Just as Fu Xiyu expected, Jin Mei saw that the Queen looked unhappy, so she immediately dismissed everyone in the room and carefully brought the tea to the Queen: "Your Majesty, please have some tea to calm down."
The Queen didn't answer, but said with a sullen face, "When did this Concubine Wan become Concubine Yi's mistress? I had no idea."
Jin Mei knelt at the Queen's feet in fear and trepidation, "It was my negligence. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"Never mind. It's not too late to know now." The Queen held her forehead with her hand, a hint of fatigue between her brows. "It's just that I've wasted so much energy. Get up."
Jin Mei carefully stood up, handed the tea over again, and advised, "Your Majesty, please be at ease. We have a lot of time in the palace, and we have plenty of opportunities. But I don't understand why you didn't just ask Madam Zhang to tell her that someone from Qiulan Palace also went to the flower room last night?"
The Queen took a sip of the tea and said calmly, "The Emperor already has a grudge against Concubine Liu regarding the Imperial Concubine's incident. If she's involved in this, given the Emperor's temperament, he'll definitely investigate thoroughly. I can't take any chances."
"It is the servant who is stupid."
"Now that Concubine Xi is under house arrest, I must make good use of this opportunity to completely subjugate her."
Jinmei thought for a moment and said, puzzled, "Although Concubine Xi is favored, she is unable to bear children. Why do you want to win her over?"
The Queen's red lips curled into a gentle smile. "The Yun family has made great military achievements. As long as the Yun family survives, no matter how big a mistake Concubine Xi makes, the Emperor won't do anything to her. With a knife like this in hand, are you afraid that you can't kill the enemy with one strike?"
Jinmei smiled knowingly upon hearing this, "That's why the Queen spoke up for Concubine Xi just now in Huayang Palace."
"Xipin is grateful to me, but this is far from enough." The Queen raised her hand and slowly fiddled with the armor on her little finger, her eyes cold. "Only if I can help her when she falls into the abyss, can Xipin be completely convinced of my loyalty."
"Then what is your Majesty going to do?"
The queen beckoned Jinmei to come forward and whispered something in her ear.
Jinmei smiled knowingly, "Yes, I know what to do."
Three days later, news came from Zhilin Palace that Concubine Xi had been poisoned and was in a coma. Upon hearing the news, the Queen immediately sent the imperial physician Xun to treat her.
After investigation, it was found that someone had poisoned Concubine Xi's food with red-crowned crane.
Fortunately, Concubine Xi did not take much, which saved her life.
There was originally insufficient evidence to prove that Fu Xiyu was poisoned, and house arrest was a measure to ease the situation. The Queen immediately went to the Purple Palace, and not long after, Zhao Yuancheng issued an order to lift Concubine Xi's house arrest.
Concubine Xi slept in a daze for nearly ten days before she woke up. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the queen sitting beside the bed, and she struggled to get up.
The Queen heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Huibin wake up, and stopped her from moving, "Good sister, you are finally awake."
Then he ordered Jinmei to bring some warm water, "You've been unconscious for ten days, drink some water to moisten your throat first."
Xipin took the Queen's hand and drank all the water in the cup in one breath, and only then did she feel alive again.
"My lady, what's wrong with me?"
The Queen gently wiped the water stains from the corners of Xibin's mouth and sighed, "You've been poisoned. You really scared me."
I heard that I was poisoned.
Concubine Xi became extremely excited. "Your Majesty, can you please find out who is trying to poison me?"
When the Empress mentioned this incident, she sighed, "It was a young eunuch in the imperial kitchen named Xiao Hezi. The Emperor has already ordered his execution."
"The eunuch from the imperial kitchen?" Concubine Xi murmured, "Impossible! It must have been done by Madam Fu. She wanted to poison me! And Madam Liu, they all want me dead!"
A faint glint flashed in the queen's eyes, but her expression turned cold. "Xipin, don't say anything without evidence. After all, Concubine Yi and Concubine Liu are above you in rank. You are committing an act of disrespect by saying this."
"I did not make it up out of thin air, but I heard it with my own ears."
Because Xibin had just woken up, her body was too weak to support her. Before she could finish her words, she leaned against the head of the bed, gasping for breath.
Seeing this, Qiancao quickly knelt at the Empress's feet and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, our master did not lie. When the imperial kitchen staff came to deliver our master's meal that day, a young eunuch personally said that someone from Qiulan Palace had appeared in the flower room the previous night. Yet, Madam Zhang remained silent about this. She must have been bribed by Concubine Liu. Please, Your Majesty, make the decision for our master."
The Queen's eyes were heavy, and she turned her head to meet Xipin's pleading eyes, "Xipin, it's not that I don't want to help you, but I am powerless."
"Your Majesty..."
The Queen sighed softly, "The Liu family helped the Emperor quell the border war, and she also gave birth to a prince. Otherwise, do you think that the Emperor, with his extraordinary wisdom, would not be able to see the clues?"
"And she, Yi Zhaoyi, whose surname is Fu, is the niece of the Empress Dowager. Even though I am the Empress, I still have to show her respect."
The Queen held Concubine Xi's hand, her eyes full of pity. "I know you've been wronged in this matter, so I've asked the Emperor to release you from your confinement and grant your mother special permission to visit you in the palace. You might as well take care of yourself first so that you can have a good time."
The Yun family has only one daughter, Yun Qing, so she is naturally doted on. When Concubine Xi heard that her mother could enter the palace, she could no longer hold back her tears.
"I am a humble concubine, and I didn't realize that Your Majesty really treats me with such sincerity."
A maid brought up the detoxifying medicine. The Queen took it and fed it to Concubine Xi, spoonful by spoonful, gently advising her, "You are the general's daughter, so it's natural for you to be a little arrogant. But blindly using force in the harem will only land you in jail. If you listen to my advice, stop dwelling on these things and take good care of yourself. Otherwise, your enemies will be pleased and your loved ones will be sad."
Concubine Xi nodded and sobbed, "Thank you for your advice, Your Majesty. I will take good care of myself."
The Queen smiled knowingly, "I knew you were a smart person. If you've ever been wronged in the future, please come to Fengqi Palace and stay with me. You'll be my companion."
"Yes, thank you, my lady."
After feeding the medicine, the queen sat for a while and then got up and left Zhilin Palace.
Time passed quickly, and winter arrived in the blink of an eye. When the first snow fell in the capital, the fetus in Fu Qianyu's belly was already stable.
During the palace family dinner, Zhao Yuancheng announced the news to everyone, which was something Fu Qianyu had not expected.
The Queen Mother was undoubtedly the happiest and gave out many gifts on the spot.
The imperial concubine sat below the emperor. When she heard that Fu Qianyu was pregnant, she looked at him with jealousy and envy.
Ever since the newcomer entered the palace, Zhao Yuancheng's favor for her has become much less affectionate. The wife of the Duke of Fuguo knew her daughter's recent situation in the palace, and she often wrote letters home, advising her daughter to open her mind and stop being obsessed with the emperor's favor.
But these words are easier said than done.
Zhao Yuancheng was the man she fell in love with at first sight, how could she let him go easily.
"Sister Yi is so blessed." The imperial concubine held the wine glass, her tone a little sour.
Fu Qianyu only smiled at her and said nothing. Instead, Zhao Yuancheng smiled at her and said, "If Consort Yi is blessed, then you will be blessed too. Yesterday, I discussed with the Queen Mother that when Consort Sun gives birth tomorrow, the child, regardless of whether it is a boy or a girl, will be raised by you."
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