"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Chen and Lord Ming have arrived."
"Let them in." Concubine Su sat up from the concubine couch, and seemed not surprised that Prince Chen came along.
"My lady, His Majesty has just issued an order that you should not send anything to His Royal Highness Prince Chen." The maid worriedly asked, "If His Majesty knew about this, would he be angry with you?"
Everyone in the palace knew that His Majesty might not be in a good mood recently. Five princes were stripped of their titles, some were beaten with sticks, and two princesses were also reprimanded. None of the concubines dared to ask His Majesty for mercy, which shows how serious this matter is.
"Your Majesty just forbade me to send things to my son, but he didn't say that he couldn't come to my place." Concubine Su said righteously, "When did I disobey your order?"
The personal maid remained silent because she had forgotten how much His Majesty loved the Queen, so "Your Highness came on his own initiative" did not mean "The Queen sent something", no problem.
"My Lady Concubine." Jiuzhu walked in and saw Concubine Su, and quickened her pace: "It's been a while since we last met, are you okay?"
"Everything is fine, but I miss you a little." Concubine Su pulled Jiuzhu to sit down: "Come, sit down and rest for a while. This time I come to the palace, I must stay for a few days before leaving, otherwise my life will be too difficult these days."
"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Jiuzhu looked at Concubine Su worriedly.
"Alas." Concubine Su sighed softly: "Your Majesty has ordered that I am not allowed to send anything to Zhangliu Palace for Du Qing. Since Your Majesty punished all the princes, everyone in the palace has been in danger, and the concubines have stopped moving around. I am alone in this lonely palace, and it is really lonely."
Xiang Jin, who came with Jiuzhu and King Chen, remained silent.
The concubines don’t move around?
The queen doesn't like to pay attention to them.
Don't let the Empress send things to Zhangliu Palace?
In fact, among the five princes, only their prince received the least punishment. She even suspected that His Majesty fined His Highness for half a year just because he didn't want His Highness to be too special among the other princes.
If the Empress doesn't send it, there are still others who will send it secretly in Taiyang Palace.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty." Jiuzhu whispered, "I brought some silver to Your Highness before I entered the palace."
Concubine Su glanced at Prince Chen, and Prince Chen turned his head to look at the beams of the house.
"Did Du Qing accept it?"
"Your Highness is only willing to accept half." Jiuzhu whispered in Concubine Su's ear: "But don't worry, Your Majesty, I will give it to Your Highness after New Year's Eve. I have money now."
In addition to the monthly salary from her mother, she also received the salary from the county lord. She was truly a happy rich woman.
Really accepted it?
Concubine Su looked at her son in disbelief. He even had the nerve to take the little girl's money. Where was his face? Where was his conscience?
"I have been trying to persuade him for a long time, but His Highness is only willing to accept half." Jiuzhu sighed, "My Queen, how about you help me persuade His Highness?"
"He is a great master, how can he be short of money in the palace?" Concubine Su said, "If you ask me, you shouldn't give him a penny."
"Your Highness has never lacked money since he was young. How can you let him suffer such an injustice?" Jiuzhu did not agree with Concubine Su's statement. How painful it would be to suddenly lose something you were born with.
"Don't worry, I'm here and I won't let him get hurt." The more Concubine Su looked at Mingjiu, the more she found him likable. "Besides, our daughter can't be short of money. You love him, so you give him money. He loves you, so he's only willing to take half of your money. This is just right."
Prince Chen touched the bulging purse on his waist and coughed. He didn't feel sorry for Ming Xiaozhu, but... he just couldn't bear to see her looking aggrieved and unhappy.
Outside Mingyue Palace, the dragon guards walked around the gate and turned to ask Liu Zhongbao: "Eunuch Liu, His Majesty really told me to ask respectfully. If the Concubine is willing to talk, she can talk. If she is not willing to talk... can't we ask further questions?"
"Yes, General Wang." Liu Zhongbao smiled and said, "Don't worry, I will accompany you to see the Royal Concubine."
