Jiuzhu, Prince Chen, and Prince An all looked towards Princess An.
Princess An turned her head silently and looked at the only imperial physician who didn't look at her: "My lord, how many times have you used this incense in the past few days? Is it harmful to your body?"
"A few times won't have much of an impact." The imperial physician glanced at her. The fact that she could eat secretly showed that her spleen and stomach were not affected at all.
"That's good." Princess An breathed a sigh of relief and asked the palace maid to give the imperial physician some silver. She turned her head and looked at Prince An: "Your Highness, this incense was sent by Concubine Wei Zhaoyi. Do you want it..."
As juniors, they dare not make a decision easily when it comes to other concubines.
"Fifth brother." Although Prince An was timid, he was more courageous than usual when it came to the safety of his mother. "I want to report this to the Queen."
The Queen is the master of the harem. No matter how things develop, no one can bypass the Queen.
He was a little confused. He had been mediocre in both literary and martial arts since he was a child, and had a mediocre personality. He neither competed for power with his brothers nor acted independently. The most outrageous thing he had done was to follow a few brothers to the injured fourth brother's room to cook a hot pot.
But it was the fifth brother who came up with the idea, and it was the eldest brother who ordered the palace servants to prepare. Even if the fourth brother wanted to hate someone, he should not hate him the most.
As for his mother, after his father ascended the throne, he gave her the title of Zhaoyi. Over the years, my mother's title has never been promoted. Normally, when my father passed by her, he would not even glance at her.
Who would go to so much trouble to plot against them and their son?
What’s the point?
It can't be that he is trying to save his father some money to support his family, right?
Suddenly, his expression changed and he looked fiercely at King Chen.
Could it be that someone discovered that he was successful in currying favor with others and started to hate him?
Or maybe someone hates the fifth brother, but can't do anything to him, so he takes it out on him?
He only knew that competing with his brothers for the position of crown prince was full of risks, but he did not expect that clinging to the upper class would also be risky.
"It seems that we will not be able to eat Concubine Zhaoyi's lunch for the time being." Prince Chen stood up and turned to look at Concubine Lu who was walking back to the door: "Concubine Zhaoyi, please go sit with our mother."
Lu Zhaoyi didn't expect that she had just gone out for a while, and when she came back, the faces of the younger generations changed. She asked anxiously, "What happened?"
Could it be that she was secretly eating stinky tofu, fire-baked bread, ash-water rice cakes, snail noodles and other folk snacks, and was discovered by the Prince of Chen?
There are rules in the palace that prohibit eating food from outside the palace at will. But this kind of rule is basically turned a blind eye. Which concubine in the palace has not eaten food from outside the palace?
"Mother." Princess An's face was pale. "There is something wrong with the incense that Concubine Wei gave you."
Of course, she didn't mention the thing she accidentally let slip.
Concubine Lu was slightly startled, then nodded to Prince Chen and Jiuzhu: "It's time to go to the Queen Mother. I have to trouble the Queen Mother with my affairs."
She looked at the four young men in the hall and sighed in her heart.
The descendants of the royal family will eventually reach this step.
I hope the tragedy of Xian De’s last years will not be repeated on these princes.
Wei Zhaoyi was sitting at the table eating, and Princess Jing was standing by the table serving her food, her face looking a little pale.
After Princess Jing took a few bites of food, Wei Zhaoyi motioned for her to sit down: "I see you look unhappy, what happened?"
"My dear mother, my daughter-in-law's family just sent me a message that her uncle was taken to Jingzhao Prefecture by the Jinwu Guards for questioning." Princess Jing lowered her head and said respectfully, "I didn't mean to disturb your mood. Please forgive me."
"What's going on?"
"My daughter-in-law doesn't know either. She only knows that it was the order of Prince Chen and Prince An." Princess Jing forced a smile and said, "Prince Chen had a bad relationship with the noble family in the past two years. Maybe there is some conflict again."
"I'm not surprised that Yun Duqing gave such an order. Why is Prince An joining in on the fun?" Wei Zhaoyi was a little confused. When did Prince An get so courageous?
"Recently, Prince An has been trying to please Prince Chen. Perhaps..." Princess Jing whispered, "Perhaps he is surrendering to Prince Chen."
"Is he so sure that Prince Chen can inherit the throne?" Wei Zhaoyi sneered, then said: "Don't worry, Jingzhao Yin is an upright man. Even if it is Prince Chen's order, as long as Du Qingke has not committed any crime, he can return home safely as usual."
