Chapter 54 An Lingrong Asks for Help
After returning to Jingren Palace, Yixiu no longer had the dignity she had carefully maintained at the banquet. She leaned on the bed and gently rubbed her forehead.
"Jianqiu, why can't the Emperor see through these women's disguises? Why does he always turn a blind eye to my sincerity?"
"Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. There's no need to get upset over such shameful things. After all, you are the mother of a country."
Jianqiu comforted the queen with heartache. She knew that her queen was very sad, but she had to disguise herself when facing outsiders and could not reveal such a vulnerable side.
"Seeing them all have their own children, my heart aches. Looking at them, I think of my eldest prince. If Honghui were still alive..."
"If the eldest prince were still alive, he would definitely be smarter than all the other children..."
"My eldest prince, not even three years old, had a high fever and died from a burning sensation!"
The queen cried bitterly, and her recurring headaches were even worse today.
Jianqiu had no choice but to send someone to quickly call the imperial physician.
On the second day, the queen appeared in front of everyone as usual.
After everyone had paid their respects and left, she deliberately kept An Lingrong.
"Now that Concubine Shen is pregnant, the Emperor's favor towards Concubine Wan has deepened. I've noticed that all three of you sisters who entered the palace at the same time are outstanding."
The Queen sat on the desk, and talked to An Lingrong intentionally or unintentionally about the current situation of the three of them who entered the palace at the same time.
An Lingrong is a very smart person, how could she not understand what the Queen meant?
She had been with the Queen for so long that she naturally had some understanding of her temperament and knew very well that she was not such an understanding person.
"It is my incompetence that prevents me from gaining the Emperor's favor. I beg Your Majesty to give me some guidance."
How could An Lingrong remain indifferent to the current situation? Seeing Zhen Huan's increasingly solid position in the emperor's heart, how could she not be anxious?
"In this harem, having an heir is an extra layer of security. Look, ever since Concubine Shen became pregnant, the Emperor has valued her even more."
The Queen looked at An Lingrong meaningfully, the meaning of which was self-evident.
"Lingrong thanks the Queen for her guidance."
At this time, An Lingrong was unaware that her life in the palace was extremely difficult, and her good father had caused her great trouble outside the palace.
Before she could come up with a perfect solution, she received a letter from home.
Songyang County Magistrate Jiang Wen was ordered to escort military rations to the northwest, and An Lingrong's father, An Bihuai, was one of them. Unexpectedly, they encountered enemy troops en route, who robbed them of the rations. Jiang Wenqing, the man primarily responsible for escorting the rations, also deserted.
The emperor was furious and arrested Jiang Wenqing and imprisoned him and An Bihuai together.
When An Lingrong learned about this, she was panicked and sad. Although her father did not treat her mother well when they were at home, he was her father after all. How could she stand idly by?
She found out that the incident happened in Jeju and was being interrogated by Shen Meizhuang's father, the Jeju Assistant Commander.
An Lingrong knew that she and Shen Meiyu were now in two different camps, but she still held on to a glimmer of hope. After all, in her opinion, she had not done anything to harm them overtly.
She put aside her pride and came to Chen Meizhuang for help.
"Sister, Lingrong knows that it has been you who has been helping her since she entered the palace, and Lingrong has never been able to repay you. This time, Lingrong is sure that you will help her because we entered the palace together."
An Lingrong only hopes that Chen Meizhuang can write a letter home to save her father's life.
Shen Meizhuang looked at An Lingrong crying and sighed helplessly. It was not that she didn't want to help, but this matter also concerned her father's career.
Long before An Lingrong came to Cunju Hall, Chen Meizhuang had received the message from Nian Shilan before her.
Nian Shilan guessed that An Lingrong might come to seek Shen Meizhuang's help. She specifically asked someone to remind Shen Meizhuang that the current emperor has always disliked the harem's interference in state affairs, and advised her to stand by and watch to avoid getting into trouble. In addition, this matter involved Nian Gengyao who was fighting in the northwest, and Shen Meizhuang was even more unwilling to get into trouble with Nian Shilan.
After weighing the pros and cons, she could only stand by and watch.
"Lingrong, although my father is the assistant commander of Jeju, this matter is personally handled by the emperor, and my father has no power to influence it. This time, I really can't do anything."
An Lingrong smiled with tears in her eyes: "Sister, you know it was Lingrong who made it difficult for me."
After saying this, he turned around and left without waiting for Chen Meizhuang to make any other move.
"Baojuan, where does the deep affection between sisters come from in this palace? After all, it's just wishful thinking on my part."
An Lingrong looked at the birds flying across the sky and whispered softly to the people around her, but there was a rare calmness in her eyes.
Sister, you can’t blame me from now on!
An Lingrong did not return to her own palace. She immediately went to Jingren Palace. Now she firmly believed that only the Queen could help her.
"Your Majesty, I know my abilities are limited, but I will do my best to help you solve your problems."
Naturally, the Queen would not miss such an opportunity to completely win over An Lingrong. She even prepared tea for An Lingrong when she arrived.
"I will do my best, but whether this matter can be accomplished ultimately depends on your father's fate."
An Lingrong was already very grateful that the Queen was willing to give it a try, and she was even more grateful to her in her heart.
Just when the Queen went to the Yangxin Palace to plead for An Bihuai, An Lingrong returned to her own palace first, waiting for the Queen's reply in anxiety.
It could be said that An Bihuai was lucky to survive. When the empress went to the Yangxin Palace, the emperor and important officials in the court were also discussing this matter.
"Your Majesty, this matter requires careful review. All the people know that Your Majesty is a wise ruler of our time. When punishing your subjects, you always punish the leaders and show leniency to those who follow. You use both kindness and severity, and you will not allow anyone to suffer injustice."
The emperor was very happy to hear the words of the important minister, so he ordered a re-investigation of the An Bihuai case to ensure that no one would be wronged.
When the Queen learned the outcome of this matter at the gate of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she did not step inside and turned away.
After returning to the palace, the Queen asked Jianqiu to tell An Lingrong the good news early the next morning, informing her that her father's case would be retried. If her father really had nothing to do with the case, he would be released.
Jianqiu did not mention at all that this was a minister's advice to the emperor, which made An Lingrong mistakenly believe that it was the queen's plea that worked. From then on, An Lingrong was even more convinced that the queen was the person she could rely on the most, and she trusted the queen even more.
"In fact, if Noble Lady Shen had been willing to write back a few days ago, your father wouldn't have to suffer for a few more days, and you wouldn't have to worry so much."
These seemingly casual words deepened An Lingrong's concern for Shen Meiyu.
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