Chapter 209: No Poison, No Man
After the Lantern Festival banquet, the concubines left the Palace of Heavenly Purity one after another, took sedan chairs, and returned to their respective palaces.
Lin Yanrong fell behind, her eyes secretly following Lu Su.
Lu Su was standing at the steps outside the palace, wrapping his princess, Tang, tightly in a large ermine fur cloak.
Tang's palm-sized oval face looked even smaller under the shadow of the wind.
When the night wind blew, the mahogany and colorful glazed tile palace lanterns hanging under the eaves of the Qianqing Palace swayed slightly, and the shadows of people cast on the ground also swayed.
Tang had a disease on his body, and when the wind blew on him, he couldn't help but cough a few times. His originally pale face turned a little red, perhaps because he drank a few glasses of wine at the banquet.
Her eyes were clear and tender as she looked at her husband, and she said softly, "My Lord, I am not cold."
Lu Su held her hand, staring into her eyes, and whispered, "You said you weren't cold, but your hands are as cold as ice. How did the people around you take care of you? The charcoal in the hand warmer went out, and they didn't even bother to refill it. When I get back, I'll punish them one by one!"
Tang felt a little embarrassed, her face flushing even more. She lowered her head and said softly, "Your Highness, there is no need to punish them. I just don't want to get involved."
"You!" Lu Su scolded, seeming to be somewhat helpless. "People are given to you to use as you please. You always think about them, and they are happy to be lazy."
The couple stood outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity, showing tender affection and oblivious to the people around them.
...They really look like a loving couple.
Lin Yanrong watched coldly and said secretly in her heart.
"I've heard that this Princess Shen is the granddaughter of Duke Tai'an, and originally from an aristocratic family. However, Duke Tai'an fell into disgrace early in life, and by the time the late Emperor arranged their marriage, his family fortune had already declined. Their reputation was superficial, but their inner strength was hollow. However, Prince Su and this Princess Shen have a very good relationship, and their love is so profound that many noble ladies in the capital envy them."
Xiuzhi saw her staring at Prince Su and his wife, and thought she was just curious, so she told her the reason.
If he really doted on the princess so much, he wouldn't have come to have a secret meeting with her!
Lin Yanrong couldn't help but admire Lu Su deeply. He did a great job in saving face.
Tang's family had no power, so he held this cowardly princess in his hands in order to show an attitude of submission and obedience to the empress dowager and the emperor.
Perhaps only Lin Yanrong knew the evil ambition behind it.
Although she knew that he was just playing along, Lin Yanrong still felt a tightness in her chest and was very unhappy.
She clenched her hands into fists, and the pain of her nails piercing her palms brought her back to her senses.
"Let's go to Yikun Palace."
After saying this, Lin Yanrong turned and walked away with a gloomy look on her face.
The night is as cool as water.
A eunuch led the way, carrying a red gauze lantern.
Lin Yanrong did not take a sedan chair, but walked to Yiku Palace.
Liang Chengbi must be getting impatient, so let her be even more impatient, so that she will listen to her.
To get from the Qianqing Palace to the Yiku Palace, one has to pass through the Yuehua Gate and then cross the long street, which is quite a distance.
When Lin Yanrong arrived at the gate of Yiku Palace, more than half an hour had passed since Liang Chengbi sent someone to deliver the message to her.
At the door, the senior palace maid Chunqing was looking out. After finally seeing her figure, she hurriedly said, "Lin Changzai, why did you come just now? The Empress must have been waiting anxiously." After saying that, she let her in and closed the door.
Lin Yanrong walked in and said lightly, "Today is the Lantern Festival. The Queen Mother and the Emperor are both at the banquet. How can I dare to leave unless they tell me to leave?"
Chun Qing was slightly startled, and felt that this Miss Lin was no longer as cautious as before.
Lin Yanrong glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, with a slight sneer on her lips.
At first, she had only bowed down to Liang Chengbi because she saw her as the Imperial Noble Consort, hoping she could help her out according to the plot of the novel. Now, she no longer had any hope for Lu Haozhi and had turned to Prince Shen. Liang Chengbi still counted on her for support, so what else did she have to worry about?
Walking all the way to the side hall of Yiku Palace, Liang Chengbi was sitting on the Arhat bed with a slightly pale face.
Lin Yanrong took off her cloak, stepped forward and bowed, smiling, "Your Majesty, you summoned me here in the middle of the night. Is there something urgent?"
Although she asked this, she had already guessed it in her heart.
Liang Chengbi didn't say anything at first. After the guests sat down and drank tea, he told her about his recent inquiries, his eyes fixed on her. "The one in Tishun Hall is indeed pregnant with a dragon seed. Do you have any ideas?"