Princess Jing hesitated for a moment and whispered, "My daughter-in-law is worried that... Prince Chen will deliberately frame me."
Wei Zhaoyi glanced at her daughter-in-law with a half-smile, and said with a hint of sarcasm: "Do you think Yun Duqing needs to frame someone in the court to deal with him?"
"Mother..."
"Forget it, no need to say more." Wei Zhaoyi interrupted her: "There are no fools in the palace, don't show your little tricks in front of me."
Princess Jing's face turned pale.
"Your Majesty." A eunuch hurried in: "The Queen wants to see you."
Wei Zhaoyi frowned. It was dinner time now. It was definitely not a good thing for Su Meidai to see her at this time.
She glanced at Princess Jing and said, "You should stay in the Sixth Palace and don't interfere in matters outside the palace."
After saying that, he hurried to Mingyue Palace.
Mingyue Palace is the most special palace in the harem.
The emperor's bedroom was named Taiyang, which means the highest center point, and also means the scorching sun in the sky.
The Lie Ri and Ming Yue palaces are well matched and extremely noble, so what are the other palaces?
The inconspicuous stars in the night?
Wei Zhaoyi looked up at the plaque of Mingyue Palace. This plaque was newly replaced after His Majesty ascended the throne, and the words were also written by His Majesty. From the very beginning, His Majesty made it clear to everyone how Su Meidai was different from the other concubines.
"Wei Zhaoyi, please come this way." The palace maid at the door led her into the hall.
Then... she saw a large group of people sitting around the dining table, and Concubine Lu was sitting in the corner, eating with a very satisfied look on her face.
"Your concubine greets the Queen." Wei Zhaoyi bowed deeply.
"Are you here?" Empress Su pointed to the empty seat next to Concubine Lu and said, "Sit down and eat together."
"Your Majesty, I have already had my meal." Wei Zhaoyi swept her eyes across everyone and finally landed on Ming Jiuzhu.
Noticing Wei Zhaoyi's gaze, Jiuzhu raised her head and met her eyes.
Wei Zhaoyi smiled at her.
"What are you looking at?" Prince Chen put the dishes that Jiuzhu liked into her bowl.
Jiuzhu shook her head, leaned on Prince Chen's shoulder, and whispered, "Prince Jing and Wei Zhaoyi look alike."
"When it comes to humiliating people, Ming Xiaozhu, you are the best at it." Prince Chen laughed, "Everyone in the palace says that among the five princes, only Prince Jing looks the most ordinary. You also said that he looks like Wei Zhaoyi. Isn't this an insult?"
"Who brought up looks?" Jiuzhu gently poked his shoulder: "Buddhism says that beauty is but a skeleton. No matter how good-looking a person is, after death, they are just a skeleton."
"How can you, who grew up in a Taoist temple, talk about Buddhist principles?" Prince Chen brought the soup to her: "Drink the soup first."
At home, her mother watched her drink soup, and in the palace, His Highness watched her drink soup. Jiuzhu felt like she was the soup pot. She picked up the soup and drank it in big gulps, then put the bowl down and continued in a low voice: "Buddhism and Taoism are a family, but I'm not talking about their looks, but the feeling between them as mother and son."
They are clearly there, but it is very easy to ignore their existence.
Master said that everyone in the world has a meaning of existence. If a person is ignored in any occasion, it only means that this person is intentionally lowering his or her sense of existence.
Such a person is unlikely to give the problematic incense to other concubines in the palace, because this is inconsistent with her usual principle of keeping a low profile.
Lunch took quite a while. Although her mother did not tell Wei Zhaoyi why she was called there, she just stood there quietly, with a respectful and humble attitude, not showing any anxiety at all.
Whether it was Zheng, who had been sentenced to death by her father, or Concubine Zhang, they were nervous when they came to Mingyue Palace alone.
Jiuzhu observed Wei Zhaoyi carefully, and after a while, she said to Prince Chen: "I think she has a connection with Buddha."
With such a good character, it would be a pity not to recite sutras.
"You, a traitor to Taoism, are actually concerned about the development of Buddhism." Prince Chen chuckled, "What if this is false compassion? Wouldn't it ruin the reputation of Buddhism?"
"Du Qing, Jiuzhu, what are you two whispering about?" Queen Su sighed when she saw the two of them putting their heads together. This is a trial in the harem after all, can you two be serious?
