left, everyone was as nervous as a shrewd man.

"Your Highness, you have a good eye. This third ship was personally trained by the commander of the Fourth Battalion."

"If you are not to mention that she is a noble lady in the palace, she is indeed incomparable to ordinary people."

The news that the Imperial Concubine had seized the ship of the Fourth Battalion spread quickly and naturally reached the ears of the Emperor and the Empress.

The Queen was not very interested in this matter, but she also said, "It depends on how good Sister Ying is at judging people."

Su Meiren, who was standing below, said in a sarcastic tone, "Why can the Concubine do it but we can't? I just think the fifth ship is good."

Ji Zhaoyi was holding the restless little princess in his arms to prevent her from running around and falling into the water. When he heard what Concubine Su said, he said in a calm tone, "Concubine Su can also ask the emperor for this favor. It all depends on whether the emperor will grant you the favor."

Concubine Su was sneered by Ji Zhaoyi, and she sat back in her original position with her handkerchief thrown away in anger. It didn't take her long to figure out why the emperor would agree, and he would agree to Concubine Ying. They also wanted to go.

Yan Shiyu looked at the men on the river with their blood boiling. He pursed his thin lips tightly and looked towards the waterside pavilion of the Duke's Mansion with deep and calm black eyes.

Men of this age are naturally full of passion. Perhaps they heard some rumors, but they worked extra hard, shirtless, with their bronze skin exposed to the sun, and they swung the oars with their strong and muscular arms.

The more Yan Shiyu looked at it, the more annoyed he became, and his fingers moved more vigorously.

The empress, who was sitting next to the emperor, was very sensitive to his mood at the moment and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

However, Wei Maoyuan was not as relaxed as the Empress. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. He just hoped that the dragon boat race would be over quickly, otherwise he was afraid that if the Emperor continued to watch it, he would really be furious.

Yan Shiyu frowned and asked unhappily, "How long has she been gone?"

Wei Maoyuan said quickly: "Your Majesty, it's less than half an hour."

Yan Shiyu's eyes were filled with displeasure, "Does she still remember where she should be?"

Wei Maoyuan bowed very low, "This... I think the Royal Concubine has been depressed for too long, it is possible that she has forgotten for a while, and she will come back in a while."

Yan Shiyu could no longer bear to watch the scene in front of him. Those men were particularly glaring in his eyes:

"Ask her when she's going to come back after placing her bet."

Wei Maoyuan adjusted the hat on his head and hurried to the waterside pavilion of the Duke's Mansion.

As expected, as soon as he entered, the Imperial Concubine scolded him in a sweet voice, "Eunuch Wei has worked so hard."

Wei Maoyuan's face wrinkled in one place, and he said in embarrassment: "Your Majesty is missing the Empress."

Ruan Yun swung the embroidered handkerchief in her hand. She really didn't know what the emperor had gone crazy for. She had only been here for a short while, but he insisted on sending her back.

"In that case, I will go back."

After hearing what the Imperial Concubine said, Wei Maoyuan almost knelt down and kowtowed to her again, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

With a cold snort, Ruan Yun stood up slowly and faced the Madam, returning to her coquettish demeanor. "Once you go to the temporary palace, you will be much freer than in the palace."

The lady also looked reluctant, "Your Highness must take good care of yourself and put yourself first."

Ruan Yun nodded, and placed her hand on the back of the lady's hand, the bracelet on her wrist jingling, "The third prince really likes the longevity lock necklace that my grandmother gave him, and I let him wear it every day."

Seeing the bracelet she prepared for her daughter on Ruan Yun's white wrist, the lady pushed Ruan Yun gently, but even though she was reluctant, she couldn't do it, "Madam, please go back quickly."

Ruan Jun's eyelashes blinked violently, and the moment she turned around, the emotions in her almond-shaped eyes changed extremely quickly, covering up all the sadness in her eyes.

"Let's go."

Although the crowd was not large, everyone was staring at this place. Ruan Jun walked lightly towards the waterside pavilion in the center, just like when she came.

Ji Juebai had no idea how much wine he had drunk. His eyes were red, but he tried to numb himself and did not feel drunk at all. As soon as he closed his eyes, he saw Ruan Jun in her gorgeous clothes.

He stumbled and tried to stand up, holding onto the corner of the table, but the scene in front of him was blurry.

A colleague nearby supported Ji Rebai in time, "Brother Mingji, be careful. Why did you drink so much today?" Ji Rebai wanted to shake off the hand that was supporting him, but he leaned back, causing the people in the pavilion to look over and laugh.

Ruan Yun was also attracted by the movement next to her. When she turned to the side, she could only see a chaotic scene, but she had no idea what was going on.

His steps paused only for a moment before quickly returning to normal. Wei Maoyuan walked respectfully behind Ruan Yun and watched the royal concubine go up to the waterside pavilion. Only then did he feel relieved.

All the concubines had to stand up and salute Ruan Yun, and Concubine De was no exception.

Her movements were stiff, and her fingertips were tightly clenched into her palms. In the past, the only person who was pressing down on her was the Empress, but now there was also Ruan Jun. How could she be willing!

