Chapter 77 The Traitor
In the Imperial Garden in early autumn, the hibiscus flowers are the most brilliant in bloom, as bright as the morning glow, charming and beautiful.
Bai Jieyu picked a round and full hibiscus flower and pinned it diagonally on her bun, which instantly added a bit of beauty to her.
"How is it? Does it look good on this hairpin?"
Bai Jieyu turned around and looked at her personal maid with a charming smile.
The maid forced a smile and said, "My princess, you are already beautiful. With this hibiscus flower in your hair, you are even more stunning."
Bai Jieyu was in a good mood, looking at the colorful flowers in front of her with bright eyes.
"Princess...are you really not going to ask the Emperor for permission to see Concubine Yu?"
When she was mentioned, the smile on Bai Jieyu's face faded a little, and she said firmly and resolutely: "I won't go."
The maid hesitated and said, "But...but didn't the prince say that if you, the princess, can gain favor with the emperor, you should say a few good words for Concubine Yu?"
Concubine Bai frowned slightly. "Even good deeds have to be done at the right time. Do you think Concubine Yu asked me to go to Yihua Palace just to reminisce about the past? She must want me to plead with the Emperor to release her."
She slowly stroked her belly with her bare hands. "Now that I have the royal heir by my side, I don't need to rely on her anymore. Besides, the emperor is currently doting on me and loving me. Why should I be foolish enough to plead for her? If my plea fails, I will only get myself into trouble."
The palace maid suddenly realized: "Indeed, the princess is now in her prime, and everything must be considered in the interests of the crown prince."
As she spoke, she hurriedly held Bai Jieyu's hand.
Bai Jieyu was used to being unrestrained on the grassland, and had never been supported so carefully by someone.
She shook off the maid's hand and said, "Why did you become like them after coming to the Central Plains? I'm not one of those delicate Central Plains women who needs someone to support me when I walk."
"If I wasn't afraid of losing my manners, I would really like to practice swordplay in this imperial garden right now."
"Absolutely not!" the palace maid said hurriedly.
"Princess, this palace is not like our grassland. There are many people who want to find fault with you and harm you. You must be more careful."
"I know! I was just saying that."
She gently touched her belly. The little person in her belly was the wealth and glory of her life, so she had to protect it well.
Inside Yihua Palace.
The calming incense slowly escaped from the mouth of the peacock gilded incense burner and lingered silently in the inner hall.
Rong Meiren was dressed in a palace maid's outfit, standing behind Yu Jieyu and massaging her solar plexus.
"You are more loyal. My distant cousin has become arrogant after receiving a little favor. She even dared not come to see me."
When mentioning this cousin, Yu Jieyu felt uncomfortable and panicked.
How could this person be sent here to help me?
It's clearly something that annoys me.
Concubine Rong gently advised, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Even if Concubine Bai is still favored, it is only because of the royal heir."
When the royal heir was mentioned, Concubine Rong's eyes darkened and she whispered, "Your Majesty, Sister You has told me that Concubine Liu has been taking medicine every day, but she looks fine every day. I guess she is pregnant."
Yu Jieyu gnashed her teeth and said fiercely, "That bitch is quite clever."
She squeezed her eyes shut and said, "If I hadn't confined her to her room, I would never have let her give birth to this child."
Rong Meiren's eyes were like dark pools of water, and she smiled slowly: "My Lady... don't you have that medicine..."
"Although you are under house arrest, there are some things that you don't necessarily have to do yourself."
Yu Jieyu seemed to understand what she said, and frowned, "You mean?"
Lady Rong nodded slowly and leaned close to whisper in her ear.
Yu Jieyu's puzzled and stiff face gradually relaxed as she spoke, and her eyes became as bright as a spring.
Ever since she had morning sickness in front of Lady Rong and You Yu-nu that day, Liu Yuetang has been drinking Chinese medicine every day, without missing any of her three meals a day.
