"Qianyi Pavilion, Qianyi Pavilion..."
"Your Majesty's love is shallow and his feelings are even thinner. He is so cruel to me." Concubine Zheng looked at the tables and chairs in Qianyi Pavilion in despair. No one had lived here for a long time. Even after it was cleaned, there was still a lingering musty smell.
"My queen." Bai Shao reached out to support her.
"Shut up!" Concubine Zheng slapped her in the face and looked at her with bloodshot eyes: "How can a beauty be called a queen? Do you want to kill me? You all want to hurt me!"
"You all want to kill me, yes, you all want to kill me..." Zheng Meiren trembled and sat on the chair: "You guys have wanted to kill me since I was a child."
She bit her nails, thinking about the things from her youth, and her heart gradually calmed down.
Don't panic, don't panic, things haven't gotten to the worst yet.
She also has Yan Ze.
Yes, she also has Yan Ze.
The successive demotions of Prince Qi's mother and son shocked all the ministers in the court. Before they had a chance to plead for Prince Qi, His Majesty issued another decree to strip Prince Qi's maternal family of their titles and throw all adult men and women into jail.
"Your Majesty." Sun Yichun, the head of the Sun family, stepped out of the queue in front of everyone's eyes: "I wonder what crime the Zheng family has committed?"
"To murder the royal bloodline." Emperor Longfeng looked at Sun Yichun: "Sun Qingjia, are you going to plead for the Zheng family?"
Murder of the royal bloodline?
The court officials were secretly shocked. How much had the emperor found out during the days he had locked the princes in the palace?
There were also many civil officials who did not believe what Emperor Longfeng said. The Fourth Prince had been talented in both civil and military affairs, benevolent, filial, elegant and upright since childhood. How could he possibly collude with the Zheng family to plot against other princes?
This must be a conspiracy against him by other princes, or... His Majesty intends to suppress the Fourth Prince.
Some people secretly looked at Ming Jingzhou. In recent months, His Majesty has been praising the Ming family everywhere, and it is clear that he is paving the way for the fifth prince.
"Your Majesty." Ming Jingzhou seemed not to notice the gazes of the crowd and stood up and said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to make a report."
"Please speak, my dear Minister Ming." Emperor Longfeng nodded to Ming Jingzhou.
"Although the Zheng family has committed a serious mistake, they are the Fourth Prince's maternal ancestors, and are related to the royal bloodline, so this is no small matter. I think that the officials of the six ministries should assist in handling this case and give the Zheng family a clear judgment of right and wrong." Ming Jingzhou bowed, "This will also clear the Fourth Prince's name and prevent him from being implicated by his maternal family."
Emperor Longfeng nodded slowly and said, "Ming Aimin's words make sense. I will follow your words and let the six ministries and the Dali Temple assist in handling this case."
The officials who were unaware of the situation couldn't help but be moved after hearing Ming Jingzhou's words. The Ming family is so upright. As the future in-laws of the Fifth Prince, they are actually defending the Fourth Prince's innocence at this time.
A few old foxes who guessed some of the inside story had strange expressions on their faces.
Ming Jingzhou was not pleading for the Fourth Prince. He had clearly guessed what others were thinking and stood up to protect His Majesty's image of fairness.
However, few people thought that he was helping the Fifth Prince, because the Fifth Prince's experience in the Ministry of Rites had spread to the ears of all officials in the six ministries.
It is different because you have followed the dragon. If anyone else dared to do it, they would have angered His Majesty long ago.
On the second day after Concubine Ning was demoted to a beauty, all the concubines above the fourth rank in the harem waited obediently at the gate of Mingyue Palace early in the morning, waiting to pay their respects to Concubine Su.
When Jiuzhu got up in the morning and walked out of the yard, she was shocked to see the concubines dressed according to their ranks. These concubines did not look very young. They stood there with their heads lowered and eyes downcast, not making any sound.
A concubine noticed Jiuzhu and gave her a friendly smile before continuing to wait with her head down.
Jiuzhu followed the wall and ran into the main hall in two steps.
Imperial Concubine Su was having breakfast. When she saw her come in, she smiled at her tenderly and waved, "Jiuzhu is here? Sit with me and have some breakfast."
Xiang Juan served Jiuzhu the porridge: "Miss, please try this porridge and see if it suits your taste."
"Thank you, auntie." Jiuzhu tasted a spoonful and said, "It tastes good."
"If you like, drink one more bowl." Xiang Juan smiled and helped her pick up some side dishes: "If the county lady wants to eat or drink anything, just tell me."
Jiuzhu nodded, and she hesitated for a moment: "My Lady, outside..."
"We are all here to pay respects to the Empress." Xiang Juan explained with a smile, "Miss Ming, don't worry about these. There are many rules between the concubines in the palace. You will have a headache just listening to them. After the court session, I will ask the palace maid to accompany you to Zhangliu Palace to play with His Highness."
Jiuzhu looked up at Concubine Su, who rubbed her temples and sighed, "If you are curious, you can stay and listen later..."
"Then I'd better go and play with His Highness." Jiuzhu felt a chill on her back and ate a lot faster.
Seeing that she was very frightened, Concubine Su suppressed her smile, and when she put down her chopsticks, she asked the palace maid to accompany her out.
"You, why are you scaring her?" Concubine Su glared at Xiang Juan and said, "Look, she even eats less breakfast than usual."
"How can this be blamed on me alone? Your Majesty, you are also an accomplice." Xiang Juan helped Concubine Su wash her hands. "It's obvious that you didn't want those concubines to bother Miss Ming, so I became the bad guy. I didn't expect to be complained about. It's a pity that no one loves me."
"Blame me, blame me." Concubine Su laughed out loud: "Come quickly, two people, give Aunt Xiangjuan a leg massage to calm her down."