Lin Yanrong held the lid of the teacup, gently stirring the floating leaves in the bowl, and said lightly, "First, I would like to ask Your Majesty, what are your plans?"
"Of course she can't be kept!" Liang Chengbi blurted out, "How could a dignified eldest son of the royal family crawl out of the belly of a lowly woman?!"
As long as it didn't crawl out of your belly, you can't keep it!
Lin Yanrong thought to herself and smiled, "Since Your Majesty has made up her mind, why don't you just do whatever you want?"
"The eldest prince's status is noble, not comparable to that of ordinary princes. Now there is no empress in the palace. The emperor has been childless for many years, and if he suddenly has a son, there is no guarantee... Your Majesty, if you hesitate to make a decision, you will suffer the consequences."
These few words touched Liang Chengbi's heart, making her feel very confused.
Liang Chengbi was dazed for a moment, then gritted her teeth and said, "I understand these principles... But, the master I hired has been performing rituals for several days, but there's no sign of any effect. Obviously, the curse on Meng Yan is quite effective."
Lin Yanrong secretly sneered at her superstitious ignorance and said, "My Lady, Master's method is too slow. It's better to just act directly and see the results immediately."
Liang Chengbi was startled and asked, "You mean... you let me do this right under the Emperor's nose?"
"Your Highness," Lin Yanrong smiled, leaning forward slightly, and spoke softly, "You are Concubine Liang, the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Liang. Even if something happens, there is still the Prime Minister outside. No matter what the Emperor does, he has to consider the Prime Minister's face, right? Your Highness, you caused such a scene at the New Year's Eve banquet, but the Empress Dowager and the Emperor did not punish you. This shows how much that woman means to the Emperor."
Liang Chengbi was wavering in his heart. Sometimes he wanted to grit his teeth and be ruthless, but sometimes he was afraid.
Lin Yanrong's eyes flickered as she added, "Your Majesty, there must be someone else in this palace who would jump up and down in anger upon hearing that someone is pregnant, right?"
"You mean...Meng Yan?"
Liang Chengbi shook his head and scolded, "What else can a person who is waiting to die in Shanghe Garden do!"
"She doesn't have to do anything. Taking her life is enough." Lin Yanrong cursed her stupidity in her heart, but she still patiently explained everything to her. "Attack both sides at the same time. The one in Tishun Hall will have a miscarriage and die of hemorrhage, and Concubine Meng in Shanghe Garden will commit suicide out of fear of punishment. Your Majesty, how about this strategy of killing two birds with one stone?"
Liang Chengbi swallowed involuntarily, and his hands in his wide sleeves were shaking.
Poisoning palace concubines, two at a time... She had never done such a thing before.
"He who is small-minded is not a gentleman, and he who is not vicious is not a man."
Lin Yanrong lowered her eyes and sipped the tea in her bowl. "I am doing this for your Majesty's sake. If you don't have the courage, then I will pretend I never said anything. It's late, and I'm afraid of the curfew. I will take my leave now."
Putting down the tea bowl, she stood up, bowed, and turned to walk out.
She knew that Liang Chengbi would definitely take her words to heart. After all, if she still wanted to become the queen, this was her only option, wasn't it?
Liang Chengbi was the only one left, sitting blankly in the hall.
A strange wind blew in from the window, making her shiver. The candlelight flickered, illuminating the furniture in the room, as if ghosts were everywhere.
"Chun Qing, Chun Qing!"
Liang Chengbi suddenly felt frightened and shouted loudly.
Chun Qing hurried in and asked in a low voice, "My Lady, what are your instructions?"
Liang Chengbi pointed at a dark shadow on the opposite wall and said, "Look, is there anyone there?"
Chunqing's heart began to beat fast when she heard what she said. She hurried over with a lamp, shone it over but saw nothing. She turned around and said, "Madam, there's no one here."
Liang Chengbi lowered his arms, "It's good that no one is here, it's good that no one is here..."
Chun Qing put down the lamp and walked lightly to her side. "Your Majesty, please don't make the wrong decision. I just heard Concubine Lin's words of persuasion. She was trying to instigate you to take action."
Liang Chengbi gave a wry smile, looking at her concerned expression, and touched her face. "You are doing this for my own good, and I understand it in my heart. But, I... I have no way out."
My father's letter couldn't have made it clearer.
If she couldn't make progress this time, she would become an outcast of the Liang family. The Liang family had many young and beautiful daughters, so they could just send them to the palace.
She could only try her best to fight for the crown, otherwise she would have nothing.
Well, since Liang asked her to fight, then she would fight. After all, they were on the same boat. If anything happened in the future, Liang would be able to protect her.
