"Queen Mother, calm down." Wei Zelan spoke to comfort her at the right time: "Princess Rui, you are really something. What are you talking about? The Queen Mother definitely doesn't mean that. What can't we talk about peacefully between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law? Why do we have to be so tense?"
The Queen Mother glanced at Jiang Muyu and said, "I'm afraid she won't stop until she's pissed me off to death."
"Your Majesty, your words are too kind." Jiang Muyu said, "I was just discussing the matter at hand and had no intention of offending you."
The Queen Mother took a deep breath, waved her hands, and said, "Forget it. You have a hundred reasons for a hundred things. I can't argue with you. You can leave first."
Huh? Jiang Muyu almost suspected that he had heard it wrongly. With the Queen Mother's temperament, how could she let him go so easily?
But since the Queen Mother had said so, and seeing the other two people standing up to bow and say goodbye, she stood up as well.
"Please stay, Concubine De. I have some things to tell you."
Wei Zelan was ready to salute, but upon hearing this, he had no choice but to sit back down.
Jiang Muyu and Princess Rong'an bowed and said goodbye at the same time.
After the Queen Mother waved her hand to let them leave, Jiang Muyu turned around and was about to leave when Wei Zelan suddenly called her, "Princess Rui."
Jiang Muyu turned around and looked at her in confusion: "What does Empress Defei want?"
Wei Zelan glanced at the Queen Mother, smiled at her, and said, "Princess Rui, take care. When you have time, come to the palace often to drink tea with me and relieve my boredom."
Jiang Muyu felt a little puzzled. Although she and Wei Zelan had worked together once, they were not familiar enough to sit down and chat with each other. But since the other party said so, she didn't want to offend him.
So he nodded, "Okay."
After the two of them left Ningshou Palace, Princess Rong'an suddenly asked, "Cousin, can I have a word with you for a moment?"
Jiang Muyu thought she was going to ask about Yunyan, so he looked around and said, "This is the imperial palace, aren't you afraid that there are ears behind the walls?"
"When I lived in the palace before, I had my own palace, which was full of my people. Sister-in-law can go there with me."
Not knowing how to refuse, Jiang Muyu had no choice but to go with her.
Princess Rong'an's bedroom is right next to the Ningshou Palace. Even though she is married now, the palace is still clean. There must be someone cleaning it regularly. This shows that the Queen Mother really dotes on her and even kept the palace for her.
After entering the palace, Princess Rong'an dismissed her attendants and poured her tea personally.
Jiang Muyu said: "Princess, please speak directly if you have anything to say."
Princess Rong An sat down and sighed, "I heard everything my sister-in-law said just now. I can understand that maid. For a woman, being bullied like this is undoubtedly a lifelong sorrow."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you by saying those things."
"I understand, so I also admire my sister-in-law for not caring about her status and standing up for the maid." Princess Rong An said, lowering her eyelashes slightly, smiling, and said: "The past cannot be changed. Fortunately, I have met my husband now. He can put aside the past and treat me sincerely. I am already very satisfied."
It seems that Wei Jingkang is still good to Princess Rong An. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Now that I see that you can step out of the shadows and find a good match, I am sincerely happy for you."
Princess Rong An took out a purse, placed it in front of her, and said, "My cousin was seriously injured while saving me, and I have not had the chance to thank him. I don't have anything to give him. These are some common things. I would like to ask my sister-in-law to pass them to him as a thank you gift."
Jiang Muyu picked up the purse and opened it to take a look. Immediately, his eyes lit up. The purse was filled with gold leaves.
It is indeed a vulgar thing, which is exactly what a vulgar person like her wants.
"Since you say so, I will accept it for now. Thank you, Princess."
Princess Rong An smiled faintly, "As long as sister-in-law likes it, I don't have anything else valuable here."
Coming out of Princess Rong'an's bedroom, Jiang Muyu was about to leave when he suddenly saw the person opposite him tilt his body and about to fall down. There were more than a dozen high stone steps below.
She reacted quickly and immediately grabbed Princess Rong An's wrist, trying to pull her back. The next second, she suddenly felt a piercing pain in her wrist and immediately let go.
"Ah——" With a slight cry, Princess Rong An fell down and rolled to the bottom of the stairs.
The palace maids and eunuchs gathered around, shouting, "Princess, Princess... Quickly call the imperial physician!"
Jiang Muyu stood on the stairs, frowning, staring in disbelief at the person who was surrounded by the crowd below the stairs. She had fainted, and a pool of blood began to seep out from under her body.
Jiang Muyu realized that he had been set up.
No wonder the Queen Mother let her go so easily. The purpose of letting her into the palace today was actually to set up this incident.
No wonder Wei Zelan said those words before leaving. It was to remind her to be careful in the palace.
But she didn't react at all at that time.
No wonder they say that once you enter the palace, it's like entering a deep sea. Once you step in, it would be difficult to walk out safely unless you are very careful.
"What a sin." She looked up at the dark clouds in the sky and let out a long sigh.
…
When Liang Qingchen rushed to the palace, he saw Jiang Muyu kneeling in front of the hall, with two eunuchs guarding beside him.
He walked up to her, squatted down, and saw that she had a tearful face and looked as if she had lost all hope in life.
"Are you in trouble?"
When Jiang Muyu saw him, tears immediately filled her eyes. She pouted her lips and cried, "Why did you come just now? My knees are sore from kneeling."
Liang Qingchen pinched her little face and explained, "I went out of the city today, and just now I was in such a hurry to come back that I almost killed my horse."
"It's good that you're here. Explain to the Emperor that I didn't do it. I didn't push her. She fell down on her own. I pulled her to save her."
"I understand. I believe you, but I will have to ask you to kneel for a while longer."
She nodded. "Go ahead. I'll be waiting."
Liang Qingchen finally touched her head before standing up and turning to walk into the hall.
At this time, the emperor was the only one in the palace, sitting behind a desk reviewing memorials.
He stepped forward and saluted: "Your Highness."
The emperor then raised his head and smiled: "It must be nearly a hundred miles from there, and you got there in just an hour. It seems that you care about her a lot."
"Zhao Zhao would never do something that would harm others."
"Oh? Do you trust her so much?"
"I believe it."
"But it's useless if you believe it alone. It will only work if others believe it."
"I can check."
The emperor put down his brush, the smile on his face faded, and he said slowly: "Rong An is three months pregnant."
Liang Qingchen frowned, "So, you were also involved in this matter?"
The emperor pursed his lips and said, "This is a matter of royal dignity, Ah Chen, I hope you can understand me."
He was silent for a moment, then asked, "Why use her as a shield?"
"Because she is the most suitable candidate."
Come to think of it, Qing Gui, who had a grudge against Rong An, had long been sent to the cold palace. Now the only one who might frame Rong An is Jiang Muyu.
The Emperor and the Queen Mother took great pains to ensure that the bastard in Rong An's belly died in a reasonable manner.
Liang Qingchen curled his lips lightly, and after a long pause, he said, "You can punish her, but don't hurt her."
"As you wish."
…
Finally, Liang Qingchen left the palace with the emperor's handwritten edict.
Because Jiang Muyu framed the princess, causing her miscarriage, and was considered a moral failure, he was fined half a year's salary, confined to his home for a month, and ordered to copy 100 volumes of Buddhist scriptures.
In addition, the emperor forced Liang Qingchen to bring two concubines into the palace on the grounds that she could not serve her husband during her confinement.
After hearing the imperial decree, Jiang Muyu wished he could spit out blood on the spot.