Chapter 212: Make Meng the Queen
In his previous life, the child he and Yan'er had been waiting for for seven years was taken away by God for no reason.
Yan'er felt resentful about this matter for the rest of her life.
In this life, they had finally gotten the child back and barely made it through the first three months, but Liang Chengbi actually wanted to murder the child!
Although, this was the plan they had set up.
But seeing with my own eyes how Liang Chengbi willingly came in like this, the viciousness in his heart is truly appalling!
Lu Haozhi said nothing more and immediately shouted, "Rong An!"
Rong An was listening outside and hurried in, "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"
Lu Haozhi's face was stern. "Prove my decree. Liang is vicious, cruel, and ruthless. She intends to poison the concubines and kill the dragon fetus. She is demoted to a commoner and ordered to commit suicide!"
Rong An was shocked. As the chief steward of the imperial court, he knew that the emperor intended to deal with the Liang family.
However, Liang is still a concubine, and her father is still serving as the prime minister in the court. How can the emperor execute her now?
Rong An didn't move for a moment, just looked at Meng Yan secretly.
Meng Yan took a cup of Cymbopogon citratus drink from Ruizhu. After taking a few sips, the nausea in her chest gradually subsided.
She raised her eyes to look at Lu Haozhi and asked softly, "Your Majesty, you have sentenced Liang to death today, but are you ready to confiscate the Liang family and imprison Liang Benwu tomorrow?"
Lu Haozhi looked a little hesitant. The spy had only sent a secret report to the palace, and various evidences were still being collected. Now was not the right time.
Meng Yan saw what he was thinking and smiled faintly, "If not, then ordering Liang's death today would only alert the enemy. Liang Benwu is a long-time fox, suspicious and scheming by nature. If he notices any inadvertence, he might do something. Although I believe Your Majesty can handle it easily, it is better to save trouble than to worry about it, which will delay the process. Therefore, Your Majesty, please make a note of this matter. When the time is right, wouldn't it be a good idea to catch them all in one fell swoop?"
Lu Haozhi pursed his lips and said nothing for a moment, "That being said, Yan'er, aren't you angry?"
Meng Yan smiled and held his hand.
With a gentle pull from the soft white hands, the anger in Lu Haozhi's heart slowly melted away like ice and snow facing the sun.
She smiled and sighed, "If I say I'm not angry, then I'd be too generous. But I've waited two lifetimes, so I'm not in a hurry. Besides, she doesn't have the ability to really hurt me. I'm already a fish on the chopping block, so why should I be afraid of her taking a few more breaths? I can wait, and the emperor doesn't have to mess up his plans just to worry about me."
Lu Haozhi was silent for a while, and after a while, he placed her hand in his palm and kneaded it, "Yan'er, sometimes I seriously think, if we were just an ordinary couple living a simple life, how wonderful it would be. Without so many trivial matters, I would only have you, and there would be no harem disputes."
After hearing what he said, Meng Yan smiled sweetly and said, "Your Majesty, there's a saying that goes, 'A poor couple has many worries.' Being a married couple is not easy. With all the chores weighing on their heads, there's no time for romance. Now that we enjoy this splendor, we don't have to worry about food, clothing, or other expenses. We should still shoulder the responsibilities that we should shoulder."
Lu Haozhi looked at her steadily. Her eyes were clear and her red lips were smiling. Because of her pregnancy, her body became plumper and she had more charm of a mature woman than before.
Although the youthful agility of a young girl has completely faded, Yan'er in front of him makes him feel at ease and fascinated.
He sighed softly, "Okay, I'll listen to you. Yan'er, your temperament has really calmed down a lot."
Meng Yan tilted her head and smiled playfully, "Two lifetimes, how could I not have made some progress? Besides, I'm going to be a mother, and I don't want my child to have to watch his mother laugh every day."
Lu Haozhi pretended to look gloomy, "He dares! No matter if he is a boy or a girl, if he dares to laugh at his mother, I will beat his little butt to pieces!"
The couple chatted for a while, and Lu Haozhi said, "Even so, we can't just sit back and do nothing, lest she destroy the evidence." Then he gave Rong An another order.
In the Yiku Palace, Liang Chengbi was restless and anxiously waiting for news.
Ever since she decided to take action last night, she hadn't been able to sleep or eat. She barely ate dinner, and in bed at night, she just tossed and turned, making pancakes, until dawn was almost over, when she finally managed to close her eyes. She didn't bother getting dressed in the morning, so she just wore her old home clothes, tied her hair in a bun, and paced back and forth in the main hall.
After a while, I heard someone talking outside.
Liang Chengbi shuddered and hurriedly said, "Chunqing, go and see if Li Tong is back."
Li Tong was the chief eunuch of her Yiku Palace. She had always sent this man to handle all the important tasks in her palace, and he was quite loyal and capable.
Chunqing went out to take a look and came back to say, "Madam, the people from the flower room sent over two pots of fuchsias."
