Chapter 121 Concubine Hug
Jiang Yingli also chased after him, held his hand, and looked at her eagerly.
Xiao Chenglan suppressed the displeasure in his heart. He lowered his eyes and stared at Jiang Yingli, saying only half of his words.
"I have removed Concubine Song's power from the palace."
Jiang Yingli stood there and blinked blankly.
If the palace power is removed, wouldn't that confirm the accusation that Concubine Song committed debauchery in the palace?
Could it be that Your Majesty wants to sentence Concubine Song to death?
No, even if she was not sentenced to death, Concubine Song's life was completely ruined.
Jiang Yingli's expression became very frustrated, and her voice was a little anxious: "But...but Concubine Song is innocent. Your Majesty doesn't believe Concubine Song?"
"I don't know her well, how can I trust her? If you hadn't been running around for her, I would have settled this matter long ago. Why would I delay until the Song family arrives?"
"I'd like to ask you, why do you trust her so much? Is there something else that happened between you and her that I don't know about that made your relationship so good?"
The more Xiao Chenglan spoke, the deeper and slower his voice became, as if he was interrogating someone.
Jiang Yingli looked at Xiao Chenglan, who had an unhappy expression, and shook her head like a rattle.
"No, absolutely not! I have never concealed from Your Majesty any close relationship with Concubine Song."
Xiao Chenglan's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, but his expression was still gloomy.
"That's the best. I don't think there's anything going on between you and her that I don't know about."
Jiang Yingli nodded and mumbled, "Yes, I've only...been dealing with Concubine Song for a few months now, and I can tell she only looks fierce, but she's actually a good person. Furthermore, Concubine Song manages the six harems, and aside from trivial matters, she manages everything else very well. She even intervenes in matters like the bullying of palace maids. If she weren't kind, how could she seek justice for a palace maid?"
"So, because you think she's a good person, you believe that she and Xie Huaiyu are innocent?"
Jiang Yingli nodded rapidly, "Yes, Concubine Song doesn't look like someone who would hang out with eunuchs."
"Just based on this appearance? If that's the case, then every day during the grand court meetings, my ministers would see me sitting upright on the dragon throne and think I look pure and unattached, not interested in women. But would they have thought that I'm actually spending every night with Ning Xiuyi?"
Xiao Chenglan sneered lightly, but what he said made Jiang Yingli blush and become speechless, not knowing how to defend herself.
She opened and closed her lips several times before finally finding her voice. She bravely continued to speak for Song Wanyan, "But I have my evidence for this. If Concubine Song wasn't innocent, why didn't she hide Xie Huaiyu better and let him walk around the palace openly?"
Xiao Chenglan didn't say anything, but a surge of anger suddenly rose in his heart.
Empress Song, Empress Song.
The first time he used the badge he gave her was because of the Concubine Song she kept talking about.
Xiao Chenglan felt annoyed, as if it was his own fault.
He deliberately did not make it clear what crime he was punishing Song Wanyan for, wanting to see to what extent Jiang Yingli would defend Song Wanyan.
But when he heard Jiang Yingli really speaking up for Song Wanyan again and again, contrary to his words, he was more upset than he had imagined.
Xiao Chenglan looked at Jiang Yingli deeply and said, "You're right. She really didn't know about this. It was Xie Huaiyu who planned it all and wanted to frame her."
Jiang Yingli was very surprised: "Then why did Your Majesty give in to his wishes and punish Concubine Song, allowing his conspiracy to succeed?"
"Because I feel that it is indeed time to take back Concubine Song's palace power."
Jiang Yingli was stunned and asked hesitantly, "Your Majesty, what do you mean?"
Xiao Chenglan stared at Jiang Yingli with long eyes, his eyes full of dark emotions. He slowly opened his mouth and said, "When I handed the palace power to Concubine Song, I had already thought of how to take it back. However, someone was one step ahead of me and exposed the handle I had in my hand in advance. I took advantage of the situation today. Of course, I will not let Xie Huaiyu go either. So, I am not fulfilling his wishes, I am only fulfilling my own wishes."
Jiang Yingli was even more confused after hearing this: "Holding a handle in his hand? What handle? Did His Majesty... already know that Huaiyu is Xie Huaiyu?"
Xiao Chenglan's expression remained calm, but the words he spoke were chilling.
"Of course I know. Do you think Xie Huaiyu is really that capable of concealing the truth? I have come this far. If anyone could have gotten away with it right under my nose, I wouldn't have to be the emperor."
Jiang Yingli's thoughts were in a mess.
This means that Your Majesty had long known what Xie Huaiyu was planning and had acquiesced to it.
Because His Majesty needs to have something to hold against Concubine Song. In this way, no matter how many people support Concubine Song in power, he can throw this handle out at any time, naturally take back the palace power from her, and completely cut off the possibility of her taking the palace power again in the future.
Jiang Yingli thought about the whole thing, lowered her eyes, and felt a little sad for a moment.
"But the Song family has always been loyal to Your Majesty. Concubine Song has been managing the six palaces and has worked hard for several months. Since Your Majesty knows that Concubine Song is innocent, why does he treat her like this..."
Jiang Yingli paused halfway through her speech.
She realized belatedly that it wasn't just His Majesty who treated Concubine Song like this, but His Majesty had always been like this.
From Concubine Lu, Concubine Liang, to Xu Nianya, when has Your Majesty ever been merciful and soft-hearted?
It was because His Majesty always indulged her that she felt that His Majesty was easy to talk to.
Looking at Jiang Yingli, who was so dazed that she didn't speak and didn't know what she was thinking, Xiao Chenglan's eyes dimmed completely.
In an instant, his figure pressed towards Jiang Yingli, tightly grasping her wrist and pulling her into his arms. His body and shadow completely enveloped Jiang Yingli, like an inescapable cage...
Xiao Chenglan's eyes were filled with gloom, and his voice was colder than ever when he spoke to Jiang Yingli.
"Now you know, huh?"
"I plotted against Concubine Song. No matter whether she was good or bad, I plotted against her. I will kill the donkey after it has done its work and destroy the bridge after crossing it."
"Do you think I'm cruel? Then I might as well tell you one more thing."
As Xiao Chenglan spoke, he pinched Jiang Yingli's chin with two fingers, forcing her to look up at him carefully, not wanting to look away from him for even a moment.
"I tricked Su Qingrong into falling in love with me so I could use her to sow discord between her and the Xue family. I tricked her into giving the Su family's private treasury away. But I used her and I hated her, so I put a spell on her so she would feel dizzy and nauseous whenever she got close to me, leaving her with no way to express her suffering."
"I use every possible means and never show mercy. Because I am the emperor. No, maybe it has nothing to do with whether I am the emperor or not. I am just such an unscrupulous person. Jiang Yingli, have you seen me clearly today?"
Jiang Yingli felt the hand pinching her chin getting tighter and tighter, and it was almost painful. Tears began to well up in her eyes uncontrollably, and her voice trembled as she spoke.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong? Are you worried that I'm afraid of you? Your Majesty seems very uneasy now. Do you want me to hug you?"
Xiao Chenglan was stunned for a rare moment, and the hostility around him disappeared without a trace in an instant.
He suddenly looked at Jiang Yingli, who was crying, somewhat helplessly, and loosened his fingers that were pinching her chin.
"I……"
Before Xiao Chenglan could explain what was going on, Jiang Yingli hugged him tightly.
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