Ruan Yun's eyes swept past Concubine De calmly. When she stood in front of the emperor, her almond-shaped eyes were filled with pity. She had done this expression many times, so it was easy for her:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

The Queen looked at Ruan Yun and said with a smile, "The team my sister bet on is really amazing."

Ruan Yun said tenderly, "Your Majesty, thank you."

As she spoke, she glanced at the emperor, and seeing that he did not make any move, she was about to go to her seat when Yan Shiyu tapped his side and said in a low voice:

"Come to me."

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, Wei Maoyuan hurriedly moved a stool and placed it next to the emperor.

Ruan Yun looked at the emperor with her clear almond-shaped eyes. When her gaze fell on the emperor's unfathomable eyes, she actually saw a hint of danger.

She bit her lower lip, walked up the steps with her slender waist trembling, and sat beside the emperor.

Yan Shiyu turned his head, his jaw set, and asked in a deep voice, "Does it look good?"

Ruan Jun looked towards the water, remembering why the emperor wanted to hold a dragon boat race. She narrowed her eyes and nodded, saying, "I like it very much."

Yan Shiyu's black eyes suddenly turned cold, which made Ruan Jun a little confused.

Ruan Yun's soft hand poked out from the emperor's sleeve. As the concubines were talking, she gently pinched the emperor's sleeve and shook it. Then she put her smooth hand into the emperor's palm and said aggrievedly:

"I'm telling you the truth, why is Your Majesty still angry? Your Majesty is older than me, can't you give me some ground?"

Yan Shiyu's eyes flickered slightly as he grabbed Ruan Yun's little face, with veins throbbing on his forehead.

If there wasn't someone here, I would really want to kiss her annoying little mouth.

"You think I'm old?"

Ruan Jun pursed her lips, "Your Majesty is obviously eleven years older than me."

Seeing that the emperor's face was getting uglier, Ruan Yun quickly added:

"It's just that the emperor is in his prime, so what's the harm?"

"Heh." Yan Shiyu withdrew his gaze from Ruan Jun. He felt that he could not listen to her anymore, otherwise he would really get sick from anger.

"Remember what you said today."

The light words made Ruan Jun's heart skip a beat.

There was a hint of threat in the emperor's tone, but there was also a hint of charm. She felt a sudden chill. The emperor was now wearing a dragon robe, but he was still so frivolous.

The Empress heard very clearly what the two said. Qiyue, who was standing nearby, was worried about the Empress, and was also angry that the Concubine had lost face for the Empress in public.

The Queen pulled the embroidery handkerchief with some force, tilted her head and glanced over, causing Qiyue to lower her head quickly.

The empress didn't care about these things. She was the empress and the mother of the country. How could she indulge in love affairs every day? Her every move was the face of the dynasty. Since she sat in this position, she had already thought it through clearly.

Although the concubines were looking at the water, their attention was on the emperor.

They were not too far away, so naturally one could see that the emperor's face turned dark because of Concubine Ying's words, and Concubine Ying lowered her head and said nothing.

Concubine Su pulled Concubine Liu beside her and said, "Look, the emperor is upset about Concubine Ying?"

Lady Liu glanced at Lady Su and gently advised her, "What's the right of us to interfere in the dispute between the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine?"

Lady Su let go of Lady Liu's hand and rolled her eyes, "How boring! You don't even dare to say these words."

Lady Liu just quietly picked up the wine cup and took a sip, ignoring what Lady Su said next to her.

Concubine Su was originally waiting to see the show, but she saw Concubine Ying quietly pick up the wine cup. The emperor only glanced at Concubine Ying, and her hand froze in place.

Afterwards, no one knew what Concubine Ying said pitifully, but the emperor ordered Wei Maoyuan to directly hold Concubine Ying's hand which was placed on the table.

Su Meiren felt bored immediately after being stabbed in the face.

They are both women, so how could Concubine Ying Gui win the emperor's favor? Could it be that Concubine Ying Gui was deceived by the emperor?

Lifting the wine cup and drinking it all, Concubine Su saw Concubine Zhang's distraught look from the corner of her eye, and asked with a smile, "Sister Zhang was also a person who was favored by the emperor. Did the emperor ever do this?"

Lady Zhang's eyes turned red, and she turned her head to the side and said fiercely, "What does it have to do with you? Why should I tell you about my relationship with the Emperor?"

Lady Su was not annoyed by Lady Zhang's treatment. Her hands, waving the round fan, became much lighter. If there was nothing, then there was nothing. She didn't know who she was pretending to be like this for.

There was loneliness in Lady Zhang's eyes. No matter how lively it was outside, she could not muster the slightest interest.

She and the emperor have known each other since childhood, so why did it become like this?

She looked at the emperor with tears in her eyes. Although he still looked majestic without getting angry, he also had some tenderness towards Ruan Jun beside him.

Concubine Zhang's eyes were red with tears. She came from a good family and had been childhood sweethearts with the emperor. After the emperor became emperor, she became the honorable concubine. But now, she and the emperor were drifting apart. The emperor was no longer willing to believe her because he had accused her of many unfounded things.