Liang Chengbi couldn't bear to hear a single word and immediately started cursing, "Does this cunning servant want to end my life?! Go, take the flowerpot back to the greenhouse and smash it in front of them. Then, pick up that steward and give him twenty lashes of the cane!"
Chun Qing was quite helpless and whispered, "Your Majesty, I know you are anxious. In this critical moment, it is better to be less involved to avoid causing trouble."
Liang Chengbi bit her lip until it bled. "It's almost noon now, why is there no movement at all? Can it be... at least there must be a message..."
Chun Qing looked at her master and couldn't help but say, "My Lady, murdering the Dragon Heir is a serious crime. It's still too late to stop now..."
Bang!
Before she could finish her words, a sharp slap landed on her face. She twisted her face and said nothing more.
Liang Chengbi's eyes were bloodshot as she stared at her, gritting her teeth. "You traitor! How dare you speak for that slut? Besides, I've already spent so much money and found the manpower. How can I stop..."
Just when I was feeling extremely anxious, I suddenly heard a flurry of footsteps outside.
One person shouted, "You guys, guard these doors tightly! Don't let even a fly escape!"
The voice was sharp and high-pitched, and it sounded like the voice of Rong An, the eunuch in charge of the emperor.
Chun Qing didn't care about the redness and swelling on her face. She leaned over to the window to take a look and said hurriedly, "Your Majesty, it's Eunuch Rong! He brought a group of guards and surrounded our Yikun Palace. Hua Zhuzi, Xiao Linzi, Hui Xin and the others have all been taken to the courtyard! What should we do?"
The master and servant were just wondering and uncertain when they heard a cough outside and Rong An's fat body walked into the room.
Rong An bowed slightly towards Liang Chengbi, cupped his hands slightly, and said with a forced smile, "Your servant greets Her Majesty Concubine Liang."
Liang Chengbi was like a frightened bird at this point, and he screamed, "Rong'an, you dog slave, who gave you the courage to besiege the Yikun Palace!"
She was guilty of a crime, and she acted timidly to give herself courage.
Rong An smiled, "The Emperor has issued an order. The palace has been in turmoil recently, and access control has been strictly enforced. Your Majesty is not allowed to set foot outside the Yikun Palace. I am only following his orders. The Emperor has also ordered that Miss Chunqing be brought in for questioning." He waved his hand, "Come, take Chunqing away."
Two young eunuchs immediately walked out from behind him, grabbed Chunqing without saying a word, and were about to take her out.
Chunqing kept twisting and struggling, her face full of fear, and she kept saying, "My Lady, save this slave!"
Liang Chengbi's face was distorted and she screamed, "I don't believe it. I am innocent. Why do you imprison me here and take away my palace maids?! I want to see the emperor!" She shouted, picked up her skirt and ran out.
Two eunuchs were already guarding the door. They stretched out their arms to block her way.
Liang Chengbi's face turned pale, and he trembled as he said, "You... well, you good slaves, you actually dared to block my way! Do you want to rebel?!"
"Empress Liang," Rong An raised his voice and sneered, "You want to see the Emperor, but the Emperor doesn't want to see you. Don't you know what you've done? I'm giving you a piece of advice. Take advantage of these days to reflect carefully on what you've done. If the Emperor asks you about it, tell him first. Perhaps you'll be able to get away with it."
After saying this, he ordered the two eunuchs to help Liang Chengbi sit down on the kang, and then took Chunqing away.
Anyway, the emperor has already made up his mind to kill Liang, it's only a matter of time. Is it necessary to treat a dying person with such respect and reverence as a master?
Liang Chengbi had never been treated like this by a servant since he was a child. He was so shocked that his face turned pale and he sat on the kang for a long time without recovering from his shock.
Soon, screams were heard from the yard outside, and cries for mercy and help came one after another.
She woke up in shock and rushed out of the door, only to see that all the palace maids and eunuchs in the Yiku Palace, from senior palace maids like Chunqing to the junior eunuchs who looked after the fire in the tea stove, had all been tied up, strung together, and escorted out.
Rong An even directed the men he brought with him to enter various places in the Yikun Palace, rummaging through boxes and cabinets, even digging out items that had not been used for years and scattering them all over the yard.
Liang Chengbi yelled and cursed, "Rong'an, I am the Liang Consort appointed by the Emperor after all. How dare you raid the Yikun Palace?!"
Rong An stood in the courtyard and sneered, "Your Majesty, I will tell you again so that you don't misunderstand. I am acting in accordance with the Emperor's orders. Everything that happened today was the Emperor's will!"
After saying this, his subordinates came to report that all the people had been arrested and every place had been checked thoroughly.
Rong An nodded, then bowed to Liang Chengbi and said with a smile, "Madam Liang, I will return to report the order."
Without waiting for Liang Chengbi to speak, he put his hands behind his back and walked away with big strides.
Liang Chengbi vaguely saw an elderly woman among the crowd being taken away, looking towards this side with an anxious look on her face.