In the backyard, Liu Zheng was guarding the medicine jar.
The palace maid Danju stepped forward with a smile: "Sister Liu Zheng, are you making medicine for the young lady?"
Liu Zheng used a wooden stick to poke the firewood under the medicine pot: "Yes, it will be ready in a while."
Danju squatted down and handed the wooden stick that had rolled to the side to Liu Zheng. She asked curiously, "What medicine did our young master drink?"
Liu Zheng looked up at her, her eyes showing a calm sharpness: "The master's affairs are not something we palace maids can interfere with."
Danju quickly said, "Yes, yes, I'm talking too much."
She was about to ask something when Liu Zheng suddenly clutched her stomach, her face twisted tightly together: "Ouch, my stomach hurts a little."
Danju was startled: "Ah? Do you want to go to the bathroom, Sister Liuzheng?"
Liu Zheng stood up uncomfortably: "Maybe I have an upset stomach."
"Then go quickly, Sister Liu Zheng."
Liu Zheng glanced at the medicine jar worriedly.
Danju hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Sister Liuzheng, I will definitely keep the young master's medicine safe."
Liu Zheng was still a little hesitant, but the pain in her abdomen forced her to agree: "Okay then, you must keep watch. I'll be back soon."
After saying this, Liu Zheng left in a hurry.
Watching Liu Zheng's back disappear, Danju sat down in front of the medicine jar.
Then he picked up the wet towel and opened the lid of the medicine jar.
The soup in the pot was boiling and bubbling, constantly emitting steam.
Danju looked around carefully, and when she saw no one around, she hurriedly took out a bottle from her arms and quickly poured the liquid in.
Just when she thought everything was perfect, a pair of navy blue shoes suddenly caught her eye.
Danju trembled all over and raised her head with her heart pounding wildly.
I saw Xiao Kangzi standing in front of me, looking at me with eyes as sharp as a knife.
Her body softened and she sat down on the ground. She immediately pulled Xiao Kangzi's clothes and said, "Xiao Kangzi, I didn't do anything... I..."
Xiao Kangzi gritted his teeth in anger and said, "Save these words for the young master."
"No... Xiaokangzi."
Before Danju could finish her words, she felt a tightness in her throat, and it was both painful and suffocating.
Xiao Kangzi grabbed her neck and dragged her all the way from the backyard to the main hall, and finally threw her heavily in front of Liu Yuetang.
At this time, Liu Yuetang was pruning the chrysanthemums that had been brought to her early in the morning.
Danju knelt on the ground and kowtowed desperately: "My lady, please understand, my lady, please understand, this servant did nothing."
Liu Yuetang didn't even raise her eyelids as she trimmed the branches and leaves slowly and leisurely.
"Since she refuses to admit it, send her to the Ministry of Punishment until she reveals the person behind it."
When Danju heard about the Ministry of Punishment, cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Places like the Ministry of Punishment had brutal tortures, with as many as twenty criminal laws. Anyone who went in there would be tortured to death.
Seeing Xiao Kangzi holding her arm and about to walk out, Danju was so frightened that she shouted, "Your servant beckons, your servant beckons."
Liu Yuetang put down the scissors in her hand and looked at her with eyes as cold as ice.
Danju had never seen Liu Yuetang's eyes so terrifying before. She was so frightened that she trembled all over and kowtowed desperately:
"It is this servant who has been possessed by evil spirits. It is this servant who has failed the young master."
"A few days ago, someone gave me a bottle of safflower oil and asked me to pour it into your medicine jar. After the task was completed, she would give me two hundred taels of silver."
As she spoke, she kowtowed again: "I was bewitched for a moment. My younger brother is a gambler. He has owed a lot of debts this year and had one of his hands cut off. If he doesn't pay it back, the man will cut off his other hand. When I heard there was two hundred taels of silver, I... then..."
"Please spare my life, my lord. Please spare my life, my lord. I will never dare to do it again." Danju cried.
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