Last time, he clearly found the hairpin of a servant of Lady Du, but the Emperor was unwilling to continue investigating because of that scumbag Ruan Yun.

Now that Ruan Yun has become a royal concubine, how can she win the emperor's heart again?

The emperor scolded her for harming the descendants of dragons, but she would not have done that if she had not had her own children.

Liu Jin looked at Concubine Zhang nervously. Ever since the young lady was released from house arrest, she was not the same as before, and her temperament had changed a lot. She was afraid that the young lady would do something for the emperor's favor.

Kneeling down beside Lady Zhang, Liu Jin persuaded Lady Zhang:

"My dear, now that the old master has asked the emperor to release you, he must be hoping that you will be well. Don't think about anything else. The emperor will see that you are different from before, and he will remember the affection between you two."

Lady Zhang lowered her head, unable to hold back the tears in her eyes:

"But I am afraid that I won't be able to wait for that day."

Liu Jin comforted her again, saying, "The Emperor loved your gentleness and kindness in the past. Why don't you try to think about the past? The Emperor will always remember your kindness again."

Lady Zhang held Liu Jin's hand tightly, then slowly turned her head to look at Liu Jin, "Is this master really okay?"

Liu Jin smiled and said, "Don't worry, my lady. It will definitely work. Even if it doesn't work, we still have the master. Don't worry, my lady."

There wasn't much going on over here with Lady Zhang. She was mostly just complaining about herself. People just glanced at her and walked past her, treating it as a joke.

Ji Zhaoyi glanced at Zhang Meiren's body with a cold look. The little princess was quick to notice that something was wrong with Ji Zhaoyi. She hugged Ji Zhaoyi's neck and said, "Mother, what's wrong with you?"

Ji Zhaoyi quickly came back to her senses, her smile growing deeper, "Nothing, I just haven't seen such a lively scene in a long time."

The little princess nodded obediently and curled up in Ji Zhaoyi's arms, "Xin'er, from now on, whenever you see something interesting, just call mother, okay?"

Ji Zhaoyi nodded, touched the little princess's face, and looked up at the water with a deeper smile.

The dragon boat race was quickly decided, but Ruan Jun had never expected that her casual bet would actually win.

Wei Maoyuan was beaming with joy, holding the betting items and money to the front of the Royal Concubine. He thought that the Emperor would personally agree to the Royal Concubine, and that the Emperor would be in a good mood seeing the Royal Concubine happy. However, he was given a glare by the Emperor. When the eyes, as sharp as ice, looked at him, Wei Maoyuan staggered and nearly fell off the waterside pavilion.

Ruan Yun looked at the items that people were betting on. They were all princes and ministers, and the items they took out were also extraordinary.

If there is none, just put the banknotes on it.

At this moment, everyone was watching. Ruan Yun said softly, "If the Emperor and Empress do not mind, I will use these things to offer flowers to the Buddha, okay?"

The queen was satisfied with Ruan Yun's understanding and said gently, "As long as you like it."

Yan Shiyu sneered, causing Ruan Jun to blush, but since the emperor did not refute, it meant he agreed.

Yingning and Tingxu quickly packed up the things in the tray. In the eyes of the concubines, although the silver bills were good things, they were a bit tacky. Ruan Yun naturally put the silver bills away, leaving only the pearl hairpins, rings and jade pendants.

"Sisters, take a look and see if there is anything you like. Feel free to pick your favorite."

Everyone looked at each other. They couldn't place a bet, but the actions of the Royal Concubine made them seem to be involved. The concubines of lower status wanted to move but didn't dare to.

The high-ranking Concubine De grabbed the clothes on her knees and tried to remain calm, saying, "I will not be picky."

Ruan Jun pursed her lips and smiled, "Alright, I guess Sister Defei doesn't lack these."

The word "sister" completely hurt Defei's heart. She entered the palace earlier than Ruan Jun, but now, just because of her position, she had to listen to Ruan Jun calling her "sister".

After Concubine De left, Concubine Zhou was the first to stand up and said:

"I wanted to get some good fortune, and I saw that this jade bracelet was nice, so I picked it first."

Ruan Yun watched their movements quietly until the end, when there was nothing left in the chengtuo. Ruan Yun picked up the teacup and looked at the chengtuo inadvertently.

But his hand instantly clenched the teacup, and he looked at the support absentmindedly again. The tea leaves were shaking and tea was spilling out.

Tingxu was the first to react, but seeing the queen's appearance, she suppressed her scream. Tingxu pulled out her handkerchief and whispered:

"My lady."

Her cry reminded Ruan Yun of where she was and her current identity.

Looking up, he saw that everyone had finished choosing, and said with a faint smile:

"It seems that the last golden butterfly double play hairpin belongs to me."

Ying Ning stepped forward to help the Empress collect the hairpin, but after seeing the Empress's appearance just now, it seemed that this hairpin had a different meaning for her.

It was the first time that she saw an expression of shock and disgust on the empress.

Ying Ning gathered the hairpin in her sleeve, feeling that this matter was not very simple.