"Mother, we are worried about the future development of Buddhism." Prince Chen said confidently, "I and Jiuzhu have no say in the affairs of the harem, so you don't have to worry about us."
Queen Su: “…”
I don't want to care, but the way you two were whispering to each other was really arrogant.
"Wei Zhaoyi." Empress Su looked at Wei Zhaoyi and asked, "Do you know that the incense you gave to Lu Zhaoyi was poisonous?"
Jiuzhu saw surprise on Wei Zhaoyi's calm and composed face. It was an unexpected suspicion, but she quickly magnified this expression, as if she wanted everyone to know her feelings at the moment.
"Your Majesty, I don't know." Wei Zhaoyi knelt down and said, "I have no grudge against Lu Zhaoyi and we often interact with each other. How could I have the intention to harm Lu Zhaoyi?"
After saying that, she looked at Lu Zhaoyi anxiously, but because she had always been tongue-tied, she only said a few words like "it's not me" and "please believe me" for a long time.
"Don't be impatient. Tell me how the incense was made first." Empress Su took a sip of digestive tea and said, "Before the matter is thoroughly investigated, I will not wrongly accuse any innocent person."
"Your Majesty, before I was sent to the Empress Dowager's residence, I was the incense maker beside the Empress Dowager." She looked a little unhappy when she talked about her past in front of several juniors.
In fact, except for Zheng who was given the death penalty, the status of the other concubines in the harem was not very high.
"The incense I gave to Sister Lu Zhaoyi was made by me." Wei Zhaoyi said, "But I also use the same incense I gave to Sister Lu. How could I use it to poison Sister Lu?"
Empress Su raised her arm slightly, and the palace maid brought up the spices from Wei Zhaoyi's palace. The imperial physician took the incense and examined it carefully.
"Your Majesty, all the nobles, the incense in Wei Zhaoyi's palace is indeed very similar to the incense in Lu Zhaoyi's palace, but the raw material of one of the flowers is slightly different." The imperial physician said: "The smell of the flower that was replaced is very similar, and the medicinal effect is counteracted by the other flower."
Hearing this, Wei Zhaoyi knew that she had been plotted against.
Who is plotting against her?
"Wei Zhaoyi, do you have anything to explain?" Empress Su looked at Wei Zhaoyi, but there was not much anger on her face.
Even the victim, Lu Zhaoyi, did not show much resentment when she looked at Wei Zhaoyi.
"Your Majesty, I really don't know why something went wrong with the spices I sent to Sister Lu." Wei Zhaoyi kowtowed, feeling helpless but she could only accept her fate.
"Mother." Jiuzhu said, "I thought that maybe when Concubine Wei was making the spices, someone replaced the ingredients, or she made the wrong one by accident."
It is impossible for a person who is good at making incense to make a mistake with the raw materials.
Most people present guessed that Wei Zhaoyi might have been plotted against, but when there is no evidence, one can only accept one's fate.
Jiuzhu said this just to give both of them a way out.
"Yes, Madam." Concubine Lu responded and took the initiative to say, "Sister Wei and I have known each other for many years. She would not harm me like this."
"Since Consort Lü and Princess Chen have pleaded for you, I will reduce your sentence by three points. But the incident has already happened, and I cannot help but punish you." Empress Su turned around and asked Xiang Juan beside her: "Xiang Juan, according to palace rules, what crime should be charged for murdering a concubine?"
"My Lady, if it's a minor offense, you will be demoted and moved out of the main hall, or if it's a serious offense, you will be beaten to death."
When the word "beaten to death" was uttered, Prince An and Princess An trembled and leaned towards each other, looking like helpless little things.
"Although Wei made mistakes, his crime is not this serious." Queen Su chuckled.
Prince An secretly glanced at Empress Su who was sitting at the top of the table, and stopped even calling her "Wei Zhaoyi". It seemed that the Empress had no intention of letting Wei Zhaoyi off easily.
"From now on, Wei will be demoted to a concubine to reflect on herself." Empress Su smiled gently at Wei: "Are you satisfied with my punishment?"
Prince An shrank his neck.
Demoting someone from the second rank Zhaoyi to the third rank Jieyushi and still asking her if she is satisfied or not is like stabbing someone in the heart with a needle.
"Thank you, Her Majesty, for your magnanimity." Concubine Wei looked at Empress Su gratefully and kowtowed to her, as if she had really gotten a great bargain.
"This matter is over, everyone please leave." Empress Su yawned and said, "I am sleepy."
Everyone hurriedly left.