"Alright." Consul Wang sighed helplessly. His Majesty was so kind to Concubine Su that he was reluctant to embarrass her even by involving her in such a big case.
If anyone ever said that Concubine Su was a witch, he would be the first to stand up and oppose it.
If Concubine Su was really a witch, considering how much His Majesty valued her, perhaps she would have changed her surname to Su after he became emperor, and the other princes would not have had the chance to grow up that way.
In history, there was an emperor who doted on a certain concubine. This concubine had been childless for many years. For her sake, the emperor was unwilling to have any children at all. In the end, the only child who survived was secretly raised by a eunuch and a palace maid.
If there were a ranking of the most beautiful concubines, Concubine Su would definitely be ranked last, not because she was unfavored, but because she was too kind.
"Eunuch Liu and the Chief of the Dragon Guards are asking for a meeting?" Concubine Su was very surprised. Why did the Chief of the Dragon Guards want to see her?
"Let them in."
"I have met the Imperial Concubine, His Royal Highness Prince Chen, and the Lord of Ming County." Commander Wang came in and paid great respects to Imperial Concubine Su.
"General Wang, please take a seat. Eunuch Liu, please take a seat as well." Concubine Su raised her hand and asked the palace maid to bring tea and snacks. She got straight to the point and said, "General Wang, what brings you to this palace?"
Consul Wang was still thinking about how to start the conversation, but he didn't expect Concubine Su to ask directly. He glanced at Jiuzhu who was sitting next to him. Jiuzhu was about to get up and find an excuse to leave.
"We are all family here." Concubine Su leaned lazily on the cushion: "If you have anything to say, just ask me directly."
Jiuzhu raised her little butt slightly, then sat back down.
Prince Chen stood up, walked over to Jiuzhu and sat down, reaching out to take the fruit in front of her. Jiuzhu smiled and gave him the whole plate of fruit.
The Prince of Chen picked and chose, and selected the largest fruit. He peeled it, cut it in half, and put one half to Jiuzhu's mouth.
Liu Zhongbao watched this scene with a smile, without hiding his closeness to Prince Chen.
"Then I will speak up." Commander Wang stood up and bowed, "May I ask, Your Majesty, when you followed the Holy Chariot to Lingzhou in the fifth year of Longfeng, did you plan to go to the wine shop in Lingzhou City to taste the food?"
After hearing what Commander Wang said, Jiuzhu lost her focus and accidentally bit King Chen's finger.
Prince Chen's eyes widened. Could it be that she was not a piglet but a puppy?
She came back to her senses, looked down at the Prince's fingertips, quickly took out her handkerchief, smiled at the Prince ingratiatingly, began to wipe his fingers, and whispered, "Your Highness, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
"You are worthy of your zodiac sign." The King of Chen picked up two fruits and said, "Now it's your turn to peel them for me."
"Yes." Concubine Su glanced at the two people whispering, then turned to look at General Wang: "What's wrong?"
"Recently, I found out that there was an assassination attempt on the Empress and His Highness that year, but the assassination failed because the Empress and His Highness turned back to the dragon boat midway." Consul General Wang looked at Concubine Su Gui and observed the expression on her face: "Do you remember why you changed your plan midway?"
Jiuzhu, who was peeling fruit with her head down, widened her eyes.
Someone wants to kill the Queen and His Highness? !
"What? Someone actually wants to assassinate me and my son?" It was obvious that Concubine Su was focusing on the first half of the story. Her lazy expression changed. "Have you found out who the assassin is from?"
Commander Wang: “…”
No, isn’t he the one who came to ask the Empress?
"Why, you don't want to say it?" Concubine Su stood up and said, "If you don't want to say it, I will ask His Majesty. I want to see who is so bold."
"Please calm down, Your Majesty!" Seeing that the Queen was really planning to rush to Taiyang Palace, General Wang quickly said, "It's not that I don't want to reveal the person behind the scenes, but the matter has not been fully investigated, so I dare not speak rashly."
