Chapter 48: Pressing forward step by step
Upon hearing this, Concubine Xian knelt down in panic to distance herself from the matter: "Your Majesty, my love for you is as bright as the moon. How could I have made such an evil thing? Someone must have framed me. Your Majesty, you must help me!"
She was carried back to the Qiankun Palace from the Yangxin Palace by Wei Weiran last night. This alone was enough to make her a laughing stock in the entire harem.
Now this kind of thing has happened again. Regardless of who is the culprit, the doll was found in the Qiankun Palace. Even if it wasn't her, she would be disliked by the emperor and forgotten from then on.
This drama, she felt familiar.
In the previous life, this was a plan proposed by Jiang Chunyu, and was framed by Mu Guiren. If she hadn't discovered the affair between the two, they would not have been willing to serve her, and later they radically killed Shufei and Princess Ying'an.
But now, at the same time, this drama has fallen on her head.
If she said that there was no help behind this, she naturally didn't believe it.
But the most urgent task is not to entangle why this happened, but how to clear herself of suspicion.
Cursing the current emperor is fatal, whether in real history or the fictional Daling Dynasty. Who knows, it might even implicate the entire Hua family because of her.
Besides her, Concubine Mu also knelt down from the back in fear and trepidation, crying anxiously: "Your Majesty, I don't know why these things were found in Chengqian Palace. Moreover, if it was really me who did it, I would definitely not put these things outside the palace wall so openly. Isn't this a waste of time? Your Majesty, please look into it and make a decision for me and Concubine Xian!"
After saying this, Concubine Shu looked at Concubine Mu twice more.
Previously, she always thought that Concubine Mu was the type with big breasts and no brains, but now it seems that she is not brainless, but she doesn't want to spend her mind on the harem struggle. She is full of the emperor's favor.
This last sentence clearly puts herself and Concubine Xian on the same side. If the emperor believes Concubine Xian, he will definitely think that she was wronged in his subconscious mind, and she will naturally clear herself of suspicion.
The women in the harem are really smart.
They can tell at a glance who is the most important person in the emperor's heart.
Emperor Qingling remained silent, raised his eyes and said, "Where is Miss Jiang? Bring her up."
Concubine Shu glanced at Emperor Qingling silently, looked away and said nothing.
He really loves Concubine Xian deeply.
Even at this point, he still subconsciously favors her.
I'm afraid even he himself doesn't realize that his heart is biased.
Wei Xin replied: "I have sent someone to invite her."
The Qiankun Palace was quiet and cold.
The faint sobbing sounds of Concubine Xian and Lady Mu came one after another, and Emperor Qingling was holding his head and didn't know what he was thinking.
Just at this moment, the voice of Chief Cheng from Changshou Palace was heard outside the palace: "The Empress Dowager has arrived--"
Emperor Qingling raised his eyes suddenly, glanced at Concubine Xian who was kneeling on the ground, and frowned unconsciously.
Concubine Shu also glanced at Concubine Xian, and a hint of coldness flashed across her brows. The Empress Dowager
intervened at this time, could it be that she wanted to beat Concubine Xian to death with a stick?
In an instant, all the concubines in the yard knelt down, and Emperor Qingling also stood up respectfully and bowed: "Meet the Empress Dowager."
"Meet the Empress Dowager, may the Empress Dowager be blessed and healthy." The
Empress Dowager's figure appeared, and at first glance, she looked at Concubine Shu.
"Shufei, I asked you to supervise the work, why don't you take my words seriously? If Concubine Xian left Guangling Palace and caused this incident, how will you explain to me and the world if something happens to the emperor?"
Although she was blaming, her tone was concerned.
It was clear from her words that she was worried that Shufei would get into trouble.
For a moment, everyone present was nervous.
Especially Concubine Xian.
Isn't the Queen Mother the aunt of the Empress? Why is she on Shufei's side now?
Concubine Shu nodded and said sullenly, "It's my fault. Please punish me, Your Majesty."
Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother waved her hands and said nonchalantly, "Forget it, forget it. You are also kind-hearted. The Emperor has issued an order. As a concubine, how can you disobey the order?"
Emperor Qingling took over the conversation, "My Queen Mother, it was my business to take Concubine Xian away from Guangling Palace. It has nothing to do with Concubine Shu and Concubine Xian."
The Queen Mother looked at him and said earnestly, "Emperor, I am not saying anything about you. Rewards and punishments have always been moderate. But not only did you not punish Concubine Xian, but you stopped me from punishing her. You are accustomed to her like this, and it will spoil her." As
she spoke, she also glanced at Concubine Xian who was standing aside.
Concubine Xian could not speak to defend herself and could only listen passively.
After all, no one dared to interrupt the conversation between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor at this time.
When Emperor Qingling heard the Empress Dowager talking about Concubine Xian, his love and protection for her, which had already subsided, suddenly rose again. In this harem, Concubine Xian had nothing better than anyone else. Even now, even the Empress Dowager regarded her as a thorn in her eye.
If he continued to put the blame on Concubine Xian without any explanation, how would she survive in the palace in the future?
He turned around unhappily, sat in his seat and said, "My Queen Mother, if you come here to help me manage the harem, I will welcome you with open arms. But I don't understand. Concubine Xian is kind-hearted and very docile. Why does my Queen Mother always hold on to her?"
As he said this, he raised his eyes and looked directly at the Empress Dowager.
This glance did not suppress the emperor's anger at all. The empress
dowager also looked back without fear. In an instant, a strange aura spread between the mother and son.
Concubine Xian lowered her eyes and said nothing, and no one knew what she was thinking in her heart.
Concubine Shu spoke at the right time: "Your Majesty, your tranquilizing soup is getting cold, drink it while it's hot."
She interrupted the game between the two, and Emperor Qingling looked back at her and squeezed out a rather deliberate smile.
He picked up the tranquilizing soup, lowered his eyes and said solemnly: "My Queen Mother, you have confined the Queen to her house, and you have kept Concubine Shu's daughter Ying'an in the palace. You have also found an excuse to punish Concubine Xian to kneel. Now that such an evil thing has been found in the harem, you are also trying to interfere. Those who know think that you care about your son, and those who don't think that you want power!"
Emperor Qingling's words really did not leave the Queen Mother any face. He
even held a gun and a stick and pressed on step by step.
The Queen Mother's face flushed red, and it was unclear whether she was angry or her secrets were really touched.
She pointed at Emperor Qingling and said with a hurt expression: "I am your mother, and you actually said that in front of the concubines in the harem! Emperor, do you really treat this filial piety as a pretext?"
Emperor Qingling drank the calming soup and glanced at Wei Weiran.
Wei Weiran nodded, walked to the side of the empress dowager, lowered his eyes and said: "Empress Dowager, the emperor is in a bad mood today, please don't take it to heart. This kind of thing happened in the harem, and the emperor is naturally upset. Why don't you go back to Changshou Palace first, and wait for the emperor to deal with the matters at hand and think clearly, and he will definitely come to you in person to apologize." The empress dowager
did not say she would leave, nor did she say she would not leave. She just glanced at Concubine Xian and sneered: "Just such a foxy girl, is it worth it for you to risk upsetting the court to protect her! It's really stupid!"