...If we can't protect it, then we're all done for.
Liang Chengbi closed his eyes tightly and said after a moment, "Chunqing, please invite the master who performed the ritual for me."
It was the same beautiful night of the Lantern Festival, in the main room of the Liu Mansion.
"Bring it up."
Liu Qilan sat at the top with her sister-in-law and gave instructions lightly.
At a command, several old maids pushed a maid into the hall and made her kneel down.
The maid was huddled on the ground, shaking like a sieve, not daring to say a word or look up.
Liu Qilan said, "Bitao, I've already told my wife what you did. I'm sending you out now to let you know."
When the maid named Bi Tao heard this, her eyes widened and she burst into tears. "Miss, I, I didn't mean it... I just thought, thought that Master Zhang was my future son-in-law, so it wouldn't hurt to meet him once...Miss, I've been with you since I was seven years old. Please have mercy on me and don't drive me away..."
Zhang Huai had promised her that when the marriage was completed, she would be given as a dowry and would be made a concubine. Now that the marriage was about to fall through, she would be a maid in the inner chambers of the Liu Mansion, earning half a tael of silver a month. Where else in the world could she find such a good job? She would not leave.
“Nonsense!”
Wang was so angry that her face turned pale. She slammed her hand on the table, splashing the tea in the bowl everywhere.
"Are you thinking about whether your girl is easy to fool, or me?!"
When Liu Qilan told her about this, she almost died of anger. There was actually a wicked slave who betrayed his master in the mansion, and she had no idea at all!
If this wasn't a fluke, and the sister-in-law really lost her virginity, and she was the wife of the family, her husband would definitely punish her for not managing the household properly, and the couple would have no idea what to do.
Fortunately, Mi Lan was safe and sound, and I told her the matter privately without telling her brother.
Wang looked at Liu Qilan with gratitude, and saw that her expression was calm and indifferent.
"Sister-in-law, don't be angry about this kind of thing. It's more important to take care of yourself."
Liu Qilan spoke up, "Bi Tao, I summoned you here today simply to ask Madam for your decision. Since you say so, let me ask you, if it's true, as you say, that you have no ill intentions, then why didn't you just say it was Zhang Huai who invited you that day, instead of pretending to be my friend? Besides, even if that were the case, there's a strict separation between men and women. Since we're engaged, we can't meet privately. You've served in the mansion for so long, don't you understand this?"
At this point, she sighed softly, "You've been with me since you were seven years old, and I've always treated you well. But now that you've betrayed me, I can't tolerate you. You're a servant of the family, and your mother served the old lady for most of her life. For her sake, I won't hand you over to the traffickers. I'll send you away and allow you to return home. What else do you lack?"
After hearing these words, Bi Tao was speechless and sobbed with her head down.
Liu Qilan said no more, but just gestured to the old ladies to take the girl out.
Wang looked at this scene, sighing and feeling distressed. This girl lost her parents at an early age, and should have lived a life where her eldest brother was like a father and her eldest sister-in-law was like a mother, but her health was not good enough, so she had to take charge of the household chores at an early age.
With such looks and character, she should be matched with a good family. My father-in-law was really blind to choose such a toad after careful selection.
Wang's mind wandered to other things, and she asked, "Since you have evidence against Zhang Huai, why didn't you tell your brother earlier so that he could cancel the marriage?"
Liu Qilan smiled faintly, "During the New Year, there are so many people coming and going, my brother is very busy, so let's wait until after the New Year."
Wang sighed. "You're always so thoughtful of others, but don't you ever think about yourself?" Suddenly, her thoughts shifted, and she lowered her voice and asked, "Sister, it's just the two of us here. Tell me the truth. Who saved you that day at the Ding'an Marquis's residence?"
According to Wang's thoughts, those who can attend the banquet at the Ding'an Earl's mansion must be powerful and noble. If the other party is not married, it can be considered a kind of fate, and she can ask someone to mediate.
Liu Qilan lowered her eyes, a peaceful expression on her beautiful face. "Sister-in-law, there's no need to ask. He saved me, and I'm grateful in my heart. I shouldn't bother him anymore."
"You...why are you so stubborn!"
Wang was feeling very angry when she heard the maid outside say, "The master is back." She quickly stopped talking.
Liu Zhengfeng came in staggering from outside, reeking of alcohol.
Wang frowned and covered her mouth and nose. "When someone offers you a drink, you drink like your life depends on it! So what if you only have one drink?"
Liu Zhengfeng grinned, "Brother Meng is treating us today. He, he broke off the engagement and he's super happy!"
Before he could finish his words, he burped.
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