Seeing this, the other young palace maids came forward chattering and laughing, and the atmosphere became lively.
The laughter reached outside the palace gate, but the concubines waiting outside did not even have the courage to look up.
They were afraid, afraid of following in Zheng's footsteps.
In the past, the imperial concubine was the most favored in the harem and would never even glance at them. She was not interested in what they did or said, and even refused to let them pay their respects.
Gradually, they came to Mingyue Palace less often, and at most they would visit once on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, because everyone knew that the imperial concubine did not care about these empty rituals.
Until two days ago, the imperial concubine made Zheng kneel in Mingyue Palace to apologize. Early the next morning, Zheng lost her position as a concubine and was banished to the legendary "cold palace". They suddenly realized that the reason they had lived such an easy life over the years was only because the imperial concubine did not care.
If she wanted to control them, all she needed was a word and a nod.
After an unknown amount of time, the main hall door finally opened again, and Aunt Xiangjuan beside Concubine Su came out and saluted them: "This servant greets the ladies, ladies, please enter the hall."
Imperial Concubine Su sat upright at the top, looking at the concubines who were neatly lined up in two rows and nodded with a half-smile: "They are all old acquaintances of the Qian Mansion, there is no need to pay respects to them, please take a seat."
"Your Majesty is tolerant, and we cannot rely on your tolerance to forget our own rules." Concubine Min bowed to Concubine Su in a proper manner: "My concubine and I, the sisters, pay our respects to the Concubine."
"No need to be polite." Concubine Su raised her hand and motioned for them to sit down. She glanced behind Concubine Min and asked, "Why is Concubine Xu here too? Is she feeling better?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing fine recently." Concubine Xu was less than fifty years old, but she already had white hair on her temples. She didn't sound energetic when she spoke.
"It's rare that so many people are here today." Concubine Su glanced at everyone and said, "Based on age, I should call most of you sisters."
The concubines all said they dared not.
"Those who can sit here all have children." She looked at the few women below. In the more than ten years since His Majesty ascended the throne, no woman has ever entered the harem: "We are all women, and we know how difficult it is for women. Over the years, I don't like to learn those methods of torturing women."
The concubines held their breath and dared not respond.
"But there are some things that you may have guessed even if I didn't say them." Concubine Su's eyes became fierce: "I don't care about those things. It doesn't matter which of you made the first move, but from today on..."
She paused for a moment, looking at these women who dared not look her in the eye: "Live a good life, don't learn from Zheng, understand?"
"We will follow the Queen's instructions!" The concubines dared not utter a word.
"Everyone, please leave." Concubine Su picked up the tea indifferently and said, "If there are still people who are so blind as to send something that shouldn't be sent to me next time, you can continue to copy scriptures, cultivate your character, and accumulate virtue for yourself."
The concubines left Mingyue Palace nervously. Zhang approached Concubine Min and said, "My Lady Min, what does the Imperial Concubine mean by this?"
"How should I know?" Concubine Min said unhappily, "If you have time to ask me these questions, why not go back and ask your good daughter what's going on with her husband's family?"
If it wasn't for the servants of Princess Roude's uncle's family who suddenly went crazy and assassinated Yun Yanze, how could so many troubles have arisen?
Thinking of this, she smiled sarcastically at Concubine Zhang. This idiot still has the mind to care about these things.
Zhangpin's face turned pale instantly. She was anxious and angry, but she didn't dare to lose her temper in front of Minfei. Which madman caused all this trouble?
Now, no one has gained any benefit, and instead Su Meidai has been provoked.
"Say less." Concubine Xu coughed twice and whispered, "The Imperial Concubine is not the kind of person who takes her anger out on others for no reason. As long as you haven't done anything that violates the palace rules, how can I embarrass you?"
"Before the incident at the Royal Stables, has Her Majesty ever made things difficult for you and me?" After Concubine Xu said a few words, she began to cough non-stop, and her face turned much paler.
"Yes." Concubine Min said with a smile: "Sister Xu is a few years older than us, and she can see things more clearly than us. If that's the case, why did Sister Xu come with us today to pay respects to the Imperial Concubine?"
"If you want to flatter the Imperial Concubine, go and tell her. It's no use telling us." Concubine Min sneered, "Who are you pretending for?"
After saying this, she got on the sedan chair and left without looking back.
Concubine Xu looked at her back, sighed softly, sat down on the sedan chair tiredly, and wrapped herself tightly in a thick cloak. Only then did she feel a little warmer.
"Your Highness is reading a book?" Jiuzhu walked quietly to the inner courtyard of Zhangliu Palace, looked at the Prince of Chen who was reading under a tree, waved to the two female officials behind her, and whispered: "Two sisters, let's go to the outer courtyard to sit for a while, don't disturb His Highness."
She bent her waist and tiptoed out, and only after she was sure that the prince could neither see nor hear anything did she ask the ladies-in-waiting, "Sisters, has the prince always been so hardworking? It must be very hard."
"Yes." A female official nodded without blushing or beating her heart: "Your Highness has been diligent and motivated since he was young. Sometimes he even forgets to eat in order to read."
Buying the best fighting cocks and the most powerful crickets and striving to be the first is also considered as progress.
A storybook is also a book.
The people in Mingyue Palace never lie.
Jiuzhu was about to speak when she heard a cat's cry from somewhere.
The cry was shrill and creepy, like a baby crying. Jiuzhu couldn't help but look around: "Where is the cat?"
The two female officials had been in the palace for a long time. When they heard the cat's cry, they knew something was wrong. They smiled and said to Jiuzhu, "County Lady, please sit down for a while. We will go and look for it."
As soon as the two left, Jiuzhu saw King Huai walking out of the yard carrying a tabby cat with blood on its feet.
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