Chapter 160: Seeking benevolence and receiving benevolence
Concubine Lan smiled shyly and stuffed the bird's nest into the emperor's hand: "Your Majesty, please eat something to fill your stomach first. I will help you rub your shoulders."
As she spoke, she walked around behind the emperor and rubbed his shoulders.
But his eyes were always on the unfolded memorial.
She read the memorial quickly, reading ten lines at a glance.
She felt very relieved.
Very good.
My brother left no tail.
He even made himself a victim through imprisonment.
At most, he would be demoted and reprimanded.
As long as they are still alive and have official positions, the brothers and sisters can work together and make a comeback in no time.
The emperor suddenly handed the memorial to Concubine Lan: "Lan'er, after reading this memorial, I realized that I had wronged you and your brother before.
Lan Hong has tried his best to govern Jinyang Prefecture, but the people below are greedy...
If my people hadn’t arrived in time, Lan Hong would have been…”
Concubine Lan threw herself into the emperor's arms, bursting into tears, "As long as the emperor believes in me and my brother, these grievances are nothing!"
The emperor appreciated her kindness more and more.
He immediately said: "You haven't seen your brother for such a long time, you must miss him very much!
Tomorrow, take my handwritten letter and go to the Dali Temple's prison to see him."
Concubine Lan's tears fell like pearls: "Lan'er's greatest fortune in this life is to be the emperor's woman."
The emperor was most vulnerable to her tears, so he immediately took her hand and returned to his bedroom.
**
The next morning.
Songshan Village.
It's just dawn.
Patriarch Ying rushed to Wen Yan's house.
When Ying Zhilin saw him, he immediately said, "Chief, why are you here so early in the morning? It just so happens that I have something to talk to you about."
"Don't worry about your situation first. Do you know the rumors about you in the village?"
Because of this incident, Chief Ying was so anxious that two big blisters appeared at the corners of his mouth.
"I heard about it yesterday afternoon." Ying Zhilin nodded.
Seeing his unhurried demeanor, Clan Leader Ying stamped his feet anxiously, "You're truly patient. With the Autumn Examination approaching, do you know how damaging these rumors are to you?"
Ying Zhilin nodded.
Patriarch Ying became even more anxious: "You knew this, but you're still so relaxed? Aren't you afraid that I'll prevent you from taking part in the Autumn Examination?"
Ying Zhilin helped the clan leader sit down on the stool and said, "I have a way to deal with this matter. If you get angry and something bad happens, no one will help me."
"How do you want to resolve this matter?"
Ying Zhilin leaned close to Patriarch Ying's ear and whispered, "Will this really work?"
"Or do you have a better idea?"
"But...if we do that, Huang Ying'er's reputation will be ruined. It's still too cruel for a girl."
"Isn't this her own fault?" Ying Zhilin's face showed no sympathy or pity. "If she doesn't use rumors to pressure me, I naturally won't fight back like this.
She got what she wanted.”
A trace of pity flashed across Patriarch Ying's eyes, and he sighed heavily: "For your future, this is the only way.
However, your reputation is important, so I should be the one to do the bad job."
"No, I must personally handle this matter. However, I'll have to trouble you to go to the county town."
"Don't worry, I will make sure this matter is handled properly."
After the discussion, they stayed with Chief Ying at his home for breakfast and then set off on their own.
**
Capital city.
harem.
Concubine Lan wore the jewelry newly bestowed by the emperor and paraded out of the palace.
When passing through the imperial garden, she was stopped by several concubines who disliked her.
"Hey, isn't this Sister Lan?
I heard that your brother was sent to the Dali Temple. How can you still be in the mood to appreciate the flowers in the Imperial Tea Garden?
"Oh my, I heard that places like the Dali Temple, once you go in, you can't get out without shedding a layer of skin.
Sister Lan, I know a good doctor. Would you like me to introduce him to you first?"
Five or six concubines ridiculed and mocked her.
Concubine Lan is not someone who can be manipulated by others.
Under normal circumstances, she would have slapped him several times.
But she didn't do that today.
Instead, his eyes were red and he walked forward with anger, pushing one of them and saying, "Shut up! You are not allowed to talk about my big brother!"
The concubine staggered after being pushed, her face filled with anger: "You are a poor man, and you dare to push me!"
She raised her hand towards the palace maid and said, "Go up and scratch her face for me."
The palace maids looked at each other, and instead of moving forward, they took a few steps back.
After all, she was the imperial concubine, and as servants, they dared not lay a hand on her.
"Waste!" The concubine sneered angrily and stepped forward, grabbing Concubine Lan's hair with one hand and tearing her clothes with the other.
Seeing that the concubine's hair was messy and her clothes were torn, Concubine Lan pinched her chest a few times.
The concubine cried out in pain and let go of her.
Concubine Lan sneered at the concubines, then covered her face and ran away crying.
The concubines were stunned.
Could it be that she was driven crazy by Lan Hong's incident?
Concubine Lan rushed into the imperial study crying, and threw herself into the emperor's arms, crying: "Your Majesty, I'd better not go to the Dali Temple to visit my brother."
The emperor was shocked when he saw her. "How did you become like this? What happened?"
Concubine Lan said nothing and just kept crying.
The emperor looked at Concubine Lan's maid.
The palace maid then told the story tremblingly.
Concubine Lan immediately admitted her fault: "It's all my fault. I was the one who pushed her first."
The emperor immediately became furious.
"That's outrageous. Even if I don't love you anymore, you're still my woman. When is it their turn to tell me what to do?"
The emperor ordered the eunuchs beside him, "Go, anyone who bullied Lan'er in the imperial garden today will be demoted one rank."
Afterwards, he sent the emperor's special ceremonial guard to personally escort Concubine Lan to the Dali Temple to visit Lan Hong.
Concubine Lan sat in the emperor's special sedan chair and sneered complacently.
Those insignificant little characters in the harem still want to bully me.
It was just a stepping stone for me to consolidate my favor.
When Concubine Lan appeared in the Dali Temple, she had regained her glamorous appearance.
Soon, she met her brother Lan Hong.
Lan Hong saw that his sister was in high spirits and her honor and favor increased instead of decreasing.
I have a rough idea in my mind.
As long as my sister is not implicated by me, I will be fine.
"Sister, I am innocent. Please ask the emperor to let me go." Lan Hong pretended to be nervous and anxious and shouted, but his eyes glanced at the dark corner of the sky prison and patted Concubine Lan's hand.
Almost instantly, Concubine Lan understood the meaning of "walls have ears" and said, "Brother, don't worry. The emperor showed me the memorial from Jinyang Prefecture last night. You have been a victim from beginning to end.
At most, you will be charged with the crime of not managing your subordinates strictly.
However, the emperor's words and deeds all show his love for you. If we behave well, we may be able to redeem ourselves from our crimes and gain merit.
You don't even have to bear the blame for not governing your subordinates strictly."
Lan Hong held Concubine Lan's hand and said, "Sister, my brother's future depends on you."
The brother and sister chatted for a while, and then Concubine Lan left the prison.
As soon as Concubine Lan left, the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple came out from the dark.
He looked thoughtful.
The Lan siblings were really cautious and didn't reveal any useful information at all.
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