"Then tell me who you have found out now." Concubine Su sat back down, as if she was not the one who was angry just now. "I believe that even if I ask His Majesty today, His Majesty will still tell me. Am I right, Eunuch Liu?"
Eunuch Liu bowed and said, "Your Majesty, as long as you want to know, His Majesty will tell you. Even if His Majesty doesn't know, he will find out the truth and tell you."
Upon hearing this, Consul General Wang immediately spoke up, "Your Majesty, we have now discovered that the mastermind behind this is Concubine Ning's maternal family, the Zheng family."
"Zheng Family?" Prince Chen sneered, "No wonder I always dislike them. It turns out they were at fault first."
Commander Wang: “…”
You can't say that. There aren't many people in the whole capital that you like.
"Come on, summon Concubine Ning to see me." Concubine Su raised her hand and waved away General Wang: "You go down first, I will go to see His Majesty now."
"Your Highness, don't you want to see Concubine Ning?" Xiang Xian hinted to Concubine Su with her eyes that Miss Ming was still here. Wouldn't it be too harsh to punish Concubine Ning in front of Miss Zhen?
"Du Qing, take Jiuzhu to your Zhangliu Palace for a walk." Concubine Su smiled softly and said, "I have something to see His Majesty."
When she wants to deal with someone, she never cares what others think of her.
But Jiuzhu is different. She is the one who will accompany her son throughout his life.
Prince Chen looked at Jiuzhu who was peeling fruit for a long time but only peeled one fruit: "Okay."
He pulled Jiuzhu out of Mingyue Palace and said, "Don't worry, my mother and I won't suffer any loss in the palace."
"But……"
"When all the adult princes and princesses are locked up in the palace, it will be the safest time." Prince Chen patted her forehead and said, "Don't worry, don't be afraid, I am here."
In the first few days after moving into the palace, several brothers ate hot pot together, not only to keep their tempers together, but also because of their distrust of each other.
No one can be sure which meal will be eaten together, nor can they decide which pot of tea will be drunk together, so no one dares to tamper with the tea and food.
"Yes." Jiuzhu nodded gently, her eyes full of trust in Prince Chen: "I know that Your Highness has always been the most powerful."
Prince Chen snorted softly: "Of course."
Sun Caiyao came out of the yard and found that the palace servants of Zhangliu Palace were sweeping the floor and wiping the pillars. Even the weeds on the rockery had been pulled out cleanly. Some people even broke off a few branches of red plum blossoms in full bloom and stuck them on leafless branches.
"What are they doing?" Sun Caiyao asked the palace maid beside her.
"Princess, the palace maids are dressing up the outer courtyard and the courtyard of His Royal Highness the Prince of Chen." The palace maid saw someone brought a beautiful mermaid lantern and hung it on the branch, and couldn't help but take a few more glances.
"There are still eight days until New Year's Eve. Are you getting dressed up so early?"
"Princess, it's not because of New Year's Eve." The maid whispered, "I heard that the Lord of Ming County is coming, and His Royal Highness Prince Chen specially arranged for someone to dress up."
Because Ming Jiuzhu is coming, the entire outer courtyard of Zhangliu Palace should be decorated with lights and lanterns?
These palace maids in the harem actually obey Prince Chen's orders so much?
Is it because Yun Duqing is so bold, or is it because everyone in the harem knows that His Majesty loves him the most?
"Your Highness." Jiuzhu walked into the gate of Zhangliu Palace and saw the lights dancing in the wind: "What is that? It's so beautiful."
"That's a mermaid lantern," said the King. "When it's lit at night, it looks as beautiful as a mermaid, so it got its name from that. Some people also say that the fabric used to make this lantern was woven by mermaids, so it got this name."
"Are there really mermaids in the world?" Jiuzhu was curious.
"No." Prince Chen flicked her forehead and said, "Don't dream."
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