She was startled and quickly chased after him.
As soon as she reached the door, the two guards crossed their spears to block her.
"Empress Liang, please go back."
Liang Chengbi looked at the silver-shining spears in front of him and the iron-like faces of the two men. He knew that there was nothing to say to them, so he gritted his teeth and retreated.
When I returned to the house, I saw it was in a mess, with boxes and cabinets overturned, and clothes, shoes and socks all over the floor.
"Someone, someone, come!"
She tried calling a few times, but no one answered.
This group of people didn't even leave her with a servant!
Liang Chengbi slumped down on the edge of the kang, his face dull and his eyes lifeless.
Did that incident happen... But if so, why didn't the emperor summon her for questioning?
Could it be... Could it be that this is just an excuse...
How does the emperor plan to deal with her...
But when she thought of the concubines who had died tragically in every dynasty as recorded in history books, Liang Chengbi felt extremely terrified, as if a pair of iron claws were tightly gripping her throat.
The intense fear made her almost vomit. After vomiting a few mouthfuls of acid, she struggled to find paper and pen to write a letter to her mother's family.
She must not just sit there and wait for death, she must not end up in such a miserable situation!
But after writing a few words, her fingers trembled and the pen fell on the paper, leaving a thick black ink spot that rolled to the side.
She had no one available around her, so who should she ask to deliver the message?
A few tears fell on the paper and she sat down on the ground dejectedly.
In Chengqian Palace, Lin Yanrong sat on the corridor, looking at the clouds in the sky, slightly lost in thought.
Xiuzhi came over and whispered a few words.
Lin Yanrong raised her head and glanced at her, "Did you see clearly?"
Xiuzhi nodded and lowered her voice, "I saw it with all my heart. The Yikun Palace was put under guard, and the palace maids and eunuchs were all strung together like grasshoppers and escorted out. The Emperor issued an edict saying that Concubine Liang was seriously ill and was bedridden. No one was allowed to disturb her, and no one was allowed to spread rumors. Anyone who violated the edict would be killed without mercy."
Tsk!
Lin Yanrong smacked her lips. Even the emperor would suppress such news if he wanted to start a massacre...
Liang Chengbi is finished. She is such a useless waste. She has really wasted her status. The people in Ti Shun Hall have not been eliminated, and Meng Yan in Shanghe Garden is still alive. She has accomplished nothing!
She frowned and pondered for a moment, then asked, "How many days will Prince Shen be on duty in the palace?"
Xiuzhi counted on her fingers, "About five more days."
Lin Yanrong nodded. She would go to see him then. Liang Chengbi could no longer be relied upon, so she had to find a way out for herself.
Two days later, Liang Benwu entered the palace to ask to see Concubine Liang, but the emperor refused on the grounds that Concubine Liang was seriously ill and not suitable to see anyone.
That evening, the palace sent a letter written by Liang to the Liang Mansion, saying that she was only there to recuperate and asked the two elders in the mansion not to worry.
Three days later, Liang Benwu secretly summoned his confidants to the palace to discuss the matter of establishing a queen.
The fifth day of March is Jingzhe.
In the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Lu Hao was holding court to discuss state affairs.
Just as all the civil and military officials entered the palace, Prime Minister Liang Benwu, holding an ivory tablet, stepped out of the ranks and said, "Your Majesty, today, the four seas are at peace and the world is at peace. This is all due to Your Majesty's wisdom and benevolence, which has moved heaven and earth. However, the position of Empress remains vacant, the six palaces are without a master, the imperial court is without supervision, and the silkworms are without care. If this continues, the world will be in turmoil. I beg Your Majesty to select a virtuous woman as Empress and place her in the position of Empress, so that the king can be governed by the people both inside and outside the court and the succession of the country will be assured."
After he finished speaking, he prostrated himself on the ground.
At that moment, another dozen people came out from the group, and they all knelt down in a flurry. In the blink of an eye, the hall was filled with people kneeling.
Meng Changyuan stood in the queue, his face expressionless, as if he didn't see anything, his eyes only looking at the emperor.
Lu Haozhi sat high on the throne and smiled, "Well, you are all truly the pillars of the country, working day and night for the court and the people. I have recently thought that the position of empress cannot be left without a successor, and I have also considered appointing a new one."
Liang Benwu's heart trembled, and he felt a little uneasy. He couldn't help but look up slightly.
The Emperor of the Great Zhou was seen with a look of great joy, his handsome face full of smiles. The sunlight streamed in from outside the palace, making the five-clawed golden dragon on his black dragon robe sparkle, as if it was about to fly into the sky.
But the emperor said loudly, "Today, I wish to establish the Imperial Concubine Meng, the daughter of Yiyang Marquis Meng Xiang, as my empress!"
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The seven necessities of life are: firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea
Source: Yuan Dynasty drama "The Household Poem": Seven things to do when you wake up in the morning are firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea.
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