After everyone in the palace had left, Empress Su sneered, "The spy who sneaked into my son's palace with the intention of replacing the incense was probably someone under Wei's command."
"Your Majesty is kind-hearted. She just demoted her rank." Xiang Juan quickly replied, "What else is she dissatisfied with?"
"Yeah." Queen Su raised her eyebrows lazily: "Whether it's her or not, some things are inseparable from her."
Anyway, she is a domineering and overbearing queen. What reason does a queen need to follow?
"What a pity." Jiuzhu walked out of Mingyue Palace and sighed.
"What a pity?" Prince Chen was curious.
"It's a pity that such a good seedling with a predestined relationship with Buddha is still a concubine and cannot become a nun." Jiuzhu shook his head and sighed: "Maybe, this is fate."
Hearing the words "Buddha," Lu Zhaoyi recalled the fear she felt when copying Buddhist scriptures last year, and she quickly moved to the side, away from Jiuzhu.
Prince An and Princess An looked at Jiuzhu in horror. The Queen only wanted to demote Wei's rank, but Princess Chen wanted her to become a nun.
Cruel, Ming Jiuzhu is still the most cruel.
Prince Chen raised his eyebrows and glanced at the couple, then quickly retracted his frightened look.
"Ming Xiaozhu, why do I feel like you seem to have a little bit of aversion to Wei?" Prince Chen stretched out his hand, hugged Jiuzhu's waist, and walked to the side: "Come, tell your prince, I will give you some advice."
"Maybe it's because I was raised by a Taoist." Jiuzhu looked mysterious: "This is the competitive consciousness of Taoists facing people who have a connection with Buddha."
"What a mess." Prince Chen poked her forehead and said, "Speak human language."
"She doesn't suit my taste."
An hour later, Concubine Wei, who had just been demoted, received a new imperial decree, asking her to move to the palace within three days.
There is nothing special about the new palace, it's just that it is extremely far away from the Qilin Palace.
"Su Meidai will take this opportunity to reduce the rank of Wei family. She relies on the emperor's favor and does things without any scruples."
"Master, it's a good thing that Wei moved to the palace. She is far away from Concubine Lu."
"What's the use of Lu Zhaoyi? She's just a cowardly waste. Considering Su Meidai's personality, lowering Wei's rank has already achieved the goal, why do you specifically let her move to the palace?"
"I don't know, but I have already sent someone to deal with the person who replaced the spices."
"What a pity! I had intended to use this incident to turn Prince An and Prince Jing against each other. I didn't expect the incense matter would be discovered so quickly. What a waste of a good chess piece of mine."
"Yes, it's a pity for your chess piece, Master."
Upon hearing that the maid who had served her for many years had died suddenly, Concubine Wei did not stop combing her hair. She sneered and whispered in a low voice: "I think I have caught this mouse."
After hiding for so many years, the fox's tail finally came out.
It's not easy to plot against her and get away with it.
"Your Highness." Jiuzhu squatted at the foot of the wall and found two fighting ants. They bit each other's legs and broke them. He quickly called the King of Chen: "Come and see, ants are fighting."
"Why are you looking at ants fighting?" Prince Chen picked her up by the waist and said, "Why don't we fight among ourselves?"
"Your Highness, you can't beat me." Jiuzhu hugged his neck and thought seriously for a moment: "I should be better at fighting."
"Are you willing to hit me?" Prince Chen put her down on the bed, supported her with his hands, leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, then wrapped her in a blanket: "How can you hit me like this?"
"Your Highness, you are using the beauty trap!" Jiuzhu struggled to get out of the quilt, took off the hairpin on her head, threw it aside, pulled the Prince down, and said proudly: "Your Highness, do you know what it means to defeat ten with one force?"
"Then do you know what the real beauty trap is?" Prince Chen smiled and dragged Jiuzhu into the bed.
Taiyang Palace.
"Your Majesty, Qingming Festival is in five days." Li En bowed and said, "Will this year's ancestral worship ceremony still follow the rules of previous years?"
"No." Emperor Longfeng looked up at him and said, "This year, let Prince Chen offer sacrifices on my behalf."
Li En's eyes widened: "Your Majesty?!"
"Why, my son can't go?" Emperor Longfeng said slowly, "He will go sooner or later anyway, so it's better for him to get used to it sooner."
Li En's legs felt a little weak.
My God, is this what he should hear?
Your Majesty, please tell this to your trusted ministers!
I am not worthy!
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